Abstract:
The invention comprises an improvement for finger type seed meters. The improvement is a backing or wear plate of lubricious material with a seed release and an exit. The improved also has a cutout section and a plurality of variable inserts to get accurate seed spacing of a variety of size and shapes of seeds. Each insert of the meter includes a seed release area having varied shapes and depths of projections and depressions to accomplish accurate and timely release from the fingers of seeds of various sizes and shapes. Each insert also has an improved seed exit or void. The exit void being varied both in dimension and contour to substantially eliminate seed rejections and to ensure seed ejection into a seed tube and thence to the soil.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     When planting corn and other row crops it is essential to place the seeds in the ground with uniform spacing between the seeds to ensure an even growth and maximum crop yield. Most row crops are now planted individually and are not in hills as prior planting practice as learned from the Indians. 
     After hill planting the next improvement to improve yield was a seed selecting mechanism known as the plate type planter wherein a seed plate rotates beneath the supply of seed, the seeds drop into a recess of predetermined size in the plate relative to the seed to be planted. This seed was then carried by the plate to a slot hole for ejection by gravity. A separate plate was necessary for each seed size i.e., bean, corn, cotton etc., the seeds also had to be of uniform size requiring grading of the seeds. 
     With the advert single cross hybrids the problem of grading became extremely difficult due to the irregular size as compared to the regularity of double cross seeds. 
     The plateless planter invented by Keeton and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,308,774 issued Mar. 4, 1967 operated on an entirely different principal from the plate planter. The seeds in the finger pick up meter are engaged by fingers and slid along a vertical circular plate until they are ejected through a hole in the plate. 
     This planting device was improved as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,607 wherein the seed engaging member was divided into a large and small seed engaging part also, an improved seed remover consisting of depressed areas or modulations including sloping surfaces was added just prior to the exit. 
     The vertical circular plate required a very flat surface in the area of circumference contacted by the fingers holding the seed. This portion of the plate was reinforced and machined for a flat surface was also necessarily wear resistant to the pressure of the seeds in the fingers. 
     This additional wear plate has been abandoned in favor of a stamped plate of hard metal. This stamped plate does not provide a flat uniform surface for transportive the seed by the fingers and the removing means or the depressed area is also not true. This metal vertical plate is also subject to change in surface flatness due to wear and the variations due to stamping. 
     The spacing of seeds within the row will be varied by the row width to be planted. 
     Before the advert of accurate meter calibration, a farmer would calibrate, as best as he could, the meter for row and seed spacing and speed of the planter to obtain maximum yield. However, this calibration has been found to be subject to accuracy with only one size shape of seeds. The requirement to use different seed size and shape occurs because of each farmers demand for more seed than can be furnished to him from one seed company in one size and shape. This farmer also may desire seed with certain genetics for different soils and these seeds then may be different sizes and shapes from the calibrated seeds. 
     The seed size and shapes vary and for accurate performance the release means is different for flats, rounds, large and small combinations of seeds. Thus by changing seeds and not recalibrating and not changing the release means, proper seed spacing will be forfeited. 
     Tests on current state of the art meter calibration devices such as the MeterMax™ can determine the speed modulation or depression release and tension of the fingers for maximum planting accuracy for each type of seed. The tension on the fingers and the modulation have not been variable in planters previously. This invention provides for variation in the depression or modulations of the seed release area without removing the meter from the planter and still maintaining a flat even wear resistant surface of the backing plate. 
     The exit slot has also been changed to avoid rejection of seeds back into the meter from the seed conveyor as determined by calibration of the meter. This improvement is provided by reducing the size of the exit slot and also changing the shape or contour of the exit slot. 
     For example, a grower may have three different seed sizes, total of 90 bags of corn seeds, he may have 30 bags of great big rounds, 30 bags of medium size flats and 30 bags of a real small diamond shape seed. This mix has occurred because there is only so much seed available in various sizes and he gets what is available from his supplier or by choice. Thus the grower will have set by calibration his planter with a metering device to have top performance in one size only with current finger planters. If you set your planter with a calibration device so that it is accurate for one seed with the normal backing plate, one-third of the seeds would be spaced accurately and two-thirds of the seeds would not be accurate as to spacing between the seeds. Thus two-thirds would not be getting the maximum yield potential because of skips and/or doubles. There are two different backing plates available in the stamped metal in the industry at the current time. The farmers is locked into that for the whole year because to change planting accuracy would have to change meters i.e., take the meter off and dissemble the components in order to change the backing plates. During the season it is an impossible task because of the time and expense required. 
     This would require taking apart the row units and putting in a new backing plate and then would not know where to set without going back to a meter adjustment station. Under current conditions it would take up to two days to get your unit changed for a different seed size with the current backing plates thus the farmer must accept less than optimum performance for two-thirds or some percentage of his seeds. This invention permits the finger pickup type planter to compete with vacuum planters where they merely stop and change the disk. This currently requires stopping and removing the planter and meter to change the insert to ensure maximum performance. This fine tuning of the specific seed style has only recently been possible because of the introduction of seed performance equipment. The current test stands let a technician adjust a finger pickup type meter for peak performance with one type seed. This invention, one may adjust for at least three or more specific type seed performance which may be changed as the seed is changed. 
     This provides a perfectly flat running surface for the finger to run on, no warping in the backing plate and the fingers will run with no variance of pressure and will then drop seed correctly into the outlet. In this case the modulations are changed but are not radically different in each case. However the modulations are different for each different type of seeds. 
     Since the introduction of test stands capable of monitoring the performance of the meters it has been possible to get detailed testing of the performance of the meters preseason. In this testing it was found that the outlet currently used is too large. This requires a change in the outlet form and size. This will prevent the ricocheting of seeds back for the transfer mechanism in the discharge outlet. This increased the number of skips from the meter by the fact that the outlet was not properly sized or shaped. 
     These and other objects advantages this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art after consideration of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which a preferred form of this invention is illustrated. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a planter in which the principals of the present invention are incorporated. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of that portion of the seed selecting mechanism which includes a plurality of seed selecting fingers, a seed selecting finger holder and the plate with which the seed selecting fingers cooperate. 
     FIG. 3 comprising FIG. 3 a  and FIG. 3 b  is an exploded view of the planting mechanism of this planter including the fingers, the backing plate and other essential elements. 
     FIG. 4 is a view of the novel backing plate of this invention showing the interior working side of the backing plate wherein the fingers run. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the backing plate from the non-working side. 
     FIG. 6 is a view showing the backing plate with the removable insertable sections and the mounting mechanisms for retaining said sections in said backing plate. 
     FIG. 7 is a detailed view of the support and fastening structure for the removable insertable backing plate. 
     FIG. 8 is a detailed view showing the fastening structure of backing plate. 
     FIG. 9 is a plan view of one the removable insertable of said backing plate. 
     FIG. 10 is the reverse plan view of one of the removable insertable sections of the backing plate. 
     FIG. 11 is a detailed view showing the interior of filler of an auxiliary release means mechanism. 
     FIG. 12 is a reverse view showing the exterior of filler and auxiliary release means mechanism. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The seed selecting mechanism of the present invention is designed to be used with the planter of the type partially illustrated in FIG.  1 . The planter includes a transversely extending frame  10  to which a plurality of planting units may be secured. Each planting unit, there being only one shown in FIG. 1 is indicated generally at  12  and includes upper and lower generally parallel links  14  and  16  respectively secured at their forward ends to the transverse frame  10 . The rear ends of the upper and lower link  14  and  16  are pivotally secured to supporting structure  20  in a manner which is not material to the present invention. The supporting structure carries the seed selecting mechanism of the present invention indicated generally at  22  as well has principal seed hopper  24 , a double disk opener  26 , a runner  28  and a press wheel  30 . The structure  20  includes a pair of spaced apart plates not shown, one plate being provided with an aperture which receives the seed selecting mechanism  22 . The seed transverse frame  10  is adapted to be raised and lowered by a ground engaging wheel means, not shown, and the down pressure of the openers  26 ,  28  of the planter unit  12  is adjusted through a spring link. 
     The seed selecting mechanism is driven by a chain which is mounted with one end over a sprocket mounted on a transversely extending jackshaft carried on the frame  10 . The jackshaft may be driven from the ground engaging wheels which support the planter frame or in the alternative it may be driven through hydraulic motor. If the jackshaft is driven from a hydraulic motor it is desirable to provide control means so that the speed of the jackshaft may be proportionally adjusted relative to the ground speed of the planter. Additional drive means in the form of chains and sprockets are provided as necessary. 
     The seed selecting mechanism  22  has a seed selecting means in the form of plurality of seed selecting fingers indicated generally at  50  which are mounted adjacent a stationary wear plate  52  carried by the main frame. The seed selecting fingers  50  engage seeds in a seed supply area  56  formed in a lower portion of the auxiliary hopper  58  which also acts as a cover for the finger pickup mechanism. The auxiliary hopper  58  receives seeds from the principal seed hopper  24  through tubular means which terminate in the lower portion of the cover  58 . The cover  58  has an aperture  62  to receive the seeds from the tube. By having the aperture only in the lower portion  58  the seeds are prevented from contacting an upper surface of the plate  52 . However there will always be sufficient supply of seeds in the bottom of the auxiliary hopper  58  to assure that seeds will be selected by the seed selecting fingers provided, however there are seeds in the principal hopper  24 . The finger guide  88  is formed of inner and outer disk shaped members  110  and  112  respectively. They may be spot welded together although they may be secured to each other in any suitable fashion. As previously mentioned the holder  88  was provided with opening  90 . This opening being formed in both members  110  and  112 . The outer disk shape member  112  has an axially spaced inner and outer radial portions  116  and  118  respectively inner connected by conical portions. 
     Each of the fingers is provided with an elongated cylindrical portion  122  and an outer segment of this portion is rotatively held between the outer annular portion  118  and the wear plate  52 . The portion  118  is provided with semi cylindrical recesses or bearing portions  124  which receive the cylindrical portion  122 . The semi cylindrical portion  124  is of such a depth that when the elongated cylindrical portion  122  of the finger  50  is disposed within the upper surface of the portion  122  bears against the plate  52 . The inner disk shaped member  110  has a planar annular portion which terminates in an outer cylindrical portion. The cylindrical portion is provided with circular notches  130  which receive an inner cylindrical portion  132  of the fingers  50 , the inner portion also bearing against a portion of the plate member  52 . From the forgoing it can be seen that as the finger guide and holder  88  is caused to rotate by the rotation of the shaft  40 , the fingers  50  will be rotatively moved about the wear plate or backing plate as they are held between the bearing surfaces and the plate member. 
     Each finger is formed with outer seed engaging means  134  and inner cam follower means in addition to the elongated cylindrical portion  122 . The finger  50  is held away from the wear plate  52  and disposed during a portion of its rotation about the wear plate  52 . During a portion of travel of the finger  50   a  cam face will act against the face  144  of a cam follower to hold the seed engaging means  134  away from the plate  52 . 
     As the seed engaging means  131  passes through the seed supply, namely that area below the upper level of seed within the auxiliary hopper. The seed engaging portion is held in an open position. As the seed engaging means of the finger passes out of the seed supply the cam follower moves past the terminal end of the cam permitting the biasing or spring means to force the seed engaging means towards the plate  52 . The seed disposed between the seed engaging means and the plate will engage by the seed engaging means and slid along the surface of the plate toward the aperture  100  through which the seeds will be forcibly ejected by the biasing means. 
     Occasionally the seed engaging means  131  may hold two or more seeds against the plate  52  and it has been found necessary to provide means for removing seed doubles from between the seed engaging means  131  and plate  52 . To this end the plate  52  is formed with two depressed areas or offset areas,  148   a  and  148   b . Excess seeds over one seed will be dislodged so that only a single seed is carried beyond the final sloping surface to the aperture  100 . The seeds that are dislodged fall back into the seed supply  56 . 
     The seed engaging means has a seed engaging surface formed into two cell areas capable of engaging seeds of widely sizes. To this end the seed engaging means  131  is provided with the first seed engaging portion  154  and a second seed engaging portion  156 . The relatively small seeds are engaged by the first seed engaging portion  154  within the concave surface formed in the first seed engaging portion and the adjacent surface  160  of the elongated portion  118 . The outer and second seed engaging portion  156  is formed with a concave engaging surface also with the inner edge of the concave surface disposed at an angle to the adjacent surface. A plurality of finger forms have been utilized in this type of planter over the years and any form may be used with this invention. 
     The novel and independent portion of this invention is to replace all of the wear or backing plate  52  normally made of stamp material with a polymer whereby the bearing surface against which the seeds are held by the fingers is perfectly flat and wherein a portion of the polymer backing plate  52  can be removed and replaced with another section having different discharge modulations or depressions. The preferred design of the backing or the wear plate  52  is shown in FIG.  6 . This shows the backing plate  52  composed of a very hard polymer, which has been molded to have a very hard flat surface against which the fingers  50  will bear. Shown in FIG. 6, the insertable portion of the backing plate member  52  shown as  52   a  which is to be inserted into a void by in the molding process in the wear plate  52 . This section of wear plate  52   a  as a section of wear plate  52  or is held in position by flanges  153  and  154 . This provides a completely tight backing plate in each section  52   a  with a predetermined modulation or depressed areas  148  and  148   b . The insert can be molded with various assortments of depressions and/or modulations as required by the various seed sizes to ensure release and selection of a single seed as described herein before. 
     In addition, the insert  52   a  has a new exit  100   a . FIG. 7 shows a detail of the improved exit  100   a  and further description of the fastening means  153  with the bolt or screw means  154 . FIG. 8 shows the fastening means in the portion of the wear plate  52   a  made of polymer, showing the details of the fastening area as found in the wear plate. 
     The improved exit  100   a  has been modified, from the prior art rectangle which was basically the size of the fingers, to a triangular shape. It has been found by experimentation that having an exit with a triangular shape (plan) with the apex of the triangle pointed in the direction of the rotation of the fingers reduces the rejection of seeds from the transport means back into the hopper. It further has been found that specific contour of this triangular shape further improves the rejection rate of seeds after release and after entering the transport section. 
     This exit is best when contoured with a geometrically circumferentially curved edge and a circumferentially curved surface from the interior radius of the entrance to exterior radius of the exit. Such a configuration has reduced the rejection to an absolute minimum. 
     There is also a possible auxiliary on the periphery of the backing plate and secured to the axial surface of the backing plate section. 
     The interior surface of this auxiliary release means may have a brush facing the seed fingers or radial projection to remove seed which may have not been released by the primary release means. 
     Having described the preferred embodiment other features of the present invention will undoubtedly occur to those first in the art and will numerous modifications and alterations in the embodiments of the invention illustrated. All of which may be achieved without departing from the spirit and scoop of the invention as supplied in the appended claims.