Patents by Inventor Derek J. Franke

Derek J. Franke 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).

  • Publication number: 20240138295
    Abstract: An adjustable divider system that is adapted to assist in distributing a crop material being discharged from a draper header to a feederhouse. The adjustable divider system can include a plurality of dividers positioned adjacent to an upper side of a drum floor and at least one actuator coupled to the plurality of dividers. A controller can be coupled to the at least one actuator and adapted to selectively operate the at least one actuator. Additionally, at least one sensor can be adapted to provide information to the controller indicative of a distribution of the crop material that can be used by the controller in connection with generating a signal to selectively operate the at least one actuator. Further, one or more of the plurality of dividers can be pivotally displaceable about the drum floor in response to the selective operation of the at least one actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2022
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Derek J. Franke, Michael T. Meschke, Nicholas J. Keener
  • Publication number: 20240138318
    Abstract: An agricultural machine includes a first threshing rotor and a second threshing rotor positioned adjacent to the first threshing rotor. Each threshing rotor is configured to rotate to process harvested crop. The agricultural machine includes first and sensors configured to measure a parameter indicative of crop load on the first threshing rotor and on the second threshing rotor, respectively. The agricultural machine includes a controller configured to change distribution of harvested crop in the agricultural machine based on a comparison between the measured parameter received from the first sensor and the measured parameter received from the second sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Jason R. Dehnke, Logan K. Trueblood, Derek J. Franke, Nicholas J. Keener
  • Publication number: 20220400615
    Abstract: An agricultural header comprises a first side draper belt, a second side draper belt, a first center draper belt, a second center draper belt, and a crop divider. The first and second center draper belts are positioned laterally between the first and second side draper belts which extend laterally outwardly in opposite directions away from the first and second center draper belts. Each of the first and second side draper belts are arranged to feed crop material laterally inwardly, and each of the first and second center draper belts are arranged to feed crop material rearwardly for processing by the agricultural harvester. The crop divider is positioned laterally between the first and second center draper belts to separate crop material fed laterally inwardly from the first and second side draper belts respectively to the first and second center draper belts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Derek J. Franke, Matthew R. White, Kelli L. Martin, Nicholas J. Keener