Patents Examined by Wesley S. Ratliff, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4210034
    Abstract: A channel plate is provided for blocking transmission oil flow between two shift valves normally provided to effect automatic sequential shifting with changes in the pressure of the transmission oil. By inserting the channel plate, the gears in the transmission can only be shifted manually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1980
    Inventor: Gilbert W. Younger
  • Patent number: 4210411
    Abstract: A self recuperative burner which can be fired with oil or gaseous fuel or both. The oil feed pipe is surrounded by a passage through which compressed air or fuel gas is conveyed to the burner head in such a way that it reduces the tendency for the oil to overheat. Additional cooling means are provided for the oil feed pipe. The burner has a burner head which is supported by a tubular part carried by a common wall between the combustion air supply passage and the combustion products exhaust passage, there being a sliding joint between the burner head and the tubular part which provides a circumferential series of arcuate gaps around the periphery of the burner head for the flow of combustion air between the burner head and the tubular part. The burner has an exhaust flue which is surrounded by a tubular part in which the combustion air inlet port is formed, the flue being cooled by incoming combustion air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1980
    Inventors: Trevor Ward, Clive Ward
  • Patent number: 4210118
    Abstract: There is disclosed a portable barbecue cooking stove having scissor action support legs pivotally joined together and pivotably joined to a cooking and support surface by pivot pins and an over-center link arrangement so that in the erected position the cooking and support surface is in a horizontal position and is easily foldable by unlatching of a catch disconnecting the four bar linkage structure. The barbecue includes wheels for mobility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1980
    Assignee: Companion Pty. Limited
    Inventors: Frederick C. Davis, Richard L. Beer
  • Patent number: 4209006
    Abstract: An improved barbecue unit utilizing a set of controllable louvered openings and a set of uncontrollable openings in combination with a forced air draft device for directing air through the louvered openings and onto the substance being barbecued, with the directed air being directed to the uncontrollable openings by a partial vacuum created by the forced air device and redirected through the louvered openings at a preheated temperature at the substance being barbecued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1980
    Inventor: Stephen C. Marsalko
  • Patent number: 4208923
    Abstract: Drive mechanism for a four-wheel-drive tractor, comprising a pair of input shafts in double tube construction with one fitted to nest in the other, main gearing shaft assembly, differential gearing, front-wheel-drive-shaft assembly, gearing wheels provided in both frontal and rear portions of the front-wheel-drive-shaft assembly, a power-take-off shaft and a drive shaft-assembly. Driving power taken out from the gearing wheel provided in front portion of the front-wheel-drive-shaft assembly is transmitted to front wheels via a transmission shaft with a mating gear, disposed at an underbelly portion of the tractor. The drive assembly is provided above the differential gearing. With this construction, the front-wheel-drive-shaft can be made short, sufficient empty space height can be provided in the underbelly portion of the tractor, and the transmission housing can be minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1980
    Assignee: Kubota, Ltd.
    Inventor: Seiichi Ikegami
  • Patent number: 4208921
    Abstract: Radial and axial bearings support an axle shaft attached to a flywheel apparatus to provide rotational support and limit axial movement during rotation of the flywheel. A cage generally surrounding the flywheel and receiving the flywheel within its hollow interior includes a cylindrically shaped side wall positioned adjacent to and concentric with the outside surface of the flywheel to rapidly absorb energy should distortion or shattering of the flywheel occur due to centrifugal force. Means for connecting the flywheel cage to a source of vacuum such as the intake manifold of a thermal engine is utilized to at least partially evacuate the interior of the flywheel cage and thereby increase the ability of the rotating flywheel to store and maintain kinetic energy. A plurality of lubricant passages and reservoirs supply lubricant to the bearings associated with the axle shaft of the flywheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1980
    Inventor: John H. Keyes
  • Patent number: 4208924
    Abstract: A drive for operating a punching tool comprises a toggle-joint lever to one of whose lever members the punching tool is operatively connected. The second lever member of the toggle-joint forms part of a quadrilateral linkage. This linkage consists of the second lever member, a first transverse lever member linked at one end to the second lever member and at the other end to another lever element, and a second transverse lever member linked at one end to the other lever element. The first transverse lever member is a two-armed lever supported on a fixed pivot near its linkage to the second lever member for pivoting the two-armed lever about the fixed pivot. The second transverse lever member and the other lever element are linked to a crank drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1980
    Inventor: Anton Brunner
  • Patent number: 4208180
    Abstract: A heavy oil supply pipe, a protective pipe, an air supply pipe for burning heavy oil, a coal-air supply pipe, a coolant supply pipe and a protective caster are arranged concentrically in the order mentioned. A coal whirler and an air whirler are provided to inpart whirling motions to coal flame and heavy oil flame for thoroughly admixing them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1980
    Assignee: Ube Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Michiharu Nakayasu, Kenzo Kumamoto, Kenji Suzuki, Arata Kuba, Katsushi Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 4207774
    Abstract: A drive mechanism for linking the pistons of a heat engine to a rotating drive shaft includes a housing through which the drive shaft extends in rotatable fashion. Secured to the drive shaft within the housing is a main bevelled gear. A plurality of bevelled drive gears engage the main gear, each drive gear being secured to a gear shaft which extends through the exterior of the housing. Secured to the exterior end of each gear shaft is a gear wheel, which meshes with a similar, free-wheeling gear wheel. A pair of eccentric arms are secured to each pair of meshing gear wheels, their distal ends being secured to a block. A piston rod is also secured to the block, so that the reciprocal motion of the piston rod may be transferred through the eccentric arms and the gear wheels to the drive gear and the main gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1980
    Assignee: Energy Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventor: Arnold J. Schwemin
  • Patent number: 4207032
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gas-fired cigarette lighter comprising a gas reservoir, a gas distributor valve and means which make it possible to ignite the gas emerging from this distributor valve, comprising at least one reserve supply of gas and means for draining this reserve supply into the gas reservoir. This lighter is remarkable in that it is rechargeable and comprises a filling device enabling simultaneous filling of the reserve supply and of the gas reservoir, the filling device comprising two serially disposed valves, opening of the valve situated between the reserve supply of gas and the other valve being operated either by the opening of this other valve or by an operating element, this other valve then remaining closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1980
    Assignee: Fabrique Suisse de Crayons Caran d'Ache S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Michel Collaud, Albert Girella, Maurice Herren, Niklaus Muller, Roger Piola
  • Patent number: 4206657
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a power driven tool for reciprocating a cutting element such as a saw-blade or the like and includes a motor housing and a drive motor mounted in the motor housing. A gear case is connected to the motor housing and the shaft arrangement is mounted in the gear case. The shaft arrangement includes a shaft slideably mounted in the gear case for reciprocating movement. The shaft is adapted to receive the cutting element thereon. A U-shaped channel yoke is mounted to the drive shaft in such a manner that the walls of the drive shaft laterally support the U-shaped channel yoke at the base of the yoke. An eccentric drive connects the U-shaped channel yoke with the drive motor for reciprocating the shaft arrangement.A method of assembling the shaft arrangement includes the step of cutting two slots in the base of the channel yoke to define three bridges one adjacent the other bridging the gap between the leg walls of the yoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1980
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventor: Bernhard Palm
  • Patent number: 4206660
    Abstract: It is a purpose of this invention to provide for highly efficient transmission of power delivered either manually or thru any other means from the source to the output point, whether either is rotary or reciprocating, thru an infinitely variable range beginning with zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1976
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1980
    Inventor: Lawrence G. Brown
  • Patent number: 4205655
    Abstract: In an evacuated solar collector of the type having an inner absorber member and an outer tubular envelope surrounding the absorber, the space surrounding the absorber being evacuated, the improvement comprising an expansion joint slidably coupling the absorber and the outer tubular member, including first and second sleevable portions being respectively formed to the absorber and the outer tubular member. The sleevable portions are sleeved, one within the other, concentrically forming an angular space therebetween, and a resilient member, disposed in the annular space, slidably supports the absorber member within the outer tubular member in a generally concentric or coaxial manner for allowing the expansion and contraction of the absorber relative to the outer tubular member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1980
    Assignee: Corning Glass Works
    Inventor: Floyd P. Hunt
  • Patent number: 4205653
    Abstract: A downflow furnace assembly having a combustible floor base including a pair of parallel side rails, a pair of parallel, variable length cross rails, and integral spacing flanges, and a method of constructing the combustible floor base. The integral spacing flanges are for maintaining the lower plenum of the downflow furnace assembly at a preset distance from the edge of a combustible floor and are formed by die pressing the same metal sheets that are pressed to form the rails of the floor base. The variable length cross rails are each comprised of a pair of interfitted channel members that are in slidable communication with each other. By sliding the channel members with respect to each other, the lengths of the cross rails and the width of the base can be adjusted. The surface of each channel member defines a plurality of holes, and each cross rail can be adjusted to various preset lengths by aligning different holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1980
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventor: Mark A. Pickering
  • Patent number: 4204834
    Abstract: A flash lamp which is electrically activated using capacitive coupling between a pair of conductors located externally of the lamp's glass envelope and a respective pair of conductors located within the envelope. A quantity of primer material, also located within the envelope, serves to ignite the flash lamp's combustible material (e.g. shredded zirconium). The primer material is electrically joined to the internal conductors through either a pair of spring contacts or the shredded combustible material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1980
    Assignee: GTE Sylvania Incorporated
    Inventor: Timothy Fohl
  • Patent number: 4203416
    Abstract: A device for holding a pot on a gas range burner in a moving recreational vehicle. The device is attachable to a burner grate of the type having radial bars with sloping lower edges, and it has a deck with lateral edges that interfit with a neighboring pair of the radial bars so as to support the deck on the bars and permit it to span the space between them. A pair of locking levers are pivotally supported at a common point under the deck. From their common pivot point, the locking levers extend forwardly and terminate in outturned, downwardly offset feet designed to swing outwardly into frictional contact with the lower edges of the neighboring radial bars from points intermediate the bars. To the rear, the locking levers are formed into a pair of handles. Mounted above the deck on a pair of pivoted brackets are two clamping members with forward portions formed into curved arms for embracing the pot, and rear portions serving as handles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1980
    Assignee: Simpson Enterprises
    Inventors: Ralph E. Simpson, Michael L. Simpson
  • Patent number: 4203329
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for converting a uniform circular movement into a variable or uniform longitudinal movement. The device comprises being arranged an assembly of rods forming the generatrices of a right cylinder having a circular section. The rods may rotate with a constant angular speed. The rods are grooved with notches at equal or different distances between the notches, which grooves house a wire or cable, wound helicoidally on the cylindrical body established by the rods, so that upon the latter rods rotating, the cable generates a longitudinal movement in the direction of the axis of the rods. The movement is uniform on the stretches in which the grooves are equidistant, and is in such a form that if the distance between grooves varies in accordance with differential elements, the longitudinal movement is obtained whose velocities in relation to time would vary from zero to a maximum and again to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1980
    Assignee: Technoresinas Espanola, S.A.
    Inventor: Manuel A. Lopez
  • Patent number: 4203352
    Abstract: A piston is disclosed which is particularly adapted for multi-stage operation in a combined air and spring-loaded brake cylinder. The piston is formed of a resilient or elastic material such as spring steel, a synthetic resin or hard rubber and has a central portion of a reduced wall strength with respect to the surrounding peripheral portion of the piston. The central portion is thus capable of elastic deformation when subjected to a force exceeding a predetermined level. The reduced strength relationship of the central portion may be achieved by a reduced wall thickness, or by the use of radially extending slots. The piston thus has a differential deformability when a pressure is applied thereto such that the entire piston can be shifted as a unit until abutting a stop structure on the housing of the brake cylinder. The central portion of the piston can then be additionally displaced if an increased pressure or force is applied to the central portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1980
    Inventors: Waldemar Schuster, Max G. Hohn
  • Patent number: 4203717
    Abstract: A flat flame burner assembly comprises a refractory block having a flaring port and a hollow body, mounted thereon, provided with an inlet for the admission of combustion air and with an air diffuser presenting passages directed so as to cause the combustion air to swirl in the combustion zone of the flaring port; a burner mechanism comprising a lance for feeding the fuel terminating with a burner head extending in the combustion zone, a first pipe for a fluid atomizing agent coaxial to said lance, a second pipe, coaxial to the first pipe, for feeding air for the protection of the burner head from the heat, in communication with a sheath which surrounds the burner head. The burner head consists of a first chamber in which the fuel is admitted by means of a distributor, and of a second chamber, or mixing chamber, in which the fuel is atomized by the atomizing agent, and then sprayed into the combustion zone through a nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1980
    Assignee: Italimpliant Societa Italiana Impianti per Asioni
    Inventors: Giuseppe Facco, Tomaso Carpaneto
  • Patent number: RE30334
    Abstract: A pressure compensated, hermetically sealed transmission system is described which includes, basically, a hermetic rotary coupling. Rotary motion is applied through a casing, wherein a cylindrically shaped input shaft having a circular inner bearing race affixed to one end is coupled to a generally spherical shaped wobble plate by means of roller or ball bearings. In similar fashion, an output shaft is similarly coupled to the spherical shaped wobble plate at the opposite end. The inner races of the shafts are positioned at an angle and located eccentrically from the respective shaft center line. Both shafts are supported at their outer ends by combination journal thrust bearings, which are coupled to the main casing. The wobble plate is prevented from rotating about the common axis of the two shafts. Thus, as one shaft rotates, the wobble plate rocks, due to .[.ball.]. bearing action, but does not rotate. Likewise, due to the bearing action, as the wobble plate rocks the output shaft rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1980
    Assignee: Zero-Seal, Inc.
    Inventor: Carl R. Coles