Adjustable planter bar system

Abstract

An adjustable planter bar for a multi-row planter generally comprises a horizontal support bar, a first plate member coupled to a trailing side of the support bar, and a second plate member coupled to a leading side of the support bar. The first plate member can form an upper, trailing rail extending above the trailing side of the support bar.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multi-row planter system, comprising:
 a planter bar, comprising:
 a horizontal support bar, 
 a first plate member coupled to a trailing side of the support bar, said first plate member forming an upper, trailing rail extending above the trailing side of the support bar, and a lower, trailing rail extending below the trailing side of the support bar. 
   
     
     
         2 . The multi-row planter system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second plate member coupled to a leading side of the support bar, wherein said leading side is opposite said trailing side, and wherein said second plate member forms an upper, leading rail extending above the leading side of the support bar. 
     
     
         3 . The multi-row planter system according to  claim 2 , wherein the second plate member comprises a lower, leading rail extending below the leading side of the support bar. 
     
     
         4 . The multi-row planter system according to  claim 1 , wherein said multi-row planter has a leading side and a trailing side opposite said leading side, said multi-row planter adapted for coupling to a vehicle positioned proximate said leading side. 
     
     
         5 . The multi-row planter system according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper, trailing rail comprises:
 a plurality of first engagement pairs spaced apart by a first distance laterally along the upper, trailing rail, and   a plurality of second engagement pairs spaced apart by a second distance laterally along the upper, trailing rail, wherein the first distance and the second distance are different.   
     
     
         6 . The multi-row planter system according to  claim 5 , wherein the engagement pairs comprise one or more notches on in the upper, trailing rail. 
     
     
         7 . The multi-row planter system according to  claim 5 , wherein the first engagement pairs and the second engagement pairs are visually distinguishable. 
     
     
         8 . The multi-row planter system according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one planting unit coupled to said planter bar by an inside surface of the upper, trailing rail and an inside surface of the lower, trailing rail. 
     
     
         9 . The multi-row planter system according to  claim 8 , wherein the at least one planting unit comprises a mounting plate adjacent an outside surface of the first plate member and at least one upper fastener extending from an outside surface of the first plate member and contacting the inside surface of the upper, trailing rail, and at least one lower fastener extending from an outside surface of the first plate member and contacting the inside surface of the lower, trailing rail. 
     
     
         10 . The multi-row planter system according to  claim 9 , wherein the upper fastener comprises an upper clip that extends over an upper edge of the upper, trailing rail and contacts the inside surface of the upper, trailing rail, and the lower fastener comprises an lower clip that extends over an lower edge of the lower, trailing rail and contacts the inside surface of the lower, trailing rail. 
     
     
         11 . The multi-row planter system according to  claim 10 , wherein the upper clip is coupled to the mounting plate by at least one faster, and the lower clip is coupled to the mounting plate by at least one fastener. 
     
     
         12 . The multi-row planter system according to  claim 1 , wherein a majority of the first plate member on each side of a mid-point of the planter bar comprises a continuous clear rail. 
     
     
         13 . The multi-row planter system according to  claim 1 , wherein said horizontal support bar comprises:
 a surface selected from an top surface and a bottom surface;   at least one opening that extends through said surface; and   at least one vacuum member that is positioned on said at least one opening such   that said at least one vacuum member extends outwardly from said surface, wherein said at least one vacuum member is configured to facilitate transport of a fluid through said horizontal support bar.   
     
     
         14 . The multi-row planter system according to  claim 13 , wherein said at least one opening comprises a plurality of openings and wherein said at least one vacuum member comprises a plurality of vacuum members that are positioned over the plurality of openings such that each of said plurality of vacuum members is positioned on a different opening of said plurality of openings. 
     
     
         15 . The multi-row planter system according to  claim 14 , wherein said plurality of openings comprises a master opening positioned on a center portion of said surface and a plurality secondary apertures positioned on to either side of the master opening, and
 said plurality of vacuum members comprises a master vacuum member that is positioned over the master openings and a plurality of secondary vacuum members that are positioned over said plurality of secondary openings such that each of said plurality of secondary vacuum members is positioned over a different side aperture of said plurality of secondary openings.   
     
     
         16 . The multi-row planter system according to  claim 15 , wherein said plurality of secondary openings and corresponding plurality of secondary vacuum members are positioned along the surface such that an equal number of secondary openings and corresponding secondary vacuum members are on each side to the master aperture and the master vacuum member. 
     
     
         17 . The multi-row planter system according to  claim 13 , wherein the at least one upper fastener comprises an upper clip comprising:
 a base portion comprising a plurality of apertures that extend through the said base portion and at least one anchor projection; and   a clipping portion coupled to said base portion such that said clipping portion extends outwardly from said base portion, wherein said clipping portion comprises:
 a first end comprising a plurality of tabs, wherein said plurality of apertures are configured to receive said plurality of tabs therein such that each of said plurality of tabs is positioned within a different aperture of said plurality of apertures; and 
 a second end that is positioned a predefined distance from said first end. 
   
     
     
         18 . The multi-row planter system of  claim 17 , wherein said mounting plate comprises at least one anchor opening that is configured to receive said at least one anchor projection therein to facilitate coupling said upper clip to the mounting plate. 
     
     
         19 . The multi-row planter system of  claim 17 , wherein said clipping portion comprises at least two clip orifices that are positioned between said first end and said second end, said at least two clip orifices are configured to concentrically align with corresponding mounting plate orifices in said mounting plate when said upper clip is coupled to said mounting plate by the at least one anchor projection. 
     
     
         20 . The multi-row planter system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one upper fastener comprises an upper clip comprising:
 a base portion comprising at least one anchor projection, and 
 a clipping portion coupled to said base portion such that said clipping portion extends outwardly from said base portion; and 
   wherein said mounting plate comprises at least one anchor opening that is configured to receive said at least one anchor projection therein to facilitate coupling said upper clip to the mounting plate.