Patents Examined by Scott Anchell
  • Patent number: 5099703
    Abstract: An inertia drive engine starter comprising an electric motor having an armature shaft provided with an axial, bottomed central bore in the front end, a slide output shaft provided with a pinion at the front end thereof and a stopper at the rear end thereof received in the bottomed central bore of the armature shaft, and an overrunning clutch for transmitting the torque of the armature shaft to the slide output shaft. Internal helical splines formed in the inner surface of the inner race of the overrunning clutch and external helical splines formed in the outer surface of the slide output shaft are engaged to transmit the torque of the armature shaft to the slide output shaft and to thrust the slide output shaft to the front when the electric motor is actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1992
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki K.K.
    Inventor: Shuzoo Isozumi
  • Patent number: 5085091
    Abstract: Friction in a traction drive assembly having counter-rotating races interconnected by drive balls captured by a stationary retainer is substantially reduced, and the life of the assembly is substantially extended, by interposing rolling interface elements between the drive balls and the retainer. The interface elements may take the form of balls, pins or wheels, and separate lubricating means for them may be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1992
    Assignee: Loral Aerospace Corp.
    Inventors: Juergen P. Stampa, Ronald T. Honda, James D. Hendry
  • Patent number: 5078020
    Abstract: In order to prevent inadvertent shift to reverse, a shift and select mechanism for a vehicular manual transmission is equipped with a reverse select inhibit system which includes a vehicle speed sensor, a switch circuit for producing a reverse inhibit signal when the vehicle speed is above a predetermined low speed, and an actuator assembly for receiving the reverse inhibit signal and inhibiting a select member from moving to a select position for reverse when the vehicle speed is above the predetermined low speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1992
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideo Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 5069077
    Abstract: An actuating mechanism for a vacuum-type interrupter with a contact spring. The actuating mechanism of a vacuum-type interrupter has a pivotally positioned two-armed lever and a spring which holds the contact force ready and which engages with the lever. The two-armed lever is guided with limited displacement in a bearing in a direction which runs approximately parallel to the actuation direction of the interrupter. While enabling, the two-armed lever pivots about a bearing bolt around the end of the bolt guiding until the contact elements engage each other. The further pivoting of the lever takes place around a linkage assembly between the two-armed lever and the actuating impact rod. The two-armed lever can be formed from two parallel split levers with a clearance such that the spring can engage between the split levers. The actuating mechanism is suitable for one or multiple vacuum circuit breakers, e.g., for use in gas insulated switchgear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1991
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Dietrich Rudolph, Norbert Steinemer
  • Patent number: 5067358
    Abstract: Four shafts fitted with eccentric weights are arranged as four parallel lines with one pair placed immediately above the other pair and the ends of each are fitted with a notched driving roller. A double-notched belt driven by a motor passes alternatively under and above the rollers for the first pair of shafts, around a return, and above and under the rollers for the second pair of shafts. Idler rollers are associated with each shaft to ensure that the belt moves properly. By means of a slide, the motor and the return can be moved laterally in relation to the shaft lines, thereby permitting the continuous adjustment of the relative position of the eccentric weights for each pair of shafts. Therefore, the level of the resulting force of vibration is adjustable to between a maximum value and a zero value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1991
    Assignee: Etablissements Balbinot S.A.
    Inventor: Daniel M. Ancrenaz
  • Patent number: 5065636
    Abstract: In the case of a drive for a male-die-side ejector slidably disposed in a slide of a mechanical metal-forming press having an angle lever which is pivotably disposed at the slide, one leg of the lever acting upon the end of the ejector facing way from the male die and the other leg thereof being acted upon by a control cam which is driven in a timed manner and being held in contact with this control cam, a free adjustability of the moving characteristics of the ejector is achieved in that the control cam is provided at a control carriage which is slidable in a guide fixed at the frame in parallel to the moving direction of the slide, and at which a control connecting rod is applied in a bearing, this control connecting rod, at one end, being disposed eccentrically on a shaft serving also as the drive of the slide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1991
    Assignee: L. Schuler Pressen GmbH
    Inventors: Gunter Riedisser, Rainer Braun
  • Patent number: 5065637
    Abstract: Textile fiber carding apparatus is provided with an adjusting system for carrying out linear adjusting movements which are at least esentially independent of friction, and free from jerks and oscillations. The system includes a carrier (20) for the object (12) (e.g., the doffer) to be adjusted and an actuating mechanism (40) in contact with the carrier. The carrier (20) is supported at at least two positions spaced apart from each other in the direction of adjustment on respective supporting devices (26, 26.1). At least one of the supporting devices is formed by a generally cylindrically shaped bellows (28) filled with a bubble free incompressible fluid and is secured at its one end face to the carrier (20) and at its other end face to a foundation (24). At least one flat spring (34, 34.1) is secured at its one end to the foundation (24) and its other end to the carrier (20). One or more addition supporting devices (26, 26.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1991
    Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Rieter AG
    Inventors: Roland Soltermann, Peter Fritzsche, Kurt Muller
  • Patent number: 5063809
    Abstract: An improved ball screw assembly is disclosed in which a return tube has a pair of minor legs which enter into two ends of the internal helical groove within a nut to return ball bearings between the two ends. Apertures are formed within the nut such that the return tube can be mounted as a one-piece item by moving it perpendicular to the central axis of the screw into the two apertures. The apertures are formed by removing all material which would normally be radially outward of the minor legs, and would prevent mounting of the return tube by moving it perpendicular to the axis of the screw. Due to this improved arrangement between the return tube and the nut, a one-piece return tube can be utilized which contacts the end of the helical groove at an angle parallel to the helix angle and tangent to the helical groove at the ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1991
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventor: Theodore R. Schlenker
  • Patent number: 5063810
    Abstract: A shift mechanism for a speed change gear mounted in a horizontal posture on a horizontal engine which is mounted on a rear side of a four wheel drive vehicle. The shift mechanism includes a shift cable and a select cable which are generally linearly wired from the front to the rear of the vehicle. The shift mechanism also includes a first engaging portion and a first link mechanism for converting rotational motion of a shift lever, as transmitted to the shift lever through said shift cable, to a reciprocating motion of a shift and select shaft. The shift mechanism further includes a second engaging portion and second link mechanism for converting rotational motion of a select lever, as transmitted to the select lever through said select cable, to a reciprocating motion of said shift and select shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1991
    Assignee: Suzuki Jisoshi Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Isao Fujii
  • Patent number: 5060532
    Abstract: A universal joint boom assembly comprising two boom segments having paired eared ends connected end to end by means of a universal joint with one of its set of ears parallel to an X axis and the other set of ears parallel to a Y axis which is perpendicular to the X axis. An offset X axis hydraulic assembly and an offset Y axis hydraulic assembly interconnects the boom segments to cause pivoting of the boom universal joint so as to lean a boom segment in the direction of the X and Y axes respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1991
    Inventor: Sidney L. Barker
  • Patent number: 5058445
    Abstract: In a screw and nut driving device with low internal friction, e.g. a ball nut mechanism, irreversibility is effected in a simple and efficient manner when the nut is rotatably driven and enclosed by an annular space in which a helical spring is arranged in such a manner that its ends are acted upon by the driving force from the external driving source, thus that the spring can rotate freely in the space. When the external driving source is disconnected and the nut, due to axial load is subjected to a torque, the ends of the spring are acted upon thus that the spring is deformed to friction locking against a non-rotating surface, whereby the nut is prevented from rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1991
    Assignee: SKF Nova AB
    Inventor: Sven W. Nilsson
  • Patent number: 5058454
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a light weight spacer for changing the stroke of the polished rod of a sub-surface oil well pump. The spacer is made from a light weight alloy such as an aluminum alloy and is configured as a U-shaped body with a plurality of spines or ribs which have tips defining a diameter which will surround the polished rod. The spacer has an opening in one of the spines so that an extendable wand or spacer handling tool may be used to carry the spacer from the ground to be inserted or positioned between the bridal block and the upper polished rod clamp or to remove the spacer. A detent pin is used to enable the person on the ground to know that the spacer is in position and the spacer handling tool is used to close the pin or open the pin.A jack may be included within the system of the present invention to raise the polished rod for insertion or the removal of one or more spacers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1991
    Inventor: Harold W. Head
  • Patent number: 5052234
    Abstract: A water proof structure for a use in a starter motor comprising a front bracket, an over-running clutch axially slidably supported on a rotary shaft, and a pinion mounted to the over-running clutch and movable between a forward position for engagement with an engine ring gear and a rearward position for disengagement from the engine ring gear. The front bracket includes a tubular wall 22 surrounding the over-running clutch and having formed therein an opening for allowing the pinion in the forward position to be projected therethrough and a moisture drain opening 20c in its bottom. The water proof structure comprises a radial wall 25 extending from the front bracket toward a front end of the pinion in the forward position for substantially closing a gap between the tubular wall and the pinion. At the corner of the bottom portion of the radial wall and the tubular wall, a moisture drain hole 27 is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1991
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeshi Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 5052235
    Abstract: A coaxial engine starter comprising an electric motor having an armature rotary shaft 23, an output rotary shaft 5 axially slidably supported in an axial alignment relationship with the armature rotary shaft and a pinion 10 disposed on the front end of the output rotary shaft. The starter also comprises a planetary speed reduction gear 7 having a sun gear disposed on the armature rotary shaft, a plurality of planetary gears rotatable around the sun gear and a stationary internal gear engaging the planetary gear, and an over-running clutch 21 having a clutch outer member supporting the planetary gears and a clutch inner member slidably coupled to the output rotary shaft and having front and rear ends. The clutch inner member is rotatably supported at its front end by a first bearing 11 supported by the machine frame 8 and at its rear end by a second bearing 25 mounted on the armature rotary shaft in front of the sun gear of the planetary speed reduction gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1991
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shuzou Isozumi
  • Patent number: 5048362
    Abstract: In a sheet-fed rotary printing press, a device for tensionally connecting a fixed gearwheel and a gearwheel coaxial with and adjustable in rotational position thereof relative to the fixed gearwheel on a cylinder of a turning device in the printing press, comprising an actuatable clamping element and a clamping body for clamping the fixed gearwheel and the adjustable gearwheel together, the clamping body being braced against one of the gearwheels, and being held with the clamping element on the other of the gearwheels, friction elements carried by the gearwheels so as to be mutually overlappingly interengaging in the manner of a multidrive clutch, the clamping body having an annular bearing by which the clamping body is braced against an outer one of the friction elements in an overlap region of the friction elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Willi Becker, Hans-Peter Hiltwein
  • Patent number: 5048358
    Abstract: A rotary phased radial thrust variable drive transmission which is lcoated between an input driving member, such as the pedal-driven sprocket of a bicycle, and an output driven member, such as the hub of a bicycle wheel which are mounted for relative rotation on a common axis, such as the axle of the rear wheel of a bicycle. The transmisison includes radial thrust linkages which are carried by the input driving member for cooperating with a surrounding cam ring assembly having a normally fixed cam profile providing a torsional thrust on the output driven member to cause rotation thereof. The cam ring assembly is selectively adjustable to vary its profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Assignee: Thurston, Inc.
    Inventor: William B. Shook
  • Patent number: 5048364
    Abstract: A motor-operated tilt steering device including a fixed bracket fixed to the body of a vehicle and supporting a lower steering shaft by means of a lower column, a tilt bracket pivotally movably attached to the fixed bracket and supporting by an upper column an upper steering shaft connected to the lower steering shaft by a universal joint, a tilting electric motor attached to the fixed bracket, and an arrangement for converting the rotation of the motor to a pivotal movement of the tilt bracket. The conversion arrangement includes a screw shaft attached to the fixed bracket in parallel with the motor, a timing belt coupling the motor to the screw shaft, a screw nut in meshing engagement with the screw shaft, and an eccentric member coupling the screw nut to the tilt bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Noboru Minamoto, Yoshiyuki Nakamura, Hironori Kotani
  • Patent number: 5048356
    Abstract: A wobble device is provided including a circular platform, a structure for pivoting the platform to achieve a wobbling movement, a shaft transverse to and positioned in a center of the platform, a moveable carriage rotatably attached through an arm to the shaft, a roller structure for moving the carriage on an upper surface of the platform, and a support frame below the platform. A forcing structure attached to a plurality of extension members downwardly directs the platform tilting an end of the platform toward the support frame. As the platform inclines towards the forcing structure, the carriage also begins to rotate. Once in motion, only a minimum amount of electrical energy is needed to maintain the wobble. As the carriage rotates, it turns a spur gear system attached to the center shaft. This rotational movement is then transferred through the gear mechanism to an armature of an electrical generator fastened to the platform upper surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Inventor: Leo Levko
  • Patent number: 5046378
    Abstract: A gear arrangement includes a first gear wheel 10 having a section 12 with missing teeth. A second gear wheel 14 is arranged to mesh with the first gear wheel 10. The first tooth 16 on the first gear wheel 10 to engage with the second gear wheel 14 (following the missing teeth section 12) is resiliently movable inwardly within a radial slot 18 to withdraw when engaging an opposing tooth 22. A spring 20 urges the tooth 16 outwardly to one side of the opposing tooth 22 and into a gap on that side of the opposing tooth 22, so as to align the first and second gear wheels. Such a gear arrangement has particular use in a geared value setting mechanism provided on a print drum shaft of a postage meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1991
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Ray L. Bannister, Frederick C. Close, Peter J. Loeber
  • Patent number: 5046375
    Abstract: A pretensioned cable transmits power along a first support member (link) from a rotary actuator to a rotating output joint, typically an output pulley fixed to a second link arm but rotatable in a coupling between the first and second links. A reducer, typically two sets of coupled idler pulleys of different diameter, is mounted at a point removed from the actuator, and preferably as close as possible to the output joint. An axially split spool mounted on the actuator output wraps the outgoing and returning cable sections on different halves of the spool in opposite directions to provide pretensioning of the cable in the entire cable circuit at one point. The links and pulleys of the transmission are long and narrow. This high aspect ratio provides a compact configuration that is conductive to whole arm manipulations where any exterior surface of the links can engage an object. A low inertia, low friction brushless D.C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1991
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: J. Kenneth Salisbury, Jr., William T. Townsend, David M. DiPietro, Brian S. Eberman