A system for detecting the operational status of a ground engaging tool of a tillage implement including an agricultural implement including a frame and a tool assembly supported relative to the frame. The ganged tool assembly includes a toolbar coupled to the frame and one or more ground engaging tools coupled to the toolbar. The system further includes a sensor coupled to the tool assembly and configured to capture data indicative of a load acting on the one or more ground engaging tools. Additionally, the system includes a controller configured to monitor the data received from the sensor and compare at least one monitored value associated with the load acting on the ground engaging tool(s). Moreover, the controller is further configured to identify the ground engaging tool(s) as being plugged when the monitored value(s) differs from the predetermined threshold value.

In one aspect, a system for rotationally driving ground engaging tools of an agricultural implement may include a rotational actuator configured to rotationally drive a ground engaging tool of the implement about a rotational axis. A controller may be configured to determine a current ground speed of the implement based on data received from a sensor. Moreover, the controller may be further configured to determine a rotational output for the rotational actuator based on the current ground speed of the implement such that the tool rotates at a predetermined rotational speed relative to soil within a field. In addition, the controller may be configured to control the operation of the rotational actuator such that the actuator provides the determined rotational output to the tool while the tool is disposed at a working position relative to a soil surface of the field.

A system for de-plugging rotating ground engaging tools of an agricultural implement includes first and second ground engaging tools spaced apart from each other such that a flow gap is defined between the tools, a rotational actuator configured to rotationally drive the tools about a rotational axis, a sensor configured to capture data indicative of material accumulation within the flow gap defined between the tools, and a controller configured to determine when the tools are experiencing a plugged condition based on the data received from the sensor. Additionally, in response to the determination that the tools are experiencing the plugged condition, the controller is further configured to control an operation of the rotational actuator such that the tools are rotationally driven while such tools are disposed at a working position relative to a soil surface of a field.

An implement for tilling the soil and methods of using the same. The implement may include cultivator sweeps arranged in staggered rows, trailing coulters positioned behind a rearmost row of the cultivator sweeps, and a finishing attachment positioned proximate the trailing coulters. The trailing coulters are designed to penetrate deeper into the soil than the cultivator sweeps. The method includes passing such an implement through the soil such that the trailing coulters pass through the soil after the sweeps and the finishing attachment passes over and/or through the soil.

A fully-automatic transplanting combined machine includes a traction apparatus, operation apparatus and a control system. The operation apparatus is mounted on the traction apparatus with a main body frame and is towed behind the traction apparatus. The operation apparatus includes a rotary tillage furrowing system, a system for slightly preparing soil and opening narrow furrows, a planting system, and a soil covering compacting system which are arranged successively from front to back. The planting system includes more than one planting unit. In the present disclosure, the fully-automatic transplanting combined machine is capable of orderly performing rotary tillage, cleaning stubble, leveling a border check, opening a furrow, cutting narrow slits, transplanting, covering soil, compacting soil in untilled soil at one process, so as to create the soil requirements for high-speed transplanting of blanket seedlings such as rape and other crops.

An agricultural row unit for use with a towing frame hitched to a tractor includes an attachment frame adapted to be rigidly connected to the towing frame, a linkage pivotably coupled to the attachment frame, and a row unit frame having a leading end pivotably coupled to the linkage to permit vertical pivoting movement of the row unit frame relative to the attachment frame. A hydraulic cylinder coupled to the attachment frame and the linkage, for urging the row unit frame downwardly toward the soil, includes a movable ram extending into the cylinder, and a hydraulic-fluid cavity within the cylinder for receiving pressurized hydraulic fluid for advancing the ram in a direction that pivots the linkage and the row unit frame downwardly toward the soil. An accumulator positioned adjacent to the hydraulic cylinder has a fluid chamber containing a diaphragm, with the portion of the chamber on one side of the diaphragm being connected to the hydraulic-fluid cavity in the hydraulic cylinder, and the portion of the chamber on the other side of the diaphragm containing a pressurized gas.

An apparatus, which may be a tillage apparatus, is disclosed that may have a flexible frame. The frame may be made from open members. The frame may support ground engagers and may be supported on wheel assemblies. The ground engagers may be connected to a spring trip mechanism. The ground engagers may be mounted to open members of the frame with a clamping style mechanism. The clamp mechanism may include wedge devices. The frame may be lowered and raised relative to wheels of the wheel assemblies with a lift mechanism. One row of ground engagers may be raised or lowered relative to the frame independent of another row of ground engagers. An anti-skid or skew control system may be employed in association with the independent height adjustment of one row of ground engagers. A system may be provided to maintain and control the height of a tow hitch forming part of the apparatus.

An apparatus, which may be a tillage apparatus, is disclosed that may have a flexible frame. The frame may be made from open members. The frame may support ground engagers and may be supported on wheel assemblies. The ground engagers may be connected to a spring trip mechanism. The ground engagers may be mounted to open members of the frame with a clamping style mechanism. The clamp mechanism may include wedge devices. The frame may be lowered and raised relative to wheels of the wheel assemblies with a lift mechanism. One row of ground engagers may be raised or lowered relative to the frame independent of another row of ground engagers. An anti-skid or skew control system may be employed in association with the independent height adjustment of one row of ground engagers. A system may be provided to maintain and control the height of a tow hitch forming part of the apparatus.

The active coulter system includes a pivotable support structure that vertically adjusts the position of an active coulter component to compensate for changes in the contour of a target field. In the preferred embodiment, a proximity sensor and an associated controller are in electronic communication with a linear actuator assembly. Based on data from the proximity sensor, the controller sends electronic instructions to the linear actuator assembly to automatically move the active coulter component vertically. The system also optionally includes a torque/speed sensor that can operate independently to control the torque and/or power supplied to the active coulter component, or the sensor can interface with the controller and anticipate changes in power needs and increase/decrease power before the operation of the active coulter component is affected.

A blade trip system which allows a blade to adjust upwardly to safely pass over an obstruction and then revert downwardly after passing over the obstruction without damaging the blade or frame. The blade trip system generally includes a coupler connected to an implement; with the implement being adapted to traverse a ground surface. An arm may be rotatably connected at its first end to the coupler. The second end of the arm may be connected to a blade; with the blade being adapted to cut the ground surface. A biasing device connected between the arm and coupler is adapted to bias the arm away from the coupler. The arm is adapted to rotate upwardly toward the coupler to a raised position when the blade contacts an obstruction in the ground surface and rotate downwardly away from the coupler to a lowered position after the blade has passed over the obstruction.