Patents by Inventor William E. Preller

William E. Preller 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: 20250063968
    Abstract: A strip tillage implement includes a toolbar assembly having a central toolbar section and a wing toolbar section pivotably coupled together. The central toolbar section includes a central toolbar, a first central frame member, and a second central frame member, where the first central frame member is spaced apart from the central toolbar along a fore-aft direction, the second central frame member is spaced apart from the central toolbar along the fore-aft direction and a vertical direction, and the second central frame member is spaced apart from the first central frame member in the vertical direction. The wing toolbar section includes a wing toolbar and a wing frame member, where the wing frame member is spaced apart from the wing toolbar along both the fore-aft direction and the vertical direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2024
    Publication date: February 27, 2025
    Inventors: Austin Joseph Lewandowski, William E. Preller
  • Publication number: 20250063971
    Abstract: In one aspect, an agricultural implement includes a row unit including a frame. A center coulter can be operably coupled with the frame. A knife can be operably coupled with the frame and positioned aft of the center coulter. A diverging gap can be defined between the center coulter and the knife such that the diverging gap increases in width in the forward/aft direction as a location along the knife moves upward.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2024
    Publication date: February 27, 2025
    Inventors: Jesse Allen Stoller, Brad David Frank, William E. Preller, Brian Michael Craig, Austin Joseph Lewandowski, Caleb Roy Mohr, Gabe DeBoeuf Tomlinson, Sean Dale Jordal, Jeffry Scott Huber
  • Publication number: 20250063969
    Abstract: A shank assembly for an agricultural implement includes a ground-engaging shank having a shank body. Furthermore, the shank assembly includes a sleeve having a forward wall, an intermediate wall positioned aft of and spaced apart from the forward wall, and an aft wall positioned aft of and spaced apart from the intermediate wall. Additionally, the sleeve includes a first side wall coupled to the forward, intermediate, and aft walls on a first side of the sleeve and a second side wall coupled to the forward, intermediate, and aft walls on a second side of the sleeve. Moreover, the forward wall, the intermediate wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall collectively define a forward passage through which the shank body extends. In addition, the intermediate wall, the aft wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall collectively define an aft passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2024
    Publication date: February 27, 2025
    Inventors: William E. Preller, Brian Michael Craig, Austin Joseph Lewandowski, Jeffry Scott Huber
  • Publication number: 20250063964
    Abstract: In one aspect, a row unit configured for use with an agricultural implement includes a frame and a coulter supported by the frame and extending in a fore-aft direction of the row unit along a longitudinal centerline of the row unit. The row unit also includes a row cleaner supported by the frame relative to the coulter, with the row cleaner including first and second row cleaner disc. The first and second row cleaner discs are arranged relative to the coulter such that an initial point of engagement of the coulter with soil being processed by the row is located: (1) aft of soil entry locations of the first and second row cleaner discs in the fore-aft direction; and (2) forward of soil exit locations of the first and second row cleaner discs in the fore-aft direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2024
    Publication date: February 27, 2025
    Inventors: William E. Preller, Austin Joseph Lewandowski, Brian Michael Craig
  • Publication number: 20250048953
    Abstract: An agricultural implement extends in a fore-aft direction between a forward end and an aft end. The agricultural implement includes a toolbar assembly comprising a central toolbar section and first and second wing toolbar sections pivotably coupled to the central toolbar section, with the central toolbar section configured to be mounted to a work vehicle via a semi-mounted configuration. Additionally, the implement includes first and second lift-assist assemblies pivotably coupled to the central toolbar section and extending outwardly therefrom in a forward direction of travel of the implement such that the lift-assist assemblies are positioned at forward end of the agricultural implement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2024
    Publication date: February 13, 2025
    Inventors: Austin Joseph Lewandowski, William E. Preller, Brian Michael Craig, Jeffry Scott Huber
  • Publication number: 20250017127
    Abstract: In one aspect, a rear folding agricultural implement allows for first and second wing sections of a toolbar assembly to be folded relative to a central toolbar section of the toolbar assembly via independently actuatable wing roll sections coupled between the central toolbar section and the respective wing sections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2024
    Publication date: January 16, 2025
    Inventors: Brian Michael Craig, William E. Preller, Michael J. Grossen, Timothy Crumrine, Andrew T. Maki, Austin Joseph Lewandowski, Jeffry Scott Huber
  • Patent number: 12108693
    Abstract: An agricultural row unit assembly includes a prefracture coulter positioned along a center axis of the row unit assembly and a seedbed cultivator positioned along the center axis of the row unit assembly at a location aft of the prefracture coulter. The row unit assembly also includes a rolling cultivator positioned aft of both the prefracture coulter and the seedbed cultivator, the rolling cultivator rotating about a shaft, the shaft extending between first and second ends. Additionally, the row unit assembly includes first and second gauge wheels, with the first gauge wheel being coupled to the first end of the shaft and the second gauge wheel being coupled to the second end of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Inventors: William E. Preller, Eric C. Ragar, Michael J. Grossen
  • Publication number: 20230329136
    Abstract: An agricultural row unit assembly employs a pair of tine assemblies and a seedbed cultivator for soil preparation to enhance opportune planting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: William E. Preller, Eric C. Ragar, Michael J. Grossen
  • Patent number: 11716917
    Abstract: In some implementations, an agricultural row unit assembly can include a pair of tine assemblies each having at least one tine mounted to a hub, said hub adapted to rotate about a first axis, where rotation of said pair of tine assemblies fractures soil and forms a pair of outer edges of a tilled row with a row width. In some embodiments, the device can include a rolling cultivator adapted to form a generally flat profile to said tilled row. In some embodiments, the device can include a seedbed cultivator adapted to work through said soil in the area defined by the row width. In some embodiments, the device can include a pair of gauge wheels fastened to each end of the shaft such that said gauge wheels are located outside said pair of outer edges of a tilled row.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: William E. Preller, Eric C. Ragar, Michael J. Grossen
  • Publication number: 20200323124
    Abstract: An agricultural row unit assembly employs a pair of tine assemblies and a seedbed cultivator for soil preparation to enhance opportune planting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Publication date: October 15, 2020
    Inventors: William E. Preller, Eric C. Ragar, Michael J. Grossen
  • Patent number: 8335653
    Abstract: A method of and system for evaluating performance of a plant population in an area of interest is provided. The method includes the steps of receiving input data from a user, the input data representative of at least one management parameter in the group consisting of: a total plant population in a selected sampling sub-area, a spacing of an individual plant relative to a nearest adjacent plant in the sampling sub-area, and a maturity of the individual plant relative to the nearest adjacent plant in the sampling sub-area. The system analyzes the input data in accordance with a mathematical model having an objective function for predicting a performance of a plant stand represented by a net effective plant population reduced from a benchmark plant population by deduction factors related to at least one of the management parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Michael A. Pruett, William E. Preller, Dale A. Simpson