Agricultural implement down pressure system

An agricultural implement comprising:

• a frame;
• a growing medium manipulation surface configured to manipulate and move a growing medium, wherein the surface moves between a first growing medium engagement position in which the surface manipulates and moves the growing medium and a second growing medium non-engagement position;
• at least one elastomeric torsion element coupled to the surface, wherein the at least one torsion element resiliently biases the surface towards the first growing medium engagement position;
• a support coupled to the manipulation surface;
• a first member having a first end pivotably coupled to the frame and a second end pivotably coupled to the support;
• a second member having a first end pivotably coupled to the frame and a second end pivotably coupled to the support;
• a first torsion arm pivotably coupled to one of the first member and the second member;
• a second torsion arm coupled to the other of the first member and the second member;
• a tube fixedly coupled to one of the first arm and the second arm;
• and
• a shaft coupled to the other of the first arm and the second arm and extending through the tube, wherein the at least one elastomeric torsion element is disposed in the tube between the tube and the shaft and wherein the at least one elastomeric element is resiliently deformed such that the element applies a torque to the first member and the second member in attempting to resiliently return to its original shape.

An agricultural implement comprising:

• a frame;
• a row unit support;
• a furrow opening device coupled to the support;
• a furrow closing device coupled to the support;
• and
• a force applying system coupled between the frame and the support to force the support and the furrow opening device into soil, the system including:
• a four bar linkage having a first end pivotably coupled to the frame and a second end pivotably coupled to the support, the four bar linkage including first and second parallel upper links and first and second parallel lower links;
• a first torsion arm pivotably coupled to the lower links;
• a bracket pivotably coupled between the upper links;
• a second torsion arm;
• a screw rotatably coupled to the bracket and movably supporting the second torsion arm;
• a tube fixedly coupled to one of the first and second torsion arms;
• a shaft coupled to the other of the first and second torsion arms and extending through the tube;
• and
• an elastomeric torsion element disposed in the tube between the tube and the shaft, wherein the elastomeric torsion element is resiliently deformed such that the element applies a torque to the first and second arms in attempting to resiliently return to its original shape, whereby the four bar linkage applies a force to the support.

An agricultural implement comprising:

• a frame;
• a row unit support;
• a furrow opening device coupled to the support;
• a furrow closing device coupled to the support;
• and
• a force applying system coupled between the frame and the support to force the support and the furrow opening device into soil, the system including:
• a four bar linkage having a first end pivotally coupled to the frame and a second end pivotally coupled to the support, the four bar linkage including first and second parallel upper links and first and second parallel lower links;
• a first torsion arm coupled to the frame;
• a second torsion arm pivotally coupled to the first torsion arm;
• a tube fixedly coupled to the second torsion arm;
• a shaft fixedly coupled to at least one of the first and second parallel upper links or the first and second parallel lower links, the shaft extending through the tube;
• and
• an elastomeric torsion element disposed in the tube between the tube and the shaft, wherein the elastomeric torsion element is resiliently deformed such that the element applies a torque to said at least one of the first and second upper links and first and second lower links in attempting to resiliently return to its original shape, whereby the four bar linkage applies a force to the support.

An agricultural implement comprising:

• a frame;
• a furrow opening device having at least one surface, wherein the surface moves between a first cutting position in which the surface is configured to cut into soil to create a furrow and a second non-cutting position;
• at least one elastomeric torsion element coupled to the at least one surface, wherein the at least one torsion element resiliently biases the surface towards the first cutting position;
• a support coupled to the furrow opening device;
• a four bar linkage having a first end pivotally coupled to the frame and a second end pivotally coupled to the support, the four bar linkage including first and second parallel upper links and first and second parallel lower links;
• a first torsion arm coupled to the frame;
• a second torsion arm pivotally coupled to the first torsion arm;
• a tube fixedly coupled to the second torsion arm;
• and
• a shaft fixedly coupled to at least one of the first and second parallel upper links or the first and second parallel lower links, the shaft extending through the tube, wherein the elastomeric torsion element is disposed in the tube between the tube and the shaft and wherein the elastomeric element is resiliently deformed such that the element applies a torque to said at least one of the first and second parallel upper links or the first and second parallel lower links in attempting to resiliently return to its original shape.

An agricultural implement comprising:

• a frame;
• a growing medium manipulation surface configured to manipulate and move a growing medium, wherein the surface moves between a first growing medium engagement position in which the surface manipulates and moves the growing medium and a second growing medium non-engagement position;
• at least one elastomeric torsion element coupled to the surface, wherein the at least one torsion element resiliently biases the surface towards the first growing medium engagement position;
• a support coupled to the furrow opening device;
• a four bar linkage having a first end pivotally coupled to the frame and a second end pivotally coupled to the support, the four bar linkage including first and second parallel upper links and first and second parallel lower links;
• a first torsion arm coupled to the frame;
• a second torsion arm pivotally coupled to the first torsion arm;
• a tube fixedly coupled to the second torsion arm;
• and
• a shaft fixedly coupled to at least one of the first and second parallel upper links or the first and second parallel lower links, the shaft extending through the tube, wherein the elastomeric torsion element is disposed in the tube between the tube and the shaft and wherein the elastomeric element is resiliently deformed such that the element applies a torque to said at least one of the first and second parallel upper links or the first and second parallel lower links in attempting to resiliently return to its original shape.

A agricultural implement comprising:

• a frame adapted to be pulled across a field of soil by a work vehicle;
• a row unit support having a forward end toward said frame and an opposing rear end;
• a furrow-opening device coupled to said support;
• a furrow closing device coupled to said support rearwardly of said furrow opening device;
• and
• a force applying system coupled between said frame and said support to apply force to said support and furrow opening device toward the soil, the system including:
• a four-bar linkage having a first end pivotally coupled to said frame and a second end pivotally coupled to said support, said four-bar linkage including first and second parallel upper links and first and second parallel lower links;
• a first torsion arm coupled to said lower links;
• a bracket pivotably coupled between said upper links;
• a second torsion arm;
• a screw rotatably coupled to said bracket and movably supporting the second torsion arm;
• a tube fixedly coupled to one of said first and second torsion arms;
• a shaft coupled to the other of said first and second torsion arms and extending through said tube;
• and
• an elastomeric torsion element disposed in said tube between said tube and said shaft, wherein said elastomeric torsion element is resiliently deformed such that said element applies a torque to said first and second arms in attempting to resiliently return to its original shape, whereby said four-bar linkage applies a force to said support.

An agricultural implement comprising:

• a frame adapted to be pulled across a field, of soil by a work vehicle;
• a row unit support having a forward end toward said frame and an opposing rear end;
• a furrow-opening device coupled to said support;
• a furrow closing device coupled to said support rearwardly of said furrow opening device;
• and
• a force applying system coupled between said frame and said support to apply force to said support and furrow opening device toward the soil, the system including:
• a four-bar linkage having a first end pivotally coupled to said frame and a second end pivotally coupled to said support, said four-bar linkage including first and second parallel upper links and first and second parallel lower links;
• a first torsion arm pivotably coupled to said frame;
• a second torsion arm pivotally coupled to the first torsion arm;
• a tube fixedly coupled to said second torsion arm;
• a shaft fixedly coupled to at least one of said first and second parallel upper links or said first and second parallel lower links, said shaft extending through said tube;
• and
• an elastomeric torsion element disposed in said tube between said tube and said shaft, wherein said elastomeric torsion element is resiliently deformed such that said element applies a torque to said at least one of said first and second upper links and said first and second lower links in attempting to resiliently return to its original shape, whereby the four-bar linkage applies a force to said support.