Patents Assigned to Textron
  • Patent number: 5178405
    Abstract: A hydromechanical pressure control system includes a dual pump and cam assembly, which operates in association with an orifice and a relief valve to develop a pressure for operating a multiple disk friction damper. In one embodiment, the friction damper is associated with a torsion bar for spring supporting a vehicle hull on a road arm, which has a spindle for connection to a road wheel, and the cam is configured to operate two pumps to produce a pressure on the friction damper for damping of both jounce and rebound movements of the road wheel relative to the hull, independently of the relative position of the hull and the road wheel during terrain induced movements of the vehicle and its road wheels and wherein a snubber and the torsion bar system improve the energy absorption and energy storage characteristics of the suspension system to thereby improve the ride quality and handling characteristics of said vehicle and to reduce energy requirements when operating off-road.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1993
    Assignee: Cadillac Gage Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Jack M. Brandstadter
  • Patent number: 5177871
    Abstract: A belt tension system for a power tool such as a demolition saw. The system includes a driven gear and a drive gear. The drive gear is orientated perpendicular to the driven gear for more convenience access to adjust the driven gear and, hence, adjust the drive belt. The driven gear can include a second member movably connected to a first member. The second member has a threaded portion and a shaft portion. The first member has helical grooves to interact with the drive gear and a center hole with the second member shaft portion slidingly located therein. The first member can axially rotate the second member when it is axially rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1993
    Assignee: Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Aaron C. Martenson
  • Patent number: 5176301
    Abstract: An elongate wrist band segment has a top row of links overlying a bottom row of links. U-shaped staples connect the links of the top row to the links of the bottom, and springs housed in the links coact with the staples to resiliently accommodate longitudinal expansion and contraction of the band segment. An elongate non-expansible element is received between the top and bottom rows of links and serves to resist longitudinal expansion of the band segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1993
    Assignee: Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen F. Bert
  • Patent number: 5176303
    Abstract: A back pack for carrying a gas operated blower. The back pack has a frame and straps for supporting the frame on the back of an operator. The frame has a dual wall construction forming an internal fuel storage tank. Thus, the blower does not need a separate fuel tank. This reduces the weight and cost of the back pack and blower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1993
    Assignee: Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffery S. Franke
  • Patent number: 5176400
    Abstract: An air bag mountng system for assembling an air bag having a mounting flange with an air bag inflator and for thereafter assembling the assembled air bag and inflator with a preselected surface of an automotive vehicle comprises a module housing, and a retaining ring. The mounting flange is disposed between the retaining ring, and the module housing. The module housing has apertures therein capable of accepting projecting pins disposed about the retaining ring. The projecting pins are forced into the apertures forming a frictioned interference fit capable of holding the air bag subassembly together during manufacture of the subassembly and installation in a vehicle. Preferably, the projecting pins are hexlobular in nature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1993
    Assignee: Textron Inc.
    Inventors: James T. McGuire, Michael D. Marvell, Stephen J. Dixon
  • Patent number: 5174434
    Abstract: A transport system is provided which includes a conveyor having an alternate forwardly and reversely driven rollers. A carrier disposed on the conveyor has a pair of spaced skis which engage the forwardly rotating rollers to move the carrier along the conveyor. A friction belt disposed over a pair of pickup rollers on the carrier engages the reversely rotating rollers on the conveyor to provide a rotational drive for use on the carrier. An alternative embodiment is also disclosed which provides rotational motion on the carrier only when the carrier is moving along the conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1992
    Assignee: Davidson Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Clifford L. Bourgoine
  • Patent number: 5174504
    Abstract: An airblast fuel injector tip is provided for reducing fuel vaporization problems as a result of high fuel temperatures without adversely affecting the airblast operational characteristics of the injector tip. The injector tip includes a fuel receiving chamber and an arcuate valve member movable relative to a valve seat member having a fuel discharge port for discharging fuel flow into the fuel receiving chamber as metered by said valve member in dependence on the pressure of fuel. The valve member comprises an arcuate reed-type valve received in a generally cylindrical tubular valve seat insert with the flow area of the fuel discharge port adjustable externally of the valve seat insert for adjusting the valve cracking pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1992
    Assignee: Fuel Systems Textron, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert M. Halvorsen
  • Patent number: 5173228
    Abstract: A method for forming a 360 degree integral skin handle in a thermoplastic part for use in automotive trim products includes the steps of forming a mold with a partial recess closed by a removable plug and thereafter selectively directing heat from a first source through the mold and from a second source through the plug to form a completely closed, curved, heated tube surface and thereafter casting thermoplastic material against the curved, heated tube surface to fuse and cure a layer of material thereon in the form of a tube skin segment which is releasable from the mold when the plug is removed. Apparatus for practicing the method includes a mold with a recess therein and a plug is supported on the mold for movement into a position for closing the tube surface and into a demolding position for releasing the molded part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1992
    Assignee: Davidson Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Reza Kargarzadeh, Ken E. Tuttle, John A. Grimes
  • Patent number: 5171117
    Abstract: A recessed drive socket in a fastener or the like, is driven by a mating, drive tool received within the socket. The socket cavity has a multilobular cross-section defined by an alternating annular series of adjacent socket flutes and socket lobes extending parallel along a general central axis from an entrance opening into the cavity circumscribed by a peripheral support collar. Each socket lobe is truncated by a guide surface inclined from the opening at a radially outer edge of an adjacent socket flute into the cavity to form a tool clearance recess portion of the guide surface which defines the radial outer edge of the adjacent flute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1992
    Assignee: Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Richard J. Seidl
  • Patent number: 5171186
    Abstract: A method for forming a self-drilling screw. The self-drilling screw formed by this method stabilizes the screw during the hole drilling step of driving the screw and produces a precisely dimensioned hole for receiving the threaded portion of the screw. The method of forming the self-drilling screw starts with providing a screw blank having a head end and a tip. A driving head is formed on the head end and a drilling portion is formed on the shank distal the head end. Two longitudinally extending flutes are formed on the drilling portion of shank from the tip towards the head end. Each flute includes a working edge and a formed trailing edge. The working edges and the formed trailing edges of the two flutes are respectively diametrically opposed on the shank. A formed trailing diameter measured across the diametrically opposed formed trailing edges is greater than a working diameter measured across the diametrically opposed working edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1992
    Assignee: Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Richard W. Lukes
  • Patent number: 5171054
    Abstract: A rear shelf module for a passenger car includes a plurality of transverse reinforcing channels forming electrical cable ducts or air conditioning ducts through the module for locating electrical conduits for connection to rear light and sound system components located respectively in fore and aft facing housing segments formed integrally of the rear shelf module and for directing heating, air conditioning and ventilation air to the rear passenger compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1992
    Assignee: Davidson Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Phillip S. Wilson
  • Patent number: 5169204
    Abstract: A vehicle door system (10) for reducing the impact of a person against the door when the vehicle undergoes a side impact. The system includes an inner door panel (14) mounted to a door frame (12) in spaced apart fashion. The inner panel (14) is mounted to the frame (12) with a plurality of shock absorbing fasteners (20) which absorbs some of the kinetic energy transmitted from the door frame to the person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1992
    Assignee: Davidson Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Josh Kelman
  • Patent number: 5167732
    Abstract: Nickel aluminide single crystal alloys having improved strength and ductility at elevated temperatures, produced by major elemental additions to strengthen the Ni.sub.3 Al phase by solid solutioning and/or secondary phase formation. The major elemental additions comprise (by weight) 7-20% Al, 0.5-9% molybedenum, 0.5-10% tungsten and 2-15% titanium. Optional minor elemental additions of boron, manganese, silcon and/or hafnium are preferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1992
    Assignee: Textron, Inc.
    Inventor: Subhash K. Naik
  • Patent number: 5167116
    Abstract: The small airblast fuel nozzle improves cold ignition of small gas turbine engines of the type having a stagnation air pressure of only 1-11/2 inches of water available from the compressor for cold ignition. The fuel nozzle includes an inner air swirling system comprising a longitudinal cylindrical inner air swirl chamber and multiple air inlet slots spaced circumferentially on the nozzle body to supply air to the chamber. The air inlet slots each include an inner tapered section converging toward and into intersection with the chamber and an outer tapered section converging from the exterior of the nozzle body toward and into intersection with the inner section. The inner section and outer section are canted with respect to one another and in the same direction from one slot to the next so that the inner air slots collectively form a hooked cross type pattern when viewed in plan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1992
    Assignee: Fuel Systems Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore R. Koblish, Leonard D. Bell
  • Patent number: 5165775
    Abstract: A headlamp adjuster mechanism, constructed according to the teachings of the present invention, for use with a headlamp for controlling movement thereof comprises a housing. Gear means is disposed within the housing, and an adjusting member is connected to the gear means for movement in response to rotation of the gear means. The gear means is operatively connected to the headlamp for attaining controlled positioning thereof and for providing prevailing torque for the mechanism to prevent inadvertent movement thereof. The housing comprises a main body portion and a cap for slidable engagement with the main body portion. The body and the cap have interengagable locking means for providing a snap-type interference fit therebetween to maintain the housing components in assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1992
    Assignee: Textron, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen P. Lisak, Larry L. Young
  • Patent number: 5164135
    Abstract: A method of molding automotive interior trim parts wherein a block of a predetermined thickness and area of a suitable grade of fiber or other suitable insert material is pressed into a molten vinyl shell during the latter's curing cycle. The fiber block or insert becomes fused to the vinyl shell and may expand to approximately three times its original thickness to serve as the backing and mounting insert for the finished two-component interior trim part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: Davidson Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Kent L. Parker, James C. Carter
  • Patent number: 5163746
    Abstract: An adjusting mechanism for alignment of a vehicle headlamp or the like includes a molded housing in which an adjusting gear is journaled and movably coupled to an adjusting member so that rotation of the adjusting gear imparts linear movement to the adjusting member for adjusting orientation of the headlamp. The housing includes first and second portions thereof which are joined by clamping the second housing portion between the first housing portion and a support structure to which the adjusting mechanism is secured. Clamping structure can be integrally provided on the first housing portion and secured directed to the support structure so that separate fasteners are eliminated. The clamping structure on the first housing portion can be a plurality of resiliently deflectable coupling hooks projecting therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen P. Lisak
  • Patent number: 5161877
    Abstract: A headlamp adjuster mechanism for use with a headlamp for controlling movement thereof comprises a housing. Gear means is disposed within the housing. The gear means comprises an adjusting member connected to the gear means for movement in response to rotation of the gear means, and is operatively connected to the headlamp for attaining controlled positioning thereof. Elastomeric braking means is disposed in engagement with at least one of the gear means and the adjusting member for providing prevailing torque for the mechanism to prevent inadvertent movement of the components of the gear means. The braking means is engaged at the outer periphery of the gear means to increase the moment arm associated with the force applied by the braking means such that a desired degree of prevailing torque can be attained. Further, the manner and component designs for attaining prevailing torque are such that the desired degree of said torque can be attained in each adjuster mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1992
    Assignee: Textron Inc.
    Inventors: David J. G. Wright, David Goss
  • Patent number: D332078
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1992
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Frank M. Shallene
  • Patent number: D332557
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1993
    Assignee: Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Blake, Vincent A. Piucci, Jr.