SEED COULTER FOR DIRECT SEED DRILL, SEEDING UNIT COMPRISING SAID SEED COULTER AND SOWING MACHINE COMPRISING SEVERAL SEEDING UNITS

Abstract

A seed coulter arranged to place one or more inputs in a groove behind a tine of a direct seed drill for field crops. The seed coulter is arranged for displaceable connection to the tine and is freely displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the tine between a lower position and an upper position. A seeding unit comprising the seed coulter, and a direct seed drill comprising a plurality of seeding units are described as well.

Claims

1. A seed coulter arranged to place one or more inputs in a groove behind a tine of a direct seed drill for field crops, the direct seed drill comprising one or more tines for soil tillage, and each tine comprising a front and a back, and the seed coulter comprising at least one delivery channel for carrying said input into the groove behind the tine, wherein: the seed coulter is arranged for displaceable connection to the tine, wherein the seed coulter is freely displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the tine between a lower position and an upper position; and the seed coulter is arranged for connection to a depth-control device for keeping a seeding depth of the seed coulter constant when a working depth of the tine is lowered or raised during seeding.

2. The seed coulter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the seed coulter is arranged for linear displacement along the tine.

3. The seed coulter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the depth-control device is arranged to sense the surface of the seedbed.

4. The seed coulter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the seed coulter is arranged to be connected to a pressure-loading device.

5. The seed coulter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the seed coulter comprises a guiding portion arranged to enclose a portion of the tine.

6. The seed coulter in accordance with claim 5, wherein the guiding portion comprises at least one of a friction-reducing bushing and a guide roller, at least one of the friction-reducing bushing and the guide roller being arranged to bear against the front of the tine.

7. The seed coulter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the seed coulter is provided, on a front, with one of a dovetail slot and a complementary coupling portion of a dovetail coupling, and the dovetail slot or the complementary coupling portion of the dovetail coupling is arranged to engage with the other one of the dovetail slot and a complementary coupling portion of the dovetail coupling arranged on the back of the tine.

8. The seed coulter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the seed coulter comprises a linkage-arm suspension arranged for connection to the tine.

9. The seed coulter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the seed coulter comprises an attachment for connection to a rotary joint on the back of the tine, the rotary joint forming a rotary axis substantially coinciding with the longitudinal direction of the tine.

10. A seeding unit for a direct seed drill for field crops, wherein the seeding unit comprises a seed coulter, wherein the seed coulter is arranged to place one or more inputs in a groove behind a tine of a direct seed drill for field crops, the direct seed drill comprising one or more tines for soil tillage, and each tine comprising a front and a back, and the seed coulter comprising at least one delivery channel for carrying said input into the groove behind the tine, wherein: the seed coulter is arranged for displaceable connection to the tine, wherein the seed coulter is freely displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the tine between a lower position and an upper position; and the seed coulter is arranged for connection to a depth-control device for keeping a seeding depth of the seed coulter constant when a working depth of the tine is lowered or raised during seeding, and the seed coulter is connected to a tine.

11. The seeding unit according to claim 10, wherein the seed coulter encloses a portion of the tine.

12. The seeding unit according to claim 10, wherein the seed coulter is connected to the tine via a dovetail coupling.

13. The seeding unit according to claim 10, wherein the seed coulter is connected to the tine via a linkage-arm suspension.

14. The seeding unit according to claim 10, wherein the seed coulter is connected to the tine via a rotary joint with a rotary axis directed vertically.

15. The seeding unit in accordance with claim 10, wherein the seeding unit comprises at least one of a dept-control device, a pressure-loading device, and a coulter.

16. The seeding unit in accordance with claim 10, wherein the tine is arranged for strip tillage.

17. A direct seed drill for field crops, wherein the direct seed drill comprises a plurality of seeding units, wherein the seeding units comprise a seed coulter, wherein the seed coulter is arranged to place one or more inputs in a groove behind a tine of a direct seed drill for field crops, the direct seed drill comprising one or more tines for soil tillage, and each tine comprising a front and a back, and the seed coulter comprising at least one delivery channel for carrying said input into the groove behind the tine, wherein: the seed coulter is arranged for displaceable connection to the tine, wherein the seed coulter is freely displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the tine between a lower position and an upper position; and the seed coulter is arranged for connection to a depth-control device for keeping a seeding depth of the seed coulter constant when a working depth of the tine is lowered or raised during seeding, and the seed coulter is connected to a tine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0081] In what follows, examples of preferred embodiments are described, which are visualized in the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0082] FIG. 1a shows a side view of a first embodiment of a seed coulter connected to a tine, a side cover of the seed coulter having been removed for the sake of exposure;

[0083] FIG. 1b shows a ground plan of the seed coulter of FIG. 1a in a position in which a side cover has been pulled away from the seed coulter;

[0084] FIG. 1c shows a section of the seed coulter of FIG. 1a put together, the distribution of input being indicated behind the seed coulter;

[0085] FIG. 2 shows a side view of a second embodiment of the connection of the tine and seed coulter, a side cover of the seed coulter having been removed for the sake of exposition;

[0086] FIG. 3a shows a side view of a third embodiment of the connection of the tine and seed coulter;

[0087] FIG. 3b shows a ground plan of the seed coulter of FIG. 3a released from the tine;

[0088] FIG. 3c shows a ground plan of the seed coulter of FIG. 3a connected to the tine;

[0089] FIG. 4 shows a side view of a fourth embodiment of the connection of the tine and seed coulter;

[0090] FIG. 5a shows a side view, on a smaller scale, of a fifth embodiment of the connection of the tine and seed coulter, the seed coulter being shown in a first position;

[0091] FIG. 5b shows a side view of the fifth embodiment of the connection of the tine and seed coulter, the seed coulter being shown in a second position;

[0092] FIG. 6a shows a side view of a seeding unit comprising the seed coulter according to FIG. 1 in a first working position;

[0093] FIG. 6b shows the seeding unit according to FIG. 6a viewed from behind;

[0094] FIG. 7 shows the seeding unit according to FIG. 6a in a second working position; and

[0095] FIG. 8 shows, on a smaller scale, a direct seed drill for field crops, the direct seed drill comprising a plurality of seeding units according to FIG. 6a.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0096] FIGS. 1a, 1b, 1c, 2, 6a, 6b, 7 and 8 show embodiments in which a tine 20 pushes a seed coulter 10. FIGS. 3a, 3b, 3c, 4, 5a and 5b show embodiments in which the tine 20 pulls the seed coulter 10. For the sake of order, “a”, “c”, “d” and “e” are used to indicate the different embodiments of the tine 20. Correspondingly, “a”, “b”, “c”, “d” and “e” are used to indicate the different embodiments of the seed coulter 10.

[0097] FIGS. 1a-1c show the seed coulter 10a comprising a main part 101 and a cover 102. FIG. 1a shows the seed coulter 10a connected to a tine 20a, a side cover 102 (see FIGS. 1b and 1c) having been removed for the sake of exposition. FIGS. 1b and 1c show the seed coulter 10a seen from above. In FIG. 1b, the side cover 102 has been separated from the main part 101. In FIG. 1c, the side cover 102 is mounted on the main part 101 via a plurality of screw connections 115.

[0098] The seed coulter 10a is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the tine 20a along the tine 20a between a lower position P0 and an upper position P1. The seed coulter 10a comprises a guiding portion 130 enclosing a portion of the tine 20a. In this embodiment, the guiding portion 130 comprises two bushings 131 resting against a front 21 and a back 22 of the tine 20a. The bushings 131 are arranged to reduce the friction between the guiding portion 130 and the tine 20a when the seed coulter 10a is being displaced upwards and downwards along the tine 20a.

[0099] The seed coulter 10a is shown with a first input channel 121 for delivering a first input 88 (see FIG. 1c) and a second input channel 122 for delivering a second input 89 (see FIG. 1c). The two input channels 121, 122 are separated by a channel profile 124. Fertilizer may be carried down in the first input channel 121, and seeds may be carried down in the second input channel 122, or vice versa.

[0100] The inputs 88, 89 are carried to the two input channels 121, 122 from containers (not shown) through prior-art supply hoses (not shown).

[0101] The first input channel 121 is shown with an open bottom so that the fertilizer 88 may fall onto a bottom layer 91 formed by the tine 20a. The second input channel 122 is shown with a spreading wing 125 arranged to spread the seeds 89 in a horizontal seed layer 92 formed by two wing sections 105 mounted in a lower portion of the seed coulter 10a. Here, the horizontal seed layer 92 is shown positioned above the bottom layer 91.

[0102] The seed coulter 10a further comprises a front portion 100 with a V-shaped cross section. A point 103 may be replaceable and attached to the main part 101 via a screw connection (not shown). In an advantageous embodiment, the point 103 may be a wear part.

[0103] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the seed coulter 10b in which the guiding portion 130 is provided with guide rollers 132. The guide rollers 132 bear against and roll along the front 21 and back 22 of the tine 20a.

[0104] As is shown in FIG. 2, the seed coulter 10b may comprise a third input channel 123 arranged for delivering a third input, preferably a starter fertilizer for the seeds 89. The second input channel 122 and the third input channel 123 are arranged to lay starter fertilizer and seed, respectively, in the same horizontal seed layer 92 (see FIG. 1c).

[0105] FIGS. 3a-3c show a third embodiment of the seed coulter 10c, in which the seed coulter 10c is connected to the back 22 of the tine via a dovetail coupling 140. The dovetail coupling 140 comprises a dovetail slot 141 in the back of the tine 20c and a complementary coupling portion 142 on the front of the seed coulter 10c. FIGS. 3b and 3c show the seed coulter 10c seen from above in the longitudinal direction of the tine 20c. In the FIG. 3b, the tine 20c and the seed coulter 10c are shown separated. In the FIG. 3c, the tine 20c and seed coulter 10c are shown connected to each other. Even if the dovetail coupling 140 is shown here with the dovetail slot 141 arranged in the tine 20c and the complementary coupling portion 142 arranged on the seed coulter 10c, it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art to let the dovetail slot 141 and the coupling portion 142 change places.

[0106] FIG. 4 shows a fourth embodiment of the seed coulter 10d, in which the seed coulter 10d is connected to the back 22 of a tine 20d via a linkage-arm suspension 150 comprising to linkage arms 153. The tine 20d is shown here with a curved shape. A front 11 of the seed coulter 10d is provided with two attachments 151 for a corresponding number of linkage arms 153. The tine 20d is provided with two corresponding attachments 153. In FIG. 4, the linkage arms 153 are shown having the same length, so that the seed coulter 10d can be moved by translation between the lower position P0 and the upper position P1.

[0107] FIGS. 5a and 5b show a fifth embodiment of the seed coulter 10e, in which the seed coulter 10e is connected to the back 22 of a tine 20e via a rotary joint 30. The rotary joint 30 is shown as a shaft in the figures. The seed coulter 10e is rotatably connected to the shaft 30. The shaft 30 is attached to the back of the tine 20e via a plurality of attachments 31. The front of the seed coulter 10e is provided with two corresponding attachments 310 arranged to rotate around the centre axis 30C of the shaft 30. The attachments 310 comprise bushings (not shown) for giving minimal friction when the attachments 310 are moved along the shaft 30 and rotated around the shaft 30. In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the shaft 30 may be replaced by a downspoute-tube arranged to carry down an input, for example a fertilizer.

[0108] In the FIGS. 5a and 5b, a depth-control device for the seed coulter 10e is shown in the form of an actuator 35. In FIG. 5a, the actuator 35 is shown extended to a largest length for a maximum working depth. In FIG. 5b, the actuator 35 is shown contracted to a smallest length for a minimum working depth. The actuator 35 is rotatably connected to the shaft 30, so that the actuator 35 follows the seed coulter 10e when the seed coulter 10e rotates. This results in the forces that are applied to the actuator 35 by the seed coulter 10e always following the centre axis 35C of the actuator.

[0109] FIGS. 6a and 6b show a seeding unit 6 from the side (FIG. 6a) and from the rear (FIG. 6b), respectively. The seeding unit 6 comprises a seed coulter 10a, a tine 20a, a depth-wheel suspension 61 with a depth wheel 62, a disc-coulter suspension 65 with two disc coulters 66, and a pressure-loading device 50 comprising two springs.

[0110] The working depth of the seed coulter 10a is adjusted with the depth-wheel suspension 61 and the depth wheel 62. The pressure-loading device 50 subjects the seed coulter 10a to a constant downward force, and the depth wheel 62 keeps the seed coulter 10a at a constant working depth. The point 103 of the seed coulter 10a and a lower portion of the tine 20a form a groove in the soil. When the seed coulter 10a is moved forwards, a soil ridge will form on each side of the seed coulter 10a. The disc coulters 66 are arranged to level out the soil ridges again by these being moved back behind the seed coulter 10a.

[0111] A person skilled in the art will understand that the seed coulters (10b, 10c, 10d and 10e) shown in FIGS. 1a, 2a, 3a, 4, 5a and 4b, may be connected to the depth-wheel suspension 61 and the pressure-loading device 50 shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b.

[0112] FIG. 7 shows a seeding unit 6 set with a greater difference between the working depths of the tine 20a and the seed coulter 10a than what is shown in FIG. 6a.

[0113] FIG. 8 shows a direct seed drill 1 for field crops. A plurality of seeding units 6 are mounted in two rows on a frame 7. A prior-art disc coulter 71 is positioned in front of each seeding unit 6. The seeding unit 6 can rotate around an attachment point 73 of the tine 20. A stone-release 72, shown as a spring, is arranged to absorb forces to which the tine 20 is subjected in a possible collision with an earthfast rock. A container 80 for inputs is mounted on the frame. Fertilizer and seeds are carried to the seed coulter 10a via supply tubes 81, 82 for fertilizer and seed, respectively. A drawbar 85 is arranged to be connectable to a tractor. The working depth of the tines 20a is adjusted by changing the stroke length of a cylinder 86. When the stroke length of the cylinder 86 is extended, the drawbar 85 and a row of packer wheels 87 are pushed down, and the frame 7 and the tines 20a are raised. The seeding depth is adjusted with the dept-wheel suspension 61 as described above.

[0114] It should be noted that all the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate the invention, but do not limit it, and persons skilled in the art may construct many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the attached claims. In the claims, reference numbers in brackets are not to be regarded as restrictive.

[0115] The use of the verb “to comprise” and its different forms does not exclude the presence of elements or steps that are not mentioned in the claims. The indefinite article “a” or “an” before an element does not exclude the presence of several such elements.

[0116] The fact that some features are indicated in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these features cannot be used with advantage.