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.

A lift assembly includes an insert frame between the toolbar and a row unit on agricultural planter. The lift assembly frame includes an actuator which is extended and retracted to raise and lower a pair of arms engaging a crop shaft connected to the parallel link arms of the row unit, to thereby raise and lower the row unit between planting and non-planting positions. With one of the lift assemblies associated with each row unit, the row units can be selectively raised and lowered for varied planting operations.

This document discloses a row unit (2) for feeding granular material to the ground. The row unit has a seed furrow-opener, which has a seed furrow-opening arm (21) carrying a seed disc (22). The seed furrow-opening arm has a proximal portion, in which the seed furrow-opening arm is pivotable about a first geometrical axis (Rb) and a distal portion, to which the seed disc is rotatably attached. The row unit has a depth regulator, which has a depth-regulating arm (31) carrying a gauge wheel (32). The depth-regulating arm (31) is pivotable about a second geometrical axis (Ra) which is concentric with a centre of rotation for the seed disc. The row unit comprises a first adjusting device for setting the height of the gauge wheel (32) in relation to the seed disc (22). The first adjusting device comprises a lever (34), which is fixedly connected to the depth-regulating arm, a depth-regulating driver arm (36) pivotable at the first geometrical axis, and a control link (35), which connects distal portions of the lever (34) and the depth-regulating driver arm (36), so that the pivotal position of the lever is controllable by pivoting the depth-regulating driver arm. The document also discloses agricultural implements comprising such row units and methods for operating agricultural implements.

In one aspect, a system for providing downforce control includes a seeder including a plurality of row units. One or more actuators are operably coupled with the plurality of row units and configured to adjust a downforce of the plurality of row units. A sensor is configured to detect one or more seeding parameters. A computing system is configured to control the operation of the plurality of row units. The computing system is further configured to receive an input associated with a target depth range of the row unit into an underlying field, receive data related to one or more seeding parameters, receive data related to an actual seeding depth; generate a command signal based on a differential between the actual seeding depth and the target depth range; and generate a force command for the one or more actuators to adjust a downforce of the plurality of row units.

A ground-opening apparatus for an agricultural implement. The ground-opening apparatus comprises an opening disc for excavating a furrow in the ground, and a support assembly securing the opening disc to the agricultural implement. The support assembly comprises an upper bar, a lower bar, a forward bar, and a rearward bar. The upper bar and the lower bar extend generally in parallel relationship. The lower bar and the rearward bar are joined at a lower, rearward joint. A rotational axis of the opening disc extends through the lower, rearward joint of the support assembly.

An agricultural row unit includes a soil-engaging tool supported from a pivot arm. A sensor generates an output signal relating to an orientation of the pivot arm relative to a frame member. An actuator is configured to applying a down pressure on the soil-engaging tool. A control system in signal communication with the sensor is responsive to the generated output signal to effect a change in applied down pressure on the soil-engaging tool by the actuator. The soil-engaging tool may be a closing wheel or a flap. One or more additional sensors may be provided on gauge wheel arms of the row unit with the control system being responsive to output signals of the additional sensors to effect the change in applied down pressure on the soil-engaging tool by the actuator.

A method to prevent drift in an agricultural implement. Drift is when one side of an agricultural implement is further behind or further ahead of the other side of the agricultural implement in a direction of travel. Drift can be controlled by increasing a downforce on the side that is further ahead, decreasing force on the side that is further behind, or a combination of both. The force can be a moment of force.

A system for adjusting actuator pressure on an agricultural implement includes a fluid-driven actuator configured to adjust a position of a tool of the implement relative to the implement frame, with the fluid-driven actuator defining a fluid chamber. Furthermore, the system includes a valve configured to control a flow of a fluid to the fluid-driven actuator. In addition, the system includes a fluid conduit fluidly coupled between the valve and the fluid chamber. Moreover, the system includes a computing system is configured to determine the current position of the tool relative to the implement frame based on the data captured by a position sensor. Additionally, the computing system is configured to determine a current volume of the fluid chamber and the fluid conduit based on the determined current position. Furthermore, the computing system is configured to control the operation of the valve based on the determined current volume.

A control system for a double-acting air cylinder of an agricultural implement includes a valve assembly configured to control a base end air pressure and a rod end air pressure of the double-acting air cylinder. The control system also includes a controller communicatively coupled to the valve assembly. The controller is configured to determine a target base end air pressure and a target rod end air pressure based on a target force of the double-acting air cylinder and a target damping factor of the double-acting air cylinder. The controller is also configured to control the valve assembly such that a first difference between the base end air pressure and the target base end air pressure is less than a first threshold value and a second difference between the rod end air pressure and the target rod end air pressure is less than a second threshold value.

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.