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:
Feb. 19, 2002
Filed:
Jan. 28, 2000
Ignatz Wendling, Bettendorf, IA (US);
Larry Patrick Ferguson, Bettendorf, IA (US);
Deere & Company, Moline, IL (US);
Abstract
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.