Patents Examined by Spencer Warnick
  • Patent number: 6435284
    Abstract: A gardening tool which consists of a handle grip, a tool head section, an extension rod and a support pad; a section of the extension rod is joined and secured to the handle grip, and since the support pad is actively conjoined with the extension rod to form a contoured, recessed area, the user is provided with a columnar handle to grasp as well as, a firm support for the forearm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Super Test Corporation
    Inventor: Wayne Aman
  • Patent number: 5579851
    Abstract: A roller for a field implement includes projections formed on an outer surface thereof about a circumference of the roller. The projections form adjacent rows parallel to the axis of rotation. The projections of a first row are spaced-apart along a longitudinal length of the roller. The projections of the second row adjacent to the first row are spaced-apart along the longitudinal length of the roller wherein successive projections of the second row are disposed between successive projections of the first row. The projections of a third row adjacent the second row are spaced apart along the longitudinal length of the roller wherein successive projections of the third row are disposed between adjacent projections of the first and second rows. The projections of a fourth row are spaced-apart along the longitudinal length of the roller and are disposed between adjacent projections of the first and second rows not having the projections of the third row.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1996
    Assignee: Glenmac, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary A. Parkos, Roger D. Noska
  • Patent number: 5551518
    Abstract: A tilt rate compensating implement system and method utilizes first hand second sensors for sensing the position of the rod end portion of first and second implement lift jacks. A controller calculates a tilt angle of the implement based on a difference in the amount of extension of the lift jacks. An inclinometer senses an angle of the frame relative to a predetermined plane and a tilt rate sensor senses the rate of change of the frame angle relative to said plane. A corrected frame angle based on signals from the inclinometer and tilt rate sensors is combined with the implement tilt angle to provide a corrected implement tilt angle. A display device displays the corrected implement tilt angle. The controller compares the corrected implement tilt angle to the desired implement tilt angle and actuates a fluid operated system to move a tilt jack in response to a difference between the desired and corrected implement tilt angles. The tilt angle control system is particularly suited for use on a bulldozer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth L. Stratton
  • Patent number: 5524711
    Abstract: The present invention entails an agricultural implement for forming planting rows with a minimum of tillage. The implement of the present invention is designed to form a multiplicity of rows and accordingly includes a series of side-by-side row units. Each row unit includes a front colter, a ripper which follows the colter, a rotor tiller assembly disposed behind the ripper, a pair of laterally spaced soil confining panels extending between the ripper and the rotor tiller assembly, and a final following soil packer. Once the agricultural implement has traversed a certain area of the land, there is formed a multiplicity of planting rows with the area between the formed planting rows being untilled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Inventor: Tom J. Harris
  • Patent number: 5515928
    Abstract: A row sensing wand triggers a power cylinder to move the upstanding vertical members of a U-shaped guidance frame left or right to move the lift arms of a three-point hitch on which a cultivator is mounted for maintaining it in alignment with the row crops being cultivated. The guidance frame is movably mounted on a guide tube connected to the tractor drawbar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1996
    Inventor: Louis L. Niday
  • Patent number: 5511499
    Abstract: A planter or seeder is drawn rectilinearly over the field and has sowing blades like casters or tailwheels which are caused to swivel from side to side so that the rows defined by the sowing blades have an undulating or sinusoidal pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Inventor: Otmar Edinger
  • Patent number: 5511625
    Abstract: An improved soil leveling apparatus includes a hitch (202 or 302) for connecting the frame to the loader arms and tilt cylinder(s) of a skid steer loader. The hitch (302) includes a hitch plate (304) that can selectively be made rigid with the frame or can selectively be allowed to pivot fore-and-aft relative to the frame. This allows the operator to select the rigid orientation of the frame when it is desired to have the frame be rigid relative to the loader or to select the floating, pivotal orientation depending upon ground terrain and other factors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Inventor: Orlan H. Mork
  • Patent number: 5505268
    Abstract: An implement for preparing a field includes a ground engaging device that allows the implement to be pushed or pulled on the field. The ground engaging device includes a reversible roller with projections joined to an outer surface thereof to engage the ground. The projections do not extend along the complete length of the roller but rather a portion thereof thereby reducing the power necessary to rotate the roller. The implement includes reversible guards for keeping the disturbed ground in front of the roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: Glenmac, Inc.
    Inventors: Marion E. McPherson, Michael G. McPherson, Kenneth L. Innocent, Gary A. Parkos, Roger D. Noska
  • Patent number: 5497568
    Abstract: A system for controlling a track propelled excavator that has an allowable 360 degree swing arc including: (a), a positioning controller for all five (propel, swing, boom, arm,and bucket) motions: (b), positioning of small members that represent the large deck, boom, arm, and bracket by a flow of fluid in series with each large member's actuator--eliminating a need for transmitting each digging member's angular position back to the controller; (c), a handle with tooth type edge that represents the large bucket, for scraping along templates for guiding desired earth contours; (d), guide plates and positioning switches for acheiving accurate and safe placement of the bucket during swing and digging motions; (e), a mobile armrest that allows ease of operator's small scale motions when guiding large scale digging: (f), and, an assembly for pulling the small bucket/handle through a series of desired small scale positions to achieve automatic trench digging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Inventor: William A. Strickland
  • Patent number: 5497835
    Abstract: A coupling hook 5 for a lower steering arm 3 of a three-point attaching device of a tractor has a hook member 6 with a locking catch 7 which is spring-loaded in the direction of the locking position. The locking catch 7 is arranged in a recess 12 of the hook member 6 and extends through an aperture 13 into the bearing recess 10 to receive a bearing ball 11. For the purpose of supporting and guiding the locking catch 7, the hook member 6 is provided with a first stop face 14 and a second supporting stop 15, arranged at a distance therefrom and offset towards the rear. In the locking position, the locking catch 7 is supported on the hook member 6 by means of a first supporting face 19, a second supporting face 21 and a blocking face 22.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: GKN Walterscheid GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Laubner, Jurgen Vollmer, Klaus-Herbert Coenen
  • Patent number: 5495685
    Abstract: A characteristic feature of the invention lies in that the striking and sic teeth are so arranged on the working edge of the bucket that the distance between the axes of the striking teeth is (3.5-4.5)b while the distance from the working edge to the blade of the striking tooth exceeds the distance from said edge to the blade of the static tooth by (1-3) b where b=width of blade of the striking tooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignees: Institut Gornogo Delsa Sibirskogo Otdelenia Akademii Nauk SSSR, Proizvodstvennoe Obidinenie Uralmash
    Inventors: Viktor N. Labutin, Alfred R. Mattis, Sergei V. Shishaev, Vladimir N. Tsvetkov, Alexandr V. Tolmachev, Genrikh K. Boiko
  • Patent number: 5495896
    Abstract: Disclosure is made of an adjustable pitch garden hoe tool, as an article of maufacture wherein the pitch of the head assembly can be adjusted to control the dig or "bite" into the soil and comprises ferrule legs mounted on an extended handle and adjustable pitch garden hoe tool head mounted on the ferrule legs, and a compression V spring mounted within the ferrule legs and arms of the compression V spring extending into pitch set slots and pitch set stops in vertical sides of the garden tool head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Inventor: James A. Bojar
  • Patent number: 5495897
    Abstract: This invention relates to a plow disk intended to be mounted with several others free in rotation around a shaft integral with the frame of a plow, the shaft being inclined in relation to the direction of advance of the plow so as to impart a rotation of movement to the disks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Inventor: Jean-Charles Javerlhac
  • Patent number: 5491915
    Abstract: A locking pin (100) for use captively retaining a tooth (14) on an adapter portion (12) of an excavating tooth and adapter assembly has a primary wedge member (110) with an integral spring (120) extending upward from the member's distal end (116). A first positive slop means (130) extends from the wedge member (110) while an opposing second positive stop means (122) extends from the integral spring (12). After insertion, the locking pin (100) prevents separation of tooth (14) from adapter portion (12) while the first and second positive stop means (130, 122) prevent accidental loss of the locking pin (100) from the assembly. To remove the locking pin, a force sufficient to separate the first positive stop means (130) from the pin (100) is exerted to drive the pin (100) from the assembly. In another embodiment, the integral spring extends from a lateral surface of the locking pin (700, 800).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Inventor: Howard W. Robinson
  • Patent number: 5491913
    Abstract: A control system for the suction line relief valve of a hydraulic dredge is disclosed. The system includes a relief valve actuator which is hydraulically operated; a hydraulic pump powered by a motor; a directional valve; an energy storage device; and hydraulic lines connecting the hydraulic pump, the accumulator, and the relief valve actuator. The accumulator converts the hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic lines into potential energy which is used to generate hydraulic pressure if the pump fails or loses power. The pressure generated is enough for the operator to move the relief valve actuator which will reposition the relief valve to a desired position after pump failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Assignee: Pearce Pump Supply, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy A. Hutchinson
  • Patent number: 5488996
    Abstract: An improved frame for a drawn agricultural implement, such as a planter, includes a central main frame which is extensible. As the main frame extends, the wing sections fold forwardly. When the wing sections fold to a predetermined position, positioning links act to pull the main wheel set, which is mounted to a carriage and supports the rear of the central main frame, forwardly so that the down load on the hitch is reduced. Conversely, during the unfold cycle, after the wing sections have unfolded to a predetermined position, as unfolding continues, the positioning links urge the carriage and main wheel set toward the rear of the main frame to the field use position. A hydraulic circuit for folding, unfolding and preparing the implement for transport is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1996
    Assignee: Kinze Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan F. Barry, Harry C. Deckler
  • Patent number: 5487429
    Abstract: A spring tooth harrow packer comprising a transversely extending draw bar which is wheel supported and which has a hitch extending forwardly therefrom for attachment to a tractor. A plurality of harrow sections are secured to the draw bar and are positioned rearwardly thereof which each of the harrow sections including a plurality of ground engaging spring teeth. A packer is mounted on the rearward end of each of the harrow sections and is pivotally secured thereto for selectively controlling the penetration depth of the teeth of the associated harrow section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1996
    Inventor: Michael B. Gates
  • Patent number: 5485886
    Abstract: A holder for an agricultural tool. The holder has a shaft with first structure at a first location for mounting at least one agricultural tool to the shaft. The shaft has a portion that is movable guidingly in first and second opposite directions relative to a support on which the holder is mounted. A second structure is integrally formed as one piece with the shaft to limit movement of the shaft portion in one of the first and second directions relative to a support on which the holder is mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Assignee: Dawn Equipment Company
    Inventor: James H. Bassett
  • Patent number: 5483907
    Abstract: A rim liner member attached to and covering the face of a gauge wheel rim adjacent a soil penetrating disk. The liner member has an exterior surface having a high lubricity which minimizes the build up of wet soil on the exterior surface. The entire liner member may be formed of low-friction polyethylene and it may be configured to conform to the face of the gauge wheel rims used by the manufacturers of planter, grain drills, and other soil working implements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1996
    Inventor: Mark K. Gaalswyk
  • Patent number: 5479726
    Abstract: A padding machine attachment for a vehicle is provided. When padding of a ditch for a pipeline or cable is required, the padding machine is removably attached in a position at one end of a conventional bucket loader, bulldozer, or other base machine or vehicle, whereby said attachment moves along the path of travel of the vehicle. As the vehicle moves the padding machine attachment along one side of the pipeline ditch, the padding machine attachment picks up at least a portion of a pile of excavated material placed parallel to and along the same side of the ditch and processes the excavated material into padding material for placement into the ditch for padding the pipeline or cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1996
    Assignee: Ozzie's Pipeline Padder, Inc.
    Inventor: William B. Bishop