Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
21~0801
SEED DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR A PLANTER
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an agricultural planting
machine, and more particularly, to such machine having a
plurality of row units with individual seed hoppers and a main
seed hopper with an air delivery system for delivering seeds
from the main seed hopper to the respective row unit hoppers.
Such a planter is described in U.S. patent 5,161,473,
which is also assigned to the assignee herein, and a further
improvement of the device shown in said U.S. patent is also
described in pending application serial number 08/049,890,
which is also assigned to the assignee herein.
As described in said patent and pending application, an
air delivery system is provided for moving seeds from a
central main hopper to the smaller hoppers on the respective
planter row unit, the air delivery system including a flexible
hose extending from the main hopper to each of the row unit
hoppers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, an improved
connection is provided for connecting the respective seed and
air delivery hoses to the row unit hoppers.
An important feature of the invention resides in the fact
that the improved connection does not in any way restrict the
flow of air and/or seed through the connection. Another
feature of the invention resides in the fact that a weather
tight connection is provided that does not permit the
introduction of undesirable moisture into the unit seed
hoppers. Also according to the invention, the improved
connection provides a secure connection that will not separate
during operation in the field, but which can be readily
separated by an operator by simply pulling firmly on the hose
when the system that needs to be maintained.
Still another feature of the invention resides in the
fact that the connection is very simple and inexpensive to
produce.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a schematic view of the seed delivery system
for a planter embodying the invention.
Figure 2 is an enlarged partly sectional side view of one
of the unit seed hoppers showing the improved hose connection.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
As is well known, a conventional agricultural planter
includes a mobile main frame, and a large main seed hopper 10
is mounted on the mainframe for travel therewith across the
field. Also mounted on the mainframe are a plurality of
individual row units, only one of which is shown in Figure 1
and indicated generally by the numeral 11. As is well known,
the row units are essentially the same, and only one unit is
described herein. As is conventional, each row unit 11 is
provided with a smaller seed hopper 12, and seeds are conveyed
from the main hopper 10 to the row unit hoppers 12 by a
plurality of flexible hoses 14, only one of which is shown in
the drawing.
The air delivery system for conveying the seeds from the
main hopper 10 to the row unit hoppers 12 includes a blower 16
connected to an air manifold 18 by an air supply line 20. The
manifold 18 has a number of outlets 21, each hose 14 being
connected to an outlet 21, the illustrated planter including
10 outlets to supply seeds to a ten row planter, although
obviously the system can be modified to supply any number of
row units. As is apparent, the seeds in the main hopper 10
move into the manifold 18 and are conveyed by an air stream
through the outlets 21 and the hoses 14 to the row units 11.
As is well known, each row unit includes a seed meter 22 that
selects seed from the row unit hopper 12 and delivers it to a
furrow through a seed delivery tube 24. A hose connecting
device indicated in its entirety by the numeral 25 connects
the outlet end of each hose 14 to an internal air separation
tube 26, which separates the seeds from the air stream inside
the hopper 12.
21~0801
The hose connector 25 includes a generally cylindrical
tubular spout 30 having a cylindrical body 32 that extends
upwardly and outwardly from a side wall of the unit hopper 12.
The connector includes a vertical plate 34 attached to the
5 periphery of the cylindrical body 32 and mounted over an
opening in the side wall of the hopper 12 by a plurality of
fasteners 36. The lower or inner end 38 of the spout is
located inside the hopper and connects to the upper end of the
air separating tube 26.
The inner diameter 40 of the outer portion of the spout
is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the hose
14, which is inserted into the outer end of the spout and
tightly engages the inner diameter of the spout. The inner
diameter of the spout inside the hopper adjacent the end 38 is
15 substantially the same as the inner diameter of the tube 14 so
as not to restrict the air flow through the connector. The
outer or upper end of the spout body 32 is provided with a
pair of annular ribs or barbs 42 of conventional construction,
such ribs or barbs being frequently used in connecting hoses
20 having a smooth inner diameter. A flexible annular boot 44 is
mounted on the end of the hose 14 and has an enlarged flexible
lower end that is expandable to tightly engage the barbs 42
when the hose 14 is inserted into the spout body 32. The
upper end 48 of the boot 44 has substantially the same
25 diameter as the outer diameter of the hose 14 and a
conventional hose clamp 50 tightly secures the boot to the
hose.
As is apparent, the hose 14 is simply connected to the
hopper 12 by inserting the end of the hose 14 into the
30 interior of the spout 30 while sliding the boot 44 over the
barbs 42 on the outside of the spout. The above provides a
weather type connection that does not restrict the air flow
through the hose connection. The boot holds the hose in the
spout during normal operation of the machine, but the boot is
35 sufficiently flexible that a strong axial pull on the hose 14
will permit easy separation of the hose 14 from the spout.
