Variably positionable transmission and drive assembly for a planter

A transmission and drive assembly for a planter that can be transversely positioned on and selectively clamped on the planter frame at desired locations out of interfering relationship with the planting units. The transmission is at the end of the frame outside of the outermost planter unit but may be easily repositioned on the frame as is necessary. A ground wheel assembly is secured to so as to optionally extend to the front or rear of the frame. It may also be adjusted transversely to accommodate adjustments in the row spacings. The dual assembly includes a countershaft journaled on both the transmission and the wheel assembly bracket and driven by the ground wheel through ratchet assemblies. The transmission is also securable to the frame to extend either to the front or the rear thereof. A crossover drive assembly is provided for transferring drive from the front to the rear of the frame when the transmission is mounted to extend to the front of the frame. The arrangement of components facilitates transverse positioning of the transmission and drive assembly so that row spacings can be adjusted as desired.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to a planter and, more particularly, 
relates to a selectively positionable transmission and drive assembly for 
a planter. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Planters of the type having a main frame with a plurality of individual 
planting units mounted along the frame and adjustable to vary row width 
are well known. Many of the planter configurations include a sprocket and 
chain drive assembly, or transmission, permanently mounted between the 
individual planting units, generally in the middle and towards the rear of 
the main frame. A drive or ground wheel assembly mounted on the frame 
provides drive to the transmission which in turn rotates a drill shaft 
connected to the individual planting unit seed meters. By driving a 
plurality of planting units from a transmission, the need for a separate 
drive wheel for each individual unit is eliminated, and the seeding rate 
can be quickly and easily adjusted at the transmission. However, when 
relatively narrow row spacings are desired, the transmission has been 
found to interfere with the adjacent planting units. In many cases the 
desired narrow row spacing cannot be obtained because of the transmission. 
It has been necessary to use a different planter for narrow row crops than 
for wide row crops, or alternatively to use a wider spacing between the 
planting units on either side of the transmission than that used between 
the rest of the planting units. The latter method leaves a gap which is 
objectionable or unacceptable to the farmer. An alternate transmission and 
drive assembly is required to accommodate the narrow row spacing 
capabilities without the need for a separate drive wheel for each unit. 
Another problem encountered with the permanently mounted center 
transmission is the lack of versatility in spacing the individual planting 
units on the frame. Often the location of the transmission interferes with 
the desired location for a particular planter unit, especially when an odd 
number of units are to be used and symmetrically located with respect to 
the center of the frame or when planting units are to be spaced between 
units already mounted on the frame. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a 
variably positionable transmission and drive assembly for a planter which 
can be positioned at any desired location along the frame out of 
interfering relationship with the individual planting units, even when 
narrow row spacings or an odd number of planting units are utilized. 
It is a further object of the invention to provide a positionable 
transmission and drive assembly for a planter so that individual planting 
units can be quickly added or removed and the row spacing changed easily 
so that the need for two separate planters, one for narrow row crops and 
another for wider row crops, is eliminated. 
It is still another object of the invention to provide a planter drive 
assembly and a transmission which clamp onto the frame of a planter and 
which are transversely adjustable thereon. 
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a drive 
assembly and a transmission which can be either clamped towards the front 
or towards the rear of the main frame of the planter. 
It is still another object of the invention to provide a variably 
positionable transmission and drive assembly which may be clamped at the 
desired location along the main frame, and which includes a transversely 
adjustable ground wheel assembly. The ground wheel assembly and the 
transmission carry bearing members for supporting a transverse 
countershaft centrally with respect to the fore-and-aft faces of the 
frame. A ground wheel drives a sprocket connected through a ratchet 
assembly to the countershaft. Another sprocket mounted on the countershaft 
drives the transmission. The sprockets and ratchet assembly are slidable 
with respect to the countershaft so that transverse adjustments of the 
transmission and/or the ground wheel assembly can be made easily to 
achieve the desired planter configuration. 
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a variably 
positionable transmission and drive assembly for a planter in which the 
ground wheels and the transmission can be attached either towards the 
front or the rear of the frame, with either the ground wheels or the 
transmission on the same or on opposite sides of the frame. Flexible 
positioning of the assemblies is provided without need of substantial 
modifications or part substitutions. A planter can be converted quickly 
between narrow and wide row spacings to eliminate the need for two 
planters. 
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a selectively 
positionable transmission which can be secured towards the front or the 
rear of the main frame at any desired location to accommodate planter 
units spaced for narrow row planting, and which additionally allows for 
spacing of planting units the entire length of the main frame. A single 
transmission can be mounted on the frame, or if desired, when a large 
number of planter units are being driven, two transmissions can be used 
with one mounted near each end of the frame.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to FIGS. 1-3 of the drawings, a planter is shown generally at 10 
and includes a transversely elongated main frame 12 with a square cross 
section and substantially vertical fore-and-aft faces. A plurality of 
individual planting units 14 are mounted in trailing relation on the frame 
12. A three-point or integral hitch 16 is provided on the frame for 
attachment to a tractor 18. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, a pair of 
ground wheel assemblies 20 are mounted on either side of the hitch 16 on 
the frame 12. Also mounted on the frame 12 on opposite sides of the hitch 
16 are conventional lift assist wheel assemblies 22. Only the left half of 
the planter is shown in FIG. 3, but the right half is substantially the 
same. 
The planting units 14 are of conventional design, such as those shown in 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,668, and include parallel link members 24 pivotally 
connected to planter brackets 26 secured to the frame 12 by transversely 
spaced U-bolts 28. A bearing support 30 connected to the bracket 26 
journals a sprocket 32. A chain 34 trained between the sprocket 32 and a 
rear sprocket (not shown) provides drive to a seed metering mechanism on 
the planting unit 14. Each sprocket 32 has a hexagonal opening for 
receiving a transverse drill or main planter drive shaft 36 of mating 
hexagonal cross-section. The drill or main shaft 36 is transversely 
positionable with respect to the sprockets 32. 
A bolt-on transmission assembly shown generally at 38 is secured near the 
end of the main frame 12 on the rearward face by U-bolts 40 which extend 
around the frame 12 and through a pair of vertical brackets 42. Nuts 44 
are tightened against the brackets 42 to secure the transmission against 
the rear face of the frame 12. The transmission 38 includes side walls 46 
secured in a spaced apart relationship by a lower brace 48 and an upper 
brace 50 which is generally parallel to but sufficiently spaced from the 
rear face of main frame 12 to accommodate one or more U-bolts between the 
brackets 42. Journaled between the side walls 46 in bearings 54 and 56 are 
hexagonal input and output shafts 58 and 60, respectively. The input shaft 
58 slidably non-rotatably mounts a plurality of input sprockets 62 of 
varying sizes and also carries a plurality of spacers 64 for positioning 
the sprockets along the shaft. Similarly, the output shaft 60 carries a 
plurality of output sprockets 66 and spacers 68. A chain 70 is trained 
between one of the input sprockets 62 and one of the output sprockets 66, 
and an idler assembly 72 is provided for tightening the chain. The chain 
70 can be selectively trained between various input-output sprocket 
combinations for adjusting the speed of the output shaft 60 in relation to 
the speed of the input shaft 58. Coupled to the output shaft 60 is a 
collar 74 which receives the end of the drill shaft 36 therein. The shaft 
36 is non-rotatably secured in the collar 74 by a shear or cotter pin 76. 
A sprocket 78 is non-rotatably secured to the input shaft 58 and receives 
drive through a chain 80 trained around a sprocket of a ground wheel 
coupling assembly discussed in detail below. 
Attached to one of the side walls 46 by bolts 82 is a countershaft bearing 
support member 84 which extends forwardly of the transmission 38 to a 
position centrally located with respect to the fore-and-aft faces of the 
frame 12 and beneath the frame. The member 84 carries a radial ball 
bearing 86 rotatably supporting a hexagonal countershaft 88. A drive 
sprocket 90 having a hub 92 with a hexagonal opening is slidably 
non-rotatably mounted on the countershaft 88. The sprocket 90 is aligned 
with the sprocket 78, and is secured in position between a set screw or 
collar member 94 and the bearing 86. The chain 80 is trained around the 
sprocket 90. The countershaft 88 is directly centered under and parallel 
to the main frame 12 for reasons which will become obvious later. 
Also mounted on the frame 12 are the ground wheel assemblies 20 which 
provide the drive for the sprocket 90. Each assembly 20 includes a wheel 
96 having a hub 98 which carries a sprocket 100. The hub is rotatably 
supported between a pair of identical wheel arms 102 which extend 
rearwardly and generally parallel to each other to a point behind the 
wheel 96 where they converge inwardly. The arms 102 again extend parallel 
to each other at a point just beyond a brace 104 which spaces the pair of 
arms. The arms 102 are pivotally connected to wheel arm bushings 106 
mounted in a bracket 108 secured to the frame 12 by U-bolts 110 and nuts 
112. Each of the brackets 108 is relatively narrow and in the embodiment 
shown in FIG. 2 remains forwardly of the plane of the rear face of frame 
12 so that the bracket does not interfere with the positioning of the 
transmission 38 or the planting units 14. The U-bolts 40 are shown 
connected to the frame on either side of a transmission bracket 42 (FIG. 
1). Each bracket 108 also carries a countershaft support bearing 114 
centrally under the frame. The bearings 114, preferably radial ball 
bearings, are pressed into the wheel arm bushings 106, and along with the 
bearing 86 rotatably support the countershaft 88 without need for 
additional supports connected to the main frame 12. The pivotal axis of 
the arms 102 is located centrally under the frame and coincides with the 
axis of the countershaft 88. Each of the wheel assemblies 20 may be 
positioned along the main frame 12 at the desired location and then 
secured to the frame by tightening the nuts 112 on the U-bolts 110 against 
angled tabs 116 on the bracket 108. A conventional height adjustment 
mechanism 118 is provided including a trunnion 120 connected to the wheel 
brachet 108, an anchor 122 connected to the brace 104, and a threaded 
crank 124. As the crank 124 is turned, the screw threads move the anchor 
122 and wheel arms 102 whith respect to the trunnion 120 to raise or lower 
the wheel 96. 
The hexagonal countershaft 88, inserted through the hub 92 of the drive 
sprocket 90 and through the bearings 86 and 114, slidably carries a 
one-way clutch or ratchet assembly 126. The ratchet 126 has a main support 
member or ratchet dog carrier 128 with a hub having a hexagonal opening 
for slidably receiving the hexagonal countershaft 88. Rotatably mounted on 
the hub is a sprocket 130 secured in position on the hub by a retaining 
ring (not shown). A spacer 132 is used to position the assembly 126 with 
respect to the arm bushings 106. The sprocket 130 has a toothed hub 134 
for engagement with ratchet dogs 136 so that the carrier, and thus the 
countershaft 88 rotate with the sprocket in the forward direction. A set 
screw 138 is provided to transversely secure the carrier 128 such that the 
sprocket 130 is in fore-and-aft alignment with the wheel sprocket 100. A 
chain 140 is trained between the sprockets 100 and 130. A collar 142 is 
secured to the contershaft 88 outwardly of the support member 84 to aid in 
restraining transverse movement of the countershaft which is slidably 
positionable within the bearings 86 and 114. 
As the planter 10 is pulled by the tractor, the sprockets 100 rotate with 
the ground wheels 96 providing drive through the chain 140 and the 
sprockets 130 to the ratchet assembly 126 and the countershaft 88. The 
sprocket 90 rotates with the countershaft 88 driving the chain 80 and the 
sprocket 78 on the input shaft 52 of the transmission 34. The input 
sprockets 62 rotate with the input shaft 52. The chain 70 drives the 
output shaft 50 through an output sprocket 66. The drill shaft 36 rotates 
with the output shaft 60, driving the sprockets 32 on the planting units 
14 and operating the seed metering mechanisms. The desired seeding rate is 
provided by training the chain 70 between the proper input-output sprocket 
combination. 
In the embodiment shown, two bolt-on transmission assemblies 38 are used, 
one on either end of the frame 12. The drive assembly for the right half 
of the planter is generally identical to the assembly for the left half of 
the planter shown in FIG. 3. Two drill shafts 36 are used with one 
connected to each transmission output shaft 60 and driving half of the 
planter units. A separate countershaft 88 is used on each side of the 
planter. Because each transmission 38 is secured near the outer end of the 
frame 12, the individual planting units 14 can be mounted on the frame and 
uniformly spaced for narrow row planting without interference from a 
transmission. If an odd number of planting units 14 are to be mounted on 
the frame 12, the center planting unit can be connected directly at the 
center of the frame. When a small number of planting units 14 are to be 
mounted on the frame 12, a single countershaft 88 and a single drill shaft 
36 can be used along with one transmission 38. Alternatively, if wider row 
spacings are to be used, the transmission 38 can be bolted to the center 
of the frame 12 between two adjacent planting units with a separate drill 
shaft 36 connected to each side of the output shaft 60. In this 
configuration, a single countershaft 88 can be used which extends between 
the ground wheel assembly or assemblies 20 on either side of the hitch 16. 
The ground wheel assemblies 20 are transversely positionable on the frame 
12 so they can be attached at the desired locations to accommodate a 
particular row spacing. To adjust an assembly 20 transversely, the nuts 
112 on the U-bolts 110 are loosened, along with the set screw 138 of the 
ratchet assembly 126. The assembly 20 is moved transversely with the 
ratchet assembly 126 sliding along the shaft 88. When the assembly 20 is 
in the desired location and the sprocket 130 is aligned with the sprocket 
100, the nuts 112 are tightened, and the set screw is secured against the 
countershaft 88. The transmission 38 can also be moved transversely by 
loosening the nuts 44 on the U-bolts 40, loosening the set screw member 94 
which transversely secures the drive sprocket 90 against the bearing 86, 
and sliding the transmission with the countershaft support member 84 to 
the desired location. The drill shaft 36 is transversely positionable 
within the sprockets 32 on each of the planting units 14 so that it may be 
positioned to mate with the collar 74 on the transmission. The nuts 44 on 
the U-bolts 40 and the set screw member 94 are tightened after the 
transmission and the sprocket 90 are properly positioned. By using the 
hexagonal countershaft and drill shaft, each of which is slidably 
positionable with respect to the sprockets and/or ratchet members mounted 
for rotation therewith, transverse adjustment of the transmission or the 
wheel assemblies is accomplished easily and quickly to accommodate changes 
in the row spacing or in the number of planting units used. The wheel 
bracket 108 for each of the wheel assemblies 20 is relatively narrow, and 
the U-bolts 100 can be positioned so they straddle a single one of the 
U-bolts 40, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Also the U-bolts 110 can be 
positioned between the U-bolts 28 for two adjacent planting units 14 even 
when narrow row spacings are used, or positioned so they straddle a one of 
the U-bolts 28. The flexibility in the positioning of the narrow bracket 
108 increases the number of possible locations for the ground wheel 
assemblies 82 along the main frame 12 and accommodates narrow row 
spacings. Additionally, since the countershaft support bearings 114 
mounted on the wheel brackets 108 are centrally located beneath the frame 
12, the wheel assemblies can be reversed when certain planting unit 
configurations are used so that each wheel 96 trails rather than leads the 
frame 12 without affecting the fore-and-aft position of the countershaft. 
Therefore, it is possible with a number of planter configurations to 
reverse the brackets 108 to have both the transmission 38 and the wheel 
assemblies 20 positioned towards the rear of the frame. The axis of 
rotation of the countershaft 88 is centrally located with respect to the 
frame and coincides with the axis of the bearing 114 which supports the 
countershaft, whether the wheel assembly 20 is mounted towards the front 
or towards the rear of the frame 12. Similarly, whether the transmission 
34 is mounted towards the front or towards the rear of the frame 12, the 
bearing 86 on the support member 84 is centrally located beneath the frame 
and remains in alignment with the bearings 114. 
As best seen in FIGS. 4-6, when it is desired to mount the transmission 38 
towards the front of the frame 12, for example when the planting units 14 
are to be mounted across the entire width of the frame 12 in narrow row 
spacings, a simple crossover drive assembly 144 is provided. The crossover 
drive 144 includes a narrow housing member 146 adjustably secured to the 
frame 12 by bolts 148. Vertically spaced sprockets 150 and 152 are 
journaled in the housing member on the forward side of the frame 12 with 
similarly spaced sprockets 154 and 156 journaled on the opposite side. 
Idler members 148 and 160 are journaled in the housing 146 beneath the 
sprockets 152 and 154, respectively. A chain 162 is trained around the 
sprocket 150 and over the sprockets 152 and 154, around the sprocket 156 
and over the idler members 160 and 162. The transmission, in this 
instance, terminates in a coupler or transmission shaft 164 which connects 
the output of the transmission to a collar 166 connected for rotation with 
the sprocket 150. The collar 166 is pinned to a hexagonal shaft 168 which 
rotates with the sprocket 150. The ends of the shafts 164 and 168 are 
reduced for positioning within the collar 166 and are secured therein by 
pins 170. The member 146, as best seen in FIGS. 4 and 6, is sufficiently 
narrow to be mounted between the U-bolts 28 of two adjacent planting units 
14. The output shaft 60 of the transmission drives the coupler shaft 164 
which is connected for rotation with the sprocket 150. The sprocket 156 
rotates with the sprocket 150 through the chain 162 to drive the drill 
shaft 36. The hub of sprocket 156 has a hexagonal opening into which is 
inserted a hexagonal collar 172 which is slidably non-rotatably mounted on 
the drill shaft 36. A pair of set screws 174 secure the collar 172 against 
transverse movement on the shaft. When the drive assembly 144 is adjusted 
transversely on the frame, the set screws 174 are loosened so the collar 
172 slides with the assembly on the drill shaft. Therefore, the crossover 
drive is easily repositionable with respect to the frame and the drill 
shaft to accommodate adjustments in the spacing and arrangement of the 
planting units of the frame. 
The brackets and the open U-bolt configurations used with the brackets on 
the wheel assemblies and on the transmission or transmissions, as well as 
on the individual planting units 14, allow numerous combinations of 
component positions to be used. The transverse adjustment of the brackets 
is facilitated by the shaft and sprocket arrangement, and adjustment is 
simplified. The symmetrical nature of the drive design as a result of the 
centrally located countershaft 88 as discussed above, allows positioning 
of the transmission and/or the wheel assemblies towards the front or 
towards the rear of the frame. For narrow row spacings with the individual 
planting units 14 spaced along the entire length of the frame 12, both the 
transmission or transmissions and the wheel assemblies 20 can be mounted 
forwardly of the frame 12, as shown in FIG. 4. The crossover drive 144 is 
then utilized to transmit power from the front of the frame to the rear of 
the frame. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, if narrow row spacings are to be used 
but the planting units 14 do not extend the entire length of the frame, 
the transmission 34 can be mounted at the end of the frame with the wheel 
assemblies 20 mounted forwardly of the frame. If wider row spacings are 
used, the transmission can be bolted near the center and rearwardly of the 
frame. The ground wheel assemblies 20 can be mounted as desired and 
preferably rearwardly of the frame 12 between two adjacent planting units 
14 when the wider row spacings are used. When a single transmission is 
mounted centrally of the frame, a single countershaft 88 is used and 
driven by ratchet assemblies similar to those shown at 126 in FIG. 2. When 
the transmission is mounted towards the front of the frame 12, a drive 
wheel assembly 20 can be mounted outwardly or inwardly (FIG. 4) of the 
transmission, or two drive wheel assemblies can be used with the 
transmission located between the assemblies. A large number of possible 
wheel assembly-transmission combinations are available to fit the desired 
row spacings and the number of individual planting units used, and the 
above embodiments are given as examples only to show the versatility 
provided by the present invention. 
The planter seeding rate can be easily varied by changing the sprocket 
combinations on the input and output shafts of the transmission 38. 
Therefore, only one or two adjustments need be made, depending on whether 
one or two transmissions 40 are used, to adjust the seeding rate. When two 
transmissions are used, each driving the planting units 14 mounted on 
one-half of the frame 12, the drive loads are reduced. The functioning of 
the shear pins 76 which break upon excessive loading is improved by 
driving a smaller number of planting units 14 with each drill shaft 36. 
All of the sprocket and ratchet assemblies which rotate with the 
countershaft 88 are slidable along the shaft and are easily positioned 
where desired without drilling holes so that they are compatible with the 
various wheel assembly-transmission combination possibilities. The 
countershaft bearing 86 supported from the transmission 38 and the 
bearings 96 on the wheel brackets 108 are aligned regardless of the 
location on the frame. The bearings 86 and 114 conveniently receive and 
provide support for the countershaft 88, eliminating need for a separate 
support bearing attached to the underside of the frame 12. Fewer 
non-positionable components are carried by the frame, and the wheel 
assemblies and transmission are easily repositioned to eliminate 
interference with the planting units when the row spacings or number of 
planting units are changed. With the permanent transmission removed from 
the center of the frame, the planter can be set up for wide row spacing, 
for example 36 inch rows for corn, and later additional units can be added 
between the existing units to provide narrow row spacing, for example 18 
inch rows for beans. The drive assemblies and transmission can be 
relocated as necessary to accommodate the particular set up used. The need 
for two separate planters, one for narrow row crops and one for wider row 
crops, is thus eliminated.