Patents Represented by Attorney John C. Evans
  • Patent number: 4880588
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing decorative features in situ in a base layer cast plastic material includes the steps of providing a mold tool having a surface thereon which is recessed in the form of a desired decorative feature and includes a sharp break line between the recess and the surrounding mold surface; depositing a covering of thermoplastic material in the recess surface and heating the tool to melt the thermoplastic material on the recess surface to form segments of plastic corresponding to the desired decorative feature; thereafter cooling the covering and stripping it from the mold by separating it at the sharp break line interface between the deposited material on the recessed surface and a thin film membrane formed on the remainder of the mold surface so as to retain segments of material deposited in the recesses of the mold tool; reheating the mold tool recess to partially remelt the retained segments and thereafter depositing a base layer of thermoplastic material across the surface of the mold an
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1989
    Assignee: Davidson Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Alfred F. Brault, John D. Gray
  • Patent number: 4878827
    Abstract: For automotive interior trim molding assemblies having a vinyl skin shell, a reinforcement insert, and an intermediate reaction type polyurethane foam composition, a vinyl skin shell which has a gasket-type peripheral edge formed thereon for abutting cooperation with the reinforcement insert to prevent leakage of the foam therepast during the foam reaction period in a reaction mold. The gasket-type peripheral edge is formed on the otherwise thin shell by a tear edge, against which plastisol builds up in a substantially triangular cross section during the shell molding period in a heated slush mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1989
    Assignee: Davidson Textron Inc.
    Inventor: John Muller
  • Patent number: 4877652
    Abstract: In a process for masking a part subjected to a high pressure washing cycle between the applications of two or more paint coats, the improvement comprising the steps of: spray coating on a prepainted part a washable masking material which is cuttable when set to form a nonwicking edge; self adhering the spray coating and cutting it along a paint line to form a nonwicking mask edge which prevents paint leakage or the trapping or washing solution between the masking material and part and leakage of such trapped washing solution onto a subsequently painted surface. The process includes the step of cutting and cleanly peeling a portion of the masking material from the part following the drying of the sprayed mask to expose part of the prepainted surface; at least one subsequent washing and drying of the masked part; and at least one subsequent painting of the exposed prepainted surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1989
    Assignee: Davidson Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Sparling, II, Gerard L. Vachon
  • Patent number: 4876992
    Abstract: A variable compression ratio engine has a pair of crankshafts connected by a phase adjuster mechanism operative to change the phase angle between the crankshafts so as to vary the compression ratio of the engine. The phase adjuster mechanism includes two pairs of helical phasing gears. Each of those pairs consists of a gear fixedly mounted on a crankshaft and, operatively engaged therewith, a wider gear fixedly mounted on an axially movable adjuster member. The crankshafts can be arranged in-line or side-by-side in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1989
    Assignee: Standard Oil Company
    Inventor: Rafal A. Sobotowski
  • Patent number: 4874565
    Abstract: A method wherein an article is molded of liquid plastisol in a mold having mold heaters disposed adjacent the backside of a mold surface for controlling the temperature over respective first and second areas of the mold surface. First and second heating and cooling circuits are associated with each mold. To obtain liquid plastisol coating, the mold is filled by apparatus including a removable insert that reduces the quantity of plastisol that is used in the process to reduce the cycle time required for part molding. In one process, plastisol is pumped into and is removed from the mold with the mold insert in place. In another process the mold insert is removed from the mold and an intake tube remains in the mold to pump out excess material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1989
    Assignee: Ex-Cell-O Corporation
    Inventor: Frank J. Preston
  • Patent number: 4873032
    Abstract: A pour hole closure for use with an injection foam molding system including a mold assembly having a pour bushing leading to a reaction chamber. A cylinder having a slightly oversized plastic plug extending downwardly therefrom is normally positioned above the pour bushing in the mold assembly. The cylinder is pivotally movable away from its normal position against the force of resilient means. A pour head and nozzle assembly is adapted to move into engagement with the cylinder to move the latter while attaining a position wherein the nozzle is positioned above the pour bushing. The nozzle is lowered to engage the top edge of the pour bushing for injection of foam material into the reaction chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1989
    Assignee: Davidson Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Webster Kohlhase
  • Patent number: 4873415
    Abstract: A method for welding galvanized material including a low vapor pressure mild steel core and a high vapor pressure rich zinc coating includes the steps of arranging components of such galvanized material in juxtaposed relationship at a lapped joint; and applying a high density laser energy beam along the lapped joint as a weave pattern in which the weave pattern has a width great enough to bridge the lapped joint and a weave pattern frequency which forms a predetermined weld pool between the components and wherein the lapped joint and weave pattern combine to define a vapor pressure relief path so that the weld pool will not be disrupted during the application of the high density laser energy beam to the galvanized components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1989
    Assignee: Raycon Corporation
    Inventors: Trevor A. Johnson, Sharon L. Gorscak
  • Patent number: 4870336
    Abstract: A water jet trim head simulator has the same configuration and dimensions as a cutting or trim head nozzle on a water jet apparatus for trimming workpiece scrap. The simulator is used to guide a robot arm of the apparatus into various multi-axes trim head positions during a teaching mode of operation of the controller for the apparatus. The simulator includes mounting means for connection to the robot arm. The simulator further includes tracking means including a hollow body connected to a fiber optics bundle for directing light from a source to an objective lens for focusing a spot of light on a premarked trim path point on a master workpiece to establish one of a plurality of spatial points to be taught into the controller. The simulator further includes a feeler gauge for physically positioning the simulator with respect to the workpiece to assist the alignment of the light beam to its focused point on the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1989
    Assignee: Davidson Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Ellery Nickerson
  • Patent number: 4869543
    Abstract: An armrest for a door of an automotive vehicle, including a molded shell having a substantially flat top wall portion, an interior shelf portion parallel to the flat top wall portion, a plurality of vertical ribs supporting the shelf portion, and a plurality of abutment ribs intermediate an inner edge of the shelf portion and the flat top wall portion. A back plate is integrally connected to the free end of the flat top wall portion via a living hinge. A foam slab or block is slip fitted into the pocket formed by the flat top wall portion, the shelf portion and the abutment ribs, and retained therein by the closure of the back plate against the free end of the shelf portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1989
    Assignee: Davidson Textron Inc.
    Inventor: John A. Grimes
  • Patent number: 4867619
    Abstract: A high speed spindle has a motor and tool adjustment mechanism which aligns spaced bearing means to rigidly support the spindle shaft at high speed operation and to prevent excessive lateral loading of a bearing unit of the tool adjustment mechanism. The unitary motor and tool adjustment mechanism are joined together as a single unitary assembly which is mountable on a machine tool base without requiring alignment and pre-assembly of the motor and tool adjustment mechanism at field locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1989
    Assignee: Colonial Tool Operations Division of Textron Canada Ltd.
    Inventor: Godfrey T. Briggs
  • Patent number: 4862781
    Abstract: A circular saw comprises a machine structure, a gearbox, a motor-driven circular saw blade rotationally mounted on the gearbox and a pivot shaft on which the gearbox is pivotably supported. The pivot shaft is firmly connected at one end to the machine structure and is mounted at the other end in two brackets which form an angle between them. Each of these brackets is adjustable by means of an eccentric bearing rotatably mounted on the machine structure in such a way as to allow adjustment of the pivot shaft and with it the circular saw blade in the direction of two coordinates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 5, 1989
    Assignee: Chr. Eisele Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Adelbert Lauffer
  • Patent number: 4861543
    Abstract: A method for forming finished coverstocks includes automatically heating and indexing slightly overlapped rough seams of coverstock segments with respect to a single thermoforming tool that automatically opens and closes to vacuum fold the rough seams interiorly of the tool and thereafter the folds are pinched to form a finished styling line on the class A surface of the coverstock. An apparatus is provided in which a single thermoforming tool has relatively moveable mold parts that shape the coverstock and include an expandable joint line configured to fold the rough seams and further including slide members responsive to closure of the mold parts to provide space to accommodate the fold for pinching it off with respect to the class A surface. The product of the invention includes multiple coverstocks with finished styling lines formed by pinched off folds on the hidden side of the coverstock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1989
    Assignee: Davidson Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Scott Rafferty
  • Patent number: 4860815
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing a composite article by use of a mold core and a cavity block and wherein a skin and insert are placed in the mold cavity and foam precursors are poured into the mold cavity to complete the article includes a process in which a series of part replicas are formed and used to cast thermally stable liners that are carried by the mold core and mold cavity. The thermally stable liners have low melt temperatures and can be reused and recast following wear during the molding process. The liners are made from material which has low shrinkage and expansion rates to define a mold assembly that will produce repeatable parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1989
    Assignee: Davidson Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Kent Parker, Bruce Batchelder, Norman Clavette
  • Patent number: 4858243
    Abstract: A glass ceramic reflector having a uniform material composition which has an almost 100% reflectivity that is diffusive in the reflectance range of the entire solar spectrum from 450 to 900 nm wavelength. Furthermore, the ceramic material has a high absorption of ultraviolet wave lengths and low reflectivity in the infrared region to minimize thermal loading of the laser rod of high gain laser material. In one preferred embodiment, the glass ceramic reflector is mica based and has a composition of approximately 55% crystal and 45% residual glass, thereby defining a microstructure that enables the ceramic material to be machined to form an interior surface configuration that is easily closely coupled to flashlamp and laser rod components of the laser device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1989
    Assignee: Raycon Corporation
    Inventor: Dan Bar-Joseph
  • Patent number: 4857696
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for drilling precision small diameter holes in fuel nozzle parts includes the process of directing a laser beam against the nozzle part at a first hole drilling station to form an undersized hole therethrough and thereafter positioning the nozzle part with the laser hole formed therethrough in alignment with a wire electrode of an electrical discharge machine and controlling the energy input to the electrode wire and advancing it with respect to the preformed laser hole so as to form a precision hole diameter and surface finish throughout the length of the laser beam formed hole as EDM particles are flushed through a flow path defined by the laser hole from one face to the opposite face of a part wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1989
    Assignee: Raycon Textron Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Taeusch, Clinton J. Wohlmuth
  • Patent number: 4857824
    Abstract: A two-wire linear transducer comprised of a high permeability finite length core that is positioned with respect to a continuously wound variable pitch coil. The cores is displaced from the initial stroke position at one end of the coil to the opposite end thereof to produce an output signal which varies with displacement. The coil is energized by a constant alternating current source and has a winding configuration that produces an alternating output voltage. The imaginary component of the alternating output voltage varies linearly and continously in amplitude in proportion to the movement of the ferrite core from its initial stroke position to its end stroke position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1989
    Assignee: Cadillac Gage Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Sydney K. Tew
  • Patent number: 4851177
    Abstract: A method for heating a plurality of molds for casting heat fusable thermoplastic material each of the molds having casting surfaces and each of the molds having outer mold profiles which differ and wherein the molds are moveable into a mold chamber including the steps of providing a hot air distributor with different tube length profiles thereon; advancing a selected mold into the heating chamber and indexing the distributor to selectively match the outer profile of a selected mold with a selected tube length profile and directing hot air through the selected tube length profile for uniformly raising the temperature of the selected mold and casting heat fusable thermoplastic material in the heated mold to cause the heat fusable thermoplastic to adhere to the casting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1989
    Assignee: Davidson Textron Inc.
    Inventor: John D. Gray
  • Patent number: 4848532
    Abstract: In a device for advancing several workpieces placed side by side, a slide comprises several thin plates arranged alongside of one another. These thin plates are positionable against the workpiece end remote from a stop and are movable back and forth over a predetermined compensation distance parallel to the direction of advance of the workpieces. The compensation distance is longer than the greatest difference in length between the workpieces. The thin plates are prestressed by an energy accumulator which exerts a force which is larger than the force required for the advance of the workpieces. A first switch is arranged on the slide to switch off the slide drive as soon as one of the thin plates is displaced beyond the compensation distance in the direction opposite to the direction of advance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1989
    Assignee: Chr. Eisele Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Adelbert Lauffer
  • Patent number: 4843521
    Abstract: A wide angle flash tube reflector has dual involute surfaces thereon intersecting at a cusp and bent in the horizontal to intercept light from a light source adjacent the cusp and to reflect such light in a dispersion pattern that spreads the flash coverage to match extended light coverages of lenses from a normal focal length to extreme wide angle. One light source is in the form of a bent tube having adjustable positioned cathode and anode electrodes for varying the length of a plasma arc to control the extent of the dispersion pattern reflected from the dual involute surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1989
    Inventor: Fred A. Plofchan
  • Patent number: 4840437
    Abstract: The tracks of a tracked vehicle are subject to a tension control system which includes a movable idler wheel for applying force to each track, a hydraulic actuator for dynamically applying force to each track at a zero spring rate, a pilot controlled check valve for selectively locking the actuator against tension relieving return movement, and a control sensitive to vehicle steering, direction of movement, acceleration and deceleration for deciding according to a preset program whether each actuator should be locked or free to move. An operator controlled switch modifies system hydraulic pressure to permit an optional low pressure operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1989
    Assignee: Cadillac Gage Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel B. Henry, James J. Kuhns