Patents Represented by Law Firm Rankin, Hill, Lewis & Clark
  • Patent number: 5418412
    Abstract: An electric generator of the type that is oil-cooled and generally used in aircraft includes a fluid brake assembly. The fluid brake assembly includes a fluid brake rotor which is generally in the form of a fan or impeller which is connected to the drive shaft of the generator. Under normal conditions with the cooling oil withdrawn from the housing of the generator by the scavenge system, the fluid brake rotor freely turns with the shaft. When the oil scavenge system becomes incapacitated, the generator becomes "flooded" and the fluid brake rotor acts as pump to try to pump the oil, creating a torque load on the drive shaft. This load is preferably greater than the shear strength of the shaft, causing the shaft to shear and disconnecting the generator from the aircraft engine. By shearing the drive shaft, the operation of the main engine is unaffected by the flooding of the generator, and serious failure of the aircraft engine is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: Lucas Aerospace Power Equipment Corporation
    Inventor: Stephen F. Brucker
  • Patent number: 5414319
    Abstract: Core-type brushes used in dynamoelectric machines, such as electric motors, have cores which are arranged in substantially parallel planes extending at an angle with respect to the direction at which the brushes move toward the commutator as the brushes wear. As the brushes wear, the position of the cores relative to the outer surface of the commutator changes, preventing constant positioning of the cores relative to the commutator surface and reducing or preventing non-uniform commutator wear which occurs when the cores maintain a fixed position with respect to the commutator surface as the brushes wear. This arrangement of the cores eliminates the need to resurface the commutator at brush change, reduces the time required to properly seat the brushes to the commutator and increases commutator and brush life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Assignee: Lucas Aerospace Power Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Henry B. Nowicki, Thomas J. Oelbracht
  • Patent number: 5409185
    Abstract: A fin control actuator for missiles carried on aircraft has a device which locks the fin shaft against aerodynamic loads and prevents the transmission of these loads through the drive train. The fin shaft lock includes a plunger which has a cam having a locking portion for engaging the output shaft and preventing the output shaft from rotating in one direction when the plunger is in the locking position. The cam also has a camming portion for engaging the output shaft and pushing the plunger to the retracted position when the output shaft rotates in the opposite direction. The plunger is urged into the locking position by a spring and is held in the retracted position by a permanent magnet. The fin lock device is reusable and does not consume any power after it is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1995
    Assignee: Lucas Aerospace Power Equipment Corporation
    Inventor: Stephen Z. Oldakowski
  • Patent number: 5407154
    Abstract: Heaters are used to simulate wheel bearings at specified temperatures. Two heaters are mounted on each side of a railroad test car. The heaters are mounted on the sprung carriage of the car to reduce vibration of the hardware and avoid interfering with wheel trucks on the car. Ambient temperature sensors are similarly mounted. Wire brushes are mounted below the heaters and sensors to activate magnetic wheel flange sensors. The heaters are controlled by a system which is integrated with a hot wheel simulator system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Assignee: Meg Trans Corp
    Inventors: Donald C. Wetzel, Walter N. Arth, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5405051
    Abstract: Two-part reactive polymeric coatings are prepared and applied from an integral dispensing system. The reactive components are held in two separate containers held together by a coupling. Each container is sealed by a pierceable membrane. A piercing tube is disposed within the coupling. In use, the containers are twisted together to cause the tube within the coupling to pierce each of the membranes. Breakaway tabs protect against inadvertent displacement of the containers and provides a clear indication of whether the tube has pierced the membranes. Differential pressure between the containers causes the components to mix and begin to react; a net positive pressure with respect to the ambient atmosphere permits the mixed components to be applied as a spray. An externally mounted spray feed tube provides great flexibility in application of the paint being sprayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Inventor: David L. Miskell
  • Patent number: 5402940
    Abstract: A tribo-electric powder spray gun includes a diffuser for mixing powder with a conveying gas, a charging portion downstream of the diffuser, and a sprayhead at the outlet of the charging portion for dispensing the charged powder. The charging portion has an inner core removably positioned within a hollow outer cylinder with an annular gap formed between the outer cylinder and inner core providing a charging flowpath for the powder. The inner core and the outer cylinder have undulating or wavy charging surfaces made of an electrically insulating material, so that the annular gap provides a tortuous path for the powder, enhancing powder contact and the charge imparted to the powder. Grounding is provided by surface conduction of the electrically insulating contact material through a ground ring located outside the powder path at the inlet to the charging portion of gun where the greatest amount of charging occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1995
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Curtis B. Haller, Alan J. Knobbe, Gerald W. Crum
  • Patent number: 5398672
    Abstract: A kit for self-examination of a person's inner throat such as the vocal cords, comprising a first mirror and a second mirror, a light source, and means for positioning the person's tongue to access visualization of their inner throat; the first mirror being supported on a stand, the second mirror being sized for insertion into the person's mouth and positionable for observation of the person's vocal cords, the light source being positionable to illuminate the person's inner throat so that an image of the person's vocal cords can be reflected from the second mirror to the first mirror for observation by the person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1995
    Inventors: Patrice O. Carothers, Robert L. Katz
  • Patent number: 5400005
    Abstract: A transformer or inductor is made by wrapping a magnetic core material about a toroid-like structure made up of one or more electrical windings. A ferroresonant transformer may be constructed by including a slotted washer between primary and secondary windings. By shorting one of the windings, the ferroresonant transformer can be made into a gapped inductor with the gap totally enclosed within the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1995
    Assignee: Albar, Incorporated
    Inventor: Howard H. Bobry
  • Patent number: 5399597
    Abstract: The present invention provides a new and improved method of producing coating materials comprising the steps of providing a first organic material which is solid at room temperature, providing a second organic material which is solid at room temperature and which is substantially different in chemical composition from the first organic material, providing a source of supercritical fluid, providing a first container having a mechanical agitator, providing a second container, introducing the first and second organic materials and the supercritical fluid into the first container and mechanically agitating such materials and the supercritical fluid, and discharging the contents of the first container into the second container so as to collect substantially all of the first and second organic materials in the second vessel, the second container being maintained at a lower pressure than the first container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1995
    Assignee: Ferro Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick S. Mandel, Charles D. Green, Anthony S. Scheibelhoffer
  • Patent number: 5395456
    Abstract: This invention relates to abrasive compositions useful in preparing purge compositions for purging plastics processing equipment comprising: (A-1) at least one abrasive powder comprising a major amount of calcium carbonate; (A-2) at least one organic rosin material; and (A-3) at least one surfactant. The abrasive compositions of the present invention further may comprise at least one viscosity reducing organic diluent. The purging compositions of the present invention comprise (A) a minor amount of the abrasive composition of the invention, and (B) a major amount of at least one polymer or resin. These purging compositions allow fast and effective purging of processing equipment. These compositions may also be reused, i.e., used for more than one purging operation, and they may be recycled by incorporating the used purge composition into a polymer which is identical to or compatible with the polymer (B) of the purge composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Assignee: Ferro Corporation
    Inventors: Richard L. Abrams, Robert J. Opalko
  • Patent number: 5395046
    Abstract: A hand-held powder spray gun includes a wand type handle that extends from the top of the handle and away from the rear of the gun, which provides for ergonomic operation of the gun. The wand handle can be converted to a pistol handle by removal of the handle from the gun body. The parts of the wand handle and the pistol handle are interchangeable to facilitate conversion and repair. The wand handle can be used with a diffuser having hose connections extending from the rear of the spray gun to make the gun easier to operate when held from above. A diffuser having hose connections at the bottom is also provided for use with a pistol type handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Alan J. Knobbe, Gerald W. Crum, Curtis B. Haller
  • Patent number: 5395150
    Abstract: A tire loader basket assembly for a tire press includes a frame; a plurality of loader shoes mounted for radial movement on the frame; an adjusting plate mounted for rotation with respect to the frame and connected to each of the shoes by a respective link such that rotation of the adjusting plate causes radial movement of the shoes; an actuating plate mounted for rotation with respect to the frame by operation of an actuating means connected to the actuating plate; and means for releasably connecting the adjusting and actuating plates together so that when the plates are connected, they rotate together by operation of the actuating means, and when the plates are unconnected, the adjusting plate can be rotated to set a movement limit for the shoes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Assignee: National Feedscrew & Machining Ind., Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. Imler, Dirk A. Keller, Jack Reed
  • Patent number: 5393714
    Abstract: The present invention provides free-flowing chemically resistant color granulates that are heat resistant and color stable in aggressive media. The color granulates comprise 20-94.8% by weight coloring bodies, 5-75% by weight of one or more frits, 0.220% by weight binder and 0.03-15% by weight organosilanes and/or polyorganosiloxanes. The glass frit comprises by weight 20-90% SiO.sub.2 +B.sub.2 O.sub.3 +Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, 0-6% Na.sub.2 O+Li.sub.2 O, 0-6% K.sub.2 O, 10-25% CaO+MgO+ SrO, 0-35% TiO.sub.2 +ZrO.sub.2, 0-40% Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3 +P.sub.2 O.sub.5 +V.sub.2 O.sub.5 +MoO.sub.3 +WO.sub.3 and 0-10% ZnO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: Ferro Italia S.r.l.
    Inventors: Peter Thometzek, Heinrich Christ