Patents by Inventor Kevin S. Schwinn

Kevin S. Schwinn 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: 7896731
    Abstract: A cleaning system for an agriculture work vehicle including a combination of a grain cleaning sieve having a limited region containing larger apertures providing increased grain throughput and also increased air throughput relative to the other regions of the sieve, utilized with a fan system that provides a substantially higher air flow rate through the region relative to the other regions of the sieve, such that a downward airborne flow of crop material above and flowing toward the limited region is subject to an air flow having a substantially higher flow rate compared to the other regions above the sieve, which operates to aggressively separate material other than grain from the grain above the limited region, and such that substantially only grain will fall onto and pass through the limited region of the grain cleaning sieve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventor: Kevin S. Schwinn
  • Publication number: 20100144412
    Abstract: A cleaning system for an agriculture work vehicle including a combination of a grain cleaning sieve having a limited region containing larger apertures providing increased grain throughput and also increased air throughput relative to the other regions of the sieve, utilized with a fan system that provides a substantially higher air flow rate through the region relative to the other regions of the sieve, such that a downward airborne flow of crop material above and flowing toward the limited region is subject to an air flow having a substantially higher flow rate compared to the other regions above the sieve, which operates to aggressively separate material other than grain from the grain above the limited region, and such that substantially only grain will fall onto and pass through the limited region of the grain cleaning sieve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Inventor: Kevin S. Schwinn
  • Patent number: 7645190
    Abstract: A method and a system for varying the rotational fan speed of a combine cleaning system in response to the amount of crop entering the combine cleaning system. Increases and decreases in crop material entering the cleaning system are sensed prior to their arrival at the cleaning system, and cleaning fan speed is adjusted appropriately and contemporaneously with the crop material's presence in the cleaning system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Kevin S. Schwinn, J. Bradley Lukac
  • Publication number: 20090029751
    Abstract: A spreader bat disk for a spreader assembly that has a drive linkage operable to rotatably drive attachments thereto, the spreader bat disk being formed or molded as a unitary construction that includes a web portion, preferably of a generally circular configuration, having a top surface and an essentially flat bottom surface, with a plurality of integral radially distributed spreader blades projecting upwardly from the top surface, and which is configured to be operatively connectable to the drive linkage of the spreader assembly to be rotated thereby to spread material provided thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Inventors: Kevin S. Schwinn, Craig E. Murray, David V. Dobbins
  • Patent number: 7473171
    Abstract: A spreader bat disk for a spreader assembly that has a drive linkage operable to rotatably drive attachments thereto, the spreader bat disk being formed or molded as a unitary construction that includes a web portion, preferably of a generally circular configuration, having a top surface and an essentially flat bottom surface, with a plurality of integral radially distributed spreader blades projecting upwardly from the top surface, and which is configured to be operatively connectable to the drive linkage of the spreader assembly to be rotated thereby to spread material provided thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Kevin S. Schwinn, Craig E. Murray, David V. Dobbins
  • Patent number: 7371162
    Abstract: An adjustment mechanism for opening size of sieve segments of the cleaning system of an agricultural combine disposed in end to end relation, which allows jointly adjusting the sieve sizes, or separate adjustment, and which allows easy and convenient removal and reinstallation of the sieve segments. The mechanism includes an adjusting element in connection with each of the sieve segments, which is movable in a predetermined manner for effecting adjustments in the opening size thereof. Connecting elements connect together the adjusting elements for joint adjustment, and are disconnectable to allow individual adjustment. The predetermined manner of movement can be, for instance, a simple rotational movement, and the connecting elements can include and elongate connecting element, such as a rod or tube which can extend over a substantial portion of the sieve segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Robert A. Matousek, Dohn W. Pfeiffer, Kevin S. Schwinn
  • Publication number: 20070281764
    Abstract: A method and a system for varying the rotational fan speed of a combine cleaning system in response to the amount of crop entering the combine cleaning system. Increases and decreases in crop material entering the cleaning system are sensed prior to their arrival at the cleaning system, and cleaning fan speed is adjusted appropriately and contemporaneously with the crop material's presence in the cleaning system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Inventors: Kevin S. Schwinn, J. Bradley Lukac
  • Patent number: 6899617
    Abstract: A drive for a cleaning fan of an agricultural combine that provides resilient flexibility in connection to a structural element of the combine and/or to the fan for correcting or allowing angular misalignment and axial movement between an output of the drive and the fan input. In one embodiment the drive includes a resiliently flexible member connecting the output of the motor in rotatably driving relation to the rotatable input of the fan, the flexible member having sufficient resiliently flexibility so as to allow limited variations in relative angular orientation and axial spacing between the input and the output. In another embodiment a mounting element for mounting the motor to the structural element includes a resiliently flexible member for supporting and holding the motor in alignment with the fan while allowing a limited amount of relative axial and angular movement therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Sahr, Kevin S. Schwinn
  • Patent number: 6761630
    Abstract: An adjustment control system for a grain cleaning sieve or sieves of an agricultural combine, a method of automatic operation of a sieve control system for adjusting the sieve opening size or position while mitigating error and inaccuracy resulting from tolerance stack-up of mechanical components in the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Case, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin S. Schwinn, Christopher A. Brubaker