Patents by Inventor Craig D. Roberts
Craig D. Roberts 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: 11317559Abstract: The cutter guard assembly includes a cutter bar assembly, a window frame, and a floor sheet. The cutter bar assembly has a cutter bar and a reciprocating knife assembly operatively connected to a knife drive. The window frame is rigidly attached to the cutter bar. The window frame includes an opening through which a knife arm of the reciprocating knife assembly extends through. The floor sheet extends rearwardly from the cutter bar and pivots relative to the window frame.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2018Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Joel T. Cook, Curtis F. Hillen, Andrew V. Lauwers, Craig D. Roberts, Kyle R. Schropp, Joshua S. Joyce
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Patent number: 11197419Abstract: An agricultural vehicle including a chassis and a sectional header system carried by the chassis. The sectional header system includes a center section connected to the chassis, at least one additional section, and at least one coupling assembly that removably connects the center section to the at least one additional section. The at least one coupling assembly includes at least one actuator connected to the center section and the at least one additional section. The at least one actuator is located underneath the pivot point. The at least one additional section is configured for being coupled to the center section in harvesting of a crop material and decoupled from the center section and subsequently towable in transportation of the sectional header system.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2019Date of Patent: December 14, 2021Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Jonathan E. Ricketts, Craig D. Roberts
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Publication number: 20190357432Abstract: An agricultural vehicle including a chassis and a sectional header system carried by the chassis. The sectional header system includes a center section connected to the chassis, at least one additional section, and at least one coupling assembly that removably connects the center section to the at least one additional section. The at least one coupling assembly includes at least one actuator connected to the center section and the at least one additional section. The at least one actuator is located underneath the pivot point. The at least one additional section is configured for being coupled to the center section in harvesting of a crop material and decoupled from the center section and subsequently towable in transportation of the sectional header system.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2019Publication date: November 28, 2019Applicant: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Jonathan E. Ricketts, Craig D. Roberts
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Patent number: 10375881Abstract: An agricultural vehicle including a chassis and a sectional header system carried by the chassis. The sectional header system includes a center section connected to the chassis and having a pair of lateral ends, at least one additional section, and at least one coupling assembly. The at least one coupling assembly includes at least one actuator and at least one connector. The at least one coupling assembly removably connects the center section to the at least one additional section. The at least one additional section is coupled to the center section in harvesting of a crop material and the at least one additional section is decoupled from the center section in transportation of the sectional header system.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2017Date of Patent: August 13, 2019Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Jonathan E. Ricketts, Craig D. Roberts
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Patent number: 10292331Abstract: A draper belt system is provided that includes a first draper frame pivotally coupled to a second draper frame at a pivot joint. The pivot joint includes a central longitudinal axis about which rotation at the pivot joint occurs. The draper belt system includes a draper belt assembly including a first roller rotatably coupled to the first draper frame, a second roller rotatably coupled to the second draper frame, and a third roller rotatably coupled between the first and second draper frames. The third roller includes a central longitudinal axis about which the third roller rotates. The central longitudinal axis of the third roller is the same as the central longitudinal axis of the pivot joint.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2017Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Andrew V. Lauwers, Blaine R. Noll, Joshua S. Joyce, Kyle R. Schropp, John J. Conroy, Zachary Long, Craig D. Roberts, James F. Rayfield
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Publication number: 20190104676Abstract: A cutter guard assembly for a knife drive of an agricultural farm implement is provided. The cutter guard assembly includes a cutter bar assembly, a window frame, and a floor sheet. The cutter bar assembly has a cutter bar and a reciprocating knife assembly operatively connected to a knife drive. The window frame is rigidly attached to the cutter bar. The window frame includes an opening through which a knife arm of the reciprocating knife assembly extends through. The floor sheet extends rearwardly from the cutter bar and pivots relative to the window frame.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2018Publication date: April 11, 2019Inventors: Joel T. Cook, Curtis F. Hillen, Andrew V. Lauwers, Craig D. Roberts, Kyle R. Schropp, Joshua S. Joyce
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Patent number: 10172280Abstract: A cutter guard assembly for a knife drive of an agricultural farm implement is provided. The cutter guard assembly includes a cutter bar assembly, a window frame, and a floor sheet. The cutter bar assembly has a cutter bar and a reciprocating knife assembly operatively connected to a knife drive. The window frame is rigidly attached to the cutter bar. The window frame includes an opening through which a knife arm of the reciprocating knife assembly extends through. The floor sheet extends rearwardly from the cutter bar and pivots relative to the window frame.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2014Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Joel T. Cook, Curtis F. Hillen, Andrew V. Lauwers, Craig D. Roberts, Kyle R. Schropp, Joshua S. Joyce
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Publication number: 20190000015Abstract: A draper belt system is provided that includes a first draper frame pivotally coupled to a second draper frame at a pivot joint. The pivot joint includes a central longitudinal axis about which rotation at the pivot joint occurs. The draper belt system includes a draper belt assembly including a first roller rotatably coupled to the first draper frame, a second roller rotatably coupled to the second draper frame, and a third roller rotatably coupled between the first and second draper frames. The third roller includes a central longitudinal axis about which the third roller rotates. The central longitudinal axis of the third roller is the same as the central longitudinal axis of the pivot joint.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2017Publication date: January 3, 2019Applicant: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Andrew V. Lauwers, Blaine R. Noll, Joshua S. Joyce, Kyle R. Schropp, John J. Conroy, Zachary Long, Craig D. Roberts, James F. Rayfield
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Patent number: 10165726Abstract: An agricultural vehicle that includes a chassis and a header with at least three header frames, including a center section, a first wing section, and a second wing section carried by the chassis. The header includes: at least three knife assemblies; and at least three knife drives, each of the knife drives being drivingly coupled to at least one of the at least three knife assemblies.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2016Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Andrew V. Lauwers, Blaine R. Noll, Joshua Joyce, John J. Conroy, Zachary Long, Craig D. Roberts, James F. Rayfield
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Publication number: 20180338418Abstract: An agricultural vehicle including a chassis and a sectional header system carried by the chassis. The sectional header system includes a center section connected to the chassis and having a pair of lateral ends, at least one additional section, and at least one coupling assembly. The at least one coupling assembly includes at least one actuator and at least one connector. The at least one coupling assembly removably connects the center section to the at least one additional section. The at least one additional section is coupled to the center section in harvesting of a crop material and the at least one additional section is decoupled from the center section in transportation of the sectional header system.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2017Publication date: November 29, 2018Applicant: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Jonathan E. Ricketts, Craig D. Roberts
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Patent number: 10070575Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a chassis and a header carried by the chassis. The header includes: a center section supporting at least one center cutter and having a pair of lateral ends; a wing section linked to one of the lateral ends of the center section and supporting at least one wing cutter, the wing section being vertically moveable relative to the center section between a harvesting position and a transport position, the wing section being pivotable about a generally vertical pivot axis in the transport position and substantially prevented from pivoting about the pivot axis in the harvesting position; and an actuator linked to the wing section and configured to vertically move the wing section from the harvesting position to the transport position.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2016Date of Patent: September 11, 2018Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Bradley J. Wenger, Zachary Long, Craig D. Roberts, Andrew V. Lauwers, Blaine R. Noll, James F. Rayfield, John J. Conroy
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Publication number: 20180177121Abstract: An agricultural vehicle includes a chassis and a header carried by the chassis. The header includes: at least three knife assemblies; and at least three knife drives, each of the knife drives being drivingly coupled to at least one of the at least three knife assemblies.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2016Publication date: June 28, 2018Applicant: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Andrew V. Lauwers, Blaine R. Noll, Joshua Joyce, John J. Conroy, Zachary Long, Craig D. Roberts, James F. Rayfield
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Patent number: 9961828Abstract: A cutter guard assembly for a knife drive of an agricultural farm implement is provided. The cutter guard assembly includes a cutter bar assembly, a floor assembly and a knife assembly. The cutter bar assembly has a cutter bar. The floor assembly includes a floor extending from the cutter bar and a cover extending from the floor. The knife assembly is covered by and situated below the floor assembly. In operation the cover drapes over a rigid frame of a header shielding the knife assembly from debris.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2014Date of Patent: May 8, 2018Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Joel T. Cook, Andrew V. Lauwers, Craig D. Roberts
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Publication number: 20180035598Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a chassis and a header carried by the chassis. The header includes: a center section supporting at least one center cutter and having a pair of lateral ends; a wing section linked to one of the lateral ends of the center section and supporting at least one wing cutter, the wing section being vertically moveable relative to the center section between a harvesting position and a transport position, the wing section being pivotable about a generally vertical pivot axis in the transport position and substantially prevented from pivoting about the pivot axis in the harvesting position; and an actuator linked to the wing section and configured to vertically move the wing section from the harvesting position to the transport position.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2016Publication date: February 8, 2018Applicant: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Bradley J. Wenger, Zachary Long, Craig D. Roberts, Andrew V. Lauwers, Blaine R. Noll, James F. Rayfield, John J. Conroy
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Patent number: 9538703Abstract: The knife head mounts to the sickle to hold a plurality of knife sections thereon while allowing removal of the knife sections individually without major disassembly for ease of in field repair and replacement. A knife pin of the knife head connects to a knife arm driven by the sickle drive mechanism and is removable from above also without major disassembly. The knife pin connection provides a vertical self adjustment capability to accommodate sickle wear and vertical misalignment between the sickle and drive. And the knife arm is streamlined for cut plant material flow thereabout and is also adapted for ease of removal and field repair.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2012Date of Patent: January 10, 2017Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Joel T. Cook, Gary L. Bich, David M. DeChristopher, Andrew R. Wilbert, Blaine R. Noll, Craig D. Roberts
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Publication number: 20160135366Abstract: A cutter guard assembly for a knife drive of an agricultural farm implement is provided. The cutter guard assembly includes a cutter bar assembly, a floor assembly and a knife assembly. The cutter bar assembly has a cutter bar. The floor assembly includes a floor extending from the cutter bar and a cover extending from the floor. The knife assembly is covered by and situated below the floor assembly. In operation the cover drapes over a rigid frame of a header shielding the knife assembly from debris.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2014Publication date: May 19, 2016Inventors: Joel T. Cook, Andrew V. Lauwers, Craig D. Roberts
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Publication number: 20160066503Abstract: A cutter guard assembly for a knife drive of an agricultural farm implement is provided. The cutter guard assembly includes a cutter bar assembly, a window frame, and a floor sheet. The cutter bar assembly has a cutter bar and a reciprocating knife assembly operatively connected to a knife drive. The window frame is rigidly attached to the cutter bar. The window frame includes an opening through which a knife arm of the reciprocating knife assembly extends through. The floor sheet extends rearwardly from the cutter bar and pivots relative to the window frame.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2014Publication date: March 10, 2016Inventors: Joel T. Cook, Curtis F. Hillen, Andrew V. Lauwers, Craig D. Roberts, Kyle R. Schropp, Joshua S. Joyce
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Publication number: 20140230398Abstract: The knife head mounts to the sickle to hold a plurality of knife sections thereon while allowing removal of the knife sections individually without major disassembly for ease of in field repair and replacement. A knife pin of the knife head connects to a knife arm driven by the sickle drive mechanism and is removable from above also without major disassembly. The knife pin connection provides a vertical self adjustment capability to accommodate sickle wear and vertical misalignment between the sickle and drive. And the knife arm is streamlined for cut plant material flow thereabout and is also adapted for ease of removal and field repair.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2012Publication date: August 21, 2014Inventors: Joel T. Cook, Gary L. Bich, David M. DeChristopher, Andrew R. Wilbert, Blaine R. Noll, Craig D. Roberts
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Patent number: RE49178Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a chassis and a header carried by the chassis. The header includes: a center section supporting at least one center cutter and having a pair of lateral ends; a wing section linked to one of the lateral ends of the center section and supporting at least one wing cutter, the wing section being vertically moveable relative to the center section between a harvesting position and a transport position, the wing section being pivotable about a generally vertical pivot axis in the transport position and substantially prevented from pivoting about the pivot axis in the harvesting position; and an actuator linked to the wing section and configured to vertically move the wing section from the harvesting position to the transport position.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2019Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Inventors: Bradley J. Wenger, Zachary Long, Craig D. Roberts, Andrew V. Lauwers, Blaine R. Noll, James F. Rayfield, John J. Conroy