Abstract: In one aspect, a crop input applicator is provided. In one aspect, the applicator comprises a valve (e.g., voice coil valve) disposed to deposit liquid on or near a seed furrow and/or on or near a seed. In one aspect, the applicator includes one or more seed sensors disposed to detect passage of seeds.

Abstract: A system for managing material accumulation relative to an agricultural implement may include a ground engaging tool supported on an agricultural implement and an infrared sensor having a field of view directed towards the ground engaging tool. The infrared sensor may be configured to generate data indicative of a temperature gradient of field materials at the ground engaging tool. A controller of the system may be communicatively coupled to the infrared sensor. The controller may monitor the data received from the infrared sensor and determine a presence of material accumulation relative to the ground engaging tool based at least in part on the temperature gradient of the field materials at the ground engaging tool.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a row unit, comprising an upright frame portion comprising front and rear-facing sides, the front facing side configured to be coupled to a tool bar; a fore and aft extending frame coupled on one end to the rear-facing side, the fore and aft extending frame operably coupled to one or more disc openers and plural gauge wheels; a pair of arms pivotably and independently coupled to the fore and aft extending frame; a pair of closing wheels, each operably coupled to one of the pair of arms; and a pair of down force components, each coupled between the upright frame and the one of the pair of arms.

Abstract: A system for detecting plugging of an agricultural implement includes a frame member and a ground-engaging tool rotatably coupled to the frame member. The ground-engaging tool is configured to engage soil within a field as the agricultural implement is moved across the field. The system also includes a tool scraper positioned relative to the ground-engaging tool such that the tool scraper is configured to remove field materials from the tool as the tool engages the soil. Moreover, the system includes a sensor configured to detect a parameter indicative of a load on the tool scraper and a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor. The controller is configured to monitory the load on the tool scraper based on data received from the sensor and determine when the tool is experiencing a plugged condition based at least in part on the monitored load.

Abstract: A single-grain seeder for introducing seeds into soil, including a singulating member which is suitable for singulating seeds supplied from a storage container and for dispensing the seeds individually, wherein the single-grain seeder has an application unit for applying a dressing agent to a singulated seed, wherein the application unit is arranged with respect to the singulating member in such a manner that the dressing agent is applied to a seed after the seed has been singulated and prior to the seed being dispensed from the singulating member.

Abstract: In one aspect, a system for monitoring soil composition within a field using an agricultural machine may include a ground-engaging tool configured to rotate relative to soil within a field as the agricultural machine is moved across the field. The ground-engaging tool may, in turn, include a tooth defining a cavity therein, with the cavity including an opening. Furthermore, the system may include a sensor positioned within the cavity, with the sensor configured emit an output signal through the opening for reflection off of the soil within the field. The sensor may also be configured to detect the reflected output signal as a return signal, with a parameter of the return signal being indicative of a soil composition of the soil within the field.

Abstract: A system for detecting the operational status of a seed-planting implement. The system includes a row unit including a frame and a residue removal device coupled to the frame. The residue removal device is configured to remove residue from a path of the row unit. The system further includes a sensor configured to capture data indicative of at least one of a position or an acceleration of the residue removal device. The system further includes a controller configured to monitor the data received from the sensor and compare at least one monitored value associated with the at least one of the position or the acceleration of the residue removal device to a predetermined threshold value set for the residue removal device. The controller is further configured to identify the residue removal device as being plugged when the at least one monitored value differs from the predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: Depth of penetration of a soil coulter is detected using a sensor being mounted on the side of the disk adjacent the edge such that the sensor as the disk rotates is located above the surface of the soil during a first part of its rotation and is located below the surface during a second part of its rotation. The sensor issues a signal which changes in response to whether the sensor is above or below the soil surface which is received by a controller which calculates from the signal a first time when the sensor enters below the soil surface and a second time when the sensor departs the soil surface and calculates from the first and second times the depth of penetration of the coulter in the soil. The system can also detect variations in depth indicative of a value of surface roughness.

Abstract: A seed supply system includes a singulating meter with a seed reservoir pressurized to a meter pressure that is in a desired pressure range. A seed supply air stream carries seeds dispensed from a nurse tank to an air release assembly located above the singulating meter. As seeds are metered from the seed reservoir at a rate less than the rate seeds are dispensed from the nurse tank seeds accumulate in the air release assembly. The pressure of the seed supply air stream at the top of the seed column fluctuates and a barrier is operative to resist air flow between the air release assembly and the seed reservoir sufficiently to maintain the meter pressure in the desired meter pressure range. The barrier can be provided for example by an airlock or a column of seed in a drop tube between the air release assembly and the seed reservoir.

Abstract: The invention relates to an agricultural seeding machine, in particular to a straw crushing and inter-furrow collecting-mulching no-tillage seeder. A straw-crushing device, a guide device, a fertilizer discharging device, and a furrowing and seeding device are sequentially arranged on a rack from front to back. According to the guide device, a plurality of straw-crushing guide assemblies having installation positions capable of being horizontally adjusted are arranged on an adjustment crossbeam, are in a prow shape, and each consist of a rear vertical back plate formed with a fertilization port, and two front symmetrical oblique guide plates. Straw is orderly spread on straw mulching belts between seeding belts while being crushed within the working range, and thus, the seeding belts are free of straw obstacles. The straw crushing and inter-furrow collecting-mulching no-tillage seeder is high in working integrity, easy to assemble, and low in energy consumption.

Abstract: A placing unit for a seed drill includes at least two furrow-opening disks and at least two devices for delivery of particulate products from at least one reservoir, the respective ejection outlets of which are situated between the two opener disks in a manner mutually offset along the direction of advance. The placing unit also includes a body carrying the disks and devices. The placing unit includes an elongated assembly for firming of the product or products deposited at the bottom of the furrow, and an interface for linking with the body for the seed-firming assembly, which includes an end for fixation with the interface and an opposite bracing end. The linking interface includes at least two fixation sites for the corresponding end of the assembly, offset longitudinally relative to one another along the direction of advance.

Abstract: An agricultural machine for performing a cultivation operation on a field with plants in a regular, non-square pattern, in parallel, linear rows with a first transverse distance between adjacent rows in a first direction being smaller than a second transverse distance between adjacent rows in a second direction different from the first direction. The agricultural machine is connected to a first set of work units with lateral distances between adjacent work units of the first set of work units corresponding to the first distance, and to a second set of work units which are adapted to be inoperative during operation of the agricultural machine in the first direction and adapted to be operative during operation of the agricultural machine in the second direction to cover the areas between adjacent rows which cannot be treated with the work units of the first set of the work units.

Abstract: An endless seed delivery belt includes an inner surface, and an undulating outer surface. The undulating outer surface defines a plurality of alternating, and regularly-spaced peaks and troughs where each peak corresponds to a flight and each space between adjacent peaks defines a cavity that is generally sized and shaped to accommodate one seed. In some implementations, the endless seed delivery belt has a seed ejector between each pair of adjacent flights.

Abstract: A tool for tilling and comminuting in a tool carrier with rotor which is rotatable about the rotor axis, the tool is received in a receptacle of the tool carrier arranged on the rotor. The receptacle is formed by a first face provided in the cutting direction and second face on which the tool is fastened by means of its face which faces away from the cutting direction, the tool has a body which has an end face in the direction of rotation of the rotor and a rear face opposite the end face. The rear face is inclined by 1° to 10° with respect to the end face and the tool is braced and held between the face in the cutting direction of the receptacle and the face of the receptacle that faces away from the cutting direction, play is left between the tool and receptacle base.

Abstract: A single disk fertilizer opener assembly for opening a trench in soil includes a frame support and a cutting disk for forming the trench. The cutting disk is coupled to an axle and rotates about the axle as the assembly moves in a working direction. The assembly also includes a first arm pivotally coupled to the frame support and the axle, and a second arm pivotally coupled to the frame support at a location spaced from the first arm. A bracket is coupled to the axle and the second arm, and a scraper is coupled to the bracket and disposed substantially perpendicularly to the working direction.

Abstract: A scraper assembly of an agricultural row unit includes an inner scraper configured to engage an inner surface of a disc. The scraper assembly also includes a fastener configured to couple the inner scraper to an outer scraper configured to engage an outer surface of the disc. In addition, the inner scraper has an engagement feature configured to contact the outer scraper and/or a frame of the agricultural row unit to block rotation of the inner scraper about the fastener relative to the outer scraper.

Abstract: An agricultural seeding machine includes a trench closer assembly and a sensing device configured to sense an aspect of the soil without contacting the soil and to output a sensed signal corresponding to the aspect of the soil. A processing device processes the sensed signal to generate a processed sensed signal, and compares a characteristic of the processed sensed signal to a stored signal characteristic representative of a soil condition. A trench closure quality metric is determined and provided via a user interface. Additionally, in response to and based upon the comparison, the processing device may automatically adjust the force applied to the soil by the soil contacting member. In this manner, the seeding machine utilizes a feedback signal to determine how well a trench is closed and can adjust the performance of the trench closer assembly in accordance with that feedback.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a nut planter tool comprising an elongate drop tube fixed to a dig tube. The dig tube is spaced from the drop tube with each having generally parallel central axes. A plunger assembly comprises a plunger at an inferior end that translates within the dig tube. The tool ergonomically removes a soil core that is larger than the diameter of the tree nut, delivers the nut from an ergonomic height to a proper depth for germination; and replaces the soil core, covering the tree nut. The device is utilized standing upright thus eliminating the physical labor of bending over and reducing typical nut planting time.