Patents Represented by Attorney John J. Roethel
  • Patent number: 4455049
    Abstract: A simple latch assembly suitable for a lifting seat cushion in a motor vehicle comprises a latch member (9) in the form of a wire having two lobes (14, 15) each extending approximately in radial planes from a common axis (16). One lobe (14) engages a catch (2); the other (15) can be manipulated. The ends (10, 11) of the wire are fixed at spaced points (12, 13) so that rotation of either lobe (14, 15) about the common axis displaces the other and generates a restoring force in the loop biasing the lobes towards their original positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1984
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Brian D. Martin
  • Patent number: 4450753
    Abstract: An electro-hydraulic proportional actuator in which the actuator piston position is hydraulically controlled by fluid flow through solenoid valves operable by an electronic control system. An operator control provides an input voltage representing a desired piston position and a transducer generates a voltage representing the actual piston position. The difference between the input and output voltages generates a difference or error signal that is fed into a feedback system including a sample-and-hold circuit. A clock logic system is provided for transmitting the signal from the feedback system to the solenoid valves at predetermined intervals to activate either valve to move the actuator piston in either direction or to activate both valves to hold the piston at a desired position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1984
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Habil S. Basrai, Ganesh Rajagopal
  • Patent number: 4438826
    Abstract: A stay can be used to support a cab of a tilt cab vehicle selectively in a first raised position in which the cab has been pivoted through an angle of, for example, 40.degree. and the stay is in compression, and in a second raised position in which the cab has been pivoted through a larger angle of, for example, 50.degree. and the stay is in tension. The stay comprises an arm pivoted to the cab and an arm pivoted to the vehicle frame. The ends of the arms overlap and are connected by means of a pin which passes through specially shaped slots extending in each arm. The pin is formed with offset pairs of flats which cooperate with the slots in the arms, and the pin can be rotated by a lever which controls operation of the stay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1984
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Ronald Bewers
  • Patent number: 4434857
    Abstract: In combination, a tractor having at its rear end an implement hitch and a lift system and an implement coupled at one end to the hitch and having at its other end a height adjusting system for controlling the working depth of the implement. The lift includes a first hydraulic cylinder and the height adjusting system includes a second or remote hydraulic cylinder. The tractor has a pump providing a source of fluid under pressure. An auxiliary services valve is in communication with the fluid source and a phasing valve, the two valves being selectively in communication with one another.The auxiliary services valve is operable to independently actuate the first hydraulic cylinder to raise the hitch or to coact with the phasing valve to serially couple the second hydraulic cylinder to the first hydraulic cylinder to provide synchronous actuation of both cylinders to raise both ends of the implement to a fully raised position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 6, 1984
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Habil S. Basrai
  • Patent number: 4428533
    Abstract: In a wiper shaft bushing assembly with a washer jet for motor vehicle screens, in which the wiper shaft is guided in a wiper bushing and is surrounded by an elastic plastic sleeve in which a washer jet is located. The one-piece plastic sleeve surrounds the wiper bushing and the elongated wiper shaft preferably eccentrically. The sleeve has shaped in its wall located farthest from the wiper shaft a closed off liquid channel which is connected on the inner end to a lateral tube connection for connection to the washer pump and on its outer end to a ball socket for receiving a spherical directable nozzle body of the washer jet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1984
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Erwin Pietryk, Peter Fischer, Axel Rauthmann
  • Patent number: 4422474
    Abstract: An application of the basic system of patent application Ser. No. 149,065 for operating a remote hydraulic valve. An electro-hydraulic actuator is mechanically linked to the control member of the remote valve. An input control signal is generated by multiplying a signal from a control handle position transducer by a scale factor constant produced by a full control setting with a gain control circuit. The gain control circuit also operates to set the constant to unity in case the signal from the handle position transducer exceeds a predetermined level corresponding to a maximum control handle setting.The control handle itself has four positions: Float, Lower, Neutral and Raise. The handle is biased so that if the handle is released from any position other than Neutral, the handle will go to the Neutral position provided a detent is off. The detent is put in the "off" position by an electrical solenoid which is actuated whenever the supply pressure to the remote valve exceeds a set value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1983
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Habil S. Basrai, Ganesh Rajagopal
  • Patent number: 4414902
    Abstract: A container and a method for making the same for a gas generating propellant such as used in vehicle air bag systems. The container comprises an elongated thin wall metal cylinder having a plurality of perforations extending substantially the length thereof. A hermetic liner is attached to the inner surface of the cylinder to seal the perforated area of the wall. The hermetic liner comprises a laminated plastic film and metal foil composite having a thickness less than that of the cylinder wall and being rupturable under the pressure of gas generated within the cylinder. The ends of the cylinder are closed by metal end caps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1980
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1983
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Robert A. Strasser, Stephen W. Goch
  • Patent number: 4413694
    Abstract: A lock assembly for retaining a tiltable cab structure in a normal operating position relative to the body structure of a truck. Each lock assembly comprises two transversely spaced latches, each including a keeper attached to one of the structure, a latch member attached to the other structure and mounted for movement into and out of a closed position to effect latching engagement with the keeper, and an operating lever movable between an unlocking position in which the latch member is disengageable with the keeper and a locking position in which the latch member is retained in engagement with the keeper. A releasing linkage interconnects the operating levers for simultaneously moving the operating levers between the locking and unlocking positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1980
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1983
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Joseph Slocombe, Michael A. Parry
  • Patent number: 4413551
    Abstract: A ventilator grill for a motor vehicle interior comprises a front plate fixed to a fascia panel parallel rear plate movable relative thereto and connected to a ventilation hose. The front and rear plates define two arrays of apertures and are spaced apart by a set of tubes, the ends of which are pivotable in the apertures. The back plate may be moved by a control knob projecting through an aperture in the front plate so that the direction of the air stream from the grill can be varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1983
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Alan S. Jackson
  • Patent number: 4413695
    Abstract: A motor vehicle comprises a body structure, a cab mounted on the body structure for movement about a pivot axis between a normal operating position and a tilted position, and a support radially spaced from the pivot axis for supporting the cab structure on the body structure in the normal operating position of the cab, at least one of the supports comprising a keeper attached to one of the structures and a latch member attached to the other structure and mounted for movement into and out of latch engagement with the keeper when the cab is in its normal operating position, the keeper comprising a bracket mounted on the said one structure and a striker pin resiliently mounted on the bracket. The resiliently mounting of the striker pin in the bracket minimizes wear between the striker pin and the latch member during use of the vehicle and also reproduces vibrations transmitted from the body structure into the cab structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1980
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1983
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Joseph Slocombe, Michael A. Parry
  • Patent number: 4413696
    Abstract: A lock for retaining a tiltable cab structure in a normal operating position relative to the body structure of a truck comprises a keeper attached to one of the structures, a latch member attached to the other structure and movable between an open position in which the keeper and the latch member are free to move into and out of engagement with each other, and a closed position in which the keeper is retained in engagement with the latch member, a pawl for retaining the latch member in the closed position, a releasing link for moving the pawl to allow movement of the latch member to the open position, the releasing linkage including an actuating member mounted for sliding movement in a housing between a withdrawn position in which the pawl retains the latch member in the closed position and an extended position in which the pawl allows movement of the latch into the open position, the actuating member being rotatable relative to the housing in the withdrawn position into a locked position in which the housing
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1980
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1983
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Joseph Slocombe, Michael A. Parry
  • Patent number: 4409835
    Abstract: A chest transducer for measuring the gross load distribution and direction of loading on the thorax of an anthropomorphic dummy during dynamic testing of a vehicle passenger restraint system. The chest transducer comprises a simulated rib cage constructed and arranged to permit dynamic measurements of at least three components of restraint system loads applied to a plurality of key segments of the rib cage during restraint system testing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1983
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Roger P. Daniel, Carl D. Yost
  • Patent number: 4397490
    Abstract: A vehicle bumper that incorporates a "C" section face bar attached to a truss-formed backplate to achieve a box section construction. The face bar, although a conventional "C" section, has more nearly horizontal upper and lower shelves combined with a reduced frontal face height to offer, when further combined with the backplate, a nearly square box beam. Functional height is extended beyond the beam section with a plurality of strategically located underride stops drawn from the lower shelf. These stops provide low pendulum impact performance at minimal weight while facilitating forming of the bumper beam ends. The stops preferably are concealed with a flexible shield which provides conventional appearance in addition to opportunities of cost, weight, airflow and model appearance differentiation when replacing separate air deflectors and sight shields. The bumper assembly configuration provides a highly weight efficient section modulus, improved torsional stiffness and improved dent resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1983
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: William J. Evans, Charles Haddad
  • Patent number: 4397596
    Abstract: A container and a method for making the same for a gas generating propellant such as used in vehicle air bag systems. The container comprises an elongated thin wall metal cylinder having a plurality of perforations extending substantially the length thereof. A hermetic liner is attached to the inner surface of the cylinder to seal the perforated area of the wall. The hermetic liner comprises a laminated plastic film and metal foil composite having a thickness less than that of the cylinder wall and being rupturable under the pressure of gas generated within the cylinder. The ends of the cylinder are closed by metal end caps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1983
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Robert A. Strasser, Stephen W. Goch
  • Patent number: 4394043
    Abstract: A sun visor for a motor vehicle comprises a mounting bracket having a shaft projecting therefrom. A visor panel is rotatably mounted on the shaft by a connector. A clip connected to the visor panel comprises a spring leaf which exerts a radial force on the shaft to resist rotation and a radial ridge formation which engages with a complementary groove formation on the shaft to resist axial movement of the panel along the shaft thereby avoiding the need for further fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1981
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1983
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Michael B. Moulding, Klaus Muller, Gerhard Mack
  • Patent number: 4386538
    Abstract: A steering wheel mounted on a hub. The steering wheel is molded of a high impact grade nylon and comprises an integral rim, spokes and a thin wall energy absorbing sleeve. The rim is disposed in coaxial relationship to and axially spaced from the hub.The energy absorbing sleeve when viewed in plan view has a substantially rectangular configuration of decreasing size from its upper end downwardly toward the hub. The walls of the sleeve have a generally ogival configuration from top to bottom. The construction and arrangement is such that the energy absorbing sleeve produces a large amount of crush at relatively constant load for obtaining a high degree of energy absorption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1983
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Warren A. Van Wicklin, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4386590
    Abstract: A multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having valve train operated intake and exhaust valves for each cylinder and a valve control system adding the capability of automatic selection as to whether or not given cylinders are to be in operation.The application of the system to a V-8 engine, for example, to permit selection between four cylinder operation or eight cylinder operation may be summarized as follows:The cylinders that are to be controlled are identified and movable interposers are installed for both the intake and exhaust valves of the selected cylinders. Control rods interconnect intake interposers to each other and exhaust interposers to each other. A combined actuation arm and interconnection link is provided to transfer motion from a selection actuator to the control rods. A mechanical interlock ensures that exhaust valves are not deactivatable until deactivation of the intake occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1976
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1983
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Bradford Bates
  • Patent number: 4380099
    Abstract: Attachment of fastening device for components or assemblies received in recesses of vehicle body members. The component carries a pivot pin adapted to be received in an opening in a wall of the recess in the body member. A V-shaped resilient clamp and an S-shaped resilient support member hold the component or assembly in place. The component or assembly can be removed without a tool merely by depressing the same deeper into the recess and thereby automatically releasing the clamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1981
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1983
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Heinz Dick, Hans Lux
  • Patent number: 4370930
    Abstract: An end cap for a tubular container having a deep drawn flanged cup adapted to receive an igniter device for igniting the explosive contents of the container, such as the propellant for generating gas for expanding an air bag in a vehicle passenger restraint system. The cup has in its bottom wall, a centrally located aperture normally sealed by a composite laminate of plastic film and metal foil that is rupturable by the signal from the igniter device. A plastic annulus interposed between the igniter device and laminate protects the latter against frictional erosion by rubbing action of the igniter device through environmental vibrations transmitted to the propellant container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 1, 1983
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Robert A. Strasser, Stephen W. Goch
  • Patent number: 4352586
    Abstract: The combination of a crank arm having a crank pin, a drive link carrying a bushing receiving the crank pin, and a retainer clip adapted to coact with the bushing and crank pin to retain the crank arm and linkage arm in assembled relationship. The clip may be preassembled to the bushing before the crank pin is inserted through the bushing. If so, as the crank pin is inserted through the bushing, a pilot portion on the crank pin is effective to radially spread the clip until a retaining groove on the crank pin becomes aligned with the clip. The clip then snaps into the groove and interlocks the bushing and crank pin against substantial axial displacement relative to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1982
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: William L. Hayden