Abstract: An implement lift with a plurality of individual electrohydraulically controlled lift cylinders spaced on a tool frame includes a bypass system for facilitating continued implement operation in the event of a failure of the electronics or wiring. The system includes an electrically controlled valve at each cylinder normally operated by an electronic controller but manually lockable in an open position if there is a circuit failure so the operator can control the implement from the tractor selective control valve (SCV). Hydraulic hoses with quick disconnects compatible with both the tractor SCV connections and the main electrohydraulic valve on the tractor are connected to the tractor valve for normal automatic operation but can be easily rerouted to the SCV connections for control by the SCV when the cylinder valves are manually locked in the open position.

Abstract: A bottom cultivating machine including a laser emitter for emitting a plane signal of a laser beam, a laser detector which is secured to a frame and detects the plane signal to output an attitude control signal, a horizontal detector having a horizontal sensor which is secured to the frame and serves to detect the level of the front end portion of the bottom cultivating machine in a cultivation progress direction, and a controller for controlling the height of the bottom cultivating machine on the basis of the attitude control signal and controlling the attitude of the bottom cultivating machine on the basis of a signal output from the horizontal sensor by upwardly or downwardly moving a gage wheel or a heel which is provided at the rear portion of the bottom cultivating machine.

Abstract: An implement lift system including a plurality of individual electrohydraulically controlled cylinders spaced on a tool frame and connected to lift wheel. An implement control unit (ICU) in the towing vehicle cab is connected to feedback potentiometers or similar transducers which provide signals corresponding to cylinder stroke length or suspension position. The feedback signals are compared at the ICU to a control signal obtained by rotation of a lever or knob on an operator control unit in the cab. Depending on the cylinder position relative to the operator selected position, the ICU provides an output signal to the electrohydraulic valve to achieve a proportional amount of flow for the desired cylinder position. The ICU also compares feedback signals from the transducers and adjusts the output voltage to each of the valves so that the frame can be raised and lowered evenly.

Abstract: An agricultural planter comprises a frame with a plurality of wheels and adapted to be towed by a tractor. The planter has a plurality of row planting units mounted on the frame and carrying planting implements, and the planting units are vertically movable relative to the frame. A soil-hardness sensing unit carried on the frame produces a signal representing the hardness of the soil. A controllable biasing device is connected to the planting units for adjusting the force applied to the soil by the planting units, in response to the signal representing the hardness of the soil.

Abstract: A draft control mechanism for a tractor having a three-point hitch for attachment of a ground-engaging implement. The draft control mechanism utilizes an upper link arm connected to the tractor with a single load pin which houses a strain sensor for generating the control signals to control a lift mechanism connected to the implement. The pin is attached between two flanges of an upper link bracket to the rear of the tractor. Each flange includes a bushing surrounding the portion of the pin disposed therein. The pin includes a pin extension protruding from the outer side of one of the bracket flanges. A sealing cover is disposed over the pin extension with a rotation stop to restrict pin rotation.

Abstract: The zone tillage coulters on a drilling or planting implement are maintained at an essentially constant running depth by control apparatus that includes a programmed microprocessor-based controller and a hydraulic operating system that receives commands from the controller based upon inputs received from various sensors. One such sensor comprises a ground wheel which rides along the ground and swings up or down as changes in the terrain are encountered, such motions thus imparting voltage inputs to the controller which compares such inputs with previously selected data inputted by the operator. If the comparison results in a sufficiently large difference between the operator-selected data and the actual data coming from the sensor, the controller will cause a tongue cylinder to be actuated in the appropriate direction to buckle the tongue about a horizontal axis and thus either raise or lower the tongue and coulter gangs fastened thereto.

Abstract: A soil treating system having a frame, a first implement to engage soil to effect treatment thereof and mounted to the frame in an operative position in which the implement can be moved vertically relative to the frame, and an hydraulic actuator acting between the frame and implement for exerting a variable downward force on the implement.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating a signal indicative of the hardness of soil. The apparatus has a frame to be moved relative to soil on which a hardness analysis is to be conducted and a sensing element mounted to the frame so that the sensing element engages soil relative to which the frame is moved and structure associated therewith generates a) a first signal as the sensing element encounters soil of a first hardness and b) a second signal as the sensing element encounters soil of a second hardness.

Abstract: A tillage implement has its residue incorporating gangs of discs hydraulically adjustable on-the-go to vary the extent of residue incorporation. Cylinders connected with the gangs are of matching volumetric capacities and are connected in a series hydraulic arrangement so that all of the cylinders operate in unison and in equal amounts. Each cylinder has a rod that extends through the entire length of the cylinder and projects outwardly from opposite ends thereof. Each cylinder is also provided with a relief spring coiled about its exterior and trapped between a lower shoulder on the cylinder and an upper slip collar that is trunnion-mounted to the attaching bracket of the implement frame, thus permitting the cylinder to slip upwardly through the collar under the resistance of the relief spring when an obstacle is encountered by the incorporating discs.

Abstract: An improvement to a shovel used while grading or cleaning out the area adjacent to a previously constructed surface such as a curb and gutter adjacent to a road bed comprising a guide for fixing the depth the shovel blade can penetrate the soil, aggregate, or other debris adjacent to the previously constructed surface so that when the shovel is moved parallel to the structure when the guide is located on top of the structure the debris is cleared away. The guide is rotatably and slidably connected to the handle of the shovel so that: (a) the guide can be located any where along the shovel handle to set the distance the guide is above the shovel blade's lower end and (b) the guide can be located on either side of the shovel blade.

Abstract: For multi-row planting a seed planter having furrow-opening discs and associated gauge wheels the independent support arms of which are operatively interconnected by an equalizer arm whereby the combined load carried by the gauge wheels is distributed substantially equally therebetween so as to compensate for ground surface irregularities encountered by the gauge wheels. The distance a planter rises when a gauge wheel rolls over a stone is cut in half thereby reducing shock and minimizing interference with seed metering and dispensing. The equalizer arm may be mounted on adjustable support linkage whereby the gauge wheels may be positioned at different heights for different depth furrows.

Abstract: The device is mounted in an agricultural machine comprising two links for drawing an implement, a lifter member and a central control unit for controlling the member. The device comprises: two horizontal bars carried in the form of brackets from the chassis of the machine; and four resistive elements deposited on flat faces of the bars symmetrically with respect to a neutral axis defined in this latter, made of a material having an electrical resistance proportional to the deformations to which they are subject and connected in a Wheatstone bridge circuit in such a way such that this arrangement generates an electrical signal proportional to the imbalance of the bridge caused by the deformations to which the elements are subjected, and which are transmitted from the traction force on the implement.

Abstract: A system includes two lower articulated longitudinal arms (6, 7) provided on their front ends with two bottom hitching points (8, 9), and an upper arm (10) in the middle, for hitching an implement at a third point; valves for controlling the rise and descent of the two lower arms and of the upper arm are provided, and the implement (3) is equipped with hitching members (11) corresponding to the three point hitch of a tractor; a rigid intermediate support frame (12) is provided for connection between the implement and the arms (6, 7, 10); the frame includes two bottom lateral points (13, 14) and one top middle point (15) for hitching the implement, and two lateral top points (16, 17) intened to be connected to the third top hitching point (10) of the tractor by connection jacks of variable length; the two lower arms (6, 7) are independent and can assume different inclinations, and the two lower lateral portions (22, 23) of the frame (12) are hitched to the two bottom points (8, 9), the assembly being such that

Abstract: Blade mechanisms being operated along the ground have a tendency to draft into the ground unless some positive form of control is provided to prohibit the downdrafting of the blade. In the subject arrangement, a blade and linkage mechanism is provided for stopping a blade from drafting downward with respect to the ground. The linkage mechanism includes a tilt arm attached between a work vehicle and a top portion of the blade and a push arm attached between the work vehicle and a bottom portion of the blade. The tilt arm is movable relative to the vehicle through an arc which if extended intersects the push arm between its pivot connections. When the blade drafts downward, the different orientations of the tilt arm and the push arm corrects the downdraft due to the rear of a skid plate attached thereto being tilted with respect to the ground. The changing orientation of the skid plate with respect to the ground causes the front of the blade to raise with respect to the ground.

Abstract: This invention relates to a blade plough suitable for use on undulating ground. The blade plough has a floating blade which is able to pivot irrespective of the drawbar attachment to the tractor. A spring mechanism is provided to bias the blade in an operative attitude and thereby compensate for varying soil conditions. The blade also comprises an improved cutting edge having a hard laminate on its underside. Blade extension members are provided for varying the operating width of the blade.

Abstract: A height control device for attachment to the end of a grader blade of a motor grader. A gage portion of the device is adjustable for the desired depth of a cut the blade will make with reference to a curb upon which the gage rides.

Abstract: The device is mounted on a seeder provided with a hopper, with a seed distributor and with a plowshare or work disk. It comprises two lateral gauge wheels mounted on two bearings borne by two arms pivotably articulated around an axis on the chassis of the seeder. A class 1 lever formed from a rod is extended by two sliding sleeves articulated respectively at its middle around a ball-joint adjustable in position with respect to the chassis and at its two ends around the two other ball-joints fastened to the oscillating support arms. The device is useful in agricultural machines having a plowshare or work disk.

Abstract: A plow beam 4 is coupled to a tractor chassis 1 by a three-point linkage having a top link 9 and two bottom links 3. The top link 9 is a double acting control ram 23 which has hydraulic couplings 26,28,25 and 27 which cross-couple the control ram 23 to a double acting sensor ram 21 so that expansion of one ram produces contraction of the other. The sensor ram 21 is coupled between a pivot 17 at the head of the lift rod 18 of a conventional lift mechanism for the plow, and a pivot 22 on the tractor chassis. Movement of the lift rod 18 due to height variation of the plow beam 4 actuates the sensor ram 21 to vary the length of the top link 9, so as to vary the pitch attitude of the plow. Good land profile following is achieved by a high rate of change of pitch at normal working depth. A lower rate of change is achieved as the plow is raised out of work.

Abstract: An apparatus to be towed that includes a frame supported, rotatably mounted, pair of furrow forming disks that are arranged to substantially contact each other at the approximate point of entry into the soil and diverge apart rearwardly and upwardly, a pair of rotatable gauge wheels having supports that individually and pivotally connect the wheels to the frame to regulate furrow depth, with each wheel being located generally adjacent an outer surface of a disk, and an equalizer assembly connecting the supports so that movement of a gauge wheel by an obstacle upward produces an equal movement of the other gauge wheel downward to produce a frame height and hence related furrow depth that is the average between the gauge wheel elevations.

Abstract: The draft control consists of a three-point hitch mechanism which automatically raises or lowers the hitched implement so that a predetermined draft load can be maintained. An increase or decrease draft load on the implement is sensed by an upper hitch arm. A linkage mechanism transfers this force through a number of links of proper length, such that, the implement is raised with excessive draft load and lowered the implement as the draft load decreases from the excessive level. The draft load that is to be maintained is determined by the location of the middle link in one of a plurality of holes in the attaching linkage. Structure is provided to lock out the draft control.

Abstract: My invention consists of an attachment adapted to be connected to a road grader blade. It has a mounting means in the form of a frame for attachment to the blade, a support carried by said mounting means which in turn carries a curb shoe, the support being capable of being raised or lowered in order to position the blade in the proper horizontal plane. The vertically adjustable support carries a universal joint and the universal joint in turn carries a curb shoe which consists of an element having a relatively flat surface which engages a surface of the curb.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a soil aerating device which is adapted for connection to a powered vehicle, which includes a first frame rotatably supporting a drum carrying a plurality of core-forming tines adapted to penetrate the ground or turf to be aerated and remove a plug of soil and/or grass as the drum is rolled over the surface of the ground or turf, and which further includes a second frame having forward and rear portions. The first frame is pivotally connected to the rear portion of the second frame for limited relative pivotal movement between the two frames and the forward portion of the second frame is pivotally connected to the vehicle for pivotal movement of the two frames relative to the vehicle between a raised position wherein the drum and tines are disengaged from the ground or turf and a lowered position wherein the drum is in engagement with the ground or turf.