Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02259850 1999-O1-21
APPARATUS FOR CUSTOMIZING THE RATE
AT WHICH FARMING MATERIAL IS APPLIED
TO AN AGRICULTURAL FIELD
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to farming apparatus, and more
particularly relates to farming apparatus and a method for customizing the
rate at
which farming material is applied to an agricultural field.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Farming implements such as planters and drills are employed for
implanting seeds and the like in agricultural fields. Planters and drills
include a
frame having one or more sections) with each section supporting multiple row
units
of farming material applicators, which are configured to apply, for example,
seeds
to a field as the implement is moved across the field by a work vehicle such
as a
tractor. The seeds or other products may be stored in one or more bins mounted
on
or pulled behind the implement. These farming implements or planting
implements
often include systems for additionally applying granular or liquid fertilizer,
insecticide, or herbicide to the seed bed. Seed application rates, in terms
of, for
example, seeds per lineal meter traversed, are adjustable by the operator for
different
crops and different growing conditions. A desired application rate, e. g. ,
farming
material per acre or per lineal meter, etc. , having been established by the
operator
or by a prescription map, and the implement adjusted to that rate, is
desirable that
the implement steadily continues to apply farming material such as seeds,
fertilizer
and insecticide or herbicide at that pre-determined or pre-governed rate. If
excessive
seed is applied, expensive seed will have been wasted, excessive down time
incurred
reloading the bins more often than should have been necessary, and plants will
be
crowded together, oftentimes resulting in weaker and not as well nourished
plant
systems. Moreover, if too little seed is applied) a smaller harvest than
anticipated
will be realized. Similarly, deleterious results may occur if other product is
not
applied at the expected rates. too much of any product may even damage or kill
the
CA 02259850 1999-O1-21
.
seed or seedlings, while too little may leave the plants undernourished, in
the case
of too little fertilizer, or unprotected, in the case of too little
insecticide or herbicide.
It has been discovered that uniformity of application of granular
products may be enhanced by the use of low pressure air, the air being useful
for
propelling seeds or granules through tubes to the soil and for promoting
seeding of
seeds and granules in fluted rolls, pocketed drums, and like devices used for
distributing and metering farming product. There are multiple planting and
seeding
systems sold by Case Corporation, for example, their 955 Early Riser Parallel
Front
Fold Trailing Planter, the 4012 Concord Air-Till Drill and 2300 Air System;
their
900 Series Early Riser Plate Planters, their Soy Bean Special Drills, such as
a 5400
or even their 5300 conventional grain drills and the like.
Agricultural planters or implements typically comprise a transversely
elongated mobile frame that is conventionally towed behind a tractor or other
farm
vehicle. These planters include a plurality of row units that are spaced apart
on the
frame for dispensing fertilizer, seed, herbicides and insecticides to the
ground as the
implement concurrently moves with the vehicle or the like. In larger
agricultural
implements, as many as 24 or more row units may be connected to the frame. The
spacing between adjacent row units varies as is dependent upon the particular
planting
operation. Moreover, the amount and size of the particular material which is
to be
dispensed by the implement or agricultural planter will vary depending upon
ground
conditions, the climate, the crops desired, geographical location and even if
particular
portions of the field require more or less of any of the particular material
including
seed than other parts.
In some of the planters or implements, each row unit may contain an
individual bin or hopper for holding the seed or other particulate matter
which is to
be dispensed. In many of the agricultural planter implements, dry product such
as
fertilizer is dispensed to the ground or the soil of the field through a
metering device
which keeps the material flowing while metering the flow. Generally,
fertilizer
precedes the seed and in the most prevalent embodiment of, for example, Case
-2-
CA 02259850 1999-O1-21
Corporation, is placed about two inches off the side of the seed bed, while
herbicides
follow the seed and go on top of the seed bed after the furrow has been
closed.
Accordingly, in the direction of travel, the front bins normally hold
fertilizer, while
the smaller rear bins hold herbicides and/or insecticides. In the instance of
seed
delivery, it is essential that the right amount or quantity of seed be
dispensed at
particular predetermined locations. Moreover, at certain locations, because of
soil
conditions, it may be necessary to dispense more or less fertilizer or
herbicide and
insecticide as historical conditions dictate field yield can be deleteriously
affected by
too much or too little. Thus, the delivery system for the farming material for
the
agricultural or planter element must be capable of adjustment even while the
implement is moving across the field.
One of the major difficulties with dispensing of farming material is that
because of slippage and the like, different quantities of material may be
dispensed
unnecessarily. Heretofore, the amount of fertilizer, herbicides and the like
including
the timing of seed planting has occurred due to direct linkage of the
applicators to the
wheels on the mobile frame. This linkage is usually by an elaborate chain
drive
through transmissions which affect the rotation of either augers, a fluted
roll or other
rotating mechanical metering device. In the instance of liquid, for example, a
liquid
fertilizer, a trailing tank (such as the Case Corporation "Concord" tank)
allows for
metering of the liquid fertiler by speed of a peristalic or piston pump, again
by
changing sprockets or the like in chain drives from the ground wheels. While
this
scheme is very workable, in fields that are other than ideal, wheel slippage
and the
like does not permit a uniform or desired rates of material dispensing upon
the field,
again often affecting the field yield. Moreover, and as is the general case,
the
amount of material to be dispensed during a particular working of a particular
field
is generally unchangeable without modifying auger or wheel sizes, adjustments
of bin
openings, fan or blower speed in the event of particulate transport, pump or
pressure
changes and the like with openings with fluted rolls and the like. Generally,
the
operator of the farm machine must stop, make those adjustments for a
particular part
of a field if that is what is required.
-3-
CA 02259850 1999-O1-21
Slippage and the like can be accounted for by altering the kind of drive
for the different parts of the planter which control the output of the various
farming
material. For example, slowing down the rotation of the seed drum may still
maintain the proper spacing of seeds being planted at their correct distance
regardless
of wheel slippage. The same is also true of auger or fluted roll rotation for
adjustment of hopper or bin output.
Generally, in modern day tractors, the cab includes an electronic
display or control units sometimes referred to as a tractor or combine core
system,
which puts control of the machine and farming implement at the operator's
fingertips.
The electronic control unit can directly control the various aforementioned
drives
with regard to the agricultural planter in situations where they are not
driven directly
by chains and transmissions from the implement's ground wheels. However,
because
of the number of bins and hoppers and the like on the agricultural planting
implement, control commands to the various devices on the agricultural
planting
implement, and connected to the cab as by a bus or the like, requires updating
at a
very high rate (e. g. , once every 50 milliseconds for each one of the bins or
hoppers,
etc.). This tends to overload the bus and make control of the amount of
farming
material dispensed by the applicators associated with the planting implement
impractical from the remote cab, at least with today's existing processors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above, and in accordance with the teachings of the
present invention, farming apparatus for customizing the rate at which farming
material may be applied to an agricultural field is provided. Because coverage
of
farming material in a particular field is usually given by an amount per acre
or
amount per distance of the implement travelled, and this rate or amount of
farming
material to be applied for some distance travelled of the implement across the
field
does not vary except for large portions of the field, it has been found that
by placing
conversion apparatus on the applicator for converting the amount of farming
material
to be applied per unit distance to the amount of farming material to be
applied per
-4-
CA 02259850 1999-O1-21
.- ,
i
unit of time, accounts for the speed of the vehicle or farming implement
across the
field and unloads the bus between the cab of the vehicle and the farming
implement.
In this connection, farming material is applied to the agricultural field in
accordance
with a local controller as opposed to the controller or the electronic control
unit in
the cab. Moreover, by applying the sensor ground speed signal which signals
the
instantaneous velocity of the implement over the field to the conversion
apparatus,
local control of the rate of application of farming material and finer
adjustment of the
same to the agricultural planting implement is effected.
With the electronic display unit or core system in the tractor or
combine, a location signal generation circuit supported by the vehicle and
configured
to receive location signals and to generate location signals therefrom is
coupled to a
control element which is coupled to the unit's input device such as keyboard,
memory
and the like. In this manner, the location signal generation circuit which is
also
coupled to the control element permits the control element to generate data
representative of the amount of farming material intended for deposition on
the field
at predetermined locations thereon. This permits the control element to
process the
location signals to generate location data representative of the corresponding
locations
as a selected ones of the farming material applicators in the field. A digital
memory
which is coupled to the control element allows correlation of the data
representative
of the amount of farming material with the respective location data and stores
the
resultant data with the correlation location data in digital memory. In this
manner,
signals may be applied to the planting implement and its associated
applications only
when the amount of farming material per distance travelled needs to be
changed.
Because the speed of the vehicle over the ground and variations therein are
taken into
account by the local controller or controllers on the farm planting implement,
the
amount of material applied per unit of time is easily adjusted negating the
tendency
of local control from the cab of the tractor from overloading the bus.
-5-
CA 02259850 1999-O1-21
' r
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other advantages of the invention will become more fully understood
from the following specification and claims taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a farm vehicle with an exemplary
agricultural planter element in cross section as shown being towed by the farm
vehicle over an agricultural field;
Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a typical 16 row planter with
a dry fertilizer attachment applicator, seed module applicators and herbicide
and
insecticide applicators on the planting implement, which material application
is
controlled by and in accordance with the present invention;
Fig. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a site-specific farming
system including a display and a control element for applying to the planting
implement the amount of farming material required for some predetermined
distance
or area covered by the implement as it is towed over the field by the farm
vehicle;
Fig. 4A is a schematic diagram of means for controlling the rate of
farm material application to a field;
Fig. 4B is similar to Fig. 4A except showing an alternate means for
controlling the application rate of the farming material to a field;
Fig. SA illustrates schematically sample apparatus for applying seed,
and the means for controlling the amount placed per unit of time;
Fig. 5B is another schematic diagram illustrating a means for
controlling the application of particulate matter such as fertilizer to a
field;
-6-
CA 02259850 1999-O1-21
Fig. SC illustrates yet another means for controlling the application of
particulate matter to a field;
Fig. 6 illustrates another means by which the amount of granular or
particulate matter may be controlled, as to its rate of application upon a
field;
Fig. 7 schematically illustrates apparatus for controlling the flow of
particulate matter, for example, to the refill bins or hoppers on the planting
implement, and;
Fig. 8 is a block diagram flow chart illustrating the manner in which
the planting implement may control the amount of farming material applied per
unit
of time upon receipt of the amount of material per unit of distance from the
control
element.
CA 02259850 1999-O1-21
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Turning now to the drawings, and especially Fig. 1 thereof, a typical
farming implement 40 is shown attached to a farming vehicle in the illustrated
instance or tractor 10, including an operator control cab 12. The tractor 10
includes
an engine compartment 14, the engine of which is coupled to a drive train 16
and 18
to the rear and front wheels 22 and 20, respectively, of the tractor 10. The
tractor
may be coupled as by a three point hitch 24 or by means of a standard draw bar
26
to the frame 38 of an implement 40 for towing the implement across
agricultural
fields. The implement 40, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, includes ground
support
wheels 44 connected to the frame 38, which in turn supports a plurality of row
planters, in the illustrated instance 16, in spaced apart relation across the
frame 38.
As illustrated, the frame is connected as by the draw bars 39a, 39b and a
central
hitch rail 41 to a coupling and the like 43 for connection to the draw bar 26
of the
tractor 10. Mounted on the frame and connected transversely to the direction
of pull
are four spaced apart, three-outlet dry fertilizer hoppers 45, 47, 49 and 51.
Intermediate three-outlet dry fertilizer hoppers 45, 47 and 49, are two, two-
outlet dry
fertilizer hoppers 46 and 50.
Referring once again to Fig. 2, to the rear of the frame 38 is placed
16 herbicide/insecticide bins 53-68, respectively. Intermediate
herbicide/insecticide
bins are positioned a pair of cyclone air seed modules 75, 95, respectively,
each of
the seed modules providing outlets, as shall be described hereinafter, for
eight of the
16 row units for depositing seed at predetermined intervals in furrows made in
the
soil of the field. Briefly, fertilizer in the bins 45-51 is supplied to the
ground
through a metering device which controls the flow of the fertilizer and keeps
it
moving from the bins to the ground as the implement moves over the field. The
fertilizer precedes the seed, and is deposited adjacent, e. g. , two inches
off to the side
of the seed bed while herbicides/insecticides follow the seed application and
go on
top of the seed bed after the furrow has been closed. As illustrated in both
Figs. 1
and 2, a first disk 96 associated with each of the fertilizer bins or row
units, opens
a furrow and fertilizer is deposited to the side of the furrow, but adjacent
the
_g_
CA 02259850 1999-O1-21
opening. A preliminary partial furrow closer partially fills the furrow over
the
fertilizer and before applying seed, an additional furrow opener 97,
associated with
each of the row units, allows an additional furrow to be opened for depositing
the
seed at predetermined intervals along the furrow. A furrow closer 98 closes
the
loose soil over the deposited seeds. A furrow packing wheel 99 gently wheels
over
the mixture covering the furrow tamping the soil to insure seed is deposited
at the
depth desired in the furrow. Thereafter, herbicide/insecticide may be
deposited as
by a tube or the like tube 100 associated with each of the
herbicide/insecticide bins
53-68.
The means by which seed is deposited into the furrows is by the well
known drum or barrel type dispenser 120 which is fed seed and the like from a
hopper 75 or 95, (see Fig. 1), and due to air pressure provided by a blower
122
maintains seed in peripheral, spaced apart, row-like apertures 124
circumscribing the
barrel 120 of the seed applicator. Seed pick-up tubes 126, disposed
interiorally of
the barrel, conduct the air and single seeds at a time at the appropriate
stations to the
ground or soil. The amount of seed outputted through the tubes per unit of
time (i. e.
the rate of seed deposition), such as by the tube 127, is dependent upon the
air
pressure provided by the blower but more dependent upon the speed of rotation
of
the barrel or drum 120. The drum 120 is rotated as by drive means 130 under
control of a localized controller on the implement 40. Such a seed applicator
is
illustrated and described more completely in U.S. Patent 5,655,468, issued on
August
12, 1997 to the Assignee of the present invention and herein incorporated by
reference. The fertilizer bins, 45-51, conventionally employ either augers or
fluted
type rolls to ensure an even and smooth dispensing of material through their
outlet
tubes. The augers and rolls are also under control of drive means, and under
control
of controllers mounted on the element 40. In a like manner, herbicide
contained in
the bins 53-68 each include a paddle wheel or fluted roll type dispenser
control to
ensure the uniform application of herbicide through tubes such as the tube 100
illustrated in Fig. 1.
-9-
CA 02259850 1999-O1-21
. s
In accordance with the invention, the amount or dosage of farming
material to be applied for each acre or portion of the field is calculated by
a control
element or data processing unit in a core element located within the cab 12 of
the
tractor 10. This is converted to the amount of actuator or applicator motion
per
distance of the planter travelled and sent by way of a bus 200 to implement
controller
230 where, due to ground speed sensor 210 input, variable rate controllers 222
allow
for calculation of the applicator or actuator motion per unit of time so that
the proper
amount or dosage of farming material, whether it be seed, fertilizer,
herbicide or
insecticide is deposited at the time and the locations required.
Turning now to Fig. 3, a site-specific farming system 150 is illustrated
therein. The farming system 150 includes one or more core systems 152 which
provide data processing functions for different agricultural vehicles and
implements
including the example tractor 10 as well as combines (not shown) . In the
farming
system 150, each tractor or combine is equipped with its own core system 152.
Each
tractor 10 is also equipped with a bus 200 which communicates with the
implement
controller 230.
The core system 152 is portable and may be installed on a variety of
agricultural vehicles. When installed in the tractor 10, which is connected by
a bus
200 to the implement controller 230, the core system 152 may be configured to
operate in an "apply" mode wherein it controls, records and displays monitored
data.
(The core system may also be operated in a data "collection" mode so as to
collect,
record and display monitored or collected data). The displayed data may
include
either previously recorded data, for example, a prescription map, or the
actual
monitored data) that is the sensed feedback as from application sensors 224
associated
with the fertilizer/seed/herbicide/insecticide hoppers and/or bins.
The farming system 150 may also include a work station or computer,
in the illustrated instance an office or portable computer 212, which may be
located
in an office on the farm or may be portable and carried within the cab of the
tractor
10. The office or portable computer 212, in conjunction with the core system
152
- 10-
CA 02259850 1999-O1-21
.
employs communication medium to transfer site specific data between the core
system
152 and the computer 212. Each of the systems, i. e. , the core system 152 and
the
computer 212, each includes a conventional read write interface for removable
memory, such as a memory card 154 which may be transported between core system
152 and computer 212. The memory card 154 may be typically of type II PCMCIA
cards made by, for example, Centennial Technologies, Inc. However, other
communication mediums such as floppy or hard disks, RF, Infrared, RS232/485
links
etc. may be employed. Memory card 154 may be used to transfer site-specific
data
from the core system 152 to the office or portable computer 212 and to
transfer
prescription maps from the office or portable computer 212 to the core system
152.
Core system 152 includes a control element, in the present instance
comprising a digital data processing unit (DPU) 156 which communicates with
the
vehicle operator located in the cab 12 of the tractor 10 through a user
interface 158
by way of links 160 (for example, an RS232/485 interface; a standard keyboard
interface, etc.). DPU 156 includes a processor, for example, a 486DX or
Pentium ~ microprocessor and various types of memory which may include non-
volatile memory (PROM, E-PROM or Flash memory) as well as volatile memory
(RAM). As is conventional, the processor may execute a program stored in non-
volatile memory and the volatile memory (RAM) may include a battery backup
circuit to hold portions or all of the programs in high speed memory or hold
selected
application programs and/or routines as desired. Alternatively, DPU 156 may be
implemented utilizing dedicated, specific purpose logic or hard wired logic
circuitry.
Moreover, the DPU and associated functions may be replaced by an enhanced cab
display unit ECDU sold by Case Manufacturing Co. User interface 158 may
include
a graphical user interface (GUI) 162 providing cursor control (e.g., by a
mouse, joy
stick or other switch control with cursor in the like movement possibilities),
assignable switches 164 (for example, push buttons and the like) configurable
by the
processor, a keyboard 166 and a voice communication interface 168.
The data processing unit DPU 156 is configured to generate display
signals which are applied to a reconfigurable display 170 (e. g. , a CRT or
flat screen
-11-
CA 02259850 1999-O1-21
LCD display) via communication link 171. The display 170 is preferable an
active
matrix LCD capable of displaying full motion video and a number of colors
under
varying ambient light conditions while also displaying graphics and
alphanumeric
characters. Display 170 is used, interalia, to display the current
configuration of
assignable switches 164. The data processing unit or DPU 156, user interface t
5R
and display 170 are preferably located in the tractor cab 12 and positioned so
that the
operator has easy access to user interface 158 and an unobstructed view of the
display
170. If desired, core system 152 may also include a printer 172 in the cab
which
communicates with DPU 156 via an interface link 173 (for example, an RS232
serial
or a "Centronics" type parallel link).
The data processing unit 156 may also receive signals representing the
speed of the vehicle from the ground speed sensor 210 via an interface 211,
which
also provides an output 213 to the variable rate controllers 222 of the
implement
controller 230. Ground speed sensor 210 may be of any convenient type and
include
a magnetic pickup sensor configured to sense the speed of the vehicle's wheels
or
transmission output, or may include a radar device mounted to the body of the
vehicle. The speed signals may be used by the data processing unit 156 to
calculate
distance travelled, or used, in accordance with the invention, for allowing
calculation
by variable rate controllers and conversion of amount of farming material per
distance to be converted to amount of farming material to be applied per
second or
other unit of time so as to permit direct control of the variable rate
actuators or
applicators associated with the fertilizer, seed and herbicide/insecticide
farming
material.
As shown in the drawings, specifically Fig. 3, the data processing unit
156 also communicates with a location signal generation circuit 175 which
generates
location signals representing the vehicle's location. Circuit 175 includes a
global
positioning system (GPS) signal receiver 176 with an associated antenna 177
and a
differential GPS (DGPS) signal receiver 178 also having an associated antenna
179.
It is understood that a single antenna may be employed in lieu of antennas 177
and
179. GPS receiver 176 may, for example, be manufactured by Trimble Navigation
-12-
CA 02259850 1999-O1-21
Ltd. of California and DGPS receiver 178 may be manufactured by Satloc, Inc.
of
Arizona. GPS receiver 176 determines longitude and latitude coordinates (and
altitude for that matter) of the vehicle from signals transmitted by the GPS
satellite
network. The accuracy of the location data is improved by applying correction
signals received by DGPS receiver 178. The differential correction signals are
used
to correct errors present on GPS signals including the selective availability
error
signal added to GPS signals by the U. S. government. DGPS signals are
transmitted
by the United States Coast Guard as well as by commercial services. For
example,
the Omnistar DGPS system from John E. Chance and Associates of Texas includes
a network of ten land-based differential reference stations that send
correction signals
to a master station which uploads signals to a satellite for broadcast
throughout North
America. GPS differential correction signals may also be transmitted from a
local
base station such as the top of a building. In a preferred embodiment, DPU 156
interfaces with a SATLOC L-Band Integrated Terra Star DGPS system via an RS485
communication link 180.
When core system 152 is mounted on a tractor such as the tractor 10,
the data processing unit DPU 156 communicates with implement control system
230
by way of bus 200. The implement control system 230 includes one or more
variable
rate controllers 222, which in turn control variable rate actuators 226 for
the
applicators. For example, there may be a single controller which controls the
seed
modules 75 and 95; three-six controllers for controlling the output of the
fertilizer
hoppers 45-51, and; two-sixteen controllers for controlling the
herbicide/insecticide
flow onto the soil. The variable actuators 226 will be described more fully
hereinafter with regard to Figs. 4-7. Suffice at this point that the variable
actuators
permit altering the dosage of farming material applied to the soil in
accordance with
signals received from the variable rate controlled 222 associated with the
particular
actuator. Applicator sensors 224 may sense a variety of conditions depending
upon
association with fertilizer, seeds or herbicides/insecticides. For example,
the
application sensors may determine the quantity of the material left in
hoppers, bins
and the like, all of which data may aid in determining the flow rate. The data
processing unit 156 also reads application rate data for particular field
location from
- 13-
CA 02259850 1999-O1-21
a prescription map, which is a map giving locations where a prescribed amount
of
a farming material (e. g. , seed, fertilizer, herbicide, etc. ) may be
supplied to achieve
a particular desired farming result. The prescription map may be supplied by
the
office or portable computer 212 or the data processing unit 156 may receive
data
from the input apparatus 158 employed by the machine operator to manually set
a
desired material application rate and generate commands which are sent to the
variable rate controllers 222.
While the commanded output rate of material to be provided to a field
is conventionally a function of the speed of the tractor 10 (or combine) and
the
desired material application rate, it has been found that with multiple
fertilizer bins,
herbicide bins, and seed modules or hoppers all of whose deposition rates need
to be
controlled, an update, even at a processor slow rate of once every 50
milliseconds,
can lead to bus overload because of the variations in speed due to slippage
and the
like, and the number of items needed to be controlled by updating. Moreover,
it is
critical that when an increase or decrease of material is required, for
example, an
increased speed requires an increased material output per unit of time to
maintain a
constant desired material application rate. In view of the above, it has been
found
that by providing variable rate controllers 222, e. g. , microprocessors and
the like,
with information from the DPU 156 as to the applicator or actuator motion
required
per distance of the implement 90 travelled, the actuator or applicator
controller
(variable rate controller 222) may effect the calculations necessary so that
the
applicator or actuator motion per unit of time will allow the proper or
desired
material application rate to be obtained. The application sensors 224, as has
been
noted heretofore, provide feedback signals representing the actual application
rates
to enable closed loop control, if such is desired. The bus 200 may be an RS485
bus
for a single channel variable rate controller or an SAJ-1939 implement bus for
a
mufti-channel controller. Essentially this means that by transferring the
application
amount per distance travelled of the implement, to the controllers 222,
providing a
ground speed input to the controllers as via line 213, the amount of material
per unit
of time may be easily calculated by ,the controller so as to control the
variable
actuators or applicators motion to coincide with the quantity of farming
material
- 14-
CA 02259850 1999-O1-21
required for depositions. Moreover, in this manner, if a field being provided
with
farming material has different portions which require different quantities,
selected
portions of the field may be treated with a changing or varying amount of
farming
material in accordance with the desires of the operator or in accordance with
a
prescribed prescription map, from time to time without overloading of the bus
200.
Referring now to Fig. 4A, a schematic representation of the means for
controlling the applicator or actuator motion per unit of time to control the
quantity
of farming material applied per unit of time, is illustrated therein. To this
end, a
separate controller 222 or a multiple channel controller or microprocessor,
depending
upon the power and speed of the microprocessors, may be connected to one or
more
drive modules such as the drive module 130 associated with the drum or barrel
120
of the seed module 75 and/or 95. Whether separate controllers are employed for
actuator control of the output of each bin depends upon several factors such
as cost,
need for fineness of control, etc. In the illustrated instance, the drive
module 130
is shown as including a solenoid actuated valve 131 which is opened or closed
in
varying degrees as by a signal applied from controller 222 to the solenoid as
through
line 132. The valve 131 allows hydraulic fluid to flow from a sump 133 to a
hydraulic pump 134 and then through a hydraulic motor 135, the shaft 136 of
which
may be coupled directly to the barrel or drum 120, or by suitable belts, gears
or
chain. Power for the pump 134 may be derived from the power take-off from the
tractor 10 or may be operated itself by hydraulic fluid lines leading from the
tractor
to the pump. The drive modules 130a and 130b for an auger 140 or fluted roll
141
associated respectively with the herbicide bins 53 or fertilizer hoppers 45-51
may be
identical to the drive module 130. Alternatively, and as illustrated best in
Fig. 4B,
the controller 222 may directly control the speed of electric motors 230, 230a
and
230b and their associated augers or fluted rolls 140, 141 for
herbicide/insecticide bins
53-68 and fertilizer hoppers 45-51, respectively. In this manner, the
rotational speed
of the actuators associated with the applicators may be adjusted so as to
allow a
change in the application rate of material per unit of time, all of which may
be
calculated by the controller 222, as long as the original information fed into
the
-15-
CA 02259850 1999-O1-21
r ~
controller includes data which assimilates or is associated with the amount of
material
to be deposited per unit of distance travelled by the implement 40.
In certain instances where the auger or fluted rolls may be driven at
a constant speed, it is often desirable to provide the hopper or bins with a
gate
control, the opening of which will control the amount of farming material
allowed to
leave the hopper or bin (depending upon particulate size of the fertilizer,
herbicide
or insecticide) and once again depending upon the speed of the implement
across the
ground. In this instance, the gate control may be solenoid operated as by gate
control
valve 148, its opening being dependent upon the signal received under line 149
from
the controller 222.
In certain instances where additional material is needed for the hoppers
or bins while the implement is being towed across a very large field, a
trailed hopper
supply such as a "Concord" trailer manufactured by Case Corporation (not
shown)
is connected to the implement 40 so that replenishment may take place even
though
the farming vehicles are some great distance away from the barn or other
locations
where supplies are normally replenished. This may be accomplished on the fly,
once
again, if the controller or controllers are placed on the trailed hoppers for
controlling
or permitting particulate material or even liquid material to be applied to
the bins or
hoppers on the implement 40. To this end, and referring now to Fig. 7, one or
more
variable rate controllers 222a, which receive inputs from the bus 200 and a
second
input from a speed sensor 210 applies its output to at least to a controller
actuator for
the particulate supply. In one instance, the controller varies the speed of a
fan 310,
which may be driven by a drive module similar to the drive module 130
heretofore
described or to electric motors, in the illustrated instance an electric motor
330, to
increase or decrease the fan flow rate to carry particulate material from the
bins or
hoppers and the like 340 on the trailed implement through a chute or piping
345 to
the appropriate bins or hoppers on the implement 40. An alternative or
additional
control of the amount of material applied through the piping 345 to the bins
or
hoppers may be provided by a gate control or slide valve similar to the gate
control
or slide valve 148 described heretofore with regard to Fig. 6. The gate or
slide
- 16-
CA 02259850 1999-O1-21
v
.
control valve may be operated in a similar manner to that heretofore described
merely
by allowing the opening from the auxiliary or additional hopper 340 to be
increased
or decreased, with or without a commensurate increase or decrease of the
rotational
velocity of the motor 330.
The operation of the invention is best illustrated in the flowchart of
Fig. 8 wherein data 440, 441 and 442 may be applied to the data processing
unit 156.
In the illustrated instance, the data 440 comprises actuator or applicator
motion per
unit of farming material to be applied, e. g. , revolutions of the drum or
barrel 120 per
unit of farming material. In the event that the farming material is, for
example,
seeds, the amount can be rated in pounds or ounces, etc. and the applicators
or
actuators motion, in the illustrated instance the barrel 120, movement in
rotational
increments or a fraction of or a portion of a rotation of the barrel. An
additional
input that is required either by the operator in the cab or from the
prescription map
and which may be applied to the data processing unit 156 is as shown in block
441,
where the units of farming material need be indicated per unit area, e.g.
acre. In the
illustrated example of the implement 40, these units of farming material would
be,
for example, pounds of seed, pounds of fertilizer, and pounds of
herbicide/insecticide
per acre. A third and desired input would be the number of acres per distance
of
planter travel. For example, assume that a 16 row planter is approximately 32
feet
wide. Inasmuch as an acre is 43,560 square feet, one path or one movement of
the
implement 40 for 1,360 feet (approximately) will indicate the distance that
must be
travelled for the application of the amount of material for application to one
acre.
From the foregoing data, it is easy to see that the output of the data
processing unit
156 is the applicator or actuator motion necessary for the distance travelled
for the
planter or implement 40 to be able to place the amount of material desired.
This is
illustrated in block 443. The output of the data processing unit 156 is
applied to the
variable rate controller 222 (or controllers for particular bins or hoppers
and
particular farming material) which is simultaneously fed with information or
data
from the speed sensor 210 over line or lead 213. The speed sensor's output, as
is
conventional, is measured in distance, per unit of time, for example, meters
per
second, miles per hour, etc. Because the initial input included the units of
farming
- 17-
CA 02259850 1999-O1-21
material per acre, the output of the actuator or applicator controller 222 to
the
particular applicator, represented in block diagram form at 445, indicates the
applicator or actuator motion per second which then, due to the variations in
the
speed input, is easily adjusted without overloading the bus 200.
It is easy to understand that, for a particular example, e. g. , seed
application, the mathematics of the conversion information supplied by the
data
processing unit to the actuator or applicator controller 222, is as follows:
Units of farm materiallunit area (lbs./acre) x No. of
unit areas/distance travelled (N acres/y meters) x
Revolutions of applicator (drum)/unit of farm material =
Revolutions of applicator (drum)/distance travelled (Revs/meter)
Revolutions of applicator (drum)/distance travelled
Revs/meter) x distance travelled/unit of time (meters/sec) _
Revolutions of applicator/unit of time = Revs/sec.
Although the invention has been described with a certain degree of
particularity, numerous changes in the construction and method of operation of
the
invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention
as set forth in the claims appended hereto.
- 18-
