Patents Examined by Joan Misa
  • Patent number: 8087225
    Abstract: An agricultural windrower includes a traction unit having a frame. A cutting platform has a longitudinal extension, a feeder opening associated with a first mounting location, and a first hitch at an end of the cutting platform associated with a second mounting location. A lift assembly carried by the traction unit frame is configured to mount with the cutting platform at the first mounting location. An articulated transport arrangement is mounted to the traction unit frame. The articulated transport arrangement includes a second hitch configured for mating with the first hitch, and at least one actuator for coupling between and adjusting a relative angular orientation between the frame and the cutting platform when the first hitch and the second hitch are mated together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Gordon Lee Salley, Thomas Daryl Bebernes
  • Patent number: 8074433
    Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a primary power unit which is couplable with at least one primary load. The at least one primary load includes a threshing system load. An auxiliary power unit is mechanically independent from the primary power unit, and is couplable with at least one biomass processor, independent from the threshing system load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Alan Sheidler, Benjamin E. Ramp
  • Patent number: 8075377
    Abstract: The invention provides an improved threshing and separating mechanism and method for a combine. The mechanism includes an elongated rotor mounted for rotation about a rotor axis within a rotor housing on the combine. The rotor has a threshing portion and a separating portion. The housing has a threshing section and a separating section corresponding to the threshing portion and the separating portion. The housing surrounds the rotor and is spaced from the rotor to form an annular space between the rotor and the housing for crop material to flow through in an axial crop flow direction from an inlet end of the housing to an outlet end of the housing. A rear portion of the rotor is tapered in a rearward direction to create an increased volume at the outlet of the rotor housing to prevent stagnation of flow of straw material in the transition of velocity between the housing outlet and the straw beater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Glenn Pope, Aaron Bruns
  • Patent number: 8061112
    Abstract: A agricultural working machine includes at least one device for picking up crop material and transferring it to at least one intake conveyor mechanism that feeds the crop material to at least one downstream working unit that processes the crop material, and at least one drive engine with an engine control unit, the drive engine driving the at least one intake conveyor mechanism and the at least one working unit. At maximum crop-material throughput, the engine speed of the agricultural working machine is reduced and the ground speed is increased, and therefore the associated agricultural working machine it is ensured that the agricultural harvesting machine is able to process high crop-material throughputs with a lower specific energy requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventor: Ludger Hugenroth
  • Patent number: 8056306
    Abstract: A rear discharge mower comprising: a first shaft; a first blade that is rotated in unison with the first shaft; a second shaft that is configured to be rotated in a direction opposite from a rotational direction of the first shaft; a second blade that is rotated in unison with the second shaft, wherein a grass-clippings discharge path is formed through which grass clippings are discharged in a rearward direction from the area between the first shaft and second shaft; an enclosing casing that supports the blade shafts; and a power train that is accommodated in the enclosing casing and that transmits power to the first and second blade shafts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Nishihara, Takashi Kuramoto, Masashi Osuga, Takashi Shibata, Satoshi Ogata, Hironobu Nishihara, Hiroshi Kawabata
  • Patent number: 8056677
    Abstract: This lift system serves as a powered ladder having a small footprint. The system is divided into two subchasses with a mast fixedly attached to a first subchassis for support of a liftable platform which may carry a human operator. Maneuverability is accomplished by a virtual articulating joint between the two subchasses. The joint comprises hydraulic cylinders operating in conjunction with wheel struts to form a three-point support. Articulation enables the lift system to be adjusted on sloped or uneven terrain to maintain the mast in a vertical orientation. One use of the lift system is to carry a fruit picker into an orchard or vineyard and to position the picker to work efficiently. The lift system may carry a robot and may be controlled either locally or remotely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Roberts Equipment, Inc.
    Inventors: Roy Roberts, Fred K. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 8042321
    Abstract: A rotating mechanical apparatus, such as would be used in a reel mower assembly, comprises a drive member rotatably mounted in a frame about a shaft axis. The drive member has a drive face oriented perpendicular to the shaft axis. A driven member has a driven shaft rotatably supported in the frame about the shaft axis, and a driven face oriented parallel to and bearing against the drive face. A bulb extends outward from one of the drive face and the driven face and into a corresponding recess in the other. Magnets force the drive face to bear against the driven face such that the driven shaft rotates with the drive member. One of the drive face and the driven face are movable along the shaft axis to disengage the bulb from the recess. A height adjustment mechanism moves ground rollers closer together or farther apart to vary cutting height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Inventor: Jeffrey Buchko
  • Patent number: 8029346
    Abstract: A combine (10) includes a support frame (12) that can be moved across a field in a forward operating direction and a grain tank (42) fastened to it. The grain tank (42) is provided with side walls (58) that can be moved by means of an adjusting drive (68) between a retracted position for operation on public roads and for the storage of the combine (10) and an extended position for the harvesting operation. Each side wall (58) is connected in the upward direction with a cover (84) that is a component of a ring-shaped grain tank extension. The grain tank extension can be moved between an extended position in which it forms a ring that enlarges the grain tank (42) in the upward direction, and a retracted position, in which it encloses the grain tank (42) in the upward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Heinz Sprau
  • Patent number: 8006469
    Abstract: A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening and a transfer roller is mounted behind the disks and in front of the nip. At each end, two disks are mounted outwardly of the discharge opening each rotating so that its blade moves inwardly and each carries an impeller to carry the crop inwardly. A third disk is arranged so that a line forward of the end of the discharge opening intersects the third disk inward of the axis of the third disk. The third disk rotates so that its blade moves outwardly so that the crop tends to pass between the second and third disks. A pair of impellers are mounted behind the second disk and move inwardly to carry the cut crop to the discharge opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: MacDon Industries Ltd
    Inventor: Neil Gordon Barnett