Patents Examined by Arpad F Kovacs
  • Patent number: 11925143
    Abstract: A header of a combine harvester includes a belt conveyor configured to direct a movement of harvested crop material toward a feederhouse of the combine harvester. The belt conveyor is located adjacent an inlet of the feederhouse. The belt conveyor includes at least one protrusion extending radially from the belt conveyor that helps direct movement of harvested crop material toward the feederhouse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Herbert M Farley, Joseph Neil Oberlander, Dan Lawrence Garland, Mark D. Dilts
  • Patent number: 11917948
    Abstract: An agricultural vehicle includes: a bale chamber configured to form a bale therein; a pickup having a plurality of tines configured to pickup and convey crop material rearwardly during rotation of the pickup; a rotatable rotor having a plurality of teeth configured to convey crop material rearwardly toward the bale chamber through a feeding mouth during rotation of the rotor; a wrapping system comprising a material roll configured to hold wrapping material fed to the bale; and a bale chamber roller disposed adjacent to the feeding mouth and defining a last roller of the bale chamber relative to the material roll. At least one wrap material knife includes at least one severing edge disposed between the bale chamber roller and the rotor and configured to sever wrapping material pulled forwardly by the rotor during rotation of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Enrico Giuliani
  • Patent number: 11917949
    Abstract: A crop cutting device including a crop guiding surface, a plurality of parallel knives, and an actuating mechanism for moving the knives between a retracted inoperative position below the crop guiding surface and an extended operative position. A portion of the knives projects above the crop guiding surface. A plurality of movable operating members is associated with respective ones of the plurality of knives and movable from a first position in which the knives are in the retracted inoperative position, to a second position in which the knives are in the extended operative position. A support frame holds the operating members in a sliding relation to the support frame. The knife insert assistant is coupled to the support frame and configured for blocking a sliding movement of the operating members relative to the support frame during a movement of the support frame from the retracted position to the employed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Freek De Baere, Daan Brouckaert, Nicolas Zwaenepoel
  • Patent number: 11910750
    Abstract: A harvester includes a chopper assembly configured to process harvested crops and an elevator positioned downstream of the chopper assembly such that the harvested crops processed by the chopper assembly are received by the elevator. The harvester also includes a storage hopper located adjacent to a distal end of the elevator and positioned to receive the harvested crops therefrom, and a conveyor extending within the storage hopper between a first end and a second end of the conveyer, with the conveyor configured to carry the harvested crops between its first and second ends towards a discharge opening of the storage hopper. Additionally, the harvester includes a door positioned adjacent to the discharge opening of the storage hopper, and a door actuator coupled to the door. The door actuator is configured to move the door relative to the discharge opening between an opened position and a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Alessandro Roberto Pereira, Marcelo dos Santos de Oliveira Silva, Jean Carlos Pereira de Camargo, Anderson Antonio Moreno
  • Patent number: 11910744
    Abstract: Differential speed stalk rolls mountable to a row unit of a row crop head. A first stalk roll body has an outer peripheral speed less than the outer peripheral speed of a second stalk roll body in lateral spaced relation. The stalk roll bodies may have modular and interchangeable body segments of different configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Kingdom Ag Concepts, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Gramm, Corbin Fehr, Austin Bitting, Robert Schlipf
  • Patent number: 11903345
    Abstract: A bale ejection system includes a pawl having a planar structure. The pawl includes a mounting bore extending therethrough. A center of the mounting bore defines a rotation axis. The planar structure of the pawl includes a cam surface and a material engaging surface disposed opposite the cam surface. The cam surface and the material engaging surface extend away from the rotation axis, and converge to define a distal end that is spaced from the rotation axis. The material engaging surface defines a crop engaging tooth positioned between the rotation axis and the distal end of the planar structure. The crop engaging tooth and the distal end of the planar structure are operable to engage crop material of a bale when the planar structure is rotated into engagement with the bale for moving the bale along a longitudinal axis of a baler implement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventor: Nikhil Kulkarni
  • Patent number: 11882791
    Abstract: A narrow row head unit includes a back plate secured to a left gearbox and a right gearbox, which gearboxes may be positioned adjacent one another. Each gearbox may provide rotational power to a pair of stalk rolls and a drive sprocket for a gathering chain. A right mounting tab may be secured to the back plate and the right gearbox, and a left mounting tab may be secured to the back plate and left gearbox. A right plate and leg may extend outward from the back plate adjacent the right mounting tab and a left plate and leg may extend outward from the back plate adjacent the left mounting tab. A narrow row head unit positioned left-of-center on a header may have the gathering chain positioned substantially over the right plate, and right-of-center substantially over the left plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: CALMER HOLDING COMPANY, LLC
    Inventor: Marion Calmer
  • Patent number: 11877538
    Abstract: A kit and method of abrading grain provides multiple components to improve the threshing operation within an agricultural combine. The kit includes a unique concave design, open valley rasp bars, and restrictor plates. The method of abrading grain allows threshing operations for large grains such as corn and, also, for small grains such as soybeans. For example, the kit can be used to facilitate construction of a harvesting system that comprises: a drum of a rotary combine; a straight bar concave in a first position, wherein the straight bar concave utilizing intersecting bars, wherein at least some of said intersecting bars including a sharp leading edge, wherein the sharp leading edge abrades harvested materials and separate grain therefrom when the rotary drum rotates; and a plurality of round bar concaves in at least a second and a third position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: CALMER HOLDING COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Marion Calmer, Daniel Wallerstedt
  • Patent number: 11877536
    Abstract: A bagger attachment for use with a stand-on lawn mower. The bagger includes, in some embodiments, an impeller, a duct, and one or more bags which are covered by a hood. The hood is attached to a pivot frame that allows movement of the hood between open and closed positions. The bagger attachment may also include a frame assembly that facilitates mounting and removal of the bagger attachment from the mower. The bagger attachment may either contain removable bags, or may include a discharge door for dumping the clippings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: THE TORO COMPANY
    Inventors: Ryan J. Volovsek, Timothy J. Clift
  • Patent number: 11871699
    Abstract: An agricultural machine includes a chassis, a crop-cutting member coupled to the chassis; and a crop-conditioning member coupled to the chassis and positioned rearward of the crop-cutting member. The crop-conditioning member includes a first macerator assembly and a second macerator assembly. The first macerator assembly includes a first roll configured to rotate about a first rotational axis, a second roll configured to rotate about a second rotational axis, and a first endless member surrounding and engaged with the first roll and the second roll. The second macerator assembly is spaced apart from the first macerator assembly; and a maceration zone is defined between the first macerator assembly and the second macerator assembly. The endless member rotates to macerate crop disposed between the first macerator assembly and the second macerator assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventor: Timothy J. Kraus
  • Patent number: 11874669
    Abstract: One or more information maps are obtained by an agricultural work machine. The one or more information maps map one or more agricultural characteristic values at different geographic locations of a field. An in-situ sensor on the agricultural work machine senses an agricultural characteristic as the agricultural work machine moves through the field. A predictive map generator generates a predictive map that predicts a predictive agricultural characteristic at different locations in the field based on a relationship between the values in the one or more information maps and the agricultural characteristic sensed by the in-situ sensor. The predictive map can be output and used in automated machine control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Nathan R Vandike, Bhanu Kiran Reddy Palla, Bradley K. Yanke, Noel W. Anderson, Mehul Bhavsar, Hrishikesh Tupe
  • Patent number: 11874148
    Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring a throughput of a crop cut from a field. The system may include, and the method may be performed at least in part using, a combine harvester including a feeder box, a main body, a threshing mechanism, and an organic material throughput sensor provided within the feeder box. The system may also include a data management system. The organic material throughput sensor senses organic material throughput data including at least one of a volume of the organic material, and a weight of the organic material, and the data management system outputs an organic material throughput map or other information based on the organic material throughput data. Using the organic material throughput data or the organic material throughput map, a producer or other operator can make a more informed planting or treatment decision for a field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: AGCO Corporation
    Inventors: Jared Koch, Joshua Ekholm, Jacob Finger
  • Patent number: 11864496
    Abstract: A self-propelled agricultural machine, for example, a self-propelled merger, is provided with at least one motor, at least two elongate units for, in use, performing an agricultural operation on the land, a front wheel axle, and a rear wheel axle situated at a distance from the front wheel axle. The front wheel axle and/or the rear wheel axle is driven by the motor for displacing the agricultural machine. Each elongate unit is displaceable from a transportation position to a working position and vice versa by a folding mechanism, so that the maximum width of the self-propelled agricultural machine is smaller in the transportation position of the units than in the working position of the units. In the working position, the agricultural operation on the land is performed substantially along the length of each elongate unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Ploeger Oxbo Europe B.V.
    Inventor: Hendrik Willem Breure
  • Patent number: 11856893
    Abstract: A rotary thresher for a combine harvester including at least a first concave and a second concave, which may be rotated around a rotor to move to or from a threshing position or one or more of one or more resting positions. The concaves are mounted in a frame that is configured to rotate around the rotor such that the second concave moves during rotation from a first resting position to the threshing position while the first concave is moved from the threshing position to a second resting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: AGCO Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph Mark Biggerstaff, Ivan Rogers
  • Patent number: 11849675
    Abstract: A header for a crop harvester includes side drapers having a front edge adjacent the cutter bar and carrying crop to a discharge end roller at a center feed draper. A support arrangement carries the rear end of the discharge end roller to define an operating position in which an axis of the discharge end roller is at an angle to an axis of the outer end roller of the side draper with the rear end of the discharge end roller at a height below a height of the rear end of the outer end roller. This provides a main portion of the belt that lies in a common plane defined by an intermediate guide member and the outer end roller and a smaller portion of the draper belt between the guide member and the rear end of the discharge end roller which is twisted downwardly from the common plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: MacDon Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Russell George Lyons, Bruce Robert Shearer
  • Patent number: 11844312
    Abstract: An elevator set for a harvesting machine, such as cane harvesters, capable of providing a damping effect in response to impacts caused to the elevator set during activities in a field. The elevator set includes an elevator housing and an elevator which extends inside the elevator housing between a lower proximal end and an upper distal end. The lower proximal end is fixed to a chassis of the machine, and the upper distal end has an opening for discharging harvested material. The elevator set has a damper system that includes a first element and a second element. The first element is disposed on the elevator housing, and the second element is encased into said first element in a sliding relationship. A connection element is fixed, at one end, to the second element and, on another end, to a portion of the chassis of the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Jean Carlos Pereira De Camargo, Anderson Antonio Moreno
  • Patent number: 11845449
    Abstract: One or more information maps are obtained by an agricultural work machine. The one or more information maps map one or more agricultural characteristic values at different geographic locations of a field. An in-situ sensor on the agricultural work machine senses an agricultural characteristic as the agricultural work machine moves through the field. A predictive map generator generates a predictive map that predicts a predictive agricultural characteristic at different locations in the field based on a relationship between the values in the one or more information maps and the agricultural characteristic sensed by the in-situ sensor. The predictive map can be output and used in automated machine control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Nathan R Vandike, Bhanu Kiran Reddy Palla
  • Patent number: 11844306
    Abstract: A discharge accessory for a lawnmower includes an inlet end and a hook disposed at the inlet end. The hook defines a channel. A lever arm extends from the hook in a direction transverse to the channel, and a protrusion is disposed in the channel. The protrusion extends in a first direction transverse to the channel and to the lever arm, and the protrusion extends in a second direction transverse to the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
    Inventors: David Marolla, Shane McCue, Hans T. Banholzer, John L. Whealon, Ryan Gunderson
  • Patent number: 11839176
    Abstract: A feeder conveyor system having a frame, an actuator with a fixed element and a moving element, and a telescoping assembly. The telescoping assembly has a first member having a first end connected to an actuator output and a first spring seat, and a second member slidably connected to the first member and having a second end and a second spring seat. The second member is movable relative to the first member between a retracted position in which the second end is relatively close to the first end, and an extended position in which the second end is relatively far from the first end, a spring between the first spring seat and the second spring seat, a linkage between the first member and the second member, and a position sensor connected to the linkage and configured to generate a signal indicating a relative position between the first and second members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Nathan E. Isaac, Steven E. Gaedy
  • Patent number: 11832542
    Abstract: A dethatcher includes a frame having a front and a rear end, a handle coupled to the frame and movable between a use position and a storage position, multiple wheels coupled to the frame, a cutting reel housed in the frame, and an engine for powering a drive mechanism of the shaft. The cutting reel includes a shaft having a first end and a second end, at least one cutting mechanism located between the first end and the second end of the shaft, and the drive mechanism for powering the shaft. When the handle is in the use position, the handle extends away from the front end of the frame and when the handle is in the storage position the handle extends toward the front end of the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventors: Kyle Harvey, Ryan Jaskowiak, Matthew S. Zurawski