A row unit includes a blade and a packer arm pivotally coupled to a packer support structure. The row unit also includes a packer wheel rotatably coupled to the packer arm, and configured to rotate across a soil surface to limit a penetration depth of the blade into the soil. The row unit further includes an actuator having a first portion rotatably coupled to the packer arm and a second portion rotatably coupled to the packer support structure, wherein the penetration depth of the blade is controlled by extending and contracting the actuator.

A work vehicle includes a frame and a row unit that is attached to the frame. The row unit includes a gauge wheel and a ground engaging implement. The gauge wheel is configured to ride on the ground surface and maintain the ground engaging implement at a predetermined vertical position with respect to the ground surface. Furthermore, the work vehicle includes a ground support unit that supports the frame for movement across the ground surface. The ground support unit includes an outer face. The outer face includes a non-treaded side area that defines a lateral side of the outer face. The outer face includes a tread area that is spaced laterally from the lateral edge. The tread area includes a plurality of projections. The non-treaded side area is aligned along the travel direction with respect to the gauge wheel.

An adjustable furrow closing assembly that is used to close a seed furrow formed in the soil during a planting operation. The assembly includes a housing that is pivotally coupled to a planting unit. The housing includes an adjustable carrier that pivots within the housing. The adjustable carrier includes first and second closing wheels that are adapted to engage with the soil to close the seed furrow. The assembly also includes a downforce control lever that extends into the housing and is coupled to the adjustable carrier. The housing includes a gate member that including a plurality of slots. The downforce control lever is configured to be moved from one slot to a next slot of the gate to either increase or decrease downforce that is applied to the closing wheels. The slots formed in the gate to allow the gate position to be adjusted with respect to the housing to calibrate downforce on the closing wheels. The furrow closing assembly also includes an adjustment rod that is coupled to the adjustable carrier such that rotation of adjustment rod in a first direction causes movement of the adjustable carrier in a first direction to increase the angle of the closing wheels and rotation of the adjustment rod in a second direction causes movement of the adjustable carrier in a second direction to decrease the angle of the closing wheels.

An agricultural machine includes a main frame, a rotate frame, and a row unit. A control method for the machine includes: selecting at least one of: (i) a desired position-based relationship between a portion of the rotate frame and the row unit, and (ii) a desired downforce of the row unit; determining at least one of: (i) an actual position-based relationship defined between the rearward portion of the rotate frame and the row unit, and (ii) an actual downforce of the row unit; and adjusting at least one of: (i) the actual position-based relationship toward the desired position-based relationship, and (ii) the actual downforce of the row unit toward the desired downforce of the row unit; wherein adjusting the actual position-based relationship and adjusting the actual downforce of the row both include moving the rotate frame relative to the main frame of the agricultural machine.

An agricultural machine includes a main frame, a rotate frame, and a row unit. A control method for the machine includes: selecting at least one of: (i) a desired position-based relationship between a portion of the rotate frame and the row unit, and (ii) a desired downforce of the row unit; determining at least one of: (i) an actual position-based relationship defined between the rearward portion of the rotate frame and the row unit, and (ii) an actual downforce of the row unit; and adjusting at least one of: (i) the actual position-based relationship toward the desired position-based relationship, and (ii) the actual downforce of the row unit toward the desired downforce of the row unit; wherein adjusting the actual position-based relationship and adjusting the actual downforce of the row both include moving the rotate frame relative to the main frame of the agricultural machine.

A control system for controlling the down pressure applied to a soil-engaging component of an agricultural implement includes a down pressure actuator coupled to the soil-engaging component, and an energy storage device and a piston-containing cylinder are coupled to each other by a system containing pressurized fluid. A check valve is coupled between the energy storage device and the down pressure actuator to control the flow of the pressurized fluid from the energy storage device to the cylinder. A controllable relief valve and variable orifice are coupled between the down pressure actuator and the energy storage device to control the flow of the pressurized fluid from the cylinder to the energy storage device. A controller supplies control signals to the relief valve and variable orifice to control the flow of the pressurized fluid from the cylinder to the energy storage device based on the pressure of the pressurized fluid.

An agricultural row unit for use with a towing frame hitched to a tractor includes an attachment frame adapted to be rigidly connected to the towing frame, a linkage pivotably coupled to the attachment frame, and a row unit frame having a leading end pivotably coupled to the linkage to permit vertical pivoting movement of the row unit frame relative to the attachment frame. A hydraulic cylinder coupled to the attachment frame and the linkage, for urging the row unit frame downwardly toward the soil, includes a movable ram extending into the cylinder, and a hydraulic-fluid cavity within the cylinder for receiving pressurized hydraulic fluid for advancing the ram in a direction that pivots the linkage and the row unit frame downwardly toward the soil. An accumulator positioned adjacent to the hydraulic cylinder has a fluid chamber containing a diaphragm, with the portion of the chamber on one side of the diaphragm being connected to the hydraulic-fluid cavity in the hydraulic cylinder, and the portion of the chamber on the other side of the diaphragm containing a pressurized gas.

An apparatus and method for determining uniformity of a tilled surface of a seedbed prepared by a tillage tool of an agricultural tillage implement utilize a seedbed uniformity sensing arrangement including a sensing element having a sensor body adapted for vertically articulating attachment to the implement behind the tillage tool and defining a soil-contact surface configured to bear against the tilled surface. The sensing element includes a vertical position sensor including a strain gauge fixedly attached to the sensor body for generating a surface uniformity signal in response to bending loads imposed on the sensor body by vertical movement of the soil-contact surface as it rides along on the tilled surface. The surface uniformity signal is processed to provide an indication of the general uniformity of the tilled surface, and a surface control signal that is used for controlling operational parameters of the tillage implement.

An arrangement for the control of an actuator (48) for the adjustment of an adjustable element (16) of an agricultural work machine (10) is equipped with a control unit (50) to produce adjustment signals for the adjustable element (16) in the sense of moving to a theoretical position, a control arrangement (62) of the actuator (48), coupled with the adjustable element (16), which receives the adjustment signals of the control unit (50), and a determination device (54) to make available at least one parameter (0), determined with the aid of recorded vibration characteristics of the system consisting of the adjustable element (16) and the work machine (10). The determination device (54) can be operated so as to determine at least one parameter (0) at the successively following time points and to supply it to the control unit (50). The parameter (0) serves to optimize the regulating behavior of the control unit (50).

An adjustable row cleaner includes a row cleaner assembly that functions to clear material from the ground surface. The adjustable row cleaner includes, in one embodiment, a connector that is in mechanical communication with both a row cleaner frame, to which row cleaner wheels may be pivotally mounted, and a first end of a translator member. The translator member may pivot with respect to the row unit frame and/or row unit sub-frame about a translator member pivot. The position of a translator member second end may be manipulated, thereby adjusting the maximum depth to which the row cleaner wheels penetrate the ground surface. The adjustable row cleaner may be powered or manually adjusted, and the position of the row cleaner wheels may be monitored and automatically adjusted via a control system.