A soil apparatus (e.g., seed firmer) having a locking system is described herein. In one embodiment, the soil apparatus includes a lower base portion for engaging in soil of an agricultural field, an upper base portion, and a neck portion having protrusions to insert into the lower base portion of a base and then lock when a region of the upper base portion is inserted into the lower base portion and this region of the upper base portion presses the protrusions to lock the neck portion to the upper base portion.

A row unit for a seeding machine. The row unit includes a frame, a ground following device coupled to the frame, a furrow following device coupled to the frame, and a position sensor assembly having a first position sensor configured to detect movement of the ground following device relative to the frame, and a second position sensor configured to detect movement of the furrow following device relative to the frame.

An agricultural tool unit includes a tool configured to engage the ground and a mounting device. The mounting device supports the tool and presents a device opening configured to receive the frame member. The mounting device includes driving and driven cam elements, with the driven cam element defining at least part of the device opening. The mounting device further includes a cam element shifter operable to selectively impart relative shifting of the cam elements in a first direction. The cam elements present respective cam surfaces that are complementally shaped and slidably engaged with one another to define a cam interface, with the cam interface extending transversely to the first direction such that the driven cam element is moved in a transverse second direction when the cam elements are relatively shifted by the cam element shifter. The driven cam element is configured to adjustably exert a force against the frame member when moving in the second direction.

A row unit for a seeding machine. The row unit includes a frame, a gauge wheel arm pivotally coupled to the frame, a gauge wheel coupled to the gauge wheel arm, a position sensor assembly having a position sensor configured to detect a rotational position of the gauge wheel arm, and a controller coupled to the position sensor. The controller is configured to receive a signal from the position sensor and to provide an alert based on the signal.

A row unit for a seeding machine. The row unit includes a frame, a first gauge wheel arm pivotally coupled to the frame, a first gauge wheel coupled to the first gauge wheel arm, a second gauge wheel arm pivotally coupled to the frame, a second gauge wheel coupled to the second gauge wheel arm, and a position sensor assembly having a position sensor at least partially disposed between the first gauge wheel arm and the second gauge wheel arm such that the position sensor is at least partially concealed from view between the first and second gauge wheels when viewing the row unit along an axis of rotation of the first gauge wheel.

An agricultural implement system includes a down force cylinder configured to apply a downward force to a row unit, and a depth control cylinder configured to vary a penetration depth of a ground engaging tool of the row unit. The agricultural implement system also includes a valve assembly in fluid communication with the down force cylinder and the depth control cylinder. The valve assembly is configured to automatically adjust the downward force by varying fluid pressure within the down force cylinder based on fluid pressure within the depth control cylinder.

A coulter assembly for an agricultural implement. The coulter assembly includes a support structure and a disc blade rotatably mounted to the support structure. The coulter assembly also includes a spring assembly coupled to the support structure and configured to urge the disc blade into soil. The spring assembly includes a variable rate spring.

An apparatus, which may be a tillage apparatus, is disclosed that may have a flexible frame. The frame may be made from open members. The frame may support ground engagers and may be supported on wheel assemblies. The ground engagers may be connected to a spring trip mechanism. The ground engagers may be mounted to open members of the frame with a clamping style mechanism. The clamp mechanism may include wedge devices. The frame may be lowered and raised relative to wheels of the wheel assemblies with a lift mechanism. One row of ground engagers may be raised or lowered relative to the frame independent of another row of ground engagers. An anti-skid or skew control system may be employed in association with the independent height adjustment of one row of ground engagers. A system may be provided to maintain and control the height of a tow hitch forming part of the apparatus.

An apparatus, which may be a tillage apparatus, is disclosed that may have a flexible frame. The frame may be made from open members. The frame may support ground engagers and may be supported on wheel assemblies. The ground engagers may be connected to a spring trip mechanism. The ground engagers may be mounted to open members of the frame with a clamping style mechanism. The clamp mechanism may include wedge devices. The frame may be lowered and raised relative to wheels of the wheel assemblies with a lift mechanism. One row of ground engagers may be raised or lowered relative to the frame independent of another row of ground engagers. An anti-skid or skew control system may be employed in association with the independent height adjustment of one row of ground engagers. A system may be provided to maintain and control the height of a tow hitch forming part of the apparatus.

An implement for preparing a seed bed has a front row of vertical discs, followed by three rows of shanks, followed by harrows and then rolling baskets. A hydraulic cylinder is mounted between each shank and the implement frame and exerts a constant selected trip bias force on the shanks that is adjustable up to 1300 pounds. The implement frame is configured such that a total weight on the wheels when the ground engaging tools are in the raised transport position is greater than about 850 pounds per foot of width of the implement frame. The implement is towed at speeds of at least seven miles per hour with the shanks penetrating the soil to a depth of three inches or more. Residue is cut and buried and the field surface left firm and smooth.