Kinze Manufacturing, Inc.

John P Mulherin

Rhett Schildroth

Merlan J Rolffs

Courtney N Achen

Marvin Bachman

Michael J Myers

John Kollman

Dustan Lee Hahn

Ryan Legge

Matthew J Wilhelmi

Todd E Kniffen

Steve Nolte

Gary Volz

An agricultural planter includes systems, methods, and apparatuses for maintaining down force pressure at row units of the planter. The row units may include an electric linear actuator connected to linkages of the row units to maintain a down force pressure for the row unit. The linkage may also be removed and replaced with a strut or like mechanism to apply a direct down force pressure to components of the row unit. One or more sensors can be included to obtain information related to the ground to automatically adjust the amount of down force provided based upon a ground characteristic in order to maintain a substantially uniform furrow depth.

Apparatuses, methods, and systems for providing down force for an agricultural implement

An agricultural implement includes the use of one or more electromechanical hydraulic cylinder assembly in place of hydraulic cylinders. The assemblies may take various forms for actuation, and can convert an electric power source to hydraulic power for use on or with the implement. A control system is also provided for connecting to a tractor to provide control information to the assemblies or to a central hydraulic supply via a ISOBUS that rebroadcasts input controls from a source, such as a tractor used in conjunction with the agricultural implement.

Agricultural implement with electro-hydraulic cylinders

An agricultural planter includes systems, methods, and apparatus for providing down force pressure at row units of the planter. The row units may include an electric linear actuator connected to linkages of the row units to provide and maintain a down force pressure for the row unit. The linkage may also be removed and replaced with a strut or like mechanism to apply a direct down force pressure to components of the row unit. One or more sensors can be included to obtain information related to the ground to automatically adjust the amount of down force provided based upon a ground characteristic in order to maintain a substantially uniform furrow depth.

An agricultural planter includes a plurality of row units attached to a toolbar. The row units include seed meters for receiving, singulating, and dispensing seed or other particulate. The seed meters include a circular seed disc with a seed path for receiving the seed in the seed meter housing. Integrated with the seed disc is a motor that is housed within the seed meter housing and that includes a rotatable portion being attached to the circular disc such that the two rotate in tandem. The integrated motor can be positioned within an interior portion of the circular seed disc such that the width of the disc and motor combination is kept to a minimum.

Seed disc with integrated drive

Growing community of inventors

Cedar Rapids, IA, United States of America

John P Mulherin