Patent ID: 9456539
Filing Date: 2016-10-04
CPC Classification: A01B,A01C,A01M,Y02A,Y02P

Claim Text:
1. An apparatus for simultaneous application of herbicide or fertilizer, soil preparation, and seeding of a cover crop in a standing crop in a no-till field, the plants of the standing crop defining a plurality of generally parallel row lines, a standing crop row area being defined around each row line so as to contain the row line of plants and extending between generally parallel edges to each side of the row line, an inter-row area being defined between each pair of adjacent standing crop row areas and extending between the closest edges of the adjacent standing crop row areas, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of spaced apart inter-row assemblies each configured to pass along one of the inter-row areas between adjacent row lines of standing crop plants, each assembly including: at least one auxiliary seeding unit, each of the at least one auxiliary seeding units being disposed in a space between two inter-row assemblies, each of the at least one auxiliary seeding units including a no-till soil preparation element, a seed applicator, and a post-seeding element, each of the at least one auxiliary seeding units being moveable between a lowered use position and a raised storage position; wherein when the at least one auxiliary seeding unit is in the raised storage position, the apparatus is operable as an inter-row apparatus that: prepares the soil; applies seed and firms the soil in the inter-row areas; and applies fertilizer to the standing crop row areas or applies herbicide to the inter-row and standing crop row areas; and wherein when the at least one auxiliary seeding unit is in the lowered use position, the apparatus is operable as a grain drill.