The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 30, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 30, 1999
Kevin J. Newkirk, Salina, KS (US);
Gregory W. Arnett, Solomon, KS (US);
J. Michael McClure, Lindsborg, KS (US);
Great Plains Manufacturing, Incorporated, Salina, KS (US);
Abstract
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.