Patents by Inventor Jesse V. Mills

Jesse V. Mills 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: 5259346
    Abstract: A rocker arm of the cam-follower type simultaneously operates two valves of a cylinder of an internal combustion engine. The rocker arm includes an intermediate portion and two end portions. The intermediate portion has upwardly extending side walls and end walls forming a large generally rectangular opening at the top edges thereof. The side walls have aligned holes carrying an axle on which is rotatably mounted a roller which contacts an overhead cam. One end portion of the rocker arm has a downwardly-facing recess to engage an upper end of a lifter post. The other end portion of the rocker arm has a long, narrow web with downwardly-facing pads near the ends thereof and in predetermined, spaced relationship. The pads engage upper ends of two valve stems for simultaneously operating valves to which the stems are connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1993
    Assignee: Henley Manufacturing Holding Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Jesse V. Mills
  • Patent number: 5063889
    Abstract: A cold-formed rocker arm with unique lubrication provisions is disclosed. The rocker arm includes a one-piece metal body of generally inverted U-shaped cross section having a top wall and two side walls. One end of the body has a recess to engage an end of a push rod and the other end has a large, upwardly-facing recess to retain oil so as to provide lubrication substantially immediately when the engine is started. The bottom surface of the reservoir forms a pad to engage an end of a valve stem. A mounting bolt of the rocker arm has a splash ring on the head thereof to disperse oil when intercepting a stream thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1991
    Assignee: Henley Manufacturing Holding Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Stanley J. Pryba, Jesse V. Mills, Sherkoh A. Abbas
  • Patent number: 5048475
    Abstract: A rocker arm has a one-piece metal body made by cold-forming operations, including staming, extruding, coining, and back-packing. The rocker arm includes an intermediate portion and two end portions. The intermediate portion has substantially parallel side walls with a large, generally rectangular opening at the top and with two end top walls extending sharply downwardly therefrom. The parallel side walls are deep and both the side walls and top walls are thinner at upper portions than at lower portions. A first end portion of the body has a wide top wall with arcuate side walls. A method of making the rocker arm includes forming a metal blank with a U-shaped cross section having a convex central portion. A slot is formed in the central portion and that portion is then pushed out or extruded to form the large, generally rectangular opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Assignee: Henley Manufacturing Holding Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Jesse V. Mills
  • Patent number: 5016582
    Abstract: A one-piece, cold-formed rocker arm of the cam-follower type includes a one-piece metal body which is cold-formed from a metal blank and is of U-shaped cross section at first and second end portions. The first end of said body has a bottom wall and two upwardly-extending side walls with a rounded recess in the bottom wall having a concave side facing downwardly for receiving an end of a lifter post on which the rocker arm can pivot. The second end of the body has a groove formed by a bottom wall with two downwardly-extending side walls and two doubled-back, upwardly-extending side walls which are structurally integral at lower edges with lower edges of the downwardly-extending side walls. The groove of the second end portion faces downwardly to receive an upper end of a valve stem. An intermediate portion of the body has two substantially parallel side walls which are structurally integral with the upwardly-extending side walls of the first and second end portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1991
    Assignee: Henley Manufacturing Holding Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Jesse V. Mills
  • Patent number: 4979475
    Abstract: A cold-formed rocker arm of the cam-follower type is specifically designed for variable-lift engines. The rocker arm comprises a one-piece metal body preferably of generally inverted U-shaped cross section throughout most of its length. The body has a top wall and two side walls extending downwardly therefrom and carrying an axle on which a cam-contacting roller is rotatably mounted and exposed through a central opening in the top wall above the roller to be engaged by a tapered cam of a cam shaft. The rocker arm has a substantially semi-spherical recess at one end to receive an end of a lifter post on which the rocker arm can pivot. The other end of the body has an open-ended channel extending longitudinally of the body to receive a rounded upper end of a valve stem. A lubrication port in the top wall of the rocker arm communicates with an inner end and with a clearance in a central portion of the channel. The clearance provides a lubrication path for the flow of oil along the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1990
    Assignee: Henley Manufacturing Holding Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Jesse V. Mills
  • Patent number: 4944257
    Abstract: A cold-formed, specifically stamped, rocker arm is disclosed. The rocker arm has a one-piece metal body of generally inverted U-shaped cross section throughout most of its length. The body has a top wall and two generally parallel side walls which extend downwardly therefrom and are structurally integral therewith. The side walls have annular extruded flanges extnding outwardly therefrom and forming aligned bores to receive bearings. The rocker arm body has a recess at one end to engage an end of a push rod and a surface at the other end to engage an end of a valve stem. The top wall of the rocker arm body has a splash plate extending upwardly therefrom and the wall also has a port communicating with the recess to direct oil at the splash plate which is then dispersed and more widely distributed by the plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1990
    Assignee: Henley Manufacturing Holding Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Jesse V. Mills
  • Patent number: 4940048
    Abstract: A one-piece, cold-formed rocker arm is disclosed. The rocker arm is of the boat type and includes a one-piece metal body which is cold-formed from a metal blank and is of U-shaped cross-sectional configuration throughout most of its length. The body has a bottom wall with structurally-integral side walls extending upwardly therefrom in generally parallel relationship. An intermediate, concave portion of the bottom wall has an opening therethrough which receives a fulcrum of a pivot post. One end portion of the rocker arm body has a recess to receive an end of a push rod which imparts pivotal motion to the rocker arm about the fulcrum. The other end of the rocker arm body has a pad for engaging an end of a valve stem to impart motion to the valve stem when the rocker arm is pivoted about the fulcrum. Outwardly-extending stiffening flanges are formed at upper edge portions of intermediate portions of the side walls, which provides strength and stiffness to the side walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 10, 1990
    Assignee: Henley Manufacturing Holding Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Jesse V. Mills
  • Patent number: 4913104
    Abstract: A rocker arm of the cam-follower type capable of simultaneously operating two valves of a cylinder of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. In a preferred form, the rocker arm has a one-piece, cold-formed body which is of inverted U-shaped cross section throughout much of its length. The rocker arm body is of generally Y-shaped configuration as viewed from above. The extremities of the arms of the Y-shaped body are shaped to engage ends of valve stems and the extremity of the leg of the Y-shaped body has an axle on which a cam-contacting roller is rotatably mounted. An intermediate portion of the rocker arm has an upwardly-facing recess to receive an end of a pivot post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1990
    Assignee: Henley Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventor: Jesse V. Mills
  • Patent number: 4848180
    Abstract: A low-friction, boat-type, cold-formed rocker arm is provided. The rocker arm is of generally U-shaped configuration in transverse cross section throughout most of its length. An intermediate portion of the rocker arm has a concave interior surface extending there-across with a central opening through which a shank of a pedestal extends. One end portion of the rocker arm has a concave recess facing downwardly to receive the upper end of a push rod. The other end portion of the rocker arm has a rectangular opening in the bottom thereof. An axle extends between side walls of the rocker arm above the rectangular opening and a roller is rotatably mounted on the axle and has a circumferential portion exposed at the rectangular opening. The roller engages an end of a valve stem with rolling, rather than sliding, contact, resulting in lower friction during operation of the rocker arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1989
    Assignee: Henley Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventor: Jesse V. Mills
  • Patent number: 4825717
    Abstract: A one-piece, cold-formed rocker arm of the cam-follower type is provided. The rocker arm includes a one-piece metal body cold formed from a metal blank and being of inverted U-shaped cross section throughout most of its length. The body has a top wall with depending, structurally-integral side walls. An intermediate, convex portion of the top wall has an opening extending therethrough with an axle extending between the side walls below the opening. A cam-contacting roller is rotatably mounted on the axle and has a circumferential surface exposed at the opening to engage a cam. The rocker arm body has a recess at one end portion to receive a lifter post and an additional recess at another end portion to receive an end of a valve stem. The one end portion of the body is wider than the remainder of the body. Ribs are formed at the lower edges of the body and extend along the intermediate portion of the body between the two end portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1989
    Assignee: Henley Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventor: Jesse V. Mills
  • Patent number: 4796483
    Abstract: A one-piece, cold-formed rocker arm of the cam follower type is provided. The rocker arm includes a one-piece metal body cold formed from a metal blank and being of U-shaped cross section substantially throughout its length. The body has a bottom wall with upstanding, structurally-integral side walls. An intermediate, convex portion of the bottom wall has a rectangular opening therein extending therethrough. A cam-contacting roller is rotatably mounted on an axle carried by the side walls above the rectangular opening. The roller has a circumferential surface positioned to engage a cam above the rocker arm. The rocker arm body has a downwardly-extending pin with a rounded end to receive a lifter post on which the rocker arm can pivot. The pin is affixed to the bottom wall at one end portion of the rocker arm body. The bottom wall has a shorter convex surface at another end portion with an elongate opening therein to receive an end of a valve stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1989
    Assignee: The Henley Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramanlal L. Patel, Jesse V. Mills