Patents Assigned to Applied Power Inc.
  • Patent number: 6295913
    Abstract: A hydraulic pump assembly (10) for powering a hydraulic torque wrench (24) is air-powered and has hydro-pneumatic control circuitry (39) which continues operation of an air motor (18) which drives the hydraulic pump (16) for a post-advance period after an advance actuator (55) is deactuated. Operation of the pump (16) is continued for a period sufficient to retract a double-acting torque wrench (24), to permit subsequent advances of the wrench (24) within the post-advance period without restarting the pump (16) or to permit a single acting wrench to be moved from one fastener to the next within the post-advance period without restarting the pump (16). Operation of the pump (16) is terminated when the post-advance period expires if the advance actuator (55) is not reactuated, so as to conserve energy and avoid unnecessary heating of the hydraulic fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Assignee: Applied Power Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence P. Rothering
  • Patent number: 6286883
    Abstract: A vehicle having a slide-out room section includes an operating mechanism for moving the slide-out room section laterally relative to the stationary room section for expanding the interior volume of the vehicle. The slide-out room section has an outer end which is mounted via a vertically movable connection arrangement to the operating mechanism, and a cooperative support arrangement is provided for the inner end of the slide-out room section to enable the slide-out room section to be vertically dropped when fully extended to place the slide-out room section floor flush with the floor of the stationary room section. The vertically movable connection arrangement includes a support member interconnected with the extension member and movable therewith, and a mounting member secured to the movable room section and engaged with the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: Applied Power Inc.
    Inventors: Robert H. Schneider, Richard B. Lahti
  • Patent number: 6224036
    Abstract: A concrete reinforcement cable tensioner (10) has a cable gripper (60) with its base end (87) mounted to a flange (18) which is secured to the tensioning cylinders (12, 14) by abutting a shoulder on the outside of the cylinders (12, 14). An auxiliary retraction spring (94) is contained in a tubular handle (86) which is fixed to the flange (18) and the spring (94) acts on a rod (92) which extends beyond the handle (86) and has its distal end fixed to a yoke (104) which connects the piston rods (30) of the cylinders (12, 14) and on which a seat (108) for bearing against the concrete slab is mounted. The base ends (24) of the tensioning cylinders (12, 14) are hydraulically connected by a manifold (16) which is common to the cylinders (12, 14) and binds the base ends (24) of the cylinders (12, 14) together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Applied Power Inc.
    Inventors: George T. Prince, William J. Gordon
  • Patent number: 6213485
    Abstract: A load distribution unit for a hydraulic vehicle suspension system has a pair of cylinders with each cylinder defined by a block which is common to the cylinders and four cylinder sleeves, two sleeves for each cylinder extending from opposite sides of the block. The sleeves are fixed to the block by an end cap for each sleeve, with fasteners extending from the end cap to the block to compress the associated sleeve between the end cap and the block and estalish a seal between the block and the sleeve and the end cap and the sleeve. The LDU is mounted to the vehicle with a three point mounting, and with the cylinder sleeve cantilevered from the block. A clam shell compartment is mounted and sealed to one of the end caps of each cylinder, which is covered so that its interior is accessible without breaking the seal of the clam shell compartment with the end cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Applied Power Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Doll, Timothy J. Abhold, Terence A. Bucheger
  • Patent number: 6163144
    Abstract: An electrical circuit finder has a transmitter which is plugged into one of the circuits of a building's electrical system and a receiver which is used to identify other elements of the circuit such as a circuit breaker, fuse, switch, electrical device or outlet. The transmitter induces in the circuit a high frequency current signal which is modulated at a lower frequency. The receiver, including a sensor wand and a receiver housing, is tuned to inductively detect the high frequency when placed in the magnetic field of the circuit and to produce visual and audible signals to the user which vary in intensity according to the detected signal. The user can thereby use his or her visual and/or audio senses to associate a circuit element proximate to the receiver with the circuit element connected to the transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Applied Power Inc.
    Inventors: George R. Steber, Thomas M. Luebke, David L. Wiesemann
  • Patent number: 6155536
    Abstract: A hydraulic staging jack has a circumferentially grooved cylinder which fits into a base in which two shoes are seated and each shoe has two axially spaced flanges which engage in two axially spaced grooves of the cylinder. Radially outer surfaces of the shoes are axially angled so that moving the shoes axially out of the base causes the shoes to separate radially, thereby disengaging the flanges from the grooves and permitting adjustable axial fixing of the position of the cylinder relative to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Applied Power Inc.
    Inventor: Micah L. Digman
  • Patent number: 6152709
    Abstract: A hydraulic drive cylinder with a cylinder tube, which at its respective ends has a cylinder base and a cylinder head, thus delimiting a cylinder space. A piston can move to and fro in the cylinder space between the cylinder base and the cylinder head, which piston delimits a head-side chamber and a base-side chamber, which chambers are sealed off from one another by the piston. The piston rod has a free end which is delimited by an end face, which end face is situated in the head-side chamber. At the said free end, the piston rod is provided with a first stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Applied Power Inc.
    Inventor: Laurentius A. G. Mentink
  • Patent number: 6148862
    Abstract: A valve bank has a coil pack assembly with multiple solenoid coils bound to one another by a single resin body. An L-shaped magnetic (but not magnetized) bracket is also bound within the body and extends between upper pole pieces of the valves and the manifold in which the valves are mounted. A retainer plate holds the valves in the manifold, and helps complete the magnetic flux path circuit from the manifold end of the bracket to the lower pole pieces of the valves. A spring clip helps position the manifold end of the bracket close to the retainer plate. A circuit board for individually energizing the coils is also potted within the resin body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Applied Power Inc.
    Inventor: Robert A. Doll
  • Patent number: 6149221
    Abstract: Hydraulic control unit, in particular for the folding roof of a vehicle, comprising a reservoir for hydraulic fluid, a pump for drawing hydraulic fluid out of the reservoir and provided with a delivery port for delivering compressed hydraulic fluid, and also at least one first hydraulic actuator of the double-acting type with a first and a second variable working chamber, which working chambers are separated by a piston and are provided with a first and a second connection respectively for supplying hydraulic fluid to said working chambers, further comprising a control valve assembly with a first exit port and a second exit port, which are connected respectively to the first and the second connection of the first actuator, for controlling the movements of the first actuator. The control valve assembly comprises one or more operable control valves and is designed for selectively connecting one of the two or both exit ports thereof to the delivery port of the pump or the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Applied Power Inc.
    Inventor: Laurentius A. G. Mentink
  • Patent number: 6145860
    Abstract: A reservoir for a hydraulic suspension system for a motor vehicle has two vents disposed diagonally opposite relative to the direction of travel of the vehicle. A level sensor and filter are formed which fit together and to the reservoir, with the level sensor extending through and beneath the filter. The bottom of the reservoir tapers so as to direct hydraulic fluid toward the hydraulic fluid pick-up of a pump which is mounted in a sidewall of the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Applied Power Inc.
    Inventors: Xudong Yu, Gregory A. Schmidt, Michael S. Schultz
  • Patent number: 6137285
    Abstract: A voltage tester has an indicator housing and two separate probes connected to the housing by lead wires. One or more visual indicators are provided on the top surface of the indicator housing which wrap around to the sides and front of the indicator housing, and the bottom of the indicator housing has a clip into which the probe handles may be snapped from the sides of the clip so as to hold the probes beneath the indicator housing with the probe tips extending forward of the indicator housing and spaced a distance apart so as to fit into the blade openings of an ordinary wall outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Applied Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean R. Walsten, Thomas M. Luebke, David L. Wiesemann
  • Patent number: 6116671
    Abstract: A low profile operating mechanism for selectively extending and retracting a slide-out section of a vehicle body includes a pair of substantially parallel outer rails secured to the vehicle body. Each of the outer rails has an inner end and an outer end. A pair of substantially parallel inner rails are provided for supporting the slide-out section thereon. Each of the inner rails are slidably mounted for longitudinal movement within one of the outer rails. A drive arrangement is secured to the outer ends of each outer rail for selectively moving the inner rails into and out of the outer rails to extend and retract the slide-out section of the vehicle body. The drive arrangement is constructed and arranged to define rearwardly thereof a relatively unobstructed storage space beneath the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Applied Power Inc.
    Inventor: Robert H. Schneider
  • Patent number: 6109381
    Abstract: A vehicle cab suspension unit has a support plate f or fixation to a vehicle frame, an impact plate for fixation to a cab of the vehicle, a pair of air springs supporting the impact plate above the support plate, and a pair of shock absorbers for damping changes in the separation between the impact and support plates. A track arm is pivotally connected between the support and impact plate s for permitting changes in the vertical separation of the plates and restraining lateral motion of the plates relative to one another. A U-shaped crash restraint strap is fixed to the support plate and loops over the track arm to restrain the track arm from excessive pivoting in an angular direction away from the support plate, so as to deform the suspension unit to absorb energy in a crash and resist complete separation of the support and impact plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Applied Power Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas G. Stuyvenberg, Suzanne M. Schneider
  • Patent number: 6109683
    Abstract: The outer side of a slide-out floor is supported by the outer end of an inner rail member. The inner rail member is telescopically angled within an outer rail member such that the angle increases as the inner rail member is extended, so as to position the outer end of the slide-out floor at an elevation that is substantially flush with the fixed floor when the slide-out floor is fully extended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Applied Power Inc.
    Inventor: Robert H. Schneider
  • Patent number: 5997048
    Abstract: A connection between a fluid line and a connecting element, in which at one end the line has an insertion part, and the connecting element is provided with an bore for accommodating the insertion part of the line, in which the line is provided with a locking shoulder, and in which the connecting element is designed to accommodate a locking element, which locking element when fitted covers the locking shoulder of the line, so that the insertion part of the line is locked in the bore of the connecting element, in which the bore, viewed in the insertion direction of the insertion part has a first part with a first diameter and connecting thereto a second part with a second diameter which is smaller than the first diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Applied Power Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Bernard Hulzebos
  • Patent number: D438537
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Applied Power Inc.
    Inventors: William N. A. Creech, Richard M. Latino
  • Patent number: D422518
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignee: Applied Power Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas M. Luebke
  • Patent number: D425803
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignee: Applied Power Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas M. Luebke, David L. Wiesemann
  • Patent number: D431480
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Applied Power Inc.
    Inventors: Dean R. Walsten, David L. Wiesemann, Timothy E. O'Connell
  • Patent number: D434412
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Applied Power Inc.
    Inventors: William N. A. Creech, Richard M. Latino