Patents Represented by Attorney William Stader
  • Patent number: 7004987
    Abstract: A pre-cleaner for an air induction system of an internal combustion engine including a housing enclosing an upper chamber and an aspirator port chamber, the upper chamber containing a plurality of particulate separator tubes for removing particles from air flowing through the tubes en route to the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Case Corporation
    Inventors: Derryn W. Pikesh, Randy Carlz
  • Patent number: 6998956
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling access to a work vehicle includes limiting an unauthorized operator's access to the work vehicle by disabling an engine subsystem and additionally limiting access to another vehicle system such as an auxiliary fluid actuator, by disabling at least one of the auxiliary fluid actuators. In this manner, even if a thief hot wires the engine of the work vehicle, he will not be able to use the work vehicle since the engine and the fluid actuators and the fluid controller that controls the actuators are independently disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventor: Peter J. Dix
  • Patent number: 6988560
    Abstract: A system for quickly coupling a mounted implement and a towed implement to a tractor frame or chassis includes a hitching bracket with two hooks and two eyes that are fixed to the frame of the tractor and a plate that is fixed to the hooks and eyes to provide a mounting surface for the implement. The plate also includes a slot for inserting a drawbar that can be attached to a towed vehicle. The drawbar is positioned underneath the implement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventor: Tod A. Bay
  • Patent number: 6988352
    Abstract: In a forage harvester having a cutter for chopping gathered crop material, a unit is arranged downstream of the cutter, the unit including an accelerator arranged in the path of crop flow for propelling the crop towards a discharge spout, and a crop processor for cracking kernels which is selectively movable into and out of the crop flow path at a location between the cutter and the accelerator. The accelerator comprises a rotor and housing which are together movable towards the cutter when the crop processor is withdrawn from the crop flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventor: Sandor W. Van Vooren
  • Patent number: 6990399
    Abstract: An agricultural utility vehicle includes a computer to execute the steps of storing data representing steering direction, position and speed of the agricultural vehicle; recognizing repeated drive events wherein each drive event comprises a plurality of serially performed functions including changing steering direction, changing speed and changing lift position of a hitch of the agricultural utility vehicle; displaying each function on a screen and enabling a user to skip functions and execute subsequent functions; executing the functions to automatically control the vehicle on private areas, which are determined in accordance with means for sensing position; blocking execution of the functions in public areas; deactivating control when obstacles are encountered, wherein the obstacles are recognized by way of signals received from cameras mounted on the agricultural vehicle; and periodically prompting a user for input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Oliver Hrazdera, Karl Huber
  • Patent number: 6983728
    Abstract: The muffler and support according to the preferred embodiment is for use with an engine for a skid steer loader, and has a natural frequency that is outside the vibration frequency of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Clayton E Banks, Jr., Braden G Cammauf, Brian R Doutrich
  • Patent number: 6981352
    Abstract: A round baler comprising: a housing; a bale chamber receiving cut crop material; a bale forming apparatus for bale forming; a wrapping apparatus comprising a wrapping material supply roll that provides wrapping material from the supply roll to wrap about the bale, and a sensor member disposed on a pivoting sensor arm member so the sensor member abuts an outer surface of the wrapping material stored on the supply roll, and the sensor arm member moves between first position and second positions; and a low wrapping material indication system comprising a sensor disposed to sense at least the second position of the sensor arm member corresponding to a minimum thickness of the wrapping material stored on the supply roll, wherein the sensor generates a signal to indicate that the thickness of the wrapping material is at the minimum thickness when the sensor arm member is at the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Mark K. Chow, Cecil R. Sudbrack
  • Patent number: 6981355
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for wrapping round bales with either netwrap or stretch film that prevent the stretch film from adhering to the parts of the wrapping mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: John R. McClure, Imants Ekis, Stephen C. Schlotterbeck, John D. Fornadel
  • Patent number: 6980896
    Abstract: An earth-moving vehicle includes a carriage, which can move on a terrain in mutually opposite directions of movement along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and a station for driving and maneuvering, which is able to rotate with respect to the carriage about a vertical axis, houses a plurality of controls, and is oriented in a direction in which an operator is facing during maneuvering of the controls. The vehicle is further provided with a signaling device and with a control assembly, which activates the signaling device to warn, outside the station, when a direction of movement is actuated that is opposite to the direction of orientation of the station. The control assembly operates automatically according to the relative angular position of the station with respect to the carriage about the vertical axis and according to the command issued for the direction of movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventor: Alessandro Stamerra
  • Patent number: 6980895
    Abstract: An electronic control system for use in an agricultural vehicle having a hitch for towing an implement. The control system controls any one or more of a plurality of sub-systems relating to the vehicle operation. The electronic control system includes a memory, a recording mode, and a playback mode. In one aspect of the invention, the driver is enabled during the recording mode to record a break signal in addition to, and without interruption of, the recording of the sequence of control steps being executed by the driver and in that during the playback mode automatic execution of the recorded control steps is interrupted upon detection of a break signal, execution of the remaining recorded control steps in the sequence being resumed only in response to an instruction from the vehicle driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Mark Paice, Paolo Ferracin, Milton Aberneithy
  • Patent number: 6973779
    Abstract: An agricultural-implement hydraulic circuit includes a pump supplying pressurized fluid to a first service line and a second service line via a feed line and a device for varying the flow rate of the pump. A distributor valve is disposed between the first service line and the second service line, with the first service line and the second service line being connected and disconnected according to a position of the distributor valve. A hydraulic motor is coupled to the first service line through the valve and discharges fluid to a return line. A hydraulic actuator is coupled to the second service line. An indicator-valve assembly is coupled to the feed line, with the indicator-valve assembly including an indicator sensitive to pressure in the feed line such that the indicator indicates a predetermined pressure in the feed line to an operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Adrianus Naaktgeboren, Guy H. J. Osselaere
  • Patent number: 6971463
    Abstract: A work vehicle having a hydrostatic drive system provides for the recovery and reuse of the vehicle's kinetic energy by conducting pressurized hydraulic fluid out of the hydrostatic drive system into an accumulator during vehicle deceleration, and conducting the pressurized fluid back into the drive system during vehicle acceleration to assist the vehicle's engine in accelerating the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Daniel B. Shore, Peter J. Dix
  • Patent number: 6971439
    Abstract: An agricultural machine is described with a screen for protecting a part of a cooling system of a motor mounted on the agricultural machine, the screen being mounted in its operational position adjacent the cooling system, wherein the screen is movable from the operational position next to the cooling system of the motor to a position in which the screen lies outside the envelope defining the outer form of the agricultural machine, the screen being hingedly connected to the agricultural machine so that the initial trajectory of the screen is horizontal and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the agricultural machine, and that a further second trajectory of the screen is horizontal and substantially circular, having its centre of curvature on or adjacent a first hinge position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventor: Dirk J. Desnijder
  • Patent number: 6971194
    Abstract: A modular excavator-backhoe control station is disclosed, the station having two control towers with joystick on their upper ends that are pivotally coupled adjacent a floor of an excavator or backhoe. They have one piece polymeric boots that cover them as well as several additional operator controls. The towers are held in fore-and-aft position by a locking fluid cylinder that is adjustable to a many fore-and-aft positions. The towers also have upper portions that are laterally pivotal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Katrina L. McClelland, Curtis R. Lyons, Larry A. Johnson, Dennis J. Heyne
  • Patent number: 6968913
    Abstract: A skid steer vehicle includes a left side steering actuator that is coupled to left front and left rear drive wheels to steer the wheels with respect to the chassis, a right side steering actuator that is coupled to right front and right rear drive wheels to steer them with respect to the chassis. The actuators are fixed to the chassis and include steering arms or linkages that extend fore-and-aft to front and rear wheels and swivel housings that they pivot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventor: Edward H. Priepke
  • Patent number: 6966355
    Abstract: A work vehicle having a body and a heater A/C unit disposed inside the body with a condenser assembly connected to the heater A/C unit has the condenser assembly disposed on a lateral side of the body, the condenser assembly includes: a first mounting bracket disposed on the side of the body; a second mounting bracket disposed on the side of the body; a third mounting bracket disposed on the side of the body; and a planar condenser disposed in a frame, wherein the frame is pivotally connected on a first side to the first mounting bracket, and a second side opposite to the first side has a right wing and a left wing, wherein the second mounting bracket detachably connects to the left wing and the third mounting bracket detachably connects to the right wing, and the condenser is connected to the heater A/C unit by a conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: CNH America, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas G. Branham, Homauon Hal Noroozi, Dennis Arthur Fraser, Benard Lee Allers, David Charles Cushway
  • Patent number: 6964221
    Abstract: A hydraulic actuator for use in a work vehicle includes a tube including a first end, a second end and an inner surface; a plug with a portion of the plug disposed inside the tube and a portion of the plug extending outside the tube; a weld extending around the perimeter of the plug and coupling the first end of the tube to the plug, the weld forming a fluid-tight seal between the plug and the tube; a seal abutting against the plug and the inner surface of the tube and being spaced from the weld; an end plug affixed to the second end of the tube to enclose and seal the second end of the tube, the end plug defining a rod opening; a piston configured to be slidingly supported within the tube, the piston including a retract face, an extend face oppositely disposed from the retract face and a lip protruding from the extend face; and a piston rod affixed to the piston, the piston rod extending out of the tube through the rod opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Roger D. Mickelson, David A. Wiese
  • Patent number: 6962041
    Abstract: A single floating windguard that pivots at the front and the middle of the tine section causing the tines to maintain contact with the crop at all times as it moves over the pickup and across the stuffer assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: J. Levi Taylor, Kevin M. Smith, John R. McClure
  • Patent number: 6959497
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for detecting the angle of rotation between two components (1, 2), which are rotatably interconnected via a pin (3). Said device comprises an angle sensor (5), which is directly or indirectly connected to one of the two components (1 or 2) in a rotationally fixed manner and whose sensor shaft (8) is rotatably fixed to the other component (2 or 1) via a lever-shaped driver (9), whereby the angle of rotation is detected by the angle sensor (5) from the twisting of the sensor shaft (8). The aim of the invention is to improve the device of the aforementioned type such that the angle of rotation between two components can be detected in a significantly more precise manner, and such that the device can be used in a more reliable and practical manner. To this end, the invention provides that the sensor shaft (8) is connected to the driver (9) via at least one torsion-proof flexible element (11, 12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: O & K Orenstein and Koppel AG
    Inventor: Gustav Leidinger
  • Patent number: 6959942
    Abstract: A ball hitch is disclosed for connecting a drawbar of an agricultural vehicle to a coupling pin of a trailer. The ball hitch comprises a ball element having a part-spherical outer surface and a cylindrical bore for receiving the coupling pin of the trailer. The socket element is constructed as a sleeve that is removably mountable in the drawbar and has a part-spherical inner surface within which the ball element is received to allow the coupling pin to swivel about mutually orthogonal axes relative to the drawbar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventor: Christiaan A. C. Lippons