A01B21/08

System and method for detecting a plug of a tool of a tillage implement
11558990 · 2023-01-24 · ·

A system for detecting the operational status of a ground engaging tool of a tillage implement including an agricultural implement including a frame and a tool assembly supported relative to the frame. The ganged tool assembly includes a toolbar coupled to the frame and one or more ground engaging tools coupled to the toolbar. The system further includes a sensor coupled to the tool assembly and configured to capture data indicative of a load acting on the one or more ground engaging tools. Additionally, the system includes a controller configured to monitor the data received from the sensor and compare at least one monitored value associated with the load acting on the ground engaging tool(s). Moreover, the controller is further configured to identify the ground engaging tool(s) as being plugged when the monitored value(s) differs from the predetermined threshold value.

Curved cultivating disc with a straight cutting edge portion
11540434 · 2023-01-03 · ·

A cultivating disc for a tillage implement includes an attachment portion positioned at a radial center of the cultivating disc. The attachment portion includes one or more attachment features configured to couple the cultivating disc to the tillage implement about an axis of rotation of the cultivating disc. The attachment portion extends along a first plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the cultivating disc. The cultivating disc also includes a cutting edge portion positioned at a distal end of the cultivating disc relative to the axis of rotation. The cutting edge portion extends along a second plane parallel to the first plane. The cultivating disc further includes a curved connecting portion positioned between and connecting the attachment portion to the cutting edge portion. The curved connecting portion further defines one or more radii of curvature.

Rail roller pin gang adjustment system

A tillage machine includes a main frame, a gang rotatably coupled to the main frame, and an arcuately-shaped adjustment rail coupled to the main frame. At least a portion of the adjustment rail is spaced from the main frame. The adjustment rail includes a plurality of apertures each configured to receive a locking structure, and the adjustment rail defines an open space adjacent the main frame.

Rail roller pin gang adjustment system

A tillage machine includes a main frame, a gang rotatably coupled to the main frame, and an arcuately-shaped adjustment rail coupled to the main frame. At least a portion of the adjustment rail is spaced from the main frame. The adjustment rail includes a plurality of apertures each configured to receive a locking structure, and the adjustment rail defines an open space adjacent the main frame.

AUTOMATED TILLAGE DISK GANG ANGLE ADJUSTMENT
20220386519 · 2022-12-08 ·

A tillage implement includes a frame, at least one sensor carried by the frame and configured to measure a property of soil, and at least one gang assembly carried by the frame and following the at least one sensor. Each gang assembly carries a plurality of disc blades. An adjustment mechanism is operable to change an operating parameter of the gang assembly responsive to the measured property of the soil. A method of working an agricultural field includes detecting a property of soil in the agricultural field using at least one sensor carried by a tillage implement and adjusting an operating parameter of at least one gang assembly carried by the tillage implement. The gang assembly follows the sensor as the tillage implement traverses the field. The operating parameter of the gang assembly is based at least in part on the property detected by the sensor.

AUTOMATED TILLAGE DISK GANG ANGLE ADJUSTMENT
20220386519 · 2022-12-08 ·

A tillage implement includes a frame, at least one sensor carried by the frame and configured to measure a property of soil, and at least one gang assembly carried by the frame and following the at least one sensor. Each gang assembly carries a plurality of disc blades. An adjustment mechanism is operable to change an operating parameter of the gang assembly responsive to the measured property of the soil. A method of working an agricultural field includes detecting a property of soil in the agricultural field using at least one sensor carried by a tillage implement and adjusting an operating parameter of at least one gang assembly carried by the tillage implement. The gang assembly follows the sensor as the tillage implement traverses the field. The operating parameter of the gang assembly is based at least in part on the property detected by the sensor.

SEEDBED FLOOR CONDITIONER
20230095347 · 2023-03-30 · ·

A tilling implement includes a frame having a front and a rear. The tilling implement also includes a first row of disc blades coupled to the frame adjacent the front. The tilling implement further includes a rolling seedbed floor conditioner coupled to the frame adjacent the rear and behind the first row of disc blades, wherein the rolling seedbed floor conditioner includes a plurality of blades, the plurality of blades are indexed to the first row of disc blades, and the rolling seedbed floor conditioner is configured to till the soil between disc blades of the first row of disc blades to smooth a seedbed floor below a soil surface.

Tillage implement with vision sensors

A control system for a tillage implement broadly includes front and rear sensors, a leveling assembly, and a controller. The front sensor is positioned on a front of a central section, wherein the front sensor is configured to obtain height information indicative of a height of the front of the central section above a ground. The rear sensor is positioned on a rear of the central section, wherein the rear sensor is configured to obtain height information indicative of a height of the rear of the central section above the ground. The leveling assembly is configured to adjust a front to rear orientation of the central section. The controller is configured to receive the height information from the front sensor and the height information from the rear sensor, and to provide instructions to the leveling assembly to adjust the front to rear orientation of the central section based on the received height information.

System and method for identifying plugging of ground engaging tools based on tool weight
11650095 · 2023-05-16 · ·

A system for identifying plugging within an agricultural implement is provided. The system includes a ground engaging tool configured to be supported by the agricultural implement. A weight sensor is operable to measure a weight of one or both of the ground engaging tool and the agricultural implement. A controller is communicatively coupled to the weight sensor. The controller is configured to receive, from the weight sensor, a signal that corresponds to the weight of one or both of the ground engaging tool and the agricultural implement. The controller is further configured to determine when the ground engaging tool is plugged based at least in part on the signal from the weight sensor.

Robotic platform and method for operating perpendicular to crop rows on agricultural fields

A multi-lobed wheel adapted to be mounted to an agricultural platform for traversal of an agricultural field generally traverse to adjacent rows of planted crops without crushing the individual plants. The multi-lobed wheel having a wheel hub including a central axis on which the multi-lobed wheel is configured to rotate and a plurality of spaced apart lobes defining an outer perimeter configured to make ground engaging contact with the agricultural field, the outer perimeter including structure presenting a plurality of gaps between the plurality of spaced apart lobes, the gaps shaped and sized to provide sufficient clearance for individual plants within a planted crop row so as to enable the multi-lobed wheel to pass over a planted crop row without crushing the individual plants therein.