Including Motorized Vehicle Causing Transit Of Harvester Patents (Class 56/14.7)
  • Patent number: 11976442
    Abstract: A construction machine includes an attitude sensor that detects the current attitude of an upper turning body; a reference angular acceleration calculation unit that calculates a reference angular acceleration to be generated when an electric turning motor is driven by a torque command value generated according to the operation amount of an operation part; a reference gravity torque calculation unit that, on the basis of the current attitude and the deviation between an actual angular acceleration, calculates a reference gravity torque; a gravity compensation torque calculation unit that calculates a gravity compensation torque for compensating a torque component generated about the turning axis by the gravity in the current attitude; and a correction unit that corrects the torque command value by using the gravity compensation torque so as to cancel the torque component generated about the turning axis by the gravity in the current attitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: YANMAR POWER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naohiro Hara, Shingo Eguchi, Keishi Yamanaka, Tatsuya Fujimori, Masaki Yamada, Kensuke Kaneda
  • Patent number: 11969833
    Abstract: A self-propelled welding station including a base frame having at least one front wheel and at least two rear drive wheels, provides and independent mobility drive system with a motor and steering means for a seated or standing operator, and a utility drive system providing a self-contained, motorized welder with welding leads for remote welding and a secondary electrical generating system providing a plurality of A/C electrical outlets, an air compressor assembly to provide compressed air to operate air tools and forced air, a plurality of accessory tool and supply storage containers, accessory equipment and a bottled gas system for welding gases, gauges and hoses. The mobility drive system motor is independent from the motorized welder so that the station may be moved whether the motorized welder is on or off, and the motorized welder may be operated with the drive motor system on or off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Inventor: Rod Luber
  • Patent number: 11958558
    Abstract: Systems for controlling the speed and direction of vehicles, including vehicles that have low to zero turning radius capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: MTD Products Inc
    Inventor: Peter Buchanan
  • Patent number: 11917944
    Abstract: An outdoor power equipment includes a frame, a cutting deck supported by the frame, a first ground-engaging element coupled to a first portion of the frame, a second ground-engaging element coupled to a second portion of the frame, a suspension system having a first end coupled to the frame and a second end opposite the first end, and an operator platform movable with the suspension system with respect to the frame. The operator platform includes a seat coupled to the second end of the suspension system and a footrest pivotably coupled to the second end of the suspension system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Ariens Company
    Inventors: Chris T. Forrest, Kevin A. Spatchek, Courtney Wenzel, Brent P. Berglund
  • Patent number: 11877534
    Abstract: A zero-turn mower including a removably attached front-end loader, where front-end loader includes two boom arms and a bucket, and an attachment mechanism. The attachment mechanism may include a center plate, a loader attachment mechanism, and a mower attachment mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Inventor: Rabih Zoorob
  • Patent number: 11849667
    Abstract: A utility vehicle having a magnetic panel movably and removably coupled thereto. The vehicle includes a frame carrying a prime mover and ground engaging members operatively attached to the frame. The vehicle also include includes a panel extending between a first end region and a second end region. The first end region of the panel is operatively coupled to the frame such that panel is both movably and removably attached to the frame. One or more magnets are positioned between the portion of the frame and an inner surface of the panel proximate the second end region of the panel such that the second end region of the panel is adapted to be removably couplable to the control tower via the one or more magnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: EXMARK MANUFACTURING COMPANY INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Moore, Kyler J. Macy, Michael S. Fredenburg, Derek L. Dragoo, Jonathan S. Guarneri
  • Patent number: 11787471
    Abstract: A vehicle control assembly having a control lever for controlling output of a traction drive. An operator control mechanism of the control assembly has an arm pivotable about a first pivot axis between a neutral position and a range of both forward and reverse positions. When in the neutral position, the arm can pivot about a second pivot axis between an operative and stopped position, and a switch is engaged when the arm is in the stopped position. A linkage connects the operator control mechanism to a return to neutral (RTN) module that provides a return force to the arm when it is pivoted away from the neutral position. The RTN module includes a shaft pivotable about a third pivot axis parallel to the first pivot axis and placing a magnet proximate to a magnetic field sensor chip mounted on a circuit board comprising CAN Bus and switch terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Jesse L. Probst, Nathan W. Bonny, Scott W. Keller
  • Patent number: 11641793
    Abstract: A mowing machine has a cutterbar oriented transverse to a travel and working direction of the mowing machine and provided with first and second ends spaced apart from each other in longitudinal direction. First cutting members are rotatably mounted on a top side of the cutterbar and rotatably driven about a vertical axis by a drive assembly within the cutterbar. A joint and drive assembly is connected to the first end of the cutterbar. A lateral cutterbar section is connected to the joint and drive assembly and has a second cutting member driven by the joint and drive assembly. The joint and drive assembly has first and second holding elements mounted relative to each other such that pivoting of the lateral cutterbar section in a cutterbar plane of the cutterbar is enabled. The first and second holding elements are arranged in planes positioned at a minimal spacing above each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Bernard Krone GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jens Lömker, Hendrik Grothe
  • Patent number: 11480003
    Abstract: A spindle drive assembly for opening and/or closing a vehicle flap is described, having a spindle and a spindle drive motor coupled thereto by means of a two-stage epicyclic gearing. A ratio of a number of teeth of each planet gear of a first epicyclic gearing stage to a number of teeth of each planet gear of a second epicyclic gearing stage is selected such that, in operation, a first sound frequency that is emitted by the first epicyclic gearing stage differs by an integer multiple of a semitone from a second sound frequency that is emitted by the second epicyclic gearing stage. In addition, a vehicle flap with such a spindle drive assembly is presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: U-SHIN DEUTSCHLAND ZUGANGSSYSTEME GMBH
    Inventor: Frank Kummer
  • Patent number: 11224165
    Abstract: An agricultural header includes: a main section including a main frame carrying at least one cutting element; at least one wing section pivotably coupled to the main section and including a wing frame; and a linkage pivotably coupling the at least one wing section to the main section, the linkage including an upper bar and a lower bar which are both coupled to the main frame and the wing frame, the upper bar defining an upper bar axis and the lower bar defining a lower bar axis which is non-parallel to the upper bar axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Joel T. Cook
  • Patent number: 11178810
    Abstract: A step and rail system adapted for riding mower so that a physically challenged operator can assist themselves in mounting the seat is provided. The step and rail system provides a horizontal support rail configuration of two spaced apart rails. The present invention includes a front mounting plate for an intermediate step and two rear mounting plates for supporting the two spaced apart rails that extend from the rear of the riding mower to the front mounting plate. The horizontal support rail configuration may provide a compound bend fore the seat so that the horizontal support rail configuration is wider adjacent the seat as compared to the mower stepping surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Inventor: Cleo Preston Tutt, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10856468
    Abstract: A walk-behind mower includes a deck. The deck includes a rear portion, a power source attached to the deck, a plurality of wheels attached to the deck, a handle attached to the rear portion of the deck. Structure is included to enable a distal end of the handle to be selectively located in a plurality of positions. The handle extends upward and rearward from the rear portion of the deck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: MTD PRODUCTS INC
    Inventors: Jeffery Legan, Timothy Dilgard
  • Patent number: 10834871
    Abstract: A walk power mower having a cutting deck supported upon the ground by a front and rear wheel(s). The mower includes a traction drive system incorporating a bidirectional transmission adapted to propel the mower alternatively in both forward and reverse directions. In some embodiments, the mower may include a single bidirectional transmission (e.g., powering only rear wheel(s) or only front wheel(s) of the mower), while in other embodiments, two bidirectional transmissions may be provided to power both the front and the rear wheel(s). In other embodiments, the mower may include a bidirectional transmission powering the rear wheel(s), while the front wheel(s) may be attached to the deck via a caster assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: THE TORO COMPANY
    Inventors: Chadwick A. Shaffer, Todd A. Porter, Steven J. Svoboda
  • Patent number: 10820500
    Abstract: A mower deck dual wedge system uses a dual wedge configuration to funnel vine like material for cutting to prevent interference with a spindle shaft. The system includes a mower deck having an upper wall and a peripheral. A spindle shaft extends through the upper wall. Each of a pair of wedges is coupled to and extends from the upper wall of the mower deck. Each of the wedges has a pair of lateral sides extending from a tip. The wedges are positioned on opposite sides of the spindle shaft such that the tip of each the wedge faces away from the spindle shaft. A cutting disc is coupled to the spindle shaft and the wedges are positioned between the cutting disc and the upper wall of the mower deck. The cutting disc is rotated by the spindle shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Diamond Mowers, LLC
    Inventor: Zachary Wood
  • Patent number: 10798875
    Abstract: A discharge guard assembly for a mower includes a cutter housing having an opening for discharging cuttings. A guard is hingedly attached to the housing so that the guard can move between a closed position and an open position. A latch contacts a stop on the guard to hold the guard in the closed position to allow the mower to operate in a mulching configuration. The latch is movable to an unlatched position in which the guard is free to rotate to the open position to allow cuttings to be discharged through the opening in the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Scott Kaskawitz, Teegan L Kelly, Surender Kumar
  • Patent number: 10791672
    Abstract: A lawn mower includes a discharge baffle assembly coupled to a cutting deck pan adjacent an opening. The discharge baffle assembly includes a discharge chute extending outwardly from the cutting deck pan. The discharge baffle assembly also includes a baffle plate movable within a gap between the discharge chute and the cutting deck pan. The baffle plate is movable between a first position, in which the baffle plate substantially covers the opening of the cutting deck pan, and a second position, in which the baffle plate is spaced apart from the opening of the cutting deck pan. The discharge baffle assembly further includes an actuator coupled to the baffle plate. The actuator is operable to move the baffle plate relative to the opening of the cutting deck pan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Ariens Company
    Inventors: Brent P. Berglund, Kevin A. Spatchek, Daniel J. Gindt
  • Patent number: 10783372
    Abstract: Method for imaging a corn ear having an outer surface, the method implementing an imaging module having a field of view that enables an image of the outer surface of the corn ear to be acquired, the method comprising the step consisting in dropping the corn ear within the field of view of the imaging module and acquiring an image of the outer surface of the corn ear while the corn ear drops within the field of view of the imaging module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: BIOGEMMA
    Inventors: Nicolas Quenard, Arnaud Susset
  • Patent number: 10582652
    Abstract: A hydraulic control for an attachment on a work vehicle. Power is provided to the attachment by manually actuating a control that is biased toward a first position. This first position corresponds to a deactuated mode of the attachment. By unlocking a lock mechanism, the control may be maintained in a second position under hand pressure. This second position corresponds to an actuated mode of the attachment. The lock mechanism may be actuated by an operator platform-actuated release mechanism. While an operator is on a platform on the vehicle, the lock mechanism remains unlocked, and the attachment maintains its operation without hand pressure on the control. The release mechanism actuates the lock mechanism when an operator is not on the platform. As a result, the attachment is deactuated. A filter may be utilized to prevent premature actuation of the release mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: The Charles Machines Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Brant Douglas Kukuk, Cody L. Sewell
  • Patent number: 10568261
    Abstract: A combine including an engine for propelling the combine, a feeder housing for receiving cut crop, a separating system for threshing the cut crop to produce grain and residue, a residue chopper for chopping the residue, and a controller. The controller is configured to estimate risk factors that correlate to a risk of fire in the engine due to airborne particles created by at least one of the cut crop, the separating system or the residue chopper, estimate a fire risk based on the risk factors, and implement corrective action based on the estimated fire risk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: John C. Hansen
  • Patent number: 10143131
    Abstract: A system for discharging residue from an agricultural combine to a ground surface. The system including a spreader operatively connected to a rear end of the agricultural combine. The spreader having one or more impellers each having an axis of rotation and a housing. The impellers are operatively connected to the housing for rotating therein. The housing has an inlet for receiving a flow of residue, an outlet configured about a lateral side of the housing for discharging the flow of residue, and one or more residue flow distributors each pivotably movable in a direction generally parallel with the axis of rotation. Each flow distributor is configured to guide the discharged flow of residue sidewardly away from the spreader to the ground surface. The rotation of the one or more impellers discharge a flow of residue received through the inlet out through the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Nathan E. Isaac, Kevin Frederick Knapp, Austin L. Jackson, William Mark McCully, Clayton E. Banks, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10113614
    Abstract: A door opening/closing device includes: a motor; and an output shaft arranged on a line extending from an axial center of the motor, power of the motor being transmitted to the output shaft via a deceleration mechanism, the door opening/closing device opening and closing a door via the output shaft by driving the motor. Positional deviation on both end surfaces of the output shaft is set to equal to or higher than ?0.01 and equal to or lower than ?0.1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsui Kinzoku Act Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuyuki Sasaki
  • Patent number: 10000129
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, a traction battery, a generator coupled to the engine and battery, and a controller. The controller may be configured to, in response to a current flowing from a battery charge station to the battery being less than a maximum charge current, a selection of a fast charge mode, and a temperature of the engine being less than a predetermined temperature, operate the engine to generate a supplemental current to charge the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brock Dunlap, Karin Lovett, Bryan Michael Bolger, William David Treharne
  • Patent number: 9963065
    Abstract: A zero turn mower light system includes a pair of light assemblies, each light assembly mounted to a motion control lever. Each light assembly moves fore and aft with a motion control lever during a ZTR mower turn such that one light assembly directs a light beam into the direction of a ZTR mower turn before the other light assembly. Each light assembly may include a light housing and a mounting pad between the light housing and the motion control lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Jordan D. Otto, Amber Resch, Eric M. Forbes, Kyle T. Ressler
  • Patent number: 9776483
    Abstract: An electromechanical strut is provided for moving a pivotal closure member between an open position and a closed position relative to a motor vehicle body. The electromechanical strut includes a drive mechanism having a motor-gearbox assembly that is operable to drive a rotatable power screw. The drive mechanism converts rotary motion of the power screw into linear motion of an extensible member to move the extensible member between a retracted position corresponding to the closed position of the closure member and an extended position corresponding to the open position of the closure member. The motor-gearbox assembly includes a gearbox unit equipped with a dual-stage planetary geartrain that is operably disposed between a motor output and the power screw. The dual-stage planetary geartrain includes a first stage gearset and a second stage gearset sharing a common ring gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: MAGNA CLOSURES INC.
    Inventors: Borys M. Shchokin, Dan Cosmin, Joseph Scheuring
  • Patent number: 9382689
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an apparatus comprising a frame supporting a motor and a gearbox, and a bit assembly, the bit assembly comprising a shaft, having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is attached to the gearbox via a gearbox output flange, a main bit assembly further comprising an upper cutting blade and a lower cutting blade attached to the shaft, wherein the lower cutting blade is located closer to the second end of the shaft than the upper cutting blade, an adjustable depth cutting guide attached to a bottom portion of the upper cutting blade, and a lateral cutting blade attached at the far end of the upper cutting blade and a guide bit assembly wherein the apparatus is attachable to a self-propelled vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Neway Development, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard T. Chapman, John B. Newton, Ronald D. Evers, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9216764
    Abstract: A vehicle steerable by movement of the center of gravity has an auxiliary wheel. A left drive wheel is driven by a left rotary driver. A right drive wheel is driven by a right rotary driver. A gravity center position calculator calculates a position of the center of gravity of a driver on a steering step board based on a detection signal from a load detection module detecting a load distribution of the driver. A travel controller has a first control mode controlling rotary drive of the left and right rotary drivers to achieve straight forward travel or turning. The travel controller also has a second control mode controlling the rotary drive of the left and right rotary drivers to achieve straight forward travel, turning or straight backward travel based on the position of the center of gravity. A driver input operation device can be used to select either the first or the second control mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike, Yoshitomo Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20150128548
    Abstract: A rotary mower cutting deck has a downwardly opening space and rear discharge opening across a rear end thereof. Three cutting blades are located within the space with a center blade and a first side blade rotating in one direction and a second side blade counter-rotating in the opposite direction. A front flow control baffle has a first, rearwardly facing V-shaped apex located between the unidirectional blades and a second, rearwardly facing V-shaped apex between the center blade and the counter-rotating side blade. A first V-shaped flow deflector is mounted to the first apex with the first flow deflector pointing downwardly to cause many grass clippings from the first side blade to be directed to the rear discharge opening without passing to the center blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: Exmark Mfg. Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy D. Andre, Patrick D. Sands
  • Publication number: 20150128549
    Abstract: A combine harvester includes a harvester head assembly. The harvester head assembly includes an apparatus having a body. A forward end of the apparatus includes a barrier flange extending therefrom and forming a barrier surface that operates to block harvested crops from dropping off the forward end of the bonnet. Additionally, the barrier flange includes a kickback portion. The kickback portion operates to deflect harvested crops toward the rearward direction to further avoid loss of harvested crops out the forward end of the harvester head assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Nathan D. Hulstein, Michael L. Banken, Ian Kristoffer Shoultz
  • Publication number: 20150089913
    Abstract: A harvesting machine for picking up fruit on the ground has a structural frame for supporting elements of the harvesting machine including a first rotating brush adapted to be held at ground level, having an axis of rotation perpendicular to the ground level, and adapted to push fruit towards a main sweeping brush. A main sweeping brush having an axis of rotation parallel to the ground level, and adapted to push fruit upwards and onto a first conveyer. A first conveyer adapted to transport the fruit in a horizontal direction to a second conveyer. A second conveyer adapted to transport the fruit in an upward direction to thereby be dropped within a collector bin and transported to a desired location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventor: Eric Maisonneuve
  • Publication number: 20150040530
    Abstract: Described is a cleaning unit for a device for harvesting long agricultural products, such as grass, straw, pulses, biomass products and the like, of the type that can be pulled by a pulling vehicle along an advancing axis and provided with pick-up means (102) for harvesting said products and with unloading means (106) located operatively downstream of the pick-up means (102), forming a supporting surface (B) for the agricultural products harvested and mobile transversally to said advancing axis along a predetermined axis of movement (A) for releasing the agricultural products to the sides of said pulling vehicle, wherein the cleaning unit comprises a wheel (2) comprising a peripheral annular surface (3) and rotatable about its own axis of rotation (C) and joining means (5) designed to connect said wheel (2) to said harvesting device (100) in such a way that said axis of rotation (C) is transversal to said axis of movement (A) and wherein said peripheral annular surface (3) is positioned at a predetermined hei
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventor: RAFFAELE UBALDI
  • Publication number: 20150040531
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a suspension system coupled to a main frame of ride-on equipment including a subframe coupled to the main frame with a pivot including a pivot axis. Some embodiments include a transaxle assembly supported on the subframe coupled to a drive wheel, and a power source supported on the main frame coupled to the transaxle assembly. A rider can control the transaxle assembly with a compensated control linkage assembly that can compensate for movement of the subframe. Some embodiments include driven pulleys, idler pulleys and backside idler pulleys supported by the subframe coupled to the power source not supported by the subframe. In some embodiments, the pivot axis resides between the power source and the transaxle assembly. In some embodiments, the drive wheel can be driven by an electric motor supported by the subframe and the power source can be a battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Mark J. Melone, James F. Marshall, Richard Smith, Mark Lynch, Travis Rasch, Erik Siegelis, Steven J. Weber, Denis Oswald
  • Publication number: 20150007543
    Abstract: A reel mower has a double A arm suspension that lowers a reel cutting unit into a cutting position in a tail down orientation and that levels the reel cutting unit out as it lifts the reel cutting unit into a transport position. The reel cutting unit yaws during turns about a substantially vertical axis having a negative caster angle. The suspension has clamps that can be flipped open or closed to quickly attach or detach the reel cutting unit. A drive motor can be quickly attached or detached to the reel cutting unit using a pivotal wire form. An active counterbalance system automatically offsets the increasing weight of a grass basket on the reel cutting unit to maintain quality of cut. The grass basket maintains a constant spacing relative to the reel cutting unit when the reel cutting unit pitches to improve clipping collection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Applicant: THE TORO COMPANY
    Inventors: Gerald E. Goman, Gary R. Lamusga, Todd P. Legault, Robert D. Patton, Ricky A. Galewski
  • Publication number: 20140366500
    Abstract: A rechopper for chopped crop includes first and second rollers having axially parallel rotational axes, peripheral surfaces disposed opposite one another delimiting a comminution gap and truncated-cone shaped sections. The truncated cone-shaped sections have a base surface (G, G?), a top surface (D, D?) and peripheral surfaces extending at a slant relative to the rotational axis of the respective roller. The base surface (G, G?) and the top surface (D; D;) disposed on the first roller and the second roller have diameters that vary in an alternating manner as viewed in an axial direction (R).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: Ludger Laumeier, Ingo Boenig
  • Publication number: 20140366501
    Abstract: An electric wheeled apparatus comprises a main body, at least one wheel supported by the main body in a rotatable manner; an electric motor configured to apply torque to the at least one wheel, a battery interface configured to removably receive at least one battery pack which is originally designed as a power source of an electric power tool, and an electric circuit unit configured to electrically connect the at least one battery pack attached to the battery interface with the electric motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventor: Masahiko GOTO
  • Publication number: 20140345242
    Abstract: A cutter apparatus comprising a frame having a mounting member connectable to a piece of prime mover equipment; a cutter assembly connected to the frame, the cutter assembly comprising a support member having a first end; a drive shaft having a first end journaled to the first end of the support member; and a plurality of discrete cutter members stacked on the drive shaft so as to be engaged with an adjacent one of the cutter members, each of the cutter members having at least one cutting edge; and a drive assembly connected to the drive shaft in a way that activation of the drive assembly causes the drive shaft to rotate and thereby rotate the cutter members. The frame may have a base and an extension arm pivotally connected to the base. The support member may be pivotally connected to the extension arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: Limb Beaver, LLC
    Inventor: Roger Carroll
  • Publication number: 20140345241
    Abstract: There is disclosed a brush harvester including ground-engaging wheels so as to be operable in a walk-behind manner and/or by being pushed or pulled along the ground by a person walking on the ground. There is also disclosed a brush harvester unit mounted to a vehicle such as an ATV, so as to be operable by driving or riding the vehicle. There is additionally disclosed a brush harvester unit configurable for either of these modes of operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventor: Paul Alan Alessi
  • Publication number: 20140338300
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to powered vehicles (e.g., lawn mowers) and, more particularly, to a control system for use with such a vehicle. In one embodiment, the vehicle includes a power source such as an internal combustion engine and one or more drive control levers incrementally movable between a neutral position and a maximum velocity position. The system may also include a velocity profile control system having an adjustment member that permits altering a ratio between control lever movement and velocity of an associated drive member or wheel. Thus, the system may alter a maximum potential velocity of the vehicle while the drive control lever(s) are positioned in the maximum velocity position without varying an output level of the power source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: The Toro Company
    Inventors: Steven R. Porter, Dale A. Stover
  • Publication number: 20140325949
    Abstract: A lawn mowing vehicle (1) mows a lawn along the travel path of the vehicle. The lawn mowing vehicle (1) includes: at least one electric reel unit having an electric reel (22) raised and lowered by an electric cylinder (26a-26c); sensors (34a-34c) for detecting the travel speed of the vehicle; and a control device (37) for controlling the electric cylinder (26a-26c) according to the result of the detection by the sensors (34a-34c) to thereby control the elevation position of the electric reel (22).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventors: Michinori SHIDA, Ikuo IWASAKI, Fumio HASEGAWA, Takaaki SUDOH, Takushi KANEKO
  • Publication number: 20140298767
    Abstract: A tractor mower with an enhanced turning radius comprising steerable left and right front wheels; left and right rear wheels; an engine for providing power to drive said rear wheels; an independent rear braking system capable of applying a braking force to said left and right rear wheels independently of one another; and a steering system coupled to said front steerable wheels and said independent rear braking system. The steering and braking systems may be configured such that when the tractor mower is steered in a first direction the front wheels are turned to the right and a braking force is applied on the right rear wheel. Alternatively, when the tractor mower is steered in a second direction the front wheels are turned to the left and a braking force is applied on the left rear wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: Worldlawn Power Equipment, Inc.
    Inventor: Alan F. Piontek
  • Publication number: 20140290201
    Abstract: An assist handle for assisting an operator with climbing on to, or off of, a ground maintenance vehicle such as a mower, and a ground maintenance vehicle incorporating the same. The assist handle includes, in one embodiment, a grip portion movable between a deployed position, wherein the grip portion is positioned at a deployed elevation configured to assist the operator with ingress to, or egress from, a platform such as a seat; and a stowed position, wherein the grip portion is positioned at a stowed elevation lower than the deployed elevation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventors: Dale A. Stover, Todd A. Porter
  • Publication number: 20140285041
    Abstract: An electric motor, including a motor assembly having a rotor and a stator, and a switching assembly adapted to switch the motor assembly between a wye configuration, a delta configuration, and a neutral configuration. The switching assembly may include a plurality of actuators configured to move at least two movable contact members so as to select which configuration of the motor assembly is active.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: ACCELERATED SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Robert Gordon Lankin, Stanley Arthur Baer, Jason Cornelius Wiseman
  • Publication number: 20140259804
    Abstract: Provided is a lawn maintenance vehicle including a frame having a first axle and a second axle mounted to the frame. A first drive wheel and a second drive wheel are mounted to the first and second axle. An energy storage device and an electric motor having a motor shaft are mounted to the frame. The electric motor is in electrical communication with the energy storage device and the energy storage device provides electrical power to the electric motor. The lawn maintenance vehicle further includes a traction drive. The traction drive is operably connected to the motor shaft, and the traction drive is operably connected to the first and second axles. The lawn maintenance vehicle includes an implement mounted to the frame. The lawn maintenance vehicle can also include an internal combustion engine operably connected to the electric motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: MTD Products Inc
    Inventors: Jimmy N. Eavenson, SR., Axel Schaedler
  • Publication number: 20140260153
    Abstract: A mower having a mowing head with a stationary horizontal comb and a continuous cutting blade loop slidingly positioned against the bottom surface of the comb, both having teeth arranged to accept and then shear off plant material between them at a user defined height above the ground. The teeth in the continuous cutting blade loop move past the teeth in the comb, powered by one or more drive guide pulleys transferring motive power to the blade from an external source, are mounted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Basil Eric Blank, Charles P. Henderson
  • Patent number: 8820758
    Abstract: A tag axle assembly for an agricultural machine, such as a harvester, and method for redistributing weight of the harvester from the rear axle of the harvester when a header is removed, or when replaced by a lighter header, at the front of the harvester. The tag axle assembly includes a tag axle with tires that may be lowered so that the tires contact the ground when no header is attached to the machine to absorb loads transferred from the front of the harvester to the rear axle and rear tires at the rear of the harvester. The tag axle and tires may be raised up from the ground, or the tag axle assembly may be removed from the harvester, when a header is attached to the front of the harvester causing redistribution of load from off the rear axle and rear tires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Kevin S. Schwinn, John Donald Watt, Tracy R. Archer
  • Publication number: 20140237969
    Abstract: An assist handle for assisting an operator with climbing on to, or off of, a ground maintenance vehicle such as a mower, and a ground maintenance vehicle incorporating the same. The assist handle includes, in one embodiment, a grip portion movable between a deployed position, wherein the grip portion is positioned at a deployed elevation configured to assist the operator with ingress to, or egress from, a platform such as a seat; and a stowed position, wherein the grip portion is positioned at a stowed elevation lower than the deployed elevation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: THE TORO COMPANY
    Inventors: Dale A. Stover, Todd A. Porter
  • Publication number: 20140237970
    Abstract: An agricultural harvester (100) comprises a self-propelled vehicle (102); a feederhouse (104); a driveshaft (114) supported on the feederhouse (104), the driveshaft (114) having a first coupler (116) fixed to one end of the driveshaft (114), the first coupler (116) comprising a coupler body (420), a piston (416) disposed in the coupler body (420), and a first key (302) mechanically coupled to the piston (416) to be extended or retracted by the piston (416) to engage a mating coupler on a second driveshaft (120) of an agricultural harvesting head (106) that is supported on the feederhouse (104).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Aaron S. Ritter
  • Publication number: 20140237971
    Abstract: An agricultural harvester (100) comprises a self-propelled vehicle (102); a feederhouse (104) disposed on the front of the self-propelled vehicle (102); a driveshaft (114), the driveshaft (114) having a proximal end supported for rotation on the feederhouse (104) about an axis of rotation, the driveshaft (114) having a distal end that is extendable from the proximal end; and a first coupler (116) fixed to the distal end, said first coupler (116) being configured for engagement with a second coupler (118), said second coupler (118) being disposed on an agricultural harvesting head (106) to drive a reciprocating knife of the agricultural harvesting head (106).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Aaron S. Ritter, Paul D. Marvin
  • Publication number: 20140223875
    Abstract: A self-propelled cutting machine has one cutting unit positioned in front of each forward wheel and one cutting unit positioned behind the common transverse axis of the forward wheels so that the three cutting units cut a single swathe. Each cutting unit has a cutting element with a driven shaft and a plurality of flail elements spaced along the length of the driven shaft and each rotatable with respect to the drive shaft axis about a flail element axis that is parallel to and spaced from said axis. The flail cutting element in each cutting unit can be replaced by a helical cutting reel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: RANSOMES JACOBSEN LIMITED
    Inventors: Christian Clifford, Richard Comely, Adrian Kendall, Tim Lansdell
  • Publication number: 20140215991
    Abstract: A drive arrangement for driving a first sickle bar section (42) and a second sickle bar section (36) of a harvesting platform (20) comprises a first gearbox (54) and the second gearbox (74) having an output drivingly connected to a respective first end of a respective sickle bar section (36, 42). Drive trains connect the first gearbox (54) and the second gearbox (74) to an input drive shaft (24). At least one of the drive trains comprises a belt drive. A synchronization transmission (82) is coupled to the second ends of the sickle bar sections (36, 42) and couples them in opposite movement directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Alex Brimeyer, DIRK Vl/EICHHOLDT, LUIS L LOSA, FRIEDRICH MEYER-HAMME
  • Publication number: 20140215992
    Abstract: A combine harvester (100) comprises a feederhouse (104) pivotally coupled to a forward end of the chassis (144) of the combine harvester (100). The feederhouse (104) comprises a front frame (120) pivotally coupled to a front end of the feederhouse (104). A feederhouse lift motor (141) is coupled at its rear end to the chassis (144 and at its front end to the front frame (120). A pivot motor (152) is coupled to and between the front end of the feederhouse (104) and the front frame (120) to pivot the front frame (120) with respect to the front end of the feederhouse (104).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: Deere & Company
    Inventor: JOHN A. SCHRAEDER