Patents by Inventor Curtis F. Hillen
Curtis F. Hillen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20180027738Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a grain processing section having a crop material handling assembly. The crop material handling assembly is driven in fore and aft oscillation by a device while permitting side to side movement. A pivotal link mechanism structurally connected to the crop material handling assembly midway between its side members and to the agricultural harvester chassis drives linear side to side movement of the crop material handling assembly while permitting fore and aft movement thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2016Publication date: February 1, 2018Applicant: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Curtis F. Hillen, Willem De Coninck, Michiel J. Vanderstichele, Frank R.G. Duquesne, Jonas F.G. Deprauw
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Patent number: 9814184Abstract: An apparatus and method for distributing crop material onto a cleaning sieve of an agricultural combine. The method includes providing at least one sensor configured and operable for sensing information representative of at least one of a quantity of grain associated with the crop material distributor and an inclination angle associated with the crop material distributor, and outputting signals representative thereof. The method includes providing a crop material distributor disposed between a threshing system of the combine and the sieve, for distributing crop material from the threshing system generally evenly onto the sieve. The method includes providing an apparatus operably associated with the distributor for controllably distributing crop material onto the sieve. The method includes controlling a position of the apparatus as a function of signals from the at least one sensor.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2011Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Jonathan E. Ricketts, Curtis F. Hillen, Herbert M. Farley
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Publication number: 20170311543Abstract: A tailings conveyance including a housing having a front plate, a back plate, and a wall, and is adapted to recycle tailings through a cleaning system of a combine using at least one impeller. The wall of the housing describes an arc near the impeller paddles over a segment of a circle described by the circumference of the impeller. The wall further continues on a tangent away from the circle at a point of tangency. A sensor is positioned proximate to the point of tangency, and senses whether a space between the front plate and the back plate directly adjacent to the sensor is obscured by tailings as the impeller rotates. A controller or control system connected to the sensor calculates an amount or percentage of time the space between the front plate and the back plate directly adjacent to the sensor is obscured by tailings as the impeller rotates.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2016Publication date: November 2, 2017Applicant: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Arno Leenknegt, Dré Waltherus Joachim Jongmans, Glenn Aesaert, Richard P. Strosser, Jeffrey D. Thomas, Curtis F. Hillen
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Publication number: 20170112067Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a grain processing section having a sieve assembly. The sieve assembly is driven in fore and aft oscillation by an eccentric rotation device while permitting side to side movement. A drive arm to the sieve assembly has a connection interface to the eccentric rotation device permitting side to side movement during fore and aft oscillation.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2016Publication date: April 27, 2017Inventors: Frank R.G. Duquesne, Curtis F. Hillen, Dieter Neirynck, Daniel T. Turner, Bart Derynck, Karl R. Linde, Raf De Smet
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Publication number: 20170020073Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a grain processing section having a sieve. The sieve is driven in fore and aft oscillation while permitting side to side movement by a pair of cast members interconnected each having three mounting points. Two of the mounting points of the members are interconnected by flexible rubber bushings and the third mounting point of one of the members receives fore and aft oscillating movement and the third mounting point on the second of the members pivotally interconnects to the sieve to drive it into fore and aft oscillation while permitting side to side movement.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2016Publication date: January 26, 2017Applicant: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Tyler L. Nelson, Craig E. Murray, Curtis F. Hillen, Clay A. Reinecke, Kevin S. Schwinn
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Patent number: 9462752Abstract: A clean grain evacuation device for a grain harvester having a threshing system configured to separate grain harvested by the harvester from crop residue and direct a flow of the grain to a cleaning system disposed within the harvester including at least two sieves disposed and configured to sequentially clean the grain. The evacuation device is disposed for receiving a portion of the flow of the clean grain from a first of the sieves, and is configured to evacuate the received clean grain away from the cleaning system. The evacuation device can include a conveyor disposed for directing the evacuated grain directly to a desired location such as a clean grain receiving system on the harvester. The evacuation device can also be located in an air flow path to the sieves.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2012Date of Patent: October 11, 2016Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Herbert M. Farley, Curtis F. Hillen, Frank R. G. Duquesne, Thierry Devriese
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Publication number: 20160100525Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a chassis; at least one ground engaging traction member connected to the chassis; a cleaning system held by the chassis and configured to clean crop material; and an elevator supplied with the crop material cleaned by the cleaning system. The elevator includes a housing having a crop material inlet that receives the crop material, a boot portion that forms a bottom of the housing, an air inlet and an air outlet; a plurality of paddles configured to convey the crop material through the housing and away from the boot portion in a generally vertical direction; and a blower configured to produce a pressurized air stream through the air inlet that expels loose crop material into the air outlet as the crop material is conveyed away from the boot portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2014Publication date: April 14, 2016Applicant: CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLCInventors: Eric E. Veikle, Martin J. Roberge, Curtis F. Hillen, Herbert M. Farley, Frank R.G. Duquesne
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Patent number: 9295197Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a chassis; at least one ground engaging traction member connected to the chassis; a cleaning system held by the chassis and configured to clean crop material; and an elevator supplied with the crop material cleaned by the cleaning system. The elevator includes a housing having a crop material inlet that receives the crop material, a boot portion that forms a bottom of the housing, an air inlet and an air outlet; a plurality of paddles configured to convey the crop material through the housing and away from the boot portion in a generally vertical direction; and a blower configured to produce a pressurized air stream through the air inlet that expels loose crop material into the air outlet as the crop material is conveyed away from the boot portion.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2014Date of Patent: March 29, 2016Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Eric E. Veikle, Martin J. Roberge, Curtis F. Hillen, Herbert M. Farley, Frank R. G. Duquesne
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Publication number: 20160066503Abstract: A cutter guard assembly for a knife drive of an agricultural farm implement is provided. The cutter guard assembly includes a cutter bar assembly, a window frame, and a floor sheet. The cutter bar assembly has a cutter bar and a reciprocating knife assembly operatively connected to a knife drive. The window frame is rigidly attached to the cutter bar. The window frame includes an opening through which a knife arm of the reciprocating knife assembly extends through. The floor sheet extends rearwardly from the cutter bar and pivots relative to the window frame.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2014Publication date: March 10, 2016Inventors: Joel T. Cook, Curtis F. Hillen, Andrew V. Lauwers, Craig D. Roberts, Kyle R. Schropp, Joshua S. Joyce
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Publication number: 20140200057Abstract: A clean grain evacuation device for a grain harvester having a threshing system configured to separate grain harvested by the harvester from crop residue and direct a flow of the grain to a cleaning system disposed within the harvester including at least two sieves disposed and configured to sequentially clean the grain. The evacuation device is disposed for receiving a portion of the flow of the clean grain from a first of the sieves, and is configured to evacuate the received clean grain away from the cleaning system. The evacuation device can include a conveyor disposed for directing the evacuated grain directly to a desired location such as a clean grain receiving system on the harvester. The evacuation device can also be located in an air flow path to the sieves for improving operation and MOG removal.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2012Publication date: July 17, 2014Applicant: CNH America LLCInventors: Herbert M. Farley, Curtis F. Hillen, Frank R.G. Duquesne, Thierry Devriese
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Patent number: 8777706Abstract: A cleaning system for use in a combine harvester including an auger bed mounted within a frame such that when the combine harvester is laterally inclined from the horizontal, the cleaning system, including the auger bed and a sieve, may be leveled or substantially leveled to a generally horizontal position. The auger bed can include a plurality of augers located side by side with their axes positioned generally longitudinally in the combine harvester.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2011Date of Patent: July 15, 2014Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Herb M. Farley, Curtis F. Hillen
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Publication number: 20130172057Abstract: An apparatus and method for distributing crop material onto a cleaning sieve of an agricultural combine. The method includes providing a sensor in connection with a controller, the sensor senses information representative of grain associated with a crop material distributor and an inclination angle associated with the crop material distributor, and outputs signals representative of grain associated with a crop material distributor and an inclination angle associated with the crop material distributor to the controller. The method provides the crop material distributor for distributing crop material from a threshing system onto a sieve. The controller determines information representative of grain associated with a crop material distributor and an inclination angle associated with at least one of the crop material distributor and the combine. The method includes outputting signals for operable control of operating parameters associated with the crop material distributor and the sieve.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2012Publication date: July 4, 2013Inventors: Herbert M. FARLEY, Curtis F. HILLEN
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Publication number: 20130165191Abstract: A cleaning system for use in a combine harvester including an auger bed mounted within a frame such that when the combine harvester is laterally inclined from the horizontal, the cleaning system, including the auger bed and a sieve, may be leveled or substantially leveled to a generally horizontal position. In some embodiments, the auger bed comprises a plurality of augers located side by side with their axes positioned generally longitudinally in the combine harvester.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2011Publication date: June 27, 2013Applicant: CNH AMERICA LLCInventors: Herb M. FARLEY, Curtis F. Hillen
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Publication number: 20130116018Abstract: An apparatus and method for distributing crop material onto a cleaning sieve of an agricultural combine. The method includes providing at least one sensor configured and operable for sensing information representative of at least one of a quantity of grain associated with the crop material distributor and an inclination angle associated with the crop material distributor, and outputting signals representative thereof. The method includes providing a crop material distributor disposed between a threshing system of the combine and the sieve, for distributing crop material from the threshing system generally evenly onto the sieve. The method includes providing an apparatus operably associated with the distributor for controllably distributing crop material onto the sieve. The method includes controlling a position of the apparatus as a function of signals from the at least one sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2011Publication date: May 9, 2013Inventors: Jonathan E. RICKETTS, Curtis F. Hillen, Herbert M. Farley
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Patent number: 7997967Abstract: A sieve for a grain cleaning system of an agricultural combine, including a system providing enhanced adjustability of spacing, including capacities for quickly and easily varying a number of rows of sieve fingers, spacing between the rows, and angular orientation of the fingers, such that better sieve performance, and cleaning action above the sieve, can be achieved for a particular grain or seed size and other conditions, particularly very large sizes and very small sizes.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2009Date of Patent: August 16, 2011Assignee: CNH America LLCInventors: Jonathan E. Ricketts, Curtis F. Hillen, Denver R. Yoder
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Publication number: 20100113113Abstract: A sieve for a grain cleaning system of an agricultural combine, including a system providing enhanced adjustability of spacing, including capacities for quickly and easily varying a number of rows of sieve fingers, spacing between the rows, and angular orientation of the fingers, such that better sieve performance, and cleaning action above the sieve, can be achieved for a particular grain or seed size and other conditions, particularly very large sizes and very small sizes.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2009Publication date: May 6, 2010Inventors: Jonathan E. RICKETTS, Curtis F. HILLEN, Denver R. YODER