Deere + Company

Dnyanesh Dhobale

Elijah Beckham Garner

Cary S Hubner

Kamalakannan Natarajan

Beth A Wolfs

Nathan Albert Mariman

Stanley R Borkgren

James Randall Peterson

Michael L Rhodes

Mark R Underwood

Jacob D Salowitz

Charles T Graham

Drew M Whitcomb

Andrew W Harmon

Nikolai R Tevs

Justin L Montenguise

Tyler G Groves

Rogerio Kroth

Joseph W Migliorini

Pablo Petenon

Andrew Schefter

Kamalakannan Natarjan

Drew Whitcomb

A wing flex assembly for a frame system of an agricultural implement that includes inner and outer tubes. The outer tube, to which tools of the implement are attached, is slidingly displaceable along the inner tube as the inner tube is downwardly pivotally displaced with a downward flex of a wing frame. A first tool of a center frame can be separated from an adjacent second tool of the wing frame that is attached to the outer tube by a first distance when the outer tube is at a retracted position, and a second distance when the outer tube is slidingly displaced in response to the downward pivotal displacement of the inner tube, the first distance being about equal to the second distance. The wing flex assembly can also prevent contact between the first and second tools when the inner tube is pivotally displaced in an upward direction.

Wing flex assemblies for agricultural implements

A seed meter disk includes a body defining a plane of rotation, a seed-side, and a lower-pressure-side. A circumferential array of seed openings are provided on the seed-side of the seed meter disk for seed adherence. A circumferential array of kick-out pockets are provided on the lower-pressure-side of the seed meter disk. A circumferential array of recessed seed agitator pockets may be provided for seed mixing and agitation. A circumferential array of raised agitator pegs or features may be provided for seed mixing and agitation. A kick-out wheel assembly includes a kick-out wheel rotatably held by a kick-out wheel arm. The kick-out wheel has at least one protrusion portion including a plurality of kick-out protrusions each of which is configured to mate with and enter one of the kick-out pockets to facilitate dislodgement of a seed or other particle from within a seed opening.

Seed meter disk and methods of using the same

An agricultural planting machine includes a seed meter configured to meter seed, a transport mechanism configured to transport the seed to a discharge location, and a loader assembly. The loader assembly includes an element having an actuating surface, a hub configured to rotate relative to the actuating surface, and a compartment supported on the hub and configured to receive the seed from the seed meter and to eject the seed into the transport mechanism, the compartment comprising first and second movable elements that are movably coupled to the hub and configured to engage the actuating surface and move relative to the hub based on rotation of the hub relative to the actuating surface.

Agricultural seed loading mechanism for a belted conveyor

A seed meter includes a meter housing having a first chamber for seeds and a second chamber. A seed disk is rotatably supported within the meter housing and has a first side and a second side. The first side is exposed to the first chamber and the second side is exposed to the second chamber. The seed disk includes a plurality of seed openings that extend between the first and second sides at a predetermined radial position. A singulator is positioned against the first side of the seed disk and has at least one structure for removing excess seeds from the seed openings as the seed meter disk rotates relative to the singulator. A radial position of the singulator is controlled at least in part by a hub portion of the seed meter. A biasing spring is positioned to exert an axially-oriented bias force pressing the singulator against the first side of the seed meter disk.

Seed meter singulator

A seed meter for metering a plurality of seeds includes a seed meter housing defining a seed inlet, a seed outlet, and a chamber therebetween, a hub rotatably mounted to the seed meter housing about a rotational axis and extending from a first end positioned within the chamber of the seed meter housing to a second end positioned outside of the seed meter housing, a metering element mounted to the hub within the chamber, a plurality of drain apertures located in the seed meter housing adjacent to the hub, and a handle mounted to the second end of the hub, the handle extends over the plurality of drain apertures in an axial direction parallel to the rotational axis of the hub.

Methods and devices for limiting rain ingress

A single disk fertilizer opener assembly for opening a trench in soil includes a frame support and a cutting disk for forming the trench. The cutting disk is coupled to an axle and rotates about the axle as the assembly moves in a working direction. The assembly also includes a first arm pivotally coupled to the frame support and the axle, and a second arm pivotally coupled to the frame support at a location spaced from the first arm. A bracket is coupled to the axle and the second arm, and a scraper is coupled to the bracket and disposed substantially perpendicularly to the working direction.

Single disk fertilizer opener for an agricultural planter

An agricultural vehicle includes a coupling structure for making a tool-less attachment between a first connector piece and a second connector piece. The first connector piece has at least one pin, and the second connector piece has at least one slot adapted to receive the pin in a receiving pocket that is circumferentially spaced from an axially-open inlet portion of the slot. The slot includes an inlet ramp between the slot inlet portion and the receiving pocket, and the inlet ramp is less steeply angled than a second ramp surface that forms a portion of the receiving pocket adjacent the first ramp.

Tool-free coupling structure in agricultural machines

A seeding machine for a row unit, in which the row unit has a seed disk rotatable about a first axis to convey seed from a seed reservoir, includes a seed delivery apparatus. The seed delivery apparatus includes an elongated housing having a first opening through which seed is received, a second opening through which seed exits, and an elongated interior chamber. The seed delivery apparatus further includes a first pulley, a second pulley, and an endless member driven by the first pulley and/or the second pulley. The endless member is movable within the elongated interior chamber to receive seed from the first opening and convey seed to the second opening. A seed diverter is movable with respect to the endless member and pivotable about a second axis non-coincident with the first axis. The seed diverter is positioned to contact and guide seed into the seed delivery apparatus.

Seeding system

A seeding machine for a row unit, in which the row unit has a seed disk rotatable about an axis to convey seed from a seed reservoir, includes a seed delivery apparatus. The seed delivery apparatus includes an elongated housing having a first opening through which seed is received, a second opening through which seed exits, and an elongated interior chamber. The seed delivery apparatus also includes a first pulley, a second pulley, and an endless member driven by the first pulley and/or the second pulley. The endless member is movable within the elongated interior chamber to receive seed from the first opening and convey seed to the second opening. A seed diverter is movable with respect to the endless member and translatable from a first position to a second position. The seed diverter is positioned to contact and guide seed into the seed delivery apparatus.

A seeding machine for a row unit includes a rotatable seed disk with a plurality of apertures through which an air pressure differential is applicable to retain seed thereon. A seed delivery apparatus includes an elongated housing having a first opening through which seed is received, a second opening through which seed exits, and an elongated interior chamber. The seed delivery apparatus further includes a first pulley, a second pulley, and an endless member driven by the first pulley and/or the second pulley. The endless member is movable within the elongated interior chamber to receive seed from the first opening and convey seed to the second opening. The endless member is further positioned to sweep across a portion of the seed disk, which is controllable to angularly accelerate cooperatively with movement of the endless member to facilitate movement of a retained seed by the endless member from the seed disk.

A seed metering system for metering a plurality of seeds includes a meter housing having a front side and a rear side opposite and attached to the front side, a seed inlet defined within the front side of the meter housing, and a seed disk positioned within and rotatable relative to the meter housing. The seed disk has a first side in facing relation to the front side of the meter housing and a second side in facing relation to the rear side of the meter housing. The seed metering system further includes a seal in contact with the front side of the meter housing and the first side of the seed disk.

Seal for a seed metering system

A seed receptacle includes a housing defining a seed chamber within, a seed inlet formed in the housing, a seed outlet formed in the housing, and an air inlet separate from the seed inlet and mounted to the housing. The air inlet includes a first end attached to the housing and defining a first aperture, a second end, opposite the first end and defining a second aperture, and a channel defining an airflow path between the first end and the second end. The air inlet has an elasticity and a weight such that the second end sags relative to the first end.

A work vehicle includes a frame structure and a plurality of row units with a row unit support structure attached to the frame structure. The row units also include a meter housing with a housing member and a removable cover. The housing member is attached to the row unit support structure and houses a metering element. The metering element is configured to singulate a commodity and meter the commodity from the meter housing. The row unit further includes an air pressure device configured to generate an air pressure differential across the metering element to retain the commodity on the metering element. The air pressure device is fixed relative to the row unit support structure. The air pressure device is configured to remain fixed relative to the row unit support structure as the cover is removed and reattached.

Pressure supply system for commodity meter of work vehicle

A row unit for a seeding machine. The row unit includes a frame, a first gauge wheel arm pivotally coupled to the frame, a first gauge wheel coupled to the first gauge wheel arm, a second gauge wheel arm pivotally coupled to the frame, a second gauge wheel coupled to the second gauge wheel arm, and a position sensor assembly having a position sensor at least partially disposed between the first gauge wheel arm and the second gauge wheel arm such that the position sensor is at least partially concealed from view between the first and second gauge wheels when viewing the row unit along an axis of rotation of the first gauge wheel.

Growing community of inventors

Pune, India

Dnyanesh Dhobale