Patents by Inventor Daniel Stephen Hoffman

Daniel Stephen Hoffman 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: 8616945
    Abstract: A corn MOG separator for an agricultural combine having a chopper for chopping MOG, the corn MOG separator being located after the chopper in the MOG flow stream and having a separating chamber for receiving the MOG and separating the lighter from the heavier components, the chamber having a mechanical decelerator for mechanically decelerating the corn MOG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Aaron Scott Ritter, Daniel Stephen Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20110070931
    Abstract: A corn MOG separator for an agricultural combine having a chopper for chopping MOG, the corn MOG separator being located after the chopper in the MOG flow stream and having a separating chamber for receiving the MOG and separating the lighter from the heavier components, the chamber having a mechanical decelerator for mechanically decelerating the corn MOG.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Inventors: Aaron Scott Ritter, Daniel Stephen Hoffman
  • Patent number: 7874134
    Abstract: Each row unit of a corn head can easily be converted between a first mode, wherein only ears are harvested, and a second mode, wherein ears together with stalks are harvested. In the first mode, a pair of snapping rolls is mounted for operation beneath each row unit frame for grasping corn stalks and pulling them downwardly through a narrow throat defined by a pair of laterally adjustable deck plates mounted to a top surface of the row unit frame. In the second mode, the snapping rolls are either removed or disabled and at least one stalk cutting disk is mounted on one of a pair of gathering chain drive idler shafts, mounted at the forward end of the row unit frame, for rotating above the frame. The snapping rolls are disabled by adjusting the deck plates toward each other to close the throat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Daniel Stephen Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20110011048
    Abstract: A conventional corn head comprises side-by-side row units, each including a frame supporting a pair of snapping rolls below a pair of gathering chains for guiding corn stalks to the snapping rolls which operate to detach corn ears from the stalks, which remain attached to the ground. The row units are each designed such that they can be easily converted for harvesting the entire corn plant by adding one or more cutting disks for being driven together with idler sprockets of the gathering chain arrangement so as to sever the corn stalks from the ground. The gathering chains can also be replaced by chains including stalk grasping arrangements so as to better convey the stalks to a cross conveyor located behind the row units. The snapping rolls can be removed and their drive shafts shielded by deck plates located below the cutting disks when the row units are converted for harvesting entire corn plants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Inventor: Daniel Stephen Hoffman