Patents by Inventor John P. Mackoway, Jr.

John P. Mackoway, Jr. 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: 5205538
    Abstract: Detent mechanisms are useful for retaining a stem of a control valve at predetermined operating positions. The ball type detents commonly used in control valves tend to slide thereby causing the operator to extend additional energy to overcome the sliding friction. The subject detent mechanism includes a roller rotatably disposed on a pin carried by a roller carrier. The roller has an annular arcuate surface in rolling contact with the peripheral surface of the stem. The arcuate surface increases the contact surface between the roller and the stem to thereby insure that the roller rolls on the stem and minimizes the lever effort necessary to move the stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1993
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: John P. Mackoway, Jr., Charles E. Holzinger
  • Patent number: 4936429
    Abstract: A vehicular control mechanism is known that incorporates a steering assembly swingable about an upstanding axis in either direction from a central NEUTRAL position. Even if the transmission is not powerably driving an associated cross drive mechanism the angular displacement of the steering assembly away from NEUTRAL could cause an input to the cross drive and an undesirable movement of the vehicle under some circumstances. To obviate this, an indexing device is provided that is responsive to the movement of an actuating lever pivotally mounted on a steering assembly between BRAKE-OFF and BRAKE-ON positions. The vehicle frame defines an indexing pocket, and an elongate locking element is reciprocally mounted on the steering assembly and interconnectable with the pocket when the steering assembly is angularly positioned in NEUTRAL.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1990
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: John P. Mackoway, Jr., Raymond T. Schenck