Depth of penetration of a soil coulter is detected using a sensor being mounted on the side of the disk adjacent the edge such that the sensor as the disk rotates is located above the surface of the soil during a first part of its rotation and is located below the surface during a second part of its rotation. The sensor issues a signal which changes in response to whether the sensor is above or below the soil surface which is received by a controller which calculates from the signal a first time when the sensor enters below the soil surface and a second time when the sensor departs the soil surface and calculates from the first and second times the depth of penetration of the coulter in the soil. The system can also detect variations in depth indicative of a value of surface roughness.

A seeding apparatus includes a frame supported on ground-engaging wheels, an opening device for creating a trench, a seed reservoir, and seed dispensing apparatus configured to deposit seed in the trench. The opening device is mounted to the frame by a four-bar linkage having first and second link arms. Each of the first and second link arms is pivotably connected to the frame by respective first and second pivot joints, and to the opening device by respective third and fourth pivot joints disposed forwardly of the first and second pivot joints. The opening device is ‘pushed’ through the soil via the four-bar linkage.

A system for re-calibrating a machine includes an arm having a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The arm is configured to be coupled to a frame of the machine and to move within a range of motion during an active state of the machine. The system includes a target element on the first end of the arm, the target element including an outer surface and a projection extending away from the outer surface. A portion of the outer surface defines an eccentric surface along the target element. The system includes a magnetic field sensor coupled to the frame and configured such that the sensor is operable to detect the projection 1) in response to the arm being positioned outside of the range of motion and concurrently 2) when the machine is not in the active state.

A seed drill having a frame, to which at least one seeding coulter and a fertiliser coulter arranged upstream of the seeding coulter in a working direction are connected. The seeding coulter and the fertiliser coulter are each assigned depth control.

A mounting assembly for a gauge wheel on a row unit allows for infinite lateral adjustment of the gauge relative to an opening disc on the row unit. The mounting assembly includes an arm with a threaded bore extending through a split end of the arm. A threaded bushing is adjustably mounted in the bore and secured in a desired position with a bolt standing through the split end to clamp bushing in position. The split end mounting arm provides a method of quickly and easily adjusting the lateral position of the gauge wheel on the row unit in infinite increments.

A row unit for a seeding machine includes a ground view sensor coupled to the frame. The ground view sensor is operable to sense the furrow and generate depth signals corresponding to actual sensed depth of the furrow. The row unit also includes a controller configured to receive the signals, and a downforce adjustment mechanism coupled to the frame and to the controller. The controller is configured to activate the downforce adjustment mechanism to adjust a downforce on the frame based on the signals received by the controller.

An agricultural implement includes a longitudinally extending frame configured to be coupled to a tractor, a first elongate toolbar extending laterally outward from the frame and carrying a first row unit, a second elongate toolbar extending laterally outward the frame and carrying a second row unit, a first sensor configured to sense a position of the first row unit relative to ground, a second sensor configured to sense a position of the second row unit relative to the ground, a first actuator configured to rotate the first elongate toolbar relative to the frame based at least in part on the sensed position of the first row unit, and an actuator configured to rotate the second elongate toolbar relative to the frame based at least in part on the sensed position of the second row unit. Control systems and related methods are also disclosed.

An implement for working an agricultural field includes a frame and a plurality of row units carried by the frame. Each row unit includes a subframe trailing the frame and connected to the frame by an upper link and a lower link, at least two different ground-engaging tools carried by the subframe, and at least one pneumatic actuator configured to change a length of the upper link or the lower link to keep the ground-engaging tools in contact with ground. A method includes pulling the implement through the agricultural field, maintaining a selected pressure in the pneumatic actuator, and maintaining the ground-engaging tools in contact with the agricultural field.

A row unit for a seeding implement features a coulter disc, an angularly variable link on which the disc is carried, a scraper body supported on the link, and a wing projecting laterally from an outer side of the scraper body. The scraper body is supported in an adjustable manner selectively repositionable into a plurality of differently pitched orientations, relative to the link, about a reference axis that transversely penetrates the disc plane. By adjusting the pitch angle of the scraper body in a local reference frame of the link, one can better achieve a proper effective working orientation of the wing for each of a plurality of differently angulated link positions, each of which corresponds to a different working depth of the row unit. Though this novel adjustability, winged scrapers previously limited to use on parallel link row units can now be effectively used on other row units.