SEED FIRMING DEVICE FOR IMPROVING SEED TO SOIL CONTACT IN A PLANTER FURROW WITH FEATURE DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE BUILDUP OF SOIL ON THE OUTER SURFACES BY DISCHARGING PRESSURIZED FLUID

摘要

A system for controlling the depth of at least one closing wheel (21, 22, 120, 121) in an agricultural row unit (10) for planting seeds in a furrow. The row unit includes a firming device (20, 236, 400, 430) that passes the seeds into the soil at the bottom of the furrow, and at least one closing wheel that is pressed into a side of the furrow to close the furrow over the seeds. A control system senses the depth of the closing wheels in the furrow and adjusts the downward pressure on the closing wheel, based on changes in the sensed depth of the closing wheel, to compensate for changes in the hardness of the soil. The firming device can include multiple holes through which pressurized fluid is forced to dislodge any dirt or mud that accumulates on the soil-engaging parts of the firming device, and can be made according to an additive manufacturing process that allows narrow channels (322, 323, 300) to be formed internal to the firming device.