Seed planting system for multiple types of crops

1. A flexible seed planting system quickly changeable to sequentially plant different types of crops in ground soil comprising a seed selector and a seed distributor;

said seed selector including a changeable selector member in the form of a rotatable cylindrical drum, said drum having a hollow interior and a continuous outer surface,

said outer surface having seed holding points, said seed holding points arranged in a predetermined array, said seed holding points individually being capable of holding a predetermined seed or seeds and collectively being capable of (a) sequentially selecting a predetermined array of seeds from a seed supply and (b) holding said selected seeds in said array while sequentially moving said seeds circumferentially to a release point where said seeds are adapted to sequentially leave said seed holding points and enter said seed distributor wherein said seeds are adapted to be conveyed to a point where they are sequentially planted in ground soil in a scaled version of the predetermined array of said seed holding points;

a fixed partition in said hollow interior of said drum dividing said hollow drum interior into a vacuum portion and a pressure portion, said seed holding points including an opening in said continuous outer surface that extends through to said drum interior, said openings communicating with said drum interior,

said drum interior having said vacuum portion in the area (i) adjacent said seed supply where said seed holding points are adapted to select said predetermined array of seeds from said seed source and (ii) in the area where said seeds are adapted to be sequentially moved circumferentially to said release point; and said drum interior having said pressure portion in the area of said release point where said seeds are adapted to be sequentially released from said seed holding points and into said seed distributor.

2. A seed planting system according to claim 1 wherein said openings in said seed holding point openings comprise a first portion on said outer surface and a second portion interior thereof, said first portion being of lesser axial length and smaller cross-section area than, said second portion being of longer axial length and of larger area.

3. A seed planting system according to claim 2 wherein said openings in said seed holding point includes two first portions and a single second portion.

4. A seed planting system according to claim 1 wherein said seed selector includes a case, said case having therein:

(i) a seed supply chamber to provide said seed source, (ii) said drum, (iii) said fixed partition and (iv) an inlet portion of said seed distributor;

said drum being positioned between said seed supply chamber and said inlet portion of said seed distributor and being mounted on said fixed partition, said drum being rotatable about said fixed partition.

5. A seed planting system according to claim 4 wherein said drum has (i) a closed end wall on one end; (ii) an interior surface defining the drum interior including an inner cylindrical surface generally parallel to said continuous outer surface and an inner surface of said closed end wall and (iii) an open end;

said case having a case end wall, said fixed partition being fixed on said case end wall, said open end of said drum being adjacent said case end wall and forming a generally air tight seal therewith, said fixed partition being in said drum interior and forming an airtight seal with the interior surface of said drum to divide said drum interior into first and second compartments, said first compartment adapted be said vacuum portion and said second compartment adapted to be said pressure portion.

6. A seed planting system according to claim 5 wherein said fixed partition of said drum has an opening therein with a fan mounted over said opening, said fan being operable to pull air from said first compartment on a first side of said partition to create a vacuum therein and to blow air into said second compartment to create pressure therein.

7. A seed planting system according to claim 5 wherein said first and second compartments each have pressure adjustment devices communicating with ambient air to allow adjustment of the vacuum and air pressures therein.

8. A seed planting system according to claim 5 wherein said drum is held on said partition support by a connector operable to connect or disconnect said drum from said support whereby said drum rotates on said fixed support and may be freely disconnected and removed therefrom.

9. A seed planting system according to claim 5 wherein said drum is driven by a power and timing device connected to a drive wheel of said transport whereby said drum rotates in response to movement of said transport.

10. A seed planting system according to claim 4 wherein said seed supply chamber has a bottom plate and sides to allow said chamber to contain the seed supply source, said bottom plate being inclined downwardly toward said drum and having a first edge adjacent the drum outer surface, said bottom plate being movable away from and toward said drum outer surface whereby seeds in said seed supply chamber may quickly flow out of said chamber to empty said chamber and recover the seeds when said bottom plate is moved away from said continuous surface.

11. A seed planting system according to claim 10 wherein a funnel arrangement is located at the first edge of said bottom plate whereby any seeds falling over the first edge are directed by said funnel arrangement.

12. A seed planting system according to claim 11 wherein said funnel arrangement is hinged to said bottom plate adjacent said first edge so that regardless of how far or how fast said bottom plate is moved away from said continuous surface, the funnel arrangement is always in the place to recover the seeds.

13. A seed planting system according to claim 10 wherein each of said sides of said seed supply has a guide therein, said bottom plate having side edges generally perpendicular to said first edge, said side edges being slideably received in said guides of said sides.

14. A seed planting system according to claim 4 wherein said seed supply chamber is positioned adjacent said drum outer surface and extends along the axial length of said drum, said seed supply having partitions generally perpendicular to said drum axis, said partitions having first edges curved and abutting said continuous outer surface to divide said seed supply into compartments, each of said compartments being adapted to hold different seeds to be planted is said ground soil.

15. A seed planting system according to claim 1 wherein said selector drum is driven by a power source connected through a timing mechanism to a speed variable portion of a transport apparatus whereby the seed selector turns at a rate proportional to the speed of the transport apparatus whereby the seeds are deposited in the same scaled pattern regardless of the speed of the transport apparatus.

16. A seed planting system according to claim 15 wherein said transport apparatus moves on a wheel and said timing mechanism comprises a power take off wheel in rotatable contact with said wheel on said transport apparatus, said power take off wheel being adjustable along the radius of said transport wheel to vary the pitch spacing between seeds.

17. A seed planting system according to claim 1 wherein said seed holding points are positioned about the circumference of said drum in rows located generally in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said drum, said distributor including a series of distribution channels at least equal in number to the number of rows arranged to receive seeds as they are sequentially released from said seed holding points, said distributor channels adapted to direct the seeds to ground soil to be planted.

18. A seed planting system according to claim 17 wherein said distributor channel includes flexible conduits having a first seed receiving inlet end and a second seed dispensing end, said dispensing end being held in a first predetermined position on said system adjacent said ground soil, said seed dispensing ends being movable as required to achieve the placement of the seeds in the predetermined array.

19. A method of accurately planting a plurality of individual seeds for different crops and planting conditions with the seeds each accurately spaced along rows accurately spaced apart in ground soil by means of a seed planting system adapted to move over ground soil comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a case including (i) a compartment adapted to contain a supply of loose seeds to be planted, (ii) a support for a movable continuous surface adjacent said supply of seeds, (iii) a seed distribution means, (iv) a drive for said continuous surface, and (v) a vacuum and pressure source,

(b) selecting one from a plurality of continuous surfaces each having different seed holding points in a predetermined pattern;

(c) installing said selected continuous surface on said support in said case so that said seed holding points are in communication with said vacuum source as said seed holding points are adjacent said loose seeds to be planted as well as during movement of said continuous surfaces toward said seed release point and in communication with said pressure source when said seeds are at said seed release point,

(d) moving said selected continuous surface with said seed holding points adjacent said supply of loose seeds so that said seed holding points sequentially select individual seeds from said supply of seeds in said predetermined pattern,

(e) holding said individual seeds in said predetermined pattern on said continuous surface while said continuous surface moves a predetermined distance with said seeds,

(f) sequentially releasing the predetermined pattern of held seeds into a distribution arrangement for movement to the ground soil,

(g) sequentially moving the distribution arrangement over the ground soil, and

(h) selecting the seeds in a predetermined pattern and moving the continuous surface with the held seeds thereon at a rate coordinated with the rate of movement of the distribution arrangement over the ground soil whereby the seeds are sown in the ground soil in a scaled version of said predetermined pattern regardless of the rate of speed of movement over the ground.

20. A method planting seeds according to claim 19 wherein a plurality of different seeds for different crops may be planted in adjacent rows at the same time including the further steps of;

(i) providing a plurality of seed holding compartments each holding different seeds to be planted;

(j) selecting a continuous surface having seed holding points of the type to select and convey the different types of seeds for each row of seeds to be planted;

(k) arranging the distributor to distribute the various seeds in the predetermined rows.

21. A method of planting seeds according to claim 20 including the further step of adjusting the vacuum force to optimize the seed holding force of the vacuum at each seed holding point for the specific type and size of seed to be planted.

22. A method of planting seed according to claim 20 wherein the system includes a ground engaging furrow producing probe and the distribution arrangement includes seed selector outlet fittings and conduits from the seed selector to the probes, said method including the step of arranging the predetermined pattern planted in the ground by by connecting the conduits between various predetermined outlet fittings and various probes.