A transport vehicle equipped with a current collector, includes: a vessel to load a load; a current collector that extends to receive electric power from an overhead line and contracts and retracts so as to be disposed away from the overhead line; and a vehicle body that rotationally drives driving wheels by at least one of the electric power from the current collector and a self-propelled driving source and on which the vessel is placed; a pantograph position detector that detects a relative position of the current collector and the overhead line; and a control device that controls a driving direction of the vehicle body or gives an instruction of information with which a direction in which the vehicle body is to be operated can be recognized, so that the relative position is brought to a position where the current collector and the overhead line are connected.

The present invention is vehicle electric power supply system (A) that supplies electric power wirelessly to a vehicle (M) that is positioned within an electric power supply area (X). The vehicle electric power supply system (A) has: a power-receiving device (m1) that is provided in the vehicle; a plurality of power-transmitting devices (1a1, 1a2, 1a3, 1b1, 1b2, 1b3, 1c1, 1c2, 1c3) that are provided at mutually different positions within the electric power supply area; a position detecting device (4) that detects the position of the power-receiving device within the electric power supply area; and a control device (4) that, based on detection results from the position detecting device, selects from among the plurality of power-transmitting devices the power-transmitting device that is located in a position that corresponds to the power-receiving device, and then causes power to be supplied wirelessly from the selected power-transmitting device.

A cord storage apparatus includes an electric motor configured to retract a power reception cord to be connected to an external power supply and a control unit configured to determine whether or not the power reception cord is retracted away from the ground when the power reception cord is connected to the external power supply and control the electric motor to stop retracting the power reception cord when the power reception cord is retracted away from the ground.

A method of controlling combustion of a gas appliance includes the following steps: a) Read a first burning data in a database; b) Burn gas according to the first burning data; c) Obtain a burning efficiency of the gas appliance; and d) Compare the burning efficiency with a predetermined value, and repeat the step b to the step d when the burning efficiency is higher than the value, or read a second burning data in the database and burn gas according to the second burning data when the burning efficiency is lower than the value. The present invention provides plural stages of burning according to the main component of the gas to be burned to increase the total burning efficiency.

A hot water supply system includes a first tank for storing hot water for heating; a second tank for storing hot water to be supplied to a hot water tap; a heater circulation path for supplying the hot water of the first tank to a heater; a first path that includes a first heat transfer portion surrounding the exposed portion of the second tank to the inside of the first tank and that connects the first tank to a forward portion of the heater circulation path so that the hot water of the first tank can be supplied to the heater through the first heat transfer portion; and a second path that includes a second heat transfer portion disposed along the first heat transfer portion, and that allows heat exchange between the hot water of the second tank and the hot water flowing through the first heat transfer portion due to the flow, in the second heat transfer portion, of the hot water of the second tank.

A condensing fuel-fired appliance has a condensate trap that includes a trap body; a float; a flue gas inlet port for the introduction of flue gas into the interior region of the trap body; a condensate outlet port for the discharge of condensate from the interior region; and a flue gas outlet port for the discharge of flue gas from the interior region of the trap body. The float is configured to move in response to condensate collected in the interior region of the trap body to a position to substantially block the discharge of flue gas from the interior region through the flue gas outlet port. The float is also configured to move to a position to substantially block the discharge of flue gas from the interior region through the condensate outlet port when there is little or no condensate in the interior region of the trap body.

An apparatus includes an inner rim, a base wall, a side wall and an outer rim. The inner rim has a first opening formed therein. The base wall extends outward from an inner edge of the inner rim and is integral with the inner rim. The side wall extends outward from an outer edge of the inner rim and is integral with the inner rim. The outer rim has a second opening formed therein and an inner edge integral with the side wall. The inner rim, base wall, side wall and outer rim are formed to prevent liquid seepage to one or more surrounding components of an appliance in which the apparatus is installed.

A method of assembling a syngas cooler is provided. The method includes coupling a supply line within a cooler shell, coupling a heat transfer panel within the cooler shell, and coupling a heat transfer enclosure within the cooler shell such that the heat transfer enclosure substantially isolates the heat transfer panel from the cooler shell. A manifold is coupled in flow communication with the supply line, the heat transfer enclosure, and the heat transfer panel.

An improved method of making a baked pastry, particularly, a shell or wrap for a samosa from a pastry dough in a convection baking oven having a convection atmosphere, the method comprising baking the dough in the oven at a baking temperature for a baking period of time, the improvement having the convection atmosphere with a sufficiently moist atmosphere for the duration of the baking time to prevent the pastry from becoming dry.

When a detection temperature by a hot-water tank thermister (42) has been equal to or lower than a re-heating determination temperature over at least a re-heating determination time, a tank controller (50) performs a sterilization process by heating hot water within a hot-water tank (30) by means of a heat pump unit (60); and when the detection temperature by the hot-water tank thermister (42) has been equal to or lower than a determination temperature for prohibiting the use of hot water in the hot-water tank over at least a determination time for prohibiting the use of hot water in the hot-water tank, the tank controller (50) performs only a temperature regulation control via heating while keeping a hot-water flow regulation valve (34) in a closed state.

When a detection temperature by a hot-water tank thermister (42) has been equal to or lower than a re-heating determination temperature over at least a re-heating determination time, a tank controller (50) performs a sterilization process by heating hot water within a hot-water tank (31) by means of a heat pump unit (60); and when the detection temperature by the hot-water tank thermister (42) has been equal to or lower than a determination temperature for prohibiting the use of stored hot water over at least a determination time for prohibiting the use of stored hot water, the tank controller (50) performs only a temperature regulation control via heating while keeping a hot-water flow regulation valve (34) in a closed state.

Disclosed is a hot water supply system provided with a tank which holds a high-temperature liquid, and a heating means for generating the high-temperature liquid which is stored in the aforementioned tank. In the lower portion of the aforementioned tank is provided a water-heating heat exchanger which heats the water to be supplied to a hot water terminal by means of the liquid present in the lower portion of the aforementioned tank. Further, a hot water supply circuit is provided which conducts water to the aforementioned hot water supply terminal. The aforementioned hot water supply circuit splits into a water-heating path passing through the aforementioned water-heating heat exchanger, and a bypass path bypassing the aforementioned water-heating heat exchanger, and is provided with a hot water supply circuit control mechanism which controls the circulation state of the water in the aforementioned water-heating path and the aforementioned bypass path.

An apparatus for generating electric pulses is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a generator or oscillator for charging a storage capacitor and a control circuit for controlling the discharge of the capacitor through an output or discharge circuit which includes a controllable switch device and two output terminals or electrodes. In an embodiment, the output circuit also includes a high voltage output pulse transformer.Whenever a load resistance exists or occurs between the two output electrodes, a particular detector current will flow through the load resistance and through a specific detector or load sensing circuit in the apparatus. This detector current indicating that an external load resistance is present, will automatically start the charging generator which then will operate to charge and recharge the storage capacitor as long as the detector current exists, i.e. as long as the external load is present.

A self-defense apparatus includes a battery-powered source of high voltage arranged in an insulated housing and a finger probe device which is strapped to one finger of one hand of the user and is electrically connected to the source of high voltage. The finger probe device includes a layer of electrical insulation disposed between the finger and two metal prongs which protrude outwardly adjacent the distal end of the finger. One prong couples to the hot side of the source of high voltage and the other prong couples to the ground side of the source of high voltage. A two conductor cable connects the two prongs to the source of high voltage and when both prongs are placed in contact with an electrically conductive surface, they deliver in excess of 1,200 volts.

A self-defense apparatus includes a battery-powered source of high voltage arranged in an insulated housing and a finger probe device which is strapped to one finger of one hand of the user and is electrically connected to the source of high voltage. The finger probe device includes a layer of electrical insulation disposed between the finger and two metal prongs which protrude outwardly adjacent the distal end of the finger. One prong couples to the hot side of the source of high voltage and the other prong couples to the ground side of the source of high voltage. A two-conductor cable connects the two prongs to the source of high voltage and when both prongs are placed in contact with an electrically conductive surface, they deliver in excess of 1,200 volts.

The present invention provides an apparatus and process for making softgel capsules having incorporated therein other solid dosage forms selected from the group consisting of pellets, smaller capsules, smaller tablets, sustained release solid dosage forms, immediate release solid dosage forms, extended release solid dosage forms and zero order release solid dosage forms, said apparatus comprising: (a) two spreader boxes; (b) two casting drums; (c) a pair of rotary dies having means for suction; (d) a liquid fill system; (e) a wedge for heating gelatine ribbons and feeding said fill; and (f) two lateral dispensing devices said lateral dispensing devices including hoppers having said solid dosage forms, channelguides for transporting said solid dosage forms and a grasping claw for dispensing said solid dosage form into the softgel pocket formed in the rotary dies.

An apparatus for dispensing elongated articles such as straws, including: a container for holding the elongated articles; a hopper to receive some of the elongated articles, where the hopper is reversibly movable between a closed state and an open state; and a manipulator for performing a cycle to release a single elongated article by isolating a single article and then moving the hopper from the closed state to the open state, thereby releasing only the single elongated article.

A method and apparatus for assembling and vending a food or drink product using a machine having a viewing window into the interior thereof. The user selects through a user interface one of a plurality of characters, then selects through the interface the ingredients to include in the product. The ingredients are dispensed into a receptacle that is moved between dispensing locations within the machine by a robotic arm. An animated sequence, soundtrack and lighting pattern is associated with each character. As the robotic arm assembles the product, the animated sequence, soundtrack and lighting for the selected character are run and shown on a display. The user is able to watch the movements of the robotic arm and the animated sequence simultaneously.

A method for processing application forms comprising extracting content from filled first forms of consumers, each of the first forms comprising one or more fields, arranging the extracted content of one or more fields of the plurality of fields of the plurality of filled first forms in a first matrix; encoding the content of each of the rows of the first matrix to define a second matrix; and disposing the encoded content of the second matrix in multiple empty second forms such that content of one column is disposed on only one of the empty second forms, each of the second forms includes the same type and number of fields as that of one of the filled first forms, further wherein the number of the filled second forms is based on the number of the one or more fields in the filled first forms.

When the present time of a clock circuit is a medication time recorded in advance in a SD card, a notice that the medication time has come is given by a voice output portion or the like. Presence/absence of a medicine package in each block of a medicine package case is sensed by a medicine package sensor. The time point and the presence/absence of the medicine package are recorded in the SD card. A notice corresponding to the presence/absence is output. At a time except for the medication time, taking-out of the case, opening/closing of the cover, taking-out and return of the medicine package are recorded in the SD card based on detection signals from the medicine package sensor, medicine package case sensor, and case cover opening/closing sensor. A notice corresponding to the sensed situation is output.

The invention is an apparatus for pre-plating railway ties, including switch ties of varying lengths. An infeed deck and singulator feeds individual ties, each provided with identifying indicia, to a pre-scanner. Using the scanned indicia, a control system accesses stored data to determine a preliminary drill pattern. A scanning and drilling station positions, secures and scans the tie. The scan results are combined with the stored data to produce a corrected optimal drill pattern, which is used to drill the tie. The drilled tie moves to a plate and screw loading station, where the proper plates and fasteners are attached. A fourth station inspects the assembled tie. If it is properly assembled, the screw spikes are tightened and the plated tie moves to an outfeed deck, where it is marked for identification and removed for storage and shipping.

Method and apparatus for cutting out balsa blanket parts comprising the following steps: providing on a surface of a conveyor (12) a row of balsa blankets (1) abutting each other end edge to end edge in butt areas at the joining stations (14.1-14.5); interjoining the balsa blankets (1) in the butt areas at the joining stations (14.1-14.5) to form a balsa blanket web; feeding the balsa blanket web in a direction of feed (F) to a cutting station (15) where the balsa blanket web is stepwise conveyed and cut through crosswise at positions to form the desired parts; providing a next row of balsa blankets on the surface of the conveyor when the rearmost end edge on the rearmost blanket of the balsa blanket web is at the last joining station (14.5), said blankets of the next row abutting each other end edge (4) to end edge (5) and the leading end edge of the foremost balsa blanket in the next row of balsa blankets abutting the rearmost end edge of the rearmost balsa blanket in the balsa blanket web; at the joining stations (14.1-14.5) interjoining the next row of the balsa blankets and joining it with the balsa blanket web in the butt areas.

A simulation apparatus includes a storing unit that stores therein information about a shape of a blank piece to be cut out from raw wood, information about a final shape of a wooden piece obtained by compressing the blank piece, and image data of a surface of the blank piece. The apparatus also includes detecting unit that detects a knot appearing on the surface of the blank piece by image recognition using the image data; a shape estimating unit that estimates a shape of the detected knot using shape information on the blank piece; and a determining unit that determines, in accordance with the shape of the estimated knot, a cutting location and a cutting shape of the blank piece in such a manner that the cutting location and shape include a part and a thickness of the knot is substantially the same as that of the compressed blank piece.

A cutting device for cutting a material grappled by a grapple member of a grapple device is mounted on one side wall portion of a bucket which is pivotable vertically with respect to an arm swung vertically and is rotatable on an axis in an extension direction of the arm. The cutting device includes a cutting blade which is positioned outside or inside a side wall of the bucket and is pivotally supported on a base end portion of the open mouth portion of the bucket to be pivoted in a direction along the side wall from a position separated from an opening edge of the bucket to a position along the side wall of the bucket. A hydraulic cylinder is provided on a rear surface portion of the bucket and is connected to a pivoting base portion of the blade.

A support stand for movable support of a power tool features the use of rollers to support a tool mount along an elongated track. The track features a cover arrangement disposed over the surfaces on which the rollers move so as to avoid sawdust or other debris from building up on the track and interfering with smooth rolling motion of the tool mount. The stand is assembled in a working position by attaching two stand sections end to end to form the track, and is also configured for arrangement into a collapsed condition in which the stand sections stack one atop the other for space efficient storage and convenient transport.

A waste strip-removing apparatus for use with a ripsaw that saws an incoming board into one or more usable boards and removes the opposite side edges, which become two waste strips that must be removed and transported to a different destination from that to which the usable board(s) is (are) transported. The apparatus includes two air-blasting units each having one or more air nozzles assigned to each waste strip. The air-blasting units are positioned with respect to a lateral direction by a positioning mechanism so that air directed from the nozzles impinges on the waste strips and moves them laterally away from the usable board(s). The positioning mechanism can include a linear motor having two forcers movable along a platen and respectively attached to air-blasting units.

A method for detecting the three-dimensional structure of a log comprises the operating steps of: making the log (2) rotate axially, leaving it free to translate during the rotation;during said rotation repeating the step of detecting the relative surface structure of the log (2) at least at one log surface portion (13), so that the relative surface structure of substantially all of the points of at least the log (2) lateral surface is detected at least once; andcombining the relative surface structures detected to reconstruct an overall surface structure for at least the log (2) lateral surface,the detection steps being carried out in such a way that each detection step result shares at least several points with at least one other detection step result, while the step of combining the relative surface structures is carried out in such a way that the shared points are made to coincide with each other.

The present invention is a material forming apparatus that includes a piece of material that is a piece of laminated wood, a cover sheet made of plastic material, a flexible bed, a plurality of bed arms and a plurality of drive gears. The material forming apparatus also includes a numerical digital display, a plurality of roller clamps, one or more cranks with a grasping knob and a plurality of pivoting arms that are rotated by rotation of the drive gears and move the bed arms to force the flexible bed and the piece of material into a desired arc radius.

Methods are described for mechanically scraping surfaces of boards, such as flooring boards, to impart random-looking scraped profiles therein. An apparatus for mechanically scraping boards to form the scraped board products also is described. A board, such as a flooring board, having a random-looking scraped appearance that includes overlapping multiple scrape patterns is described. Boards, such as flooring boards, having a simulated rustic or distressed appearance made with the methods and apparatus also are described.

An apparatus and method for spooling wire or cable from a reel assembly. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises an inner flange assembly and an outer flange assembly. The inner flange assembly is capable of freely rotating relative to the outer flange assembly for spooling wire from any surface. In another embodiment, wire is spooled from a reel assembly comprising an inner flange assembly and an outer flange assembly.

A wire electric discharge machining apparatus according to embodiments includes a wire electrode, a wire supplying unit that supplies the wire electrode, a collecting motor that collects the wire electrode at a predetermined speed, a tension motor that controls a tension of the wire electrode between the wire supplying unit and the collecting motor, a speed calculating unit that calculates a traveling speed of the wire electrode at a predetermined time interval, a speed storing unit that stores the traveling speed calculated by the speed calculating unit, a differential speed calculating unit that calculates a differential speed between a current traveling speed output from the speed calculating unit and a past traveling speed stored in the speed storing unit, and a breakage detecting unit that detects breakage of the wire electrode by comparing the differential speed with a predetermined threshold.

A roll sheet supporting apparatus includes a pair of rotation shafts which are respectively fitted into end portions of the hollow portion of the core tube and configured to support the roll sheet rotatably and capable of being drawn out, an engaging member movable between a projecting position and a retracting position, wherein the engaging member projects from an outer circumferential surface of the each rotation shaft abutting on the core tube to engage with the core tube at the projecting position and retracts inward from the outer circumferential surface of the each rotation shaft at the retracting position, and an engaging member moving unit configured to move the engaging member between the projecting position and the retracting position.

To provide a medium storing and advancing apparatus for inhibiting rotation of a drum when tapes are completely rewound from the drum. The apparatus includes reels supplying and winding up the tapes, a drum winding up the tapes supplied from the reels or rewinding wound-up tapes to supply the tapes to the reels, and an inhibiting mechanism inhibiting further rotation of the drum in a direction of rewinding the tapes when the drum completely rewinds the tapes, whereby the inhibiting mechanism inhibits the rotation of the drum.

A fishing line reeling apparatus for loading a spool of fishing line about a reel of a fishing pole includes a clamp capable of being anchored to a ledge of an existing support surface, and a bracket attached to the clamp wherein the bracket has a dowel capable of rotatably receiving and suspending the existing spool of fishing line above the existing support surface. An arm is located subjacent to the dowel and statically mated to the bracket. The arm has an eyelet attached to a distal end thereof such the fishing line is downwardly guided from the spool and urged along a longitudinal length of the arm prior to passing through the eyelet.

The present invention provides a technique which can disassemble a mandrel having a substantially cylindrical shape and being dividable into a plurality of segments, easily and efficiently. The disassembling method comprises, in the mandrel adhesively attached with a composite material structure on an outer peripheral surface thereof, a rotation step of rotating the pair of support rings along with the mandrel to position a segment which is a detached target to an uppermost portion; and a segment detaching step of detaching the segment which is the detached target positioned at the uppermost portion, from the pair of support rings; wherein in the segment detaching step, the segment which is the detached target is moved in a vertically downward direction to a position inside of the mandrel, between the pair of support rings, and is carried out from between the pair of support rings.

A sheet conveyance unit for transporting a sheet unreeled from a roll of paper includes a roll holder including a pair of supporters to support both axial end portions of the roll, movable in an axial direction of the roll, a pair of first conveyance rollers, a pair of second conveyance rollers, a tensioner to tension the sheet, disposed between the first conveyance rollers and the second conveyance rollers, and a tension adjustment unit. The tensioner includes a contact plate to press against the sheet, extending over an entire width of the sheet and pivotably supported on a casing of the sheet conveyance unit. The tension adjustment unit changes the tension of the sheet by adjusting a force to press the contact plate against the sheet and includes a first adjuster to change the tension of the sheet in conjunction with the interval between the supporters.

A filament winding apparatus prevents a fiber bundle supplied to a liner from interfering with other fiber bundles and fiber supplying guides. First and second guide units include a plurality of fiber supplying guides arranged radially and extending and contracting in a direction approximately perpendicular to a liner central axis. When a fiber bundle supplied from a first supplying guide of the first guide unit crosses between a second supplying guide of the second guide unit and the liner, the distance from the second supplying guide to the liner central axis is made larger than the distance from the first supplying guide to the liner central axis, and in the reverse case, the distance from the first supplying guide to the liner central axis is made larger than the distance from the second supplying guide to the liner central axis.

A web rewinding apparatus having a mandrel cupping assembly for releaseably engaging unsupported ends of a plurality of mandrels is disclosed. Each of the plurality of mandrels extends generally parallel to the web winding turret assembly axis. Each of the mandrels is driven in a closed mandrel path about the web winding turret assembly axis. The mandrel cupping assembly comprises a cupping arm turret having a cupping arm turret central axis, a mandrel cup cooperatively associated with each mandrel of the plurality of mandrels, at least three motion limiting devices disposed upon the cupping arms, and a first actuator.

The wire winding apparatus includes: a wire feeding member provided to a supporting member so as to be operable, for feeding a wire; a lock mechanism capable of inhibiting an operation of the wire feeding member; a winding mechanism for rotating a core about an axis thereof to wind the wire fed from the wire feeding member around the outer circumference of the core; a feed mechanism for moving the supporting member in an axial direction of the core in synchronization with the winding performed by the winding mechanism; a proximity sensor for detecting a movement amount of the wire feeding member with respect to the supporting member; and a control section for controlling an operation of the feed mechanism to adjust a movement amount of the supporting member moved by the feed mechanism based on a detection output from the proximity sensor.

A media spindle apparatus for supporting a media roll having media to be delivered to a printing apparatus. The apparatus includes a spindle configured to support the roll. The spindle defines an axial direction about which the roll rotates relative to the printing apparatus to deliver the media to the printing apparatus. A guide member is supported by the spindle and guides the media to the printing apparatus. The guide member is positionable in a first configuration in which a securing mechanism is disengaged and the guide member is translatable substantially in the axial direction relative to the spindle. The guide member is pivotable about the axial direction relative to the spindle to move to a second configuration and thereby engage the securing mechanism to inhibit the guide member from translating in the axial direction relative to the spindle and pivoting from the second configuration to the first configuration.

A filament winding apparatus prevents a fiber bundle supplied to a liner from interfering with other fiber bundles and fiber supplying guides. First and second guide units include a plurality of fiber supplying guides arranged radially and extending and contracting in a direction approximately perpendicular to a liner central axis. When a fiber bundle supplied from a first supplying guide of the first guide unit crosses between a second supplying guide of the second guide unit and the liner, the distance from the second supplying guide to the liner central axis is made larger than the distance from the first supplying guide to the liner central axis, and in the reverse case, the distance from the first supplying guide to the liner central axis is made larger than the distance from the second supplying guide to the liner central axis.

An extensible cord lead comprising a casing (11) containing a winding wheel (13) equipped with housings (15) intercepted by a pushbutton (16) to allow the partial or total blocking of the cord, the pushbutton (16) being equipped with a forward position blocking device consisting of a cursor (20) which slides or rotates in a transverse direction with respect to the axis of the pushbutton (16) in which it is inserted, said cursor (20) being activated by a thumb-turn (21) located on the head of the pushbutton (16), said cursor (20) being able to move from a blocked position to free sliding of the pushbutton, entering and exiting transversally to the sliding axis of the pushbutton (16), in a housing (22) in the box-like casing (11) of the winding device.

A trough is cut in the ground surface by a rotating member. The rotating member displaces soil upward with respect to the ground surface and rearwardly with respect to a direction of travel of the rotating member. While the soil is in the air, slurry is deposited into the trough. The soil is then redirected downward to the trough to cover the slurry with the soil.

A method and apparatus for automating some of the tasks that heretofore required operator action at headland turns or similar events are provided. The present invention automates operation of lift assist wheels and/or gull wings, such as those found on a stack-fold implement, based on the position of the tractor hitch to which the implement is coupled. An operator may control the position of the implement, such as at a headland turn, by raising and lowering the tractor hitch using a remote control. The invention enables the planter to compare the tractor hitch position relative to an implement position and control operation of the implement accordingly without additional user inputs.

A dynamic supplemental downforce control system for a planter row unit. The system includes closed-loop feedback circuit that cooperates with a downforce actuator to dynamically control fluid flow to the downforce actuator to maintain balance between the actual gauge wheel downforce and a desired gauge wheel downforce during planting operations.

A seed metering assembly for a farm implement has a meter roller that can be accessed and removed in a relatively quick manner. The seed metering assembly includes a fluted meter roller that is segmented into a number of discrete fluted sections. Each fluted section has an associated flow control member that is selectively operable to impede the flow of granular material from a seed hopper to its corresponding section of the fluted meter roller.

The present invention is directed to a hopper for a seed metering system that has a series of individualized and independently controlled metering units. The hopper has a plurality of discharge openings that can be selectively opened and closed to expose an opening to a respective one of the plurality of metering units. Each seed metering unit is selectively driven by a common drive member, such as a drive shaft. When a seed metering unit is engaged with the drive member, the unit will meter granular material. On the other hand, when the seed metering unit is not engaged with the drive member, the metering unit will not meter granular material. Hence, the present invention provides a seed metering apparatus that provides effective sectional control.

The present invention is directed to a hopper for a seed metering system that has a series of individualized and independently controlled metering units. The hopper has a plurality of discharge openings that can be selectively opened and closed to expose an opening to a respective one of the plurality of metering units. Each seed metering unit is selectively driven by a common drive member, such as a drive shaft. When a seed metering unit is engaged with the drive member, the unit will meter granular material. On the other hand, when the seed metering unit is not engaged with the drive member, the metering unit will not meter granular material. Hence, the present invention provides a seed metering apparatus that provides effective sectional control.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 illustrates a side elevation view of a single row unit (10) of a conventional row crop planter such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,438,006, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. As is well known in the art, the row units (10) are mounted in spaced relation along the length of a transverse toolbar (12) by a parallel linkage (14), comprised of upper and lower parallel arms (16, 18) pivotally mounted at their forward ends to the transverse toolbar (12) and at their rearward end to the row unit frame (20).

A no-till apparatus for application of herbicide and fertilizer, soil preparation, and seeding of a cover crop in a standing crop has inter-row assemblies configured to pass along inter-row areas between adjacent row lines of standing crop plants. Each assembly includes a fertilizer applicator, a no-till soil preparation element, a cover crop seed applicator, and a post-seeding element.