Multi-unit bulk seed-box seed tender

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11849663-B2
Application number	US-202217724229-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 19, 2022
Priority date	Nov 25, 2019
Publication date	Dec 26, 2023
Grant date	Dec 26, 2023

Abstract

A farm implement is provided. The farm implement includes a frame having a bed and a conveyor mounted to the frame. The farm implement further includes a latch mechanism for securing two or more bulk seed-boxes mounted on a plurality of bulk seed-box locations. The latch mechanism includes a handle to activate the latch mechanism and two or more latches located adjacent to one or more of the bulk seed-box locations, and is moveable between a latched position and an unlatched position. In the latched position, the two or more latches are configured to engage with the bulk seed-boxes to secure the bulk seed-boxes to the bed. In the unlatched position, the two or more latches are configured to disengage from the bulk seed-boxes to allow for the bulk seed-boxes to be unloaded from or loaded onto the bed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A farm implement comprising:
a frame having a bed, wherein the bed comprises a plurality of bulk seed-box locations;
a first conveyor mounted to the frame having an intake end to receive agricultural material from four or more bulk seed-boxes mounted on the plurality of bulk seed-box locations and a discharge end to discharge the agricultural material; and
a latch mechanism for securing the four or more bulk seed-boxes mounted on the plurality of bulk seed-box locations, the latch mechanism including a first handle to activate the latch mechanism and four or more latches located adjacent to four or more of the bulk seed-box locations, wherein two of the four or more bulk seed-box locations are spaced apart in a lateral direction and two of the four or more bulk seed-box locations are spaced apart in a longitudinal direction,
wherein the first handle is configured to move the latch mechanism between a latched position and an unlatched position,
wherein in the latched position, the four or more latches are configured to engage with the four or more bulk seed-boxes mounted on the plurality of bulk seed-box locations to secure the four or more bulk seed-boxes to the bed, and
wherein in the unlatched position, the four or more latches are configured to disengage from the four or more bulk seed-boxes mounted on the plurality of bulk seed-box locations to allow for the bulk seed-boxes to be unloaded from or loaded onto the bed.

2. The farm implement of claim 1 , wherein the farm implement is a seed tender.

3. The farm implement of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bulk seed-box locations are arranged in two or more rows and include at least six bulk seed-box locations.

4. The farm implement of claim 1 , wherein the latches are configured to engage a lower flange of the four or more bulk seed-boxes mounted on the plurality of bulk seed-box locations.

5. The farm implement of claim 1 , wherein the latches are configured to engage an indentation in the four or more bulk seed-boxes mounted on the plurality of bulk seed-box locations.

6. The farm implement of claim 1 , wherein the latch mechanism further includes a first push rod coupled to a first set of the four or more latches, and wherein the first handle is configured to move the latch mechanism between a latched position and an unlatched position by moving the first push rod, and wherein movement of the first push rod engages or disengages the first set of four or more latches.

7. The farm implement of claim 6 , wherein the four or more bulk seed-box locations are arranged in rows and columns, and for each bulk seed-box location in a given column, the latches corresponding to those bulk seed-box locations are coupled by a rod that extends transversely from the first push rod.

8. The farm implement of claim 6 , wherein the latch mechanism further includes a second handle to activate the latch mechanism and a second push rod coupled to a second set of the four or more latches, and wherein the second handle is configured to move the latch mechanism between a latched position and an unlatched position by moving the second push rod, and wherein movement of the second push rod engages or disengages the second set of four or more latches.

9. The farm implement of claim 1 , further comprising a rail mechanism, wherein the first conveyor is configured to move in a fore-and-aft direction with respect to the bed along the rail mechanism, thereby allowing the first conveyor to be positioned such that the intake end is underneath a dispensing region of a bulk seed-box from among the four or more bulk seed-boxes mounted on the plurality of bulk seed-box locations.

10. The farm implement of claim 1 , further comprising a hopper mounted to the frame and positioned underneath the bed to receive agricultural material from the four or more bulk seed-boxes mounted on the plurality of bulk seed-box locations and to provide the agricultural material to the intake end of the first conveyor.

11. The farm implement of claim 1 , wherein the first conveyor is mounted to the frame by a support arm, and is pivotable such that the discharge end of the first conveyor can be positioned over a planter in order to discharge agricultural material into the planter.

12. The farm implement of claim 1 , further comprising a second conveyor for transferring agricultural material from the four or more bulk seed-boxes mounted on the plurality of bulk seed-box locations to the intake end of the first conveyor, wherein the second conveyor is generally parallel to the frame bed.

13. The farm implement of claim 1 , wherein the four or more latches are each located in a latch housing, such that each latch housing includes a first latch and a second latch from among the four or more latches, and wherein, for each latch housing, the first latch is engageable with a first bulk seed-box on a first side of the latch housing and the second latch is engageable with a second bulk seed-box on a second side of the latch housing different than the first side.

Assignees

• Unverferth Mfg Co Inc

Inventors

• Petersen Brian James

Classifications

• A01C15/005 Primary

  Undercarriages, tanks, hoppers, stirrers specially adapted for seeders or fertiliser distributors · CPC title

• A01C15/003 Primary

  Bulk fertiliser or grain handling in the field or on the farm · CPC title

• B60P7/10

  the load being plates, cases, or boxes · CPC title

• B60P1/56

  the load-transporting element having bottom discharging openings · CPC title