Patent ID: 7131384

Claim:
A seed tube guard assembly for an agricultural planter, comprising: a support bracket having an upper end adapted to be attached to a planter shank assembly and a lower end adapted to be positioned between a pair of opener disks; a seed tube guide extending rearwardly from the support bracket for centering a seed tube between the pair of opener disks, preventing seed falling from the seed tube from contacting inner surfaces of the opener disks, and preventing soil from falling into a furrow made by the opener disks before seed has been placed in the furrow; and first and second floating wear plates disposed on respective right and left sides of the support bracket in front of said seed tube guide for engaging inner surfaces of the opener disks of the planter, said floating wear plates being arranged to float between respective sides of the support bracket and the inner surfaces of the opener disks during use; further comprising a pair of pin members protruding from each of the right and left sides of the support bracket, and said wear plates each have a pair of holes formed therein for receiving said pin members and allowing said respective wear plates to move freely on the pin members relative to said support bracket; and wherein said pin members comprise a pair of dowels that are pressed into openings in the support bracket and protrude from both the right and left sides of the support bracket.