Patents Examined by Robert Oberleitner
  • Patent number: 6378668
    Abstract: A spring applied parking brake assembly for a railroad vehicle braking system is provided for an automatic application of the parking brake in the absence of an air source. The spring applied parking brake assembly comprises a cylindrical casing containing a piston assembly. The piston assembly is mounted for longitudinal movement within the casing upon the application and/or removal of pneumatic pressure to the piston assembly. The piston assembly is associated with a force transfer lever of the braking system so as to apply a force to this force transfer lever upon longitudinal movement of the piston assembly. At least one spring member is provided within the cylindrical casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Company
    Inventors: James M. Zemyan, Roger V. Lewis
  • Patent number: 6343817
    Abstract: A vehicle door latch device has a double action mechanism (27) comprising a release lever (61) for opening the door, an inner lever (55) connected to an inside open handle (28), and a slide link (64). The slide link is displaced between a connective position for connecting the inner lever to the release lever and a non-connective position for disconnecting the inner lever from the release lever. The inner lever has a push arm (57) which transmits an unlocking movement of the inner lever to the lock lever without engagement with the slide link, and a blocking surface (59) which restrict a displacement of the slide link from the non-connective position to the connective position during the unlocking movement of the inner lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsui Kinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirofumi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6311808
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a combined service and parking brake system, especially for automotive vehicles, which includes a hydraulically clampable combined service and parking brake with a mechanical locking device. The mechanical locking device is electrically operable and thus satisfies in a simple fashion the parking function of the hydraulically clamped combined service and parking brake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co., OHG
    Inventors: Georg Halasy-Wimmer, Jürgen Balz, Stefan Schmitt, Ulrich Neumann, Hans-Jörg Feigel, Lothar Schiel, Andreas Klein
  • Patent number: 6308804
    Abstract: A quick connect-disconnect brake hub lock system is disclosed. The locking mechanism is attached to camber tubes of varying degrees of 0° to 12° with wheels that move in and out from the centerline of the wheelchair. Such system of locking must be quick disconnected and reconnected to adapt to the various camber tubes that have varying degrees of angles. Not only do the camber tubes adjust the caster and camber of the wheels, but are adjusted for wheelbase width The brake hub locking mechanism must move with these elements and have the capacity to lock the wheels at whatever position the wheels are in. The sliding mechanism in the handle is completely enclosed to prohibit dirt, which wears such elements quickly. The rotary cam mechanism sliding against the rectangular slider provides the means of pulling the cables straight thus eliminating breaking and thereby locking or unlocking the wheels of the wheelchair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Inventor: Jack E. Roberts
  • Patent number: 6302243
    Abstract: A stiffening bracket for a brake caliper that includes an aperture. The aperture has a diagonal length. The bracket includes a support having a first end and a second end. The bracket also includes a first extension attached to the first end and a second extension attached to the second end of the support. A length measured from the first extension to the second extension of the bracket is less than or equal to the diagonal length of the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Stoptech Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Stephen John Ruiz
  • Patent number: 6293890
    Abstract: The invention relates to a brake system for reducing the number of brake parts, a brake installing space and a vehicle width, and for facilitating an adjustment operation of equalizing the left and right braking forces. Rotary friction plates for braking a differential case and an axle are supported on the differential case and the axle respectively, while stationary friction plates are arranged axially and alternately with respect to the rotary friction plates and are supported non-rotatably on a gear case to brake the differential case and the axle at once by the operation of a single operating arm. A brake housing is integrally formed in an end wall of the gear case. The end wall, through which the axle passes, has an opening from which the brake members can be removed and inserted to improve assembly efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Kaku
  • Patent number: 6293533
    Abstract: A dashpot for wheel suspensions, with a preferably sheet-metal spring cup (6). The cup is attached to a shock absorber or its accommodating tube, supports a helical spring that surrounds the shock absorber or tube, and can be advanced along the shock absorber or tube on threads. To allow the dashpot to be raised and lowered in precise increments, the attachment is maintained tight by a cylindrical housing (3). The housing is provided with a slot extending over its total length and with outside threads. Its inner surface of the housing rests directly against the shock absorber or its tube. The housing operates in conjunction with a height-adjustment ring (12) or neck (7) with matching inside threads on the spring cup. The slope of the threads ensure that the force exerted by the spring on the spring cup will squeeze the slotted housing together radially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: Krupp Bilstein GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Sasse
  • Patent number: 6286636
    Abstract: A disc brake comprises pads, a support member, elastic members, and a caliper. The pads include first engaging portions having first slanted surfaces with a first distance therebetween. The support member straddles the rotor and is supported on a body. The support member includes a pair of second engaging portions having second slanted surfaces. The second slanted surfaces have a second distance therebetween. The elastic member, disposed on the pads, presses the pads in a direction which shortens a third width defined by an adjacent pair of the first and second slanted surfaces, respectively. The first and second distances change gradually along the first and second slanted surfaces. Engaging protrusions are provided to one of the pairs of the first and second engaging portions, each including a first width. Engaging grooves are provided to the other of the pairs of the first and second engaging portions, each including a second width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: Akebono Brake Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yukio Iwata
  • Patent number: 6286913
    Abstract: A limp-in control arrangement for an electro-pneumatic integrated control system for railway vehicles including a supply and exhaust magnet valve for electrically controlling the pneumatic brakes on the railway vehicle, an electromagnetic relay for sensing the operational condition of the electro-pneumatic integration control system, a switching device for enabling a limp-in control function when the electro-pneumatic integrated control system is experiencing a malfunction, an operating device for initiating a limp-in control function by releasing and reapplying the pneumatic brakes to allow the railway vehicle to be moved to a repair facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Company
    Inventors: Richard J. Mazur, Richard F. Balukin, Robert D. Dimsa, Paul E. Jamieson
  • Patent number: 6276496
    Abstract: A wheel chocking device including a longitudinally-extending base frame positioned on the driveway, a chock positioned on the base frame and movable longitudinally relative to the base frame, and a drive mechanism drivingly connected to the chock. The drive mechanism comprises a power mechanism (e.g., an electric motor) positioned outside of an outer edge of the chock path, and both the base frame and the drive mechanism are spaced from the dock face. The drive mechanism can further include a low profile transmission interconnecting the power mechanism with the chock. Preferably, the low profile transmission comprises an endless loop member (e.g., a chain). If a portion of the transmission is within the chock path, then the portion can have a height lower than a height of the chock in the lowered position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Kelley Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin P. Hageman, Thomas J. Palus
  • Patent number: 6269752
    Abstract: A damping system for a rail car truck utilizes friction wedges supported on side springs to damp relative movement between the rail car truck bolster and the side frames supporting it. Each friction wedge has a generally triangular shape with an angle &thgr; defined between a vertical friction surface which bears against a side frame and a sloping friction surface which moves relative to the bolster. The angle &thgr; and the force P of each side spring are defined by Fw W .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Standard Car Truck Company
    Inventor: Armand P. Taillon
  • Patent number: 6241054
    Abstract: A disk brake includes a brake disk which is surrounded by a caliper carrying lining devices. On the side of the lining device facing a brake lining surface, the brake disk has a concave brake disk surface. In order to at least partially reduce the noise emitted occurring during slow-down braking, the concavity of the brake disk surface and the convexity of the brake lining surface are constructed such that a noise-reducing form closure occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche AG
    Inventors: Rolf Von Sivers, Joachim Kappich, Claus Thomas
  • Patent number: 6224045
    Abstract: Fluid-filled vibration damping device having a primary fluid chamber partially defined by an elastic body elastically connecting two spaced-apart mounting members and located on one of opposite sides of a partition structure having an orifice passage, an auxiliary fluid chamber partially defined by a flexible diaphragm and located on the other side of the partition structure, and a movable rubber plate partially defining the primary fluid chamber and held by the partition structure, wherein the partition structure comprises a support member including a cylindrical engaging portion, and at least one fluid-tightly fitted component superposed on the support member and each including a cylindrical engagement portion fitted in the engaging portion of the support member, and the movable rubber plate is bonded at its peripheral portion to the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical engaging portion of the support member which is covered by a sealing rubber layer, and wherein the cylindrical engaging portion
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Tokai Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Muramatsu, Yoshihiko Hagino, Hiroaki Tanahashi
  • Patent number: 6223865
    Abstract: A golf car having a hydraulic fluid brake system. The hydraulic fluid brake system is implemented as a disk brake system which is responsive to hydraulic fluid pressure generated from a master cylinder. A brake pedal and associated linkage provides input to a master cylinder to generate a hydraulic fluid pressure to control a brake caliper assembly. The brake pedal has a range of travel, where a first portion of the range defines a service mode of operation and a second portion of the range defines a parking mode of operation. In the parking mode of operation, the brake pedal and linkage engages a detent to maintain application of the brake to provide a parking mode of operation. An accumulator in the brake system provides an input force to maintain hydraulic fluid pressure sufficient to retain a parking mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignees: Textron Inc., Hayes Brake, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph A. Lang, Terry Lou Reese, James M. Criscuolo, Donald D. Brown, James A. Buckley, Scott A. Waterman
  • Patent number: 6206154
    Abstract: A hydraulic apparatus is used in an industrial vehicle. The apparatus has a hydraulic cylinder interposed between a vehicle frame and an axle swingably coupled to the frame. A passage connects a first chamber with a second chamber defined by a piston in a cylinder case. The piston is movable based on differential pressure in the chambers. A cylinder rod selectively extends and retracts in respect with the cylinder case to absorb a swinging motion of the axle. The passage is selectively open and closed based on at least one of a traveling state and a loading state of the vehicle. The piston has a first surface defining the first chamber and a second surface defining the second chamber. The first surface has an area equal to that of the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho, Kayaba Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Chino, Masaya Hyodo, Takayuki Muto, Teruyuki Shioya
  • Patent number: 6196364
    Abstract: A brake bleeder check valve comprises an elongated valve body and a valve seat member. The elongated valve body has an externally threaded cylindrical wall portion, and is integral with a nut portion and hose connecting portion at a first end, and a cylindrical portion at a second end. The cylindrical portion has a plurality of openings therein which are in fluid communication with a throughbore that extends through the elongated valve body. The valve seat member comprises a tapered valve seat portion integral with a cylindrical elongated portion. The cylindrical elongated portion is receivable in a coiled spring that is loosely receivable in the throughbore that extends through the elongated valve body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Holley Performance Products
    Inventor: Robert E. Fouts
  • Patent number: 6193022
    Abstract: An actuation device for a cable-operated parking brake of a motor vehicle and which enables actuation of the parking brake selectively by muscular energy or with a motive power assist, with the actuation device including a brake cable tightening device, and a drive for actuating the brake cable tightening device and including first and second drive elements connected, respectively, with muscular energy-actuated member and an auxiliary motor, and a planetary gear drive having a first drive member connectable with the first drive element, a second drive member connectable with the second drive element, and a third dive member connected with the cable tightening device thereby connecting the first and second drive element selectively with the cable tightening device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: ED. Scharwächter GmbH
    Inventor: Sven Bode
  • Patent number: 6148963
    Abstract: Handbrake assembly for the wheelbarrow is normally "on" and comprises a brake lever pivoted to the wheelbarrow undercarriage. One end of the lever carries a shoe head, the other a fixture for the drive cable of a Bowden wire leading to a bicycle-type handbrake. A spring presses the brake shoe end of the lever so that it engages the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Inventor: B. Earl Canfield, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6102171
    Abstract: An adjustable damping valve in a damping valve housing for a vibration damper includes a valve unit with an inlet opening in the region of a valve seat face. A valve disk is supported on the valve seat face. The valve disk is pretensioned on its rear side by a spring, wherein the pretensioning of the spring is adjustable for changing the damping force in that a supporting surface of the spring is displaceable. The supporting surface is in a working connection with a catch device, wherein the catch device can be locked by steps in that the spring which acts on the valve disk applies force to the locking bodies of the catch device in a catch profile for resiliently holding the supporting surface in a locked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Theo Rottenberger, Rolf Munz
  • Patent number: 6098764
    Abstract: In a brake disk for rail vehicle brake systems, a friction ring is made of a light metal such as aluminum (aluminum alloys), etc. to reduce weight. In order to reduce the weight further by approximately an additional 10%, the hub that supports the friction ring and is connected with the shaft of the rail vehicle is also made of light metal, such as aluminum. It is necessary to keep the temperature of such hubs below 120-140.degree. C. to prevent the shrink or press fit between the hub and shaft from loosening. To prevent such heat transmission, heat insulating layers are inserted between the inner circumference of the friction ring connected with the hub preferably by bolts. In the vicinity of the bolts, these layers can consist of insulating disks, insulating plates, or continuous insulating rings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme fur Scheinfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventors: Xaver Wirth, Robert Weiss, Mathias Schoerwerth