Patent ID: 7966953

Claim:
A seed drive system on a planter comprising: a frame supporting a tool bar having wings on each side and configured to be towed across a field to be planted, the tool bar extending on opposite sides of a transverse centerline; a plurality of row units supported by the tool bar on both sides of the transverse centerline, each row unit being configured to dispense seeds at a desired spacing; a pair of drive shaft assemblies mechanically coupled to the row units on respective sides of the transverse centerline and configured to drive the associated row units to synchronize dispensing of the seeds; wherein each pair of the drive shaft assembly includes multiple drive shaft sections mechanically coupled to one another to permit flexing of the tool bar; a pair of hydraulic motors each coupled directly to a respective drive shaft assembly for driving the associated drive shaft assembly in rotation during operation of the planter; and a paddle coupling configured to interface said pair of drive shaft assembly sections to one another; wherein said paddle coupling allows said wings on each side of said toolbar to fold for transport without adjustment to said seed drive system.