A soil apparatus (e.g., a knife) to engage in soil is described herein. In one embodiment, the soil apparatus includes a soil engaging portion to engage with soil and a plurality of sensors disposed in the soil apparatus. Each sensor is independently pivotable to independently position for sensing soil characteristics of soil.

System for adjusting the depth of a trench opened by a row unit (10) of an agricultural planter. The row unit (10) includes a trench depth adjustment assembly (90R) configured to modify the trench depth. The trench depth adjustment assembly (90R) includes a depth adjustment body (3044) pivotally connected via a pivot (92) to a frame member (14) of the row unit (10). An electric motor (3030) is operable to cause rotation of a shaft (3034) operably coupled with the depth adjustment body (3044), whereby rotation of the shaft (3034) causes the depth adjustment body (3044) to pivotally move about the pivot (92) thereby changing a position of contact of the depth adjustment body (3044) with a gauge wheel arm (54), thus changing the amount of upward travel of the gauge wheel (50) with respect to a trench opening disc (62) and thus the depth of the trench.

A calibration block provides a deck with a slot for receiving a first plate for supporting a distal end of the planter unit when setting its gauge wheels, whereby the first plate is flush with the deck at a predefine distance from the soil. The calibration block also provides a gauge block and associated second plate for increasing the predefined distance.

A sowing coulter for direct and/or mulch sowing includes a coulter body, a tear-open chisel fastened by a fastening device, and coulter blades laterally projecting from the tear-open chisel and provided with front cutting edges, which are arranged in order to create a sowing furrow in the ground. In order to change the penetration depth of the sowing coulter into the ground, the coulter blades are adjustable about a horizontal axis that extends transversely to the direction of travel, and that is fixable in different positions by way of an adjustment device arranged between the tear-open chisel and the coulter body.

A soil imaging system having a work layer sensor disposed on an agricultural implement to generate an electromagnetic field through a soil area of interest as the agricultural implement traverses a field. A monitor in communication with the work layer sensor is adapted to generate a work layer image of the soil layer of interest based on the generated electromagnetic field. The work layer sensor may also generate a reference image by generating an electromagnetic field through undisturbed soil. The monitor may compare at least one characteristic of the reference image with at least one characteristic of the work layer image to generate a characterized image of the work layer of interest. The monitor may display operator feedback and may effect operational control of the agricultural implement based on the characterized image.

An agricultural planting system for controlling the depth of an opener device comprising: an agricultural planter; an opener device mounted on the agricultural planter for engaging the ground of a field; a gauge wheel mounted on the agricultural planter for rotating on the ground of the field; a GPS device coupled to the agricultural planter, the GPS device configured to determine a location of the agricultural planter in the field; and a controller in electrical communication with the agricultural planter and the GPS device, the controller having predetermined settings associated with a map of the field, the controller being configured to select a relative elevation of the opener device and the gauge wheel based at least in part on the location determined by the GPS device, and produce, based on the location, a signal for adjusting the depth of engagement into the ground of the opener device.

An agricultural implement system includes a down force cylinder configured to apply a downward force to a row unit, and a depth control cylinder configured to vary a penetration depth of a ground engaging tool of the row unit. The agricultural implement system also includes a valve assembly in fluid communication with the down force cylinder and the depth control cylinder. The valve assembly is configured to automatically adjust the downward force by varying fluid pressure within the down force cylinder based on fluid pressure within the depth control cylinder.

Work machines, fertilizer opener assemblies for work machines, and methods of operating work machines are disclosed herein. A work machine includes a chassis, a frame, and a fertilizer opener assembly. The frame is coupled to the chassis for movement relative thereto. The fertilizer opener assembly is coupled to the frame to selectively form trenches in the soil for the deposition of fertilizer. The fertilizer opener assembly includes an actuator that is extendable and retractable to vary a length of the actuator and a cutting implement coupled to the actuator. Operation of the actuator drives movement of the cutting implement between a cutting position, in which the cutting implement makes contact with the soil to form trenches therein, and a transport position, in which the cutting implement is raised above the soil.

An agricultural machine includes a main frame, an adjustable frame coupled to the main frame and, a row unit which includes a linking arm coupled to the adjustable frame, and an actuator coupled to the main frame and the adjustable frame. The agricultural machine also includes a controller configured to command the actuator to move to various positions based on signals received from one or more sensors. The one or more sensors are configured to measure one more indicators associated with an actual height of the row unit relative to ground.

An agricultural toolbar has a center section and opposite wings which are horizontally foldable between transport and field positions. The toolbar has a hydraulic system which is very adaptable to many different hydraulically controlled features and options, without sacrificing the primary purpose of the system, which is accurately controlling the operating height of the toolbar, to achieve optimal planting depth of modern precision seed and fertilizer application systems.