Patents by Inventor Victor E. Swanson

Victor E. Swanson 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: 5490762
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fluid circulating pump utilizing a plug assembly sealingly disposed within a weep hole located in a secondary compartment of a cavity. The plug assembly is disposed within the weep hole and has a tube portion extending a predetermined length into the secondary compartment. A connector holds the plug assembly within the second compartment and sealingly engages the plug assembly with the weep hole. The length of the tube portion is sufficient to contain the leaked fluid within the secondary compartment until it can be evaporated, substantially eliminating fluid leakage into the atmosphere. However, excessive fluid build-up may occur within the secondary compartment when the pump is damaged. The present invention allows the excessive fluid to leak out to the atmosphere through a bore in the plug assembly to signal that pump repair is needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1996
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Joel D. Feucht, Stephen G. Shoup, Victor E. Swanson
  • Patent number: 5338153
    Abstract: The design and construction of past fluid circulating pumps, having a weep hole, allowed small amounts of leaked fluid to escape through the weep hole and into the atmosphere resulting in environmental concern and lower customer perception of the product. The present invention overcomes these problems by providing a fluid circulating pump utilizing a plug means sealingly disposed within a weep hole located in a secondary compartment of a cavity. The plug means is sealingly disposed within the weep hole and has a tube portion extending a predetermined length into the secondary compartment. The length of the tube portion is sufficient to contain the leaked fluid within the secondary compartment until it can be evaporated, substantially eliminating fluid leakage into the atmosphere. However, excessive fluid build-up may occur within the secondary compartment when the pump is damaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Victor E. Swanson, Joel D. Feucht, Stephen G. Shoup
  • Patent number: 5058453
    Abstract: A damper of vibrations of the viscous fluid type has a two-piece housing of which a plate is formed by a spinforming process. The formed plate has a plurality of internal walls of which at least a portion of the walls are usable as bearing surfaces after being spinformed and require no further machining thereof. The damper includes a plurality of individual bearings for radially and axially positioning a rotatable weight within the housing to form preselected spaces between the housing and the weight. An annular supply chamber and the preselected spaces have a viscous fluid disposed therein to provide a damping medium between the rotatable weight and the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1991
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence F. Graham, Victor E. Swanson
  • Patent number: 4293290
    Abstract: A positive displacement rotary pump is provided for use in circulating a viscous product at high pressures. The pump includes a housing having a product inlet and a product outlet communicating with an interior cavity. One wall of the cavity is defined by a removable cover. A pair of spaced substantially parallel shafts extends through a wall of the cavity opposite the cover wall. One end of each shaft is supported by the cover. A pair of meshing rotors is locked on the shafts and disposed uniformly within the cavity. The endface of each rotor adjacent the removable cover has a substantial countersunk portion. Bearing means, substantially isolated from the product, is disposed within each rotor endface countersunk portion and supportingly engages a segment of the rotor shaft one end. At least a portion of each bearing means is located between planes defined by the surfaces of the cover and the wall opposite thereto which coacts to form the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1979
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1981
    Assignee: Crepaco, Inc.
    Inventor: Victor E. Swanson