Patents by Inventor Rickey L. Gerber

Rickey L. Gerber 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: 20100084148
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a novel configuration for agricultural tandem disk systems that feature soil finishing systems. This configuration of the finishing system features finishing reels that provide a robust assembly that will require less frequent repair and maintenance. The finishing system also features support arms that allow the user to adjust the position of finishing reels and the downward force applied to the reels. In an exemplary embodiment, the soil finishing reels are located behind two rows of ground breaking disk blades. After the soil is opened by the disks, the finishing reel may be used to break up or split large soil clods created by the disks. The soil finishing system allows the user to have the soil in an optimized state for germination after one pass of the agricultural system, reducing the number of passes needed to prepare the field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Michael G. Kovach, Rickey L. Gerber, Melvin L. Blunier, Mark P. Hoffman
  • Patent number: 7481279
    Abstract: A scraper system to remove and deflect debris and soil from a disc gang mounted on an agricultural implement is provided. The scraper system includes a mounting bracket member supported at a common axle in support of the disc gang. The mounting bracket member is aligned generally parallel to and located forward of the common axle, and is mounted at a forward end of an elongated carry member supported from the common axle. The elongated carry member is generally aligned perpendicular relative to the common axle. A scraper blade is supported by a scraper arm mounted at the mounting bracket member and is located above the common axle. The location of the scrapper blade and the scraper arm allows a deflector plate to be located at the rearward end of the carry member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: CNH America, LLC
    Inventors: Melvin L. Blunier, Marvin D. Kuebler, James L. Tetrick, Rickey L. Gerber
  • Patent number: 7290620
    Abstract: A disk blade scraper is used with a tillage implement having rotating disk blades separated by hub spools. In one form, the disk blade scraper has a wide tapered scraper blade positioned very close to the transition of the hub spool and the disk blade. In another form, the disk blade scraper incorporates a round disk having an edge that runs in the transition joint of the disk blade and the hub spool. In yet another form, the disk blade scraper incorporates a round and or square bar that is positioned in such a way that the bar end rubs against this transition joint. In still another form, the disk blade scraper incorporates a flat scraper blade shaped to fit the contour of the backside of the disk blade. The corner of this scraper is positioned very close to the transition joint of the disk blade and the hub spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Troy L. Cooper, Marvin D. Kuebler, Rickey L. Gerber
  • Patent number: 6761120
    Abstract: An agricultural primary tillage implement is disclosed with a row cleaner assembly attached in front of the shank. That row cleaner is adjustable fore-and-aft for optimum clearance between the shank and a leading soil preparation apparatus to maximize clearance for residue movement. The row cleaner is also adjustable for depth. The row cleaner assembly reduces the amount of residue in line with the shank path (row) and creates smaller clod sizes of soil in line with the shank swath, resulting in a better seedbed and faster warm up in the spring, enabling the planter to run in cleaner soil, preventing planter plugging and uneven seed planting depth as well as resulting in better seed-to soil-contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Michael G. Kovach, Rickey L. Gerber
  • Patent number: 6681868
    Abstract: An agricultural tillage implement is disclosed employing a series of apparatus to perform one-pass primary tillage. A coulter is the first apparatus that works the field. These coulters cut, size and part the residue without mixing it into the seedbed. Next, a tillage shank runs a point through the compaction layer to fracture and loosen the soil, providing proper soil aggregate size and air pore space relationship throughout the shank tillage profile. Next is a pair of soil-gathering blades that capture and gather the loose soil and residue together and to create a berm of a mixture of soil and residue. The last apparatus to work the field is a rotary reel that conditions the strip of soil to give ideal seed-to-soil contact and uniform berm size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Case, LLC
    Inventors: Michael G. Kovach, Rickey L. Gerber
  • Publication number: 20030141086
    Abstract: An agricultural primary tillage implement is disclosed with a soil surface tillage point assembly attached in front of the shank. The tillage point is adjustable fore-and-aft for optimum clearance between the shank and a leading soil preparation apparatus to maximize clearance for residue movement. The tillage point in also adjustable for depth. The soil surface tillage point assembly reduces the amount of residue in line with the shank path (row) and creates smaller clod sizes of soil in line with the shank swath, resulting in a better seedbed and faster warm up in the spring, enabling the planter to run in cleaner soil, preventing planter plugging and uneven seed planting depth as well as resulting in better seed-to soil-contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventors: Michael G. Kovach, Rickey L. Gerber
  • Publication number: 20030141088
    Abstract: An agricultural tillage implement is disclosed employing a series of apparatus to perform one-pass primary tillage. A coulter is the first apparatus that works the field. These coulters cut, size and part the residue without mixing it into the seedbed. Next, a tillage shank runs a point through the compaction layer to fracture and loosen the soil, providing proper soil aggregate size and air pore space relationship throughout the shank tillage profile. Next is a pair of soil-gathering blades that capture and gather the loose soil and residue together and to create a berm of a mixture of soil and residue. The last apparatus to work the field is a rotary reel that conditions the strip of soil to give ideal seed-to-soil contact and uniform berm size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventors: Michael G. Kovach, Rickey L. Gerber
  • Publication number: 20030141087
    Abstract: An agricultural primary tillage implement is disclosed with a row cleaner assembly attached in front of the shank. That row cleaner is adjustable fore-and-aft for optimum clearance between the shank and a leading soil preparation apparatus to maximize clearance for residue movement. The row cleaner is also adjustable for depth. The row cleaner assembly reduces the amount of residue in line with the shank path (row) and creates smaller clod sizes of soil in line with the shank swath, resulting in a better seedbed and faster warm up in the spring, enabling the planter to run in cleaner soil, preventing planter plugging and uneven seed planting depth as well as resulting in better seed-to soil-contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventors: Michael G. Kovach, Rickey L. Gerber