Patents Represented by Law Firm Phillips, Moore, Weissenberger, Lempio & Majestic
  • Patent number: 4335685
    Abstract: Conventional lifter assemblies are relatively expensive to manufacture and generally extend laterally significantly beyond the ends of the roller surface thereof. As a result, fuel pumps utilizing such conventional assemblies must be spaced relatively far apart so that a sufficient roller surface is provided to contact a camshaft. Further, such assemblies are generally relatively heavy, leading to high inertial changes on reciprocation thereof. The ends (42,43 or 142,143) of the roller (14 or 114) are adjacent the inner diameter of the sleeve (28 or 128), whereby the roller (14 or 114) of the resulting lifter assembly (10) extends nearly the full width thereof. A roller holder (30 or 130) fits within one end (32 or 132) of the sleeve (28 or 128) and holds the roller (14 or 114) in a cavity (36 or 136) therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1982
    Assignee: Caterpillar Tractor Co.
    Inventor: Jerry A. Clouse
  • Patent number: 4334176
    Abstract: In the control of two or more electrical devices powered by a common battery and each actuated by a separate controlled rectifier chopper circuit, at least one of which is an SCR chopper circuit, under high stress conditions requiring both electrical devices to be repeatedly and rapidly turned on and off it has been found that control over the SCR chopper circuit can be lost due to inherent inductive effects which prevent the charging of the commutating capacitor of the SCR chopper to at least full open circuit battery voltage. This problem is met by inhibiting the occurrence of an "off" actuation control signal to the SCR chopper circuit for a given period of time before and a given period of time after an "on" actuation control signal to the other chopper circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1982
    Assignee: Towmotor Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Baumgartner, Grant C. Melocik, Keith A. Stoller
  • Patent number: 4331185
    Abstract: Service personnel may confuse one dip stick for another in vehicles having a number of fluid reservoirs. When the reservoirs have air entrapped within them during filling, hydraulic lock can occur. Herein, a filler tube structure (20) and a dip stick tube structure (30) have their top ends held within a tubular fitting (40) which is covered by a single cap (58). This eliminates any possible confusion as to the dip stick tube structure (30) which corresponds to a particular reservoir or chamber (12). In the preferred embodiment venting of the chamber (12) to which the fluid is being added is provided via an interior passage (32) of the dip stick tube structure (30), thus preventing hydraulic lock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1982
    Assignee: Caterpillar Tractor Co.
    Inventors: James D. Rinaldo, Robert M. Vize
  • Patent number: 4331339
    Abstract: End face seal assemblies (10) are commonly used in severe service environments to exclude external contaminants from joints (12) between relatively movable members (14, 22) and to retain lubricants therein. Recurring problems associated with end face seal assemblies having two piece seal rings include failure of the bond between the stiffener ring portion and the resilient sealing lip portion and resultant lubrication loss and joint failure. The present invention is an improved end face seal assembly (10) having a load ring (42) and an annular sealing member (36) including an integral sealing lip (38). The annular sealing member (36) is made of a thermoplastic resin selected from a group of resins having coefficients of friction, tensile strengths, hardnesses, and load/velocity capabilities (PV) within preselected ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1982
    Assignee: Caterpillar Tractor Co.
    Inventor: Harold L. Reinsma
  • Patent number: 4330007
    Abstract: A number of systems exist wherein a plurality of hydraulic motors (28a, 28b, 28c) receive pressurized fluid from a single pump (14) which is itself driven by an electric motor (12). Apparatus has been available for adjusting the power supplied to the electric motor (12), and thereby adjusting the pump (14) flow rate, in response to the operator activating one or more of the hydraulic motors (28a, 28b, 28c). However, such apparatus has generally been bulky, complicated and/or difficult to install and/or service. An improvement is provided wherein a single switch (22) is placed in either an open or closed position as an elongated member (34) placed transversely to a plurality of generally parallel rod member (20a, 20b, 20c) is rotated in response to longitudinal travel in either direction from a neutral position (32) of one of the rod member (20a, 20b, 20c).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1982
    Assignee: Towmotor Corporation
    Inventor: Edward V. Leskovec
  • Patent number: 4329049
    Abstract: A lensmeter is disclosed for determining the refractive properties of a test lens, including an optical system to produce an ellipse of light at a detecting plane having information of such properties, a scanning linear photodiode array at the detecting plane for producing video output signals, a first integrator to integrate the video output signal from each photodiode, a compensator to compensate each video output signal for the light sensitivity of each photodiode, a second integrator to integrate the compensated video signals over the range of the distribution of light of an area of the ellipse being scanned, a circuit, connected to the second integrator, to detect the median point of the distribution, and a microprocessor to provide data identifying the median point in response to the detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1982
    Assignee: Rodenstock Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: George P. Rigg, Tom N. Cornsweet, J. Kirkwood H. Rough, H. Malcolm Ogle, Wallace R. Prunella, Lawrence H. Schiller
  • Patent number: 4329000
    Abstract: A self-contained, damped ball bearing assembly (10) for high speed equipment is preloaded to accommodate thermal expansion during operation, is damped to reduce orbiting and shaft whip, and is self-contained so that it can be conveniently incorporated on-the-site into the high speed equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1982
    Assignee: Caterpillar Tractor Co.
    Inventor: Frank E. Keske
  • Patent number: 4327680
    Abstract: An air intake assembly (12) of a vehicle (10) can be adjusted to selectively communicate ambient air to an engine for summer operation and air from the engine enclosure (16) to the engine for winter operation. Accordingly, during winter operation, and especially for tree harvesting vehicles, which harvest snow laden trees creating localized snow flurries, any snow which collects on the air intake assembly (12) cannot be drawn into the engine causing poor engine performance or engine shutdown. The air intake assembly (12) includes an intake cover (72) which is pivotal from a position covering an ambient air inlet (60) to a position covering an air inlet (71) from the engine enclosure (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1982
    Assignee: Caterpillar Tractor Co.
    Inventor: Fred R. Dauwalder
  • Patent number: 4327800
    Abstract: Prior art exchanger cores (10) have been expensive to produce and have too often had poorly heat conductive joining of the liquid circulating tubes (12) to the cooling fins (14). Herein, the tube (12) is fitted into holes (28) in the fins (14) with a small gap (42 or 44) between a portion (20,22) of the tube (12) and the hole (28). Solder sources (38) e.g., sheets (38) having holes (40) therethrough which generally match the holes (28) in the fins (14), are positioned between some of the fins (14) with the tubes (12) fitting in the holes (40) in the solder sheets (38). The entire assembly (50) is heated with the tubes (12) being held generally vertically. As the solder sheets (38) melt, solder flows through the gap (42 or 44) wetting not only the fin (14) above which it sits, but also lower fins (14). Capillary action leads to solder wetting the entire junction between each fin (14) and each tube (12). Good solder joints having excellent heat conducting properties are produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1982
    Assignee: Caterpillar Tractor Co.
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Miller
  • Patent number: 4327549
    Abstract: An improvement is disclosed in a hydraulic system (10) having a variable displacement pump (12) and being capable of delivering pressurized fluid from the pump (12) to selectively engage at least three work circuits (18) with a first (20) of the circuits (18) being normally operable up to a first pressure and a second (22) of the circuits (18) being normally operable up to a second and lower pressure. The improvement comprises circuitry (80, 92, 94, 98, 108, 120, 122, 124, 126) for selectively operating a third (24) of the circuits (18) at one of the first or second pressures or at an upstaged pressure which exceeds the first pressure and circuitry (128) for reducing the displacement of the pump (12) in response to the third circuit (24) being operated at the upstaged pressure. Such upstaged pressure is available in a controlled manner for working against particularly heavy loads. Thus, a third and higher operating level is added to a system which already operates at at least two pressure levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1982
    Assignee: Caterpillar Tractor Co.
    Inventors: Donald L. Bianchetta, Sammy J. Rhodes
  • Patent number: 4327512
    Abstract: A container to be attached to a shoestring or the like and adapted to contain information regarding the medical condition and/or identification of the wearer. The container is made of two halves formed from a resilient plastic material, which define between them a cavity in which a specially-shaped piece of paper with the necessary information can be placed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1982
    Inventor: Robert L. Oliver
  • Patent number: 4323401
    Abstract: A bearing having a generally flat planer surface of pearlite, and an array of microasperities of martensite on the planer surface, each microasperity including a gently sloping front surface in relation to the direction of movement of the bearing and a sharply sloping rear surface in relation to such direction of movement. A pulsed laser beam or other heat source is focussed on the bearing to produce the array with microasperities of controlled size and shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1982
    Assignee: Caterpillar Tractor Co.
    Inventors: William H. Belke, Joseph C. Hafele, Ernest W. Landen, Thomas J. Richards
  • Patent number: 4321813
    Abstract: A conventional rotary forging machine (M) includes a chuck (C) for gripping a workpiece (W) for moving it axially and for rotating the workpiece during the upset forging operation. The chuck may tend to deform the workpiece and relative axial and rotational movement may occur between the workpiece and chuck, thus requiring a prolonged cycle time for the operation. This invention overcomes the above problems by providing a pusher block (10) having grippers (17) thereon for engaging an end of the workpiece to push it through a pair of forging dies (D) and for simultaneously gripping and rotating the workpiece to prevent relative rotation therebetween. In carrying forth the method of this invention, the pusher block engages an annular (W') of the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1982
    Assignee: Caterpillar Tractor Co.
    Inventor: Bruce N. Hershock
  • Patent number: 4320756
    Abstract: The recent rash of fires in high-rise hotels and deaths occasioned thereby has given rise to the need for a breathing device and method for supplying a hotel guest and/or fireman with fresh air until he can be rescued. The device and method of this invention provide for the insertion of a breathing tube through the water trap of a toilet to expose an open end thereof to fresh air from a vent pipe connected to a sewer line of the toilet, to enable the user to breathe fresh air through the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1982
    Inventor: William O. Holmes
  • Patent number: 4320547
    Abstract: A punch and binding machine binds material into a booklet with a plastic comb-binding in one continuous operation. The machine combines a conventional multiple hole punch with a uniquely designed binder. A conveyor system moves the material first to the punch machine and then to the comb-binder where an auxillary conveyer moves the material into an opened comb-binding so that the extended fingers of the comb-binding may be released to bind the material into a booklet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1982
    Assignee: Mike Roberts Color Productions
    Inventors: William H. Stolle, John C. Duderstadt
  • Patent number: 4320691
    Abstract: A hydraulic system (9) includes a hydraulic motor (10), a main control valve (17) for controlling said motor (10), a make-up valve (78,79) operatively associated with said main control valve (17) and a vent line (93,94,95,99) for selectively venting said make-up valve (78,79). In such hydraulic systems, and in particular, in prior art hydraulic systems used to raise and lower a load, there is always the possibility that should hydraulic pressure not be maintained in the vent line the make-up valve could come open and the load could unexpectedly move. Such a situation could occur with, for example, air trapped in said vent line and the simultaneous failure of a pump of the system. The present invention solves this problem by providing pressure maintaining arrangement (200) in fluid communication with said vent line (93,94,95,99).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1982
    Assignee: Caterpillar Tractor Co.
    Inventor: Orcenith D. McWilliams
  • Patent number: 4320783
    Abstract: A flexible hose assembly (10) transmits fluid between relatively movable components, such as a drive motor (16) secured to the main frame (14) of a vehicle (12) and pressurized fluid supply ports (13) resiliently supported on the main frame (14), in a constricted region where typical hose motions could result in chafing or cutting from contacts with adjacent structure. A flexed portion (39) of the hose (38) extends within a curved tubular rigid sleeve (47) which is fixed relative to one (16) of the fluid transmitting components (16, 13) and free of rigid attachment to the other (13). The diameter of the inside passage (51) of the sleeve (47) is greater than that of the hose (38) enabling limited necessary flexing while preventing more sizable and potentially damaging hose (38) movements. The curved hose portion (39) may have a radius of curvature smaller than the normal minimum bending radius as the sleeve (47) restrains kinking by preventing concentration of bending forces at one point on the hose (38).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1982
    Assignee: Caterpillar Tractor Co.
    Inventors: James G. Neal, Warren J. Stafford
  • Patent number: 4320796
    Abstract: An apparatus and process for the transfer of heat from a hot exhaust fluid stream as, for example, produced by a combustion process, into an incoming air stream, to heat the incoming air stream close to the temperature of the exhaust stream. Such high heat transfer efficiency has heretofore not been practiced due to the fact that these exhaust streams frequently contain particulate, water vapor and other condensable vapors. The particulate in the gas fouls high performance heat exchangers and if the temperature of the gas is reduced below its dewpoint, the condensed moisture exacerbates the fouling problem and introduces a corrosion problem of its own. The apparatus of the invention includes a moving granular bed heat exchanger that can cool the exhaust gas to provide enough energy to heat the incoming air close to the temperature of the exhaust gas. Particulate in the hot exhaust fluid stream is filtered in the granular bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1982
    Inventor: Richard D. Smith
  • Patent number: 4320819
    Abstract: A seat operated parking brake assembly for lift trucks and the like normally imposes an overload force on a caliper-type brake thereof, after the brake has been engaged. The present invention provides an arrangement (34 or 34') for maintaining a brake (20) of this type in its disengaged condition when a seat (11) is maintained in a first position under the weight of an operator and for isolating continued movement of the seat (11) from the brake (20), after the brake (20) has been engaged in response to initial movement of the seat (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1982
    Assignee: Towmotor Corporation
    Inventor: James W. Erker
  • Patent number: D263457
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1982
    Inventor: Robert J. Janning, Jr.