Patents by Inventor James N. Usko

James N. Usko 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).

  • Patent number: 6718940
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an improved assembly for operating at least one exhaust valve and at least one intake valve in a cylinder in an engine. The assembly includes a rocker shaft, an intake rocker arm pivotally mounted on the rocker shaft for operating at least one intake valve of the engine cylinder, an exhaust rocker arm pivotally mounted on the rocker shaft for operating at least one exhaust valve of the engine cylinder. The improved assembly includes a lash adjusting assembly for adjusting a lash between at least one of the intake rocker arm and the at least one intake valve, and the exhaust rocker arm and the at least one exhaust valve. The improvement further includes a fluid supply assembly for supplying fluid to the lash adjusting assembly to operate the lash adjusting assembly. The improved assembly further includes a control assembly for controlling the operation of the supply assembly in response to predetermined engine operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Diesel Engine Retarders, Inc.
    Inventor: James N. Usko
  • Patent number: 6394067
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for effectuating multi-cycle engine braking is disclosed. The present invention controls the operation of the engine valves to permit more than one compression release event during a single engine operating cycle. The apparatus includes an assembly for operating at least one exhaust valve of an engine cylinder during a positive power operation. The apparatus further includes an assembly for operating at least one intake valve of the engine cylinder. The apparatus further including an assembly for operating the at least one exhaust valve during an engine braking operation. The apparatus further including an assembly for selectively operating the at least one exhaust valve during an engine braking operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Diesel Engine Retardersk, Inc.
    Inventors: James N. Usko, Bruce N. Swanbon
  • Publication number: 20020035978
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an improved assembly for operating at least one exhaust valve and at least one intake valve in a cylinder in an engine. The assembly includes a rocker shaft, an intake rocker arm pivotally mounted on the rocker shaft for operating at least one intake valve of the engine cylinder, an exhaust rocker arm pivotally mounted on the rocker shaft for operating at least one exhaust valve of the engine cylinder. The improved assembly includes a lash adjusting assembly for adjusting a lash between at least one of the intake rocker arm and the at least one intake valve, and the exhaust rocker arm and the at least one exhaust valve. The improvement further includes a fluid supply assembly for supplying fluid to the lash adjusting assembly to operate the lash adjusting assembly. The improved assembly further includes a control assembly for controlling the operation of the supply assembly in response to predetermined engine operating conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Publication date: March 28, 2002
    Inventor: James N. Usko
  • Patent number: 6354254
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus for operating at least one intake valve and at least one exhaust valve in an engine cylinder. The apparatus includes an exhaust valve operating assembly for operating the at least one exhaust valve of the engine cylinder, wherein the exhaust valve operating assembly is capable of producing an exhaust gas recirculation event. The apparatus also includes an intake valve operating assembly for operating the at least one intake valve of the engine cylinder. The apparatus further includes an exhaust modifying assembly for modifying the operation of the exhaust valve operating assembly during a predetermined engine operating condition and an intake modifying assembly for modifying the operation of the intake valve operating assembly during a predetermined engine operating condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Diesel Engine Retarders, Inc.
    Inventor: James N. Usko
  • Patent number: 5460131
    Abstract: In a compression release engine brake, each slave piston has an associated mechanism for both automatically adjusting the "lash" of the slave piston and for resetting the slave piston as soon as the slave piston has produced a compression release event and without needing to wait for the return stroke of the associated master piston. The mechanism preferably includes two nesting cups between an adjusting member and the slave piston. The inner cup is principally responsible for the lash adjusting function, while the outer cup is principally responsible for the slave piston resetting function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignee: Diesel Engine Retarders, Inc.
    Inventor: James N. Usko