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EP-4736620-A1 - SEEDING MACHINE

EP4736620A1EP 4736620 A1EP4736620 A1EP 4736620A1EP-4736620-A1

Abstract

A seeding machine has a plurality of row units (1) suspended from a beam (2) located transverse to the direction of advancement. Each row unit (1) has an upper mounting device (3) and a lower mounting device (4) that extends downwards into shaped parallel plates (7, 8); an arm (11) having a first arm end (12) pivoted in the shaped parallel plates (7, 8) and a second arm end (13) carrying a sleeve (14); a hub (17) carrying a perforated circular plate (18), the hub (17) being locked to the sleeve (14); a clod breaker disc (20) fixed to the perforated circular plate (18); a counteracting elastic element (23) for contrasting the upward rotation of said arm (11); a feed tube (30) for feeding seeds and fertilizing substances, having a free end equipped with a diffuser element (31). Each row unit (1) has a support member (32) for the diffuser element (31), and a disc-cleaning plate (33).

Inventors

  • Palminteri, Samuel

Assignees

  • S.I.C.iltiller s.r.l.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20251104

Claims (5)

  1. A seeding machine, having a plurality of row units (1) being suspended from at least one beam (2) located transverse to an advance direction of the seeding machine, each row unit (1) comprising: - an upper mounting device (3) and a lower mounting device (4), both to be retained to the beam (2) by bolts (5, 6), the lower mounting device (4) extending downwards into shaped parallel plates (7, 8), - an arm (11) having a first arm end (12) pivoted in said shaped parallel plates (7, 8) of the lower mounting device (4) and a second arm end (13) carrying a sleeve (14), said arm (11) having a first arm side (15) and a second arm side (16) extending in parallel in a vertical direction, and - a hub (17) carrying a perforated circular plate (18), the hub (17) being locked to said sleeve (14) and tightened by a nut (19), - a clod breaker disc (20) provided with holes (21) corresponding to those of said perforated circular plate (18) and fixed thereto by means of bolts (22), - a counteracting elastic element (23) for contrasting the upward rotation of said arm (11), the counteracting elastic element (23) being hinged to the shaped parallel plates (7, 8) of the lower mounting device (4) above the first arm end (12), - a feed tube (30) having a free end equipped with a diffuser element (31), each row unit (1) being characterized by further comprising: a support member (32) for said diffuser element (31), fixed in the first arm side (15), and a disc-cleaning plate (33) being suitable for cleaning said clod breaker disc (20) and being fixed in the second arm side (16) opposite to said support member (32).
  2. The seeding machine according to claim 1, wherein said support member (32) is provided with slots (34) for bolts at said second arm end (13), and the disc-cleaning plate (33) is provided with indentations (35) for an adjusted connection with the support member (32) by bolts (36).
  3. The seeding machine according to claim 1, wherein the support member (32) is provided with a retaining finger (38) engaged by a hose clamp (39) to the feed tube (30).
  4. The seeding machine according to claim 1, wherein the counteracting elastic element (23) comprises: - a spring (24) seated between a proximal abutment (25), crossed by a pin (28), and a distal abutment (26), equipped with a central hole and peripherally welded to said arm (11), and - a spring-guide stem (27) having a proximal end fixed to said proximal abutment (25), and a distal end sliding in said central hole of the distal abutment (26).
  5. The seeding machine according to claim 1, wherein the feed tube (30) is intended for at least one between the feeding of seeds and the feeding of fertilizing substances.

Description

The invention relates to a seeding machine having a plurality of row units on at least one bar located generally transverse to an advance direction of the seeding machine. FR2787284A3, EP1731011A1, and US5398771 disclose tool carriers for agricultural machines comprising a suspension device with a wheel in contact with the ground and one or more tool carriers, which are jointly suspended in parallel. In all the cited documents, the suspension device is a parallelogram device. One or more springs are arranged between one of the swinging arms of the suspension device. This arrangement results in considerable space for each row unit and, consequently, the impossibility of positioning a large number of row units close together. US 2012/0079973 A1 discloses a furrow opener for an air seeder including a rotatable disc. The opener also includes a vented seed catch pan positioned adjacent one side of the disc. The vented seed catch pan is operably coupled to a seed conduit of the air seeder to receive seed in a pressurized air stream from the seed conduit. The vented catch pan presents a seed inlet configured to receive seed from the seed conduit, a seed outlet positioned to deposit the seed within the furrow, and an elongated chamber extending between the inlet and outlet. The vented catch pan presents multiple vents spaced between the inlet and outlet, with the vents allowing pressurized air flow to escape from the chamber to ambient without passing through the outlet. It is understood, however, that optimizing soil preparation tools is necessary because soil preparation, for many types of crops, such as wheat and forage, often accounts for half the final cost of the product. The reduction in the value of agriculture due to climate change requires the combination of a minimum-till disc drill with seeding tools. The purpose of the present invention is to create a disc drill that allows for improved productivity and economic sustainability, along with a reduced environmental impact. This and other objectives are achieved by the present invention, which describes a seeding machine having a plurality of row units being suspended from at least one beam located transverse to an advance direction of the seeding machine, each row unit comprising an upper mounting device and a lower mounting device, the lower mounting device extending downwards into shaped parallel plates;an arm having a first arm end pivoted in said shaped parallel plates of the lower mounting device and a second arm end carrying a sleeve;a hub carrying a perforated circular plate, the hub being locked to said sleeve;a clod breaker disc fixed to the perforated circular plate by means of bolts;a counteracting elastic element for contrasting the upward rotation of the arm;a feed tube for seeds and fertilizing substances, having a free end equipped with a diffuser element, each row unit having a support member for the diffuser element, fixed in the first arm side, anda disc-cleaning plate being suitable for cleaning said clod breaker disc and being fixed in the second arm side opposite to the support member. Further features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the description of an embodiment of the row unit in a seeding machine, illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a seeding machine according to the present invention;Figure 2 is a side perspective view, with hidden parts, shown in dotted lines, of a row unit of the seeding machine according to the invention;Figure 3 is a side perspective view, rotated 180° from the view in Figure 2 but without the clod breaker disc; andFigure 4 is an exploded perspective view of Figure 3, complete with the clod breaker disc. Reference is made initially to Figure 1, which shows row units, generally indicated as 1, mounted in parallel on crossbars, generally indicated as 2, which are located transverse to an advance direction of the seeding machine. Then reference is made to Figures 2 and 3, which are a side perspective view, with hidden parts, shown with dashed lines, of a row unit, and, respectively, a side perspective view, rotated 180° with respect to the view in Figure 2 but without the clod breaker disk. The row unit includes an upper mounting device 3 and a lower mounting device 4 for attachment to the crossbar 2, not shown in the figures following Figure 1. In the part in contact with the crossbar 2, the upper mounting device 3 and the lower mounting device 4 are shaped like dihedrals that fit with the crossbar 2. The upper mounting device 3 and the lower mounting device 4 are coupled with bolts 5 and 6 (Figure 2). The lower mounting device 4 extends on the opposite side to the upper mounting device 3 with two shaped parallel plates 7, 8. At the bottom, coaxial holes are made in the shaped parallel plates 7, 8 for a bolt 9 with washers. Bolt 9 serves as a pivot for the articulation of an arm 11. The arm 11 is hinged at its first end 12 by mean