Patents Assigned to The Torrington Company
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Patent number: 6179474Abstract: Two axially spaced retailer end rings have axially inwardly extending blades forming circumferentially spaced roller pockets. No rigid connection of the end rings is provided. Circumferentially spaced rollers are aligned parallel to the bearing axis between the end rings such that ends of the rollers are received within the roller pockets. Abutment means limits axially outward movement of the end rings. The blades of the end rings have retention surfaces retaining the rollers radially and extend axially inwardly, parallel to the bearing axis, such that skew of the rollers is limited.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 1997Date of Patent: January 30, 2001Assignee: The Torrington CompanyInventor: Stephen T. Podhajecki
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Patent number: 6176622Abstract: Attachment device for a data sensor for a bearing on which an encoding element is connected to a turning race that is separated by rolling elements from a fixed race, the sensor being mounted on a support that is immobile relative to the fixed race. The support has at least a first element and a second element joined together. The first element immobilizes the support relative to the fixed race, and the second element integrates functions of guiding and immobilizing the sensor on the support.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 1999Date of Patent: January 23, 2001Assignee: The Torrington CompanyInventor: Christophe Nicot
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Patent number: 6176623Abstract: A roller bearing comprises a cylindrical inner race having axial ends folded over an outside surface thereof. A cylindrical roller cage, having a plurality of axially disposed roller pockets with roller retainer bars at radially outer edges thereof, is slid onto the folded ends of the inner race; and a plurality of cylindrical rollers is snap fitted into the roller pockets between the folded ends of the inner race. The roller cage pilots radially on the folded ends of the inner race, and the roller ends pilot axially against the folded ends of the roller cage.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 1999Date of Patent: January 23, 2001Assignee: The Torrington CompanyInventor: Robert E. Zeigler
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Patent number: 6165099Abstract: In a planetary gear, at least one planet wheel (9) is coupled by a freewheel (19) to the planet carrier (7), and the sun wheel (3) is coupled by a freewheel (13) to a center spindle (1) fixed to a casing. By the freewheels (13, 19), it is achieved that the gearing effect is released or non-positively bridged depending on the driving direction. When the direction of rotation is reversed, the freewheels (13, 19) in both directions of rotation block the planetary gear "solid" and thus the power transmission. One application is, e.g., in integrated starter/generator assemblies for internal combustion engines.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 1999Date of Patent: December 26, 2000Assignee: The Torrington CompanyInventor: Klaus Peter Pieper
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Patent number: 6161961Abstract: A cup for needle bearings, having depressions or ramps arranged on the cup bottom for receiving lubricant, the ramps starting in a star shape from the middle of the cup bottom and being configured with a depth which decreases radially outwardly. At the middle of the cup bottom there is a central elevation with a rounded end face for the thrust of an end face of a shaft. The axial thrust behavior between these parts is thus optimized.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 1998Date of Patent: December 19, 2000Assignee: The Torrington CompanyInventor: Karl Diemer
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Patent number: 6163147Abstract: A fixed sensor has two sensing elements delivering sinusoidal signals .GAMMA., and is mounted in front of the magnetized face of an annular multipolar encoder. The axis (.delta..sub.C) of the sensor (5) having the centers of the two sensing elements (51 and 52) is located at a distance (R.sub.0) from the axis (.delta..sub.R) of rotation of the encoder (4), and the encoder (4) has on its magnetized face (6) 2 m magnetic transitions between poles of opposite polarities, north and south, in the form of spirals, whose tracing is obtained by successive rotations by angles .pi./m of the first transition around the center (0) of the encoder, defined in polar coordinates (.mu., .theta.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 1998Date of Patent: December 19, 2000Assignee: The Torrington CompanyInventor: Fernand Peilloud
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Patent number: 6135910Abstract: A substantially flat steel ring with a round perimeter and a central aperture has at least two arcuate slots concentric with the round perimeter. The arcuate slots are defined by arcs about the axis of the flat steel ring such that at least a portion of the arcuate slots is in axial alignment with planetary rollers when the planet washer is positioned in a planetary gear set.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 1999Date of Patent: October 24, 2000Assignee: The Torrington CompanyInventors: Matthew Urmaza, Douglas Wennberg
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Patent number: 6135667Abstract: A slap yoke, for connection to a non-cylindrical shaft in a rotary-drive device, has an axially extending non-cylindrical socket for radially receiving the non-cylindrical shaft, the socket having two laterally opposed holes in its walls for transverse installation of a clamp bolt. A threaded clamp bolt having a drive head for bearing against the outer surface of one wall of the non-cylindrical socket extends through the opposed holes and carries a cylindrical jacket fitted over the bolt. The jacket has longitudinally centered features for causing radial expansion of the jacket under an axial compressive load. The yoke has a threaded member at one of the opposed holes for receiving the clamp bolt and for causing a compressive axial load on the cylindrical jacket when the clamp bolt is threaded thereinto.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 1998Date of Patent: October 24, 2000Assignee: The Torrington CompanyInventor: James G. Debisschop
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Patent number: 6131472Abstract: Two members for generating a magnetic field are fixed symmetrically with respect to a shaft in a first plane perpendicular to the shaft, and two members for detecting the magnetic field are fixed, symmetrically with respect to the shaft, in a second plane which is parallel and axially offset with respect to the first plane. A routing member for routing the magnetic field lines, made of ferromagnetic material, rotationally integral with the shaft and surrounding the shaft, is provided at the periphery of the members for detecting and for generating a magnetic field, on at least that portion of the shaft which lies between the first and second plane.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 1997Date of Patent: October 17, 2000Assignee: The Torrington CompanyInventor: Christophe Nicot
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Patent number: 6102580Abstract: A roller cage for an axial-thrust bearing in a rotating machine has a substantially flat annular body with a first face, a second face, a radially inner surface, a radially outer surface, and a plurality of radially-arrayed substantially rectangular roller pockets with axially oriented sidewalls and endwalls. The cage also has features which provide enhanced flow of lubricant, present within the rotating machine, through the radially arrayed roller pockets during operation of the rotating machine. Rollers are retained within the pockets by a single projection on the sidewall of each pocket at the first face and another single projection on the other sidewall at the second face. Cage design in conjunction with inner and outer race design assures direction of lubricant flow to locations with greatest lubrication and cooling requirements.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 1999Date of Patent: August 15, 2000Assignee: The Torrington CompanyInventors: Richard L. Alling, Curtis H. Perkins, Stephen T. Podhajecki
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Patent number: 6102579Abstract: A roller bearing has a slatted cage assembly that includes a lateral ring with axial webs to retain bearing rollers on the inside or on the outside diameter of the cage assembly. The slatted cage assembly is closed off by a cage cover mounted on the free axial ends of the webs. The slatted cage assembly prevents loss of rollers before and during assembly of when used with a full-complement roller bearing.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 1997Date of Patent: August 15, 2000Assignee: The Torrington CompanyInventor: Werner Kupietz
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Patent number: 6099037Abstract: A collapsible shaft, for a steering column of a motor vehicle, having a predetermined collapse load, includes an inner shaft member having a non-circular cross-section and an outer tube member having a non-circular cross-section congruent with that of the inner shaft member and slidably overlaying the inner shaft member. This shaft arrangement provides for yieldably retaining the inner shaft in a fixed axial position in the outer tube until acted upon by a predetermined force. The means for accomplishing this includes an undercut portion, having a length "L" and a depth "D", on one lateral face of the inner shaft, an arcuate spring member, having an arc length "L-.DELTA.L", fitted into the undercut portion and, when the arcuate spring is compressed during insertion of the shaft into the tube, having its ends almost butted against the ends of the undercut portion and interfering with movement of the inner shaft in the outer tube.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 1998Date of Patent: August 8, 2000Assignee: The Torrington CompanyInventor: William E. Korzan
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Patent number: 6094951Abstract: A locking mechanism for a steering column shaft in a steering column housing of a vehicle, includes a smooth bore hollow cylindrical sleeve member overlying a smooth surface steering column shaft. A longitudinal locking slot in an outer surface of the cylindrical sleeve member is engagable with a locking pin member operated by an ignition switch on the steering column housing. Torque transmitted from the steering column shaft to the sleeve member is limited by a bushing member interposed between the steering column shaft and the sleeve member. The sleeve member is supported in the inner race of a steering column bearing mounted in the housing.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 1998Date of Patent: August 1, 2000Assignee: The Torrington CompanyInventor: Ward R. Cusati
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Patent number: 6036373Abstract: Two thrust washers, and rollers positioned between them, are held together as an assembly. One of the thrust washers has an elongated lip extending an axial length outwardly, in a direction away from the rollers and the other thrust washer, for engagement with a cylindrical piloting surface of a backup member such that piloting will be provided over an axial distance equal to the sum of the distance between thrust surfaces of the thrust washers and the axial length of the elongated lip.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 1998Date of Patent: March 14, 2000Assignee: The Torrington CompanyInventors: Ian J. Faass, Joseph F. Kenney, Jr.
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Patent number: 6027250Abstract: An oscillating bearing is disclosed for a variable-displacement axial piston hydraulic machine having a swashplate with a convex semi-cylindrical bearing face with provisions for attaching the oscillating bearing, and a housing with a concave semi-cylindrical bearing saddle. The oscillating bearing includes thin outer and inner race members having centered openings and formed in arcs congruent with the concave surface of the bearing saddle of the housing and the convex bearing face of the swashplate, respectively. The outer race member has support means on at least one axial end for supporting a timing member which engages a timing feature of the swashplate and synchronizes motion for all parts of the oscillating bearing, and the inner race member has means for holding the inner race against the convex bearing face of the swashplate.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 1998Date of Patent: February 22, 2000Assignee: The Torrington CompanyInventors: Leo M. Reubelt, Edward P. Butler, III, John M. Grillo, Brian P. Berg, Vincent E. Leto
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Patent number: 6007250Abstract: An outer ring has a spherically convex outer surface mounted within a bore of a housing such that the outer ring may be misaligned with respect to the axis of the bore. A sensor target is mounted on an inner ring that is rotatable with respect to the outer ring, and a seal is mounted on the outer ring. A sensor is mounted on the seal in proximity to the sensor target, and a flexible electrical conductor is connected to the sensor for transmitting signals from the sensor. A portion of the flexible electrical conductor is fixed with respect to the housing. Circuitry may be electrically connected to the flexible electrical conductor. The flexible conductor and circuitry may be provided by a flexible circuit board.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 1998Date of Patent: December 28, 1999Assignee: The Torrington CompanyInventors: Michael C. Brauer, John C Hanson, Mark LaCroix, A. John Santos
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Patent number: 6003483Abstract: A shaft is mounted on side walls of a rocker arm, extending through a central cavity of the rocker arm. A bearing is located within the cavity of the rocker arm, positioned over the shaft. A yoke member adapted for mounting on the internal combustion engine has a curved portion enclosing a portion of the outer circumference of the bearing such that the bearing supports the rocker arm when the yoke mount rocker arm assembly is mounted on the internal combustion engine.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 1998Date of Patent: December 21, 1999Assignee: The Torrington CompanyInventors: Richard F. Murphy, Primo Gugnoni, Christopher Kaswer, Robert A. Niziolek
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Patent number: 5996753Abstract: A drive device for a current-generating unit suitable for use in motor vehicles has a freewheel, between a driving part and a driven part, for the purpose of damping out rotational oscillations, as a result of which load peaks are reduced and service life is increased.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 1998Date of Patent: December 7, 1999Assignee: The Torrington CompanyInventors: Jorge Temme, Dietmar Weissflog
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Patent number: 5975763Abstract: A roller thrust bearing having an increased efficiency and a reduced operating noise level includes a plurality of cylindrical roller elements radially oriented within a circular bearing cage which has inner and outer cage diameters and upper and lower cage surfaces. The roller elements protrude above and below the upper and lower cage surfaces, respectively, and upper and lower circular races having inner and outer diameters, are in rolling contact with the portions of the roller elements protruding above and below the upper and lower cage surfaces. The upper and lower races have features for reducing roller skidding against the races and for reducing operating noise of the thrust bearing. Another race feature allows the load carrying capacity of the bearing to vary to be proportional to the imposed load.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 1998Date of Patent: November 2, 1999Assignee: The Torrington CompanyInventors: Charles W. Shattuck, Primo P. Gugnoni, Brian H. Laskoff, Ronald Wilcox
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Patent number: 5967673Abstract: A thrust washer formed from metal sheet has a flat, ring-shaped thrust portion oriented radially, an axially oriented circumferential lip extending along one of the inner and the outer diameters of the thrust portion, and a tab extending from the circumferential lip. The tab includes a radially oriented mid-portion and at least one wing-portion extending perpendicular to the mid-portion and parallel to the axis of the thrust portion such that a flat surface of the wing-portion may engage a recess of a backup member to prevent rotation of the thrust washer relative to the backup member.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 1998Date of Patent: October 19, 1999Assignee: The Torrington CompanyInventors: Joseph F. Kenney, Jr., Wolfgang Knoll