Abstract: A method is provided for producing a gear pump/motor in a low cost and efficient manner that can effectively operate in air entrained oil without emitting undesirable noises. This is accomplished by providing bleed slots in a housing adjacent an outlet passage at a location that allows first and second intersecting cavities to be machined with the same boring tool. The bleed slots have a length defined by the distance between two adjacent teeth of first and second intermeshing gears and a cross-sectional area at the mid-point of the arcuate length that is defined by multiplying the flow of the pump at a given RPM time a derived constant. The machining of the body of the gear pump/motor is accomplished in a low cost and efficient manner to produce a gear pump/motor that operates in air entrained oil without emitting undesirable noises.

Abstract: A controlled float circuit is provided for controlling a load free of requiring flow from the source of pressurized fluid even when the float mode is activated with the load above the ground. The subject invention includes having a load lowering check valve arrangement disposed adjacent an actuator having first and second inlet ports with a pilot operated check valve disposed between the second inlet port and a location downstream of the load lowering valve. A first normally open electrically controlled valve is disposed in the pilot conduit leading to one end of a directional control valve and a second normally closed electrically controlled valve disposed between a source of pressurized pilot fluid and the pilot stage of the pilot operated check valve. Engagement of the float mode of operation blocks pilot flow to one end of the directional valve and opens the pilot operated check valve.

Abstract: A piston is provided for use in a free-piston engine and includes a crown portion having a predetermined thickness, a plunger connection portion having a passage extending therethrough along the axis of the piston and being connected to the crown portion, a sealing portion extending from the crown portion, and a strut portion having a plurality of struts disposed between the sealing portion and the plunger connection portion. The piston of the subject invention provides a compact, high strength, low weight design that is effective in use to provide efficient operation and effectively conduct heat from the piston during use.

Abstract: A self energizing one piece seal has an annular seal body and a multiplicity of circumferentially spaced delta shaped resilient tabs extending inwardly from the annular body. The seal is adapted to be placed in an annular groove of a cylindrical member so that a circumferential seal face is initially biased into sealing engagement with a bore of a body and a radial seal face is initially biased into sealing engagement with a radial face of the groove by the resilient tabs.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for producing a gear pump/motor in a low cost and efficient manner that can effectively operate in air entrained oil without emitting undesirable noises. This is accomplished by providing bleed slots in a housing adjacent an outlet passage at a location that allows first and second intersecting cavities to be machined with the same boring tool. The bleed slots have a length defined by the distance between two adjacent teeth of first and second intermeshing gears and a cross-sectional area at the mid-point of the arcuate length that is defined by multiplying the flow of the pump at a given RPM time a derived constant. The machining of the body of the gear pump/motor is accomplished in a low cost and efficient manner to produce a gear pump/motor that operates in air entrained oil without emitting undesirable noises.

Abstract: A supplemental steering control is provided for use in a machine that is normally steered by a differential steer mechanism. A second source of pressurized fluid and an independently controlled brake actuator mechanism function to control steering in the event a first source of pressurized fluid fails. By interconnecting the fluid ports of a fluid actuated steer motor when the first source of pressurized fluid fails, the fluid actuated motor is permitted to freely rotate. A single steering control valve is used to control steering during normal use and also during supplemental steering. The independently controlled brake actuator mechanism is connected to the steering control valve and acts to selectively direct pressurized fluid from the second source of pressurized fluid to respective ones of first and second fluid actuated brake mechanisms.

Abstract: Dissociated ammonia carrier gas used as a reference gas is obtained from an ammonia dissociator which also provides dissociated ammonia carrier gas to a nitriding furnace whereby the source of ammonia supply gas is the same. An oxygen probe is used to regulate the nitriding potential of a nitriding furnace and atmosphere for process control and high quality nitrided parts. The method further includes correlating the probe mV output signal to a nitriding potential and adjusting the ratio of ammonia supply gas to dissociated ammonia carrier gas at the inlet of the nitriding furnace.

Abstract: In machines having a bucket that is capable of carrying a load of material, it is well known that when the machine encounters a bump or other obstacle that the effects thereof may result in a shock or jolt being subjected to the machine due to the sudden change in forces acting on the actuator of the lift mechanism. In the subject invention, an accumulator arrangement is connected through a first valve mechanism to the loaded end of an actuator to provide a cushion or damping of the sudden changes in the forces. The first valve mechanism controls the magnitude of the damping in response to the rate of flow between the actuator and the accumulator arrangement. This is accomplished by sensing the pressure drop across a flow restriction mechanism located upstream of the first valve mechanism and controlling the degree of fluid communication between the actuator and the accumulator arrangement in response thereto.

Abstract: A control system diverts cooling and/or lubricating fluid from a selected one of a plurality of fluid actuated clutches in a transmission in response to the transmission being in a selected gear ratio. A diverter valve is placed between a source of cooling and/or lubricating fluid and the selected one of the fluid actuated clutches and operative to divert fluid therefrom in response to the transmission being placed in the selected gear ratio. A sensor arrangement is operative to sense the transmission gear ratio and deliver a signal to condition the diverter valve.

Abstract: A rotary control valve includes a directional control valve having a rotatable valve element for controlling the direction of fluid flow from an input passage to a pair of control ports and from the control ports to a drain passage. A pressure regulating valve is connected to a source of pilot pressure and has a valve spool for controlling the regulated pressure level of pilot fluid in the input passage. A cam is connected to the valve element for unitary rotation therewith. A spring and a plunger are disposed between the valve spool and the cam so that the valve spool is mechanically moved in a rectilinear direction by the cam in either direction from a neutral position to increase the level of the regulated pressure in the input passage proportional to the degree of rotation of the rotatable valve element.

Abstract: A method is provided for controlling steering in a hydrostatic drive system having a differential steer mechanism that uses flow from the hydrostatic drive system to drive the differential steer motor. The method utilizes independently controlled brakes on the respective right and left drive units to assist the differential steer mechanism in the event the pressurized fluid from the hydrostatic drive system is reduced during the operation of the machine.

Abstract: A silt removal apparatus is provided for removing silt from under a body of water. The silt removing apparatus includes a silt removing wheel rotatably mounted on a floatation arrangement. The silt removing wheel has a plurality of silt retaining chambers defined by a plurality of vanes. Once the silt has been retained in the silt retaining chambers a shield mechanism shields the silt from the water as the silt retaining chambers rotates through the body of water. Once the respective silt retaining chambers of the silt removing wheel reaches an upper most position, an ejector mechanism aids in the removal of the silt from the silt retaining chambers. A conveyor arrangement transports the silt to a storage site. In the event an object is wedged between the shield mechanism and the silt removing wheel, a release mechanism trips and the silt removing wheel is stopped in order to remove the object. The subject silt removing apparatus is an effective apparatus to remove silt from under a body of water.

Abstract: A boring tool assembly is provided and has a cutting tool mounted on one end thereof and permits the boring of a straight hole through a member. The boring tool assembly includes a boring bar having integral guide members disposed thereon that follows behind the cutting tool and maintains contact with the machined surface just cut in order to keep the cutting tool in proper alignment. To permit the continued use of the boring bar after the outer diameter of the cutting tool has been reduced due to wear, each of the integral guide members are resiliently mounted on the boring bar. This permits the guide members to collapses inwardly to maintain a perfect fit with the pilot pore. This collapse inwardly of the guide members is important to maintain bearing contact of the guide members with the pilot bore if the hole being cut by the cutting tool reduces in size due to wear or if the cutting tool has been re-sharpened or replaced with a different cutting tool.

Abstract: An infinitely variable drive system is provided for a rotor assembly of a rotating threshing system of a harvesting machine, such as a combine, having other work system requiring a substantially constant speed. The drive system includes an engine having constant horsepower over a predetermined speed range, a multi-speed transmission and an infinitely variable transmission connected in parallel to the variable speed engine. The rotor being driven by the multi-speed transmission and the other work systems being driven by the infinitely variable transmission. The change in speed of the rotor assembly is controlled by the variable speed engine and the constant speed to the other work systems is controlled by the infinitely variable transmission. The infinitely variable transmission operates in response to a change in speed of the variable speed engine to add or subtract speed thereto to maintain a substantially constant output speed therefrom.

Abstract: An end-of-fill detection arrangement is provided in a power distribution system to detect when a clutch is fully filled and the pressure therein can be progressively increased to full engagement. The arrangement includes placing a position sensor in a pressure relief valve that is controlling the desired pressure level to respective clutches and directing the sensed position of the valving element therein to an electronic controller. The controller monitors the position of the valving element in the relief valve. Initiation of filling of a clutch results in the valving element moving from a bypassing position towards a flow blocking position. This movement is noted by the controller and when the valving element returns generally to its initial location, the clutch is filled. The controller notes the end-of-fill and provides a command signal to the proportional valve to progressively increase the pressure in the clutch until the clutch is fully engaged.

Abstract: A contamination sensor is provided for use in a fluid system and machinery to continuously monitor the level of contaminants in a fluid. The contamination sensor includes a source of light that is directed into the fluid stream with three photodetector arrangements detecting light scattered by contaminants contained in the fluid. The first photodetector arrangement is located near the origin of the source of light. The second photodetector arrangement is located farther away from the source of light. The third photodetector arrangement is located perpendicular to the axis of the light beam and spaced from the source of light along the axis of the light beam. The simultaneous detected scattered light from a contaminant in the fluid is converted to electrical signals by the photodetectors, conditioned by a signal conditioning circuit and transferred to a signal processing unit for interpretation.

Abstract: The present solenoid stator assembly is adapted to be mounted upon a mounting seat of a fuel injector valve. The assembly includes a housing having an upper end, a lower end, and a base adapted to fit on the mounting seat of the fuel injector valve. A substantially E-shaped stator core is disposed within the housing. The stator core includes a top portion having a first end and a second end. A first outer pole piece depends substantially perpendicularly from the first end, and a second outer pole piece depends substantially perpendicularly from the second end. The central pole piece is located substantially central to the first and second outer pole pieces, and depends substantially perpendicularly from the top portion in a direction substantially parallel to that of the first and second outer pole pieces. The first and second outer pole pieces and the central pole piece each have a distal end forming a face, each face being substantially flush with the base of the housing.

Abstract: A pilot stage of an electrohydraulic control valve controls the position of a pilot actuated main stage by controlling fluid flow through a flow path that connects a supply port to an exhaust port and to an end of the main stage. A proportional valve of the pilot stage has a valve element for establishing a variable flow control orifice to control fluid flow through the flow path and a bleed orifice disposed in the flow path downstream of the proportional valve to generate fluid pressure upstream of the bleed orifice and at the end of the main stage.

Abstract: An ejector mechanism operates to force silt material from individual chambers in a rotating wheel of a silt removal machine. The rotating wheel removes the silt material from under a shallow body of water by collecting it in individual chambers of the rotating wheel. Since the silt material is generally soft and sticky, the ejector mechanism urges the silt material from the respective chambers as the wheel rotates. The ejector mechanism includes a rotating crank that rotates as the excavator wheel rotates and is connected by a link to an ejector arm.

Abstract: A low cost, electromagnetic efficient integrated electrohydraulic actuator includes a sleeve disposed within a housing and an annular electric coil formed as an integral part of the sleeve so that the coil is deeply integrated in the housing. An armature slidably disposed within an axial bore of the sleeve has the fluid metering functions integrally formed thereon so that the armature functions as a valve spool for controlling communication between an inlet port and an outlet port and between the outlet port and a tank port. The armature is thus the only movable part of the actuator.