Abstract: A strip freshener row implement lightly tills a strip of ground before planting. The implement has two pairs of freely rotating spike wheels that break up clods of dirt and break the top surface of the soil.

Abstract: A system is provided for monitoring system and operational parameters on one or more pieces of machinery or equipment. The system can monitor the pieces of machinery or equipment in real time, i.e., the time delay between the taking of a measurement on a piece of equipment and its subsequent display in the system is within accepted standards, e.g., from about 1 second to about 1 minute depending on the type of measurement or data set being monitored. The system can also permit the tracking of the pieces of machinery or equipment and can enable the transfer, i.e., the sending and/or receiving, of information between the system and the pieces of machinery or equipment.

Abstract: For creating a route plan for a group of agricultural working machine systems for working a territory, the machine systems include route planning data determination devices and they exchange data with each other and, based on exchanged route planning data, one shared route plan is created for the particular territory. For controlling a group of agricultural working machine systems while it works a territory, one shared route plan—which has been created accordingly—is used, and a route planning system is provided for creating a route plan for a group of agricultural working machine systems to be used to work a territory.

Abstract: A furrow forming tool (20) for use in agricultural apparatus, the tool (20) including a furrow forming disc (27) and a ground engaging wheel (28) associated therewith, the disc (27) and its associated ground engaging wheel (28) being assembled another with respect to the normal direction of travel of the tool (20) when in use, the disc (27) being mounted relative to the tool (20) so that its leading edge (29) is disposed forwardly of the leading edge of the ground engaging wheel (28).

Abstract: A wheel track closing assembly is described for use with a drive unit of a mechanized irrigation system. Each of the wheel track closing assemblies includes an elongated rigid arm which is longitudinally and pivotally connected to either the drive wheel or the gearbox for the drive wheel. A replaceable soil-engaging member in the form of oppositely disposed shovels is secured to the free end of the rigid arm for engaging the soil adjacent the wheel track to move the soil into the wheel track to close the same. When the direction of movement of the drive tower is reversed, the drive wheels walk-over the soil-engaging members so that the soil-engaging members are repositioned in a trailing position with respect to the associated drive wheels.

Abstract: A wheel track scraper is provided for use with a field irrigation system utilizing a support tower having at least a pair of wheels in trailing alignment wherein the support tower wheels displace dirt as they track a repetitive path across a field as the irrigation system moves. It includes a pair of scraper blades, each having two blade portions joined together at an angle with an apex in the central portion of said scraper blades, attached to an attachment bracket, attached at one end to the support tower, and configured at the other end to hold the pair of opposing scraper blades between said tower wheels and positioned to push field dirt displaced by wheel rotation into the track where the wheel has traveled.

Abstract: A tillage implement for preparing seed beds for planting seeds for row crops. The implement includes deep tillage units for loosening soil behind the wheels of a tractor, additional deep tillage units for loosening soil in the areas where seed beds are located, seed bed shaping units, and ribbed wheels for providing guide tracks in the soil for use in aligning a planter with the seed beds.

Abstract: A system for uniformly erasing soil indentations made by the wheels of agricultural equipment. The erasing elements are pulled behind the wheels of the agricultural equipment and are pivotally attached to the frame thereof thereby preventing the relative distance between the frame and the soil from affecting the depth of penetration of the erasing elements. The eraser elements are arranged such that they engage the soil behind the wheels of the equipment and penetrate the indentations to a depth which is largely determined by the weight of the eraser arm assembly, the consistency of the soil and the forces experienced by the erasing arm as it engages the soil. Accordingly, the cutting depth of the eraser arms are largely unaffected by the unevenness of the terrain. A structure is presented for lifting the eraser system from the soil so that the system may be transported to and from the location of use.

Abstract: A foldable implement carrier is disclosed including a central support bar supporting two pivotally connected tool bar sections which are movable from a laterally extended position to a folded position to reduce the width of the foldable implement carrier for transport. The tool bar sections have pivot columns which are rotationally received within a H-shaped frame member. A main wheel set is privotally connected to a frame, which includes the H-shaped member and the central support member, and is driven vertically downwardly to raise the frame off of the ground. The first and second tool bar sections are driven to pivot within the H-shaped frame member and move from the extended position to the folded position. Each tool bar section includes a latch and a wheel to secure the tool bar section to the central support bar. When folded, the latches are received upon the top of the central support bar and the wheels are retracted and abut a lower portion of the central support bar.

Abstract: An assembly for attachment to a tractor having rotatable elements which will form water collecting and retaining pockets in the ground surface being traversed thereby preventing or reducing water erosion, wind erosion and retaining water for penetration into the soil. The assembly also includes a leveller assembled in front of the tractor to level the uneven terrain created by a previous formation of water retaining pockets. The assembly for forming water retaining pockets includes a plurality of disc-like elements having a substantially semi-circular cut-out to form a pair of diametrically opposed concave soil penetrating, cutting and lifting elements rotatable about an axis inclined in relation to the direction of travel so that water retaining pockets will be formed in the ground surface at regular intervals and the soil that is removed to form the pockets will be dumped on the ground surface adjacent the pockets thus resulting in bumps or humps.

Abstract: A direction of movement sensing apparatus is shiftably supported from the wheel track filling structure of a wheeled support tower for an irrigation pipe and is operative to shift between a first inoperative position assumed thereby when the tower is moving in a forward direction toward a second operative position relative to the wheel track filling structure when the tower is moved rearwardly over the ground. Connecting structure is provided and operatively connected between the direction sensing apparatus, the wheel track filling structure and the tower for raising the wheel track filling structure responsive to movement of the sensing apparatus to the second operative position thereof and thus enabling the tower to move rearwardly without damage to the wheel track filling structure.

Abstract: An attachment for agricultural machines includes a frame having a leading and trailing portion, a first soil-treating unit located at the leading portion of the frame and a second soil-treating unit located at the trailing portion of the frame. Between the first unit and the second unit there is located on the frame wheels for supporting the frame when an agricultural machine provided with the attachment moves along a road. The wheels are displaceable relative to the frame between a first position in which the wheels engage the ground and a second position in which the wheels do not engage the ground. The frame is so coupled to a lifting device of the agricultural machine that, when the wheels are in the second position, the trailing portion of the frame is supported on the ground by the second soil-treating unit.

Abstract: A vehicle to be moved in either of two mutually perpendicular directions, and including a first plurality of caster wheels, a second plurality of wheels rotatable on parallel axes to follow a common track aligned with one of the directions, apparatus for moving said second plurality of wheels into and out of contact with the ground, and coupling members for applying tractive force to the vehicle in either of said directions.

Abstract: A row crop planter supports at least two vertical guide making blocks to form superficial trenches about four or five inches deep precisely midway between adjacent rows as they are planted. Tires with trench-riding central ridges on front wheels of a tractor powering a subsequent row crop processing implement along these rows serve to guide the tractor down the rows. Vertical guide following blocks on such a subsequent processing implement such as a cultivator, for example, find and follow exactly the previously formed trenches and so serve to guide cultivator blades to follow every minor deviation of the rows, even on hillsides causing the implement to be tilted transversely of the direction of movement of the implement down the rows. The depth of the guide trenches and the depth of penetration of the guide following blocks is determined by implement support wheels near those blocks.

Abstract: A cultivator apparatus attached to a draw bar hitched to a tractor and having a tool bar attached to the draw bar and movable therewith. A cultivating mechanism is attached to the tool bar and is movable between positions of engagement and disengagement with the ground when the tool bar is moved. A plurality of cultivating units comprise the cultivating mechanism and are independently movable about the tool bar. A lateral support mechanism is comprised of gauge wheels mounted intermediate the ends of each of the cultivating units. Each gauge wheel is laterally offset with respect to the cultivating unit to which it is attached.

Abstract: An earthworking implement mounted on a three-point hitch of a draft vehicle with a hitch assembly. The hitch assembly has L-shaped members mounted in clamps secured to a main transverse beam. A plurality of parallel linkages movably connect a transverse tool bar to the beam. Row guide units having longitudinally aligned guide wheels and furrowing tools are mounted with clamps to the tool bar. Earthworking tools are mounted with clamps to the tool bar. In one form, the earthworking tool is a blade sequentially moved into and out of the soil with a lifting wheel to dig water and snow holding basins or trenches in the soil.