Patents by Inventor William Edward Frank

William Edward Frank 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).

  • Axial piston device having rotary displacement control
    Patent number: 8074558
    Abstract: An axial piston device for use with a hydraulic system is disclosed. The axial piston device may have a body defining at least one bore and having a central axis, a pump piston disposed within the at least one bore to at least partially define a pumping chamber, and a tiltable plate biased into engagement with the pump piston. The axial piston device may also have an actuator configured to selective tilt the plate relative to the central axis of the body to thereby vary a displacement of the pump piston within the at least one bore. The actuator may have a control piston operatively connected to move the tiltable plate, a rotary motor, and a valve driven by the rotary motor to control fluid communication between the control piston and a source of pressurized fluid to move the control piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Knussman, William Edward Frank, Cory Lynn Fisher
  • Axial piston device having rotary displacement control
    Publication number: 20090272256
    Abstract: An axial piston device for use with a hydraulic system is disclosed. The axial piston device may have a body defining at least one bore and having a central axis, a pump piston disposed within the at least one bore to at least partially define a pumping chamber, and a tiltable plate biased into engagement with the pump piston. The axial piston device may also have an actuator configured to selective tilt the plate relative to the central axis of the body to thereby vary a displacement of the pump piston within the at least one bore. The actuator may have a control piston operatively connected to move the tiltable plate, a rotary motor, and a valve driven by the rotary motor to control fluid communication between the control piston and a source of pressurized fluid to move the control piston.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Inventors: Michael L. Knussman, William Edward Frank, Cory Lynn Fisher