Patents by Inventor Tracy R. Archer
Tracy R. Archer 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: 8820758Abstract: A tag axle assembly for an agricultural machine, such as a harvester, and method for redistributing weight of the harvester from the rear axle of the harvester when a header is removed, or when replaced by a lighter header, at the front of the harvester. The tag axle assembly includes a tag axle with tires that may be lowered so that the tires contact the ground when no header is attached to the machine to absorb loads transferred from the front of the harvester to the rear axle and rear tires at the rear of the harvester. The tag axle and tires may be raised up from the ground, or the tag axle assembly may be removed from the harvester, when a header is attached to the front of the harvester causing redistribution of load from off the rear axle and rear tires.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2011Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Kevin S. Schwinn, John Donald Watt, Tracy R. Archer
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Publication number: 20130049316Abstract: A tag axle assembly for an agricultural machine, such as a harvester, and method for redistributing weight of the harvester from the rear axle of the harvester when a header is removed, or when replaced by a lighter header, at the front of the harvester. The tag axle assembly includes a tag axle with tires that may be lowered so that the tires contact the ground when no header is attached to the machine to absorb loads transferred from the front of the harvester to the rear axle and rear tires at the rear of the harvester. The tag axle and tires may be raised up from the ground, or the tag axle assembly may be removed from the harvester, when a header is attached to the front of the harvester causing redistribution of load from off the rear axle and rear tires.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2011Publication date: February 28, 2013Applicant: CNH AMERICA LLCInventors: Kevin S. Schwinn, John Donald Watt, Tracy R. Archer
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Patent number: 7320209Abstract: An automatic end of row detection and compacting sequence for a cotton harvesting machine which is initiated responsive to the machine ceasing harvesting at the end of a crop row, as represented by a condition such as raising a picker drum of the machine from a harvesting position to a non-harvesting position. Steps of the sequence can include ceasing operation of augers of compactor apparatus located in the cotton receiver are turned off, and moving the compactor apparatus downwardly within a cotton receiver of the machine and against cotton accumulated in the lower region of the receiver, one or more times, for further and better compacting the cotton. Then, when the machine is aligned with a new swath or row and a condition such as the picker unit being lowered to the harvesting position, normal operation of the compactor apparatus can be resumed.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2006Date of Patent: January 22, 2008Assignee: CNH America LLCInventors: Michael J. Covington, Tracy R. Archer, Timothy A. Meeks, Dwight D. Lemke
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Patent number: 7320208Abstract: An automatic end of row detection and compacting sequence for a cotton harvesting machine which is initiated responsive to the machine ceasing harvesting at the end of a crop row, as represented by a condition such as raising a picker drum of the machine from a harvesting position to a non-harvesting position. Steps of the sequence can include ceasing operation of augers of compactor apparatus located in the cotton receiver are turned off, and moving the compactor apparatus downwardly within a cotton receiver of the machine and against cotton accumulated in the lower region of the receiver, one or more times, for further and better compacting the cotton. Then, when the machine is aligned with a new swath or row and a condition such as the picker unit being lowered to the harvesting position, normal operation of the compactor apparatus can be resumed.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2006Date of Patent: January 22, 2008Assignee: CNH America LLCInventors: Michael J. Covington, Tracy R. Archer, Timothy A. Meeks, Dwight D. Lemke
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Patent number: 7320639Abstract: A cotton receiving basket for an on-board cotton harvesting machine including a lower basket having a plurality of upwardly extending walls having upper portions including elongate upper seal elements extending therealong, respectively; a basket lid having a plurality of downwardly extending walls having lower portions including elongate lower seal elements extending therealong, respectively, and the lower basket and the basket lid being telescopically related so as to be movable one relative to the other between a telescopically retracted position and a telescopically extended position, and wherein the upper and lower seal elements have oppositely facing tapered seal surfaces, respectively, which are cooperatively engaged along substantially the lengths thereof forming substantially sealed conditions therebetween when the lower basket and the basket lid are in the telescopically extended position.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2005Date of Patent: January 22, 2008Assignee: CNH America LLCInventors: Tracy R. Archer, Michael J. Covington, Timothy A. Meeks
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Patent number: 7297054Abstract: The apparatus for directing a flow of air and cotton from a cotton conveyor duct of a cotton harvester into a cotton receiver includes a cover member and a mounting element configured for mounting the cover member to a cotton conveyor duct for movement between a first position located at least partially in a path of a flow of air and cotton discharged through a discharge outlet of the duct, and a second position located adjacent to the path for directing the flow therealong. The cover member when in the first position is movable to the second position by a force exerted thereagainst by a flow of at least air discharged from the duct. A locking element of the apparatus is configured for automatically holding the cover member in the second position, the locking element being automatically operable for releasing the cover member when a downward force is applied thereagainst by the cotton receiver for moving the cover member to the first position.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2006Date of Patent: November 20, 2007Assignee: CNH America LLCInventors: Tracy R. Archer, Timothy A. Meeks, Earl R. Snyder
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Patent number: 7267051Abstract: A cotton receiving and densification apparatus for an upper region of a cotton module builder adapted for receiving a plurality of side-by-side flows of cotton and air and converging and densifying the cotton for distribution and conveyance downwardly into the module builder, including a cotton receiving chamber which tapers into a cotton densification chamber, both chambers being located above and downwardly opening into an upper region of a cotton compacting chamber of the module builder, the apparatus being capable of remaining intact when the module builder is collapsed for transport and storage.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2005Date of Patent: September 11, 2007Assignee: CNH America LLCInventors: Kevin S. Richman, Gary R. Gallens, Tracy R. Archer, Michael J. Covington
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Patent number: 7261634Abstract: The apparatus for directing a flow of air and cotton from a cotton conveyor duct of a cotton harvester into a cotton receiver includes a cover member and a mounting element configured for mounting the cover member to a cotton conveyor duct for movement between a first position located at least partially in a path of a flow of air and cotton discharged through a discharge outlet of the duct, and a second position located adjacent to the path for directing the flow therealong. The cover member when in the first position is movable to the second position by a force exerted thereagainst by a flow of at least air discharged from the duct. A locking element of the apparatus is configured for automatically holding the cover member in the second position, the locking element being automatically operable for releasing the cover member when a downward force is applied thereagainst by the cotton receiver for moving the cover member to the first position.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2006Date of Patent: August 28, 2007Assignee: CNH America LLCInventors: Tracy R. Archer, Timothy A. Meeks, Earl R. Snyder
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Patent number: 7228680Abstract: An automatic end of row detection and compacting sequence for a cotton harvesting machine which is initiated responsive to the machine ceasing harvesting at the end of a crop row, as represented by a condition such as raising a picker drum of the machine from a harvesting position to a non-harvesting position. Steps of the sequence can include ceasing operation of augers of compactor apparatus located in the cotton receiver are turned off, and moving the compactor apparatus downwardly within a cotton receiver of the machine and against cotton accumulated in the lower region of the receiver, one or more times, for further and better compacting the cotton. Then, when the machine is aligned with a new swath or row and a condition such as the picker unit being lowered to the harvesting position, normal operation of the compactor apparatus can be resumed.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2006Date of Patent: June 12, 2007Assignee: CNH America LLCInventors: Michael J. Covington, Tracy R. Archer, Timothy A. Meeks, Dwight D. Lemke
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Patent number: 7222477Abstract: An automatic end of row detection and compacting sequence for a cotton harvesting machine which is initiated responsive to the machine ceasing harvesting at the end of a crop row, as represented by a condition such as raising a picker drum of the machine from a harvesting position to a non-harvesting position. Steps of the sequence can include ceasing operation of augers of compactor apparatus located in the cotton receiver are turned off, and moving the compactor apparatus downwardly within a cotton receiver of the machine and against cotton accumulated in the lower region of the receiver, one or more times, for further and better compacting the cotton. Then, when the machine is aligned with a new swath or row and a condition such as the picker unit being lowered to the harvesting position, normal operation of the compactor apparatus can be resumed.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2006Date of Patent: May 29, 2007Assignee: CNH America LLCInventors: Michael J. Covington, Tracy R. Archer, Timothy A. Meeks, Dwight D. Lemke
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Patent number: 7204752Abstract: The apparatus for directing a flow of air and cotton from a cotton conveyor duct of a cotton harvester into a cotton receiver includes a cover member and a mounting element configured for mounting the cover member to a cotton conveyor duct for movement between a first position located at least partially in a path of a flow of air and cotton discharged through a discharge outlet of the duct, and a second position located adjacent to the path for directing the flow therealong. The cover member when in the first position is movable to the second position by a force exerted thereagainst by a flow of at least air discharged from the duct. A locking element of the apparatus is configured for automatically holding the cover member in the second position, the locking element being automatically operable for releasing the cover member when a downward force is applied thereagainst by the cotton receiver for moving the cover member to the first position.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2005Date of Patent: April 17, 2007Assignee: CNH America LLCInventors: Tracy R. Archer, Timothy A. Meeks, Earl R. Snyder
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Patent number: 7107747Abstract: An automatic end of row detection and compacting sequence for a cotton harvesting machine which is initiated responsive to the machine ceasing harvesting at the end of a crop row, as represented by a condition such as raising a picker drum of the machine from a harvesting position to a non-harvesting position. Steps of the sequence can include ceasing operation of augers of compactor apparatus located in the cotton receiver are turned off, and moving the compactor apparatus downwardly within a cotton receiver of the machine and against cotton accumulated in the lower region of the receiver, one or more times, for further and better compacting the cotton. Then, when the machine is aligned with a new swath or row and a condition such as the picker unit being lowered to the harvesting position, normal operation of the compactor apparatus can be resumed.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2005Date of Patent: September 19, 2006Assignee: CNH America LLCInventors: Michael J. Covington, Tracy R. Archer, Timothy A. Meeks, Dwight D. Lemke
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Patent number: 7093536Abstract: A fault tolerant operating method for a cotton compactor of a cotton module builder or packager of a cotton harvesting machine, which serves as an alternative to shutting down the compacting process or erratic operation thereof, in the event of indication of a fault or failure condition involving one or more sensors associated with the compactor, or a conductive path in connection with a sensor, all generally identified as a fault or failure condition.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2005Date of Patent: August 22, 2006Assignee: CNH America LLCInventors: Tracy R. Archer, Yun-Ren Ho, Kevin D. McKee, Kevin S. Richman
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Patent number: 7059242Abstract: An apparatus and method for cotton module building utilizing one or more augers on a compactor frame movable for compacting cotton in a cotton compacting chamber of the module builder. The auger or augers are rotatable for moving accumulated cotton in opposite directions therein, and are tiltable by contact with cotton accumulated unevenly in the chamber. A position or positions of the auger or augers are sensed for detecting tilting of the auger or augers. A controller responsively controllably operates the auger or augers for moving cotton in contact therewith in an appropriate direction for reducing the tilting and more evenly distributing the cotton. The cotton can then be compacted into a cotton module having desired dimensions.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2005Date of Patent: June 13, 2006Assignee: CNH America LLCInventors: Dwight D. Lemke, Michael J. Covington, Hyppolite Kuissi, Tracy R. Archer