Patent ID: 6986313

Claim:
Apparatus for delivering agricultural materials to the ground comprising: a frame which is supported for movement in a forward direction over the ground; a plurality of delivery assemblies mounted on the frame at spaced positions across the frame for delivering the agricultural materials to the ground at spaced positions across the ground as the frame moves over the ground; each delivery assembly comprising: a mounting bracket attached to the frame; a furrow forming element extending generally downward from the bracket to a ground penetrating end arranged to penetrate the ground for producing a furrow as the frame is moved across the ground in the forward direction; the furrow forming element being pivotally mounted on the mounting bracket for pivotal movement relative thereto about a furrow forming element axis which is horizontal and transverse to the forward direction; the furrow forming element including a first material delivery conduit located behind the ground penetrating end of the furrow forming element for depositing a first material in the ground rearward of the ground penetrating end of the furrowing element; a second material delivery member including a second delivery conduit spaced rearward from the furrow forming element and the first material delivery conduit, the second material delivery member having a ground engaging end for depositing a second material in the ground at a position spaced from the first material; the second material delivery member being pivotally mounted on the mounting bracket for pivotal movement relative to the mounting bracket about a second material delivery member axis which is horizontal and transverse to the forward direction; the pivotal mounting of the furrow forming element being arranged relative to the pivotal mounting of the second material delivery member such that the pivotal movement of the furrow farming element on the mounting bracket is independent of the pivotal movement of the second material delivery member on the mounting bracket and vice versa; a first force application member connected between the bracket and the furrow forming element for providing a force on the furrow forming element for urging the furrow forming element about the furrow forming element axis to engage the ground; and a second force application member connected between the bracket and the second material delivery member for providing a force on the second material delivery member for urging the second material delivery member about the second material delivery member axis to engage the ground.