A system for controlling the depth of at least one closing wheel in an agricultural row unit for planting seeds in a furrow. The row unit includes a firming device that passes the seeds into the soil at the bottom of the furrow, and at least one closing wheel that is pressed into a side of the furrow to close the furrow over the seeds. A control system senses the depth of the closing wheels in the furrow relative to the depth of the firming device, and adjusts the downward pressure on the closing wheel, based on changes in the sensed depth of the closing wheel, to compensate for changes in the hardness of the soil. The up and down movement of the firming device can be adjusted independently of the movement of the closing wheel. The firming device can include multiple holes through which pressurized air is forced to dislodge any dirt or mud that accumulates on the soil-engaging parts of the firming device, and can be made according to an additive manufacturing process that allows narrow channels to be formed internal to the firming device.

An implement includes a frame having a main section and a wing section pivotally coupled to the main section. A row unit is mounted to the frame wing section to dispense a product to the ground surface. A weight transfer system transfers weight from the frame main section to the frame wing section to reduce the load carried by the main wheel assembly. A row unit downforce system applies a force on the row unit relative to the frame wing section. A pressure transducer measures the force applied by the row unit downforce system and generates a signal indicative of the applied force. A control system operates the weight transfer system in response to the signal from the pressure transducer to assist the row unit downforce system. The control system actuates the weight transfer system to apply an additional force on the frame wing section in response to the signal.

A system for controlling the operation of a seed-planting implement may include a furrow-closing assembly having a closing disc. A controller of the system may be configured to determine when a penetration depth of the closing disc falls outside a predetermined depth range based on data received from a depth sensor. The controller may also be configured to control the operation of an actuator to adjust a down pressure applied to the closing disc to return the monitored penetration depth to within the predetermined depth range. Furthermore, the controller may be configured to determine an operational adjustment to be made to an additional tool of the seed-planting implement based on the adjustment made to the down pressure applied to the closing disc. In addition, the controller may be configured to control the operation of the additional tool to execute the operational adjustment.

An air flow system for an air seeding machine includes a tank configured to store an agricultural commodity, a plenum, conduits, and a blower configured to push air flow through the plenum and the conduits to the tank. The plenum includes a uniformly-sloped side wall and geometric first and second ends bounding the side wall. The plenum further includes bleed ports coupled to bleed conduits and configured to conduct air flow to an interior volume of the tanks. The plenum further includes primary ports coupled to primary conduits and configured to conduct air flow to the tanks. The primary conduits receive commodity from the tanks to be deposited in the soil. The geometry of the plenum facilitates an adequate balance of air flow between the primary and bleed conduits so that the commodity most-effectively enters the air stream conducted by the primary conduits.

In one aspect, a system for detecting plugging of an agricultural implement includes include a frame member and a ground-engaging tool rotatably coupled to the frame member. The ground-engaging tool is configured to engage soil within a field as an agricultural implement is moved across the field. The system also includes a tool scraper positioned relative to the ground-engaging tool such that the tool scraper is configured to remove field materials from the tool as the tool engages the soil. Moreover, the system includes a sensor configured to detect a parameter indicative of a load on the tool scraper and a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor. The controller is configured to monitor the load on the tool scraper based on data received from the sensor and determine when the tool is experiencing a plugged condition based at least in part on the monitored load.

A seed depth device for an agricultural planter includes an electric motor. The seed depth device also includes an actuator driven by the electric motor and arranged to move to a home position. The seed depth device further includes a first stop proximate to the actuator when in the home position. The seed depth device yet further includes at least one controller including a computing processor and a computer readable storage medium configured to control the electric motor. The seed depth device also includes a seed depth auto-learn system at least in-part stored and executed by the at least one controller, the seed depth auto-learn system configured to learn the home position based at least in-part on the actuator stalling upon the first stop, wherein the seed depth auto-learn system is configured to move the actuator a prescribed distance away from the first stop to establish the home position.

Systems, methods and apparatus for controlling the downforce applied to a row unit of an agricultural implement having multiple row units. A downpressure control device in fluid communication with a down chamber of the least one actuator maintains as a selected downpressure, any one of a continuous range of pressures in the downpressure chamber. Pressure in the down chamber tending to oppose pressure in the lift chamber of the at least one actuator.

A system for controlling the speed of a seed-planting implement, the system having: a furrow closing assembly including at least one ground engaging component configured to rotate relative to soil within a field as the seed-planting implement is moved across the field, the furrow closing assembly configured to close a furrow formed in the soil by the seed-planting implement; a sensor configured to capture data indicative of an operational parameter of the furrow closing assembly; and an implement-based controller supported on the seed-planting implement and being communicatively coupled to the sensor, the implement-based controller being configured to initiate control of a drive parameter of a work vehicle configured to tow the seed-planting implement based on sensor data received from the sensor in a manner that adjusts the speed of the seed-planting implement.

Openers for a seeder, configured to be adjustably engaged with a soil surface when in use; each opener having compliance to vertical and lateral excessive forces independently applied to soil-engaging parts: a fertiliser tine, a seed tine, a press wheel, a coulter, and a support wheel. The openers share a hydraulic circuit, linked to each internal frame-lifting ram so that localised rise and fall effects arising from soil surface irregularities are shared, maintaining a mean height. The seed tine of each opener is mechanically coupled to the preceding fertilizer tine and is lifted when the fertilizer tine is displaced. The openers do not require external weight support.

An agricultural implement system having: a row unit coupled to a tool bar of an agricultural implement; an opener system coupled to a chassis of the row unit and configured to engage soil to form a trench; a downforce system configured to apply a downforce to the row unit to adjust a contact force between the row unit and the soil; a soil condition sensor configured to detect a condition of the soil and/or an operational sensor configured to detect operation of the agricultural implement system; a closing system, configured to close the trench created by the opener system; and a controller coupled to the soil condition sensor and/or the operational sensor, wherein the controller is configured to control the downforce system and the closing system in response to feedback from the soil condition sensor and/or the operational sensor.