Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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"COMBINATION SEEDER AND FERTILIZER SHOVELS FOR AIR SEED-
ING DEVICES"
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to new and useful improve-
ments in the placing of fertilizer and seed in the correct
relationship one to the other to obtain the maximum growth
benefit.
Conventionally, fertilizer is either broadcast
upon a field whereupon the seeding takes place in a con-
ventional manner. This is of course wasteful as much of
the fertilizer does not have any effect upon the seed.
A more common method is to seed the field in a
conventional manner after fertilizer has been placed by
side banding. If accuracy can be maintained, the seed is
placed in the correct relationship relative to the fertil-
izer but this is of course extremely difficult to accom-
plish accurately and easily.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes disadvantages
inherent with conventional methods and is particularly
adapted for use with air seeding devlces.
In accordance with the invention there is pro-
vided a shove assembly for use with air seeder and fertil-
izer devices and comprising in combination a shovel for
mounting upon an implement shank, a fertilizer feed conduit
extending from said shovel, plurality of spaced apart seed
outlets adjacent the trailing edge of said shovel in
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transverse spaced and parallel relationship from one
another, means operatively connecting said seed outlets
with said feed conduit, a plurality of fertilizer outlets
on the base of said shovel also in transverse spaced and
parallel relationship with one another and with said seed
outlets and alternating with said seed outlets, and means
operatively connecting said fertilizer outlets with said
fertilizer conduit.
Another advantage of the invention is to provide
a device of the character herewithin described which en-
ables seed and fertilizer to be placed in the correct re-
lationship one to the other and at the same time thus re-
quiring only one operation.
A still further advantage of the invention is to
provide a device of the character herewithin described
which is simple in construction, economical in manufacture
and otherwise well suited to the purpose for which it is
designed.
With the foregoing in view, and other advantages
as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to
which this invention relates as this specification pro-
ceeds, the invention is herein described by reference to
the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which in-
cludes a description of the best mode known to the appli-
cant and of the preferred typical embodiment of the prin-
ciples of the present invention, in which:
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DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a schematic cross sectional view show-
ing the effect of fertilizer broadcast prior to seed place-
ment.
Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but show-
ing the results of the side banding nonrelative to seed
placement.
Figure 3 is a view similar to Figures 1 and 2 but
showing the effect of banding relative to seed placement
by the present invention.
Figure 4 is a schematic top plan view of a plura-
lity of shovel assemblies showing the approximate location
of seed rows and fertilizer rows.
Figure 5 is a top plan view of one of the shovel
assemblies.
Figure 6 is a front view of Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a side elevation of Figure 6.
Figure 8 is a rear view of Figure 5.
Figure 9 is a schematic side elevation of a ma-
chine incorporating the present invention.
Figure 10 is a top plan view of Figure 9.
Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sec-
tional view of one of the seed conduits in the cultivator
shank.
: In the drawings like characters of reference indi-
cate corresponding parts in the different figures.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Proceeding therefore to describe the invention
in detail, reference should first be made to Figures 9 and
10 in which reference character 11 illustrates schematical-
ly, an assembly adapted to be connected behind a conven-
tional air seeder device (not illustrated) by means of hitch
12 situated on the front of the longitudinally extending
main beam 13, it being understood that the device travels
in the direction of arrow 14.
Cross members 15 are secured to the main frame
member 13 and implement shanks 16 extend downwardly there-
from in a conventional manner.
A rear cross member 17 carries a packing assem-
bly collectively designated 18 connected by means of pivots
19 with the packing assembly 18 including a plurality of
packing wheels 20 mounted thereon and upon arms 21 with
the pressure of the packer wheels being controlled by a
hydraulic ram assembly 22 in a conventional manner.
Each shank 16 carries a shovel assembly collec-
tively designated 23 on the lower end thereof and Figure 4
shows an example of the relationship of a plurality of
shovel assemblies one with the other when assembled on the
vehicle shanks.
In this embodiment, the shovel assemblies 23 are
substantially triangular when viewed in plan and include a
pair of wings 24 with a spanning web 25 extending there-
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between as clearly illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. A pair
of tubes are secured to the rear 25 of the shank 16 and ex-
tend downwardly to the upper side of the shovel assembly
23, one of the tubes being a fertilizer feed tube 26 and
the other being a seed feed tube 27. These are operative-
ly connected in a conventional manner, to the air seeder
and fertilizer device ~not illustrated) and convey seed
and granular, gaseous, or liquid fertilizer to each shovel
assembly as will hereinafter be described.
The seed feed tube 27 is connected at the lower
end thereof to a manifold 28 within the shovel assembly
from which a plurality of passageways or conduits 29 ex-
tend to the trailing edge 30 of the shovel assembly. These
conduits or passageways terminate in seed discharge open-
ings 31 which are in transverse spaced relationship one
with the other and are directed rearwardly and downwardly
preferably at an angle from the horizontal of approximately
135. These deposit seed along dotted lines indicated by
reference characters 32 and at a level determined by the
depth of the shovel assemblies within the ground.
The fertilizer feed tube 26 also communicates
with a manifold 33 within the shovel assembly from which a
plurality of passageways or conduits 34 extend to fertil-
izer shanks collectively designated 35 secured to and de-
pending from the underside 36 of the shovel assembly.
These fertilizer shanks each include a leading edge 37
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which curves downwardly and rearwardly from the underside
as clearly shown in Figure 7 and are provided with fertil-
izer outlets 38 on the rear side thereof which terminate
at a position indicated by reference character 39 situated
spaced below the surface 36 of the shovel assembly and of
course below the seed outlets 31.
Placement of these fertilizer shanks is such that
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fertilizer is deposited in longitudinally extending strips
indicated by solid lines 40 and the positioning of the shanks
is such that fertilizer is deposited in longitudinal lines
spaced and parallel from the seed lines 32 and alternating
therewith and at a lower level than the seed lines. This
difference in level is clearly shown in Figure 9.
If desired, wear bars 41 may be detachably secured
to the front of the implement shanks 16 so that they can be
replaced when worn.
In the present embodiment, the V-shaped shovel as-
semblies are 90 assemblies but of course other types of
shovel assemblies can readily be adapted for use with the
present device.
The manifolds and the placement of the seed out-
lets and fertilizer outlets allow for the accurate distribu-
tion of seed and fertilizer with the seed being placed di-
rectly in between two rows of fertilizer while the fertil-
izer is placed a predetermined amount below the seed rows,
for example, approximately 2 inches.
One of the advantages of using the same shovel as-
sembly for placing seed and fertilizer is that the soil
distrubance will be minimal and the design of the shovel and
shank allow for excellent trash clearance while the trash is
left on top of the soil.
This is an important development because recent
research indicates that the placement of plant nutrients has
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a very significant effect in improving crop yields.
As mentioned previously, plant nutrients normally
are broadcast on the soil surface and then incorporated with
tillage implements with the nutrients being mixed with the
top soil to a depth of approximately 2 inches.
The present placement is extremely accurate and an
advantage is that the plant roots will enter the zone rich
in plant nutrients as the plant matures as indicated schema-
tically in Figure 3. This is of special importance particu-
larly where moisture is a limiting factor.
Air seeders currently are used mounted on heavy-
duty cultivators in order to band the fertilizer in the fall
or early spring and while this method of application shows
improved results ~see Figure 2) there are disadvantages in-
asmuch as the fertilizer and seed are placed by different
operations so that consistency is not possible.
With the present device, the plant nutrients will
always be placed in the same relative position to the seed
and this consistent fertilizer placement assures that the
root system of each plant has equal access to the nutrients
thus assuring relatively eve,n crop development.
Furthermore, the device allows the placement of
seed and plant nutrients in one operation thereby reducing
the number of tillage operations which conserves vital
moisture.
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Finally, although the use of the device with seed
and granuliar fertilizer is illustrated and described, the
invention may be used with granular, liquid or gase~us fer-
tiler with the seed outlets remaining at the rear edge of
the shovel.
Since various modifications can be made in my in-
vention as hereinabove described, and many apparently widely
different embodiments of same made within the spirit and
scope of the claims without departing from such spirit and
scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the ac-
companying specification shall be interpreted as illustra-
tive only and not in a limiting sense.
