The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 13, 1998
Filed:
Mar. 20, 1997
Ronald E Steffen, Springfield, IL (US);
Ernie J Poani, Taylorville, IL (US);
David E Steffen, Chatham, IL (US);
DICKEY-john Corporation, Auburn, IL (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method is disclosed for sensing material build-up, such as the undesirable build-up of cotton in a mechanized cotton harvester. A tube is mounted for eccentric rotation adjacent an area where build-up occurs, such as near a doffer. The tube is biased by a spring into one position and is eccentrically rotated against the spring by forces applied to the tube by accumulating material, such as cotton. A switch is mounted within the tube, and, as the tube rotates, the state of the switch changes in accordance with the rotation. A signal generated by the switch is used to alert an operator.