Patents by Inventor Fred D. Litty

Fred D. Litty has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Position control system for a construction implement such as a road grader
    Patent number: 5430651
    Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor for a construction implement is disclosed which provides an indication of the position of the sensor relative to a reference surface in two dimensions. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a pair of sensors are positioned a predetermined distance from one another to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves to measure the time it takes the waves to travel to the reference surface and be reflected back to the ultrasonic transducers. Additionally, a transducer is disclosed which detects a side lobe of a acoustic wave transmitted by an acoustic transducer whereby the velocity of said acoustic pulse may be calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1995
    Assignee: Laser Alignment, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward G. Nielsen, Ross C. Stoepker, Fred D. Litty
  • Position control system for a construction implement such as a road grader
    Patent number: 5327345
    Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor for a construction implement is disclosed which provides an indication of the position of the sensor relative to a reference surface in two dimensions. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a pair of sensors are positioned a predetermined distance from one another to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves to measure the time it takes the waves to travel to the reference surface and be reflected back to the ultrasonic transducers. Additionally, a transducer is disclosed which detects a side lobe of a acoustic wave transmitted by an acoustic transducer whereby the velocity of said acoustic pulse may be calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1994
    Assignee: Laser Alignment, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward G. Nielsen, Ross C. Stoepker, Fred D. Litty
  • Apparatus for orienting and maintaining the orientation of construction equipment
    Patent number: 4136962
    Abstract: An apparatus for orienting and maintaining the orientation of laser and similar construction equipment in a predetermined orientation with respect to a horizontal plane comprises superimposed first, second and third support plates, each of which is preferably annularly shaped for positioning a laser beam generator therethrough. The third support plate is mounted to and between the first and second support plates for pivotable movement about mutually perpendicular first and second axes, respectively. The first or top plate has level vials mounted perpendicular to the first and second axes for detecting the position of the first plate with respect to a horizontal plane. A pair of threaded screws are threaded into the central third plate to adjust the position of the first plate with respect to the bottom or second plate about the two mutually perpendicular axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1979
    Assignee: Vari-Tech Company
    Inventors: Floyd Brouwer, Roger E. Helms, Fred D. Litty, Merlin J. Applegate