PLANTING DISC FOR A DISC PLANTER

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a planting disc for a disc planter, comprising including a flexible disc-shaped member with a peripheral edge and an inner surface and outer surface. The inner surface of the planting disc includes a contact-pressure lip which is raised in relation to the inner surface and which is arranged in such a way that a groove is formed between the contact-pressure lip and the peripheral edge. Also disclosed herein is a set of two planting discs for a disc planter.

Claims

1. Planting disc for a disc planter, comprising a flexible disc-shaped member with a peripheral edge and an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface of the planting disc comprises a contact-pressure lip which is raised in relation to the inner surface and which is arranged in such a way that a groove is formed between the contact-pressure lip and the peripheral edge.

2. Planting disc according to claim 1, wherein the flexible disc-shaped member is a one-part member.

3. Planting disc according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the planting disc further comprises an intermediate lip which is raised in relation to the inner surface and which is arranged in the groove between the contact-pressure lip and the peripheral edge.

4. Planting disc according to claim 1, wherein the planting disc is made of a rubber-like material.

5. Set of two planting discs for a disc planter, wherein at least one of the two planting discs comprises a flexible disc-shaped member with a peripheral edge and an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface of the at least one of the two planting discs comprises a contact-pressure lip which is raised in relation to the inner surface and which is arranged in such a way that a groove is formed between the contact-pressure lip and the peripheral edge, and wherein the contact-pressure lip is situated on an inwardly facing side of the at least one of the two planting discs.

6. Disc planter for putting planting material in soil, comprising a frame which is movable in a direction of travel, and rotatable planters which are fitted to the frame and which are configured for gripping the planting material and for putting the planting material in the soil, wherein the rotatable planters comprise at least one of the set of two planting discs according to claim 5.

7. Disc planter according to claim 6, further comprising suppliers for supplying the planting material to be planted.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The present invention will now be explained in more detail by means of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of a planting machine and a method according to the present invention. The sole aim of this description is to give illustrative examples and to indicate further advantages and features, and can thus by no means be interpreted as a limitation of the area of application of the invention or of the patent rights defined in the claims.

[0020] Reference numerals are used in the present description to refer to the attached drawings, in which:

[0021] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a planting disc known from the prior art;

[0022] FIG. 2 is a view along the section A-A shown in FIG. 1;

[0023] FIG. 3 is a perspective illustration of a planting disc known from the prior art that has been cut in half;

[0024] FIG. 4 shows a cross section of an assembly of two planting discs according to the prior art;

[0025] FIG. 5 is a perspective illustration of a planting disc according to at least one embodiment of the invention that has been cut in half;

[0026] FIG. 6 shows a cross section of the planting disc shown in FIG. 5;

[0027] FIG. 7 shows a cross section of an assembly of two planting discs according to at least one embodiment of the invention;

[0028] FIG. 8 is an illustration of the planting disc according to at least one embodiment of the invention;

[0029] FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of a disc planter provided with a set of planting discs according to at least one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a planting disc (1), as inter alia illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6 and 8, which allows planting material to be carried along and to be planted without said planting material being damaged. The planting disc (1) according to embodiments of the invention comprises for this purpose a flexible disc-shaped member with a peripheral edge (2) and an inner surface (3) and outer surface (4). The inner surface (3) of the planting disc (1) is provided with a contact-pressure lip (5) which is raised in relation to the inner surface (3) and which is arranged in such a way that a groove is formed between the contact-pressure lip and the peripheral edge. The depth of the groove is determined primarily by the planting material to be processed. The groove has as standard a depth of 10 mm but, if necessary, may also be 20 mm or 25 mm deep.

[0031] The inner surface (3) of the proposed planting disc (1) further, as can be seen from FIGS. 5 to 7, comprises an intermediate lip (6) which is raised in relation to the inner surface (3) and which is arranged in the groove between the contact-pressure lip (5) and the peripheral edge (2). Such an intermediate lip (6) divides the above-described groove into two, so that two (intermediate) grooves situated next to one another are formed. Such a planting disc (1) has a double contact-pressure lip, namely the contact-pressure lip denoted by reference numeral 5 and the intermediate lip denoted by reference numeral 6. Such a design makes it possible to accommodate a greater amount of play. When using a set of two such planting discs (1) (see FIG. 7), these planting discs can be placed further apart. Thus, planting material with larger stem thicknesses can also be planted by way of such planting discs.

[0032] The planting disc (1) according to embodiments of the invention has been designed specifically for a planting device, in particular a so-called disc planter (9) (see FIG. 9), which is equipped for putting planting material (7) in soil. Such a planting device comprises a self-driven or trailed frame (8), which forms the base of the device. The frame (8) is moved over the soil and, for this purpose, comprises running wheels. The frame is provided with a furrow opener (10) for providing one or more parallel furrows in the soil, and optionally with suppliers for supplying planting material (7) to be planted, planters for placing individual plants in the furrows provided and pressure rolls (11) (or pressure wheels) by which the furrows are closed off again after the planting material has been put in place. The furrow opener (10) is made up of a V-shaped element which is brought partially into the soil during use. If no specific suppliers are provided, then the planting material may also be placed manually between the set of planting discs (1).

[0033] The planters, preferably in the form of a set of two planting discs (1) (e.g., disc-shaped members) according to embodiments of the invention, are rotatable in relation to the frame and are intended for gripping the supplied planting material and for putting it in the soil. There is such a mutual relative positioning that, along part of the periphery of both discs at certain places, an intermediate spacing is created for the planting material to be put in a receiving area between the discs and for the planting material, in a delivery area, to be dropped from the planters into a furrow provided in the soil. In order for the planting material to be moved from the receiving area to the delivery area, the two discs are pressed against one another via a contact-pressure device (e.g., slide), provided for this purpose, over another part of the periphery, so that it is possible for the placed planting material to be clamped and moved.