Patents Examined by Lawrence J. Staab
  • Patent number: 4593575
    Abstract: A motor rotating apparatus having a rotable shaft within a housing comprising means within the housing for receiving the output shaft of an electrical motor in communication with the rotable shaft, and means manually engageable on the exterior of said housing for selective rotational engagement with the means for receiving the output shaft of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1986
    Inventor: Philip L. Reid
  • Patent number: 4592247
    Abstract: In a continually adjustable ball-type planetary gear set which comprises a housing, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, rings provided with raceways engaging a plurality of planetary balls and positioned on the driving shaft, and a sleeve rotationally fixed with the driving shaft, the sleeve is a locked in rotation-fixed connection with the shaft only in the region of one end of the driving shaft by means of a toothing provided on the driving shaft to reduce static indetermination of the system and to reduce noises and wear of the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1986
    Assignee: Neuweg Fertigung GmbH
    Inventor: Gunter Mutschler
  • Patent number: 4592244
    Abstract: A driving device for reciprocating a shaft along an axial direction thereof, comprises a reciprocating shaft drum for slidably supporting the reciprocating shaft along the axial direction thereof, a guide groove drum rotated relative to the reciprocating shaft drum and having an annular guide groove with an intersection on the circumferential surface thereof, and a driven member fixed to the reciprocating shaft and engaged with the guide groove. The driven member includes a cam follower and a boat-shaped member rotatable about a shaft extending from the driven member to the guide groove, the boat-shaped member has a cam roller rotatable about another shaft extending from the driven member to the guide groove, and the guide groove has a cam follower guide path engaged with the cam follower, a cam roller guide path engaged with the cam roller and a boat-shaped member guide path engaged with the boat-shaped member at the intersection thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1986
    Assignee: The Japan Tobacco & Salt Public Corporation
    Inventors: Tomizou Nagata, Kouzou Sakakibara, Makoto Sakano
  • Patent number: 4590816
    Abstract: A fluid-powered differential ball screw actuator with torque-transmitting helical ball-carrying races. The actuator includes a body with an interior first ball race and first and second ends; a first stop stationary with respect to the body for engaging and limiting travel of balls along the first ball race toward the first end; and output shaft rotatably supported within the body and having an exterior second ball race; a second stop stationary with respect to the shaft for engaging and limiting travel of balls along the second ball race toward the first end; and a piston reciprocally mounted within the body for application of fluid pressure to produce movement of the piston toward the first or second end. The piston has a sleeve coaxially receiving the shaft, with a third ball race cvonfronting and corresponding to the first ball race to form an outer set of races and a fourth ball race confronting and corresponding to the second ball race to form an inner set of races.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1986
    Inventor: Paul P. Weyer
  • Patent number: 4590820
    Abstract: An apparatus as described for transmitting rotational energy from a prime mover having a first shaft to a torque load driven by a second shaft through a spur gear train. A splined shaft (30) having a sun gear (32) at one end is coupled to the prime mover. The sun gear (32) meshes spur-wise with three compound star gears (50). These star gears are positioned at approximately the same distance from the axis of the splined shaft. The star gears (50) drive a second sun gear (56) carried at the end of a second quill shaft (54) which is adapted to be connected to the torque load. Preferably the sun gears and the star gears are fully crowned and machined to have a high contact ratio such that at least two pairs of gear teeth of each mesh are substantially in contact at all times. Because one end of each quill shaft is supported by the compound star gears, the pitch circles of the associated sun gear and star gears are substantially tangent to each other thereby minimizing vibration, noise, and stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1983
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1986
    Assignee: Dresser Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: James C. Hambric
  • Patent number: 4590815
    Abstract: A computer controlled variable transmission in which power is transferred from an input shaft through gearing to idler comes mounted in sequence by gearing means then to an output shaft. The transmission ratio is a function of the ratio of output power required to the input torque as determined by a torque sensing means. Multiple input and output drive wheels, mounted on jackshafts placed equidistant around the cones, provide stability and eliminate slippage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1986
    Inventor: Frank R. Sargent
  • Patent number: 4589293
    Abstract: An emergency PTO driving unit including an emergency PTO pump being normally equipped to a vehicle for an industrial machinery, said emergency PTO pump being interconnected through a clutch unit to an axle to utilize rotation of a wheel as a power source for driving the pump, said clutch unit being so composed that the clutch is brought into a "disengaged" state by means of a hydraulic pressure supplied from a proper hydraulic pump driven by an engine when the engine is running, and the clutch is brought into an "engaged" state by means of a spring means when the engine is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1986
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Daikin Seisakusho
    Inventor: Mituyoshi Mori
  • Patent number: 4589301
    Abstract: A linearly infinitely variable mechanism comprises first and second portions which are relatively axially positionable to establish the effective length of the mechanism. A rotary element is axially captured on the second portion. The operative connection between the first portion and the second portion is via a threaded connection of the first portion with the rotary element. The axial capture of the rotary element comprises a twist lock which, when locked, forcefully abuts the ends of the rotary element to preclude its rotation and prevent a change in the effective length of the mechanism provided that the first and second portions are constrained against relative rotation. When unlocked, the rotary element can rotate within its axial capture so that axial forces applied to the mechanism are effective to change its length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1983
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1986
    Assignee: Hoover Universal, Inc.
    Inventor: Glenn C. Griner
  • Patent number: 4589860
    Abstract: Gear for chain drives comprising a gear body of cast material having a hub section, a gear rim section with spur teeth, and a web section joining said hub and gear rim sections, and a ring plate of metal embedded in the web section, the outer edge of said plate being near the bottom of the areas between the spur teeth and having axial openings filled with casting material around its periphery, said ring plate having at its outer radial edge, radially outwardly directed projections, which are located in each case in a tooth, and which are embedded in the casting material of the gear body, said projections extending beyond the bottom of the spaces between adjacent spur teeth, and an axial opening formed in the ring plate adjacent each projection and radially below it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1986
    Assignee: SKF Kugellagerfabriken GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Brandenstein, Roland Haas, Gerhard Herrmann, Herbert Dobhan, Rudiger Hans
  • Patent number: 4589296
    Abstract: A power transmission system having a resilient buffer to prevent generation and transmission of vibrations between gears below a predetermined rotational speed. A plate is mounted for relative circular movement on a driven gear and contains buffer springs to damp vibrations until positive engagement results. A clutch mechanism surrounds the buffer disk and uses a rotating ramp surface with centrifugally actuated caged members to separate the clutch from the gear above a predetermined speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1986
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Osamu Sato, Kazuo Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 4589300
    Abstract: The invention discloses means to reduce the noise and vibration that result from gear transmission error produced by variations in the mesh stiffness at different phases of tooth engagement. A substantially constant mesh stiffness is achieved by proportioning the teeth and the field of contact so that the product of incremental tooth length and tooth load per unit length at a given torque load integrated over the field of contact does not vary significantly as the tooth contact lines move across the field. To minimize deviations from the mean mesh stiffness, the teeth are made as flexible as possible and the total contact ratio as large as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1986
    Inventor: William S. Rouverol
  • Patent number: 4589299
    Abstract: A reduction motor shaft used, for example, in a wiper motor is disclosed, which is provided with screw type double worms constituting a reduction mechanism part. In this reduction motor shaft, right-handed and left-handed screw type worms are coaxially formed in one end side of the shaft as plural-thread screws at a linked state of tooth profiles of both worms, and further an annular protrusion is formed in a threading boundary between the worms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1986
    Assignee: Jidosha Denki Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kyoji Kobayashi, Atsushi Inagaki
  • Patent number: 4589297
    Abstract: An adjusting transmission of a motor vehicle for a motorized seat adjustment with a transmission housing and a worm arranged on a bearing shaft which is supported at the transmission housing in two shaft bearing parts retaining the shaft and inserted into a respective housing aperture on both sides of the worm; at least one of the two shaft bearing parts is thereby tiltably supported within the coordinated housing aperture in at least a plane containing the bearing shaft axis. A self-alignment of the two bearing parts is achieved thereby so that one obtains without large expenditures a transmission operation which is low in friction and freely movable. The bearing part can be constructed as ring with spherical surface which abuts at prism surfaces of the housing aperture as well as of a pressure member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1986
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Bernd Mann, Gerhard Schneyer, Emil Dinkel
  • Patent number: 4587860
    Abstract: A flexibly suspended gyroscope apparatus comprises a fixed body (100), a rotary drive shaft (200) supported in said body, and a flywheel (220) mounted on said drive shaft by a rotary joint (222). The joint serves to retain the flywheel radially and to transmit rotary drive thereto, while leaving said flywheel free to oscillate with two degrees of freedom about a central position in which the axis of the flywheel is aligned with the axis of the drive shaft. The flywheel is also free for axial translation with one degree of freedom. Axial support means (101, 102, 103, 104) are provided for applying an axial force to the flywheel by electrostatic or electromagnetic induction, and axial position detector means are provided for detecting the axial position of the flywheel, said support means being servo controlled by said detector means to maintain the flywheel in a predetermined axial position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1986
    Assignee: Societe de Fabrication d'Instruments de Mesure
    Inventor: Jean-Thierry Audren
  • Patent number: 4586219
    Abstract: Torque-splitting pinion gear for twin-screw machines comprising a first, direct-driven screw shaft, which has an output pinion meshing with a drive pinion provided on a coupling shaft, and also comprising a drive pinion provided on the second screw shaft, this pinion being axially offset towards the front relative to the output pinion of the first screw shaft and being drivable via an output pinion of the coupling shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1983
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1986
    Inventors: Josef A. Blach, Rudolf P. Fritsch
  • Patent number: 4586393
    Abstract: A structure providing minimum fit mounting and rigid locking of a worm and gear drive includes a gear rotatably supported to a base, a worm drivably engaging the gear and bearings supporting the worm for rotation about its axis. A housing supports the worm bearings and is itself rotatably supported to the base for rotation about a second axis, which axis is parallel to but eccentric from the worm axis. Means are provided for pivoting the bearing housing such that the eccentricity of the pivot axes causes the worm to move toward the gear for close mounting and/or rigid locking therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1986
    Assignee: Quick-Set Incorporated
    Inventors: Paul C. Mooney, Theodore F. Koch
  • Patent number: 4586395
    Abstract: A transmission unit comprises a differential gear unit having a pair of side-journals rotatably supported by a pair of axially spaced side-bearings carried on a pair of carrier portions of a casing for the transmission unit, a pair of wheel axles extending outwardly through the respective side-journals from the differential gear unit in an opposite direction and surrounded by a pair of annular seal members carried on the respective carrier portions, a pair of annular shim plates interposed between each of the carrier portions and each of the side-bearings, and a pair of oil passages for leading lubricating oil into a pair of annular side-spaces formed around each of the wheel axles between the respective side-bearings and the respective seal members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1986
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hisashi Fukuchi, Masaki Inui, Hideyuki Iwata
  • Patent number: 4586403
    Abstract: A position indication derived from the output signal of an engine demand device sensor is compensated for errors which tend to expand or contract the range of such output signal. The signal is compared to previously stored upper and lower reference values nominally corresponding to the limit positions of the demand device, and the position indication is derived in accordance with such comparison. The compensation is achieved by altering the previously stored upper and lower reference values at the initiation of each period of vehicle operation, in a sense to contract the range of output signals defined thereby, and by replacing the upper or lower reference values with the sensor output signal value during the ensuing period of vehicle operation if the sensor output signal value is greater or less than the upper or lower reference values, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1986
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald A. Lee, William L. McCoy, Ted M. McQuinn
  • Patent number: 4585216
    Abstract: The shaft of a linear actuator driven by a force motor preferably electromagnetic or hydraulic has a bifurcated arm positioned with one of the bifurcations on each side of the shaft and with the opposite end of the arm securely affixed to a torsion bar. The torsion bar has both ends thereof rigidly secured to a frame member. The bifurcations on the arm end contact a hub which defines a pair of side walls that are threadably received upon the end of the shaft. As the shaft reciprocates, a force is generated by the torsion bar colinear with the shaft axis motion which is proportional to the displacement of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1986
    Assignee: HR Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Kent R. Boyer, Clyde E. Cobb
  • Patent number: 4584889
    Abstract: A drive mechanism for bicycles and other devices, comprising a rotary crank shaft having radial crank arms, oscillatory guides or ways spaced from the axis of the crank shaft, crossheads shiftable in the guides, and connecting rods connected between respective crossheads and crank arms, so that crosshead movement is transmitted to the crank shaft, which may power a vehicle or other device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1986
    Inventor: Anthony F. Patroni, Jr.