Thomas C Olson

US Patent:

6374759, Apr 23, 2002

Filed:

Mar 17, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/527160

Inventors:

Richard J. Crabb - Naperville IL
Guntis Ozers - Woodridge IL
David N. Slowinski - Naperville IL
Chad M. Johnson - Lockport IL
Donald Johnson - Lockport IL
Lisle J. Dunham - Downers Grove IL
John F. Stufflebeam - Romeoville IL
Thomas A. Olson - Bolingbrook IL
Stephen D. Berry - Plainfield IL
Thomas Brown - Romeoville IL
Gerald J. Tiedt - Willow Springs IL

Assignee:

Case Corporation - Racine WI

International Classification:

A01C 704

US Classification:

111185, 111900, 221211, 221264, 221266

Abstract:

A planter apparatus includes a seed meter including a housing assembly with a cover releasably connected to a shell. The housing assembly includes at least one opening formed therein adjacent a seed discharge area to promote the release of seeds from a disc rotatably attached to the housing assembly. The disc divides an interior of the housing assembly to include a vacuum chamber and a seed chamber. The disc including a plurality of openings formed adjacent a periphery of the disc. The planter apparatus may also include a singulator assembly having rotatably spools, a rotatable chute door, a disc having clusters of openings for simultaneous release, and a one-piece baffle.

US Patent:

6401638, Jun 11, 2002

Filed:

Mar 17, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/527747

Inventors:

Richard J. Crabb - Naperville IL
Guntis Ozers - Woodridge IL
David N. Slowinski - Naperville IL
Chad M. Johnson - Lockport IL
Donald Johnson - Lockport IL
Lisle J. Dunham - Downers Grove IL
John F. Stufflebeam - Romeoville IL
Thomas A. Olson - Bolingbrook IL
Stephen D. Berry - Plainfield IL
Thomas Brown - Romeoville IL
Gerald J. Tiedt - Willow Springs IL

Assignee:

Case Corporation - Racine WI

International Classification:

A01C 720

US Classification:

111185, 111200, 111900

Abstract:

A planter apparatus includes a seed meter including a housing assembly with a cover releasably connected to a shell. The housing assembly includes at least one opening formed therein adjacent a seed discharge area to promote the release of seeds from a disc rotatably attached to the housing assembly. The disc divides an interior of the housing assembly to include a vacuum chamber and a seed chamber. The disc including a plurality of openings formed adjacent a periphery of the disc. The planter apparatus may also include a singulator assembly having rotatably spools, a rotatable chute door, a disc having clusters of openings for simultaneous release, and a one-piece baffle.

US Patent:

6564730, May 20, 2003

Filed:

Dec 17, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/025719

Inventors:

Richard J. Crabb - Naperville IL
Guntis Ozers - Woodridge IL
David N. Slowinski - Naperville IL
Chad M. Johnson - Lockport IL
Donald Johnson - Lockport IL
Lisle J. Dunham - Downers Grove IL
John F. Stufflebeam - Romeoville IL
Thomas A. Olson - Bolingbrook IL
Stephen D. Berry - Plainfield IL
Thomas Brown - Romeoville IL
Gerald J. Tiedt - Willow Springs IL

Assignee:

Case Corporation - Racine WI

International Classification:

A01C 704

US Classification:

111185, 111900, 221211

Abstract:

A planter apparatus includes a seed meter including a housing assembly with a cover releasably connected to a shell. The housing assembly includes at least one opening formed therein adjacent a seed discharge area to promote the release of seeds from a disc rotatably attached to the housing assembly. The disc divides an interior of the housing assembly to include a vacuum chamber and a seed chamber. The disc including a plurality of openings formed adjacent a periphery of the disc. The planter apparatus may also include a singulator assembly having rotatably spools, a rotatable chute door, a disc having clusters of openings for simultaneous release, and a one-piece baffle.

US Patent:

6739272, May 25, 2004

Filed:

Mar 13, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/388347

Inventors:

Richard J. Crabb - Naperville IL
Guntis Ozers - Woodridge IL
David N. Slowinski - Naperville IL
Chad M. Johnson - Lockport IL
Donald Johnson - Lockport IL
Lisle J. Dunham - Downers Grove IL
John F. Stufflebeam - Romeoville IL
Thomas A. Olson - Bolingbrook IL
Stephen D. Berry - Plainfield IL
Thomas Brown - Romeoville IL
Gerald J. Tiedt - Willow Springs IL

Assignee:

CNH America LLC - Racine WI

International Classification:

A01C 704

US Classification:

111185, 111900, 221211, 221264, 221266

Abstract:

A planter apparatus includes a seed meter including a housing assembly with a cover releasably connected to a shell. The housing assembly includes at least one opening formed therein adjacent a seed discharge area to promote the release of seeds from a disc rotatably attached to the housing assembly. The disc divides an interior of the housing assembly to include a vacuum chamber and a seed chamber. The disc including a plurality of openings formed adjacent a periphery of the disc. The planter apparatus may also include a singulator assembly having rotatably spools, a rotatable chute door, a disc having clusters of openings for simultaneous release, and a one-piece baffle.

US Patent:

6742465, Jun 1, 2004

Filed:

Mar 13, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/387609

Inventors:

Richard J. Crabb - Naperville IL
Guntis Ozers - Woodridge IL
David N. Slowinski - Naperville IL
Chad M. Johnson - Lockport IL
Donald Johnson - Lockport IL
Lisle J. Dunham - Downers Grove IL
John F. Stufflebeam - Romeoville IL
Thomas A. Olson - Bolingbrook IL
Stephen D. Berry - Plainfield IL
Thomas Brown - Romeoville IL
Gerald J. Tiedt - Willow Springs IL

Assignee:

CNH America LLC - Racine WI

International Classification:

A01C 704

US Classification:

111185, 111900, 221211, 221264, 221266

Abstract:

A planter apparatus includes a seed meter including a housing assembly with a cover releasably connected to a shell. The housing assembly includes at least one opening formed therein adjacent a seed discharge area to promote the release of seeds from a disc rotatably attached to the housing assembly. The disc divides an interior of the housing assembly to include a vacuum chamber and a seed chamber. The disc including a plurality of openings formed adjacent a periphery of the disc. The planter apparatus may also include a singulator assembly having rotatably spools, a rotatable chute door, a disc having clusters of openings for simultaneous release, and a one-piece baffle.

US Patent:

6776108, Aug 17, 2004

Filed:

Mar 13, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/388342

Inventors:

Richard J. Crabb - Naperville IL
Guntis Ozers - Woodridge IL
David N. Slowinski - Naperville IL
Chad M. Johnson - Lockport IL
Donald Johnson - Lockport IL
Lisle J. Dunham - Downers Grove IL
John F. Stufflebeam - Romeoville IL
Thomas A. Olson - Bolingbrook IL
Stephen D. Berry - Plainfield IL
Thomas Brown - Romeoville IL
Gerald J. Tiedt - Willow Springs IL

Assignee:

CNH America LLC - Racine WI

International Classification:

A01C 704

US Classification:

111185, 111900, 221211, 221264, 221266

Abstract:

A planter apparatus includes a seed meter including a housing assembly with a cover releasably connected to a shell. The housing assembly includes at least one opening formed therein adjacent a seed discharge area to promote the release of seeds from a disc rotatably attached to the housing assembly. The disc divides an interior of the housing assembly to include a vacuum chamber and a seed chamber. The disc including a plurality of openings formed adjacent a periphery of the disc. The planter apparatus may also include a singulator assembly having rotatably spools, a rotatable chute door, a disc having clusters of openings for simultaneous release, and a one-piece baffle.

US Patent:

57407479, Apr 21, 1998

Filed:

Aug 20, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/700214

Inventors:

John F. Stufflebeam - Romeoville IL
Thomas A. Olson - Bolingbrook IL
Lisle J. Dunham - Downers Grove IL

Assignee:

Case Corporation - Racine WI

International Classification:

A01C 704

US Classification:

111185

Abstract:

A vacuum seed metering mechanism arranged in combination with a seed hopper for uniformly dispensing seeds to the ground. The seed metering mechanism comprises a rotational distributor disc provided with a circular row of openings toward a periphery of the disc. The disc carries seeds from a seed reservoir to a seed discharge area under the influence of pressure differential. The disc is rotatably mounted in a housing whose interior is divided by the seed disc into the seed reservoir, on one side of the seed disc, and a suction chamber, lying around a portion of the path of movement of the openings in the seed disc. A salient feature of the present invention relates to the provision of an apparatus for imparting vibrations to the housing for facilitating the release of seeds from the openings in the disc in the discharge area of the seed.

US Patent:

57995982, Sep 1, 1998

Filed:

Aug 20, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/700222

Inventors:

John F. Stufflebeam - Romeoville IL
Thomas A. Olson - Bolingbrook IL
Lisle J. Dunham - Downers Grove IL

Assignee:

Case Corporation - Racine WI

International Classification:

A01C 704

US Classification:

111185

Abstract:

Sealing arrangement for a vacuum seed metering mechanism includes a housing assembly divided into a seed receiving chamber and a vacuum chamber by a circular seed disc having parallel and flat sides. The seed disc is provided with a circular row of openings proximate a periphery of the seed disc. Due to a pressure differential across the openings, seeds supplied to the seed receiving chamber of the seed metering mechanism are carried by the openings of the seed disc to a seed discharge area of the seed metering mechanism. The housing assembly of the seed metering mechanism includes a cover portion having an integrally formed sealing face; preferably formed of a pair of radially spaced annular flat sealing faces and a transverse ramp portion. The annular faces are joined to each other in a common plane to define the boundary of the vacuum chamber. The sealing faces of the housing assembly are disposed on opposed sides of the row of apertures in the seed disc, and arranged in confronting relation relative to a flat side of the seed disc.