Patents by Inventor Christopher T. Sauerwein
Christopher T. Sauerwein 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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Patent number: 8096101Abstract: A harvesting header having a flexible cutterbar assembly utilizes draper belts behind the cutterbar assembly to gently consolidate the severed crop materials and deliver them to a point of discharge and delivery, such as to the feederhouse of a combine harvester. The cutterbar assembly is supported by pivotable support arms such that it is operable to flex along the length thereof in response to changes in terrain as the header is advanced. One embodiment has draper assemblies and a central conveyor fixed relative to the flexible cutterbar assembly, while another has the draper assemblies and central conveyer flexible with the cutterbar assembly.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2011Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: AGCO CorporationInventors: James R. Schmidt, Christopher T. Sauerwein, Randy Lohrentz, Bernard D. Regier, Stanley R. Clark, Alan R. Bergkamp
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Patent number: 8091330Abstract: A harvesting machine includes a draper header with a header frame, a crop-cutting assembly attached to the header frame along the length thereof and configured to cut a crop, and a draper assembly positioned behind the crop-cutter assembly and operable to receive severed crop material from the crop-cutter assembly and convey the material laterally. The draper assembly includes a draper belt with a crop-retaining rib to retain severed crop material on the draper belt and to restrict movement of the crop material back to the crop-cutting assembly. At least one belt guard is attached to and disposed along the crop-cutting assembly.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2011Date of Patent: January 10, 2012Assignee: AGCO CorporationInventors: Randy Lohrentz, Christopher T. Sauerwein, James R. Schmidt
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Publication number: 20110308222Abstract: The otherwise open end of the outboardmost belt guard over the interface between the flexible cutterbar assembly and flexible draper assembly of a harvesting header is closed by a deflector to prevent the ingress of crop residue into the void region defined beneath the overhanging belt guards. In this manner residue is prevented from migrating into the interior of the draper belt of the draper assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2011Publication date: December 22, 2011Applicant: AGCO CORPORATIONInventor: Christopher T. Sauerwein
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Publication number: 20110308221Abstract: Belt guards that overlie the interface between a flexible cutterbar assembly and a flexible draper assembly of a harvesting header define an underlying void region that is sealed against the entry of crop residue by an upright dam wall that bears against the underside of the overhanging belt guards forward of the front edge of the upper run of the belt of the draper assembly. The upright dam wall is on the front extremity of flexible support panels that underlie the upper belt run and may be essentially rigid or provided with a resilient trim seal strip.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2010Publication date: December 22, 2011Applicant: AGCO CORPORATIONInventors: Christopher T. Sauerwein, Gagan Sethi
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Publication number: 20110302896Abstract: A harvesting machine includes a harvesting header with a header frame, a flexible cutterbar assembly attached to the header frame along the length thereof and configured to cut a crop, a plurality of laterally spaced apart support arms, and a conveyor assembly positioned behind the cutterbar assembly and operable to receive severed crop material from the cutterbar assembly. The support arms are pivotally coupled to the frame for swinging movement about a laterally extending axis so that the flexible cutterbar assembly is operable to flex along the length thereof in response to changes in terrain as the header is advanced. The cutterbar drive includes a forward gearbox drivingly connected to the cutterbar assembly and supported on an outer support arm.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2011Publication date: December 15, 2011Applicant: AGCO CORPORATIONInventors: Christopher T. Sauerwein, Randy Lohrentz
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Patent number: 8061115Abstract: A harvesting machine includes a harvesting header with a header frame, a cutterbar assembly attached to the header frame along the length thereof and configured to cut a crop, and a draper assembly positioned behind the cutterbar assembly. The draper assembly includes a center draper that delivers crop material to a feeder house of the harvesting machine and oppositely spaced side drapers that deliver crop material to the center draper. The center draper includes a draper frame swingably supported on the header frame at a pivot to project forwardly therefrom and a draper belt supported on the draper frame to present a rearwardly moving run for conveying the crop rearwardly. The center draper includes a counterbalance mechanism coupled between the header and draper frames to counteract the weight of the center draper about the pivot.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2011Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: AGCO CorporationInventors: Robert Honas, Christopher T. Sauerwein, Randy Lohrentz
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Publication number: 20110232252Abstract: A harvesting machine includes a harvesting header with a header frame, a flexible cutterbar assembly attached to the header frame along the length thereof and configured to cut a crop, and a flexible draper assembly positioned behind the cutterbar assembly to permit the draper assembly to flex with the cutterbar assembly and operable to receive severed crop material from the cutterbar assembly. The draper assembly includes fore-and-aft extending rollers and an endless flexible belt entrained around the rollers. The draper assembly further includes at least one support panel to support the belt.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2011Publication date: September 29, 2011Applicant: AGCO CORPORATIONInventors: Christopher T. Sauerwein, Gagan Sethi
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Patent number: 8024915Abstract: A harvesting machine includes a harvesting header with a header frame, a cutterbar assembly attached to the header frame along the length thereof and configured to cut a crop, and a draper assembly positioned behind the cutterbar assembly and operable to receive severed crop material from the cutterbar assembly. The draper assembly includes a center draper that delivers crop material to a feeder house of the harvesting machine and oppositely spaced side drapers that deliver crop material to the center draper. The harvesting header is operable to flex and thereby follow an uneven terrain. The draper assembly includes a draper belt carried by pivotable support arms. The cutterbar drive includes a forward gearbox drivingly connected to the cutterbar assembly and supported on an outer support arm.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2010Date of Patent: September 27, 2011Assignee: AGCO CorporationInventors: Christopher T. Sauerwein, Randy Lohrentz
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Patent number: 8025312Abstract: An agricultural header assembly broadly includes a header and a header transport assembly. The header is disposed in a transport orientation when a rigid beam thereof is out of vertical alignment with the header center of gravity. The transport assembly includes first and second pairs of spaced apart wheels shiftably connected to the rigid beam for movement between a transport position and a field position. The first and second pairs of wheels define respective first and second midpoints therebetween when in the transport position. The first and second midpoints are each disposed in general vertical alignment with the header center of gravity when the header is in the transport orientation to substantially balance the header on the transport assembly.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2010Date of Patent: September 27, 2011Assignee: AGCO CorporationInventors: Robert Honas, Christopher T. Sauerwein, Randy Lohrentz
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Publication number: 20110185693Abstract: A harvesting header having a flexible cutterbar assembly utilizes draper belts behind the cutterbar assembly to gently consolidate the severed crop materials and deliver them to a point of discharge and delivery, such as to the feederhouse of a combine harvester. One embodiment has draper assemblies and a central conveyor fixed relative to the flexible cutterbar assembly, while another has the draper assemblies and central conveyer flexible with the cutterbar assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2011Publication date: August 4, 2011Applicant: AGCO CORPORATIONInventors: James R. Schmidt, Christopher T. Sauerwein, Randy Lohrentz, Bernard D. Regier, Stanley R. Clark, Alan R. Bergkamp
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Patent number: 7971419Abstract: A harvesting machine includes a harvesting header with a header frame, a flexible cutterbar assembly attached to the header frame along the length thereof and configured to cut a crop, and a flexible draper assembly positioned behind the cutterbar assembly to permit the draper assembly to flex with the cutterbar assembly and operable to receive severed crop material from the cutterbar assembly. The draper assembly includes fore-and-aft extending rollers, fore-and-aft extending arms disposed between the rollers, and an endless flexible belt entrained around the rollers, with the arms being disposed within the belt. The draper assembly further includes support panels on the arms to support the belt.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2010Date of Patent: July 5, 2011Inventors: Christopher T. Sauerwein, Gagan Sethi
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Publication number: 20110154795Abstract: A harvesting machine includes a harvesting header with a header frame, a cutterbar assembly attached to the header frame along the length thereof and configured to cut a crop, and a draper assembly positioned behind the cutterbar assembly and operable to receive severed crop material from the cutterbar assembly. The draper assembly includes a center draper that delivers crop material to a feeder house of the harvesting machine and oppositely spaced side drapers that deliver crop material to the center draper. The harvesting header is operable to flex and thereby follow an uneven terrain.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2011Publication date: June 30, 2011Applicant: AGCO CORPORATIONInventors: Christopher T. Sauerwein, Randy Lohrentz, Gagan Sethi, James R. Schmidt
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Patent number: 7958711Abstract: The otherwise open end of the outboardmost belt guard over the interface between the flexible cutterbar assembly and flexible draper assembly of a harvesting header is closed by a deflector to prevent the ingress of crop residue into the void region defined beneath the overhanging belt guards. In this manner residue is prevented from migrating into the interior of the draper belt of the draper assembly.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2010Date of Patent: June 14, 2011Assignee: AGCO CorporationInventor: Christopher T. Sauerwein
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Publication number: 20110131940Abstract: A harvesting machine includes a harvesting header with a header frame, a cutterbar assembly attached to the header frame along the length thereof and configured to cut a crop, and a draper assembly positioned behind the cutterbar assembly and operable to receive severed crop material from the cutterbar assembly. The draper assembly includes a center draper that delivers crop material to a feeder house of the harvesting machine and oppositely spaced side drapers that deliver crop material to the center draper. The harvesting header is operable to flex and thereby follow an uneven terrain.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2011Publication date: June 9, 2011Applicant: AGCO CORPORATIONInventors: Randy Lohrentz, Christopher T. Sauerwein, James R. Schmidt
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Publication number: 20110113745Abstract: A harvesting machine includes a harvesting header with a header frame, a cutterbar assembly attached to the header frame along the length thereof and configured to cut a crop, and a draper assembly positioned behind the cutterbar assembly. The draper assembly includes a center draper that delivers crop material to a feeder house of the harvesting machine and oppositely spaced side drapers that deliver crop material to the center draper. The center draper includes a draper frame swingably supported on the header frame at a pivot to project forwardly therefrom and a draper belt supported on the draper frame to present a rearwardly moving run for conveying the crop rearwardly. The center draper includes a counterbalance mechanism coupled between the header and draper frames to counteract the weight of the center draper about the pivot.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2011Publication date: May 19, 2011Applicant: AGCO CORPORATIONInventors: Robert Honas, Christopher T. Sauerwein, Randy Lohrentz
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Patent number: 7937920Abstract: A harvesting header having a flexible cutterbar assembly utilizes draper belts behind the cutterbar assembly to gently consolidate the severed crop materials and deliver them to a point of discharge and delivery, such as to the feederhouse of a combine harvester. The header includes laterally spaced support arms attached to and cooperatively supporting the flexible cutterbar assembly. The support arms are pivotally coupled to the frame for swinging movement about a laterally extending axis so that the cutterbar assembly is operable to flex along the length thereof in response to changes in terrain as the header is advanced.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2009Date of Patent: May 10, 2011Assignee: AGCO CorporationInventors: James R. Schmidt, Christopher T. Sauerwein, Randy Lohrentz, Bernard D. Regier, Stanley R. Clark, Alan R. Bergkamp
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Patent number: 7926248Abstract: A harvesting header having a flexible cutterbar assembly utilizes draper belts behind the cutterbar assembly to gently consolidate the severed crop materials and deliver them to a point of discharge and delivery, such as to the feederhouse of a combine harvester. The header includes laterally spaced support arms. The support arms are attached to the flexible cutterbar assembly and pivotally supported adjacent rear ends thereof for swinging movement about a laterally extending axis.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2009Date of Patent: April 19, 2011Assignee: AGCO CorporationInventors: James R. Schmidt, Christopher T. Sauerwein, Randy Lohrentz, Bernard D. Regier, Stanley R. Clark, Alan R. Bergkamp
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Patent number: 7921627Abstract: A harvesting machine includes a harvesting header with a header frame, a cutterbar assembly attached to the header frame along the length thereof and configured to cut a crop, and a draper assembly positioned behind the cutterbar assembly and operable to receive severed crop material from the cutterbar assembly. The draper assembly includes a center draper that delivers crop material to a feeder house of the harvesting machine and oppositely spaced side drapers that deliver crop material to the center draper. The harvesting header is operable to flex and thereby follow an uneven terrain.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2008Date of Patent: April 12, 2011Assignee: AGCO CorporationInventors: Christopher T. Sauerwein, Randy Lohrentz, James R. Schmidt, Gagan Sethi
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Patent number: 7913481Abstract: A harvesting machine includes a harvesting header with a header frame, a cutterbar assembly attached to the header frame along the length thereof and configured to cut a crop, and a draper assembly positioned behind the cutterbar assembly and operable to receive severed crop material from the cutterbar assembly. The draper assembly includes a center draper that delivers crop material to a feeder house of the harvesting machine and oppositely spaced side drapers that deliver crop material to the center draper. The harvesting header is operable to flex and thereby follow an uneven terrain.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2009Date of Patent: March 29, 2011Assignee: AGCO CorporationInventor: Christopher T. Sauerwein
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Publication number: 20110056178Abstract: A harvesting machine includes a harvesting header with a header frame, a cutterbar assembly attached to the header frame along the length thereof and configured to cut a crop, and a draper assembly positioned behind the cutterbar assembly and operable to receive severed crop material from the cutterbar assembly. The draper assembly includes a center draper that delivers crop material to a feeder house of the harvesting machine and oppositely spaced side drapers that deliver crop material to the center draper. The harvesting header is operable to flex and thereby follow an uneven terrain. The draper assembly includes a draper belt carried by pivotable support arms. The cutterbar drive includes a forward gearbox drivingly connected to the cutterbar assembly and supported on an outer support arm.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2010Publication date: March 10, 2011Applicant: AGCO CORPORATIONInventors: Christopher T. Sauerwein, Randy Lohrentz