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Design, Operation and calibration of a standard seed drill

Technical Report · July 2015

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.4712.3046

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DESIGN AND OPERATION OF
A SEED DRILL
Agricultural machinery conference paper

By
Kipchumba Mutai Alfred

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and

Technology

JULY 10, 2015

kipchumbamutai@gmail.com
Contents Page
INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 2
FEATURES OF PLANTING EQUIPMENT .................................................................................................... 2
PARTS OF A SEED DRILL........................................................................................................................... 3
Seed Box or Hopper ................................................................................................................................ 3
Seed Metering Devices ........................................................................................................................... 4
Drill Coulters/ Furrow Openers ............................................................................................................... 5
Seed Tubes .............................................................................................................................................. 8
Covering Device ...................................................................................................................................... 8
Other Components of a Seed Drill .......................................................................................................... 9
Depth Regulation Lever .......................................................................................................................... 9
Boot ......................................................................................................................................................... 9
Agitator ................................................................................................................................................... 9
Drive Mechanism .................................................................................................................................... 9
Summary on the Parts of a Seed Drill ................................................................................................... 10
GEARING OF GRAIN DRILL ..................................................................................................................... 10
Types of drills ........................................................................................................................................ 11
Type of hitching .................................................................................................................................... 11
Semi-Mounted Tractor Drill .................................................................................................................. 11
Tractor Mounted Drills.......................................................................................................................... 11
Based On The Type Of Drive Wheel ...................................................................................................... 11
The end-wheel drill ............................................................................................................................... 11
Press-wheel drill .................................................................................................................................... 11
SEED DEPTH CONTROL .......................................................................................................................... 12
SEED DRILL CALIBRATION...................................................................................................................... 12
Seed drill calibration procedure............................................................................................................ 13
Seed drill sizes ....................................................................................................................................... 13
APPENDIX A ........................................................................................................................................... 15
APPENDIX B ........................................................................................................................................... 15
REFERENCES .......................................................................................................................................... 14

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INTRODUCTION
A seed drill is a sowing device that precisely positions seeds in the soil and then covers them.
Before the introduction of the seed drill, the common practice was to plant seeds by hand.
Besides being wasteful, planting was very imprecise and led to a poor distribution of seeds,
leading to low productivity (Wikipedia).

The modern seed –drill allows seed drilling without prior tilling. This means that soil subject
to erosion or moisture loss is protected until the seed germinates and grows enough to keep
the soil in place. This also helps in preventing soil loss by avoiding erosion after tilling.

Generally, a seed drill employs a series of runners spaced at the same distance as the
ploughed furrows. These runners or drills open the furrow to a uniform depth before the seed
is disposed. Behind the drills are the presses, metal discs which cuts down the sides of the
furrow into which the seeds have been planted covering them over. This permits the farmer to
have a precise control over the depth to which the seeds are planted. (Egbo and Kaul, 1985)

This greater measure of control means that fewer seeds germinate early or late and that seeds
are able to take optimum advantage of available soil moisture in a prepared seedbed. The
result is that the farmers are able to use less seeds and at the same time experience a larger
yield than broadcast methods.

Seed drill machines that can vary the distance between rows of planting, a means of
controlling/ regulating the seed rate and means of varying the depth of planting.

They are normally used for planting small seeds such as barley, wheat, sorghum etc. as there
is no specific need to maintain a set distance between plants on the same row. (Claude, 1984)

FEATURES OF PLANTING EQUIPMENT

Planting equipment should feature one or more of the following, depending on the type of
crop to be planted;

1. A means of regulating the seed rate, i.e quantity of seed to be planted per given area.
2. A means of varying the depth of planting.
3. A means of varying the distance
(a) Between rows
(b) Between plants along a row.

If a machine has only the first of these features, it is called a Broadcaster.

If a machine has an arrangement that can be used to vary the distance between rows of
planting (in addition to any other features) it is called a Seed Drill.

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If a machine has an arrangement that can be used to vary the spacing between plants on the
same row or ridge in addition to being able to vary the spacing between rows it is called a
Planter.

Seed drills are very useful for planting crops like wheat, barley etc. where there is no specific
need to maintain a set distance between plants on the same row. (Egbo and Kaul, 1985)

PARTS OF A SEED DRILL

A simple outline of a typical divided hopper type of a seed drill is given in figure 1 below but
the constituent parts of the drill may vary in design and shape depending on the make of the
machine. However, essentially they perform the functions as listed below;

Fig. 1 Parts of a typical press – wheel drill

Seed Box or Hopper

The seed box or hopper on a seed drill may be trapezoidal or oval in shape, and may be made
of wood, sheet metal or plastic or a combination of materials. The capacity of the box may
also vary depending on the size of machine. Making the seed box trapezoidal in shape helps
to ensure a free flow of seed.

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Seed Metering Devices
There are several types;

Fluted-Feed Roller System/ External Force Feed

The mechanism of the modern external force feed drill consists essentially of a fluted roller
which rotates just below the seed box and draws seeds from the bottom of the box into
hoppers at the top of the seed tubes.

The seed box is a single compartment and the fluted roller rotates in feed runs attached at the
bottom of it. (Claude, 1984)

The rollers are fluted over only halve their length, and can be moved laterally so that either
plain of the fluted portion or a part of each is in contact with the seed. This provides a simple
regulation of the seed rate for no seed is delivered by the smooth part of the roller. On some
machines the rollers are connected to the drive shaft by individual dog clutches, and coulters
may be shut off as required by disengaging these clutches. The use of a spring-loaded baffle
plates in the feed runs causes less damage to the large seeds and permits adjustments for
drilling various types of seeds and for varying the seed rate. A type of feed roller with spiral
flutes is self-cleaning and can provide a continuous flow of seeds which in practice results in
a very even spacing of cereals and small seeds.

On a typical drill the baffle plates or feed gates can be set in any of three positions; quarter-
open for small seeds, half-open for medium seeds e.g cereals and three-quarters open for
large seeds. The force-feed seed drill is steady over clods and work with little need for
attention on hilly land. It has also the advantages of simplicity and cheapness.

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Internal Double-Run Force Feed
This mechanism is efficient for sowing cereals. The feed mechanism consists of a shaft
carrying a series of flanged disks, the inside of the flanges being slightly corrugated. Each
feed disc is housed in a casting which fits in the bottom of the seed box.
As the wheels rotate, the seed is drawn by the corrugation past baffles to a point outside the
box, where it falls into the seed tubes. On one side of the flanges, both the serrations and the
clearance between them and the baffle are smaller than on the other side. Each side may be
used at will by adjusting the position of a hinged flap in the hopper, which covers either the
course or the fine side of the feed run.
This type of mechanism is one of the most efficient available for sowing wheat or barley.
The main advantage of this mechanism is;
 It gives a more continuous flow of seeds than the external force-feed type.

Its main disadvantage is;

 It is less adaptable than either the cup-feed or the external feed type, being really
suitable for sowing few crops apart from cereals.

Pneumatic Or Jet Drills

The basic feed mechanisms on most general purpose drills that use air for distribution consist
of a battery of fluted nylon rollers, driven via variable gearing from the land wheels, and with
one such unit for such coulter. The mechanically metered seeds are then conveyed along
pipes to the coulters by means of an airstream from a PTO driven fan. Pneumatic metering
mechanisms are used in some single seed root and vegetable drills. (Claude, 1984)

Drill Coulters/ Furrow Openers

These are usually of either the hoe or disc type. The disc type is preferred where the seedbed
contains trash since the disc cuts or rolls over it without becoming clogged. The hoe type
furrow openers may have reversible points that can be used when one end becomes dull

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Shoe coulter
A renewable chilled iron shoe cuts a groove in the soil and the seed is delivered by the seed
tube in the groove. In good conditions these coulters work satisfactorily, the soil falling back
on the seed and covering it well. It opens a narrow furrow, sows at uniform depth and does
not choke with weed. (Claude, 1984).

Fig 4. Hoe furrow opener

Its disadvantages are;

 It will not penetrate the soil in hard conditions

 It blocks easily on sticky land.

Single disc coulter

This is a saucer-shaped hardened steel disc. It cuts the furrow and the seed is delivered to the
boot attached to the convex side of the disc just below and behind its center.

Fig 5. Disc furrow opener

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The great advantage of the disc type is that it works satisfactorily in all kinds of
unfavourable condition. Where the ground is hard, a fair penetration can be secured; where
there is rubbish the disc will cut through it and not collect it; where the tilth is poor, the disc
effect an improvement by their pulverizing action; and where it is sticky, disc will keep clean
better than other types of coulters.

Its disadvantages are;

 The initial expense is high.
 It does not place all the seed at the same depth.
 The need for either constant attention lubrication of the bearing or
provision of high-class sealed bearings.

Double Disc Coulter

Consists of two plain discs set at a small angle to another. The seed is delivered between
them.

Advantages include;

 They work well in rubbish

 Place all the seeds at the same depth and cover them well.

Disadvantages include;

 They are rarely used owing to the large number of wearing parts
 They are expensive

Hoe Coulter
It resembles a cultivator share, with a half-round or v-section. It is usually reversible and is
made of hardened steel.

Its chief advantages include:

 It is simple in operation.
 Ease of penetration

The main disadvantages of this coulter are;

 Its depth of work is not uniform

 It can cause trouble when working in rubbish.

©Copyright B.P.E 2014 7

Seed Tubes
Seed tubes may be either of the collapsible type or rigid type. The length of a collapsible tube
can be altered, either by telescopic action or by spring coil.

The seed tube can be made of plastic (Which if clear, allows the seed flow to be monitored)
or metal.

Covering Device
Normally when the furrow opener makes a furrow, the soil falls back and covers the seed,
however sometimes the moisture content of soil and the type of soil may be such that the
furrow opened remains uncovered. This can lead to loss of seed, probably by the possibility
of birds picking them up.

There is a possibility also that the seed may not germinate because it is not in contact with the
soil. Therefore some form of covering should be provided.

Fig.2 Covering Devices.

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The covering device may take the form of chain which is pulled behind the furrow opener
and which throws back the soil over the seed.

Another form is the press wheel which is a wheel that follows the furrow opener and gently
compacts the soil around the seed as it is delivered.(Egbo and Kaul, 1985)

Other Components of a Seed Drill

Depth Regulation Lever
It enables the furrow opener of the seed drill to be raised or lowered

Boot
It is a device that joins the furrow opener to the seed tube.

Agitator
This is a stirring device in the seed box, driven by the transport wheels of the drill and which
by its mixing effect allows the seeds to flow freely.

Drive Mechanism
It transmits power from the transport wheels to the seed delivery system either by chain and
sprocket or by a V-belt drive and at times a combination of both.

©Copyright B.P.E 2014 9

Summary on the Parts of a Seed Drill
Component Main Function
Seed box or Hopper To contain seeds
Seed metering device To control placement of seeds at give rate.

Furrow opener To open the soil for the seeds to be placed.

Seed tube To carry the seeds from the seed metering
device to the furrow opener.
Seed covering device To cover the seeds that have been planted in
the furrows opened by furrow opener
Transport device i) To move the machine over the soil
while planting is in operation and
to transport the machine between
the store and the field
ii) To provide the source of power to
drive the seed metering device
Frame To provide a base to which all the above
components may be fitted, either directly or
indirectly.

GEARING OF GRAIN DRILL

Where means of adjustments of seed rate are provided in the feed mechanism, as in external
force-feed, the drill gearing can be relatively simple. Where simpler feed mechanisms are
employed e.g in internal force-feed, more complex devices are needed, and to save changing
pinion wheels, use may be made of gearboxes of various kinds. Adjustment of the seed rate is
then secured by means of levers controlling these gears. Many drills have fairly complex
series of spur gear trains and a system of selection by means of a movable idler. On modern

©Copyright B.P.E 2014 10

drills a simple land measure consisting of a dial driven from the axle by worm gearing
registers the area seeded. (Claude, 1984).

Types of drills
There are different types of drills and can be categorized based on;

Type of hitching
These include;

Semi-Mounted Tractor Drill

They are carried on and driven by their own two wheels, but are connected to the
hydraulically operated three-link system of a towing tractor. The hitch is so devised that
raising the drill coulters and shutting off the seed delivery is simply effected by the operation
of the tractor’s hydraulic lift control levers.

Tractor Mounted Drills

These are mounted on the tractor’s three link hydraulic lift system. With such drills the
wheels are used to drive the mechanism, and putting the drill out of gear is simply effected by
lifting the whole machine bodily off the ground. As soon as the drive wheels are clear off the
ground the drive to the feed mechanism automatically stops. This is mostly done to light
drills.

Based On The Type Of Drive Wheel

The end-wheel drill
End-wheel drills have wheels that supports and drive the drill.

Press-wheel drill
A press-wheel drill has press-wheel gangs mounted on the rear of the drill. The press-wheels
firm the soil over the seed, drives the metering mechanism, and supports the rear of the drill.
A yoke and wheel are used to support the front of the drill. (Deere, 1981)

©Copyright B.P.E 2014 11

SEED DEPTH CONTROL
Depth of drill is controlled by;

a. Position of adjustable stop on remote hydraulic cylinder.

b. Amount of spring pressure.
The adjustable stop on the remote hydraulic cylinder must be set to limit the depth of furrow
opener penetration as required for various crops. The collar at the top of the pressure rod is
used to limit the maximum depth of the opener in relation to each other.

Fig 3. Spring pressure adjustment for furrow opener

Following the adjustment of the hydraulic stop the spring pressure must be set so that the
furrow opener will penetrate to the proper depth without the collar at the top of the rod
striking the swivel on the pressure arm. No more spring pressure should be applied than is
necessary to obtain even penetration by the furrow opener to follow the contour of the soil.
(Deere, 1981)

SEED DRILL CALIBRATION

A seed drill is expected to deliver a set quantity of seed at a given rate. Depending on the
number of furrow openers, each opener delivers a specific number of seed per given area.

Sometimes the seeds delivered may be more or less than what the machine is set to deliver,
and when this occurs, it calls for adjustment of the seed metering device and this is referred to
as calibration.

A seed drill is said to be properly calibrated if the amount of seed delivered per unit area
tallies with the amount that the machine is set to deliver by the manufacturer. Usually a chart
(stamped on a metallic plate) bearing the different rates of seed delivery possible for different
settings of the shaft (In case of the fluted roller type of seed delivery) is fixed on the seed
drill.

It is essential to calibrate a seed drill to ensure that the machine delivers the quantity of seeds
for which it is set to deliver. The calibration procedure may either be carried out in the field
or in the

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Seed drill calibration procedure
For the case of calibration of a seed drill using the laboratory method, the following
procedure is employed;

 The seed drill is jacked up to some height to allow the drive wheel to move freely and
the furrow openers raised enough to enable easy collection of dropped seeds.
 The diameter of the drive wheel is the measured by means of a ruler and recorded as
D.
 The circumference is the calculated numerically i.e. Circumference = ∏D
 The width of the seed drill is the calculated as
Width = Number of furrow openers x Distance between furrow openers

 The length of travel necessary to cover say 0.1 ha is calculated based on the following
relation ships.

Area covered = WL
1 Ha = 10,000M2
0.1 ha = 1,000M2
Therefore length to cover 0.1 ha is calculated as.
L = 1000/W

 calculate the number of revolution N needed to cover length L

N = L / ∏D

 put seeds in the hopper and rotate the wheel (at about the same speed as in the field)
N times, after having put bags or trays (To collect the seeds) below each furrow
opener.
 Measure and record the amount of seeds collected.
 Multiply the amount of seeds collected in the step above by factor (10) to obtain the
seed rate per hectare.
 Compare the seed rate obtained in the step above with the set seed rate.
 If the seed rates does not tally, adjust feed shafts (Fluttered roller) to increase or
decrease the rate as required and repeat the process until the two seed rates tally.

Seed drill sizes

 A seed drill may be of a single row or a multiple – row, number of rows depending on
the amount of power available. The animal driven seed drills can cope with three to
five furrow openers at a time drills while the tractor powered drills can have up to
seven and above furrows.
 The size of seed drill is given by the number of furrow openers and distance between
two consecutive furrow openers. (Egbo and Kaul, 1985)

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REFERENCES
1. Farm Machinery, Tenth Edition.
By, Claude Culpin (1984)
Pages 96 – 101

2. Fundamentals Of Machine Operation.

By John Deere (1981)
Pages 101 – 111

3. Introduction To Agricultural Mechanization.

By R.N Kaul and C.O Egbo (1985)
Pages 88-93

4. Website content.
www.en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/seed-drill
Date 3rd August 2014
Time: 11:43am

©Copyright B.P.E 2014 14

 APPENDIX A
METRIC SYSTEM AND CONVERSION FACTORS
Area Relations

Unit symbol

Hectare ha 100ha = 1km2

Sq. metre m2 10000m2 = 1 ha

APPENDIX B
INTRODUCTION
Low productivity,-less yields.

Seed rate,-relates to the number of seeds being delivered to the soil in unit time.

FEATURES OF PLANTING EQUIPMENT

Depth of planting,- height below soil where seed is to be placed

Row/Ridge,-uphill created by a cultivator when a furrow is created.

PARTS OF A SEED DRILL

Trapezoidal, -with a shape of a trapezium

Free flow of seed, - seed movement in the seed tube is free from any obstructions e.g clogged
materials

Variable gearing, - system where gears can be shifted from one to the other.

Airstream from a PTO driven fan,-air is drawn from the fan of the PTO as a result of pressure
imbalance in the drum and hopper.

Cultivator share,-point of a cultivator that cuts and penetrates the soil first.

TYPES OF DRILLS
Drill coulters, - disc wheels that have several functions in drills including boring into the
ground and cutting rubbish.

Press wheel gangs, - refers to the frame o which the press wheel is attached

©Copyright B.P.E 2014 15

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