Patent ID: 8448717

Claim:
An agricultural implement system, comprising: a row unit movably coupled to a tool bar of an agricultural implement; an opener disk rotatably coupled to a chassis of the row unit and configured to engage soil; a gauge wheel assembly movably coupled to the chassis and comprising a gauge wheel configured to rotate across a soil surface to limit a penetration depth of the opener disk into the soil; a depth control cylinder extending between the chassis and the gauge wheel assembly, wherein the depth control cylinder is configured to adjust the penetration depth of the opener disk by varying a position of the gauge wheel relative to the chassis; a depth adjustment system configured to automatically maintain the penetration depth of the opener disk by varying a pressure within the depth control cylinder; and a manual backup system in fluid communication with the depth control cylinder, wherein the manual backup system is configured to automatically engage in the event of an electrical failure, and to facilitate manual pressure adjustment of the depth control cylinder.