Patents by Inventor Jonathan E. Ricketts

Jonathan E. Ricketts 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).

  • Publication number: 20220000029
    Abstract: A header for an agricultural vehicle includes: a header frame; at least one crop remover carried by the header frame; a plurality of row dividers pivotably carried by the header frame; and at least one divider lifter coupled to at least one of the row dividers and configured to activate in order to pivot the coupled at least one row divider relative to the header frame. The at least one divider lifter is configured to be selectively activated by a remote controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Jonathan E. Ricketts, Brett Gutknecht, Nate McGraw, Adam L. Hession
  • Patent number: 11197419
    Abstract: An agricultural vehicle including a chassis and a sectional header system carried by the chassis. The sectional header system includes a center section connected to the chassis, at least one additional section, and at least one coupling assembly that removably connects the center section to the at least one additional section. The at least one coupling assembly includes at least one actuator connected to the center section and the at least one additional section. The at least one actuator is located underneath the pivot point. The at least one additional section is configured for being coupled to the center section in harvesting of a crop material and decoupled from the center section and subsequently towable in transportation of the sectional header system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan E. Ricketts, Craig D. Roberts
  • Patent number: 11116137
    Abstract: An agricultural vehicle including a chassis and a threshing system supported by the chassis. The threshing system includes a rotor, a front concave located at a distance radially away from the rotor and at least partially surrounding the rotor, and an infeed ramp connected to the front concave. The infeed ramp is located at a distance radially away from the rotor and has a plurality of slots therein. The threshing system also includes a support member positioned underneath the infeed ramp and a plurality of vanes connected to the support member. Each vane extends through a respective slot of the plurality of slots and is located at a distance radially away from the rotor. The vanes are configured for contacting and directing the crop material rearwardly towards the front concave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Jonathan E. Ricketts
  • Patent number: 11083136
    Abstract: A transition cone for a threshing system of an agricultural harvesting machine has an inner surface with a tapering inner circumference between a wider upstream end and a narrower downstream end, and a plurality of vanes in the transition cone. Each vane extends between the upstream end and the downstream end and at least partly around the tapering inner circumference. Each vane includes an upstanding segment extending away from the inner surface, and a base segment extending from the upstanding segment along the inner surface on the downstream side of the upstanding segment. The base segment has a thicker proximal region adjacent the upstanding segment and a thinner distal edge opposite thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan E. Ricketts, Wayne T. Flickinger
  • Patent number: 11058059
    Abstract: A deck plate extension for a row unit of an agricultural harvester. The deck plate extension configured to attach to the return side of the row unit side thereby preventing a kernel crop from dropping to the ground during harvesting. The deck plate extension is further provided with a kernel channel configured to direct the kernel crop along the return side of the row unit side to the harvest side of the row unit side. The deck plate extension may be provided as part of a deck plate of a row unit side or may be provided as a second plate added to the row unit side. The deck plate extension is configured to be added as original equipment and as a retrofit to existing row units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Brian P. Crow, Jonathan E. Ricketts, Dan L. Garland
  • Patent number: 11051452
    Abstract: A method for operating an agricultural vehicle. The method includes an initial step of providing the agricultural vehicle which includes a feeder housing and a header. The header includes at least one row unit, which has a pair of deck plates, and a deck plate adjustment system. The deck plate adjustment system includes at least one actuator connected to the deck plates, an electronic control unit operably connected to the at least one actuator, and at least one sensor. The method includes the further steps of pivoting the feeder housing to raise the header, sending, by the at least one sensor, a signal to the electronic control unit, and cycling the deck plates, by the electronic control unit actuating the at least one actuator to move the deck plates, for removing a buildup of material on the deck plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Brett Gutknecht, Dan L. Garland, Jonathan E. Ricketts
  • Publication number: 20210144920
    Abstract: A header for an agricultural harvester includes: a header frame; a flexible cutterbar carried by the header frame; a plurality of flex arms coupled to the cutterbar; and a flex arm drive assembly coupled to at least one of the flex arms and configured to selectively, linearly displace the at least one coupled flex arm in a vertical direction relative to the header frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2019
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Applicant: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Jonathan E. Ricketts
  • Publication number: 20210137009
    Abstract: A draper belt assembly for an agricultural harvester that includes a first roller, a second roller, and a draper belt surrounding the first and second rollers. The draper belt includes a front end, a rear end opposite the front end, and an upper surface extending from the front end to the rear end having a width substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of one of the first and second rollers. The draper belt further includes a plurality of spaced apart lugs each extending in the widthwise direction having an anterior end distal to the rear end and a posterior end proximal to the rear end, wherein the anterior end is spaced from the front end of the draper belt at least about 15 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Applicant: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Scott Palmer Deichmann, Jonathan E. Ricketts, Herbert M. Farley
  • Patent number: 10986777
    Abstract: An agricultural vehicle including a chassis, at least one rotor supported by the chassis and configured for threshing a crop material, at least one exterior side member supported by the chassis and including at least one outlet, and an air conduit located underneath the at least one rotor. The air conduit is configured for providing an airstream directed to the at least one exterior side member such that the airstream forces a material other than grain out through the at least one outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Jonathan E. Ricketts
  • Patent number: 10980178
    Abstract: A harvesting reel assembly for a header of an agricultural harvester is disclosed. The harvesting reel assembly includes a central rotatable shaft, a plurality of support members, a cam assembly and an extendable reel arm. The plurality of support members extend widthwise across the reel assembly and connect to the central rotatable shaft for rotation therewith. The cam assembly guides rotation of the plurality of support members. The extendable reel arm includes a first end engaged with the central rotatable shaft for rotation therewith. The extendable reel arm also includes a distal end opposite the first end connected to one of the plurality of support members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan E. Ricketts, Herbert M. Farley, John Hinkle, Blaine R. Noll
  • Publication number: 20210105945
    Abstract: An agricultural vehicle including a rotor configured for threshing a crop material and a housing located at a distance radially away from the rotor and circumferentially encasing at least a portion of the rotor. The agricultural vehicle also includes a discharge chopper positioned downstream of the rotor in a direction of crop material flow, and a discharge deflector moveably connected to the housing, circumferentially disposed around at least a portion of the rotor, and located at a radial distance away from the rotor. The discharge deflector has a distal end that defines a discharge opening for allowing the crop material to pass from the rotor to the discharge chopper such that as the discharge deflector is moved a circumferential position of the discharge opening is correspondingly moved without changing the radial distance between the discharge deflector and the rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventor: Jonathan E. Ricketts
  • Publication number: 20210051853
    Abstract: An agricultural vehicle including a chassis and a threshing system supported by the chassis. The threshing system includes a rotor, a front concave located at a distance radially away from the rotor and at least partially surrounding the rotor, and an infeed ramp connected to the front concave. The infeed ramp is located at a distance radially away from the rotor and has a plurality of slots therein. The threshing system also includes a support member positioned underneath the infeed ramp and a plurality of vanes connected to the support member. Each vane extends through a respective slot of the plurality of slots and is located at a distance radially away from the rotor. The vanes are configured for contacting and directing the crop material rearwardly towards the front concave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventor: Jonathan E. Ricketts
  • Patent number: 10820506
    Abstract: A method for controlling crop material speed through a rotor/cage assembly of an agricultural combine. The method includes the steps of monitoring a grain loss of the combine and adjusting an orientation of a vane coupled to the cage responsive to the grain loss, a cleaning system load and/or a straw length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Frank R. G. Duquesne, Jonathan E. Ricketts, Herbert M. Farley, Wayne T. Flickinger, Brecht Vanmullem, Arno Leenknegt, Dré Waltherus Joachim Jongmans, Glenn Aesaert
  • Patent number: 10721869
    Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a chassis; a threshing and separating system carried by the chassis and including at least one threshing rotor mounted in a longitudinal direction of the agricultural harvester; a grain pan carried by the chassis that receives crop material from the threshing and separating system, the grain pan being configured to shake in a fore-to-aft direction and a lateral direction; and a cleaning system carried by the chassis supplied with crop material from the grain pan, the cleaning system including at least one sieve configured to shake in the lateral direction out of phase with the grain pan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Frank R. G. Duquesne, Jonathan E. Ricketts, Herbert M. Farley, Curtis F. Hillen, Bart Derynck, Daniel Turner, Karl Linde
  • Patent number: 10687469
    Abstract: An agricultural vehicle including a chassis and a header connected to the chassis. The header includes a frame and at least one crop divider rotatably connected to the frame at an axis of rotation. The at least one crop divider is configured for dividing and lifting a crop material. The header also includes at least one drive unit mounted to the frame and operably connected to the at least one crop divider such that as the header is moved in a forward direction the at least one drive unit rotates the at least one crop divider about the axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan E. Ricketts, Herbert M. Farley
  • Publication number: 20200187422
    Abstract: A combine (10) including a cutting wheel for harvesting crop, a separating system (24) for threshing the harvested crop to separate grain from residue, at least one of a yield monitor (115) or a loss monitor (113), a crop cleaning system (26) including a cleaning fan (52), and a controller (310) coupled to the at least one of the yield monitor (115) or the loss monitor (113). The controller (310) controls the crop cleaning system (26), and is configured to determine at least one of a throughput from the yield monitor (115), or a loss from the loss monitor (113), compare the determined throughput or loss to a respective throughput threshold or loss threshold, and control a speed of the cleaning fan (52) based on the throughput or loss comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventor: Jonathan E. Ricketts
  • Publication number: 20200178465
    Abstract: A deck plate extension for a row unit of an agricultural harvester. The deck plate extension configured to attach to the return side of the row unit side thereby preventing a kernel crop from dropping to the ground during harvesting. The deck plate extension is further provided with a kernel channel configured to direct the kernel crop along the return side of the row unit side to the harvest side of the row unit side. The deck plate extension may be provided as part of a deck plate of a row unit side or may be provided as a second plate added to the row unit side. The deck plate extension is configured to be added as original equipment and as a retrofit to existing row units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Applicant: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Brian P. Crow, Jonathan E. Ricketts, Dan L. Garland
  • Patent number: 10674671
    Abstract: An agricultural vehicle includes a chassis, a threshing and separating mechanism supported by the chassis and configured for threshing and separating a crop material, a cleaning system positioned downstream of the threshing and separating mechanism in a direction of crop material flow, and an auxiliary processing system positioned downstream of the threshing and separating mechanism in the direction of crop material flow. The auxiliary processing system has an inlet and an outlet, and includes a discharge chopper having an end and a first direction of rotation about an axis of rotation. The auxiliary processing system also includes at least one rethreshing element coaxially aligned with the discharge chopper and adjacent to the end of the discharge chopper and having a second direction of rotation opposite to the first direction of rotation of the discharge chopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan E. Ricketts, Wayne T. Flickinger
  • Publication number: 20200170187
    Abstract: A method for operating an agricultural vehicle. The method includes an initial step of providing the agricultural vehicle which includes a feeder housing and a header. The header includes at least one row unit, which has a pair of deck plates, and a deck plate adjustment system. The deck plate adjustment system includes at least one actuator connected to the deck plates, an electronic control unit operably connected to the at least one actuator, and at least one sensor. The method includes the further steps of pivoting the feeder housing to raise the header, sending, by the at least one sensor, a signal to the electronic control unit, and cycling the deck plates, by the electronic control unit actuating the at least one actuator to move the deck plates, for removing a buildup of material on the deck plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Applicant: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Brett Gutknecht, Dan L. Garland, Jonathan E. Ricketts
  • Patent number: 10660274
    Abstract: A threshing and separating system including a rotor cage, a first vane rail movably connected to the rotor cage, and a first vane portion with a first constrained end pivotably connected to the rotor cage and a first movable end linked to the first vane rail. The threshing and separating system further including a second vane rail movably connected to the rotor cage, and a second vane portion with a second constrained end pivotably connected to the rotor cage and a second movable end linked to the second vane rail, the second vane portion and the first vane portion together define a substantially continuous vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Kemmerer, Wayne T. Flickinger, Jonathan E. Ricketts