Patent Publication Number: US-2006016917-A1

Title: Apparatus for applying seed to a ground surface

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to ground care and planting and, more particularly, to an apparatus for applying seed to a ground surface.  
      2. Description of the Prior Art  
      Ground surface preparation and maintenance are regular and common activities relating to the upkeep and appearance of home lawns, parks, highways and the like. While there are many devices designed to assist in such activities, there are relatively few designed to apply seed and related supporting materials to a specific ground surface in a rapid and extensive manner. The existing devices are sometimes cumbersome and time consuming to use. Thus lawn care continues to be a labor intensive activity.  
      There are a few devices such as the broadcast type spreader designed to assist in providing a cover of agriculture seed or supporting materials such as fertilizer over a lawn surface. One such device is comprised generally of a receptacle within which to place the seed which is mounted on a pair of wheels and has a number of small openings at its bottom. A plurality of blades rotate about an axis running across the lower end of the receptacle forcing the seed out of the openings in the bottom of the receptacle. A handle extends upwardly from the receptacle so that the user can grasp and displace the handle and make the device operate. The user then moves back and forth over the ground surface to be covered to apply the seed or material. Alternatively, the device may be operated by mounting it to the back of a vehicle and pulling it over the ground surface.  
      Other materials or fertilizer compositions are not suited for use with such devices and thus need to be applied manually. In the manual application, one must take handfuls of seed or material and sprinkle it over patches of or perhaps all of the lawn. Devices used for this activity are also cumbersome and time consuming to use. Their limitations are even more apparent in industrial applications such as parks, highways and stadium fields where there is a much greater surface to be covered.  
      Thus, while devices have been developed that aid in the spreading of seed or supporting materials, none completely solve the problem of providing an easy, fast and efficient way for the user to spread seed or supporting materials evenly over the ground surface. The user must walk back and forth over the area intended to be covered spreading the seed slowly over the ground surface. The seed or supporting materials are often applied in a non-uniform manner so that the spread materials may be thicker in some areas than in others.  
      A desired apparatus for spreading seed and other materials over lawns and the like should be powerful, portable, easy to use and efficient. It is to this desired objective that the present invention is directed.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is a portable apparatus for applying seed or supporting materials to a ground surface which is particularly adapted for use with a conventional pneumatic blower. The blower has a hose with a first end operably connected with blower and a second end forming a selectively shaped nozzle. A receptacle having a removable and reclosable top which is operable to permit introduction and retention of seed within the receptacle and a discharge end operable to permit the selectively controlled and measured removal of seed or supporting materials from the receptacle for distribution onto a ground surface. A blower/hose connector extends from the blower to the hose and connects to the hose between the hose first and second ends and is operable to receive air flow from the blower through the hose and permit seed flow through an opening having a movable baffle cooperatively functioning therewith in response to the movement of a flow adjusting switch.  
      From the foregoing summary, it can be seen that a primary objective of the present invention is to provide a portable, self-contained seed applying apparatus that has all of the advantages, and more, of prior art devices and none of the disadvantages, which is easy and efficient to use and which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       FIG. 1  is perspective view of one embodiment of the invention showing the seeding apparatus fully assembled;  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective disassembled view without the blower of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  showing the hose first end, the blower/hose connector, the hose second end, a first receptacle connected to the blower/hose connector and a second alternatively configured receptacle; and  
       FIG. 3  is a side elevational, perspective and partially hidden view of yet another configured receptacle illustrating its connecting relationship with the hose. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Referring now to the drawings and particularly to  FIG. 1 , it can be seen that in one embodiment, an apparatus  1 o includes a self-contained motorized blower  12  and a hose  14  one end of which  16  connects operably with blower  12  and the other end of which  18  contains a selectively shaped nozzle  20 . A receptacle  22  has a removable and resealable top  24  which can be opened to receive a quantity of seed or other supporting materials and closed to retain the seed or materials within receptacle  22 . Receptacle  22  also has a discharge end  26  which accommodates the controlled and measured removal of seed or other materials from receptacle  22  onto the ground surface (not shown).  
      A blower/hose connector  28  extends from blower  12  to hose  14  connecting therewith between hose first end  16  and hose second end  18  in a manner operable to receive air flow from blower  12  through hose  14  and permit seed flow from receptacle  22  into the air flow within hose  14 .  
      A seed flow control device  30  is positioned in connector  28  and includes a baffle adjustable with respect to the opening to regulate the amount of seeds being discharged.  
      From the proceeding description, it can be seen that a seed applying flow apparatus been provided that will meet all of the advantages of prior art devices and offer additional advantages not heretofore achievable. With respect to the foregoing invention, the optimum dimensional relationship to the parts of the invention including variations in size, materials, shape, form, function, and manner of operation, use and assembly are deemed readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed herein.  
      The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, and it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described. All suitable modifications and equivalents that fall within the scope of the appended claims are deemed within the present inventive concept.