Patents by Inventor Kevin S. Richman
Kevin S. Richman 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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Patent number: 9686913Abstract: System and method which automatically updates estimated field and in-transit yield values as a function of estimated vehicle load values and correction values determined from more accurate yield values obtained later, such as at a processing or other receiving facility, thereby providing better estimates of yield values between yield monitor system calibrations.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2013Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLCInventors: Christopher A. Foster, Justin R. Ringwald, Douglas S. Fitzkee, Kevin S. Richman, Jesse H. Orsborn, Thomas H. Brown, Jr., John H. Posselius
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Patent number: 9491908Abstract: A tractor mounted cotton harvester carries at least one mechanized cotton picking unit removably supported beside at least one side of the tractor in a forward facing orientation, outwardly of the tractor wheels. A cotton receptacle is removably mounted to a hitch of the tractor and is lowerable for unloading. The cotton receptacle can include cotton compacting apparatus. At least one duct connects the at least one picking unit with the cotton receptacle, and a fan provides an air flow through the duct or ducts. The fan can be hydraulic, electric or mechanical powered.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2011Date of Patent: November 15, 2016Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Bruce A. Hadley, Kevin S. Richman, Steven E. Gaedy
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Patent number: 9475598Abstract: A system and method for wrapping bales of agricultural material including, but not limited to, cotton bales and biomass bales, provides a supply of tubular wrapping material at an outlet end of bale forming apparatus, for receiving successive large bales, and gathers, clamps, and cuts the wrapping material at a point between a just wrapped bale and the discharge opening, for closing the end of the wrapper of the just finished bale, and forming the wrapper for the next bale.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2011Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Martin J. Roberge, Kevin S. Richman, Jesse H. Orsborn
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Patent number: 9439353Abstract: A cotton harvester and baler (20) to be towed by a vehicle (24), carries at least one mechanized cotton picking unit (30), a mechanized cotton baler (32) having packing apparatus (76) for compacting the picked cotton into bales (84) which are successively discharged. Cotton conveying apparatus (34) extends between the picking unit or units (30) and the baler (32), for receiving the picked cotton and conveying it to a baling chamber (72) of the baler (32) for compaction by the packing apparatus (76). The conveying apparatus (34) can comprise all mechanical, all pneumatic, or a combination of mechanical and pneumatic apparatus. The picking unit or units (30) can be removed to allow picking up and baling material such as straw or hay.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2011Date of Patent: September 13, 2016Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Bruce A. Hadley, Kevin S. Richman, Steven E. Gaedy
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Patent number: 9402345Abstract: A cotton harvester includes plant cutting apparatus to sever cotton plants from a ground surface, plant conveyor apparatus to convey the severed plants into and through a picking chamber, and cotton picking apparatus including picker spindles that move upwardly into the picking chamber through a floor of the chamber to pick cotton filaments from bolls of the plants conveyed as a flattened mat therethrough and carry the cotton downwardly through the floor to doffers that remove the cotton from the spindles. Cotton conveyor apparatus also below the floor conveys the cotton to a receiver, while the plant residue passes from the chamber.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2014Date of Patent: August 2, 2016Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Alexandra C. Collier-DeChristopher, Kevin S. Richman, Michael J. Minnich, Geoffrey Rendell, Donald Keller, Christopher D. Sellers, Jesse H. Orsborn
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Publication number: 20160021822Abstract: A cotton harvester includes plant cutting apparatus to sever cotton plants from a ground surface, plant conveyor apparatus to convey the severed plants into and through a picking chamber, and cotton picking apparatus including picker spindles that move upwardly into the picking chamber through a floor of the chamber to pick cotton filaments from bolls of the plants conveyed as a flattened mat therethrough and carry the cotton downwardly through the floor to doffers that remove the cotton from the spindles. Cotton conveyor apparatus also below the floor conveys the cotton to a receiver, while the plant residue passes from the chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2014Publication date: January 28, 2016Inventors: Alexandra C. Collier-DeChristopher, Kevin S. Richman, Michael J. Minnich, Geoffrey Rendell, Donald Keller, Christopher D. Sellers, Jesse H. Orsborn
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Publication number: 20140358466Abstract: System and method which automatically updates estimated field and in-transit yield values as a function of estimated vehicle load values and correction values determined from more accurate yield values obtained later, such as at a processing or other receiving facility, thereby providing better estimates of yield values between yield monitor system calibrations.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2013Publication date: December 4, 2014Applicant: CNH America LLCInventors: Christopher A. Foster, Justin R. Ringwald, Douglas S. Fitzkee, Kevin S. Richman, Jesse H. Orsborn, Thomas H. Brown, JR., John H. Posselius
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Patent number: 8627767Abstract: The apparatus forms a unitary bale of agricultural or forestry biomass of uniform density and having a level top. The apparatus includes packer apparatus configured and supported in the chamber for reciprocating movement through a compacting chamber and progressive movement upwardly to form the bale. A crop deflector is supported in the chamber above the packer apparatus for deflecting a stream of the biomass downwardly, and is configured and operable so as to move continuously with the packer apparatus between the ends of the chamber and to substantially constantly reconfigure as a function of a position of the packer apparatus and a direction of the movement thereof so as to deflect the stream of the biomass directly in a path of the packer apparatus in the current direction of the movement thereof so as to be immediately compacted thereby onto the floor or the bale.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2011Date of Patent: January 14, 2014Assignee: CNH Canada, Ltd.Inventors: Martin J. Roberge, Kevin S. Richman
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Patent number: 8531300Abstract: A system and method for automatically identifying and locating a cotton module that has been transported prior to marking with an identifier, such system and method locating the cotton module as a function of a location of the cotton module and a heading of an unloading vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2011Date of Patent: September 10, 2013Assignee: CNH America LLCInventors: Christopher A. Foster, Justin R. Ringwald, Thomas H. Brown, Jr., Jesse H. Orsborn, Trent A. Haggard, Douglas S. Fitzkee, Kevin S. Richman, John H. Posselius
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Publication number: 20130145940Abstract: The apparatus forms a unitary bale of agricultural or forestry biomass of uniform density and having a level top. The apparatus includes packer apparatus configured and supported in the chamber for reciprocating movement through a compacting chamber and progressive movement upwardly to form the bale. A crop deflector is supported in the chamber above the packer apparatus for deflecting a stream of the biomass downwardly, and is configured and operable so as to move continuously with the packer apparatus between the ends of the chamber and to substantially constantly reconfigure as a function of a position of the packer apparatus and a direction of the movement thereof so as to deflect the stream of the biomass directly in a path of the packer apparatus in the current direction of the movement thereof so as to be immediately compacted thereby onto the floor or the bale.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2011Publication date: June 13, 2013Applicant: CNH America LLCInventors: Martin J. Roberge, Kevin S. Richman
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Publication number: 20130145724Abstract: A system and method for wrapping bales of agricultural material including, but not limited to, cotton bales and biomass bales, provides a supply of tubular wrapping material at an outlet end of bale forming apparatus, for receiving successive large bales, and gathers, clamps, and cuts the wrapping material at a point between a just wrapped bale and the discharge opening, for closing the end of the wrapper of the just finished bale, and forming the wrapper for the next bale.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2011Publication date: June 13, 2013Inventors: Martin J. Roberge, Kevin S. Richman, Jesse H. Orsborn
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Patent number: 8452496Abstract: A system and method for automatically identifying, locating, and tracking a cotton module that eliminates the necessity of physically marking or tagging the cotton module, such system and method using information such a location of the cotton module and a heading of a harvesting vehicle and a transport vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2011Date of Patent: May 28, 2013Assignee: CNH America LLCInventors: Christopher A. Foster, Justin R. Ringwald, Douglas S. Fitzkee, Kevin S. Richman, Jesse H. Orsborn, Thomas H. Brown, Jr., John H. Posselius
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Publication number: 20130014482Abstract: A cotton harvester and baler (20) to be towed by a vehicle (24), carries at least one mechanized cotton picking unit (30), a mechanized cotton baler (32) having packing apparatus (76) for compacting the picked cotton into bales (84) which are successively discharged. Cotton conveying apparatus (34) extends between the picking unit or units (30) and the baler (32), for receiving the picked cotton and conveying it to a baling chamber (72) of the baler (32) for compaction by the packing apparatus (76). The conveying apparatus (34) can comprise all mechanical, all pneumatic, or a combination of mechanical and pneumatic apparatus. The picking unit or units (30) can be removed to allow picking up and baling material such as straw or hay.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2011Publication date: January 17, 2013Applicant: CNH AMERICA LLCInventors: Bruce A. Hadley, Kevin S. Richman, Steven E. Gaedy
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Publication number: 20130008141Abstract: A tractor mounted cotton harvester carries at least one mechanized cotton picking unit removably supported beside at least one side of the tractor in a forward facing orientation, outwardly of the tractor wheels. A cotton receptacle is removably mounted to a hitch of the tractor and is lowerable for unloading. The cotton receptacle can include cotton compacting apparatus. At least one duct connects the at least one picking unit with the cotton receptacle, and a fan provides an air flow through the duct or ducts. The fan can be hydraulic, electric or mechanical powered.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2011Publication date: January 10, 2013Applicant: CNH AMERICA LLCInventors: Bruce A. Hadley, Kevin S. Richman, Steven E. Gaedy
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Publication number: 20130006481Abstract: A system and method for automatically identifying, locating, and tracking a cotton module that eliminates the necessity of physically marking or tagging the cotton module, such system and method using information such a location of the cotton module and a heading of a harvesting vehicle and a transport vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2011Publication date: January 3, 2013Inventors: Christopher A. Foster, Justin R. Ringwald, Douglas S. Fitzkee, Kevin S. Richman, Jesse H. Orsborn, Thomas H. Brown, JR., John H. Posselius
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Publication number: 20120319837Abstract: A system and method for automatically identifying and locating a cotton module that has been transported prior to marking with an identifier, such system and method locating the cotton module as a function of a location of the cotton module and a heading of an unloading vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2011Publication date: December 20, 2012Inventors: Christopher A. Foster, Justin R. Ringwald, Thomas H. Brown, JR., Jesse H. Orsborn, Trent A. Haggard, Douglas S. Fitzkee, Kevin S. Richman, John H. Posselius
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Patent number: 7878114Abstract: A procedure and system for unloading a compacted cotton module from an on-board module builder of a cotton harvester, which in an automatic mode utilizes a controller to automatically monitor ground speed and operate unloading apparatus at a synchronized ratio to ground speed, for maintaining integrity and shape of the module, and which is quickly and easily switchable between the automatic mode and a manual mode that allows an operator to position and operate the unloading apparatus independent of ground speed for purposes such as placing the module at a precise location such as next to an already unloaded module or the like.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2008Date of Patent: February 1, 2011Assignee: CNH America LLCInventors: Kevin S. Richman, Justin R. Ringwald, Frank C. Dupire
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Patent number: 7624679Abstract: An unloader for a cotton compacting structure such as a module builder, including loose cotton retaining apparatus configured and operable for retaining loose cotton carried from, and returning the loose cotton to, the compacting structure. Apparatus of the invention can include an array or arrays of individual upstanding filaments, or flaps, located on a cotton conveying surface of a door arrangement or ramp extending from the compacting structure and over which a mass of compacted cotton or module is unloaded. The apparatus is configured to allow passage of a mass or module of compacted cotton thereover, while preventing passage of at least a substantial portion of any loose cotton following the mass or module along the surface. The apparatus is also configured for returning the loose cotton to the compacting structure upon folding or closing of the door or ramp.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2008Date of Patent: December 1, 2009Assignee: CNH America LLCInventors: Kevin S. Richman, Kenneth W. Brown, Frank C. Dupire, Jimmy Ray Hargett
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Enhanced operator presence system for a cotton harvester with an on-board module building capability
Patent number: 7543676Abstract: An operator presence system for a cotton harvester including an on-board cotton module builder, the system including a mount for installing a ground access ladder at a first position for providing access to a service platform for routine service and maintenance, and a second mount at a second location for installing the ground access ladder adjacent to a ladder segment extending to an upper region of the machine, the mount at the second location including a switch or other device for disabling or locking out at least a hydraulic system of the module builder when the ladder is mounted to the second mount, and which re-enables operation when the ladder is removed therefrom.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2005Date of Patent: June 9, 2009Assignee: CNH America LLCInventors: Kevin S. Richman, Michael J. Covington, F. Randall Hugh -
Publication number: 20090123261Abstract: A procedure and system for unloading a compacted cotton module from an on-board module builder of a cotton harvester, which in an automatic mode utilizes a controller to automatically monitor ground speed and operate unloading apparatus at a synchronized ratio to ground speed, for maintaining integrity and shape of the module, and which is quickly and easily switchable between the automatic mode and a manual mode that allows an operator to position and operate the unloading apparatus independent of ground speed for purposes such as placing the module at a precise location such as next to an already unloaded module or the like.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2008Publication date: May 14, 2009Inventors: Kevin S. Richman, Justin R. Ringwald, Frank C. Dupire