CPC A01C 7/105 (2013.01) [A01C 7/082 (2013.01); B65G 53/08 (2013.01)] | 8 Claims |
1. A meter apparatus for dispensing agricultural products into a product conduit carrying a product air stream at a product air pressure, the apparatus comprising:
a sealed tank operative to contain the agricultural products, wherein the sealed tank is pressurized to a tank pressure that is substantially equal to the product air pressure;
a meter roller mounted in a housing below the sealed tank;
a shaft extending through a center of the meter roller, and a drive operative to rotate the shaft and the meter roller;
wherein clearance spaces are provided between the right and left sides of the meter roller to allow the meter roller to rotate in the housing;
right and left bearings mounting the shaft to the housing;
right and left seals mounted to the shaft and to the housing between the right and left bearings and the corresponding right and left sides of the meter roller and operative to substantially seal the corresponding right and left bearings from the meter roller;
wherein the housing defines right and left chambers between the right and left seals and corresponding right and left sides of the meter roller;
a purging conduit connected to the corresponding right and left chambers, the purging conduit carrying a purging air stream at a purging air pressure that is greater than the product air pressure;
wherein the purging air stream flows from the purging conduit through the corresponding right and left chambers and through the clearance spaces.
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