GB1559887A - Machine for depositing seeds and fertiliser in the ground - Google Patents

Description

(54) A MACHINE FOR DEPOSITING SEEDS AND FERTILISER IN THE GROUND (71) We, AMAZONEN-WERKE H. DREYER, of Post Office Box 109, 4507 Hasbergen-Gaste, Federal Republic of Germany; a German company do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- The present invention relates to a machine for depositing seeds and fertilizer in the ground and has a frame supported during operation on wheels, storage containers for holding seed and fertilizers, and a number of coulters or shares individually connected to upwardly extending holding devices which are displaceably mounted on the frame, which are arranged staggered at least in three rows one behind the other with respect to the intended direction of operative travel, and which are provided with laterally projecting cutting surfaces which converge at the front of the shares and are inclined forwardly and downwardly in operation at an acute setting angle relative to the ground surface seen in the direction of operation of the machine and to which material to be deposited is supplied from each of the given storage containers via a metering mechanism and conduits; the connecting members on the frame for the holding devices being spaced from the ground.

A machine is known which exhibits the advantage of permitting depositing of the seeds or the fertilizer over a badly prepared seed bed or even over a harvested field of stubble, since even with narrower width rows the shares and their retaining devices located in a row normal to the direction of travel are spaced so far apart from one another and the connecting members on the frame for the holding devices have such a considerable clearance from the ground that disturbances of the depositing operation by blockages of the spaces between the shares by particles of plants or clods of soil are substantially avoided.

Moreover, it is favourable that the grains of the material below the share and the cutting edges projecting laterally during depositing can be spread within the wide furrow formed by the shares so that they deposit in wide strips having greater mutual spacings.

This so-called "strip seeding" method is nowadays preferred in practice, since, when correctly applied, it leads to an increase of the harvest yields.

A disadvantage in this machine, however, resides in that the depth conduction of the share and hence the depth of deposit of the material in the ground cannot be maintained with the necessary accuracy.

This disadvantage is chiefly to be attributed to the fact that the retaining devices are provided with upright supports which are arcuate in the direction of operation and have shares secured on the lower end thereof and with variable spring bias being pivotally connected to the frame at the upper end. If the spring bias is set at such a height that the supports are pivoted towards the rear only when striking of the shares against hard clods, stones or other obstructions contained in the ground, then for the use under normal conditions all the shares form a rigid unitary structure with the frame. For this reason the individual shares are unable to adapt relative to the ground surface but are conducted at a depth which is dependent on the sapcing from the tread surfaces of the pneumatic tyres of the chassis rolling on the ground. Since the ground surface, especially in harvested fields and those which are virtually untilled, is never flat but has irregularly distributed elevations and ruts which, for example, are formed by the deep tracks of the machines used for harvesting, it is inevitable that some of the shares enter deep into the ground and occasionally emerge from the ground in the region of the depression. As a result of this there occur for the individual seed grains not only highly varied starting times and hence ripening periods for the time of harvesting, but also defects appear within the deep furrows. Both phenomena lead to reductions in yield.

A further disadvantage also occurs wherein even the average penetration depth of all shares repeatedly changes in the course of the use of the machine. In other words, if the storage containers are in a filled state, the pneumatic tyres of the chassis of the machine will not only sink deeper into the ground, but the pneumatic tyres at the tread surfaces are additionally more extensively compressed than when the storage container is nearly empty. Hence, during each emptying of the storage container the average depth of penetration of the shares will be gradually reduced whilst directly after the next filling of the container again assume the maximum value.

Consequently and especially during dry weather, the seeds sprout in strips at considerably different times, which may have an unfavourable effect in the ripening period such that in countries and areas where winter starts early, a proportion of the cereals has to be harvested in an unripe state if one is to avoid risking the whole harvest to the effect of an early cold spell.

Even if the spring-loading of the supports is substantially reduced so that the supports in accordance with the varying pressures acting thereon would pivot to a greater or lesser extent to the rear and upward, the aforesaid deficiencies can only be insufficiently remedied. This is to be attributed to the fact that owing to the substantially vertical arrangement of the pivot pins for the carriers substantially over the tips of the shares necessitates a considerable pivotal path before the penetration depth of the shares is effectively varied. This, however, would not only exert pressure on the shares varying in strength in dependence upon the penetration depth but also as a result of varying densities of the ground. Since and above all in untilled fields, the ground never has a completely homogenous state, the shares are differently pivoted backwards against the direction of operation during the use of the machine against the tension of the springs in continuous change. Herewith, however, with corresponding constant alternation there is changed during operation not only the penetration depth of the shares in the ground even to insignificant extent but also, and to a substantially higher extent, the setting angle of the cutting surfaces thereof.

The larger the clods, heavier and densely grown the ground, the more intensely do these phenomena appear. They are also further increased due to the increasing of the working speed.

These phenomena, however, also result in the disadvantage in that with the enlargement of the setting angle of the cutting surfaces of the shares the ground is forced aside like the bow wave of a ship and, with higher working speeds, the soil is even hurled away so that the wide furrows formed by the shares in the ground and hence the materials inserted in the furrows remain completely open and uncovered and have to be closed again by special closing members or harrow tines.

This known machine is fitted with the aforedescribed shares to enable the seeds and the fertilizer to be deposited in the ground of harvested stubble fields or field areas grown with foundation without prior ploughing and other tilling work, i.e.

without destroying the soil capillarity, without impairing the biological equilibrium of the finished state and without the risk of the ground drying out in countries having a climate with a very low rainfall during the cultivation period. The disadvantages described above have a particularly serious effect since not only are the materials deposited at varying depths, but clods are slung to the side by the shares and held together by the roots of the plants, cannot or are not sufficiently moved towards the furrows by the closing members or seed combs. This necessitates reharrowing in one or more additional operations wherein the danger exists that the seed and fertilizer granules are partly ripped out of the furrows by the movements of the harrow tines and clods and are spread over the ground surface in complete random and varying distribution without having the necessary ground bond for the seeds to sprout and the fertilizer to be dissolved.

Even is as in the seed drill known from the German Offenlegungsschrift 23 10 805, the hinge pins for the supports are arranged far in front of the share tips, there is hardly any improvement of the working operation since different penetration depths and setting angles result dependent upon the penetration depth, nature of the ground, the vegetation on the ground and the working speed.

United States Patent Specification 3,901,169 discloses an individual grain seed drill in which the retaining devices for the whole seed units and hence for the snowplough-like share in an upright plane each have a parallel guide. By this means it is ensured that the setting angles of the shares relative to the ground surface do not change during the movement of the sowing units in upright planes. Moreover, each share is connected in this machine with a leading guide roller and a pressure roller located behind the share so that adaptation of the penetration depth of the shares relative to the ground surface and pressing of the seed into the furrow formed by the share may be obtained. In view of the shape of the shares and the arrangement of the metering elements closely above the ground, this machine permits the special distribution of seeds by individual deposits only on a well prepared seed bed. On such well prepared and loosened grounds, however, the overall weight of the machine acts on the absolute penetration depth of the shares, i.e. the deposit depth of the seeds in the ground despite the existing guide and depressing roller. Since each share in this machine is rigidly connected to a storage container and the weight of the whole machine is supported on the two rollers, and with the storage container full, the shares will penetrate deeper into the ground than when the storage container is empty.

Finally, United States Patent Specification 2,834,446 discloses a share for seed drills which comprises a chopping knife and a securing member which is detachably secured by means of screws on the upright support or holding device (not shown).

According to the present invention there is provided a machine for depositing seeds and fertilizer in the ground comprising a frame supported during operation on wheels, storage containers for holding seed and fertilizer and a plurality of coulters or shares individually connected to upwardly extending holding devices which are displaceably mounted on the frame, which are located in three staggered rows one behind the other with respect to the intended direction of operative travel and which are provided with laterally projecting cutting surfaces which converge at the fronts of the shares and are inclined forwardly and downwardly in operation, at an acute angle relative to the ground surface and to which the material to be deposited is supplied from each of the storage containers via a metering mechanism, the connecting parts on the frame for the holding devices are spaced from the ground to avoid weeds being collected thereby; said holding device of each share is guided in an upright direction during its displacement such that the angle of attack i.e. the acute setting angle of the cutting surfaces of the share relative to the ground surface, remains unchanged during up and down movement of the share and guide means being provided for the shares for retaining them at depth in the ground and which guide means are located during operation at least on a ground surface area not having been worked on by the cutting surfaces of the shares.

Due to these measures there is obtained a certain penetration depth of the coulter or share in the ground dependent upon the setting angle of the cutting surfaces relative to the ground surface and the effective size of the guide surfaces. In other words, if during operation pressure is exerted against the direction of operation on the cutting surfaces extending at an acute angle, then a force component occurs extending vertical to the ground which permits the share to penetrate the ground to such an extent until the force equals the ground resistance acting on the guide elements in an opposite direction. Since both the force component and the ground resistance on light soil grounds is less than on heavy soil and/or wet grounds, the penetration depth in all types of grounds will be approximately the same value and be kept constant during operation. For the same reason, adequately uniform depth guidance of the share to the ground surface results even with uneven ground surfaces since, on the one hand, these forces acting on the cutting surfaces and guide elements change both in depressions and under elevations to the same extent and, on the other hand, the setting angle of the cutting surfaces also remains constant during movements of the share in an upright plane.

Also, since each individual share is located on a holding device fitted with a guide in which the device is displaceable so as to remain at a constant inclination of the horizontal, adaptation of each individual share to the ground surface is possible regardless of the fact that the weight of the machine is supported by the chassis. For the same reason, the shares are set always to a certain penetration depth and independently of the degree of filling of the storage containers.

Thus, if under certain conditions, such as, for example, in densely overgrown fields or stubble fields or at higher working speeds, other conditions exist between the pressure acting against the direction of operation on the cutting surfaces of the share and hence between its perpendicular force moments and the oppositely directed ground resistance, the shares indeed penetrate the ground to a greater or lesser extent, but this penetration depth is in turn kept constant during operation on the same field surfaces or at the same working speed.

By retaining the acute setting angle of the cutting blades of the shares, the ground is lifted by the cutting blades only to a thickness of the penetration depth and deposited at the rear of the hoeshares onto the materials deposited into the ground, so that adequate covering of the materials is obtained. On the other hand, the rootstocks of plants possibly growing on and covering the fields are severed and hence their growth interrupted. By this means and action, the seeds deposited in the ground are not denied nutrient substances and ground moisture necessary for sprouting by the plants nor are the growing seedlings suffocated.

If the laterally projecting cutting surfaces of the share are formed as substantially flat surfaces. then the slipping of the ground layer lifted by the shares over the cutting surfaces is further improved in such a manner that even at higher working speeds sufficient covering of the materials charged into the furrows is attained without any additional aids.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the guide means are guide rollers and they are located laterally staggered on the shares. In this embodiment the share is hence additionally weighted by the weight of the guide rollers so that they tend to penetrate deeper into the ground. The shares are, however, prevented from doing this by the guide rollers accurately following the ground at the side of the shares so that, in addition to the advantage of these guide means having a lower frictional resistance again resulting in an accurate location they also maintain a constant penetration of depth. Where the guide rollers are adjustable in height relative to the shares, then individual types of seeds may be deposited in the ground at a predetermined depth suitable for promoting their rapid sprouting. The range of expedient depositing depths generally amounts to 2 to 5 cm although can amount to up to 10 cm in exceptional cases.

Moreover, the invention additionally provides for connecting in a known manner a pressing roller behind each share and running along the ground. By this means the ground closure of the materials is important for the sprouting of the seeds and for the disintegration of fertilizer in the ground is further improved. Moreover, this direct connection of the pressing rollers with each share in contrast to other machines wherein the share is located successively in several rows in series with all the pressing rollers being mounted in a row behind all the shares, also has the advantage that even when travelling through a slight bend or operating at right angles to a slope, the pressing rollers remain accurately positioned over the seed furrows without any lateral offset. It is thus an advantage for the pressing roller to also be vertically adjustable relative to the share. This measure indeed also permits a particularly favourable adaptation of the depositing depth of the materials to the prevailing ground conditions. Even if on fields having ground conditions varying considerably from one another due to the varying degree of penetration depths of the guide rollers and hence of penetration of the shares, the vertical spacing between the share tips and the guide rollers set remains as also the ground density between the particles of material deposited and the pressing roller.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the setting angle of the cutting surfaces of the share relative to the ground surface, seen in the direction of operation. is arranged to be variable. This measure ensures an additional adaptability of the operation of the share to extremely difficult working conditions, to obtain a rapid and safe penetration of the shares through the overgrown ground surface into the ground.

This setting, moreover, is of advantage in stubbled fields following heavy harvesting and harvest carting machines used during harvest where the fields have numerous deep ruts left by the wheels, since the shares in connection with the guide elements can be rapidly adapted to the unevennesses of the ground. The hitherto disadvantage resulting from increasing the setting angle with the consequential result of the deposited seed grains not being adequately covered behind the shares is eliminated or minimized in the invention since upper parts of the layer of the ground of stubble fields lifted out by the shares and heavily rooted and therefore coherent are more difficult to hurl aside than the portions of the ground layer having a readily crumbling characteristic. Therefore, with loose soil conditions an as shallow as possible setting angle of the cutting surfaces is preferred. An adjustment range of from 8 to 25O has been found to be adequate.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a machine for spreading seeds and fertilizer in the ground and from which guide means for the coulters or shares are omitted; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through a holding device for the machine of Fig. 1 having an alternate coulter or share: Fig. 3 is a section on the line A-B of the holding device of Fig. 2: Fig. 4 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the holding device of the machine of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the lower parts of the support with the attached hoeshare of the holding device of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a side elevation on an enlarged scale of the adjustable joint of the holding device; and Fig. 7 is a plan view of the joint of Fig. 6.

A machine is illustrated in the drawings and has a frame 1 which is supported on the ground surface 4 by way of two front pivotal wheels 2 and a rear pivotal wheel 3: said pivotal wheel 3 being capable of being locked in working direction 5 and also at right angles to the working direction 5. A traction device 6 is detachably mounted on the front of the frame 1. Two storage containers 7 and 8 are formed as a unit and are displaceably mounted on the frame 1.

Coulters or shares 9 are located below the frame 1 in three rows one behind the other and staggered relative one another. Each share 9 is mounted on a holding device 10 which is adapted to be vertically reciprocated in a parallel guide 11. These parallel guides 11 are detachably mounted on link members 12 which are welded to the frame 1. During transportation of the machine. the holding devices 10 and shares 9 are raised bv means of cables 13 and the hydraulic cylinders 14 until the shares 9 abut against the parallel guides 11.

The storage containers 7 and 8 are each provided with a number of outlet openings 16 arranged in juxtaposed rows and closable by means of sliders 15 and each has a metering mechanism 17 which substantially comprises conveyor wheels 18 mounted outside the outlet openings 16 and adapted to be driven at a regulatable speed in a manner not shown. In order to provide the seeds to be sowed into the ground in one operation with the necessary amount of fertilizer required for a strong development of the growing seedlings, one storage container is filled with fertilizer and the other with seed. Materials 19 are discharged via the conveyor wheels 18 in the momentarily required distribution quantity and arrive in a collecting trough 20 with appropriate divisions from whence they pass to the ground by means of tubular conduits 21 and the shares 9.

Figs. 2 and 3 mainly show details of the holding device 10 and guide means for the shares of the machine shown in Fig. 1. The device 10 comprises the tubular carrier 27, guide plate 36 welded to the top portion thereof and four rollers 37 rotatably mounted thereon. Furthermore, the parallel guide 11 has upright tubular guide member 38 with the rollers 37 abutting against the inside wall surface 39. This embodiment is distinguished by an easy operational action and additionally by the fact that the rollers 37 are protected in simple manner against damage in their mounting and the inside wall 39 acting as sliding guide. The guide member may. in a manner not shown, also be formed as sliding rails and the holding devices be provided with smooth sliding surfaces which inwardly abut against the sliding rails.

At the upper end of the tubular carrier 27, there are two inlet sockets 40 one of which extends inclinedly forwards and upwards and the other extends inclinedlv rearwards and upwards. The purpose of this arrangement is to enable the connection of the pipe lines 21 dependent upon the position of the carrier 27 relative to the collecting trough 20 from the front or from the rear to one of the inlet sockets 40 and hereby avoiding sharp bends in the pipelines 21. Furthermore. the cable 13 for lifting out and lowering share 5 is connected to the upper end of the carrier 27.

Coulter or share 41 is mounted on the lower end of the carrier 27 in this embodiment and comprises point or blade 42 and securing member 43, wherebv the blade 42 is connected in a manner yet to be described detachably to the securing member 43 and the securing member 43 detachably connected to the carrier 27. The advantage of this embodiment is that individual blades 42 when worn may be replaced or replaced with a blade of different shape when an alternative width of strip is possibly required for the materials to be charged into the ground. Moreover, the two laterally projecting cutting surfaces 44 of the blade 42 as an entity have flat surfaces. The upright carrier 27 and the securing member 43 each have on their front surface rounded or blunt surfaces 28 and 29 which, in the operating state of the share 41, substantially form a right angle y relative to the ground surface 4.

Furthermore, the shaft 47 of a pressing roller 48 and a guide roller 49 is rotatably mounted on the carrier 27 on the rearwardly cranked holder 45 above the opening 33 by means of the securing plate 46. Both rollers are made in one piece-the pressing roller 48 being accurately located behind the share 41, whilst the guide roller 49 is in use in rolling engagement alongside the furrow 30 along the ground surface 4. In this case the pressing roller 48 may be narrower but not wider than the furrow 30. Moreover, the diameter of the pressing roller 48 is larger than that of the guide roller 49, so that the pressing against the seed region is thereby improved. This embodiment is distinguished bv considerable simplicity of design.

To permit the penetration depth of the share 41 (the cutting surfaces 44? in the ground to be varied, securing plate 46 is pivotally mounted on the holder 45 on a bolt 50 and the pivotal range is determined by the length of elongate hole 52 formed at the upper securing point 51. To permit the securing plate 46 to be locked in any desired position on the holder 45 without any special tool, the upper securing point 51 is formed by a screw on which wingnut 53 is screwed.

To vary the setting angle p of the cutting surfaces 44, guide member 38 of each parallel guide 11 is pivotally located on the connecting member 12 by means of the bolf 54. This pivotal range is defined by the elongate slot formed in a lower strap 55 through which slot there is provided screw 57 with wingnut 56. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 4 to 7, connecting members 58 are secured to the frame 1 and each have two metal sheets 59. Parallel guides 60 having parallelogram sides are pivotally mounted on the metal sheets 59, each guide comprising two upper struts 61 and two lower struts 62 which are pivotally mounted, via joints 63 and 64, at their front ends on the two metal sheets 59 and at their rear ends on the holding device 65. For improved lateral guidance, the metal sheets 59 extend from the joints 63, 64 on both sides of the struts 61, 62 with little clearance and extend to the rear beyond the length of the struts 61 and 62. The holding device 65 has tubular carrier 66 on the lower bent over part 67 and a securing member 68 for the share 69 is mounted by means of screws 70.

On this securing member 68 a blade 42 similar to that in the embodiment of Figs. 2 and 3 is secured by means of the countersunk screws 71, whereby its cutting surfaces 44 in the direction of operation 5 subtends an acute angle P with the ground surface 4.

Besides the distribution element 34 extending to the rear and located above the outlet opening 31 of the lower carrier part 67 and with its baffle surface 35, the securing member 68 also has an extension plate 72 projecting to the rear beyond the cutting surfaces 44 of the blade 42, the setting angle a of which plate is substantially smaller relative to the ground surface 4 than the setting angle fi of the cutting surfaces 44.

By means of these extension plates 72 the cavity 73 formed by the blades 42 below the outlet part 31 of the carrier part 67 is extended rearwards so that the particles of the materials 19 being spread may be reliably and uniformly distributed at any working speed over the whole width of this cavity 73 without first being covered with soil and hence prevented from being distributed. Due to the shallower setting angle a of the extension plates 72 the lateral slipping off of the soil is again avoided once the soil is lifted up by the cutting surfaces 44 and hence it is ensured that the particles 19 of material being spread are sufficiently covered thereby and as in the previously described embodiments, the lower part 67 of the support 66 is provided with the rounded or blunt surface 28 and the securing member 68 with the blunt surface 29 at its front surfaces, which in the operating state of the share 69 are substantially at right angles y to the ground surface 4.

In contrast to the holding device 10 shown in Fig. 2, the upper part of the carrier 66 forms the forwardly facing inlet socket whilst the rearwardly facing inlet socket 74 is welded to the lower carrier part 67 above the rear opening 33 and the forwardly angled rear wall 32. Depending on the requirements, the pipe lines 21 may lead either in the manner shown into the upper part of the carrier 66 or into the inlet-socket 74. Moreover, on the inlet socket 74 is secured cranked holder 75 for the shaft 47 on which the guide roller 49 and the pressing roller 48 is formed integrally therewith are rotatably mounted.

As clearly shown in Fig. 4 with the share 69 in the operating position digging into the ground, the struts 61 and 62 assume a slightly inclined position relative to the ground surface 4 with respect to the direction of operation. Moreover, the lower struts 62 project slightly beyond hinge pin 76 of the joint 64 and at their front end are interconnected by the cross piece 77. A resilient element in the form of a rubber buffer 78 is arranged between this crosspiece 77 and the hinge pin 76. The struts 62 have slots 79 in their sides through which the hinge pin 76 is inserted.

This embodiment provides a double safeguard for the share 69, the holding device 65, the parallel guide 60 and the connecting parts against damage, should the share 69 during use strike against a stone or other obstacle in the ground. Because of the rubber buffer 78, the share 69 can yield mainly to the rear. Furthermore, the inclination of the struts 61 and 62 preven lifted by pivoting the handle member 90 in the direction of the arrow 94, the actuating lever 85 is disengaged from the setting segment 92 and pivoted forwardly, then the link pin 76 moves in the slots 80 inclinedly downwards to the rear. This causes a displacement of the lower struts 62 opposite to the direction of operation 5 so that the holding devices 65 with the share 69 and the guide roller 49 is also pivoted to the rear about a corresponding angle. This pivotal movement results in the setting angle of the cutting surfaces 44 relative to the ground surface being increased and, in view of the spacing between the share 69 and the guide roller 49, also the penetration depth of the share 69 in the ground to be increased.

Since all parallel guides 60 are connected to the actuating lever 85 via the shaft 82, the aforesaid changes are effected in all shares 69 of the machine. The turnbuckles 88 are used to permit adjustment of the basic setting of the share 69.

The known and adjustable enlargements of the setting angle fi and the simultaneous penetration depth of the share 69 in the ground in no way impairs the operation of the machine since with deeper penetration of the share 69 a thicker ground layer is located over the cutting surfaces 44 which is coherent to a greater extent and therefore drops back behind the shares 69 into the furrows produced by the cutting surfaces 44 and covers the particles of material 19.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 to 7, in order to allow the share 69 with the pressing rollers 48 and the guide rollers 49 to be lifted off the ground, the holding devices 65 are connected via the cables 13 in accordance with Fig. 1 to the hydraulic cylinder 14 of the machine.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A machine for depositing seeds and fertilizer in the ground comprising a frame supported during operation on wheels, storage containers for holding seed and fertilizer and a plurality of coulters or shares individually connected to upwardly extending holding devices which are displaceably mounted on the frame, which are located in three staggered rows one behind the other with respect to the intended direction of operative travel and which are provided with laterally projecting cutting surfaces which converge at the fronts of the shares and are inclined forwardly and downwardly in operation, at an acute angle relative to the ground surface and to which the material to be deposited is supplied from each of the storage containers via a metering mechanism, the connecting parts on the frame for the holding devices are spaced from the ground to avoid weeds being collected thereby; said holding device of each share is guided in an upright direction during its displacement such that the angle of attack, i.e. the acute setting angle of the cutting surface of the share relative to the ground surface, remains unchanged during up and down movement of the share, and guide means being provided for the shares for retaining them at depth in the ground and which guide means are located during operation at least on a ground surface area not having been worked on by the cutting surfaces of the shares.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the laterally projecting cutting surfaces of the share are formed as at least substantially flat surfaces.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the parallel guides each have a straight and upright guide member on which the holding devices are located so as to be vertically displaceable.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 3, in which the holding devices are fitted with rollers rotatably mounted thereon and the guide members are tubular and have the rollers abutting on the inside wall surfaces thereof.

5. A machine as claimed in any of claims I to 3, in which the guides for the holding devices are parallelogram-linkages and in two superposed rows are provided with struts pivotal on the holding devices and also on the connecting parts of the frame on the other hand.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 5 in which at least one joint of each guide is connected to the frame or a given holding device for the share via an effective spring element in the direction of the respective struts.

7. A machine as claimed in claim 5 or 6, in which the struts assume a slight inclined position relative to the ground surface in the working position when the share engages in the ground and seen in the opposite direction of operation.

8. A machine as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, in which the guide elements are in the form of guide rollers and are located laterally offset relative to the shares.

9. A machine as claimed in claims 7 or 8, in which the guide rollers are vertically adjustable relative to the shares.

10. A machine as claimed in any of claims 8 or 9, in which a pressing roller is additionally connected to each hoeshare and during operation, rolls along the ground behind it.

11. A machine as claimed in claim 10, in which the pressing roller is also vertically adjustable relative to the hoeshare.

12. A machine as claimed in claims 8 to 11, in which the pressing roller and the guide roller are each mounted on a shaft.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (31)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. lifted by pivoting the handle member 90 in the direction of the arrow 94, the actuating lever 85 is disengaged from the setting segment 92 and pivoted forwardly, then the link pin 76 moves in the slots 80 inclinedly downwards to the rear. This causes a displacement of the lower struts 62 opposite to the direction of operation 5 so that the holding devices 65 with the share 69 and the guide roller 49 is also pivoted to the rear about a corresponding angle. This pivotal movement results in the setting angle of the cutting surfaces 44 relative to the ground surface being increased and, in view of the spacing between the share 69 and the guide roller 49, also the penetration depth of the share 69 in the ground to be increased. Since all parallel guides 60 are connected to the actuating lever 85 via the shaft 82, the aforesaid changes are effected in all shares 69 of the machine. The turnbuckles 88 are used to permit adjustment of the basic setting of the share 69. The known and adjustable enlargements of the setting angle fi and the simultaneous penetration depth of the share 69 in the ground in no way impairs the operation of the machine since with deeper penetration of the share 69 a thicker ground layer is located over the cutting surfaces 44 which is coherent to a greater extent and therefore drops back behind the shares 69 into the furrows produced by the cutting surfaces 44 and covers the particles of material 19. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 to 7, in order to allow the share 69 with the pressing rollers 48 and the guide rollers 49 to be lifted off the ground, the holding devices 65 are connected via the cables 13 in accordance with Fig. 1 to the hydraulic cylinder 14 of the machine. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A machine for depositing seeds and fertilizer in the ground comprising a frame supported during operation on wheels, storage containers for holding seed and fertilizer and a plurality of coulters or shares individually connected to upwardly extending holding devices which are displaceably mounted on the frame, which are located in three staggered rows one behind the other with respect to the intended direction of operative travel and which are provided with laterally projecting cutting surfaces which converge at the fronts of the shares and are inclined forwardly and downwardly in operation, at an acute angle relative to the ground surface and to which the material to be deposited is supplied from each of the storage containers via a metering mechanism, the connecting parts on the frame for the holding devices are spaced from the ground to avoid weeds being collected thereby; said holding device of each share is guided in an upright direction during its displacement such that the angle of attack, i.e. the acute setting angle of the cutting surface of the share relative to the ground surface, remains unchanged during up and down movement of the share, and guide means being provided for the shares for retaining them at depth in the ground and which guide means are located during operation at least on a ground surface area not having been worked on by the cutting surfaces of the shares.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the laterally projecting cutting surfaces of the share are formed as at least substantially flat surfaces.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the parallel guides each have a straight and upright guide member on which the holding devices are located so as to be vertically displaceable.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 3, in which the holding devices are fitted with rollers rotatably mounted thereon and the guide members are tubular and have the rollers abutting on the inside wall surfaces thereof.

5. A machine as claimed in any of claims I to 3, in which the guides for the holding devices are parallelogram-linkages and in two superposed rows are provided with struts pivotal on the holding devices and also on the connecting parts of the frame on the other hand.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 5 in which at least one joint of each guide is connected to the frame or a given holding device for the share via an effective spring element in the direction of the respective struts.

7. A machine as claimed in claim 5 or 6, in which the struts assume a slight inclined position relative to the ground surface in the working position when the share engages in the ground and seen in the opposite direction of operation.

8. A machine as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, in which the guide elements are in the form of guide rollers and are located laterally offset relative to the shares.

9. A machine as claimed in claims 7 or 8, in which the guide rollers are vertically adjustable relative to the shares.

10. A machine as claimed in any of claims 8 or 9, in which a pressing roller is additionally connected to each hoeshare and during operation, rolls along the ground behind it.

11. A machine as claimed in claim 10, in which the pressing roller is also vertically adjustable relative to the hoeshare.

12. A machine as claimed in claims 8 to 11, in which the pressing roller and the guide roller are each mounted on a shaft.

13. A machine as claimed in claims 8 to 12

in which the pressing roller and the guide roller are integrally formed.

14. A machine as claimed in claim 12 or 13, in which the pressing rollers have a larger diameter than the guide rollers.

15. A machine as claimed in one or more of the claims I to 14. in which the setting angle of the cutting surfaces of the hoeshare is variable relative to the ground surface seen in the direction of operation.

16. A machine as claimed in claim 15, in which for the setting angle (/3) an adjustment range of between 8" and 25 is provided.

17. A machine as claimed in claims 3, 15 and 16, in which the guide members for the holding devices are pivotally arranged.

18. A machine as claimed in claims 5, 15 and 16, in which a pivot point of each parallel guide is adjustably located relative to the direction of operation of the machine.

19. A machine as claimed in claim 13, in which the joints adjustable relative to the direction of operation are connected by means of linkages and a shaft to an arm of a pivotally located lockable actuating lever.

20. A machine as claimed in claims 18 and 19, in which the linkages are variable in length.

21. A machine as claimed in any of claims 5 to 16 and 18 to 20, in which the connecting parts on the frame each have two metal plates which extend with close spacing on both sides of and over the length of the struts of the parallel guide.

22. A machine as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, in which each holding device is provided with an upright support having a share located at the lower end of which and in the operational state of the share, projects with a greater length freely downwards from the parallel guide and on its front surface has a butt surface and in which, in the operating state, the lower part of the support located closely above the cutting surfaces of the hoeshare is arranged at least substantially at right angles relative to the ground surface.

23. A machine as claimed in claim 22, in which each hoeshare is comprised of a hoeblade and a securing member is detachably mounted on the support and provided on its front surface with a rounded or blunt surface, and in which this blunt surface is substantially at right angles with the ground surface in the operational state of the hoeshare.

24. A machine as claimed in claim 23, in which the hoeblade is detachably located on the securing member.

25. A machine as claimed in claim 23, or 24, in which the securing member has an extension plate projecting towards the rear with respect to the normal direction of travel the cutting surfaces of the hoeblade.

the setting angle thereof relative to the ground surface being substantially smaller than the setting angle of the cutting surfaces of the hoeblade seen in the direction of operation relative to the ground surface.

26. A machine as claimed in any of claims 22 to 25, in which the supports are tubular and provided in the direction of operation with an elongate cross-section, and in which conduits from the containers lead into the support.

27. A machine as claimed in claim 26. in which the lower outlet opening of each tubular support is located within the hoeshare and merges into an opening formed in the rear wall of the support: said opening extends in the region above the cutting surfaces of the hoeshare.

28. A machine as claimed in claims 26 and 27, in which the rear wall of the tubular support above the opening is bent over in the direction towards the front surface of the support.

29. A machine as claimed in any of claims 26 to 28, in which the tubular support is provided with two inlet sockets, one of which extends forwardly and upwards, and the other extends diagonally rearwards and upwards.

30. A machine as claimed in any of claims 1 to 2 and 26 to 29, in which a distributing element is located in the region of the outlet opening of each tubular support whereby the baffle surface of the distributing element is open to the rear with respect to the normal direction of operative travel.

31. A machine for depositing seeds and fertilizer in the ground constructed and arranged to operate substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.