Patents by Inventor Benjamin Kemmerer

Benjamin Kemmerer 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).

  • Patent number: 10959379
    Abstract: An adjustable vane system for use with a rotor cage of a threshing system of an agricultural harvester includes a vane. The vane includes: a generally helically curved inner profile; a surface being an outer profile that is opposite the inner profile and is generally helically curved over a portion of the vane, the outer profile being configured to be positioned closer to the rotor cage than the inner profile; and a flat portion located midway along the outer profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Kemmerer, Wayne T. Flickinger
  • Patent number: 10920851
    Abstract: The subject disclosure provides a draper belt assembly for an agricultural harvester that includes a draper belt and a zipper assembly along a length of the draper belt. The zipper assembly includes a first zipper track, a second zipper track complementary to the first zipper track, and a slider releasably connectable to the first zipper track and the second zipper track. The draper belt assembly further includes a lock for releasably securing the zipper assembly in a fixed position and a seal covering an upper surface of the first and second zipper tracks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Joel Cook, Benjamin Kemmerer, Herbert Farley
  • Publication number: 20210037710
    Abstract: An attachment system for an agricultural vehicle including a feeder housing and a header. The attachment system includes at least one feeder connecting member configured for being located on and movably connected to the feeder housing, and at least one header connecting member configured for being located on the header. The at least one feeder connecting member is automatically connectable and securable to the at least one header connecting member as the feeder housing lifts the header.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Applicant: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Blaine R. Noll, Benjamin Kemmerer, Preston L. McKinney
  • Publication number: 20200315096
    Abstract: A clean out system of a header for an agricultural vehicle. The header includes a frame with a floor having at least one cutout for allowing an unwanted material to pass therethrough. The clean out system includes at least one door configured for pivotally connecting to the floor and selectively engaging with the at least one cutout, a latching mechanism connected to the at least one door and configured for securing the at least one door to the frame, and at least one actuating member operably connected to the at least one door and configured for selectively latching the latching mechanism and pivoting the at least one door in between an open position and a closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Thomas, Benjamin Kemmerer, Joel T. Cook, Blaine R. Noll, Herbert M. Farley
  • Publication number: 20200315086
    Abstract: A clean out system of a header for an agricultural vehicle including at least one cover having a plurality of perforations and at least one actuating member connected to the at least one cover. The at least one actuating member is configured for moving the at least one cover between a first position to completely cover at least one cutout of the frame of the header for blocking the unwanted material from exiting the header, a second position to at least partially uncover the at least one cutout for permitting the unwanted material to pass through the at least one cutout, and a third position to align at least one perforation of the plurality of perforations with the at least one cutout for permitting the unwanted material to pass through the at least one cutout and the at least one perforation of the plurality of perforations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Blaine R. Noll, Jeffrey D. Thomas, Benjamin Kemmerer
  • Publication number: 20200315091
    Abstract: A cleaning system of a header for an agricultural vehicle. The header includes a frame with a floor having at least one cutout therein. The cleaning system includes at least one door, an elongated member operably connected to the at least one door, and at least one actuator connected to the elongated member. The elongated member is rotatable by the at least one actuator to slide the at least one door between a first position for covering the at least one cutout and a second position for at least partially uncovering the at least one cutout and allowing an unwanted material to pass through the at least one cutout.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Blaine R. Noll, Jeffrey D. Thomas, Benjamin Kemmerer
  • Publication number: 20200214215
    Abstract: A threshing section for a combine harvester includes a rotor and a transition cone. The rotor has an axis of rotation, a downstream end, and an upstream end. The upstream end includes one or more blades for moving crop downstream in a direction of crop flow. The transition cone at least partially surrounds the upstream end of the rotor and the blades. An annular space is formed between a swept profile of the blades and an interior surface of the transition cone through which crop is introduced into the threshing section. A cross-sectional area of the annular space, which is measured in a radial direction, is substantially constant along at least a portion of a length of the swept profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2019
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Applicant: CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLC
    Inventors: BENJAMIN KEMMERER, JOSHUA LESHER
  • Patent number: 10694677
    Abstract: A threshing system of an agricultural harvester includes a rotor cage surrounding a rotor, a threshing space defined between the rotor cage and the rotor, and a transition cone defining an infeed to the rotor cage and the threshing system. A mating interface between the rotor cage and the transition cone is curved in three different dimensions of a Cartesian coordinate system for maximizing the threshing space. As viewed from above the mating interface of the threshing system, a convex portion of the rotor cage is mounted to a concave portion of the transition cone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Wayne Flickinger, Benjamin Kemmerer
  • Patent number: 10660274
    Abstract: A threshing and separating system including a rotor cage, a first vane rail movably connected to the rotor cage, and a first vane portion with a first constrained end pivotably connected to the rotor cage and a first movable end linked to the first vane rail. The threshing and separating system further including a second vane rail movably connected to the rotor cage, and a second vane portion with a second constrained end pivotably connected to the rotor cage and a second movable end linked to the second vane rail, the second vane portion and the first vane portion together define a substantially continuous vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Kemmerer, Wayne T. Flickinger, Jonathan E. Ricketts
  • Patent number: 10653068
    Abstract: An agricultural vehicle including a chassis and a threshing system supported by the chassis. The threshing system includes a rotor, a housing surrounding at least a portion of the rotor and including at least one concave, and a concave adjustment and suspension device connected to the housing and configured for adjusting a position of the concave frame and relieving an impact force acting on the at least one concave. The concave adjustment and suspension device includes a torsion bar, a drive operably coupled to the main section of the torsion bar and configured for rotating the torsion bar to adjust the position of the concave frame, and at least one pneumatic spring mounted to the torsion bar and configured for compressing to relieve the impact force acting on the at least one concave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Benjamin Kemmerer
  • Publication number: 20200120875
    Abstract: An adjustable vane system for use with a rotor cage of a threshing system of an agricultural harvester includes a vane. The vane includes: a generally helically curved inner profile; a surface being an outer profile that is opposite the inner profile and is generally helically curved over a portion of the vane, the outer profile being configured to be positioned closer to the rotor cage than the inner profile; and a flat portion located midway along the outer profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Applicant: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Kemmerer, Wayne T. Flickinger
  • Patent number: 10537065
    Abstract: An adjustable vane system for use with a rotor cage of a threshing system of an agricultural harvester includes a vane. The vane includes: a generally helically curved inner profile; a surface being an outer profile that is opposite the inner profile and is generally helically curved over a portion of the vane, the outer profile being configured to be positioned closer to the rotor cage than the inner profile; and a flat portion located midway along the outer profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Kemmerer, Wayne T. Flickinger
  • Patent number: 10440888
    Abstract: A draper belt system is provided that includes a first draper belt assembly with first and second rollers, and a second draper belt assembly with third and fourth rollers. The third roller of the second draper belt assembly is disposed adjacent to the first roller of the first draper belt assembly. The first draper belt assembly is configured to pivot relative to the second draper belt assembly. Pivoting of the first draper belt assembly results in a change in a distance between the first and third rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Herb M. Farley, Benjamin Kemmerer
  • Publication number: 20190254233
    Abstract: An agricultural vehicle including a chassis and a threshing system supported by the chassis. The threshing system includes a rotor, a housing surrounding at least a portion of the rotor and including at least one concave, and a concave adjustment and suspension device connected to the housing and configured for adjusting a position of the concave frame and relieving an impact force acting on the at least one concave. The concave adjustment and suspension device includes a torsion bar, a drive operably coupled to the main section of the torsion bar and configured for rotating the torsion bar to adjust the position of the concave frame, and at least one pneumatic spring mounted to the torsion bar and configured for compressing to relieve the impact force acting on the at least one concave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Applicant: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Benjamin Kemmerer
  • Patent number: 10299437
    Abstract: An agricultural vehicle includes a chassis and a header carried by the chassis. The header includes: a frame coupled to the chassis; a cutter bar assembly connected to the frame; a plurality of linkage arms connected to the cutter bar assembly; and a plurality of sacrificial connectors each connected to a respective one of the linkage arms and the frame, each of the plurality of sacrificial connectors including at least one sacrificial region configured to deform or shatter upon an overload force acting on the respectively connected linkage arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Herbert M. Farley, Benjamin Kemmerer, David M. DeChristopher, Blaine R. Noll, Bart M. A. Missotten
  • Publication number: 20190133041
    Abstract: A threshing system of an agricultural harvester includes a rotor cage surrounding a rotor, a threshing space defined between the rotor cage and the rotor, and a transition cone defining an infeed to the rotor cage and the threshing system. A mating interface between the rotor cage and the transition cone is curved in three different dimensions of a Cartesian coordinate system for maximizing the threshing space. As viewed from above the mating interface of the threshing system, a convex portion of the rotor cage is mounted to a concave portion of the transition cone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Applicant: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Wayne Flickinger, Benjamin Kemmerer
  • Publication number: 20190069488
    Abstract: An adjustable vane system for use with a rotor cage of a threshing system of an agricultural harvester includes a vane. The vane includes: a generally helically curved inner profile; a surface being an outer profile that is opposite the inner profile and is generally helically curved over a portion of the vane, the outer profile being configured to be positioned closer to the rotor cage than the inner profile; and a flat portion located midway along the outer profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Applicant: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Kemmerer, Wayne T. Flickinger
  • Publication number: 20190014722
    Abstract: An agricultural vehicle includes a chassis and a header carried by the chassis. The header includes: a frame coupled to the chassis; a cutter bar assembly connected to the frame; a plurality of linkage arms connected to the cutter bar assembly; and a plurality of sacrificial connectors each connected to a respective one of the linkage arms and the frame, each of the plurality of sacrificial connectors including at least one sacrificial region configured to deform or shatter upon an overload force acting on the respectively connected linkage arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Applicant: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Herbert M. Farley, Benjamin Kemmerer, David M. DeChristopher, Blaine R. Noll, Bart M.A. Missotten
  • Publication number: 20190000014
    Abstract: A draper belt system is provided that includes a first draper belt assembly with first and second rollers, and a second draper belt assembly with third and fourth rollers. The third roller of the second draper belt assembly is disposed adjacent to the first roller of the first draper belt assembly. The first draper belt assembly is configured to pivot relative to the second draper belt assembly. Pivoting of the first draper belt assembly results in a change in a distance between the first and third rollers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Applicant: CNH Industrial America, LLC
    Inventors: Herb M. Farley, Benjamin Kemmerer
  • Publication number: 20180359923
    Abstract: A threshing and separating system including a rotor cage, a first vane rail movably connected to the rotor cage, and a first vane portion with a first constrained end pivotably connected to the rotor cage and a first movable end linked to the first vane rail. The threshing and separating system further including a second vane rail movably connected to the rotor cage, and a second vane portion with a second constrained end pivotably connected to the rotor cage and a second movable end linked to the second vane rail, the second vane portion and the first vane portion together define a substantially continuous vane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Applicant: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Kemmerer, Wayne T. Flickinger, Jonathan E. Ricketts