Air seeding cart and manifold for same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9648801-B2
Application number	US-201514870544-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2015
Priority date	Sep 30, 2015
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

In a method of operating a seed cart, a compartment is provided defining a volume for receiving a commodity. A distribution manifold is provided including two sets of passages, the distribution manifold being associated with the compartment to selectively receive a commodity in one or both of the two sets of passages. A fan is operated to create an air stream. The air stream from the fan is divided into a plurality of primary tubes. An inlet divider plenum is provided having two outlets in communication with each one of the primary tubes. The flow of air from each of the plurality of primary tubes is divided amongst the two corresponding outlets with a corresponding movable vane within the inlet divider plenum such that an airflow ratio between the two sets of passages is controlled in response to the position of the vane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seed cart for an air seeder comprising:
a chassis adapted for attachment to an air seeding tool;
first and second compartments supported by the chassis, each of the first and second compartments defining a volume separate from the other for receiving a corresponding commodity;
a fan operable to create an air stream;
a set of primary tubes coupled to the fan to receive separate portions of the air stream from the fan;
first and second distribution manifolds, respectively associated with the first and second compartments such that the first distribution manifold is operable to selectively deliver the commodity of the first compartment to at least one set of two separate sets of passages within the first distribution manifold, and the second distribution manifold is operable to selectively deliver the commodity of the second compartment to at least one set of two separate sets of passages within the second distribution manifold; and
an inlet divider plenum having a plurality of inlets connected to corresponding ones of the set of primary tubes, the inlet divider plenum having first and second outlets coupled to each one of the plurality of inlets such that the airflow received at each one of the plurality of inlets is variably divisible between the first outlet and the second outlet,
wherein each first outlet is connected to a first set of the two separate sets of passages within the first distribution manifold and to a first set of the two separate sets of passages within the second distribution manifold, and
wherein each second outlet is connected to a second set of the two separate sets of passages in the first distribution manifold and to a second set of the two separate sets of passages within the second distribution manifold.

2. The seed cart of claim 1 , wherein the inlet divider plenum includes a plurality of vanes, each of the plurality of vanes positioned between one of the plurality of inlets and the corresponding first and second outlets, and wherein each of the plurality of vanes is movable to variably divide the airflow received at the inlet between the first outlet and the second outlet.

3. The seed cart of claim 2 , wherein all of the plurality of vanes are mounted to a common drive shaft for synchronized rotation of the plurality of vanes.

4. The seed cart of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of vanes is movable between a first position in which the vane closes off a first one of the first and second outlets, and a second position in which the vane closes off the other of the first and second outlets.

5. The seed cart of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of vanes are infinitely adjustable between the first and second positions.

6. The seed cart of claim 5 , wherein the first distribution manifold includes a manual lever coupled to the plurality of vanes and operable to adjust the position of the plurality of vanes when moved.

7. The seed cart of claim 5 , wherein the first distribution manifold includes a powered actuator coupled to the plurality of vanes and operable to adjust the position of the plurality of vanes when powered.

8. The seed cart of claim 2 , wherein the first distribution manifold includes one or both of a manual lever and a powered actuator coupled to the plurality of vanes and operable to adjust the position of the plurality of vanes.

9. The seed cart of claim 1 , further comprising an additional fan operable to create an additional air stream, wherein each of the first and second distribution manifolds includes a third set of passages, and the third sets of passages of the first and second distribution manifolds are connected to receive the additional air stream from the additional fan.

10. The seed cart of claim 9 , wherein the third sets of passages are the topmost sets of passages of the first and second distribution manifolds.

11. The seed cart of claim 1 , wherein the inlet divider plenum divides the air stream at an inlet of the first distribution manifold, which is nearer the fan than the second distribution manifold.

12. The seed cart of claim 11 , wherein the inlet divider plenum is secured directly to a body of the first distribution manifold.

13. The seed cart of claim 12 , wherein the inlet divider plenum includes a plurality of guide plates that align the inlet divider plenum relative to the body of the first distribution manifold, and wherein a plurality of fasteners extend between the plurality of guide plates and a plurality of clamp plates on an outlet side of the body to secure the inlet divider plenum to the body.

14. The seed cart of claim 12 , wherein each of the sets of passages extending through the body of the first distribution manifold extends parallel to a flow axis, and wherein a dividing section of the inlet divider plenum that divides the second air stream extends over a length that is less than half a length of the body as measured parallel to the flow axis.

15. A method of operating a seed cart, the method comprising:
providing the seed cart with a compartment defining a volume for receiving a commodity;
providing a distribution manifold including two sets of passages, the distribution manifold being associated with the compartment to selectively receive a commodity in one or both of the two sets of passages;
operating a fan to create an air stream;
dividing the air stream from the fan into a plurality of primary tubes;
providing an inlet divider plenum having two outlets in communication with each one of the primary tubes; and
dividing the flow of air from each of the plurality of primary tubes amongst the two corresponding outlets with a corresponding movable vane within the inlet divider plenum such that an airflow ratio between the two sets of passages is controlled in response to the position of the vane.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising providing at least one additional compartment for receiving at least one additional commodity, and providing at least one additional distribution manifold, the method further comprising operating an additional fan to create an additional air stream, wherein the additional air stream is supplied to corresponding sets of passages of the distribution manifold and the at least one additional distribution manifold without passing through the inlet divider plenum.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the distribution manifold is a first distribution manifold that is nearest the fan, and vanes of the inlet divider plenum divide the flow of air from each of the plurality of primary tubes at an inlet of first distribution manifold, and the two sets of passages supplied with air through the inlet divider plenum are a bottom two rows of passages of the first distribution manifold.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising moving the vane to a corresponding first limit position to close off one of the two corresponding outlets.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising moving the vane to a corresponding second limit position to close off the other of the two corresponding outlets.

20. A commodity distribution assembly for a seed cart, the commodity distribution assembly comprising:
a distribution manifold having a first plurality of passages therethrough and a second plurality of passages therethrough;
an inlet divider plenum having a plurality of inlets each in fluid communication with corresponding first and second outlets of the inlet divider plenum; and
a plurality of vanes in the inlet divider plenum, each vane located between a respective inlet and correspon

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Borkgren Stanley R
• Snipes Terry L

Classifications

• A01C21/005

  Following a specific plan, e.g. pattern · CPC title

• A01C7/081 Primary

  Seeders depositing seeds in rows using pneumatic means · CPC title

• B65G53/56

  Switches · CPC title

• A01C7/102

  Regulating or controlling the seed rate · CPC title

• Y02P60/00

  Technologies relating to agriculture, livestock or agroalimentary industries · CPC title