Lost Motion Patents (Class 92/DIG4)
  • Patent number: 6007310
    Abstract: A volumetric pump for administering intravenous fluids to a patient includes a first housing having an elongate cavity therein with an open and a closed end. A resilient sheet of material having a centrally-located aperture covers the open end, and a pump shaft is slidably disposed through the aperture to form a sphincter seal therebetween. An inlet conduit leading from a fluid source (an IV bag) passes through the housing into the cavity near the open end thereof, and an outlet conduit leading to a fluid sink (the patient) passes through the housing from the cavity near the closed end thereof. A drive shaft is attached to the pump shaft to drive it back and forth in reciprocating motion inwardly and outwardly of the cavity to produce, respectively, a positive pressure forcing fluid out of the outlet conduit to the fluid sink, and a negative pressure forcing fluid from the fluid source through the inlet conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Sarcos, LC
    Inventors: Stephen C. Jacobsen, Clark C. Davis
  • Patent number: 5165322
    Abstract: An assembly for moving objects by mechanical linkages has a power cylinder ith a shoulder at the juncture of a small bore and a large bore and with ports adjacent each end and one adjacent the shoulder. A shaft extends through the cylinder with a larger diameter portion in the smaller bore with a piston thereon sealing against the surface of the smaller bore. A second piston slidably seals on the small diameter of the shaft and against the larger bore, being biased towards the shoulder by a spring. A lost motion device on the end of the shaft projects outwardly of the smaller bore end of the power cylinder and has a housing with a chamber in which the end of the shaft is slidable against a spring which biases it outwardly of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1992
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Paul E. Moody
  • Patent number: 5088385
    Abstract: An actuator having a plurality of concentric cylinders with the inner and outer cylinders being adapted to connect to apparatus which must move relative to one another. Flexible sealing rings are positioned between adjacent cylinders and when the pressure within the cylinders is increased, the flexibility sealing rings will be forced against the action of a spring. When the pressure is relieved, the flexible sealing rings will return to their original position. In another mode of operation, if the pressure is further increased, instead of being relieved, normal operation of the actuator will take place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1992
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Bobby D. McKee
  • Patent number: 5081910
    Abstract: A power cylinder assembly including means to positively lock the piston rod of the assembly in the forward extended position of the cylinder assembly. The locking means includes a pair of cam plates that are moved radially outwardly into locking engagement with lock slots defined by inserts positioned in the wall of the cylinder with the radially outward movement of the locking plates being generated by a lost motion connection between the piston and the piston rod in the form of a pin and slot connection. The pin is carried by the piston rod and coacts with cam slots in the cam plates to move the cam plates radially outwardly at the end of the forward stroking movement of the piston assembly so that the final forward movement of the piston generates the radially outward movement of the lock plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1992
    Inventor: Frank D'Ascenzo, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5042363
    Abstract: The invention aims at bringing about a device for remote controlling of, for example, directional valves, which likewise allows a manual direct controlling, using a hand lever, for example. The control device includes a hydraulic cylinder (37) with ports (31,32) for feeding and evacuating, respectively, of hydraulic fluid, a piston (14) arranged in the cylinder (37), as well as a piston rod (13), for accomplishing the controlling function. The piston rod (13) is arranged to be slideably supported in the piston (14), allowing a limited movement of the piston rod (13) relative to the piston (14) independent of the pressure and load conditions in the cylinder (37), the movement possibility of the piston rod (13) being limited in at least one direction by a stop (17) arranged on the piston rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1991
    Assignee: Atlas Copco Aktiebolag AB
    Inventors: Lars P. Eriksson, Bengt-Goran Persson
  • Patent number: 5036751
    Abstract: A process for the precise adjustment of the lost travel of a piston in a master cylinder. Master cylinders typically include a number of components in spatial series arrangement, with all components having individual tolerances. The individual tolerances regarding the lost travel of the piston or pistons, can combine additively in the master cylinder. The resulting lost travel, hence, is relatively large and varies with individual master cylinders. The process provides that the lost travel of the piston or pistons in the master cylinder can be precisely adjusted and, hence, can be kept very low. The position of the piston or pistons is measured in the condition in which they just seal the associated equilibrium ports. Subsequently, the position of the pistons is calculated in consideration of the desired lost travels and, by adjustment of the force planes acting on the desired point, the resting position of the piston and pistons, respectively, is fixed to the desired distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1991
    Assignee: Alfred Teves GmbH
    Inventors: Hermann Seip, Peter Boehm, Kurt Saalbach, Klaus Bergelin
  • Patent number: 5036752
    Abstract: Hydraulic actuator comprises a piston-cylinder which has a fail-safe feature in the form of a lost motion coupling between the cylinder head and portions of the cylinder. The coupling comprises a constraining rod which is secured to the cylinder at the opposite end thereof from the cylinder head. The constraining rod extends into a bore in the piston rod and has a shoulder which is opposed to a shoulder on the piston. The amplitude of the lost motion is such that the coupling does not interfere with normal operation of the actuator but is effective in the event of failure of the cylinder or cylinder head. The lost motion coupling would prevent movement of any parts broken away by the fracture any significant distance from the remaining parts of the cylinder. An energy absorbing means is provided in the lost motion coupling. A second lost motion coupling is provided between the end of the cylinder and the external surface of the cylinder head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1991
    Assignee: AMP Incorporated
    Inventors: George E. Hoover, Douglas J. Leiby
  • Patent number: 5016521
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a self-adjusting servo mechanism (10). That is, the servo pin (30) presented from the servo mechanism (10) will protract sufficiently to effect operative engagement of a friction band assembly (13) with a rotating member (18) in a planetary gear set--even though the required axial displacement of the servo pin (30) during such protraction may exceed the axial displacement available to the actuating piston (33). The servo mechanism (10) is incorporated in a housing (20). The housing (20) presents a socket cavity (24) within which an actuating piston (33) is received for axial displacement through a predetermined distance. The servo pin (30) is supported by the housing (20) for axial reciprocation, and a coupling means (35) is interposed between the servo pin (30) and the actuating piston (33) operatively to protract the servo pin (30) in response to displacement of the actuating piston (33).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1991
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Raymond J. Haka
  • Patent number: 4957193
    Abstract: An actuating cylinder having a fluid pressure operated piston member connected by a friction member to a push rod to which a brake shoe, or the like, may be attached as the output member. A force transfer lever is arranged between the piston and push rod to transmit the piston force to the output member with mechanical advantage only after the friction connection is overcome by resistance at the push rod, such as occurs by engagement of the brake shoe with the wheel of a railway vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1990
    Assignee: Nippon Air Brake Company
    Inventor: Hideo Tamamori
  • Patent number: 4892427
    Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing metered amounts of a viscous material includes a rigid tube which defines a compartment for the material, a discharge passage at one end of the tube, a push button activated and reciprocatingly movable rod which moves back and forth between two positions in the tube, and a sealing plunger which moves step-wise on the rod, from the push button end to the discharge end. Each activation of the push button expels a metered amount of the viscous material. The plunger is formed of a short inner tube section which makes sealing contact with the rod, an outer tube section which is in sealing contact with the interior surface of the tube and a radially extending, ring-shaped, rib which connects the two sealing tubes to one another. In a preferred embodiment, the radial cross-section of the plunger exhibits and H-shape. A metallic gripper is secured to the plunger and has a free end which is inclined toward the rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Assignee: Plough, Inc.
    Inventor: John Ford
  • Patent number: 4809508
    Abstract: Hydraulic booster device intended to be arranged in parallel with a primary actuation circuit between an actuator mechanism and a receiver, the device comprising an electromagnetic valve mechanism (10) arranged between an actuator (12) and a pressure-fluid source (16), the actuator (12) comprising a piston means (56, 66, 92) displaceable under the effect of the pressure-fluid and intended to actuate the receiver independently in response to an electrical control signal supplied to the valve mechanism (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1989
    Assignee: Bendix France
    Inventor: Gilbert Kervagoret
  • Patent number: 4488703
    Abstract: There is disclosed a blowout preventer having rams which are moved between opened and closed positions by means of operating systems having axially reciprocable rods releasably connected to the rams for relative axial movement with respect thereto. The connections between the rams and rods fixedly support the rams against tilting, during repair or replacement, regardless of the relative axial position of the rods and rams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1984
    Assignee: Marvin R. Jones
    Inventor: Marvin R. Jones
  • Patent number: 4481868
    Abstract: An improved double-acting fluid cylinder with primary and secondary chambers of tandem construction, wherein the primary chamber is utilized to provide ram motion in a first direction and wherein the tandemly arranged secondary chamber is provided with a resiliently biased secondary piston to buffer and control the rate of motion induced in the ram, and also to drive the ram in a direction opposite the first direction so as to control the ultimate amplitude or extent of motion induced in the ram in response to forces applied within the primary chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1983
    Date of Patent: November 13, 1984
    Assignee: Timesavers, Inc.
    Inventor: Lee E. Stump