The seeder I designed has hoppers that can be repositioned, as needed, to drop the seeds wherever the user desires them. The current plan is to arrange five hoppers on two 4’-long rails. If the hoppers are spaced every 6”, with open space at each end, the effective coverage area would be about 3’ wide.
The seed collection disks will be mounted on a third rail, which will rotate as the seeder is pushed forward, and serve as a drive shaft. The drive shaft must be held in the correct position to close the gap between the seed hopper and seed collection disk and ensure that seeds can only be released when they fall into the depressions on the collection disk as it rotates. The tolerances are important, but I will not be able to investigate the fit until the rest of the seeder components are ready to assemble.
Today’s image shows the support pieces that will keep the rails and drive shaft properly aligned. The drive shaft opening is the one that has a removable cover. Being able to remove the seed collection disks without dismounting all the seed hoppers will make it simpler to plant multiple crops. The drive shaft could be removed, the seed disks could be changed to a different type, and the whole assembly could be reinstalled and set to use.
It all works quite smoothly in my mind. Let’s hope that reality cooperates.
