Deere & Company

Larry P Ferguson

Richard Allen Humpal

Dennis J Sullivan

Ryan P Davis

Ignatz Wendling

A method of spraying multiple fluids from an agricultural machine includes supplying a first working fluid from a first source to a first spray nozzle, and supplying a second working fluid from a second source to the first spray nozzle. The method also includes operating at least one valve in the first spray nozzle to control flow of the first working fluid from the first source to one or more outlets of the first spray nozzle, and operating the at least one valve in the first spray nozzle to control flow of the second working fluid from the second source to the one or more outlets of the first spray nozzle. The method further includes selectively spraying the first working fluid through the one or more outlets of the first spray nozzle, and selectively spraying the second working fluid through the one or more outlets of the first spray nozzle.

Multi-fluid spray system and method for agricultural product application

An agricultural multi-fluid spray system includes a plurality of working fluid sources and a plurality of lines carrying a plurality of working fluids from the plurality of working fluid sources. A first spray nozzle has a plurality of inlets coupled to the plurality of lines and has a plurality of outlets selectively coupled to the plurality of inlets. The first spray nozzle has at least one control valve operatively positioned between the plurality of inlets and the plurality of outlets. The first spray nozzle is configured to segregate the plurality of working fluids into a plurality of fluid paths within the first spray nozzle upstream of the at least one control valve. The at least one control valve is configured and controlled to selectively route the plurality of fluid paths to one or more of the plurality of outlets.

An opener assembly includes a single opener disk rotatably supported from a drawbar and angled approximately five degrees from the forward direction to define a shadow area behind the trailing surface of the disk. A material placement boot and delivery tube are supported adjacent the trailing surface substantially entirely within the shadow of the disk and have profiles conforming to the furrow profile. The boot and the outlet portion of the tube also lie within the periphery of the disk for protection. The tube has an upper portion with a round cross section which changes to an elliptical cross section towards the outlet to remain within the shadow while retaining high throughput capabilities. First and second wheels are supported on opposite sides of the disk to urge soil downwardly behind the outlet of the delivery tube immediately after the material is deposited. The immediate soil action caused by the closely spaced wheels pushes the material to the furrow bottom and prevents material bounce for more constant material depth. A short, lightweight wheel arm on the trailing side of the opener disk reduces assembly length and weight, and wheel bias towards the soil is primarily by spring action rather than weight for fast response to ground contours. The wheel on the leading side of the angled opener disk is supported behind the disk axis by an arm assembly which provides depth adjustment from the forward end of the drawbar. The wheels and the disk are angled generally in the same direction for handling trash.

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Johnston, IA, United States of America

Larry P Ferguson