Counterbalanced Patents (Class 74/603)
  • Patent number: 5713092
    Abstract: A horizontal top brush for a vehicle laundering or finishing plant wherein a brush rotated by an hydraulic motor is mounted between the free ends of pivot arms carried by spaced vertical stanchions flanking a vehicle treatment location. Counterweight arms on the left and right sides of the wash lane have an axis of rotation which is spaced from the axis of rotation of the brush pivot arms. The counterweight arms are mechanically interconnected with the brush arms by sector gears, an arrangement which permits all of the brush and counterweight arms to lie on one side of the vertical support stanchions. The brush arms are slotted to permit the counterweight arms to pass through them. Brush position relative to the vehicle is varied as a function of brush motor reaction which in turn is a function of brush contact pressure or depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: Belanger, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Belanger, Robert J. Wentworth, Barry S. Turner
  • Patent number: 5678406
    Abstract: In an energy generating system, which is preferably suitable for satellites and space stations, a total of four Stirling engines are combined together into a cross-shaped unit, in the center of which is arranged a cross-gear drive that is acted upon by the pistons of the Stirling engines. Therein, two planet gears revolve around in internally toothed annular gears. The common shaft of the annular gears is connected with the piston rods of the Stirling engines by an inner crankshaft, which simultaneously carries the planet gears, and by an outer crankshaft articulately connected with the inner crankshaft. Both crankshafts comprise counterweights as balancing masses, whereby a complete mass balancing of the cross-gear drive and therewith a vibration-free operation of the entire arrangement is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: Daimler-Benz Aerospace AG
    Inventor: Dietrich Ehrig
  • Patent number: 5664464
    Abstract: To boost RPM and to minimize the back and forth transfer of kinetic energy between a crank and a connector/reciprocating member in mechanisms having a stroke that is four times the crankpin offset, a connector which attaches the reciprocating member to the crank is weighted with counterweights to produce an effective connector center of mass at a location on the connector that, while rotating around the crankpin defines a motion perpendicular to the oscillation of the reciprocating member such that the resulting translational inertia of the connector is equal to but perpendicular and ninety degrees out of phase with the translational inertia of the reciprocating member so that their combined kinetic energy is constant, thus resulting in a zero transfer in energy between the crank and the connector/reciprocating member through each revolution unless external force is applied to the crank or to the reciprocating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Inventor: Douglas Timothy Carson
  • Patent number: 5572939
    Abstract: A drive assembly for reciprocating connecting links includes a single, main drive shaft and alternating, counterrotating and direct individual drive assemblies. The drive assembly is particularly adapted for use in devices such as carpet tufting machines which require high speed reciprocation of connecting links and push rods. The drive assembly is designed to counterbalance undesirable multidirectional reciprocating forces generated by the drive assembly itself and other machine elements. The drive assembly, therefore, operates at high speeds while reducing overall machine vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1996
    Assignee: Card-Monroe Corp.
    Inventor: Paul E. Beatty
  • Patent number: 5560267
    Abstract: A camshaft vibration damper comprises an inertia ring having a friction clutch surface disposed in driving contact with a complementary clutch surface and a spring for biasing the clutch surfaces toward one another. The complementary clutch surface may be disposed on a drive member, for example, a camshaft sprocket or similar structure rotating with the camshaft. The spring is a compression spring, preferably a Belleville spring washer, which biases the two friction clutch surfaces together. The inertia of the inertia ring opposes the instantaneous variations in rotational speed (d.theta./dt) of the camshaft causing relative rotation between the inertia ring and the drive member thereby reducing vibration without resisting camshaft rotation. Relative motion at the clutch face between the inertia ring and the drive member results in energy absorption and dissipation thereby minimizing unwanted vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Assignee: Borg-Warner Automotive, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin B. Todd, Francis B. Robbins, Alan L. Miller
  • Patent number: 5535643
    Abstract: A Lanchester type engine balancer avoids rattle of gears connecting counterrotating balance shafts by minimizing inertia through limiting diameters of the counterweight envelopes, timing gears and bearing journals of the balance shafts and by driving an accessory, such as an oil pump from the driven balance shaft. Gear lash is controlled by using a cast iron housing with select fitting of steel gears. Also maximum gear pitch diameter runout is oriented in assembly opposite the counterweights of the respective balance shafts to minimize a change in lash caused by shaft runout due to the eccentric load of the counterweights during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Michael A. Garza
  • Patent number: 5528947
    Abstract: A rod pumping unit used in the oil field, which has high efficiency and saves power, characterized in that: for the connection of the 2.omega. crank and the main crank in the 2.omega. crank balance device there is provided a differential phase adjusting mechanism, for the walking beam balance there is provided beam balance mass lowering device having positioning mechanism or self positioning mechansim, these devices can be adjusted manually in non-stopped status or by computer. The advantages of the pumping unit of the present invention are that the torque fluctuation of the speed reducer is small, the negative work of the power machine is eliminated and the power consumption and the total weight of the machine are decreased greatly. The present invention may save power and material to 50% as compared with the conventional beam pumping unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1996
    Inventors: Pucheng Wang, Jia Wang, Qi Wang
  • Patent number: 5483932
    Abstract: A balance shaft for an automobile engine is disclosed. The balance shaft has a hollow tubular body and a pair of end plug members permanently secured thereto, as by welding. Notches or bob weights either in line or 180.degree. out of phase are provided in the two end plug members. The balance shaft is rotated at twice the crankshaft speed in order to balance second order forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1996
    Assignee: Simpson Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald S. Friedman, William C. Sisco
  • Patent number: 5481942
    Abstract: A crankshaft of a V-type 6-cylinder internal combustion engine including first to sixth crank pins connected with connecting rods, having first to fourth crank journals between the first to sixth crank pins, and first to ninth crank arms between first to sixth crank pins and the first to fourth crank journals, the combination including a first balance weight provided to the first crank arm, a center of gravity of the first balance weight being mal-distributed to a lower part with respect to a center axis of the crankshaft, a second balance weight provided to the second crank arm, a center of gravity of the second balance weight being mal-distributed to a lower part, and deviated from the first balance weight in a counterclockwise direction, third and fourth balance weights provided respectively to the fourth crank arm and sixth crank arm, the centers of gravity of the third and fourth balance weights being mal-distributed to be orthogonal to the center of gravity of the first balance weight in a clockwise dir
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Sungyoon Baek
  • Patent number: 5467706
    Abstract: There is disclosed a mechanical pressing machine utilizing a rotation cam, in which an unbalanced inertia force, produced during a reciprocal movement of a slider, is canceled in a slider system without producing a large flexure in the whole of the pressing machine, thereby enhancing a dynamic precision. The slider and a balance weight are mounted respectively on an upper portion and a lower portion of a frame for vertical sliding movement. The slider and the balance weight are connected through links to a pair of sliding blocks which are reciprocally movable in opposite horizontal directions through a rib cam. With this arrangement, the slider and the balance weight are reciprocally moved vertically in opposite directions, respectively, so that an inertia force of the slider is canceled in the slider system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1995
    Assignee: Sankyo Seisakusho Co.
    Inventor: Heizaburo Kato
  • Patent number: 5461940
    Abstract: A balancing arrangement for a reciprocating machine such as an internal combustion engine employed in the powerhead of an outboard motor. The balancing arrangement includes a balancing shaft rotatably journalled at the interface between the cylinder block and crankcase and which is offset to one side of the crankshaft from which it is driven. The balancer shaft has balancing masses which pass between the cheeks of the throws of the crankshaft during rotation so as to provide a compact assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: Sanshin Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshimasa Morita
  • Patent number: 5457883
    Abstract: A flywheel capable of accommodating various automotive engines and transmission systems having different points of balance. The flywheel has a hub portion for securing to a crank shaft output arbor and a web portion integral with said hub portion on the periphery of said web portion and a weight is secured to the flywheel in such a way that the effective weight and effective position thereof is adjustable to a plurality of discrete positions, each of which is precisely correlated to each of the different points of balance of said various automotive engines having different points of balance, respectively. In a preferred embodiment, the weight is angularly and radially adjustable and is guided to each discrete position by at least one slot formed in the web, and a bolt passing through said weight and the slot. The bolts passing through the slots have safety attaching indentations therein for non-slip positive attachment of the weight in the different positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1995
    Inventor: Roger Swenson, Sr.
  • Patent number: 5435059
    Abstract: A balancing process for crankshafts that are assembled from a plurality of precisely machined, forged parts, in which the balancing process connects both revolving and reciprocating imbalances, allowing for optimum balancing conditions, which exceed the normal 50% balancing limit for weights that involve reciprocating unbalance. In this process, a substitute weight is positioned between two counterweight discs, that are part of corresponding sub assemblies of a temporary assembled crankshaft, with the substitute weight occupying the space normally occupied by the big end pin. The temporary assembled crankshaft, is placed on a dynamic balancing machine, and any imbalance is corrected. The connecting rod, prior to being assembled in the crankshaft, is balanced by placing the connecting rod on a weighing scale, that has been calibrated to zero position, using a master connecting rod of a known center of gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Inventor: Mohinder P. Chawla
  • Patent number: 5375571
    Abstract: A V-type engine is provided with a camshaft driven balance shaft assembly that is compactly located in the valley between the banks of cylinders and consists of a pair of coaxially mounted first and second order balance shafts, one within the other, each of which has diametrically opposed counterweights on opposite sides of the center of the shaft that effect rotating moments to cancel residual first order and second order inertial unbalance moments that occur during normal engine operation that have not previously been cancelled by conventional counterweights mounted on the engine crankshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1994
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Roy E. Diehl, Alvin H. Berger
  • Patent number: 5335532
    Abstract: Both a method and an apparatus for the reduction of the load magnitudes present during the operation of a can body maker apparatus are provided through the use of a counterbalance mass structure system. A counterbalance structure is operatively associated with the crankshaft which motivates the can body maker ram assembly so that as the ram assembly is reciprocated along a straight line path during the formation of can bodies, the counterbalance structure is reciprocated to compensate for both the straight line (X axis) motion of the ram assembly as well as motion perpendicular thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1994
    Assignee: Aluminum Company of America
    Inventors: Peter M. Mueller, Robert J. Schreiner
  • Patent number: 5305656
    Abstract: A balancing apparatus for suppressing engine vibrations is disclosed. The balancer apparatus includes a helical drive gear that is rotatable together with the crank shaft. A first driven helical gear for is driven by the drive gear and a second driven helical gear is driven by the first driven gear. Support shafts are provided to carry each of the driven gears and a weight associated therewith. A case is provided about the driven gears and carries the support shafts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1994
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tamotsu Kamiya, Makoto Ishikawa, Masaaki Konishi, Keisuke Suga
  • Patent number: 5295411
    Abstract: A system for absorbing torsional vibration in a shaft which is drivingly rotated about an axis and wherein the shaft is exposed to torsional disturbances which tend to cyclically increase and decrease the rotational speed of the shaft utilizes a body attachable to the shaft for rotating therewith as the shaft rotates about its axis of rotation and cylindrical rolling elements positioned within cavities disposed in the body. During operation of the system, the torsional disturbances induce pendulum-like motion of the cylindrical elements within the cavities in a manner which absorbs torsional vibration of the shaft. The cylindrical elements, the cavities and the torsional disturbances are related to one another in accordance with an equation which optimizes performance of the system and circumvents time-consuming trial and error techniques during design of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1994
    Inventor: Frank H. Speckhart
  • Patent number: 5293684
    Abstract: A crankshaft having a high stress portion including a crankpin and an eccentric. The high stress portion is formed of a forged steel material having a first axial end. A reduced stress portion is formed from an unforged steel material and generally comprises a tubular cylindrical portion having a second axial end. The first axial end is secured to the second axial end by friction welding. A separate counterweight is attached to either the high stress portion or the reduced stress portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1994
    Assignee: Tecumseh Products Company
    Inventor: Emanuel D. Fry
  • Patent number: 5282397
    Abstract: The engine balancing system preferably has two pivoting counterbalance weights connected to eccentric journals on the crankshaft via their respective link arms. The use of the two pivoting weights and the particular geometrical relationships between the balancing system components enable the balancing system to substantially mimic and oppose the non-sinusoidal piston forces. Several methods of balancing the non-sinusoidal piston forces are disclosed. In a first method, the centers of gravity of the respective counterbalance weights are moved at non-sinusoidal angular accelerations. These angular accelerations are greater when the piston is near its Top Dead Center position than when the piston is near its Bottom Dead Center position to yield higher balancing forces when the piston is near Top Dead Center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 1, 1994
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph R. Harkness, Patrick J. Bruener, William R. Frank
  • Patent number: 5237892
    Abstract: A crankshaft having a high stress portion including a crankpin and an eccentric. The high stress portion is formed of a forged steel material having a first axial end. A reduced stress portion is formed from an unforged steel material and generally comprises a tubular cylindrical portion having a second axial end. The first axial end is secured to the second axial end by friction welding. A separate counterweight is attached to either the high stress portion or the reduced stress portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1993
    Assignee: Tecumseh Products Company
    Inventor: Emanuel D. Fry
  • Patent number: 5230311
    Abstract: The invention relates to a mass compensator for an internal combustion piston engine with three banks of four cylinders and a crankshaft with four crank pins on each of which operates one connecting rod of each bank of cylinders, whereby to compensate the especially second-order mass forces and moments, compensating shafts bearing balance weights are fitted which are driven in opposite directions at twice the crankshaft speed and whose axis of rotation co-ordinates to the crankshaft axis substantially meet the conditions below:y.sub.2 =-2y.sub.1 and x.sub.2 ==2x.sub.1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1993
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Michael Kuhn, Xaver Stemmer, Manfred Schindler, Walter Vilsmeier
  • Patent number: 5218885
    Abstract: This invention is concerned with an improved system of dynamic balancing of the primary and secondary vibrations associated with combustion and inertial momentum effects, in particular, in single cylinder engines. By means of the primary and secondary balancing shafts, the invention achieves maximum balancing effects in small spaces, by combining the power transmission and dynamic balancing functions of the shafts; by mechanical arrangement of the primary and secondary balancing shafts in the vicinity of and parallel with the crank shaft; and by a judicious choice of the inter-shaft distances to permit placing the largest possible momentum balancing weights to the balancing sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1993
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Nakano, Hiroyuki Kawakubo, Toshio Shimada, Hiroshi Wakoh
  • Patent number: 5212996
    Abstract: The drive shaft drive mechanism of the invention converts straight-line motion into rotary motion, or rotary motion into straight-line motion. The mechanism is provided with a pivot-pin connected to one or more pistons, an internally-toothed ring gear, a planet gear in contact with the ring gear, and an eccentric disk driven by the planet gear, such that the pivot-pin connected to the pistons have a straight-line motion, and the conversion of the direction of the motion is achieved without the insertion of a crank shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1993
    Assignee: Laszlo Berinkey and Josef Szecsanszky
    Inventor: Dezso Mery
  • Patent number: 5207120
    Abstract: A tubular shaft has a portion of reduced inner diameter at a location where joining to an apertured member is desired. The aperture in the member is lobed with splines in the lobes and has an undercut groove, or groove and is hardened. The shaft is inserted in the aperture and the reduced inner diameter portion is expanded to force the shaft material into the lobes and groove and around the splines to form a connection which resists torque and axial separation. The tube expansion is effected by forcing a series of balls through the reduced diameter portion, each ball being slightly larger than the reduced diameter and larger than the previous ball but smaller than the remainder of the shaft I.D. A crankshaft is assembled with this method wherein counterweights have lobed apertures to receive end portions of crank pins and main journals having reduced I.D.'s.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Philip D. Arnold, Roy G. Kaywood
  • Patent number: 5195398
    Abstract: A crankshaft for a V-type engine including crankshaft counterweights which are angularly aligned with respect to the crank arms and sized to reduce the weight of the crankshaft and facilitate lubrication of the crankshaft main journals supported in the main bearings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1993
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Dale E. Murrish, Thomas M. Briolat
  • Patent number: 5189928
    Abstract: A process for stroke adjustment employs an adjustable stroke punch press which has a crankshaft with an integral eccentric portion around which is disposed an eccentric sleeve, a connection arm, an L-shaped piston-like sleeve, a locking plate, and a clamping plate. During press operation, the eccentric sleeve is locked to the crankshaft through the locking plate and the clamping plate. Stroke length is adjusted by changing the eccentricity of the integral crankshaft eccentric portion relative to the eccentric sleeve. The eccentric sleeve is unlocked from the crankshaft and locked to the connection arm during stroke adjustment allowing the crankshaft to rotate relative thereto by utilizing the inching mode of the press.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1993
    Assignee: The Minster Machine Company
    Inventors: Patrick H. Ontrop, Robert L. Schockman, Frederick C. Bergman
  • Patent number: 5182935
    Abstract: A double action mechanical press, especially for cupping operations in which an outer slide is provided within which an inner slide is reciprocally mounted on a common crankshaft. According to the present invention, a single dynamic balancer, out of phase from both the inner and outer slides, is provided on the crankshaft in order to counterbalance the inertial forces generated by the inner and outer slides during press operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1993
    Assignee: The Minster Machine Company
    Inventor: Robert L. Schockman
  • Patent number: 5174257
    Abstract: A balancer shaft arrangement for a two cycle, crankcase compression, internal combustion engine wherein the balancer shaft is driven from the crankshaft and is disposed below the crankcase and externally of it. The balancer shaft is driven from end of the crankshft and a flywheel is driven at the other end of the crankshaft. The balancer shaft axis is disposed at a lesser distance from the crankshaft axis than the radius of the flywheel so as to provide a compact assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1992
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshikazu Ozawa
  • Patent number: 5154097
    Abstract: A shaft unit, has a shaft having an axis, a gear wheel mounted mounted on the shaft, the gear wheel having a flange and a first bore formed in the flange the shaft having a second bore which is a continuation of the first bore, the first and second bores have the same axis extending perpendicularly to the shaft of the axis and also having the same diameter, and damping device having a spring sleeve composed of elastic material extending in the first and second bore and inserted in the first and second bores in a form-locking fashion between the shaft and the gear wheel, the spring sleeve acting as a force-transmitting and damping member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1992
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Otto Barthruff, Martin Mayer
  • Patent number: 5138922
    Abstract: The balancing weight for the balancing of the rotating forces is connected via link members to respective balancing weights for the balancing of the oscillating forces. The balancing weights for the balancing of the oscillating forces are each pivotable mounted to the machine frame at one end via projections. At the respective opposite ends they include further projections, via which those ends are pivotably connected to each other via a pivot member. This forms the guiding of the movement of the balancing weights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1992
    Assignee: Bruderer AG
    Inventor: Oskar Eigenmann
  • Patent number: 5136875
    Abstract: A double action mechanical press, especially for cupping operations in which an outer slide is provided within which an inner slide is reciprocally mounted on a common crankshaft. According to the present invention, a single dynamic balancer, out of phase from both the inner and outer slides, is provided on the crankshaft in order to counterbalance the inertial forces generated by the inner and outer slides during press operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1992
    Assignee: The Minster Machine Company
    Inventor: Robert L. Schockman
  • Patent number: 5131143
    Abstract: A method of centering and thus balancing workpieces to be machined only in part comprises a provision of centering bores in and faces of the workpiece and/or a circular machining of peripheral surfaces on which the workpiece is adapted to the gripped. Before the workpiece is machined it is repositioned so that the rotary unbalance of the workpiece is reduced in that the position and/or mass distribution of the workpiece relative to its axis of rotation is changed. The workpiece is subsequently provided with the centering bores and/or with the surfaces to be gripped, which define the balanced and centered position of the workpiece and the associated axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1992
    Assignee: GFM Gesellschaft fur Fertigungstechnik und Maschinenbau Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Peter Kirchberger
  • Patent number: 5110026
    Abstract: The crank assembly of the advancing apparatus is eccentrically supported in an intermediate shaft. This intermediate shaft is in turn supported in an oscillating slide. Accordingly, the oscillating movement of the slide is superimposed over such of the driving pivot of the crank assembly. The intermediate shaft includes a cam disk. Due to the cam disk the intermediate shaft oscillates in operation and causes in turn the oscillating movement of the slide, which oscillating movement proceeds oppositely to the oscillating movement of the driving pivot. The sum of these two movements in the zones of the end positions thereof is accordingly zero. Accordingly, the driving pivot is at rest over a prolonged time span. Due to this prolonged rest period between individual feeding steps, elastical deformations of working structures and of the workpiece being worked upon, can attenuate and fade out prior to the working proper, and at the same time the length of the advancing is not subjected to a change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1992
    Assignee: Bruderer AG
    Inventor: Helmut Messner
  • Patent number: 5095793
    Abstract: A vibrational dampening system in a cutter head having an elongate knife reciprocated to cut a ply or a stack of plies of sheet material comprises a drive pulley having an eccentrically mounted pin on which is journalled a linkage connecting the drive pulley to the knife, and two driven pulleys located on either side of the drive pulley synchronously interconnected with the drive pulley by a belt having spaced apart teeth formed on each side. The drive pulley and each of the two laterally disposed driven pulleys has a counterweight which rotates 180 degrees out of phase with the rotation of the eccentric pin in order to cancel the vertical forces generated by the reciprocating knife and its associated connecting linkage. The two laterally disposed driven pulleys rotate in an opposite direction relative to the rotational direction of the drive pulley in order to cancel any side-to-side forces generated when the counterweights move between vertically oriented positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1992
    Assignee: Gerber Garment Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald C. Button
  • Patent number: 5083535
    Abstract: A device for compensating secondary moments of inertia in five-cylinder in-line combustion engines is provided. With in-line combustion engines having an uneven number of cylinders secondary moments of inertia occur and must be eliminated. This problem is solved by providing compensating masses of the Lanchester type separate from one another and supported in respective bearing housings that are connected to the crank case. The individual compensating masses are driven via the third and the eight crank web of the crank shaft since these are free of compensating masses of the first order. The first and second compensating masses, viewed in the direction of the star-like crank throw arrangement, are displaced in the same direction by the same amount so that the secondary forces due to inertia do not generate an additional torque about the crank shaft. The device may be advantageously incorporated into existing combustion engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1992
    Assignee: MAN Nutzfahrzeuge Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Gerhard Deschler, Hans Gebhardt
  • Patent number: 5078105
    Abstract: An engine having a crank case splitted into upper and lower crank cases, and including a crank shaft and a transmission drive shaft disposed on the split plane between the upper crank case and the lower crank case and a transmission main shaft carried by either one of the upper or lower crank case. The length and the size of the engine can be reduced by the arrangement according to the invention, and a starter motor, a transmission drum and balancers can be arranged efficiently to save space required for mounting the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1992
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuo Ito, Yorio Futakuchi, Mamoru Atsuumi
  • Patent number: 5065644
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine has a crankshaft, a clutch, and a transmission including a main shaft rotatable by the crankshaft through the clutch and a countershaft rotatable by the main shaft through gears. A counterbalance mechanism includes at least a primary counterweight rotatable in synchronism with the crankshaft, and a hollow shaft rotatably supported concentrically on the main shaft, the primary counterweight being integrally mounted on the hollow shaft, the clutch being corotatably mounted on the hollow shaft and operatively coupled to the crankshaft at the same speed as and in the opposite direction to the crankshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1991
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshio Shimada
  • Patent number: 5063892
    Abstract: A system balancing an internal combustion engine, particularly a four-stroke engine with five cylinders in line, in which two of the counterweights for balancing the crankshaft have asymmetric geometry defined by an additional mass in each case. The respective centers of gravity of the two additional masses are situated in the plane containing the resultant moment of the rotary components of the first-order alternating forces and the centrifugal forces of the rotating masses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1991
    Assignee: Fiat Auto S.p.A.
    Inventor: Giovanni Maiorana
  • Patent number: 5062311
    Abstract: A housing, feet therefor, and casings, formed of common, readily available tubular stock, of uniform thickness, are assembled and welded together to define a frame for a crankshaft and crosshead assemblies. The tubular housing has openings in the sides thereof in which to receive the casings, and has apertures, also in sides thereof, in which to journal a crankshaft. The casings include transverse webs with arcuate ways formed therein for slidably supporting crosshead shoes thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1991
    Assignee: Dresser-Rand Company
    Inventor: Robert A. Bennitt
  • Patent number: 5052257
    Abstract: The balancing weights are hingedly mounted at their lower ends to link rods. These link rods are hingedly mounted to an extended section of first rods. At opposite ends the balancing weights are hingedly mounted to reversing levers that in turn are hingedly mounted to second rods. The first rods and the second rods are supported on a common eccentric sleeve. Accordingly, the drive of the balancing weights does not come from structural members of the machine which are directly mounted to the ram. Accordingly, no mass forces and oscillations of the balancing weights and of the structures driving same can be transmitted onto the ram. Conclusively, the moving sequence of the ram and accordingly the cutting or embossing action is no longer influenced detrimentally such that the quality of a respective product produced is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1991
    Assignee: Bruderer AG
    Inventor: Oskar Eigenmann
  • Patent number: 5038727
    Abstract: A balancing system for both horizontal and vertical shaft engines has a drive gear attached to the crankshaft, a driven gear disposed on and freely rotatable from the camshaft, and a counterbalance weight attached to the driven gear. The rotation of the crankshaft and the drive gear causes the driven gear and the counterbalance weight to rotate at crankshaft speed and in the opposite direction from the crankshaft. Substantial cost savings are achieved since the balancing system does not require any additional shafts and minimizes the number of gears needed to achieve balancing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1991
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton Corporation
    Inventors: Roger Burns, Donald T. Szopinski
  • Patent number: 5038731
    Abstract: A balancer system for suppressing vibrations in an internal combustion engine for a motorcycle has pair of balancer shafts, and a pair of first and second primary counterbalances supported on the balancer shafts, respectively, for rotation about axes parallel to the crankshaft of the engine in ganged relation to the crankshaft at the same speed as and in the opposite direction to the crankshaft. The balancer shafts extend parallel to the crankshaft and are positioned one on each side of the crankshaft. The first and second primary counterbalances are rotatable about respective centers which are connected by a line passing through a substantially central portion of the crankshaft, the first and second primary counterbalances being rotatably supported on the balancer shafts near ends thereof, with the centers being spaced from the central portion of the crankshaft by substantially equal distances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1991
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshio Shimada
  • Patent number: 5033945
    Abstract: On an eccentric shaft having at least one counterweight (20) which is mounted to the shaft as separate part, the seat of the counterweight on the shaft exhibits a cross-section bounded by two circular arcs. One circular arc (43) which is diametrically opposite to the eccentric (23) has its center on the eccentric axis (41) and the other circular arc (44) has its center on the axis of rotation (42) of the shaft (24). Use of the drive shaft in a displacement machine of the spiral type of construction, in which a displacement body is held on a disk-shaped rotor which can be eccentrically driven with respect to a housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1991
    Assignee: Asea Brown Boveri Ltd.
    Inventor: Roland Kolb
  • Patent number: 5004404
    Abstract: Rectangular pistons are driven in a circular orbit by two spaced eccentrics on a common crankshaft. The displacement chambers reciprocate with a lateral motion parallel with the crankshaft. The radial forces created by the fluid pressure in the displacement chambers are balanced by a connection to the crankshaft through rotatable and slidable antifriction bearings. During the reciprocating lateral motion of the chambers, port openings located in the outer ends of the chambers are connected alternately to matching intake and exhaust port openings in the adjacent surfaces of the casing to provide a reversible valveless control of the fluid to and from the chambers. The apparatus can be used either as a pump or motor without internal modifications. The pistons are secured together as one piece and follow identical orbital paths. Each pair of opposing displacement chambers are secured as one piece and radially connected to the crankshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1991
    Inventor: Michel Pierrat
  • Patent number: 5000141
    Abstract: A crankshaft assembly used in an internal combustion engine comprises: a crankshaft adjusted in dynamic balance in a manner such that it produces a predetermined inertia couple as it rotates; a pulley provided at one end of the crankshaft; a flywheel provided at the other end of the crankshaft; and balance adjust parts respectively formed in the pulley and flywheel for counterbalancing the inertia couple produced by the crankshaft, so that the crankshaft assembly is balanced statically and dynamically. It is possible to reduce the length of the engine by employing this crankshaft assembly without increasing the width and height of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1991
    Assignee: Isuzu Motors Limited
    Inventor: Tomohiro Sugano
  • Patent number: 5000140
    Abstract: Balancing devices or systems have been used to compensate for the periodic unbalanced forces generated by the reciprocating movement of the piston and connecting rod assemblies of an engine. These devices in the past have reduced serviceability, increased engine component complexity, increased cost and have reduced reliability. The subject device provides a simple, inexpensive, more serviceable and reliable balancing system. A plurality of individual bearing supports are removably attached to the engine, a pair of balancing shafts are rotatably positioned in the supports and a thrust pin is isolatingly mounted between the support and the shaft. A pair of o-rings are mounted about each end of the pin and is positioned in the support at least partially isolating the pin from the engine. The center of the pin has a plurality of seating surfaces thereon which have an oil film between the seating surfaces and a groove in the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1991
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Kent C. Bates, Nelson A. Jones
  • Patent number: 4979476
    Abstract: A reciprocating engine has a plurality of cylinders, each with a piston that travels between top dead center and bottom dead center. A pair of parallel counter-rotating cranks are joined by respective connecting rods to piston rod that passes through the plane defined by the axes of the cranks. This construction permits the rotary motion of the cranks to exceed 180.degree. during either the compression or the power stroke of the piston and to be correspondingly less than 180.degree. for the other. To avoid having bending or buckling forces applied to the connecting rods, the piston rod is sufficiently long that the couplings of the piston rod and the connecting rods remain disposed to the side of the plane of the cranks that is remote from the piston for all travel of the piston between top dead center and bottom dead center positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1990
    Inventor: John J. Islas
  • Patent number: 4966042
    Abstract: A large compressor has a four throw crankshaft, four connecting rods, four crossheads, and four horizontally opposed pistons. As usual, each piston is offset from its opposing piston and this causes the usual inertia force couples (primary couples and secondary couples). The crankshaft has counterweights thereon. A parallel oppositely rotating countershaft has balance weights thereon. These rotating weights balance the two primary inertia force couples. The crank sequence and the crosshead/piston locations are such that the two secondary inertia force couples counteract each other and no other secondary balancing device is needed. Further, the same counterweights also serve to balance the four crankpins and the large ends of the four connecting rods. Thus, the whole machine has near perfect balance with no unbalanced reciprocating primaries, reciprocating secondaries, primary couples, secondary couples, or rotating unbalance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 30, 1990
    Inventor: Arthur E. Brown
  • Patent number: 4955254
    Abstract: An eccentricity control device, suitable for use as a slide stroke control device in a press, has a rotary shaft including an eccentric member mounting portion, and an eccentric member mounted on the eccentric member mounting portion. The eccentric member has an outer peripheral surface which is at an eccentricity from the axis of the rotary shaft and sliding surfaces which are held in sliding engagement with both side surfaces of the eccentric member holding portion of the rotary shaft. A screw rod is screwed into the eccentric member mounting portion and extends through the eccentric member mounting portion in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the rotary shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1990
    Assignee: Sankyo Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Heizaburo Kato
  • Patent number: 4947743
    Abstract: Apparatus for compacting and advancing a mass of particulate or fibrous material to a discharge end of a conduit combines an auger with a reciprocating annular piston. The improvement of the invention is in driving the piston by way of a flywheel equipped crankshaft which also drives a dynamically counter balancing member to reduce vibrations transmitted to the frame of the apparatus. Special hydrostatic guide sleeves are used to guide the reciprocating piston at a high speed. Further improvements include gas and liquid vents and a cooling jacket, both associated with the conduit to increase efficiency of the compacting. A density sensor controlled conical choke member at the discharge end assists in maintaining uniform density of the highly compacted plug of the material. Also, it breaks up the exiting plug to improve subsequent processing of the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 14, 1990
    Assignee: Stake Technology Limited
    Inventors: Douglas B. Brown, Henri Malys