Deere + Company

Garn Farley Penfold

David James Rylander

James Joseph Phelan

Daniel Bruce Thiemke

James Randall Peterson

Wayne R Miller

Miles Raymond Keaton

Andrew Paul Redman

Jose M Valdez

David L Rabe

Todd E Vandersnick

Larry W Ferguson

Jan Vilas Seipp

A seeding machine having at least one tool bar, a plurality of row units and a processing circuit. Each of the plurality of row units are connected to the toolbar. Each of the row units have a seed metering device, a seed placement device and a seed sensor. The seed metering device includes a seed disk providing a metering action to a plurality of seeds. The seed placement device receives the seeds from the seed metering device. The seed sensor is positioned to detect the passage of seeds through either the metering device or the seed placement device. The seed sensor producing a signal indicative of the passage of the seeds. The processing circuit is receptive of the signal from each of the seed sensors of each of the plurality of row units. The processing circuit determines a seed placement parameter dependent upon the signal, the processing circuit alters the metering action of the seeds dependent on the seed placement parameter.

Agricultural seeding system

A seeding machine includes at least one seed metering system and at least one seed placement system. Each seed metering system includes a seed disc having a plurality of spaced apart seed cells and a circumferential edge. An edge drive engages the circumferential edge for rotatably driving the seed disc. Each seed placement system is in communication with a corresponding seed metering system.

Seed metering system for use in a seeding machine

A vehicle-mounted ultrasonic velocity sensor includes an ultrasonic transmitter and receiver coupled to transmit and receive horns. In one embodiment, a phase-locked-loop signal processing circuit converts the transmitted and reflected frequencies into a signal indicative of the vehicle velocity. In another embodiment, velocity data is obtained by measuring the period of a certain number of cycles of the reflected signal using a pair of counters, one counting at a rate equal to the reflected frequency, the other counting at a fixed rate. In both embodiments, the variable magnitude reflected signal is applied to an input of a drop-out detection circuit whose output is then connected to an input or inputs of the velocity determining circuits to prevent velocity detection during dropout periods. The velocity sensor may be implemented utilizing radar components.

Ground velocity sensor with drop-out detection

A rectangular baler has a preservative applicator for applying a fluid preservation to crop material as it is being baled as a function of the baling rate. The application rate is determined by a control circuit which repetitively measures the displacement of a charge of crop material through the baling for each cycle of the plunger and which repetitively opens solenoid controlled valves regulating a pressurized source of fluid preservative for a length of time proportionate to the magnitude of the displacement signal for one plunger cycle.

Baler with a controlled rate preservative applicator

An electro hydraulic system for controlling a hydraulic function includes a pump and a reservoir connected to the function through a manually operable, electro-hydraulic control valve. The valve is positionable to either side of a neutral ports blocked position and may be held to one side by the engaging of a spring loaded detent. The detent is disengaged by an electrical signal produced by a comparator when a preset, operator-controlled, limiting signal is equalled by a feed back sensor signal proportional to the output of the function. The system will allow initial activation of the valve to provide continuous operation of the function until the limiting input is reached at which time the function will be stopped. The system further provides manual override of the electrical control system to permit operation of the valve when the feedback signal is greater than the limiting input signal.

Hydraulic system

An articulated, four-wheel drive tree harvesting machine includes a front frame section upon which a felling boom assembly, a delimber assembly, and a feed assembly are mounted. The felling boom assembly is operable for severing a tree and lowering it into a generally horizontal position. The tree is released into the opened knives of the delimber assembly which close to encircle the trunk and into the opened feed rolls of the feed assembly which close to engage the trunk. The feed rolls are then rotatably driven to draw the tree trunk through the knives while the felling boom may be operated to sever and position a second tree. Two solenoid-operated valves control the operation of hydraulic cylinders which respectively open and close the delimber knives and open and close the feed rolls. Two other solenoid operated valves respectively control the operation of a clutch and a transmission to drive the feed rolls in a forward or reverse direction of rotation. A delimbing sequence and cycle may be automatically or manually controlled. Once the sequence is chosen, the frame sections are in line, and the cycle initiated, electronic logic circuitry will energize the appropriate solenoids to either close the knives, then close the rolls, and then engage the drive or close the rolls, then engage the drive, and then close the knives. Upon completion of the delimbing cycle, the cycle may be reset so that the electric logic circuitry will open the knives and rolls. Manual control circuitry is provided to permit individual control of the solenoids by manually-actuated switches.

Growing community of inventors

East Moline, IL, United States of America

Garn Farley Penfold