Patent ID: 6615754
Filing Date: 2003-09-09
Classification: A01C

Abstract:
A seed planter, comprising:a seed chamber having an inlet passage for receiving seeds to be planted; a rotating seed plate that cooperates with the seed chamber to pick up and transport individual seeds from the seed chamber to a release point, where the seeds fall to the earth; a singulator that monitors seeds picked up by the seed plate and rejects excess seeds, dislodging the excess seeds from the seed plate; an excess-seed compartment for collecting the excess seeds rejected by the singulator; an outlet passage in the excess-seed compartment; and a valve comprising a first hole and a second hole, the first hole adapted to communicate with a supply of seed, the second hole adapted to communicate with the vacuum source, the valve being movable between an operating position, in which the first hole is aligned with the inlet passage and the second hole is aligned with the outlet passage, and an evacuating position, in which the first hole and the outlet passage are blocked and the second hole is aligned with the inlet hole for evacuating seeds from the seed chamber.