Patents Examined by Árpád Fábián Kovács
  • Patent number: 12376527
    Abstract: A concave section for a harvester includes a concave body having an upstream side, a downstream side, a leading end and a trailing end. The concave body defines an arcuate crop engagement face facing radially inwardly. A plurality of crop passage openings are defined through the arcuate crop engagement face. A cover is configured to at least partially cover at least some of the crop passage openings. The cover is carried by the concave body and is movable thereon between at least two different positions to adjust a degree of openness of at least some of the crop passage openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2024
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignee: Kondex Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew J. Theisen, Keith A. Johnson, Neal J. Stoffel, Joseph W. Schaffer, Sr.
  • Patent number: 12376517
    Abstract: A mulch plug accessory for a lawnmower includes a curvilinear plug wall having a convex side, and a plurality of alignment legs extending in a direction away from the convex side of the curvilinear plug wall. Each alignment leg has a distal end including a stop flange. The mulch plug accessory further includes a post extending in a direction away from the convex side of the curvilinear plug wall. A lawnmower including a main body having an ejection port also includes a mulch plug accessory configured to be selectively disposed within the ejection port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
    Inventors: David Marolla, Shane McCue, Hans T. Banholzer, John L. Whealon, Ryan Gunderson
  • Patent number: 12369529
    Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a threshing system having a rotor, a rotor cage surrounding the rotor and including a concave, and a transition cone defining an infeed to the rotor cage. The transition cone has a conical inner surface extending in an axial direction between an upstream end and a downstream end of the cone. A vane is mounted to the conical inner surface of the transition cone. The vane protrudes radially from the conical inner surface, and extends along an axial direction between the upstream end and the downstream end. The vane has a body extending along an axis and a cross-sectional shape that is not constant along the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Sollenberger, Wayne T. Flickinger, Curtis Hillen
  • Patent number: 12364196
    Abstract: A feederhouse assembly (200) for an agricultural harvester (100) includes a feederhouse (202) comprising an inlet end (204) and a body (302) adjacent the inlet end (204). The body (302) defines a crop opening (304) therethrough and a pair of curvilinear cutouts (306) laterally adjacent either side of the crop opening (304). A pair of bearings (308) is secured to the body above the crop opening (304). An agricultural harvester (100) includes a chassis (104), a feederhouse assembly (200) mounted to the chassis (104), a processing system (112) carried by the chassis (104) and structured to receive crop material from the feederhouse (202). Related methods and non-transitory computer-readable storage media are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: AGCO do Brasil Soluções Agrícolas Ltda.
    Inventor: Daniel Saraiva
  • Patent number: 12364198
    Abstract: A chopper system for a sugarcane harvester comprises a chopper and a wear indicator. The chopper comprises a first chopper drum, a second chopper drum, and a timer. The timer has an operational configuration in which a first timer portion and a second timer portion are operatively connected to one another to coordinate rotation of the first and second chopper drums and a timing-adjustment configuration in which the first and second timer portions are operatively disconnected from one another allowing relative movement between the first and second timer portions and corresponding relative rotation between the first and second chopper drums to adjust a timing of operation between blades of the first and second chopper drums. The wear indicator indicates an extent of blade wear of the chopper upon adjustment of the timing of operation via the timer in the timing-adjustment configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Yogesh V. Malani, Guy Burch, Todd J. Rodrigue
  • Patent number: 12356893
    Abstract: A wear plate assembly for an agricultural harvester including a support element having a number of lateral regions, each lateral region being provided with a plurality of first engagement features, one or more replaceable wear plates provided on one side with a plurality of second engagement features for engagement with the first engagement features, and a plurality of fastenings to secure each replaceable wear plate to the support through the engagement features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: AGCO International GmbH
    Inventors: Wilhelm Tschirdewahn, Helge Lindenmuller
  • Patent number: 12349634
    Abstract: A conveying system for an agricultural harvester includes a first belt and a second belt. The first belt and the second belt are configured to transport agricultural product along a downstream direction toward a cavity. The conveying system also includes a starter roller spaced apart from the first belt by a gap along a vertical axis. The starter roller is configured to initiate formation of a bale of the agricultural product within the cavity. Furthermore, the conveying system includes a blocking bar positioned proximate to the first belt and to the starter roller. A vertical extent of the blocking bar at least partially overlaps the gap with respect to the vertical axis, and the blocking bar is configured to block the agricultural product within the cavity from passing through the gap along an upstream direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Jordan Beckhusen, Niels Dybro, Jonathan Shenk, Trenton Charles Vrchoticky, Scott Simmons, Joseph Marth, Brian Patrick Crow
  • Patent number: 12349631
    Abstract: A MOG limiting device, herein described as a MOG limiter, approximates a portion of the curvilinear length of a concave. The MOG limiting device can include a connection point near the middle of a concave, slightly offset from center. A bolt, washer and nut assembly protrudes downwardly from the underside of the concave. Two assemblies are positioned in the middle of each side of the concave. The assemblies cooperate with a mounting plate on the MOG limiters to form an upper concave connection and a lower concave connection in each half of the concave. In the cross frame, insert slots are positioned to receive a hinge point located at the end of each arced member making up the frame (rail supports). The hinge points are slidably inserted into the opening and then rotated upwardly to be positioned adjacent to and in conformity with the curvature of the underside of the concave with the connection assemblies holding the MOG limiter in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: CALMER HOLDING COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Dahl, Marion Calmer, Daniel Wallerstedt
  • Patent number: 12349630
    Abstract: A harvester that includes an elevator, a spreader conveyor and a secondary extractor. The elevator includes a lower proximal end that receives harvested material and a higher distal end that dispenses the harvested material. The spreader conveyor includes a proximal end that receives the harvested material from the elevator and a distal end that dispenses the harvested material. The secondary extractor includes an inlet and an outlet, where it extracts debris from the harvested material dispensed from the distal end of the spreader conveyor into the inlet and expels the debris out of the outlet. The spreader conveyor can include a spreader belt that rotates in an endless loop, where the harvested material received from the elevator spreads out on the spreader belt. An extractor fan can create air flow to pull debris through the secondary extractor. The spreader conveyor can throw harvested material into the air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Guy E. Burch, Kerry J. Morvant, Mark S. Louviere, Dusk S. Mixon, Sandeep B, Surfraj Fattepur
  • Patent number: 12349632
    Abstract: A combine for harvesting a harvested material that includes a grain, the combine comprising: a threshing chamber comprising a series of threshing and separating apparatuses, sequentially arranged, comprising at least: (i) a straight bar concave (ii) a first round bar concave, and (iii) a second round bar concave. The size of each of the straight bar throats is smaller than a size of the first openings, and the size of each of the first openings is smaller than the size of each of the second openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2025
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: CALMER HOLDING COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Marion Calmer, Daniel Wallerstedt
  • Patent number: 12349633
    Abstract: A bale release assembly for an agricultural baler includes: a pair of spaced apart side sheets defining a bale release opening with an opening width therebetween; a tailgate associated with the bale release opening and defining a closed position where the tailgate closes the bale release opening and an open position where the bale release opening is open; and a pair of grasping arms associated with the bale release opening and pivotable about a pivot axis. The grasping arms are each movable between a respective ramp position to form a ramp from the bale release opening to the ground and a respective grasping position where a grasping width defined between the grasping arms is greater than the opening width. The grasping arms define a ramp width therebetween that is less than the grasping width when each grasping arm is in its respective ramp position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Scott C. Simmons, Kevin M. Smith, Albert Childs, Daniel M. Geesey
  • Patent number: 12342762
    Abstract: A round baler has a feed channel, a bale chamber, and a starter roll. The starter roll is arranged at an inlet side of the bale chamber and driveable about an axial roll axis in rotational direction. The starter roll feeds a crop flow from the feed channel to the bale chamber for bale formation. A catch device is provided for catching falling material. A tangentially extending catching chamber is formed between the catch device and the starter roll. The starter roll engages material in the catching chamber and feeds the material back to the crop flow. The catch device has a deflector element that, in a rest position, delimits the catching chamber at least in sections radially outwardly. The deflector element is elastically deflectable at least radially outwardly from the rest position such that an exit opening for the material from the catching chamber is produced or expanded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Bernard Krone GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Aloys van Bassen
  • Patent number: 12342758
    Abstract: A mechanism for adjusting stripper plates for a header of a harvester, including a frame extending outward from a gearbox with actuated stripper plates slidably engaged with said frame. The stripper plates may be adjusted to accommodate different sized corn crops or different environmental factors. There further includes an actuator which may engage a rod on a distal end of the actuator with respect to a center member support and the frame. The rod may extend along either half of the header and be configured to affect the position of actuated stripper plates on that half of the header, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: CALMER HOLDING COMPANY, LLC
    Inventor: Marion Calmer
  • Patent number: 12337493
    Abstract: A cutting element, in particular for abrasive cut material, is provided that includes a substrate that defines at least one cutting wedge which is formed by first and second wedge surfaces that intersect along a wedge edge. A cutting layer that extends over the first wedge surface and defines a cutting edge which lies on the wedge edge when new. The wear resistance of the cutting layer is greater than wear resistance of the substrate. The cutting layer is configured to define a blade-shaped protrusion that projects beyond the wedge edge due to wear of the substrate in the area of the second wedge surface to provide a self-resharpening cutting edge. The cutting layer or part thereof is formed by means of melt-metallurgical modification of an edge zone of the substrate by in-situ precipitation of finely dispersed inherent hard phases from partial melting of the edge zone of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: Gebrüder Busatis Gesellschaft m.b.H.
    Inventor: Wolfgang Lutz
  • Patent number: 12324375
    Abstract: A harvesting apparatus and machine is provided for permitting a pair of pickers to pick ground growing fruit from a comfortable and moving position. The harvesting machine includes a frame separated into a first frame half, and a second frame half horizontally adjustable relative to the first frame half. A first seat is positioned on the first frame half and a second seat is positioned on the second frame half, the distance between the first and second seats being adjustable by adjusting the position of the first frame half relative to the second frame half. A propulsion system, including a plurality of wheels, is provided to move the harvesting machine down a row of ground-growing fruit. A steering system is provided to control the direction of movement of the harvesting machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Inventor: Abe Schwartz
  • Patent number: 12314049
    Abstract: A self-moving device, moving and working in a working area, includes: a housing; a moving module, mounted to the housing, and configured to drive the housing to move; a main working module, mounted to the housing, and configured to perform a main working task; an auxiliary working module, mounted to the housing, and configured to perform an auxiliary working task; a control module, configured to control the moving module, the main working module, and the auxiliary working module. The self-moving device includes a wireless communication module, configured to receive a control signal generated by user operation. The self-moving device includes an automatic working mode and an auxiliary working mode, in the auxiliary working mode, the control module controls the auxiliary working module at least based on the control signal to work; the control module controls the auxiliary working module based on an interruption of the control signal to stop working.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: Positec Power Tools (Suzhou) Co., LTD
    Inventors: Fengli Zhao, Xiahong Zha, Xiaoqing Zhou
  • Patent number: 12310289
    Abstract: Pickup belt headers may include a ramp disposed in a gap formed between a first endless belt of a pickup belt assembly and a second endless belt of a transfer belt assembly. Fingers may be provided on the first endless belt, and the fingers may be deflected, such as by pivoting or bending, in response to engagement between the fingers and the ramp to avoid contact between the fingers and the second endless belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Snehalrao Jadhav, Glenn E. Pope, Aniruddha Patankar, Duane M. Bomleny, Aaron S. Ritter, Bradley K. Yanke
  • Patent number: 12295292
    Abstract: Weed seeds are destroyed in the chaff from a combine harvester by repeated high speed impacts caused by a rotor which accelerates the discarded seeds in a direction centrifugally away from the rotor mounted on a driven shaft onto a stator. Thus the discarded seeds rebound back and forth between the rotor and the stator to provide a plurality of impacts. The destructor is formed in two parts with one part mounted on or coaxially with a suitable drive shaft in the straw stream such as the chopper rotor shaft. The other part is mounted on a second shaft where both shafts are driven by a common belt which connects an output shaft of the combine with both shafts. The two parts of the destructor are mounted outside of a side wall of the straw hood.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: Tritana Intellectual Property Ltd.
    Inventor: Dean Mayerle
  • Patent number: 12295291
    Abstract: A header for harvesting stalk-like plants includes a number of gatherer assemblies arranged side by side for cutting off and conveying plants to a picking device arranged downstream of the gatherer assemblies. The picking device extends transversely to a direction of travel over the entire working width of at least one half of the header and includes a picking gap and stalk roll below the picking gap to separate fruits from the plants and to deliver them for a separate utilization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventor: Hubert Weitenberg
  • Patent number: 12284938
    Abstract: A walk reel mower has a traction frame that carries a handle assembly to accommodate users of different heights. The handle assembly can extend rearwardly and upwardly from the traction frame and can include a lower support, operatively coupled to the traction frame, and an upper mount carrying a handle which is gripped by a user during operation of the mower to guide and manipulate the mower. The upper mount can be slidingly movable relative to the lower support to raise or lower the handle relative to the ground to adjust the height of the handle above the ground to suit users of different heights who walk on the ground behind the traction frame while operating the mower. A latch can also be provided that is carried on the handle assembly and that engages between the lower support and the upper mount in one of a plurality of positions of the upper mount relative to the lower support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: The Toro Company
    Inventors: Gerald E. Goman, Nicholas J. Sirek