Protective cover
A protective cover in combination with a liquid fertilizer system prevents leftover plant matter from damaging a tube carrying liquid fertilizer, particularly when the field is no-till. The protective cover is installed, without modification to the planter or liquid fertilizer system, using a mounting flange that is attached to a leading wall through a standoff wall. A bottom angled wall is located opposite the standoff wall. Side walls extend from the leading wall and cooperate with the bottom angled wall to form a protective area for the liquid fertilizer tube. When in use, the leftover plant matter contacts the protective cover instead of the liquid fertilizer tube. The protective cover may include access gaps between the side walls and the standoff wall and/or bottom angled wall, depending on the configuration of the liquid fertilizer system.
1. A protective cover in combination with a fertilizer placement system, said fertilizer placement system having a liquid fertilizer tube, said fertilizer placement system attached to a seed planter through fasteners, said cover comprising:
a leading wall having a standoff wall extending therefrom at a top transverse edge of said leading wall, a mounting flange affixed to said standoff wall and having mounting apertures to align with said fasteners on said fertilizer placement system, said mounting flange and said standoff wall interrupted by a tube gap, said liquid fertilizer tube passing through said tube gap;
said leading wall having an angled bottom wall located at a bottom transverse edge, said angled bottom wall obliquely angled with respect to said leading wall;
said leading wall having side walls extending from lateral edges on said leading wall, said side walls spaced from said standoff wall, said side walls, said standoff wall, and said angled bottom wall extend from said leading wall in the same direction; and
a portion of said liquid fertilizer tube is located between said protective cover and said fertilizer placement system.
2. The protective cover in claim 1 , wherein said protective cover is formed from sheet metal.
3. The protective cover in claim 1 , wherein said leading wall is flat.
4. The protective cover in claim 1 , wherein said protective cover is formed from a single piece of sheet metal.
5. The protective cover in claim 1 , wherein one of said side walls extends to said angled bottom wall.
6. The protective cover in claim 1 , wherein one of said side walls is spaced from said angled bottom wall.
7. The protective cover in claim 1 , wherein said fertilizer placement system has a spring, said leading wall and one of said side walls protecting said spring.
8. A protective cover affixed to a fertilizer placement system, said fertilizer placement system having a liquid fertilizer tube, said fertilizer placement system attached to a seed planter through fasteners, said cover is formed from a single piece of sheet metal, said cover comprising:
a leading wall having a standoff wall extending therefrom at a top transverse edge of said leading wall, a mounting flange affixed to said standoff wall and having mounting apertures to align with said fasteners on said fertilizer placement system, said mounting flange and said standoff wall interrupted by a tube gap, said liquid fertilizer tube passing through said tube gap;
said leading wall having a bottom wall located at a bottom transverse edge;
said leading wall having side walls extending from lateral edges on said leading wall;
when said protective cover is affixed to said fertilizer placement system, a portion of said liquid fertilizer tube is located between said protective cover and said fertilizer placement system.
9. The protective cover in claim 8 , wherein said protective cover is formed from sheet metal.
10. The protective cover in claim 8 , wherein said leading wall is flat.
11. The protective cover in claim 8 , wherein one of said side walls extends to said angled bottom wall.
12. The protective cover in claim 8 , wherein one of said side walls is spaced from said angled bottom wall.
13. The protective cover in claim 8 , wherein said side walls, said standoff wall, and said angled bottom wall extend from said leading wall in the same direction.
14. The protective cover in claim 8 , wherein said fertilizer placement system has a spring, said leading wall and one of said side walls protecting said spring.
15. A protective cover for use with a fertilizer placement system having a liquid fertilizer tube, said fertilizer placement system attached to a seed planter through fasteners, said cover comprising:
a leading wall having a standoff wall extending therefrom at a top transverse edge of said leading wall, a mounting flange affixed to said standoff wall and having mounting apertures to align with said fasteners on said fertilizer placement system;
said leading wall having an angled bottom wall located at a bottom transverse edge, said angled bottom wall obliquely angled with respect to said leading wall;
said leading wall having side walls extending from lateral edges on said leading wall, said side walls, said standoff wall, and said angled bottom wall extend from said leading wall in the same direction;
when said protective cover is affixed to said fertilizer placement system, a portion of said liquid fertilizer tube is located between said protective cover and said fertilizer placement system.
16. The protective cover in claim 15 , wherein said leading wall is flat.
17. The protective cover in claim 15 , wherein one of said side walls is spaced from said angled bottom wall.
18. The protective cover in claim 15 , wherein said fertilizer placement system has a spring, said leading wall and one of said side walls protecting said spring.