Patents Represented by Attorney John F. Hoffman
  • Patent number: 4231623
    Abstract: A split steel connecting rod bearing liner for internal combustion engines comprising two generally semicircular liner halves formed of steel having inner bearing surfaces which are hardened and including a generally semicircular peripheral reinforcing groove formed in each of the halves. The grooves each comprise a peripheral depression in the inner surface and a corresponding peripheral ridge on the outer surface directly opposite the depression and may be formed by stamping or another suitable metal forming operation. The connecting rod includes a circumferential groove in the crank pin opening within which the liner grooves are disposed so as to prevent lateral movement of the liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1980
    Assignee: Tecumseh Products Company
    Inventor: Vernon R. Kaufman
  • Patent number: 4228714
    Abstract: A multiple pitch generator, in particular a chime generator, incorporated in an electronic organ of the multiplexed variety wherein the keyboard is scanned and a cyclically recurring serial data stream produced wherein keydown pulses appear in time slots corresponding to depressed keys of the keyboard. The chime generator produces a plurality of tones in response to the actuation of a single key of the solo keyboard, for example, wherein the tones are those necessary to closely simulate a chime sound. This is accomplished by sequentially passing the serial data stream containing the keydown pulse through a series of shift registers which insert in the data stream pulses in subsequent time slots corresponding to the next three lowest tones making up the chime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 1979
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1980
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen L. Howell
  • Patent number: 4226582
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for the production of heat, equivalent in clarity and cleanliness to that of propane, butane or natural gas, but at a lower cost and without the problems or dangers of storage nor risks of fire or explosion during handling, by means of the instantaneous combustion of diafanous liquid petroleum, diesel or other similar combustible fuels mixed with compressed air in an environment which is neither contaminated nor degraded. Thus, it is possible to regulate the flow and simultaneously divide each volume of combustible liquid into particles so small that they distribute and integrate themslves homogenously in a volume of air proportionally adequate for proper combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1978
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1980
    Inventor: Fausto C. Mendoza
  • Patent number: 4222687
    Abstract: Apparatus for boring a sewer pipe opening in the side wall of a concrete manhole base including a supporting frame adapted to be positioned over the open end of a vertically disposed manhole base. A second frame is suspended from the supporting frame and adapted to be lowered thereby into the interior of the manhole base. Hydraulically actuated jaws on the second frame engage opposite points on the inner surface of the side wall of the manhole base so as to secure the second frame at a selected location. A boring bit-driving motor is mounted on the second frame for transverse movement thereon with respect to the axis of the manhole base thereby to bore the sewer pipe opening outwardly through the side wall thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1980
    Inventor: Richard L. Williams
  • Patent number: 4222318
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fan unit which may be used either as a floor fan or as a window mounted fan. When used as a floor fan, the frame is supported on the floor and the motor driven fan unit, which is pivotally connected to the frame, may be rotated to provide air flow in any direction. The fan unit comprises an open frame having a motor driven fan connected to the rear portion thereof, a pair of protruding pins on the frame front portion which engage the window on the outside thereof, and a second pair of protruding pins on the frame front portion which engage the window frame on the inside thereof. The motor driven fan is suspended in this manner inwardly away from the window opening such that the cantilever effect produced thereby pulls the first pins inwardly against the window and pushes the second pins outwardly against the window frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1980
    Assignee: Patton Electric Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Noel T. Patton, Bennie N. Patton, Frank M. O'Donnell
  • Patent number: 4222531
    Abstract: The invention concerns a wood pulper of the kind in which wood is fed via a hopper having advancing elements arranged on two opposite sides by which wood is advanced to a grinding stone. The invention is characterized in that said advancing elements comprise a plurality of driven shafts which are arranged parallel to and adjacent each other substantially transverse to the feed direction, said shafts being equipped with a plurality of toothed discs lying adjacent to each other. This arrangement enables the driving force to be distributed over a plurality of feed shafts, so that a continuous compression can be obtained which increases as the wood feeds through the hopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1980
    Assignee: J. M. Voith GmbH
    Inventor: Helmut Thumm
  • Patent number: 4220068
    Abstract: A circuit for an electronic organ for producing rhythmic patterns of notes in accordance with the selection of a chord in the accompaniment manual. The organ includes an accompaniment manual and a solo manual, either or both of which may be electronically scanned to develop a multiplexed data stream, and a chord generation circuit controlled by the accompaniment manual for sounding groups of notes in the accompaniment voices in response to the depression of one of the selected group of keys on the accompaniment manual. The circuit according to the present invention automatically sounds notes of the solo manual in a rhythmic pattern in response to the depression of one of the group of accompaniment manual keys by developing a logic pulse at the beginning of the top octave scan which is delayed in time to correspond to the time slot of the chord root note and subsequent notes of the chord. The amount of delay is controlled by pre-programmed patterns preselected by the musician.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1980
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen L. Howell, Ralph N. Dietrich, John W. Robinson, James P. Osburn
  • Patent number: 4217801
    Abstract: An integrated keyer system for use in electronic organs comprising a plurality of discrete integrated circuit chips each corresponding to two adjacent octaves of the keyboard and connected in series to accommodate the entire keyboard. The keyer system is adapted for use in multiplexed systems wherein the keyswitch closure information is encoded in a time division multiplexed data stream fed through a plurality of the keyer chips, which are connected in series. Each of the keyer chips includes a plurality of tone inputs and outputs and a divide-by-four circuit for lowering the tones in by two octaves. The keyer chips also include serial data inputs and outputs and a demultiplexer for demultiplexing the serial data stream at the serial data input to produce a plurality of control signals corresponding to keydown signals in the serial data stream, which are fed to the individual keyers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1978
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1980
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian N. Wilcox, John W. Robinson
  • Patent number: 4216056
    Abstract: The invention relates to a paper machine of the kind having a continuous inner wire cloth and a continuous outer wire cloth which are passed together around a deflecting component, located within the inner wire cloth, for effecting extraction of water through the outer wire cloth, said machine also having a water extraction box located within the inner wire cloth in front of the deflecting component, and a breast (delivery) box, an upper lip of which lies adjacent the inner wire cloth in the vicinity of the water extraction box and defines, with a support surface provided by the water extraction box, a preliminary water extraction zone in which water can be extracted through the inner wire cloth into the water extraction box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1979
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1980
    Assignee: J. M. Voith GmbH
    Inventor: Erik A. Nykopp
  • Patent number: 4214949
    Abstract: A supporting device for a strainer belt in a paper making apparatus of the type including a plurality of wear strips which, in use, are disposed transversely to the strainer belt, each of the strips having a wear surface on which the belt is supported as it passes over them. Each of the wear strips is adapted to be clamped on a supporting element between a leaf spring and a retaining plate, which are secured to the supporting element, said strip having a bearing surface which rests on the bearing surface of the support element. The wear strip has a symmetrical shape so that the wear surface and bearing surface may be disposed interchangeably either to face the strainer belt or to face the bearing surface of the support element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1980
    Assignee: J. M. Voith GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Schiel, Hans Flamig
  • Patent number: 4211251
    Abstract: A system for automatically purging heating mantles and other apparatus including an enclosed volume capable of low level pressurization. The system comprises a pressure sensor for sensing the fluid pressure within the enclosure, which may be the space between a heating mantle poncho and the enclosed flask, and a fluidic logic circuit which is responsive to a low pressure condition within the enclosure to deactivate the heating element in the mantle. At the same time, the logic circuit causes a predetermined volume of purging gas to flow through the enclosure and, after this has been accomplished, reactivates the heating element and reestablishes the minimum pressure conditions by flowing a small volume of purging gas into the enclosure. The system is particularly intended for use in hazardous locations where explosion-proof electrical equipment enclosures are normally mandatory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1980
    Assignee: Templeton Coal Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond E. Rickert, Billy J. Swalls
  • Patent number: 4210054
    Abstract: A brass keyer system for an electronic organ wherein the keyboard is multiplexed to produce a polyphonic serial data stream, which is then converted to a monophonic serial data stream containing a keydown signal in a time slot corresponding to the highest note played on the keyboard. The monophonic data stream is converted to a multiple bit binary word that is used by the tone generation and keying portion of the system to produce a rectangular wave tone corresponding in frequency to the highest depressed key and having amplitude and pulse width modulation on attack and decay so as to produce a brass tone. The monophonic serial data stream is demultiplexed by means of a recirculating delay loop which repetitively recirculates the keydown pulse for the depressed key. The number of recirculations of this pulse are counted by a first counter and the position of the pulse within the delay loop is registered by a second counter, which is synchronized with the multiplexer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1979
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1980
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen L. Howell, Gary R. Fritz
  • Patent number: 4209080
    Abstract: A lubricating device for use in hermetic compressors and the like wherein a rotating oil pick-up tube is partially immersed in the oil in the compressor sump, and pumps the oil upwardly by means of centrifugal action to the compressor parts which are to be lubricated. The compressor includes a vertical shaft to which the pick-up tube is connected, wherein the shaft has an open hollow lower end including a pair of locking openings in the inner surface of the hollow portion. A molded plastic oil pick-up tube, which is bifurcated at one end so as to form a pair of resilient locking arms, is inserted into the shaft until a pair of locking nibs snap into the corresponding locking openings. In order to properly orient the pick-up tube about its axis so that the locking nibs are aligned with the corresponding openings, a pair of protruding locking ears on the tube are axially aligned with a pair of corresponding slots in the lower edge of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1980
    Assignee: Tecumseh Products Company
    Inventor: James L. Douglas
  • Patent number: 4208175
    Abstract: A feedblock fashioned from a plurality of plates is disclosed which distributes two flows of dissimilar synthetic resinous materials into a radially stratified annular form for extrusion by a pipehead die. The feedblock is mounted on a pipehead with the plurality of plates defining material flow channels for three strata. Independently operable valves vary stratum thickness and assure radially matched flow conditions between strata at confluence. Each stratum is independently accelerated through a convergent channel to assure that a uniform circumferential distribution of flow conditions develops. Moreover, two strata are developed through channel systems which do not induce circumferential maldistribution. The third stratum is handled to eliminate circumferential maldistribution. Accordingly, the process and apparatus develop stable annular flow with radial stratification having neither radial nor circumferential maldistributions that may later interact to distort the strata.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1980
    Assignee: HPM Corporation
    Inventor: Larry A. Rosenbaum
  • Patent number: 4205582
    Abstract: A circuit for generating a percussion envelope for use in electronic organs and similar electronic keyboard instruments wherein the envelope has an attack overshoot, a long decay, and a snub decay when the key is released. A velocity sensing feature is included, whereby the force with which the key is struck determines the amount of capacitor discharge, and the voltage remaining on the capacitor is compared with the amplitude of the attack portion of the envelope such that decay is initiated when a compare condition is reached. A second comparator sets the amplitude at which the envelope undergoes transition from a fast decay to the normal long decay. The timing for the attack and three decay portions of the envelope are independently controlled by means of four clock driven electronic gate circuits which incrementally charge and discharge the main timing capacitor. The gate circuits include a pair of serially connected field effect transistors having a capacitor connected at their juncture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1980
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen L. Howell, John W. Robinson
  • Patent number: 4205581
    Abstract: An organ keyer system, especially a keyer system operated by logic level signals, such as occur in multiplexing.The keyer system herein described is especially intended for manufacture by large scale integration techniques, and is designed to provide for the controlled attack and decay of the keyed signal without the use of timing components, such as resistor and capacitors, external to the integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1980
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventor: John W. Robinson
  • Patent number: 4203339
    Abstract: A keying arrangement for electronic organs in which a tone signal consisting of a square wave having, for example, a fifty percent duty cycle is connected to the input of the keyer circuit, and the output thereof, upon the depression of a playing key, consists of a pulse train with the amplitude rising at a controlled rate and the pulse width or duty cycle decreasing at a controlled rate but lagging the increase in amplitude so as to closely duplicate the playing of a muted brass instrument in the attack fashion. A muted brass tremulant affect is achieved by applying a cyclically time variant signal to modulate the pulse amplitude and pulse duty cycle, again with the change in duty cycle lagging the change in amplitude. The circuitry for accomplishing this comprises a diode keyer wherein a pair of resistor-capacitor circuits having different time constants control the keyer to effect variations in pulse amplitude and duty cycle over respective intervals of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1980
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan B. Welsh, John W. Robinson
  • Patent number: 4202236
    Abstract: Circuitry for generating rhythmic patterns of notes corresponding to notes of a selected chord wherein tone signals according to the notes of the selected chord are connected to the inputs of keyers each time a chord playing key is depressed and control a current which flows through the keyers to the organ output circuitry in accordance with a selected pattern sequence of notes which is provided to a plurality of envelope generators at a rhythmic rate. The keyers are grouped to correspond to the four components of a selected chord and each of the keyer groups has an individual envelope generator connected thereto which activates the keyer group under the command of the selected pattern and imparts a characteristic attack and decay envelope to the tone signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1980
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian N. Wilcox, John W. Robinson
  • Patent number: 4194799
    Abstract: A mounting mechanism for a free arm sewing machine which is moveable selectively to an upper use position wherein the free arm is positioned above the work surface of the cabinet, a lower use position wherein the free arm is flush with the cabinet work surface, and a storage position wherein the entire machine is disposed below the work surface. The mechanism comprises a frame, a sewing machine support platform, and first and second pivot arms which are pivotally connected to the frame and the platform such that the platform is capable of limited rotating and swinging movement relative to the frame. The platform is latched in its upper use and lower use positions by means of a pair of spaced plates having forwardly and upwardly opening slots therein, which are adapted to releaseably retain and support either a pair of protruding pins on the platform or, in an alternative embodiment, one of the pivot arms which extends around the plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1980
    Inventor: Eugene M. White
  • Patent number: 4191083
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for memorizing and playing back an accompaniment passage in an electronic organ wherein the keyboard is multiplexed to develop a serial input data stream having keydown signals in the time slots corresponding to the depressed keys, selectively writing into a programmable random access memory data corresponding to the absolute address of the first occurring keydown signal in the pulse train and then writing into the memory data corresponding to the intervals, expressed in terms of time slots in the multiplexed data stream, between a number of the first occurring keydown signals, beginning with the first occurring signal. The data is read out of the memory and converted to a serial time division multiplexed data stream by means of comparators which produce a pulse each time there is a compare condition between the output of the memory and the count produced by the master counter/subcounter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1980
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian N. Wilcox, Melvin J. Schroeder, Billy J. Whittington, John W. Robinson