An agricultural vehicle having a chassis, wheels, a power unit, and a header. The header has a center section, at least one wing section extending laterally from the center section, and a wing section support. The center section is movable relative to the chassis, the wing section is movable relative to the center section, and the wing support is movable relative to the wing section. The combine has a control system that is configured to determine that the combine is configured to drive at a road-driving speed, and in response to such determination: operate a center section actuator to move the center section to a raised center section position, operate a wing section actuator to move the wing section to a raised wing section position, and operate a wing support actuator to move the wing support to a raised wing support position.

An illustrative smart sprayer for a precision agricultural implement includes a mount for coupling the sprayer to a modular tool arm of the implement, and a spray head, an airflow generator, a solenoid valve, and an inspirator mixer located within a containment shroud. The smart sprayer is one of alternative agricultural tools that can be selectively coupled to and be operated by a control system of the common platform precision agricultural implement, including a machine vision module for identifying and locating commodity plants, non-commodity plants, and positioning the agricultural tools laterally and vertically relative to commodity plant lines.

A dynamic supplemental downforce control system for a planter row unit. The system includes closed-loop feedback circuit that cooperates with a downforce actuator to dynamically control fluid flow to the downforce actuator to maintain balance between the actual gauge wheel downforce and a desired gauge wheel downforce during planting operations.

In one aspect, a method for automatically controlling a height of an implement of an agricultural work vehicle relative to a ground surface may include monitoring, with one or more computing devices, the height of the implement relative to the ground surface. The method may also include determining, with the one or more computing devices, an implement height error by comparing the height of the implement with a predetermined target height. The method may also include calculating, with the one or more computing devices, a proportional signal based on the implement height error raised to a power greater than one. The method may also include adjusting, with the one or more computing devices, the height of the implement relative to the ground surface based on the proportional signal.

An agricultural vehicle-trailer combination includes a traction module including a drive element for engaging in a ground, a working appliance coupled to the traction module by a coupling apparatus, and a folding axle supporting the working appliance relative to the ground at least during a transport mode. A slewing mechanism of the coupling apparatus provides a degree of freedom of rotation between the traction module and the working appliance along a longitudinal axis of the working appliance. A pivot joint provides a degree of freedom of pivoting between the traction module and the working appliance along a vertical axis of the traction module. The pivot joint is adjustable relative to its pivot angle by a steering actuator for influencing the direction of travel of the vehicle-trailer combination.

An orientation control system for an agricultural implement includes a first sensor configured to be positioned at a left end portion of a frame. The first sensor is configured to emit a first output signal toward a soil surface and to receive a first return signal indicative of a first height of the left end portion. The orientation control system also includes a second sensor configured to be positioned at a right end portion of the frame. The second sensor is configured to emit a second output signal toward the soil surface and to receive a second return signal indicative of a second height of the right end portion. In addition, the orientation control system includes a controller configured to control first, second, and third actuators such that a difference between the first height and the second height is less than a threshold value.

An agricultural implement comprising: a ground engaging tool; and an actuator mechanism (366; 466; 566). The actuator mechanism is configured to provide a bias force to the ground engaging tool such that it is biased towards a working position. The agricultural implement also includes a controller that is configured to automatically set the level of the bias force that is provided by the actuator mechanism based on control-data.

A down-pressure system for an agricultural implement has a linear actuator connected between a frame assembly and an opener assembly. A mounting structure for connecting the linear actuator to the opener assembly includes a bushing and an alignment member attached to the linear actuator. The bushing has protrusions extending transversely from opposite sides of a longitudinal axis of the linear actuator. Each protrusion has a curved engagement surface for engaging a flat surface on the opener assembly to prevent bending stresses on the linear actuator when the opener assembly is raised and lowered. The alignment member is arranged to lock the bushing into a predetermined rotational position about a longitudinal axis of the linear actuator relative to the opener assembly. The alignment member comprises a first structure that mates with a corresponding structure on the bushing, and a second structure that engages opposite sides of the opener assembly.

An agricultural machine includes a traveling vehicle body, a position detector to detect a position of the traveling vehicle body, a lifting device to link a working device to the traveling vehicle body, and an automatic operation controller to perform an automatic operation to cause the traveling vehicle body to travel and cause the working device to perform an agricultural job based on a travel route and the position of the traveling vehicle body. The lifting device is operable to, during the automatic operation, place the working device in a work position in which the working device performs the agricultural job, and the automatic operation controller is operable to cause the lifting device to keep the working device in the work position even after stopping the traveling vehicle body and/or the working device to end the automatic operation at a location short of an unworked area of the agricultural field.

A closing wheel assembly is provided for a row unit agricultural planter. The planter is configured to open a trench in the soil and the closing wheel assembly is configured to close the trench. A resilient flap is provided for firming and leveling the soil returned to the trench by the closing wheel assembly. Pivotally mounted offset closing wheels are also provided.