Patents Examined by Joel F Mitchell
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Patent number: 10251330Abstract: The latch assembly for the wings of a folding tool bar includes catches on each wing wing and a pair of pivotal latch arms on the tool bar tongue. An actuator pivots the latch arms between an unlatched position disengaged from the wing catches to a latched position engaging the wing catches so as to retain the wings in a transport position. In the latching and unlatching method, the latch arms are pivoted simultaneously in opposite directions by an actuator to capture and release the opposing wings of the tool bar.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2016Date of Patent: April 9, 2019Assignee: Harvest International, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey Alan Sivinski, Byron J. Friesen
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Patent number: 10190876Abstract: A level indicator for a skid steer attachment. The level indicator comprises a reference component configured to display a plurality of references, with each of the references being associated with a particular orientation of the skid steer attachment. The level indicator additionally comprises a securement component for supporting the reference component with respect to the skid steer attachment. The level indicator further comprises an indicator mechanism rotatably connected to the reference component or to the securement component. The indicator mechanism is configured to highlight one of the references of the reference component based on an orientation of the skid steer attachment.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2015Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc.Inventor: Kevin L. Myers
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Patent number: 10165721Abstract: A disc holder and scraper construction for disc harrows comprises a disc element fixed to a rotary hub, which is supported by a disc holder spring in turn fixed to a framework of a disc harrow, the disc holder construction further comprising a scraper assembly for removing soil adhering to a disc element, the scraper assembly being affixed to a flexible disc scraper arm, which is in turn affixed to the disc holder spring; the disc scraper arm, affixed to the disc holder spring and not to the harrow framework, supports the scraper assembly and is driven in a timed manner with respect to the disc element.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2015Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: BIANCHI S.R.L.Inventor: Sandro Bianchi
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Patent number: 10159175Abstract: A floating row cleaner assembly comprising a tool arm row cleaner mount, a row cleaner frame mounting plate, a row cleaner frame pivotally attached to the tool arm row cleaner mount and the row cleaner frame mounting plate. The periphery of the u-shaped row cleaner frame is composed of a combination of angled and curved portions to reduce the length and width of the frame to allow row cleaners to be used in combination with a coulter, or other tillage tool, and planter row unit spacing below 30 inches, while allowing necessary clearance between the row cleaner(s) and the coulter for terrain responsive operation.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2017Date of Patent: December 25, 2018Inventor: Ronald S. Martin
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Patent number: 10159173Abstract: A castor wheel support for a towed agricultural implement having a frame positioned parallel to the soil over which the implement is towed. Parallel links interconnect the castor support with the frame. The castor support has a spindle with a longitudinal axis A for supporting a castor mounting structure for pivoting movement. The castor mounting structure supports an axle hub assembly and a wheel. The axis A of the spindle is angled forward 3 degrees to minimize wobbling.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2016Date of Patent: December 25, 2018Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Matthew R. Sudbrink, Dean A. Knobloch
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Patent number: 10143121Abstract: A hand held tool for gardens, landscapes and the like; comprising a handle, and a tool head. The tool head is formed from a flat blade that has tapers and is bent in substantially a “J” shape that is beveled along a portion of its edges. The open end of the “J” has a beveled tip, preferably containing a center notch. The bent, closed portion of the “J” shape is beveled at least 50% and forms a heel. The short leg of the “J” forms a flange, which is preferably not beveled and provides an area for attaching the tool head to the handle, preferably via a tang. The blade width is generally four or more times wider than the thickness of the blade material.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2009Date of Patent: December 4, 2018Inventor: Randolph Artemas Holdredge
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Patent number: 10123471Abstract: A gimbal is provided for attaching an implement to a three-point hitch. The gimbal has an implement plate comprising a first side and a second side wherein attached to the first side is an upper implement bracket for coupling to an upper implement arm and a lower bracket for coupling to a lower implement arm wherein the second side comprises a retaining cavity. A tow plate is received in the retaining cavity and is rotational relative to the implement plate. The tow plate comprises lower brackets arranged to connect to lift arms of the three point hitch and an upper bracket arranged to connect to a stabilizer arm of the three point hitch.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2015Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignee: G2 Turftools, Inc.Inventor: Eric Merkt
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Patent number: 10111371Abstract: A wearing-part arrangement for a leading edge provided on a ploughshare of a plough body includes a plough point that is releasably attached to the plough body and provided with a pointed front portion. At least the front portion is mirror-symmetrical around a longitudinal axis of the plough point.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2013Date of Patent: October 30, 2018Assignee: KVERNELAND GROUP OPERATIONS NORWAY ASInventor: Magne Skjæveland
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Patent number: 10070571Abstract: Devices, implements, tools and methods for cleaning undesirable growth and debris from crevices, cracks and spaces in sidewalks, walkways, driveways, and wood decks with a grippable handle having a bent nail type metal rod at one end with a socket having interior threads at an opposite end that can be directly manipulated in one's hand or as an attachment to the end of an elongated handle having a threaded end.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2015Date of Patent: September 11, 2018Assignee: RLR Enterprises, LLCInventor: Rodney L. Brown
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Patent number: 10051772Abstract: A debris clearing apparatus for use with an agricultural implement has a pair of rotatable discs each having a plurality of teeth extending from a periphery thereof. The teeth on the discs each have a profile comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge. The leading edges are sharpened to create cutting edges to cut through crop residue and other debris. The leading cutting edge can be a straight edge with an outer edge formed at the distal tip of the tooth between the leading and trailing edges. Alternatively, the leading cutting edge can be a curved edge with a sharp outer point between the leading and trailing edges. The discs are arranged so that geometric planes containing the first and second discs intersect and the discs are toed-in toward each other relative to a direction of travel of the implement.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2015Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Inventors: Brian E. Freed, Bruce Freed
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Patent number: 10046214Abstract: A vehicle attached rake for grooming a granular surface includes a center section and two pivotal wing sections that carry rubber trowel members having a serrated lower edge that forms a plurality of downwardly extending teeth. The tips of the teeth are located on a large diameter, upwardly facing curve to better groom upwardly curved side walls in a golf course bunker. When the rake is attached to a ZRT vehicle, the wing section on the inside of a zero radius turn is automatically lifted up off the granular surface by a flexible tether that becomes taut. Another embodiment of the rake includes a rigid plate behind a rubber trowel member with a lower portion of the trowel member folding forwardly during reverse motion of the vehicle such that the plate engages the granular surface to act as a bulldozer blade.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: The Toro CompanyInventors: Larry W. Schmidt, Andrew J. Kjolhaug, Joseph P. Thelen, Cal N. Kosieracki
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Patent number: 10039223Abstract: A strip soil loosening and crushing mechanism of a no-tillage planting machine has a connecting bracket, a cutter head assembly, and a soil crushing wheel assembly. The cutter head assembly has two star-shaped cutter heads of the same structure, which are symmetrically arranged at outer sides of the two supporting plates. The soil crushing wheel assembly has a spring combined structure, a soil crushing wheel combined structure and two crank brackets rotatably connected at the outer sides of the two supporting plates of the connecting bracket by a connecting shaft.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2016Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: JILIN UNIVERSITYInventors: Honglei Jia, Mingzhuo Guo, Xuhui Fan, Hongfang Yuan, Hui Guo, Xinming Jiang, Jiale Zhao, Pengfei Yao, Xiaofeng Luo, Haibo Yu
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Patent number: 10041226Abstract: A work vehicle includes a main frame extending along a longitudinal axis and a pair of actuators mounted to the main frame. The actuators are configured to set an orientation of a tool mounted below the main frame, which in a home position center the tool on the longitudinal axis. An operator cabin mounted to the main frame has a pair of structural posts extending from a floor to a roof at a front side of the operator cabin. An operator seat mounted in the operator cabin faces forward so as to create a forward field of view to the tool for an operator seated in the operator seat. The front structural posts are spaced apart laterally on each side of the main frame at a distance from a longitudinal axis such that they each overlap along a reference line one of the actuators within a forward-looking field of view.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2015Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: DEERE & COMPANYInventors: Casey J. Hart, John Grice, Nathan J. Horstman
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Patent number: 10039221Abstract: A sod harvester with a start gate, a first switch that is configured to interact with a first sensor, a second switch that is configured to interact with a second sensor, an inclined conveyor; a rollup conveyor positioned above an end of the inclined conveyor, and a controller including controller software that is configured to cause the rollup conveyor to start upon activation of the second sensor, a timer to begin counting time upon activation of the first sensor, and the rollup conveyor to stop upon the counting of a certain amount of time by the timer. The first switch is positioned between the start gate and the second switch, and the second switch is positioned between the first switch and the rollup conveyor. The inclined conveyor is configured to eject a sod roll onto a platform upon cessation of rotation by the rollup conveyor.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2016Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Inventors: Gregg L. Tvetene, Timothy Boelter, Jake Bies
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Patent number: 10028421Abstract: Scarifier for deep strip-tillage, that after a single trip allows the soil to be in adequate conditions for planting or sowing, operating with a great energy efficiency, contributing to an improvement in the production environment. The scarifier comprises a plurality of tillage units (a), spaced apart and located parallel to each other, and wherein each tillage unit (a) comprises a support structure (2) on which the corresponding tines (1a, 1b, 1c) are mounted, the lower ends of which are located at different heights, with the depth below the ground (d) being greater toward the rear of the scarifier. The scarifier preferably incorporates a fertilization system.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2014Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE TECNOLOGÍA AGROPECUARIAInventors: Mario Omar Tesouro, Lidia Beatriz Donato, Juan Pablo D'Amico, Marcos Andrés Roba, Enrique Fernández De Ullivarri, Angel Romito
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Patent number: 9989986Abstract: An output control system of an agricultural work vehicle includes a controller, a reference indicator communicatively coupled to the controller, and a dial communicatively coupled to the controller. The controller is configured to control power output through an output value range between a minimum output value and a maximum output value based at least in part on a manual input signal, to determine a current setting of the power output, and to adjust the power output from the current setting upon receipt of the manual input signal. The reference indicator is configured to indicate the current setting. Adjustment of an orientation of the dial from an initial position generates the manual input signal.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2013Date of Patent: June 5, 2018Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Christopher Alan Foster, Richard Paul Strosser
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Patent number: 9968030Abstract: A disc opener unit for an agricultural implement has a down pressure adjustment device that automatically adjusts the amount of down pressure applied on a furrowing disc based on strain measurements taken by a strain gauge or load cell. The strain gauge, which may be mounted to an arm that is used to set the position of a depth setting gauge wheel, provides feedback to a processor that in turn controls the amount of hydraulic fluid in a hydraulic cylinder to adjust the down force applied on the disc. The amount of down pressure is therefore adjusted in substantially real-time in response to changes in field conditions, which improves furrow depth consistency and reduces wear on the gauge wheel and its components.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2010Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd.Inventors: Trevor Kowalchuk, Robin B. Schilling, Jack Turner
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Patent number: 9957691Abstract: A wear component for a ground engaging tool includes a mounting portion having a first surface, a second surface, and a thickness between the first surface and the second surface. The mounting portion is connectable to a mounting assembly of the ground engaging tool. The wear component also includes at least one wear portion connected to the mounting portion and forming at least one ground engaging edge. The at least one wear portion has at least one first surface including at least one groove extending from the at least one ground engaging edge toward the mounting portion, at least one second surface, and at least one thickness between the at least one first surface and the at least one second surface. A maximum of the at least one thickness of the at least one wear portion is larger than a maximum of the thickness of the mounting portion.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2014Date of Patent: May 1, 2018Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Thomas Marshall Congdon, Madhukar Maguluru, Nick William Biggs
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Patent number: 9955621Abstract: A forward folding agricultural implement frame has a center frame with pivotally connected wings that fold forward for storage and laterally for use. A pair of draft links connects the wings to a telescopic hitch that extends forward from the center frame. A pivot pin operably mounted to a forward portion of the telescopic hitch defines a generally vertical pivot axis. A pivot link is connected to the pivot pin to pivot about the generally vertical pivot axis. The pivot link having a first portion on one side of the pivot pin and a second portion on an opposite of the pivot pin from the first portion. The draft links are pivotally connected to the first and second portions of the pivot link. When the wings are flexed in opposite directions (or when one wing is neutral and the other wing is flexed), the pivot link will permit opposite relative movement of the draft link ends relative to the inner hitch, which reduces internal stress and prevents permanent strain of the components.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2014Date of Patent: May 1, 2018Assignee: Kinze Manufacturing, Inc.Inventor: Vaughan G. Stevenson
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Patent number: 9949421Abstract: A shark fin wear bar includes a fin edge configured to till the soil. The fin edge is positioned to face in the same direction as the ripper point. The shark fin wear bar also includes a first part configured to abut the rear of the ripper point such that debris from tilling cannot get lodged between the two components.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2015Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Unverferth Manufacturing Company, Inc.Inventor: William C. Maenle