Patents Examined by Thomas B. Will
  • Patent number: 11540438
    Abstract: A mulching insert for use with a lawn mower having a frame and a cutting deck supported by the frame, includes a molded, single-piece body configured to be received in the cutting deck. The body includes an attachment portion that is configured to be engaged by a portion of the lawn mower to removably mount the body to the cutting deck. The body defines a mulching chamber within the cutting deck that provides clearance for a cutting blade of the lawn mower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Ariens Company
    Inventor: Fredric D. Schreiner
  • Patent number: 11533837
    Abstract: A planter system for planting seeds and spraying fluid includes a seeder assembly including a seed tube, a seed meter configured to dispense a seed into the seed tube, and a conveyor apparatus configured to carry the seed through the seed tube. The planter system also includes a sensor configured to transmit a detection signal upon detection of the seed passing a detection location. The planter system also includes a control system configured to determine a travel time of the seed from the detection location to a furrow based on a baseline drop time for the seed, a baseline travel speed of the seeder assembly, and an operating travel speed of the seeder assembly. The control system is configured to transmit a control signal to a valve coupled to a nozzle assembly based on the travel time and the detection signal to spray the fluid on or adjacent the seed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Capstan Ag Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Madison, Anthony Moeder
  • Patent number: 11528839
    Abstract: A planting system for a combine in embodiments of the present invention may have one or more of the following elements: (a) a soil opening system having one or more soil openers operably connected to one or more mounting arms operably attached to the combine, (b) a seed handling system having one or more seed dispensers with one or more seed tubes operably connected to the one or more seed dispensers and a seed reservoir adapted for housing cover crop seed, and (c) a control system having one or more actuators operably connected to one or more controllers, wherein at least one of the sets of soil openers and sets of seed dispensers is operably attached to a header of the combine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: MAX AND CINDY PITT, LLC
    Inventor: Max Pitt
  • Patent number: 11523554
    Abstract: A dual seed meter having a metering housing having first and second seed disks with a plurality of openings arranged along a curved path of each disk, wherein the disks overlap to form a convergence region such that seed traveling along the curved paths is delivered to a single point. Certain implementations also have a vacuum chamber defined between a first wall of the metering housing and the first and second seed disks and a seed chamber defined between a second wall of the metering housing and the first and second seed disks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Ag Leader Technology
    Inventor: Brett Buehler
  • Patent number: 11523559
    Abstract: A low-energy blade system having a quick-change attachment for a lawn maintenance tool is provided. The low-energy blade system requires a reduced amount of energy to rotate the blade system. The blade system includes a shell, a mounting plate attached to the shell, a plurality of quick-attach mechanisms, and a separate cutting blade attachable to each of the quick-attach mechanisms. Each quick-attach mechanism allows a cutting blade to be attached to the mounting plate without the need for external tools, such as screwdriver, wrench, ratchet, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: MTD PRODUCTS INC
    Inventors: Axel Schaedler, Peter J. Buchanan
  • Patent number: 11524643
    Abstract: Ground compaction machine, which can be a rubber-tired roller, operable to compact ground in a working direction is presented, along with a wheel cover for the same. The machine can have a machine frame and a chassis supporting the machine frame. The machine frame having a front chassis portion and a rear chassis portion. At least one of the front chassis portion or rear chassis portion has at least two chassis units, each chassis unit being rotatable about a distinct steering axis. Each chassis unit having at least one wheel, and a wheel cover, which is formed for thermal insulation of the chassis units from the external surroundings, the wheel cover comprising at least two wheel cover units, and a wheel cover unit being arranged on each chassis unit, which is configured to be rotatable about the respective distinct steering axis together with the respective chassis unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: BOMAG GMBH
    Inventors: Christian Berg, Ernst-Josef Einolf, Tobias Schoenberg
  • Patent number: 11516960
    Abstract: A gauge wheel (1) for use in controlling the depth of a furrow formed by at least one planting member of cultivation equipment includes a hub member (5) having a central hub and an outer peripheral portion (9); and a resilient coil member (3). The resilient coil member (3) includes a plurality of coil windings (17) which extend closely adjacent to the outer peripheral portion (9) of the hub member (5) and which define an outer periphery of the gauge wheel (1). The coil member (3) is connected at or adjacent one end thereof to the hub member (5). In use, the resilient coil member engages the soil on a side of the furrow and controls the depth by which the at least one planting member cuts into the soil to form the furrow. There is also provided a coulter gauge wheel which includes a coulter disc and at least one gauge wheel as described above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Inventors: Paul Edward Ryan, Yan Wang
  • Patent number: 11516964
    Abstract: A header has a position controlled gauge wheel that is controlled using a position actuator. The position actuator is locked when the gauge wheel is in a selected position, relative to a mainframe of the header. An operator input, changing the position of the header, is detected and the position actuator is unlocked to accommodate movement of the header, based on the detected operator input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Alex Brimeyer, Benjamin M. Lovett, Bryan R. Yanke, Duane M. Bomleny, David Barto, Daniel R. Marunde
  • Patent number: 11512445
    Abstract: A drawbar-circle-moldboard assembly for a work machine includes a drawbar, a circle assembly, and a moldboard. The drawbar is configured to be pivotably connected to a frame of the work machine. The circle assembly is rotatably connected to the drawbar and includes a circle member formed from a hollow box section. The moldboard is connected to the circle assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Benjamin J. Kovalick
  • Patent number: 11512456
    Abstract: A tool bit comprises a shank portion defining a longitudinal axis; and a working portion. The working portion includes at least a first arcuate surface disposed longitudinally adjacent the shank portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: David Bruno Parzynski, Jr., Thomas Marshall Congdon
  • Patent number: 11503764
    Abstract: A sickle knife drive for an agricultural vehicle generally includes a first pump, a first motor, a second motor and a drive manifold having a plurality of connections used for connecting to other devices of the sickle knife drive and/or to devices outside of the sickle knife drive. Operation of the first pump in a forward direction causes the first motor to drive a sickle knife gearbox to cut a crop. During the forward direction, the second motor provides cooling to the fluid circuit. When the first pump direction is reversed, the agricultural vehicle supplements a fluid flow to the fluid circuit to clear any jammed crop from the sickle knives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Jeffrey C. Trowbridge
  • Patent number: 11490557
    Abstract: A sowing coulter for direct and/or mulch sowing includes a coulter body, a tear-open chisel fastened by a fastening device, and coulter blades laterally projecting from the tear-open chisel and provided with front cutting edges, which are arranged in order to create a sowing furrow in the ground. In order to change the penetration depth of the sowing coulter into the ground, the coulter blades are adjustable about a horizontal axis that extends transversely to the direction of travel, and that is fixable in different positions by way of an adjustment device arranged between the tear-open chisel and the coulter body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Inventors: Victor Schwamm, Michael Troebner, Hubert Vollmer
  • Patent number: 11490556
    Abstract: Seed sowing apparatus comprising: a frame defining a leading part supporting a soil opening stage and a trailing part supporting a soil closing stage trailing the soil opening stage, wherein the soil opening stage comprises a plurality of laterally spaced seeding units, each seeding unit comprising a soil opening member associated with a respective seed delivery outlet connected to a seed source, wherein each seeding unit is configured to form a respective seeded trench in the ground when the apparatus is in use driven through soil in a forward direction of travel; wherein the soil closing stage comprises a plurality of laterally spaced soil deflection members each associated with a respective one of the seeding units, each soil deflection member being spaced laterally from the soil opening member of its respective seeding unit and configured to deflect soil toward the seeded trench formed by the seeding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Inventor: Simon Robert Frank Chaplin
  • Patent number: 11492769
    Abstract: A device attachable to a pair of cross-country skis for grooming a trail in fresh snow simply by skiing the first pass. The purpose of this invention is to create a grooved trail in fresh snow to guide all skiers that follow in the same track. Without this attachment installed on the lead skier's ski, the soft snow on each side of the packed ski track does not help to keep the subsequent skier's ski in the lead skier's track. For them, it is like trying to ski on top of a narrow rail. This creates a situation where the skier must be diligent to stay in the track. With this device installed on the lead skiers ski, the subsequent skiers are guided by the packed snow on the sides of the lead skier's ski track. When skiing in tracks made using this invention, a skier can ski faster and smoother than in untracked snow. Since the compacted track helps guide the skier in the track, it allows the skier to focus on, and enjoy, the surroundings scenery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Inventor: Richard J. Toews
  • Patent number: 11490566
    Abstract: A lawnmower can include a deck, blade, electric motor, battery pack, housing and fan. An air inlet can be located at the front end of the housing and adjacent to the top surface of the deck. The fan can be mounted in the housing and the housing can be configured such that, when the fan operates, air enters the housing air inlet at the front end of the housing, air flowing through the housing air inlet enters the first chamber, air flowing in the first chamber flows through the battery pack, air exiting the first chamber enters the second chamber and flows through the second chamber, air flowing in the second chamber flows through the motor in a direction that extends along the blade axis, and air exiting the motor exits the housing through the at least one air outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Hasegawa, Surender Kumar, Shivang Desai
  • Patent number: 11483955
    Abstract: A surface conditioning drag tool apparatus includes a plurality of fencing members each extending laterally along a width of the drag tool and spaced apart from one another at a plurality of locations between a front end and a rear end of the drag tool. The plurality of fencing members include a plurality of lower ground contacting extremities and a plurality of upper extremities spaced apart from one another in height and a frame coupled with and positioned above the plurality of ground working fencing members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: ABI Attachments, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin V. Keigley
  • Patent number: 11477934
    Abstract: An agricultural implement including a frame with a main frame section and at least one wing frame section such that the agricultural implement is configured for transitioning in between a work position and a transport position, at least one conveyance line, and at least one coupling device. The at least one coupling device includes a first coupling member attached to the first line portion and a second coupling member movably connected to the first coupling member and attached to the second line portion such that the at least one coupling device couples the first line portion and the second line portion of the at least one conveyance line in the work position and uncouples the first line portion and the second line portion of the at least one conveyance line in the transport position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd.
    Inventors: Gordon Anthony Engel, Dennis W. Chahley
  • Patent number: 11477941
    Abstract: A conditioner unit (6) for conditioning an agricultural crop material comprises a pair of rolls (20a, 20b) configured for rotation in opposite directions and providing a nip (22) through which crop material passes. An adjusting mechanism (31) is provided for adjusting a pressing force applied by the rolls (20a, 20b) to the crop material as it passes through the nip. The adjusting mechanism (31) includes at least one hydraulic actuator (30) connected to at least one of the rolls (20a, 20b) and a hydraulic circuit (33) that supplies hydraulic fluid to the actuator (30), the hydraulic circuit being configured so that in a first operational mode the rolls (20a, 20b) are pressed towards one another and in a second operational mode the rolls (20a, 20b) are pushed apart to provide a gap between the rolls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: KVERNELAND GROUP KERTEMINDE AS
    Inventor: Martin Bode Mortensen
  • Patent number: 11470783
    Abstract: A threshing or separating concave for grain harvesting is equipped with curved cheeks, between which concave bars having an elongated cross-sectional profile extend, the curved inside edges of which are provided with a rounded inside edge, and having concave rods extending in the direction of the curve, which pass through holes in the concave bars that are immediately adjacent to the rounded inside edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Friedrich Lauer
  • Patent number: 11470773
    Abstract: A zero turn radius lawnmower, such as a stand-on lawnmower, including a main frame having a first end portion and a second end portion, a pair of drive wheels operably coupled to the second end portion of the main frame and configured to be driven independently in both forward and reverse directions, and a front axle assembly pivotally coupled to the first end portion of the main frame about a single axis. The zero turn radius lawnmower also includes a pair of caster wheels coupled to respective ends of the front axle assembly such that the pair of caster wheels are able to move relative to the main frame, as well as a mower deck coupled to the main frame by at least one first linkage and coupled to the front axle assembly by at least one second linkage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventors: Philip H. Wenzel, Robert S. Laurin, E. Mark Lynch, Brian Crossway, Derrick R. Camenga