LOW PROFILE SEED TREATER WITH METERING FUNCTIONALITY

摘要

An apparatus and method for metering and treating seed. The apparatus incorporates a belt conveyor or circular conveyor within a housing enabling a low-profile configuration, the conveyor having a plurality of cleats forming a series of separate voids for transporting determinable volumes of seed, and a seed treatment applicator adjacent the conveyor outlet for applying seed treatment to the seed. The apparatus and method enables the application of seed treatment based on a mass flow calculation derived from the measured volume flow through the apparatus.

主权项

1. A seed treatment apparatus comprising:
a housing having an inner surface; a conveyor generally horizontally disposed within the housing, the conveyor having spaced apart first and second ends and a conveyor drive mechanism; a conveyor intake adjacent the first end for receiving seed; a conveyor outlet adjacent the second end for discharging the seed; a plurality of cleats each having opposed first and second edges, the cleats mounted at their first edges on an outward surface of the conveyor at regular spaced apart intervals, the second edges of the cleats extending toward the inner surface of the housing, such that the outward surface and the inner surface and the cleats collectively define a series of voids for receiving and transporting determinable volumes of the seed; a seed treatment applicator adjacent the conveyor outlet for receiving the discharged seed and applying seed treatment to the seed; and a seed treatment source in fluid communication with the seed treatment applicator for providing the seed treatment.