Patents Assigned to Morris Industries Ltd.
  • Patent number: 11711996
    Abstract: A row unit for a high-speed agricultural seeder includes a leading system including an opener and a dispenser, a trailing system including a leveler and a packer, a primary force generator generating a primary force, and a packer force adjustment system generating a packer adjustment force. The primary force includes opener and trailing force portions that are transferred to the opener and trailing system, respectively. The trailing force portion includes a leveler force portion that is transferred to the leveler and a packer force portion that is transferred to the packer. The packer adjustment force is adjustable independently of the leveler force portion, such that a combined packer force equal to a sum of the packer force portion and the packer adjustment force is adjustable independent of the leveler force portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Morris Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Clint W. Sheppard, Bhaskar Paliwal, Mark R. Benko, Edwin Antony
  • Publication number: 20200337219
    Abstract: A row unit for a high-speed agricultural seeder includes a leading system including an opener and a dispenser, a trailing system including a leveler and a packer, a primary force generator generating a primary force, and a packer force adjustment system generating a packer adjustment force. The primary force includes opener and trailing force portions that are transferred to the opener and trailing system, respectively. The trailing force portion includes a leveler force portion that is transferred to the leveler and a packer force portion that is transferred to the packer. The packer adjustment force is adjustable independently of the leveler force portion, such that a combined packer force equal to a sum of the packer force portion and the packer adjustment force is adjustable independent of the leveler force portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Applicant: Morris Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Clint W. Sheppard, Bhaskar Paliwal, Mark R. Benko, Edwin Antony
  • Patent number: 10721853
    Abstract: An agricultural harrow includes a harrow tine configured to be advanced through the soil in a forward direction. The harrow tine broadly includes an elongated tine element and a laser deposited metallic wear material. The tine element presents a lower end configured to penetrate the soil as the tine is advanced. The tine element also presents an exterior element surface. The wear material is on the exterior element surface adjacent the lower end of the tine element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Morris Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Thomas Janzen, Clint W. Sheppard
  • Patent number: 10697579
    Abstract: An agricultural tool unit includes a tool configured to engage the ground and a mounting device. The mounting device supports the tool and presents a device opening configured to receive the frame member. The mounting device includes driving and driven cam elements, with the driven cam element defining at least part of the device opening. The mounting device further includes a cam element shifter operable to selectively impart relative shifting of the cam elements in a first direction. The cam elements present respective cam surfaces that are complementally shaped and slidably engaged with one another to define a cam interface, with the cam interface extending transversely to the first direction such that the driven cam element is moved in a transverse second direction when the cam elements are relatively shifted by the cam element shifter. The driven cam element is configured to adjustably exert a force against the frame member when moving in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Morris Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Clint W. Sheppard, Ryan Lee Green, Gilbert Sinsoa Renes
  • Patent number: 10433477
    Abstract: A control system is operable to control an autonomous machine for autonomously applying one or more products to a jobsite in accordance with a set of operation instructions. The products are stored in one or more interchangeable containers which are initially located on a station. The control system broadly includes an alignment sensor and a machine processor. The alignment sensor is configured to sense and generate alignment data regarding a relative position of the station and a particular container that contains a particular product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Morris Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Clint W. Sheppard, Conrad Allen Glowa, Benjamin Karl Voss
  • Patent number: 10406961
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a frame, a plurality of tanks supported on the frame and housing particulate, an unloading system, a lifting mechanism, and a positioning system. The unloading system includes a plurality of individual carriers, each of which corresponds to one or more of the tanks. Each of the carriers defines a discharge opening for dispensing particulate unloaded from one or more of the tanks. The carriers are mounted to the frame such that the carriers are supported independently of the tanks. The lifting mechanism includes a shiftable positioning rail that at least partially supports each of the carriers, with generally vertical shifting of the positioning rail simultaneously raising or lowering each of the discharge openings. The positioning system includes a plurality of positioning devices, with shifting of each of the positioning devices resulting in fore-and-aft shifting of the corresponding one or more of the discharge openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Morris Industries LTD.
    Inventors: Lawrence S. Grodecki, Vincent A. Colistro, Terrance A. Friggstad, Don K. Henry, John A. Lesanko, Clint W. Sheppard
  • Publication number: 20190246546
    Abstract: An agricultural implement is configured to be advanced in a forward direction and includes an implement frame. The implement frame includes a pair of laterally extending fore-and-aft spaced frame members. The frame also includes a fore-and-aft extending interconnecting member that extends between the frame members and presents forward and aft ends. At least one of the frame members comprises a tubular beam presenting forward and aft walls. The forward and aft walls at least partly define an interior beam space, with a window opening being defined in a first one of the walls. The tubular beam receives a respective end of the interconnecting member so that the interconnecting member extends into and out of the interior beam space through the window opening. The respective end of the interconnecting member is welded to a second one of the walls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Applicant: Morris Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Clint W. Sheppard, Jeffrey Jonathan Gordon
  • Publication number: 20190249818
    Abstract: An agricultural tool unit includes a tool configured to engage the ground and a mounting device. The mounting device supports the tool and presents a device opening configured to receive the frame member. The mounting device includes driving and driven cam elements, with the driven cam element defining at least part of the device opening. The mounting device further includes a cam element shifter operable to selectively impart relative shifting of the cam elements in a first direction. The cam elements present respective cam surfaces that are complementally shaped and slidably engaged with one another to define a cam interface, with the cam interface extending transversely to the first direction such that the driven cam element is moved in a transverse second direction when the cam elements are relatively shifted by the cam element shifter. The driven cam element is configured to adjustably exert a force against the frame member when moving in the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Applicant: Morris Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Clint W. Sheppard, Ryan Lee Green, Gilbert Sinsoa Renes
  • Publication number: 20190208697
    Abstract: An agricultural tillage tool is configured to be advanced along a field in a forward direction. The tool broadly includes a base tool structure and a pre-brazed wear tablet. The base tool structure is configured to engage the ground while being advanced. The wear tablet includes a metallic wear plate and a steel backing plate, with the plates being brazed to one another. The metallic wear plate includes a wear material and the backing plate includes a backing plate material, with the wear material having a hardness greater than the backing plate material. The backing plate is laser welded to the base tool structure so as to fix the pre-brazed wear tablet to the base tool structure, with the metallic wear element being located ahead of the backing plate relative to the forward direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Applicant: Morris Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Thomas Janzen, Clint W. Sheppard
  • Publication number: 20190208693
    Abstract: An agricultural harrow includes a harrow tine configured to be advanced through the soil in a forward direction. The harrow tine broadly includes an elongated tine element and a laser deposited metallic wear material. The tine element presents a lower end configured to penetrate the soil as the tine is advanced. The tine element also presents an exterior element surface. The wear material is on the exterior element surface adjacent the lower end of the tine element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Applicant: Morris Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Thomas Janzen, Clint W. Sheppard
  • Patent number: 10225975
    Abstract: A double shoot dispensing system including a shank for opening a treatment trench, a seed shovel for creating left and right seed shelves above and on opposite sides of the treatment trench, and a two-piece boot body having a plurality of internal passages defined by assembled left and right halves of the body. A first passage directs the seeds onto the seed shelves, a second passage directs a granular fertilizer treatment into the treatment trench, and first and second tube passages receive first and second tubes delivering additional treatments into the treatment trench. Left and right ducts branch from the first passage so as to guide the deposit of the seeds. The body is constructed of a material having a relatively low mass and a relatively low coefficient of friction, such as polyurethane, polyethylene, nylon, or polyacetal, and is externally shaped so as to taper in a direction of travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Morris Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Clint W. Sheppard, Garth W. Massie
  • Publication number: 20190023171
    Abstract: A control system is operable to control an autonomous machine for autonomously applying one or more products to a jobsite in accordance with a set of operation instructions. The products are stored in one or more interchangeable containers which are initially located on a station. The control system broadly includes an alignment sensor and a machine processor. The alignment sensor is configured to sense and generate alignment data regarding a relative position of the station and a particular container that contains a particular product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Applicant: Morris Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Clint W. Sheppard, Conrad Allen Glowa, Benjamin Karl Voss
  • Publication number: 20190021220
    Abstract: A mobile agricultural product dispensing system is configured to hold a supply of agricultural product and transport the product for operations on a field by an agricultural machine. The dispensing system includes a wheeled supply station and a plurality of product containers. The supply station is operable to be advanced to and from the field and includes a rack assembly defining a series of container-receiving bays. The product containers are configured to be used interchangeably with the machine. Each container is configured to contain product and operably couple to the machine to dispense product thereto. Each container is removably supported by the rack assembly in a corresponding one of the bays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Applicant: Morris Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Clint W. Sheppard, Conrad Allen Glowa, Benjamin Karl Voss
  • Publication number: 20190021218
    Abstract: An autonomous agricultural implement is operable to advance itself across a field while dispensing agricultural product. The implement includes an implement chassis, a drive system, an interchangeable product container, and a plurality of openers. The container presents a chamber configured to hold a supply of product. The container is shiftable between coupled and uncoupled positions, with the container being detached from the implement chassis in the uncoupled position. The container includes a product flow barrier to selectively restrict product from flowing out of the chamber when the container is in the uncoupled position prior to the container being attached to the implement chassis. The container fluidly communicates with the openers when in the coupled position so that the openers receive product from the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Applicant: Morris Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Clint W. Sheppard, Conrad Allen Glowa, Benjamin Karl Voss
  • Publication number: 20190021219
    Abstract: An agricultural system includes an agricultural product supply station, an autonomous agricultural machine, a plurality of product containers, and a powered transfer mechanism. The machine is operable to advance across a field while dispensing product. The product containers are configured to be removably stored by the supply station in a stored position and used interchangeably with the machine. Each container is configured to contain product and operably couple to the machine to dispense product thereto. Each container is shiftable between a machine-coupled position and the stored position. The container is attached to the machine in the machine-coupled position and detached from the machine in the stored position. The transfer mechanism is operably supported by at least one of the supply station and the implement and is configured to shift each container between the machine-coupled and stored positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Applicant: Morris Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Clint W. Sheppard, Conrad Allen Glowa, Benjamin Karl Voss
  • Patent number: 10080324
    Abstract: A mobile air cart includes a metering assembly configured to receive particulate from a tank and to deliver particulate to pneumatic conveying lines. The metering assembly includes wall structure that defines a unitary, common metering chamber. The metering assembly further includes a plurality of meter units. The meter units are configured to meter and separate particulate within the chamber into respective particulate flows corresponding to the conveying lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Morris Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Clint W. Sheppard, Lawrence S. Grodecki
  • Patent number: 10058021
    Abstract: An agricultural seeding machine includes a metering system and a damper arrangement. The metering system for the seeding machine includes selectively powered metering sections operable to individually allow or restrict seed dispensation. The damper arrangement is included so that pneumatic conveying of the particulate within the machine is consistently maintained when particulate flow is varied between the metering sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Morris Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Barry B. Barsi, Jeffrey J. Gordon, John A. Lesanko, Cory W. K. Ochitwa
  • Publication number: 20180110180
    Abstract: An agricultural implement including an agricultural system operable to deposit product into soil. The agricultural system comprises a first blade configured to form a first furrow within the soil, and a second blade configured to form a second furrow within the soil. The agricultural system further includes a walking beam including a front portion, a rear portion, and a pivot portion between the front portion and the rear portion. The walking beam is configured to rotate about an axis presented by the pivot portion. Furthermore, the first blade is secured to the front portion of the walking beam, and the second blade is secured to the rear portion of the walking beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Applicant: Morris Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Clint W. Sheppard, Jody J. Klassen, Ryan Lee Green
  • Patent number: 9943030
    Abstract: An agricultural disc opener is operable to be advanced in a forward direction along the ground to plant seed. The disc opener includes a suspension, a disc blade, a seed firming wheel, and a closing wheel. The suspension includes an elongated closer/firmer walking beam pivotally mounted relative to the suspension for pivoting about a lateral beam pivot axis. The wheels are rotatably mounted on the walking beam on opposite forward and aft sides of the beam pivot axis, with the walking beam configured to pivot as the wheels travel over the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Morris Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Clint W. Sheppard
  • Patent number: 9717173
    Abstract: A double shoot dispensing system including a shank for opening a treatment trench, a seed shovel for creating left and right seed shelves above and on opposite sides of the treatment trench, and a two-piece boot body having a plurality of internal passages defined by assembled left and right halves of the body. A first passage directs the seeds onto the seed shelves, a second passage directs a granular fertilizer treatment into the treatment trench, and first and second tube passages receive first and second tubes delivering additional treatments into the treatment trench. Left and right ducts branch from the first passage so as to guide the deposit of the seeds. The body is constructed of a material having a relatively low mass and a relatively low coefficient of friction, such as polyurethane, polyethylene, nylon, or polyacetal, and is externally shaped so as to taper in a direction of travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Morris Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Clint W. Sheppard, Garth W. Massie