Patent ID: 9609799
Date: 2017-04-04
CPC Classifications: A01B

Claim:
1. An agricultural implement spanning a lateral distance relative to a forward direction, said implement comprising: a plurality of carrier frames, each for supporting a plurality of soil engaging tools; at least one supporting element carried by each carrier frame for variably positioning the carrier frame relative to the soil; an hydraulic actuator having a housing, in which a piston is displaceable and an output shaft connected thereto variably extending from said actuator housing and connected between said each supporting element and said respective carrier frame for varying the position of said respective carrier frame relative to the soil; a sensor determining the displacement of the respective carrier frame relative to the soil at said at least one supporting element; a source of pressurized hydraulic fluid; an hydraulic, control unit receiving said pressurized fluid and directing pressurized hydraulic fluid to said actuators to move said actuators independently in response to a signal input; an electronic control unit (ECU) establishing a desired input signal and comparing it to the signal from each said sensor to send a resultant signal to said hydraulic control unit for varying the position of each actuator output shaft to reach the signal input a pair of hydraulic lines extending from said hydraulic control unit for connection with said actuators; and valves controllable by said ECU for individually selectively one of bypassing and connecting each actuator to said hydraulic control unit, whereby said actuators may be controlled individually or in unison.