Overview of the model of mounted potato planter SN 4B

To increase the productivity of planting potatoes, as well as to reduce labor and time costs, farmers use potato planters. Most often, such a unit is an attachment (module), which is mounted on the basis of a manually operated walk-behind tractor. More productive models of potato planters are pulled along the furrow using tractors. The article will tell you about one of the varieties of such equipment - the SN-4B potato planter.

What is this unit

Semi-automatic potato planter СН-4Б is used for smooth row planting, as well as for ridge planting of potatoes, unless they have been previously germinated. At the same time, the automatic introduction of mineral fertilizers into the tuber furrow is carried out.

Planting is carried out in beds with a distance between the ridges of 60 and 70 cm. The distance between tubers in a row can vary from 20 to 40 cm.

The planter can be aggregated with both walk-behind tractors and wheeled tractors MTZ-80, MTZ-82, as well as tracked tractors T-4A, DT-75N.

In this case, the chain drive of the potato planter is carried out from the rear PTO (power take-off shaft) of the tractor. Such equipment is already designed for large-scale potato production.

Here is a detailed diagram of the device in question:

The scheme of the potato planter can be described as follows. The implement follows the tractor pulling it along the furrow. From the tractor power take-off shaft, the torque is transmitted to the planter's feed bucket: the spoons of the scooper hook on the tubers and sow them into the furrow at regular intervals.

In addition, immediately before sowing potatoes, bulk fertilizers (usually mineral) are introduced into the furrow through the fertilizer pipe. After that, the potatoes are covered with soil from the adjacent ridges using the planter openers.

Reference. The planter has a seed hopper with enough capacity to plant between 59,000 and 71,000 tubers per hectare.

Specifications

The SN-4B potato planter has the following components that provide it with a given productivity.

Reducer

The torque is transmitted to the working bodies of the planter from the PTO of the pulling tractor through a gearbox, which has two bevel gears with the number of teeth z = 40 and z = 14. The driven shaft of the reducer by means of replaceable sprockets with the number of teeth z = 22, z = 20, z = 18 and z = 16, as well as a chain drive, transmits torque to the sprockets of the counter drive shaft (two pieces: with the number of teeth z = 22 and z = 40) and then onto the shaft of the planting devices.

In this case, the sprocket z = 22 drives the working bodies of the potato planter, in fact, from the PTO, and the sprocket z = 40 serves to transfer the rotational moment of the working bodies from the independent PTO. The driven sprocket z = 12 of the counter drive transmits the torque to the sprocket z = 36 of the right and left shafts of the scoopers.

Wheels

In the design of the SN-4B potato planter, the wheels are used exclusively to support and move the unit after the pulling tractor (they are connected to the front frame bed).

Unlike some other models the wheels of the unit in question are not connected in any way with the control mechanisms planters and do not affect the speed and spacing of tubers. The support wheels are also equipped with a mechanism for raising and lowering the potato planter for more efficient operation.

Bunker

Seed material is loaded into the hopper. It is a box welded from thin sheet steel.Its bottom is inclined towards the feed bucket, it is also equipped with shakers (flaps). In this case, the rear wall of the hopper is made with a window, which is regulated by a damper.

Feed bucket

The bucket is an integral part of the bunker, which is designed to ensure the smooth operation of potato planting devices. The rear of the bucket bottom is curved to allow the scoop to escape freely. At the same time, the side walls of the bucket are rigidly connected to the hopper - they enter the gaps between the scooping spoons and the disc.

There is a corner divider in the middle of the bottom - it divides the tubers into left and right flow. And for the uninterrupted supply of potatoes to the spoons, augers and turners are provided.

As far as fertilizers are concerned, they are applied by the so-called fertilizer dispensers - through fertilizer lines and channels. After the substances are in the furrows, special discs cover them with a layer of soil no more than 10 mm thick. And then the tubers already fall on this layer of soil.

Operating rules

To adjust the operation of the SN-4B potato planter, the operating speed is initially selected. This is done according to the corresponding table of standards.

For instance:

• when working with the MTZ-80 pulling tractor in second gear, providing a speed of 6 to 7 km / h, as well as with an installed sprocket z = 20, from 59 to 71 thousand tubers are planted per hectare;
• when working with an asterisk z = 18, the number of tubers ranges from 42 to 47 thousand pieces;
• when working with an asterisk z = 16, the number of tubers ranges from 35 to 41 thousand pieces.

PTO provides the dependence of the drive performance on the rotation speed of the tractor drive wheel axles. Therefore, the distance between the sown tubers does not depend on the speed of the potato planter. PTO makes 3.5 revolutions per linear meter of the unit's trajectory. However, an off-design, that is, too high a speed of movement of the equipment increases the risk of missed areas for planting tubers and their damage. A high planting rate is harmful to the seed.

The replacement sprocket is selected after trial runs. To do this, the potato planter needs to travel at least 8-10 m.If the distance between the ridges of the rows is 70 cm, the number of planted tubers is calculated over a length of 7.14 m. By area, this will be 5 square meters. m. Further, the resulting amount is multiplied by 2000 - this will be the number of potatoes required for sowing per hectare. If the obtained value does not fall within the standard interval, then the sprocket on the gearbox shaft is replaced.

Important. The potato planter must move at the design speed.

Where to buy and how much does it cost

Semi-automatic potato planters CH-4B are widespread in medium-sized agricultural enterprises. Plus, their models with various improvements are manufactured by many agricultural machinery factories. Such planters can be purchased either new or used.

Their costs are in the range:

• new - from 220 to 420 thousand rubles;
• used - from 40 to 180 thousand rubles.

Advantages and disadvantages

Let's start with the benefits:

1. CH-4B has a very laconic design, which favorably distinguishes it from complex imported units, similar in functionality. This means the relative ease of installation and the availability of spare parts.
2. The considered potato planters are lightweight (no more than 1.1 tons without loading), which provides a low specific pressure on the ground.
3. Potato planters SN-4B provide high productivity, as they are able to work at the second tractor speed (up to 7 km / h).
4. Affordable (in comparison with imported counterparts) price.

However, there are also disadvantages:

1. Low reliability of the design, which entails frequent failure of units and parts.
2. The main material for the manufacture of the potato planters under consideration is carbon and alloy steel (not stainless steel), as a result of which the unit undergoes intense corrosion when stored not in a heated room.

User reviews

The most objective characteristics of the quality of the SN-4B potato planter are given by their users. Let's evaluate some of them:

Victor, Balakovo: "If you have a YUMZ tractor, MTZ 50, 80 and above, then you can use it ... Does not like heavy soils - it "lifts" it on them. Does not like clogged soil - the opener is clogged, the support wheel wedges. Small bunker - you need to build up.If the pen is short, you can work, if it is long, you have to reboot. And since the potato planter is very heavy, it is desirable to improve the ratio of weight and useful loading of bunkers by modifying the model yourself. "

Evgeny, Tambov: “There are practically no gaps if there are normal springs on the pressure fingers. He does not really like chopped potatoes, but if the potatoes have sprouted with eyes up to 0.7 cm, then they plant better. If the sprout is larger, it breaks the shoots. "

Denis, Volzhsk: “Four tons per hectare at the third slow speed - the seeding distance will be about 15 cm, the seed size is about the size of a hen's egg. A trifle in the second direct gear, and accordingly, the consumption is higher. Another such moment: keep the rpm within 1500-1700, with the dependent PTO 540, if faster, then there will be gaps. The seeding rate should not be adjusted by removing the “legs”, but simply by inserting another gear. As soon as we bought a planter, we immediately calibrated it, in which gear how much to plant, and the fat also needs to be finished a little ”.

It is interesting:

How to make a potato planter for a mini tractor with your own hands.

Step by step instructions for creating a homemade potato planter.

What is the convenience of manual potato peelers.

Summary

The potato planter SN-4B is a productive agricultural unit, quite technologically advanced and, in terms of complexity, quite corresponding to its purpose.

It is easy to calibrate, adjust and repair, which is extremely important in the field. But the main plus is the performance indicator of CH-4B in relation to its cost. According to the latter parameter, such equipment, produced in the territory of the former Soviet Union, remains unrivaled, mainly due to its low price.