Patents Examined by Gary S. Hartmann
  • Soil processing machine
    Patent number: 11459711
    Abstract: A soil processing machine includes a machine frame having two longitudinal members positioned parallel to a machine longitudinal direction and spaced from each other transversely to the machine longitudinal direction, and two transverse members positioned extending transversely to the machine longitudinal direction and spaced from each other in the machine longitudinal direction. A soil processing roller is supported on the longitudinal members such as to be rotatable about a roller rotational axis and positioned between the transverse members in the machine longitudinal direction. A coupling assembly couples the machine frame to another machine frame of the soil processing machine or to another machine. A chassis assembly includes at least one height-adjustable chassis unit supported on the machine frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: HAMM AG
    Inventors: Matthias Meier, Christopher Prechtl
  • Cutting edge
    Patent number: 11459736
    Abstract: A cutting edge for a machine. The cutting edge includes a top side and a bottom side opposite the top side. The cutting edge includes insert apertures along the bottom side. The insert apertures shaped to receive inserts made of harder material than the majority of the cutting edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: David B. Parzynski, Jr., Thomas M. Congdon
  • Control system for a grading machine
    Patent number: 11459725
    Abstract: A grading machine may include a machine body, a grading blade, at least one grading blade sensor configured to sense a position and orientation of the grading blade, a drawbar connecting the grading blade to the machine body, at least one drawbar sensor configured to sense a position and orientation of the drawbar, a user interface, and a control system. The control system may be configured to receive an input from the user interface and position and orient the grading blade and the drawbar to one of a plurality of predetermined ditching positions based on the input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Michael C. Gentle, Ethan M. Tevis
  • Roadside delineator device
    Patent number: 11459713
    Abstract: A roadside delineator device that includes a breakaway shear pin feature that allows the upper portion of the device to break away from the lower portion of the device during a vehicular accident. The upper and lower halves can be reconnected by replacing the broken shear pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Inventors: Mark Evans, Lorri Evans
  • Control system for a grading machine
    Patent number: 11459726
    Abstract: A grading machine may include a machine body, a grading blade, a drawbar connecting the grading blade to the machine body, a drawbar centershift cylinder, a user interface, and a control system. The control system may be configured to receive an input from the user interface and extend or retract the drawbar centershift cylinder to adjust a centershift of the drawbar to one of a plurality of predetermined centershift positions based on the input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Michael C. Gentle, Ethan M. Tevis
  • Wear assembly for earth working equipment
    Patent number: 11447937
    Abstract: Wear caps protect the wearable surfaces of an adapter for an earth working equipment. These wear caps are subjected to erosion and wear by contact with abrasive material, such as experienced in an excavating operation. The wear caps can be attached to upper and lower legs of the adapter and protect them from wear. Each wear cap is secured to a retention feature on an independent mounting structure. The independent mounting structures are aligned and staggered such that installation of a wear cap onto the rearward independent mounting structure is conducted first. The independent mounting structures on an upper leg may be situated one above the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: ESCO GROUP LLC
    Inventors: Abram Hernandez, Yesenia Meraz-Torres, Christopher A. Johnston
  • Safety surface materials
    Patent number: 11441275
    Abstract: A safety surface material for a playground facility employing a monolithically mixed and troweled Thermoplastic Olefin (TPO) polypropylene/polyurethane cushion course base layer—which, for water park/spray park use is overlain by a Thermoplastic Rubber wear course top.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Inventor: William H. McGrath, Jr.
  • Breakaway clamp for roadside pole
    Patent number: 11441278
    Abstract: A breakaway pole including an elongated pole body extending between a bottom end and an upper end and a base connected to the bottom end of the elongated pole body. The base includes an interior flange having at least one slot. The breakaway pole includes a breakaway clamp mounted on the at least one slot of the interior flange of the base. The breakaway clamp includes a nut and a clamp body. The clamp body has a tapered main body and two lateral breakaway flanges. The lower portion of the tapered main body is positioned within the slot of the interior flange of the base. The two lateral breakaway flanges extend laterally outward from the upper portion of the tapered main body so that the two lateral breakaway flanges contact the interior flange of the base laterally beyond the at least one slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: KEARNEY-NATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Ray C. Minor, Gregory David Mercier
  • Lock for securing a wear member
    Patent number: 11441296
    Abstract: A lock that includes a pin and a collar. At least one of the pin and collar include a circular seal and a recess to store the seal. When the pin and collar are engaged in a locking manner, the surfaces of the pin and collar compress the seal such that a barrier is formed to limit ingress of fine earthen material. The lock assembly may be a component of a wear assembly. The lock assembly may be positioned into aligned holes to capture components of the wear assembly together, e.g. a point to an adapter or an adapter to a base. The recess of the pin may be located adjacent the head of the pin. The recess of collar may be located near the bottom of the collar. The application of both an upper and lower seal can further limit the ingress of fine earthen material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: ESCO GROUP LLC
    Inventors: Bruce C. Bingham, Michael B. Roska, Darrin Harding, Mark T. Beatley, Cornelius J. Brockman
  • Retainer sleeve design with external ribs
    Patent number: 11427989
    Abstract: A retainer sleeve includes an at least partially annular body defining an axis of rotation, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction. The body may also have a radially inner annular surface defining a radially inner aperture, and a first anti-rotation feature extending radially inwardly from the radially inner annular surface including a sloping ledge having a locking surface, and an outer peripheral surface defining a notch that is at least partially aligned with the first anti-rotation feature or an array of a plurality of external ribs extending outwardly radially from the outer peripheral surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas C. Serrurier, Eric T. Sinn, Jason Grant Jura
  • Weldless boss for attaching lips to a work implement
    Patent number: 11427990
    Abstract: A lug member includes a slide platform defining a slide groove that further defines a sliding direction, a first end that is disposed along the sliding direction, and a second end that is disposed along the sliding direction. A spacer engaging projection extends downwardly from the slide platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Phillip J. Kunz, Patrick S. Campomanes
  • Female part, retaining device and pin system for excavators and the like
    Patent number: 11427991
    Abstract: A female part, a retaining device and a pin system have the device, the female part and a male part, to assure the retention between the female part and a male part used in excavators and the like. The female part has a cavity and can be a wearing element, a tooth or an intermediate part (part between a point and a weld on or cast nose in a three part system) and the male part has a nose to be introduced into the cavity of the female part and this will usually be a tooth-holder, intermediate, cast nose, weld-on nose or an adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: METALOGENIA RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGIES S.L.
    Inventors: Justo Jesus Ortiz Garcia, Joan Tuto, Francisco Perez Soria, Jorge Triginer Boixeda, Albert Gimeno Tordera
  • Plough device comprising two cutting elements
    Patent number: 11419252
    Abstract: A plough device (100) and a method for ploughing a ground (120). A rotatable first plate-like cutting element (102) having a circumferential first cutting edge (103) is arranged on a support structure (101) and is designed such that when the support structure (101) is moved on the ground (120) along a ploughing direction (110), a side region (202) of a soil ridge (201) of the ground (120) can be cut by means of a first cutting region (104) of the first cutting edge (103).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Huber Soil Solution GmbH
    Inventor: Franz-Ferdinand Huber
  • Retention system for motor grader bits
    Patent number: 11414842
    Abstract: A work tool or a wear member includes a working portion or a wear portion, and a shank extending from the working portion or the wear portion, defining a longitudinal axis, and a first lock receiving groove that defines an axis of rotation that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan R. Bjerke, Thomas Marshall Congdon
  • Row closing assemblies
    Patent number: 11399456
    Abstract: A row planting unit closing system, the system comprising: a first stage closing unit adapted to be attached to a row planting unit and comprising: a first stage frame; and a set of at least one row closing wheel having a closing angle orientation non-perpendicular relative to the ground; and wherein the first stage frame is attached at a first end to the row planting unit, the first stage frame comprising a linkage mechanism for setting a toe in angle orientation of the set of at least one row closing wheel relative to the first stage frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Inventors: Ronald Steve Martin, Brandon Dwayne Hunt
  • Method of suspending a platform from a bridge main cable
    Patent number: 11401668
    Abstract: A platform and method for erecting a platform of support beams to which decking is applied so that it is suspended from at least one main cable of a bridge. Spaced slings are applied to the main cable so that each extends around the main cable. Ends of each of the slings are attached to a respective one of the support beams respectively. One end of a guy in the form of a cable is attached to at least one of the slings intermediate ends thereof. The guy is extended between the sling and an anchor point to restrain the sling from slippage along the length of the main cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Paul Kristen, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Apostolopoulos, Davy E. Passucci
  • Adjustment system for blade assembly
    Patent number: 11391013
    Abstract: An adjustment system includes an adjustment mechanism disposed in association with a wear element of a blade of a motor grader, and a controller. The controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of actuating the adjustment mechanism. The controller is configured to actuate the adjustment mechanism to force the wear element against a surface of the blade. The controller is configured to release the adjustment mechanism to unforce the wear element against the surface of the blade. The controller is configured to actuate at least one side shift cylinder to move the blade in a first direction. The controller is also configured to actuate the at least one side shift cylinder to move the blade in a second direction. The controller is further configured to lock the adjustment mechanism to retain the wear element against the surface of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Bruce Raymond Vahling
  • System for fixing an adapter for earth-moving machines
    Patent number: 11371222
    Abstract: A system for fixing an adapter for earth-moving machines, which comprises: a fixing element (1) that fixes an adapter (2) to an edge (10) of a shovel of the earth-moving machine; and a wedge (3) placed in contact between the fixing element (1) and the edge (10), characterized in that the system comprises a plurality of sensors (4) arranged on the wedge (3) or on the fixing element (1) that detect at least one detection element (5) arranged in the other of the fixing element (1) or the wedge (3). It makes it possible continuously to detect and to monitor the position of the wedge relative to the fixing element without the need to check the position of the wedge visually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Inventors: Jordi Marquez Llinas, Nil Vallvé, Raúl Jaras Villar, Jaime Fernández Hernández, Jorge Triginer Boixeda, Ester Alonso Frigola
  • Fastener systems having elongate arcuate body
    Patent number: 11371223
    Abstract: The present fastener securely couples a first body to a second body, where the fastener includes an elongate arcuate body curved along a longitudinal axis and having a cross-sectional area taken planar normal to the longitudinal axis, the elongate arcuate body includes a first portion separated along the longitudinal axis from a second portion with the cross-sectional area of the elongate body increasing from the first portion to the second portion. The fastener further includes a retaining portion configured to selectively secure the elongate arcuate body in the inserted configuration. In use, the present fastener is configured to be inserted into a passage delineated between a first body and a second body which are overlapping at least in part, to selectively lock the first body and the second body in the coupled configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Inventor: Robert S. Bierwith
  • System and method for monitoring plugging of basket assemblies of an agricultural implement
    Patent number: 11369052
    Abstract: A system for monitoring basket plugging for agricultural implements includes a basket assembly configured to be supported by an agricultural implement and a range sensor positioned relative to the basket assembly such that the range sensor is configured to transmit detection signals towards an interior of the basket assembly and receive return signals based on reflection of the detection signals off at least one surface. The system also includes a controller communicatively coupled to the range sensor. The controller is configured to analyze data received from the range sensor as the basket assembly rotates relative to the range sensor to determine when the basket assembly is experiencing a plugged condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Michael R. Cozza, Scott Glovier, Raul Espinosa