Abstract: A pivot assembly is provided for attaching a closing wheel frame to a planter. The closing wheel frame has a pair of closing wheels attached at a rear end and a pair of mounting openings formed at a front end. The pivot assembly includes ball bearings having outer races fit loosely within each of the mounting openings of the closing wheel frame. The inner races of the ball bearings are secured to the planter frame using threaded nut and bolt assemblies. The closing wheel frame is pivotal relative to the planter frame during normal operation by relative movement between the inner and outer races of the bearing. Variations of the mounting openings in the closing wheel frame are disclosed, including a tubular part, heavy washer or other annular structure welded to an outside surface of the closing wheel frame, or a bearing housing formed integral with the closing wheel frame.

Abstract: A soil sampling system is provided that allows headspace screening of soil samples at spaced intervals along a soil sample liner without disturbing the soil samples to be collected and shipped to a laboratory for further testing. The soil sample liner includes a plurality of cylindrical liner sections positioned end-to-end in a linear array, with each liner section having a sidewall and open ends. A shrink-wrap material covers the liner sections and holds the liner sections together as an assembled unit. Some of the liner sections have access openings formed in a sidewall thereof for providing access to the soil samples contained therein. The liner sections having access openings are interspersed between other liner sections that do not have access openings. The access openings are used by piercing the shrink-wrap material covering the access opening, and inserting a probe tip through the access opening into a headspace to measure contamination.

Abstract: A soil sampling implement and method have a sampler assembly supported from an implement frame for movement across a field. The sampler assembly includes a tapered cylindrical cutting shoe and a soil collection trough. The cutting shoe has a leading cutting edge arranged for movement through soil in a horizontal direction to cut a cylindrical core sample. A sensing device is provided for measuring at least one soil property. The sampler assembly is moved between a lowered position in which the cutting shoe is positioned at a selected sampling depth, and a raised position in which the cutting shoe is positioned above the soil surface and a soil sample contained in the soil collection trough is brought into contact with the sensing device. A cutting shoe scraper engages and cleans the leading cutting edge of the cutting shoe when the sampler assembly is moved between the lowered and raised positions.

Abstract: A livestock management system is provided that sorts animals for split-weight feeding based on a calculated median weight of a herd. The system includes a pen area partitioned into a first feeding area containing at least a first feeder, a second feeding area containing at least a second feeder, and a common watering area containing at least one waterer. First and second one-way gates are respectively provided between the feeding areas and the watering area allowing animals to pass from the feeding areas into the watering area. A walk-through scale has an inlet open to the watering area, and first and second outlets open to the first and second feeding areas, respectively. The walk-through scale has a sort gate for selectively directing animals into the first and second feeding areas based on a comparison of a detected weight of the animal and a calculated median weight of the herd.

Abstract: A tool tray having a universal support system enables the tool tray to be placed on a variety of working surfaces. The tool tray includes a rectangular platform having a flat surface surrounded by a plurality of upstanding walls. The platform is supported by four legs which are attached to the platform and protrude downwardly therefrom. The legs each have a bottom surface for supporting the platform on a horizontal surface, and a tapered inner side surface for engaging opposite sides of a vehicle tire for supporting the platform on the vehicle tire. The legs are slidably adjustable to accommodate different sizes of vehicle tires. Two detachable socket trays and a detachable parts tray are attached to the platform by respective structures that hook over the upper edges of the platform. Handles are formed at respective opposite ends of the platform to facilitate lifting and carrying the tool tray assembly.

Abstract: A soil sample containment device is provided which allows soil samples to be contained within individual sections of a soil sampler liner. The device includes first and second end caps for covering and sealing the respective ends of the soil sampler liner section. Each end cap has a structure for coupling with the opposite end cap for securing the end caps together. The coupling structure for each end cap includes a hook arm and an eye arm. The hook arm of the first end cap can be coupled with the eye arm of the second end cap to secure the end caps together over the ends of the liner section. A flexible sealing material is provided within each end cap for providing a compression seal between the end caps and the liner section. The liner sections can be formed of different lengths and different materials to accommodate different soil tests.

Abstract: A game calling device capable of producing variable pitched sounds includes a truncated fan-shaped body having a mouthpiece end and a discharge end and multiple bores extending through the body from the mouthpiece end to the discharge end. First and second reed inserts are located in two of the bores and are tuned to produce high and low pitched sounds. A whistle insert is located in a third one of the bores for producing a whistling sound. A mouthpiece having three separate inlet openings is located at the mouthpiece end of the body and can be used to blow air through all three bores simultaneously or one at a time. The three bores extend through the body in a diverging configuration relative to each other from the mouthpiece end toward the discharge end. The reed inserts and whistle insert are held within the respective bores of the body by O-rings.

Abstract: A seed tube guard assembly for agricultural planters has floating wear plates to improve the wear life of the seed tube guard. The assembly includes a support bracket having an upper end attached to a planter shank assembly and a lower end positioned between a pair of opener disks. A seed tube guide extends rearwardly from the support bracket for receiving a lower end of a seed tube. A pair of dowels are pressed into openings in the support bracket and protrude from the sides thereof. A metal ball is press fit into an opening in the support bracket between the dowels with opposite sides of the metal ball protruding from the respective sides of the support bracket. The floating wear plates are supported by the dowels on the respective sides of the support bracket with the metal ball engaging the wear plates at respective fulcrum points between the dowels.

Abstract: A process and apparatus are described for generating electrical energy using grains or other renewable biomass as the fuel, and for producing fertilizer to grow subsequent crops. In the process, a biomass material is incinerated in a firebox of a boiler to power a first turbine to create electricity. An excess air flow is introduced into the firebox to increase NOx production. The oxidation area of the boiler is operated at a temperature exceeding about 2,000° F., and the flue gases are maintained in the high temperature environment for an increased residence time to increase NOx production. The flyash from the incinerated biomass is filtered from the flue gases exhausted from the boiler. The NOx is removed from the filtered flue gases and used to produce a nitrogen fertilizer. The nitrogen fertilizer is blended with the flyash to form a balanced fertilizer product which allows sustainable production of the biomass material.

Abstract: An operating system for towed vehicle electric brakes where an electric signal proportional to the longitudinal force between a tow vehicle and a towed vehicle is used to create an output signal to actuate the brakes of the towed vehicle. The response of the output signal has a non-linear relationship to the difference between the instantaneous longitudinal force value and a target value. In the absence of a longitudinal force signal that fluctuates beyond a specified value from the target value, an alternative signal is created using predefined user values. A preferred embodiment includes a periodically increasing alternative signal with user settings for the rate of the periodic signal increase and for the maximum signal level.

Abstract: A display unit comprising a board (10), a three-primary color-independent optical waveguide (100) arranged and formed on one side thereof, and a transparent electrode (30) and an electrode (40) serving as counter electrodes arranged and formed to sandwich an electric field reaction material (20) formed on one of two optical waveguides constituting the optical waveguide (100) and being transparent to waveguide light, wherein part of the waveguide light is allowed to pass at least the field reaction material (20), and a voltage applied between these counter electrodes changes the shape of the reaction material (20) to scatter the waveguide light and form pixels in to a displayed image, whereby the device is free from a mechanical drive unit, high in reliability, quality, brightness and response speed, low in power consumption and cost, and capable of full color displaying.

Abstract: A sanding block for hand held use has a main body with a bottom side providing a surface for pressing a portion of a circular sheet of sandpaper against an article to be sanded. A first hook and loop-type fastener is secured to the top side of the main body for coupling with a corresponding material covering a backside of the sandpaper. A flap member is secured to the main body and is swingable between first and second positions. A second hook and loop-type fastener is secured to the flap member for coupling with the material covering the backside of the sandpaper. The flap member and the second fastener are arranged to pull the sheet of sandpaper taut across the bottom side when the flap member is moved from its first position to its second position. A closure system is provided for holding the flap member in its second position.

Abstract: A GPS-based control system for irrigation systems includes a power supply, a nonvolatile memory for storing a first set of coordinates corresponding to a reference position for the irrigation system, circuitry for receiving GPS data and using the data to generate a second set of coordinates corresponding to a current position of the irrigation system, and a microprocessor for calculating the azimuth and the distance between the reference position and the current position using the first and second sets of coordinates. The control system communicates with a main controller of the irrigation system to control a function of the irrigation system, such as stopping, reversing, end gun operation, application rate, or other auxiliary output, at a selected distance or azimuth value of the current position relative to the reference position. The control system can be used with either a center pivot irrigation system or a linear move irrigation system.

Abstract: A pivot assembly is provided for attaching a closing wheel frame to a planter. The closing wheel frame has a pair of closing wheels attached at a rear end and a pair of mounting openings formed at a front end. The pivot assembly includes ball bearings having outer races fit loosely within each of the mounting openings of the closing wheel frame. The inner races of the ball bearings are secured to the planter frame using threaded nut and bolt assemblies. The closing wheel frame is pivotal relative to the planter frame during normal operation by relative movement between the inner and outer races of the bearing. Variations of the mounting openings in the closing wheel frame are disclosed, including a tubular part, heavy washer or other annular structure welded to an outside surface of the closing wheel frame, or a bearing housing formed integral with the closing wheel frame.

Abstract: A furrow closing wheel for an agricultural seeder has a center body portion and spokes extending radially outwardly from the body portion. The spokes each have a base attached to the body portion and a blunt tip located radially outwardly thereof. The blunt tip of each spoke has a circumferential length which is 1 to 6 times larger than a thickness of the blunt tip. The spokes each have a substantially constant thickness of about 0.1 to 0.5? from the base to the blunt tip, and are tapered such that a circumferential length of the base of each spoke is 1.5 to 5 times larger than the circumferential length of the blunt tip. The spokes are 0.8 to 1.8 inches long in a radial direction from the base to the blunt tip. A mounting system having a protective shroud is provided for mounting the furrow closing wheel to the seeder.

Abstract: A flashlight holder is provided for removably attaching a flashlight to a tubular handle of a handheld fishing net. The flashlight holder has a first resilient clamp assembly that clamps over the tubular handle of the fishing net. The first resilient clamp assembly includes a generally tubular sleeve having an opening along one side that allows the tubular structure to expand and snap over the outer surface of the tubular handle of the fishing net. In one embodiment, the flashlight holder is attached to the flashlight by a second resilient clamp assembly that snaps over the tubular housing of the flashlight. In another embodiment, the flashlight holder is attached to the flashlight by an adhesive or by making the flashlight holder integral with the housing of the flashlight. A safety strap is provided to ensure the flashlight holder does not become detached inadvertently from the handle of the fishing net.

Abstract: A hand-held tool for piercing and scraping includes a handle with a short wedge-shaped blade having a pointed end for concentrating tearing forces for piercing, and a large radius tapering away from the pointed end for scraping. A thumb-rest portion is located a short distance from the handle to facilitate use of a thumb to grip and tear away packaging. The tool can also be used to scrape off sticky price labels or to clean grime, while minimizing scratching due to its plastic construction. A flexible cap can be slipped over the blade portion to protect and keep it clean. The cap can be removed and placed in the handle when using the tool, and easily removed again by pushing down on either end of the cap to raise the opposite end for grasping. The blade and handle can be injection molded as one piece from a high strength plastic.

Abstract: A swinging gate assembly is provided for use in an electronic livestock feeding station and an automated sorting system. The gate assembly has a generally V-shaped configuration in plan view with first and second side openings defined on each side of the V-shape. A gate panel has a first side edge pivotally connected to the frame for rotation about a substantially vertical first pivot axis at the apex of the V-shape. The gate panel is swingable about the first pivot axis between a first position in which the first side opening is closed by the gate panel and a second position in which the second side opening is closed by the gate panel. A mechanical actuator and locking assembly is provided for moving the gate panel between the first and second positions and locking the gate panel in a selected one of the positions.