Remote Control Planter Disc Marker

Remote control planter disc marker PLANTERS Planters 13-6-9 Bill Kreitzer, Elliott, Ill., mounted an electric fan speed control system from a Deere 9500 combine on each end of his planter's marker arms, allowing him to remote control the angle of his planter marker discs. By flipping a switch in the cab, Kreitzer can adjust the angle of the discs on-the-go to keep the marker furrow at an even depth for optimum performance of his automatic guidance system which uses the marker furrow as a guide. Kreitzer uses the Robotic Driver automatic guidance system, made by Tri-R Innovations, Gibson City, Ill., to cultivate and combine. The electronic system has a steerable wheel that follows the marker furrow. A sensor mounted on the tractor's tie rod constantly monitors position of the wheel and sends signals to a control box in the cab that activates a small rubber wheel that turns the tractor's steering wheel. The "hands off" system virtually eliminates "cultivator blight" and, when combining, leaves Kreitzer free to monitor the workings of the machine. "It takes the fatigue out of cultivating and combining and does a better job than I can do," notes Kreitzer. "The problem is that the furrow has to be at least 1 1/2 in. deep for the guidance wheel to follow it. In hard soil it's difficult for the marker disc to cut a furrow 1 1/2 in. deep. In soft soil the disc often cuts too deep. You can control furrow depth by adjusting the angle of the disc to point inward or out-ward, but that means getting off the tractor and changing the position of two bolts that secure the disc to the marker arms. I used my remote-control system on 1,300 acres last spring without a hitch." Each fan speed control consists of a motor, gear, and threaded rod connected to a rectangular bracket. Kreitzer clamped the motor to the marker arm and wired it to two switches mounted in the cab. When Kreitzer flips a switch, it activates the motor which rotates the threaded rod to push the disc out or pull it in. Kreitzer spent ù to install the remote-control marker disc systems. For more information, contact FARM SHOW Followup, Bill Kreitzer, P.O. Box 1, Elliott, Ill. 60933 (ph 217 784-4646).

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