Patent ID: 6681706
Filing Date: 2004-01-27
Classification: A01C,Y10S

Abstract:
An improved agricultural seed planter, said planter having a main frame operably supporting a plurality of adjacently spaced row units, each said row units having a row unit frame operably supporting a seed hopper, a furrow opening assembly comprising at least one furrow opening disk adapted to open a seed furrow in a soil surface, a furrow closing assembly adapted to close the seed furrow in the soil surface, and a seed meter disposed a distance above the soil surface and adapted to discharge individual seeds at regular intervals, the improvement comprising:a seed delivery apparatus having: a housing in communication with the seed meter to sequentially receive the individually discharged seeds therefrom, and operably supported by the row unit frame, said housing having an open end disposed in substantial alignment with the open furrow, and further wherein at least a portion of said housing is disposed transversely adjacent said at least one furrow opening disk of the furrow opening assembly; and seed conveying means disposed in said housing for controllably conveying the individually discharged seeds in sequence from the seed meter to proximate the soil surface until serially releasing the seeds through said open end in said housing and into the open furrow.