Patent ID: 7685950

Claim:
A furrow opener device arranged to be supported on an implement frame for being displaced across the ground in a forward working direction, the furrow opener device comprising: an opener arm arranged to be supported on the implement frame; a furrow opener supported on the opener arm to open a furrow in the ground when displaced in the forward working direction; a product delivery tube configured to deposit product into the furrow; a gauge wheel supported adjacent the furrow opener, the gauge wheel having a bottom edge supported spaced above a bottom end of the furrow opener; a packer arm supported on the opener arm to extend rearwardly in relation to the furrow opener; a packer wheel rotatably supported on the packer arm rearwardly of the furrow opener; a packer mechanism operative to pivotally support the packer arm on the opener arm in a first configuration wherein the packer wheel is biased downwardly in relation to the opener arm and can move up and down with respect to the opener arm such that the depth of penetration of the furrow opener is gauged by the gauge wheel, and in a second configuration wherein the packer arm is fixed relative to the opener arm such that the depth of penetration of the furrow opener is gauged by the packer wheel.