Abstract: A work vehicle steering system for a work vehicle having a frame, a plurality of wheels, and a coupling assembly coupled to at least one of the wheels is provided. The coupling assembly includes first, second, and third rotatable assemblies. The first rotatable assembly is coupled to the frame and is configured to rotate on a first axis. The second rotatable assembly is coupled to the first rotatable assembly and is configured to rotate on a second axis. The third rotatable assembly is coupled between the second rotatable assembly and the wheel and is configured to rotate on a third axis. The coupling assembly provides the wheel with three degrees of movement.

Abstract: An automatic soil sampler (10) removes soil samples (65) at known locations and transfers the samples to a packaging station (23) where the samples are packaged and identified. The packages (87) are left in a strip and moved to an analysis workstation (219) for analysis of soil. The results of analysis of each soil sample (65) is used for determining applications of a materials such as fertilizer in that same local region as the region where the soil sample was taken with an applicator (11B) moving over the same field.

Abstract: An automatic soil sampler (10) removes soil samples (65) at known locations and transfers the samples to a packaging station (23) where the samples are packaged and identified. The packages (87) are left in a strip and moved to a container (168). The sampler (10) repeats the sampling function at identifiable intervals measured by an odometer (11A) and permits the sampling and packaging to be completed rapidly.

Abstract: The present invention is drawn to a system of treating a field of interest. A plurality of soil samples are taken from different geographic locations in the field of interest. Geographic identifiers are determined for each of the plurality of samples wherein the identifiers identify the geographic location from which the sample was taken. The samples are analyzed to determine a plurality of soil characteristics indicative of soil condition. A plurality of data bases are accessed to obtain field characteristics corresponding to the field of interest, the field characteristics being indicative of current and historical information corresponding to the field of interest. A program for applying material to the field of interest is determined based on the soil characteristics, the geographic identifiers, and the field characteristics. The program is loaded into a controller operably coupled to an applicator. The applicator is controlled according to the program to apply material to the field of interest.

Abstract: An apparatus analyzes a plurality of soil samples to determine characteristics of the soil samples. An input portion sequentially provides a plurality of soil samples each having a known solid content. A plurality of vessels are supported for movement with a continuous conveyor relative to the input portion to receive the soil samples. A plurality of testing stations are arranged relative to the continuous conveyor to sequentially access the samples carried by the vessels. The testing stations each test the samples to determine at least one of the characteristics of the samples.