Patents by Inventor Benjamin A. Bricko
Benjamin A. Bricko has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20240081177Abstract: A gang reel mower has a hybrid engine, generator and battery pack electric power system driving a pair of electric wheel motors for propelling the mower and for driving individual reel motors for powering a plurality of reel cutting units. A master controller is programmable with a selected clip and maintains the selected clip whether the mower travels straight ahead or is turning. The output power of the generator is damped and is gradually increased during high electrical loads to prevent step responses in the engine and thereby limit engine droop. During regenerative braking of the mower, the generator can be driven as a motor to use the engine as a load. This limits the voltage produced by the traction motors during regenerative braking from damaging the electrical system or overcharging the battery pack. Moreover, maximum transport and mowing ground speeds are automatically reduced during some turns of the mower.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2023Publication date: March 14, 2024Inventors: Kelly S, MEEMKEN, Benjamin A. BRICKO
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Patent number: 11785885Abstract: A gang reel mower has a hybrid engine, generator and battery pack electric power system driving a pair of electric wheel motors for propelling the mower and for driving individual reel motors for powering a plurality of reel cutting units. A master controller is programmable with a selected clip and maintains the selected clip whether the mower travels straight ahead or is turning. The output power of the generator is damped and is gradually increased during high electrical loads to prevent step responses in the engine and thereby limit engine droop. During regenerative braking of the mower, the generator can be driven as a motor to use the engine as a load. This limits the voltage produced by the traction motors during regenerative braking from damaging the electrical system or overcharging the battery pack. Moreover, maximum transport and mowing ground speeds are automatically reduced during some turns of the mower.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2019Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: The Toro CompanyInventors: Kelly S. Meemken, Benjamin A. Bricko
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Patent number: 9341427Abstract: A portable shooting bench and utility table. In the shooting-bench embodiment, a tabletop is isosceles-triangle-shaped for ambidextrous functionality. In the utility-table embodiment, the tabletop is preferably round but can be any shape suitable for general use. The shooting-bench embodiment preferably includes a height-adjustable seat. A plurality of ratcheting leg couplers are rotatably attached to a support base and radiate outward from the support base. A proximate end of a leg attaches in ratcheting fashion to each ratcheting leg coupler, allowing adjustment of an angle of declination of each leg. The ratcheting leg couplers rotate about the support base, allowing radial positioning of the legs for optimum stability under various terrain conditions. The shooting bench or utility table can be converted from a deployed mode to a folded mode, in which shoulder straps can be affixed to the tabletop allowing transport of the shooting bench or utility table backpack-style.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2015Date of Patent: May 17, 2016Inventors: Benjamin A Bricko, Thomas K Bricko
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Publication number: 20160054091Abstract: A portable shooting bench and utility table. In the shooting-bench embodiment, a tabletop is isosceles-triangle-shaped for ambidextrous functionality. In the utility-table embodiment, the tabletop is preferably round but can be any shape suitable for general use. The shooting-bench embodiment preferably includes a height-adjustable seat. A plurality of ratcheting leg couplers are rotatably attached to a support base and radiate outward from the support base. A proximate end of a leg attaches in ratcheting fashion to each ratcheting leg coupler, allowing adjustment of an angle of declination of each leg. The ratcheting leg couplers rotate about the support base, allowing radial positioning of the legs for optimum stability under various terrain conditions. The shooting bench or utility table can be converted from a deployed mode to a folded mode, in which shoulder straps can be affixed to the tabletop allowing transport of the shooting bench or utility table backpack-style.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2015Publication date: February 25, 2016Inventors: Benjamin A. Bricko, Thomas K. Bricko
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Patent number: 9113596Abstract: A turf mower has one or more electrically powered cutting units and a traction drive system that is operatively powered by an internal combustion engine. A motor generator is also powered by the engine and is operatively connected to the engine and the traction drive system. A battery pack stores electrical energy and is charged by the motor generator during normal mowing on flat ground. When mowing on hillsides with increased mechanical power requirements above that supplied by the horsepower of the engine, a control system first removes the load imposed by the cutting units by supplying the electrical energy to the cutting units from the battery pack instead of the motor generator. If that is insufficient, the control system then uses energy from the battery pack to power the motor generator as a motor to supply additional mechanical power for use by the traction drive system.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2014Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: The Toro CompanyInventors: Benjamin A. Bricko, Kelly S. Meemken, James R. Gaebel
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Publication number: 20140283492Abstract: A turf mower has one or more electrically powered cutting units and a traction drive system that is operatively powered by an internal combustion engine. A motor generator is also powered by the engine and is operatively connected to the engine and the traction drive system. A battery pack stores electrical energy and is charged by the motor generator during normal mowing on flat ground. When mowing on hillsides with increased mechanical power requirements above that supplied by the horsepower of the engine, a control system first removes the load imposed by the cutting units by supplying the electrical energy to the cutting units from the battery pack instead of the motor generator. If that is insufficient, the control system then uses energy from the battery pack to power the motor generator as a motor to supply additional mechanical power for use by the traction drive system.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2014Publication date: September 25, 2014Applicant: The Toro CompanyInventors: Benjamin A. Bricko, Kelly S. Meemken, James R. Gaebel
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Patent number: 7611076Abstract: A line marker has a wheeled frame on which an outrigger arm is pivotally carried. The outrigger arm carries a spray nozzle. The spray nozzle can be placed in a rear spray position or in a front spray position depending upon whether the outrigger arm extends rearwardly or forwardly from a pivot hub therefor. The outrigger arm can be placed in the front or rear spray positions along either side of the frame. The line marker includes a reservoir for holding a marking liquid that is sprayed from the spray nozzle. The reservoir includes a drain outlet that is positioned to drain unused marking liquid back into a standard five gallon paint bucket.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2005Date of Patent: November 3, 2009Assignee: The Toro CompanyInventors: Benjamin A. Street, David J. Scherbring, Benjamin A. Bricko, Keith A. Goetz
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Patent number: 7150413Abstract: A line marker carries a spray nozzle assembly for marking or painting a line on a horizontal surface. The spray nozzle assembly includes a mounting bracket that is clamped to a support arm in various pivotally adjusted positions. The mounting bracket carries both the spray nozzle and a pair of side shields. The spray nozzle is vertically adjustable up and down on the mounting bracket. The side shields have slides that slide transversely through the mounting bracket to provide horizontal adjustability of the side shields towards and away from one another. A clamping plate bears against the slides of the side shields when the clamping plate is tightened on the mounting bracket to hold the side shields in place on the mounting bracket.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2005Date of Patent: December 19, 2006Assignee: The Toro CompanyInventors: Benjamin A. Bricko, Keith A. Goetz
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Patent number: 7140555Abstract: A line marker carries a spray nozzle assembly for marking or painting a line on a horizontal surface. The line marker has a hydraulic circuit which includes a reservoir for holding marking liquid therein and a tank for holding water therein. A pump can pump marking liquid through the spray nozzle during a marking mode of operation or water through the spray nozzle during a flush mode of operation. In the marking mode, at least some marking liquid is recirculated back through the reservoir to help keep the marking liquid in the reservoir agitated and mixed. In the flush mode, water is blocked from entering the reservoir and is recirculated back into the water flow from the tank. In the clean out mode, the hydraulic circuit is operated as if in the marking mode, except that the reservoir is rinsed with an external source of water with the rinse water circulating through the hydraulic circuit and back to the reservoir.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2005Date of Patent: November 28, 2006Assignee: The Toro CompanyInventors: Benjamin A. Bricko, Timothy S. Martinson