A downforce control system for an agricultural ground engaging unit provides individual control of each agricultural ground engaging row unit by providing a proportional pressure control valve connected to the retracting chamber of a double acting cylinder which varies the upward force produced by the retracting chamber of the cylinder against a constant counteracting downward force produced by an extending chamber of the cylinder, the valve control based on a comparison of a sensed resultant downward force on the agricultural ground engaging row unit and a predetermined target downward force.

A mobile agricultural machine includes a row unit having a furrow opener mounted to the row unit and configured to engage a surface of ground over which the mobile agricultural machine travels to open a furrow in the ground. A furrow closer is mounted to the row unit behind the furrow opener relative to a direction of travel of the mobile agricultural machine and is configured to engage the surface of the ground to close the furrow. An image sensor system is mounted to the row unit and configured to sense characteristics of residue and seeds in the furrow opened by the furrow opener and generate a sensor signal indicative of the characteristics. The mobile agricultural machine can further include a control system configured to generate a residue/seed characteristic indicator corresponding to the sensed characteristics and to generate an action signal to control an action of the mobile agricultural machine based on the residue/seed characteristic indicator.

A control and/or regulating system for an agricultural device includes a distributor linkage for spreading material, such as fertilizer, pesticide or seed, which extends transversely to the direction of travel and has a central part and two lateral arms connected to the central part with a plurality of arm sections which are foldable in towards one another in the transport position and foldable out in the working position and are connected by joints. At least one hydraulic device is associated with each arm. The hydraulic device comprises a hydraulic. The control and/or regulating system comprises a sensor device configured to detect a pressure change occurring at the respective hydraulic and a data processing unit configured to process signals of the sensor device and, on the basis thereof, to generate a control signal for the respective hydraulic device.

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.

One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for application of a supplemental downward force to a ground working implement. A mechanical advantage from a lever arm can be utilized to apply supplemental downforce to a ground working implement. A biasing force can be applied to the lever arm by a spring assembly at various locations. Moving the spring assembly along the lever arm can vary the amount of downward force applied by the lever arm to ground working implement. In some implementations, moving the spring assembly to a different end of the lever arm applies an upward force to a coupled ground working implement.

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 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 downforce control system for an agricultural ground engaging unit provides individual control of each agricultural ground engaging row unit by providing a proportional pressure control valve connected to the retracting chamber of a double acting cylinder which varies the upward force produced by the retracting chamber of the cylinder against a constant counteracting downward force produced by an extending chamber of the cylinder, the valve control based on a comparison of a sensed resultant downward force on the agricultural ground engaging row unit and a predetermined target downward force.

An agricultural row unit having a coulter assembly comprising a pair of gauge wheels and a coulter between the pair of gauge wheels, wherein the coulter is configured to penetrate soil and cut debris. The row unit also having a soil engaging assembly comprising sweep and a seed tube, wherein the sweep is configured to open a seed channel and the seed tube is configured to deposit seeds into the seed channel. The row unit also including a closing assembly configured to replace soil displaced by the coulter and sweep. The row unit configured for independent and optionally automatic variable depth control of the seed channel.

Techniques and/or systems are disclosed for a soil density detection system. The system includes at least one soil-density sensing device disposed on an agricultural implement traveling in a forward direction, the soil-density sensing device being a non-contact sensor configured to detect soil density throughout a target area in front of the agricultural implement and to generate a signal or image representative of the detected soil density. The system includes a control device operatively coupled with the soil-density sensing device and having a processor; a memory device operatively coupled with the processor; and soil density detection logic stored in the memory device of the control device. The soil density detection logic is executable by the processor to determine the soil density throughout the target area. The control device is configured to generate a signal based at least upon the data indicative of the soil density detected throughout the target area.