A remotely positionable stabilizer wheel arrangement for a towable agricultural implement utilizes an electronic control unit that receives an input signal indicative of a desired position of the stabilizer wheel, and/or a desired depth of penetration of tillage tools operatively attached to the front and rear of the implement frame, to automatically control an electrically powered linear actuator of the remotely positionable stabilizer wheel arrangement to position and hold the stabilizer wheel at the desired position of the stabilizer wheel.

An autonomous farm vehicle is provided. In a preferred embodiment the vehicle is a plow, which is capable of driving itself without input from an operator. The plow is significantly lighter in weight and smaller in size then a combined tractor and plow, and can be operated continuously. The vehicle, includes a chassis mounted on a plurality of wheels and a tool in the form of a plowing assembly mounted to the chassis and displaceable about the chassis between a first and a second position, such that in the first position the plowing assembly is operational while the vehicle is driven in a first direction. In the second position the plowing assembly is operational while the vehicle is driven in a second direction substantially opposite to the first direction.

A system, apparatus and method for providing task-specific ride-height and speed control in a self-propelled agricultural product applicator utilize a controllable ride-height trailing arm suspension system, including an extensible air strut and an angular position sensor, for independently joining each wheel to a frame of the applicator. An electronic control unit utilizes the angular positions detected by the sensors, in conjunction with a desired task input, to control the air struts in a manner providing a ride-height corresponding to the desired task input. The electronic control unit also controls maximum speed of the applicator for each task, per a predetermined schedule, or in response to a suspended load of the applicator.

A system, apparatus and method for providing task-specific ride-height control in a self-propelled agricultural product applicator utilize a controllable ride-height trailing arm suspension system for independently joining each wheel to a frame of the applicator. Each trailing arm suspension system includes upper and lower suspension arms, an extensible air strut, and an angular position sensor operatively interconnected to one another and disposed between a rolling axis of the ground engaging wheel independently supported by that suspension system and a point of attachment of the suspension system to the frame, such that the position sensor detects a relative angular position between the upper and lower suspension arms at a present extension of the air strut. An electronic control unit utilizes the angular positions detected by the sensors, in conjunction with a desired task input, to control the air struts in a manner providing a ride-height corresponding to the desired task input.

A system, apparatus and method for controlling the height of a frame of a self-propelled high ground clearance, agricultural product applicator above a ground surface utilize a trailing link suspension system including an extensible air strut, for connecting ground engaging wheels of the applicator to the frame of the applicator. The trailing arm suspension system includes an upper suspension arm attached to the frame, a lower suspension arm providing sole support of a ground engaging wheel attached to the lower arm, and the extensible air strut interconnected between the upper and lower arms. Height of the applicator above the ground surface is controlled by regulating a flow of pressurized air to the air strut, to thereby control extension of the air strut.

A system, apparatus and method for detecting and controlling the height of a frame of a self-propelled agricultural product applicator above a ground surface utilize a trailing link suspension system including an angular position sensor and extensible air strut, for connecting ground engaging wheels of the applicator to the frame of the applicator. Height of the applicator above the ground surface is determined by measuring relative angular rotation of upper and lower suspension arms of the suspension system about a suspension pivot axis, using the angular position sensor. Height is controlled by regulating a flow of pressurized air to the air strut, to thereby control extension of the air strut in a manner that controls a frame to axle, ride-height, distance of the suspension system.

A disc blade angle control system for a tillage implement includes a disc blade angle adjustment assembly configured to adjust an angle of a disc blade of the tillage implement relative to a horizontal plane of the tillage implement. The disc blade is configured to engage soil and to break up a top layer of the soil.

A disc blade angle control system for an agricultural implement includes a controller having a memory and a processor. The controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of a side load applied to a disc blade of the agricultural implement. The disc blade is configured to engage soil, and the side load corresponds to a force applied to the disc blade along an axis parallel to a rotational axis of the disc blade. The controller is also configured to control an actuator to adjust an angle of the disc blade based on the side load.

An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the as collected condition without drying or grinding. The system generally includes a sample preparation sub-system which receives soil samples collected by a probe collection sub-system and produces a slurry (i.e. mixture of soil, vegetation, and/or manure and water), and a chemical analysis sub-system which processes the prepared slurry samples for quantifying multiple analytes and/or chemical properties of the sample. The sample preparation and chemical analysis sub-systems can be used to analyze soil, vegetation, and/or other samples. A soil collection system is disclosed which captures and directs samples to the sampling system for processing.

A control system for multiple row units of an agricultural implement includes a controller configured to selectively enable automatic downforce control for at least one controllable ground-engaging tool of each row unit that is within a work zone of an agricultural field. The automatic downforce control for the at least one controllable ground-engaging tool includes controlling a downforce of the at least one controllable ground-engaging tool such that the downforce is within a threshold range of a respective target downforce. In addition, the controller is configured to selectively disable the automatic downforce control for the at least one controllable ground-engaging tool of each row unit that is within a no-work zone of the agricultural field, or selectively adjust the respective target downforce for the at least one controllable ground-engaging tool of each row unit that is within the no-work zone of the agricultural field.