Meter roller cartridge frame for an agricultural metering system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9801330-B2
Application number	US-201514932764-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2015
Priority date	Nov 4, 2015
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

A method of configuring an agricultural metering system includes coupling one of a first meter roller cartridge frame and a second meter roller cartridge frame to a meter roller to form a meter roller cartridge. The first meter roller cartridge frame has one or more first openings having a first aggregate area, and the second meter roller cartridge frame has one or more second openings having a second aggregate area, different from the first aggregate area. The method includes engaging the meter roller cartridge with a meter box of the agricultural metering system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of configuring an agricultural metering system, comprising:
coupling one of a first meter roller cartridge frame and a second meter roller cartridge frame to a meter roller to form a meter roller cartridge, wherein the first meter roller cartridge frame has one or more first openings having a first aggregate area, and the second meter roller cartridge frame has one or more second openings having a second aggregate area, different from the first aggregate area; and
engaging the meter roller cartridge with a meter box of the agricultural metering system;
wherein the first meter roller cartridge frame comprises a blocking portion configured to block material from entering a first segment of the meter roller;
wherein one opening of the one or more second openings is configured to align with the first segment of the meter roller to enable the first segment of the meter roller to facilitate flow of the material;
wherein the first meter roller cartridge frame comprises a slat configured to align with and substantially match a contour of a ring of the meter roller, the ring separates the first segment of the meter roller from a second segment of the meter roller, and the ring and the slat are configured to block the material from flowing between the first segment and the second segment along an axial direction.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein one opening of the one or more first openings is configured to align with a second segment of the meter roller to enable the second segment of the meter roller to facilitate flow of the material.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein coupling one of the first meter roller cartridge frame and the second meter roller cartridge frame to the meter roller comprises engaging a releasable bearing coupler with the meter roller to facilitate rotation of the meter roller within the meter roller cartridge.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising covering an aperture of the first meter roller cartridge frame with a clip to establish the first aggregate area of the one or more first openings.

5. A meter roller cartridge for an agricultural metering system, comprising:
a frame having a first section configured to enable material to enter a meter roller within the frame and a second section configured to block material from entering the meter roller, wherein the first and second sections are configured to control flow of the material into the meter roller;
wherein the second section is shaped to substantially match a circumferential profile of the meter roller.

6. The agricultural metering system of claim 5 , comprising a dividing slat between the first section and the second section of the frame.

7. The agricultural metering system of claim 5 , comprising the meter roller having a first segment and a second segment, wherein the first segment comprises a first plurality of flutes, the second segment comprises a second plurality of flutes, a first configuration of the first plurality of flutes is different than a second configuration of the second plurality of flutes, the first segment aligns with the first section of the frame, and the second segment aligns with the second section of the frame.

8. The agricultural metering system of claim 7 , wherein the meter roller cartridge is configured to engage a releasable bearing coupler with the meter roller to facilitate rotation of the meter roller within the meter roller cartridge.

9. The agricultural metering system of claim 5 , wherein the second section comprises a clip configured to selectively engage a mounting portion of the frame to block material from entering the meter roller.

10. The agricultural metering system of claim 9 , wherein the clip comprises a cantilever hook tab, and the mounting portion comprises a retaining pocket, and the cantilever hook tab is configured to be selectively inserted into the retaining pocket to secure the clip to the mounting portion of the frame.

11. An agricultural metering system, comprising:
a meter roller having a first segment and a second segment;
a first meter roller cartridge frame configured to rotatably support the meter roller, wherein the first meter roller cartridge frame comprises:
a first section configured to enable flow of material into the first segment of the meter roller;
a second section configured to block flow of the material into the second segment of the meter roller;

a second meter roller cartridge frame configured to rotatably support the meter roller, wherein the second meter roller cartridge frame comprises:
a third section configured to block flow of the material into the first segment of the meter roller; and
a fourth section configured to enable flow of the material into the second segment of the meter roller; and
wherein the meter roller is configured to be inserted into a selectable one of the first meter roller cartridge frame and the second meter roller cartridge frame.

12. The agricultural metering system of claim 11 , comprising a releasable bearing coupler configured to couple the meter roller to the first meter roller cartridge frame or to the second meter roller cartridge frame, wherein the releasable bearing coupling is configured to facilitate rotation of the meter roller within the first meter roller cartridge frame or the second meter roller cartridge frame.

13. The agricultural metering system of claim 11 , wherein the first meter roller cartridge frame comprises a first color and the second meter roller cartridge frame comprises a second color to facilitate external identification of a selected flow rate.

14. The agricultural metering system of claim 11 , wherein the meter roller comprises a ring axially positioned between the first meter roller segment and the second meter roller segment.

15. The agricultural metering system of claim 14 , wherein the first meter roller cartridge comprises a slat between the first section and the second section of the first meter roller cartridge frame configured to align with the ring of the meter roller to block material from entering the second segment from the first segment.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind Canada Ltd

Inventors

• Bent Ethan Curtis Stephen
• Chahley Dennis W
• Thompson Dennis George
• Engel Gordon Anthony

Classifications

• A01C7/046

  with perforated seeding discs · CPC title

• A01C7/102 Primary

  Regulating or controlling the seed rate · CPC title

• A01C7/081 Primary

  Seeders depositing seeds in rows using pneumatic means · CPC title

• A01C7/12

  Seeders with feeding wheels · CPC title

• A01C7/123

  Housings for feed rollers or wheels · CPC title