Great Plains Manufacturing, Incorporated

J Michael McClure

Eric Johnson

Dan J Obenland

Roger L Meek

James I Van Blaricon

Gregory W Arnett

Timothy J Ptacek

Thomas O McGuire

Kevin J Newkirk

A seeding machine has a common, bulk seed container that supplies a number of independent openers, each of which is provided with its own separate metering device. Each metering device is gravity-fed through a telescoping supply tube connected between the top of the metering device and the bottom of the seed container. Each metering device has a relative narrow metering wheel rotatable about a transverse horizontal axis that is provided with one or more rows of seed pockets on its outermost peripheral edge. As the wheel rotates upwardly through a pool of incoming seeds that have collected generally above the wheel in a seed chamber inside the metering device, the pockets become filled by gravity with seeds and then successively discharged at the bottom of the downsweep side of the wheel. Spring-loaded retaining structure along the downsweep side of the wheel keeps the seeds within their respective pockets until the pockets reach the discharge outlet at the bottom of the meter, whereupon the seeds gravitate freely from the wheel in succession and are directed to the ground.

Seeding machine with bulk seed supply container and independent, opener-mounted metering devices

The zone tillage coulters on a drilling or planting implement are maintained at an essentially constant running depth by control apparatus that includes a programmed microprocessor-based controller and a hydraulic operating system that receives commands from the controller based upon inputs received from various sensors. One such sensor comprises a ground wheel which rides along the ground and swings up or down as changes in the terrain are encountered, such motions thus imparting voltage inputs to the controller which compares such inputs with previously selected data inputted by the operator. If the comparison results in a sufficiently large difference between the operator-selected data and the actual data coming from the sensor, the controller will cause a tongue cylinder to be actuated in the appropriate direction to buckle the tongue about a horizontal axis and thus either raise or lower the tongue and coulter gangs fastened thereto. Another sensor detects ground speed and inputs that information into the controller to influence the frequency of output pulses from the controller, while a third sensor detects when the machine is raised into its transport position at the end of a row so that coulters can be elevated to facilitate turn around of the machine. Adjustments can be made by the operator on the go, and manual override is also provided.

Method and apparatus for automatically controlling the soil penetration

A low profile folding row marker apparatus is provided for use with an agricultural implement, such as a seed planter or the like. The apparatus includes inboard and outboard arm assemblies that are supported on the implement by a marker mount. The inboard and outboard arm assemblies are connected to the marker mount and to each other for relative pivotal movement about horizontal axes between a generally vertical storage position and a generally horizontal use position. A linkage assembly is connected between the inboard and outboard arm assemblies for controlling relative movement of the outboard arm assembly, and an actuating means is provided between the marker mount and the linkage assembly for moving the inboard and outboard arm assemblies sequentially between the storage and use positions.

Low-profile folding marker for seed planters and the like

A metering drive mechanism is provided for use with a seed depositing implement adapted for movement across the ground. The mechanism includes a gauge wheel, an arm assembly supporting the gauge wheel for rolling engagement with the ground, and a mounting bracket on which the arm assembly pivots. The mechanism restricts upward pivoting movement of the arm assembly beyond a predetermined position, thus establishing the height of the implement. However, downward movement of the arm assembly is allowed in order to permit the gauge wheel to remain in contact with the ground at all times during travel. A spring urges the wheel against the ground with a force that remains constant, even when the predetermined position of the arm assembly relative to the bracket is changed to vary the height of the implement. The mechanism also includes an overriding clutch having a sprocket, a hub received in an opening of the sprocket for rotation relative to the sprocket, and a key supported on the sprocket for pivotal movement between a locking position and an unlocking position. A cylindrical plug of resilient material is supported on the sprocket for biasing the key toward the locking position.

Seed metering drive mechanism for seed planters and the like

A seed firming wheel assembly is supported in close-coupled relationship with the rear portion of the paired discs of an opener to gently press deposited seeds down into the bottom of a V-shaped trench formed by the discs. The mounting arm of the assembly is configured in a manner to minimize the accumulation of mud and trash residue, while the wheel itself may take the form of a solid, circular block of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene with slick sides to reduce soil adherence or a spoked, molded plastic wheel having open spaces between the spokes to permit soil pass-through.

Grain drill unit having seed firming wheel

The front folding machine has a main fore-and-aft carrier frame provided with transport wheels that may be hydraulically actuated to raise and lower the frame simultaneously with the actuation of gauge wheels on a pair of transverse drill units connected to the rear of the carrier frame, thereby causing the trash cutters and openers which are carried by the drill units to raise out of the ground while the gauge wheels and transport wheels remain in ground engagement. Before folding the drill units forwardly into transport positions extending parallel to the path of travel, the drill units are raised by hydraulically operated tool bars into elevated positions in which the gauge wheels of the units are entirely off the ground and the residue cutters are high enough to clear the transport wheels of the carrier frame as the drill units are folded into the transport position. The tool bars which provide elevation for folding purposes are also provided with flotation pivots by which the drill units are connected to the tool bars so that the individual units can rock laterally about separate fore-and-aft pivots when the machine is unfolded and the gauge wheels encounter changes in terrain during field operations. Flotation limit means associated with the drill units prevent excessive rocking movement during terrain changes and also assist in the control of the drill units during raising and lowering between field and transport positions.

Front folding no-till drill

A towable, furrow opening seed planting assembly includes a mobile frame and a planting unit, the planting unit including a ground engaging opener, a seed depositing apparatus and a press wheel for covering the deposited seed with soil. A variety of different press wheels may be substituted through the use of adapters removably mounted on a universal press wheel arm whereby press wheels having different widths may be maintained in proper alignment with the furrow created by the opener for ensuring proper soil coverage and contact with the deposited seed.

Growing community of inventors

Salina, KS, United States of America

J Michael McClure