Planter coulter apparatus with hydraulic overload protection

A coulter apparatus for use with a planter assembly constructed to move in a transport direction where the planter assembly includes support wheels mounted to the underside of a carrier frame, the apparatus comprising:

• a coulter bar pivotally mounted to the underside of the carrier frame on a side of the support wheels facing the transport direction for pivotal movement between a transport position and a functional position;
• a plurality of coulter/fertilizer units mounted to the coulter bar such that, when the coulter bar is in the functional position, the coulter/fertilizer units are in a lower ground engaging position and when the coulter bar is in the transport position, the coulter/fertilizer units are in an upright ground clearance position;
• a hydraulic cylinder mounted between the coulter bar and the carrier frame for driving the coulter bar between the transport and functional positions, the carrier frame, cylinder and coulter bar forming a linkage path;
• and
• an overload protector linked within the linkage path such that a draft force applied to the coulter bar in a direction opposite the transport direction causes a secondary force on the protector, when the secondary force exceeds a threshold force level, the protector de-linking the linkage path thereby reducing the draft force.