Patents by Inventor James I. Lodico

James I. Lodico 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: 7765943
    Abstract: A seed meter comprises a plastic casing defining a volumetric compartment and a singling compartment. The casing has three basic parts including the singling side, the volumetric side and the center portion. The basic parts are held together by integrally molded fastening assemblies. A slidable gate is mounted to two channels in the center portion for selectively directing seed into one of the two compartments. A metering drum having a volumetric section located in the volumetric compartment and a singling section located in the singling compartment is rotationally mounted to the casing. The metering drum is also plastic with each section comprising two identical pieces that can be mounted around a drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Donald Keith Landphair, Donald Raymond Wisor, Jeffrey Schick, James I. Lodico
  • Publication number: 20090050035
    Abstract: A seed meter comprises a plastic casing defining a volumetric compartment and a singling compartment. The casing has three basic parts including the singling side, the volumetric side and the center portion. The basic parts are held together by integrally molded fastening assemblies. A slidable gate is mounted to two channels in the center portion for selectively directing seed into one of the two compartments. A metering drum having a volumetric section located in the volumetric compartment and a singling section located in the singling compartment is rotationally mounted to the casing. The metering drum is also plastic with each section comprising two identical pieces that can be mounted around a drive shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventors: Donald Keith Landphair, Donald Raymond Wisor, Jeffrey Schick, James I. Lodico
  • Patent number: 5377867
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a seed meter for corn. The seed meter comprises a stationary casing with two rotatably mounted discs. The casing is provided with a seed receiving zone in communication with a inlet, and a seed discharge zone in communication with an outlet. The casing is also provided with a stationary camming surface. The first disc is provided with a plurality of spring biassed selector pins. Each pin has an engagement surface and a cam follower surface. The cam follower surface engaging the camming surface. The second disc which rotates with and is parallel to the first disc is provided with a plurality of seed cells corresponding to the selector pins. A flexible and resilient membrane covers the seed cells. In operation, the discs are continuously rotated through the seed receiving and discharge zones. As a selector pin is driven towards the corresponding seed cell by the camming surface, the pin traps a single seed in the membrane covered seed cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1995
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Schick, James I. Lodico
  • Patent number: 5183487
    Abstract: A trash handling apparatus for a self-cleaning rotary screen comprising two cutterbars that extend across the diameter of a circular screen and a comb having a castellated edge is secured to the leading edge of a vacuum chamber. The two cutterbars are provided with outwardly extending ribs that act in concert with notches formed in castellated edge of the comb to scissor large crop material trapped on the rotary screen as it passes the stationary vacuum chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1993
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: James I. Lodico, David R. Coder, Lawrence J. Adams, Rebecca A. F. Guthrie, Raymond M. Andes, Jr., Philip G. Alexander