Patents Assigned to The Torrington Company
  • Separable connecting device for a steering column
    Patent number: 5560257
    Abstract: An intermediate shaft consisting of a solid inner shaft member slidable within a tube member. A C-shaped connecting member or clip is inserted into a pair of opposed holes in tube member. The ends of connecting member engage a shoulder on the shaft member to prevent the two portions (the shaft member and the tube member) of the intermediate member from disengaging. The shaft member and the tube member are slidable relative to one another to accommodate movement of the front axle and the steering gear mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: Mark J. DeBisschop, Kevin J. Audibert
  • Steering column assembly
    Patent number: 5551919
    Abstract: A steering column assembly having a steering wheel connected to a steering box by upper and lower shafts. A universal joint having a flexible cross member connects the upper and lower shafts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Berci Cherpician
  • Vehicle steering columns
    Patent number: 5551727
    Abstract: A vehicle steering wheel lock housing is mounted as an interference fit on the end of a steering column which has an extended slot. The lock housing has an internal peg which slides in the slot and is spaced from the inner end of it. In the event of vehicle crash, the lock housing is driven further down the slot continuing to be loaded as a result of the interference fit, the tube closing around the slot after the tube has passed the peg. Instead of the steering lock housing, another tubular member could be mounted on the end of a steering column to achieve the required collapse facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Gerald A. Speich
  • Rolling bearing and method of making same
    Patent number: 5531836
    Abstract: There is disclosed herein a steel alloy bearing having an inner race, an outer race and rolling elements comprising: at least one of said elements being made of alloy steel which constitutes from 10.0 to 18.0 wt % chromium and 0.05 to 0.30 wt % carbon, 0.10% to 2.0 wt % molybdenum, 0.15 to 1.0 wt % silicon, 0.20 to 1.5 wt % manganese, 0.8 to 1.2 wt % tungsten, 0.20 to 0.30 wt % vanadium, 0.2 to 1.0 wt % of nickel, and the remainder of said steel alloy being iron; and said at least one element having been carburized in a carbon atmosphere containing from 0.25 to about 0.40 % carbon potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: Michael M. Dezzani, David E. Beauregard
  • Tapered drawn cup needle bearing
    Patent number: 5529402
    Abstract: A drawn cup bearing has a tapered inside surface which was shaped by a tapered punch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Richard F. Murphy
  • Thrust bearing magnet holder
    Patent number: 5529400
    Abstract: A plastic magnet holder is constructed for use with an annular thrust bearing. The plastic magnet holder has an annular plastic magnet which was snapped into the plastic magnet holder. The plastic magnet holder is provided with a recess formed by a surface having a size and shape to permit the plastic magnet holder to be snapped over the annular thrust bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: Mark A. Polinsky, Michael B. Basmajian
  • Universal joint
    Patent number: 5525110
    Abstract: A double cardan universal joint having a pair of annular ring yokes pivotally connected by a tubular coupling yoke. Specific examples are provided of using the double cardan universal joint as a non-constant velocity joint in a three universal joint steering system whereby a the three universal joint system operates at constant velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: Martin G. Riccitelli, Frederick W. Mitchell, III, William E. Korzan, David E. Boyden
  • Adjustable steering column assembly for a vehicle
    Patent number: 5524927
    Abstract: An adjustable steering column for a vehicle having a steering column including adjustment and clamping mechanism, for example a clampable mechanism to allow for reach adjustment of the steering column and for clamping the column at a desired reach position. An energy absorption mechanism is provided to absorb energy upon collapse of the steering column in a crash situation, there being a resilient-loaded pawl and ratchet mechanism associated with the adjustment and clamping mechanism, acting as a primary means in the crash situation to transfer energy from the column to the energy absorption mechanism. A handle acts both to clamp and unclamp the adjustment and clamping mechanism and to bring the pawl and ratchet mechanism into and out of engagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Herve Toussaint
  • Bearing seal with data sensor and an internal reinforcement having an insulating film and a conductive track disposed thereon
    Patent number: 5523681
    Abstract: A seal with internal reinforcement is mountable on a stationary ring of a bearing, an insulating film with conductive tracks being fixed to the reinforcement. A sensor element, for sensing an encoder element carried by a rotating ring of the bearing, contacts the insulating film and the conductive tracks. Constitutive material of the seal covers at least a portion of the reinforcement and the insulating film and provides protection for the conductive tracks and sensor element. Connecting devices for passing wiring through the reinforcement are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: Christian Hajzler, Fernand Peilloud
  • Collapsible steering column assembly
    Patent number: 5517877
    Abstract: A collapsible steering column assembly with means to absorb energy transmitted by the steering column upon collapse, including a deformable U-shaped wire clip engaged around a pair of pins. A skid member adjoins the clip and is coupled to the steering column so that, upon collapse of the steering column, the skid member is urged in a direction to deform the wire clip by drawing it over the pins. The clip and skid member are accommodated in a fixed mounting bracket for the steering column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Michael T. Hancock
  • Adaptor for inner bearing ring bore
    Patent number: 5511887
    Abstract: A tubular portion of the adaptor has a non-cylindrical outer surface to be received within an inner bearing ring bore and a non-cylindrical inner surface to receive a non-cylindrical shaft. Flanges are directed substantially radially outwardly from the tubular portion at the adaptor ends to engage the end surfaces of the inner bearing ring. Slots distributed along the perimeter of at least one adaptor end and extending longitudinally through the flange and part of the tubular portion form a plurality of retention fingers. The retention fingers may bend radially inwardly and outwardly to permit insertion into the inner bearing ring and to accommodate dimensional variation of the non-cylindrical bore and the non-cylindrical shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Walter P. Waskiewicz
  • Bearing with a seal-thrust withstanding member
    Patent number: 5509737
    Abstract: A track roller or cam follower type bearing has seal-thrust withstanding members. The sealing function and the thrust withstanding function are performed by a single structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: Walter P. Waskiewicz, Daniel R. McLarty
  • Rod end bearing for aircraft use
    Patent number: 5507580
    Abstract: The ball raceways on the inside surface of the outer ring of a rod end bearing to be used on aircraft is hardened by a nitriding process while at the same time leaving the remainder of the ring soft and ductile to resist fracture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: Michael M. Dezzani, Philip K. Pearson
  • Variable length shaft assembly
    Patent number: 5507203
    Abstract: A steering shaft coupling comprising: an outer tubular shaft member, a coaxial inner shaft member slidably inserted within the outer tubular shaft member, the outer tubular shaft member having an inner peripheral wall and the inner shaft member having an outer peripheral wall, the inner peripheral wall and the outer peripheral wall having complementary shapes, the complementary shapes transmitting torque between the shaft members, and a biasing member between the inner shaft member and the outer tubular shaft member, the biasing member causing a force opposing the transmitted torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: Kevin J. Audibert, Frederick W. Mitchell, III, William E. Korzan, John T. Lawson
  • Trunnion roller bearing retainer
    Patent number: 5501532
    Abstract: There is provided a roller bearing having an outer roller race with an integral radially inwardly directed lip at each end. A complement of axially extending trunnion rollers is arranged between the lips. A removable retainer ring is interconnected to the lip to prevent radial displacement of the trunnion rollers. The retainer ring includes a cylindrical medial portion disposed concentrically inside the lip, an outer flange extending radially outwardly from one side of the medial portion and overlying a portion of the outer surface of the lip, and an inner flange extending from the other side edge of the medial portion and extending in an outwardly inclined direction and terminating in abutting relation with the inner surface of the lip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Arnold M. Terrill
  • Torsion measuring device for a rotating shaft
    Patent number: 5501110
    Abstract: Two magnetic field generators are located symmetrically to each other in a first plane perpendicular to a shaft, and two magnetic field detectors are immobilized in a second plane perpendicular to the shaft. The magnetic field detectors provide a signal proportional to the torsional moment as a result of angular shift of the magnetic field generators with respect to the magnetic field detectors. The magnetic field generators have a magnetized structure with antiparallel magnetization directions and are supported by a first disk mounted on the shaft and are placed at the end of a first hub which surrounds the shaft. The first hub supports a bearing for mounting a second hub and second disk, which is axially shifted and to which the magnetic field detectors are rigidly attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: Fernand Peilloud, Claire Blache
  • Method of making retainers for ball bearings
    Patent number: 5499452
    Abstract: Material is first formed into a flat ring. Ball retaining pockets are then formed in the flat ring leaving bridge material between adjacent pockets. Bearing balls are inserted into the ball retaining pockets and bridge material between adjacent pockets is then reshaped such that the bridge material wraps partially around the balls, thereby retaining the balls and forming a rigid bridge between adjacent ball pockets. The bridge is proximate a line common to the centers of adjacent balls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: Maksimilijan Godec, James L. Lawson
  • Radial bearing assembly
    Patent number: 5494353
    Abstract: A bearing body is provided with first roller bodies such that a shaft may be rollably bearing-mounted on the surface of the first roller bodies, for centering the shaft such that the shaft is shiftable along the shaft axis, rotatable about the shaft axis, and swivelable with respect to a central axis of the bearing. The first roller bodies may be balls and may, in turn, be rollably bearing-mounted by second roller bodies. The bearing assembly achieves a device having zero runout and low friction that ensures a smooth, reliable bearing for shafts and rods, for example, in the gear shift rods of motor vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Karl Diemer
  • Flange bearing housing
    Patent number: D371138
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Walter P. Waskiewicz
  • Flange bearing housing
    Patent number: D371139
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Walter P. Waskiewicz