Patent ID: 11930735
Assignee: BOURGAULT INDUSTRIES LTD.
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC A  Y | IPC A

Claim 21:
22. The system of claim 1 wherein each product distributor comprises first and second seed containers mounted on the implement frame of the air seeder and wherein each seed metering apparatus comprises:
a seed disc rotatably mounted under the first and second seed containers about a substantially vertically oriented disc rotational axis extending upward;
a plurality of first seed apertures defined in the seed disc and extending through the seed disc from an upper face of the seed disc to a lower face of the seed disc, each first seed aperture configured to receive one of the first seeds, wherein the first seed apertures are substantially equally spaced along a first seed aperture path a first radial distance from the disc rotational axis;
a plurality of second seed apertures defined in the seed disc and extending through the seed disc from the upper face of the seed disc to the lower face of the seed disc, each second seed aperture configured to receive one of the second seeds, wherein the second seed apertures are substantially equally spaced along a second seed aperture path a second radial distance from the disc rotational axis that is greater than the first radial distance;
a plurality of first seed chutes, each first seed chute sloping downward from the first seed container to an open discharge end configured to slide along the upper face of the seed disc as the seed disc rotates, and wherein the discharge ends of the first seed chutes define first loading zones substantially equally spaced along the first seed aperture path;
a plurality of second seed chutes, each second seed chute sloping downward from the second seed container to an open discharge end configured to slide along the upper face of the seed disc as the seed disc rotates, and wherein the discharge ends of the second seed chutes define second loading zones substantially equally spaced along the second seed aperture path and radially aligned with the first loading zones;
wherein each space on the upper face of the seed disc between adjacent first loading zones defines a corresponding discharge zone and each space on the upper face of the seed disc between adjacent second loading zones defines a corresponding discharge zone;
a stationary dispensing plate mounted under the first and second seed aperture paths on the seed disc such that the lower face of the seed disc slides along an upper face of the dispensing plate;
wherein the dispensing plate is solid and defines a plurality of first dispensing apertures, each first dispensing aperture located on the first seed aperture path under one of the discharge zones, and defines a plurality of second dispensing apertures, each second dispensing aperture located on the second seed aperture path under one of the discharge zones and radially aligned with a corresponding first dispensing aperture;
wherein each first and second dispensing aperture extends through the dispensing plate from the upper face of the dispensing plate to a lower face of the dispensing plate and is configured such that a first seed in one of the first seed apertures passing over one of the first dispensing apertures as the seed disc rotates falls through the dispensing plate into one of the seed delivery conduits; and such that a second seed in one of the second seed apertures passing over one of the second dispensing apertures as the seed disc rotates falls through the dispensing plate into one of the seed delivery conduits; and
a gate located in each discharge zone, each gate operative in a first mode to block the second dispensing apertures such that only first seeds pass through the dispensing plate, and operative in a second mode to block the first dispensing apertures such that only second seeds pass through the dispensing plate;
wherein a first seed product dispenser is operative to convey a first seed product from a first seed product tank into the first seed container, and is operative to maintain a level of the first seed product in the first seed container above a selected level; and
wherein a second seed product dispenser is operative to convey a second seed product from a second seed product tank into the second seed container, and is operative to maintain a level of the second seed product in the second seed container above a selected level.