Seed stick

A manually operated seeder and gardening device has a storage hopper for seeds with a pressure activated valve therein to permit the passage of seed from the storage hopper onto the desired location. The arrangements of parts and relative sizes is such as to meter the seed to be deposited. An optional insert traversing the length of the hopper to allow for depositing of a growth aid at the moment of seed expulsion.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
This invention relates to a hand-held garden and field seeder designed to 
deliver crop seeds to the exact desired location in a faster and simpler 
way than has heretofore been available to the individual who plants crops 
manually. 
One of the more laborious phases of gardening or crop farming involves 
putting seeds into the ground. The seeding process essentially involves 
the use of a soil cultivator to form the earth into rows, placing a 
predetermined quantity of seed and fertilizer in the rows, and then 
refilling the rows with soil. The seeding process is usually done in 
either one of two ways: (1) By holding a container of seed in one hand 
while counting and dropping the seed from waist height with the other or 
(2) by the same described manner except utilizing a pipe with a funnel 
attachment at the top. The latter method is used to direct the seed to the 
exact desired spot. Both methods are quite slow and cumbersome. This 
invention provides the unique function of combining the above mentioned 
planting procedures into one fast and efficient movement. This invention 
may be largely constructed of a plastic material such as Polyester or 
Polyvinyl Chloride. The use of a light, yet durable, plastic would enable 
the manufacturer to easily make minor modifications to the invention, 
without changing the scope, to accommodate the needs of the consumer. For 
example, the circumference of the seed holding tube could be made slightly 
larger for those who have larger gardens or fields. This invention 
consists of fewer moving parts than other such devices, greatly reducing 
the risk of any one part malfunctioning. 
One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a simple, yet 
effective, garden or field seeder device. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a manually operated 
seeder device which is light in weight, simple in construction, and easy 
to operate. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a means of allowing a 
determined amount of seed to drop from the end of this device when it is 
pressed against the earth. 
Another object of the present invention is for the user to possess the 
ability to drop seed at a specific place thus reducing the overuse of seed 
and improving the growth pattern of the garden or field. 
A further object of this device is for the user to possess the ability to 
dispense a growth aid, such as fertilizer, at the same instant that the 
seed are dropped by the use of an optional insert designed to divide the 
two substances into equal portions.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the device consists of a pipe that measures 
approx. 41/2 feet in length. It's diameter is approx. 2 inches, but the 
upper end may be flared to allow for easy placement of seed or other 
material into it. The pipe 1 is filled with seed which rest on an inclined 
ramp 2 that reduces the size of the pipe to a much narrower opening. A 
small protrusion 3 from the opposite side of the pipe is present at the 
opening and decreases it's size also. Attached to the bottom of the 
inclined plane 2 is a flat plate 4 that is designed to cover the opening 
5. The plate 4 will pivot on the bottom surface of the ramp 2 by the 
placement of a pin 6 beneath it. When the end away from the opening 5 in 
the pipe 1 is pressed upward, the other end pivots downward to allow 
passage of the seed. In this sense, the plate acts exactly as a valve that 
allows a metered amount of seed to pass when opened. The pivoting motion 
of the plate is caused by a threaded push rod 7 that is placed in a 
position that is parallel to the sides of the pipe 1 and accordingly 
perpendicular to the plane of the plate 4. The length of the push rod 7 is 
dependent on the height of the components discussed above. This component, 
however, passes through two guides 8 attached to the inside wall of the 
pipe 1 to allow for a smooth up and down motion of the push rod 7. On the 
push rod 7 itself are mounted various elements. These include a flange 9 
at the bottom that is flat and perhaps 3/4 of an inch wide. Above the 
flange 9 are three adjusting nuts spaced out so that one 10 is below the 
lower guide 8, one 11 is positioned between the guides 8 (very near the 
lower one), and one 12 is between the upper end of the push rod 7 and the 
upper guide 8. The upper end of the push rod 7 (opposite end of the flange 
9) is attached to the plate 4 by a hinge 14. A spring 15 surrounds the 
push rod 7 in the area between the guides 8. Finally, a divider 16, with 
the lower end tapered and the upper end flanged may be inserted into the 
tracts 17 to allow for separation of materials when desired. 
OPERATION 
As the flange 9 presses against the earth and forces the rod 7 upward, the 
pivoting plate opens and seed passes through the opening at the end of the 
inclined plane 2. The amount of seed dropped depends on the duration that 
the push rod 7 is in the lift position and the position of the adjustment 
nut 10, which determines the size of the opening 5. Accomodations can 
easily be made for different size seed by moving the lower adjustment nut 
10 up or down the threaded push rod 7. Ideally, the upper two adjustment 
nuts 11 and 12 should never require moving, thus the area of the push rod 
7 covered by the spring 15 may be of a smooth surface to allow for 
smoother operation. At the same time, the spring 15 has been compressed 
between the center adjusting nut 11 and the upper guide 8. As the pressure 
on the flange 9 is reduced by lifting the entire device away from the 
earth, the spring 15 expands, stopping the passage of seed and returning 
the flange 9 to it's original position.