Abstract:
A furrow opener of an air seed planter is equipped with a seed boot and seed positioner for planting one or more rows of seeds in soil. The seed boot has walls providing a passage for directing seeds into a furrow. The seed positioner attached to the seed boot channels seeds in one or more rows of seeds and covers the seeds with a substantially uniform layer of soil. The forward ground speed of the air seed planter and the velocity of the seeds carried by the flowing air reduce seed bounce due to the reverse drop of the seed boot.

Description:
This applicaiton is a Continuation-in-Part of application No. 29/094,582 filed Oct. 5, 1998 which is a Continuation-in-Part of application No. 29/096,567 filed Nov. 16, 1998. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The field of the invention is earth working implements. The implement is an agricultural earth working tool for planting seeds in one or more rows in soil and packing the soil around the seeds. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Air seed planters use flowing air to carry seeds to seed boots which direct the air and seeds into furrows in the soil. The planters are equipped with earthworking tools used to form the furrows. The seed boots mounted on the tools are connected to air seeding dispensers with tubes that transport air and seeds to the seed boots. Proper placement of seeds in the furrows is important to predicate uniform seed germination and crop emergence. The seeds should be deposited in the furrows at a substantially uniform depth and covered with an even layer of soil. Seed bounce and soil flow into the furrows must be substantially reduced to achieve uniform seed depth. Conventional furrow openers used to place seeds in the soil do not effectively control seed bounce. The seeds are directed by flowing air and the seed boot in the direction of travel of the implement which causes the seeds to bounce in the furrow. The soil must be firmed about the seeds to reduce loose soil and air pockets so as to maintain suitable moisture content of the soil which promotes plant growth. 
     A furrow opener for placing fertilizer and seeds at different depths in the soil is disclosed K. M. Anderson in U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,736. This furrow opener has a soil press plate that covers a band of fertilizer and forms a firm seed bed above the fertilizer. A seed dispenser divides the seed carried by air and deposits the seed in separate parallel rows. The seed dispenser does not compensate for seed bounce. A packer wheel located behind the furrow opener compresses the soil in firm contact with the seeds and fertilizer. J. D. Long and R. W. Hook in U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,255 have designed a strap for a seed boot to reduce seed bounce. The strap is an ultra-high molecular polyethylene sheet having a flat transverse section with a continuous width of about the width of the furrow. During use the strap bends rearwardly into an arcuate shape and contacts seeds which are pressed into the soil in the bottom of the furrow. Soil firming and closing wheels behind the strap crush the soil sides of the furrow to place a loose layer of soil over the seeds. E. G. Keeton in U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,318 discloses a resilient seed firming attachment fastened to a seed boot to reduce seed bounce and direct seeds to the bottom of a furrow. This attachment has a hockey stick blade shape with a flexible portion to ensure that sufficient force is applied to the seed to firm the seed into the soil at a desired planting depth. P. E. Schaffert in U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,915 discloses several elongated flexible members that can be attached to furrow openers to assist in placing seeds in furrows and directs bouncing seeds into the bottom of the furrows. The members have lower segments that extend into the furrows. The lower segments have opposite side edges that converge to trailing ends which are spaced above the bottoms of the furrows. The members do not change the profiles of the furrows as they do not engage the soil. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is a seed boot and seed positioner for depositing one or more rows of seeds, such as corn, soybeans, peas and small grains, in a furrow in soil and covering the seeds with a uniform layer of soil. Air seed planters have furrow openers for making furrows in seed bed soil for one or more rows of seeds. The seed boot is attached to the furrow opener to receive seeds from a tube connected to the seed dispenser of the planter and direct the seeds into the furrow behind the furrow opener. The seed positioner connected to the seed boot and extended rearwardly and downwardly into the furrow controls seed bounce and maintains linear row alignment of the seeds. Seed positioner has a transverse broad V-shape and an increasing width toward the trailing end of the positioner. The seed positioner has a width sufficient to gather soil from opposite sides of the furrow and cover and firm soil about the seeds. The seed positioner can be attached to the seed boot in an inverted position so it divides the seeds into separate linear rows and covers each row of seeds with a generally uniform layer of soil. 
     The preferred embodiment of the seed boot and seed positioner mounted on an upright shank of furrow opening tool of an air seed planter directs seeds into the furrow in one or more linear aligned rows and covers the seeds with a substantially uniform layer of soil. The seed boot has laterally spaced side members joined with transverse top, bottom and middle walls. The top and middle walls curve downwardly and rearwardly and are spaced from each other providing a passage for accommodating air and seeds. The upper end of the passage is in communication with a tube connected to the seed dispenser of the planter whereby seeds are directed into the passage. The seeds are discharged rearwardly from the seed boot into the furrow. The rearward discharge or drop of the seeds and the velocity of the seeds moving with the air flowing out of the seed boot reduces seed bounce. Lateral movements and bouncing of seeds flowing with air from the seed boot is controlled with the seed positioner. The seed positioner channels the seeds into one or more linear rows and covers the seeds with a substantially uniform layer of soil. The seed positioner is mounted on the seed boot in one of two positions. The first position of the seed positioner channels the seeds into a single linear row of seeds. The second position of the seed positioner divides the seeds into two generally parallel linear rows of seeds. The seed positioner has a one piece member with a first and a second end opposite the first end. The second end has a transverse linear edge having a transverse width about twice the transverse width of the first end and greater than the width of furrow. Opposite sides of the member diverge rearwardly between the first and second ends of the member. The member has a longitudinal center section joined to longitudinal side sections. The side sections are located in intersecting planes to angularly locate the side sections relative to each other. The member has a longitudinal curvature extended between its first and second ends. When the side sections of the member diverge downwardly the seeds are channeled into a single linear row of seeds and covered with a substantially uniform layer of soil. The member also firms the soil about the seeds. Inverting the member locates the side sections in diverging upward relationship whereby the side sections divert seed into two separate rows of seeds and covers the seeds with soil. 
     The objects, features, and thedvantages of the seed boot and seed positioner of the invention are embodied in the following detailed description and drawings of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a furrow opener, seed boot, and seed positioner of the invention attached to a shank of an air row crop seed planter; 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a modification of the furrow opener, seed boot, and seed positioner of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the seed boot and seed positioner of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line  6 — 6  of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line  7 — 7  of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line  8 — 8  of FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line  9 — 9  of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line  10 — 10  of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the seed positioner of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 12 is an end elevational view of the forward end of the seed positioner of FIG.  11 . 
     FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of the seed positioner of FIG. 11; 
     FIG. 14 is a bottom plan view of the seed positioner of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 15 is an end elevational view of the trailing end of the seed positioner of FIG.  1 ; 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown an earth working tool  20  mounted on an upright standard or shank  21  for making an elongated furrow  63  in soil  64  for seeds  29 . Tool  20  has a sweep tooth  22  having rearward diverging blades and an upwardly extended U-shaped neck  23  located around the front and sides of shank  21 . A transverse nut and bolt assembly  24  attaches neck  23  to shank  21 . Different types of teeth, such a spade-shaped tooth, can be attached to shank  21  to open a furrow  63  in soil  64 . Shank  21  is part of an air seed planter having a plurality of shanks attached to earth working teeth for making parallel furrows in the soil for seeds. The air seed planter has a tube or hose  28  which transports air and seeds to a seed boot  26  attached to shank  21  behind tooth  22 . A seed positioner  27  secured to boot  26  firms or packs soil  64  about seeds  29  and  30  to provide a firm seed bed for seeds  29  and  30 . Positioner  27  channels or guides seeds  29  and  30  into parallel rows of seeds, as seen in FIG.  10 . 
     Seed boot  26  has flat side members  33  and  34  joined to an upright tab  32  and a bottom member  36 . A bolt  31  attaches tube  28  to tab  32 . As shown in FIG. 7, bottom member  36  has a downward and forwardly directed extension  37 . A bolt  38  secures earth working sweep  22  to extension  37 . The bottom of shank  21  bears against bottom member  36  to reduce shear forces on bolts  24  and  38 . A middle wall  39  located above bottom member  36  curves downwardly and rearward at an angle of about 45° relative to a horizontal plane. Tab  32  extended downward between side members  34  and  36  merges with a curved top wall  41  which is spaced from middle wall  39  to form rearwardly and downwardly turned passage  42  for directing air and seeds  29  in a rearward and downward direction into furrow  63  in soil  64 . Seeds  29  move out of open end  43  of passage  42  rearwardly as shown by arrow  62  opposite the direction of movement of tool  20  relative to the ground. The velocity of the movement of seeds  29  relative to soil  64  is reduced by directing seed movement in the direction opposite the movement of tool  20  to reduce seed rebound or bounce as they are deposited in soil  64 . The rearward discharge of seeds  29  into furrow  63  and the velocity of the seeds moving with the air flowing out of seed boot  26  predicates reduced seed bounce in furrow  63 . 
     A member  46  attached to the front of wall  39  and side members  33  and  34  provides a pocket  44  accommodating the lower end of shank  21 . As shown in FIG. 8, member  46  extends adjacent opposite sides of shank  21  to prevent lateral movement and twisting of boot  26  relative to shank  21 . 
     Positioner  27  is a one piece plastic member, such as ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, having a top surface  47  and a bottom surface  48 . Opposite side edges  49  and  51  of positioner  27  are linear and taper rearwardly from a front end  52  to a trailing end  58 . End  52  has a hole  53  accommodating a bolt  54 . Bolt  54  secures positioner  27  to wall  41 . As seen in FIGS. 1,  4  and  6 , end  52  is located between and engages side members  33  and  34  to prevent lateral movement and twisting of positioner  27  on boot  26 . Bolt  54  holds and  52  against wall  41  and retains positioner&#39;s downward and rearward orientation relative to boot  26 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 12 to  15 , positioner  27  has a pair of linear grooves  56  and  57  in top surface  47  on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of positioner  27 . Grooves  56  and  57  extend from front end  52  toward trailing end  58 . As seen in FIGS. 14 and 15, bottom surface  48  has a single central groove  59  extended from end  52  along the center longitudinal axis of positioner  27 . Positioner  27  has a transverse broad V or bow shape with opposite linear side portions angularly located relative to each other. As shown in FIG. 13, positioner  27  has a continuous broad longitudinal curve from end  52  to end  58 . 
     An example of positioner  27  is a one piece ultra high molecular weight polyethylene member having a thickness of ¼ inch and a longitudinal length of 6 inches. End  52  has a transverse width of 1½ inches and trailing end has a transverse width of 3 inches. Opposite edges  49  and  51  are linear and extend between the outside edges of ends  52  and  58 . The linear side sections of the member on opposite sides of the center line are angularly orientated relative to each other. The transverse angle between the linear sections progressively decreases from end  52  to trailing end  58 . For example, the transverse angle between the top surface of linear section at end  52  is 160 degrees and the transverse angle between the top surfaces of the linear sections at trailing end is 150 degrees. Other angular relationships between the linear sections of positioner  27  can be used to control the positions of seeds  29  and  30  placed in soil  64 . The radius of longitudinal curvature of positioner  27  is 20 inches. Other curves can be used for the longitudinal shape of positioner  27 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 2,  5 ,  6 ,  7  and  9 , seed positioner  27  secured to seed boot  26  with bolt  54  extends downwardly and rearwardly from boot  26  with the trailing end  58  located in soil  64 . Positioner  27  extends at an angle of 30 degrees relative to a horizontal plane of the soil. The trailing edge  58  of positioner  27 , as shown in FIG. 7, is above the forward tip of sweeps  22  and the bottom of furrow  63 . The location of trailing edge  58  of positioner  27  relative to the bottom of furrow  63  controls the depth of the layer of soil above seeds  29 . The side sections of positioner  27  diverge downwardly so that when tool  20  is moved forward, soil is gathered from opposite sides of furrow  63  and merged or moved together. The merging soil maintains seeds  29  in a single row of seeds and covers the seeds with a substantially uniform layer of soil. The downward diverging side sections of positioner  27  also assist in maintaining the longitudinal alignment of seeds  29 . Positioner  27  compresses or firms the soil around seeds  29  during forward movement of tool  20  when the trailing end  58  is located in soil  64 . 
     Returning to FIGS. 1,  2  and  10 , seed and soil positioner  27  attached to boot  26  with bolt  54  causes seeds  29  and  30  to be placed in two rows in the soil  64 . The side sections of positioner  27  diverge upwardly so that when tool  20  is moved forward, soil is pushed in opposite lateral directions locating seeds  29  and  30  in separate rows. Positioner  27  also firms and presses the soil into contact with the seeds and eliminates air pockets in the soil. 
     In use seed positioner  27 , as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, can be mounted on seed boot  26  with bolt  54  in two positions. Positioner  27  in FIG. 9 is in an inverted V-shaped position which channels seeds  26  in a single linear row of seeds. Soil is collected from the furrow sides with the side sections and firmed about seeds  29 . When positioner  27  is turned 180 degrees, as shown in FIG. 10, the side sections of positioner  27  are in V-shaped orientation. Seeds  29  and  30  are divided into separate linear rows of seeds. The side sections gather soil from the furrow sides and firm and cover the seeds with soil. 
     When the planter is moved along the seed bed, sweep  22  opens longitudinal furrow  63  in soil  63 . Seeds  29  flowing through passage  42  are introduced in furrow  63  behind seed boot  26 . The seeds  29  located in an air stream flowing from the open end  43  of passage  42  have irregular and lateral movements and may bounce around in furrow  63 . The amount of seed bounce is reduced by directing seeds  29  and  30  from seed boot  26  in a direction opposite the ground speed of the planter with rearward flowing air. Positioner  27  restricts movements and bouncing of seeds  29  and channels seeds  29  into a linear row of seeds  29  or a pair of rows of seeds  29  and  30 . The middle and trailing portions of positioner  27  being wider than the furrow  63  gather soil from opposite sides of the furrow and merge the soil above the seeds  29 . The trailing end  58  of positoner  27  being below the surface of the soil firms the soil about seeds  27  and ensures a substantially uniform layer of soil above the row of seeds  29 . 
     The invention has been described with reference to the drawings. It is intended that changes in the structures, arrangement of the structures, and materials of the structures can be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the invention. The invention is defined in the following claims.