Furrow closing assembly and method

A planter row unit for an agricultural planter, comprising:

• a planter row unit subframe having a front portion, a rear portion and a pair of pivot pins protruding laterally outwardly from opposite sides of said rear portion;
• a furrow opener mounted to the front portion of said subframe for creating a furrow in which seeds can be deposited;
• and
• a furrow closing assembly comprising:
• a press wheel arm assembly having a front end pivotally attached to said pivot pins for pivotal movement about a transverse axis of rotation;
• a press wheel rotatably attached to a rear end of said press wheel arm assembly and arranged to roll over a soil surface behind said planter row unit subframe;
• a closing wheel arm assembly having a front end pivotally attached to said pair of pivot pins;
• and
• at least one closing wheel rotatably attached to said closing wheel arm assembly, said closing wheel being arranged to move soil into a furrow in front of said press wheel.

A planter row unit for an agricultural seeder, comprising:

• a row unit subframe having a front portion, a rear portion and a pair of pivot pins protruding laterally outwardly from opposite sides of said rear portion;
• a furrow opener mounted to the front portion of said subframe for creating a furrow in which seeds can be deposited;
• and
• a furrow closing assembly pivotally mounted to said pivot pins to pivot about a generally horizontal axis relative to said subframe, said furrow closing assembly comprising:
• at least one closing wheel rotatably attached to a closing wheel arm assembly and adapted to move soil into the furrow created by said furrow opener;
• a press wheel rotatably attached to a press wheel arm assembly and adapted to roll over a soil surface behind said closing wheel;
• and
• said press wheel arm assembly and said closing wheel arm assembly being pivotal relative to said subframe and relative to each other to allow relative vertical movement between said closing wheel and said press wheel during operation.