Patents Assigned to The Torrington Company
  • Ball and socket double cardan motion universal joint
    Patent number: 5816926
    Abstract: A compact double Cardan motion universal joint has a substantially cylindrical housing having an input end and an output end, with an input shaft and ball joint and an output shaft and interengaging ball joint, respectively; each ball joint consisting of a substantially spherical ball on the shaft member, a ball seat torsionally fixed in the housing, and pivots for providing articulation of the ball shaft about two orthogonal axes. Interengagement between the ball joints is provided by an interconnection ball joint consisting of a hollow socket on a joining end of one of the spherical ball shaft members of said universal joint, and a spherical ball on a joining end of the other spherical ball shaft member, the interconnection ball joint providing universal pivoting and translating motion at a juncture between interengaging portions of the ball shaft members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: Jack Lynch, Martin G. Riccitelli
  • Support device for measuring sensor
    Patent number: 5803419
    Abstract: A support device including a clamping sleeve mountable in a hole and which applies a retaining force to a sensor. A wall of the sleeve bears an elastic means for locking the sleeve in the hole and an elastic means for axially retaining the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Christophe Nicot
  • Bearing with an electric-acoustic transducer for transmitting information regarding various parameters within the bearing
    Patent number: 5805080
    Abstract: A bearing is mounted within a housing having an acoustic-electric transducer mounted on its outside. A stationary annular outer race has at least one sensor, an electric-acoustic transducer, and an electronic system interconnecting the sensor and the electric-acoustic transducer. The electric-acoustic transducer is mounted in an opening extending radially through the stationary race. The electric-acoustic transducer has an elastic cap pressed into the inside of the housing by a spring. An alternative configuration, having at least one sensor mounted on a rotatable inner race, without a hard-wired connection through the bearing housing, is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: Richard L. Lemoine, Richard W. Browner, John K. Pearson, Mark I. Jurras, III
  • Planet washer
    Patent number: 5795258
    Abstract: A substantially flat, steel ring having an axis, has an axial end face with two parallel chordal grooves disposed symmetrically about a central aperture. A flat end surface between the chordal grooves engages an adjacent planet gear and ends of rollers supporting the planet gear. A portion of the chordal grooves is radially inward of the outer raceway of the rollers, providing a lubricant path between the planet washer and the planet gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: Jan J. Faass, Paul M. Cornish, David R. Moulton
  • Quick connecting bayonet style linkage
    Patent number: 5788400
    Abstract: A quick connecting bayonet style linkage has a hollow tube member with a transversely disposed pin near an engaging end; a shaft member sized to have a sliding fit in the engaging end of the hollow tube member and having a transversely disposed slot sized top slide over the transversely disposed pin; and provision for capturing the shaft member within the engaging end of the hollow tube member when the transversely disposed pin is engaged with the transversely disposed slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Edward J. Wey
  • Bearing having a seal with build-in encoder and wheel hub incorporating such bearing
    Patent number: 5755517
    Abstract: A bearing comprises an inner race, an outer race mounted via rolling bodies around the inner race, one of the races being a rotatable race, and seals that seal the bearing. One of the seals incorporates an encoder element rotatable with the rotating race and includes an armature that has a radial extension extending along a lateral face of the rotating race. The radial extension compensates for the thickness of the device for fixing the sensor element. The present invention also relates to a wheel hub mounted via such a rolling-contact bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Christophe Nicot
  • Device for measuring the torque of a rotating shaft
    Patent number: 5731529
    Abstract: Two magnetic field generators are fixed symmetrically with respect to a shaft in a first plane perpendicular to the shaft, and two magnetic field detector units are fixed symmetrically with respect to the shaft, in a second plane parallel to, and axially offset with respect to, the first plane. The detector units deliver a signal proportional to the torque owing to the relative angular offset of the generators with respect to the detector units such that the plane median to the first plane and second plane passes through the point of maximum deflection of the shaft under a longitudinal flexion force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Christophe Nicot
  • Steering column locking assembly
    Patent number: 5718131
    Abstract: A steering column locking assembly and method of making same includes swaging a steering column tube and a steering column lock collar in such a manner that relative movement between the two parts is resisted below a predetermined level of torque while relative rotation occurs at values of torque above the predetermined value. A layer of plastics material may be provided between the two parts. Once the predetermined torque is overcome, then rotation between the two parts occurs, but ceases once the torque level drops below the predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1998
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: John Thomas Bobbitt, III
  • Circuit and method for synchronizing a fuel pump or the like
    Patent number: 5711278
    Abstract: A sensor senses a reference signal having a reference pulse characterizing angular position of a rotating member and an angular clock pulse characterizing the rotational speed of the rotating member and having an angular clock pulse frequency greater than the reference pulse frequency. An output signal is produced having an output pulse delayed with respect to the reference pulse of the reference signal by an integral number of angular clock pulses to provide a coarse adjustment. The output signal may be delayed by an additional fraction of a subsequent angular clock pulse to provide a fine adjustment. A circuit to effect this method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: A. John Santos, Mark E. LaCroix
  • Bearing assembly with end cap
    Patent number: 5711618
    Abstract: A rolling element bearing is mounted in the bore of a housing, and a hollow end cap is mounted over the bearing. Circumferentially spaced grooves in the bore extend axially partially through the housing from one axial end to facilitate insertion of the bearing. The end cap has a closed wall at one axial end and resilient projections extending axially from its open end, firmly engaging the housing grooves. A strap holder, integral with the end cap, may be provided between the two resilient projections, extending radially outwardly along the axial end of the housing and axially along the housing outer surface and has an opening for mounting a grease fitting. An integral flexible strap extends from the strap holder and has a cover to enclose the grease fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Walter P. Waskiewicz
  • Lined bearing with wear sensor
    Patent number: 5701119
    Abstract: A bearing liner between inner and outer bearing rings, one stationary and the other rotatable, is fixed to the stationary bearing ring. A pair of electrical conductors, coiled in at least one loop encircling the inner bearing ring, is embedded within the bearing liner. The electrical conductors are electrically isolated and located such that wear of the bearing liner causes the rotatable bearing ring to contact and electrically connect the electrical conductors. An electrical circuit detects the electrical connection to indicate wear of the bearing liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Mark I. Jurras, III
  • Antifriction bearing with seal arrangement
    Patent number: 5695290
    Abstract: A spherical roller bearing has a seal at each axial end of the inner ring-outer ring annulus. Each seal has two spaced apart metal parts. Elastomeric seal lips are bonded to one metal part and extend into wiping contact with the other metal part. The spherical roller bearings described have three seal lips. In one embodiment two seal lips are bonded to one metal part and one seal lip is bonded to the other metal part. In the other embodiment the three seal lips are bonded to one metal part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 9, 1997
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: Stephen M. Mondak, John A. Butine, Anthony Storey
  • Modular retainer assembly
    Patent number: 5660485
    Abstract: A plurality of wedge-shaped separator elements are pivotably mounted on a retainer ring such that the separator elements may space rollers of a roller bearing circumferentially. The separator elements include a narrow portion for engagement with a thrust flange of one of the inner and outer bearing rings to restrain the bearing retainer in the axially outward direction and include a wide portion for engagement with the rollers to retain the rollers in one of the radially outward and radially inward directions. The retainer ring engages the rollers to retain the bearing retainer in the axially inward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: Stephen T. Podhajecki, John H. Rhodes, Walter P. Waskiewicz
  • Antifriction element for use between relatively sliding components of an adjustable steering column
    Patent number: 5655413
    Abstract: A clamping mechanism for an adjustable steering column for a vehicle in which antifriction elements are provided which interpose between relatively sliding components of an adjustable steering column construction each element allows sliding between limiting stops with resilient means between the stops to provide a soft stop. The resilient means may be a separate member or resilient portions at the ends of a slot in the element. Walls of the element may have longitudinal slits to take up manufacturing tolerance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Laurence George Herbert Barton
  • Steering column coupling comprising universal joints
    Patent number: 5653146
    Abstract: A shaft coupling, especially for coupling upper and lower shafts of a vehicle steering column, comprises two yokes interconnected through respective cross members by a pivotable elbow member having two limbs pivoted together. The outer end of each limb is coupled to a respective one of the cross members and the pivot axes of the elbow member and the cross members mounted on the elbow member are parallel to one another. The coupling is suitable for a steering column which is rake and/or reach adjustable and allows, upon impact in a crash situation collapse of the coupling so one limbs contacts the other in order to transmit collapse effort the through the coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Laurence George Herbert Barton
  • Antifriction bearing with a seal locked against rotation
    Patent number: 5645358
    Abstract: A pair of axially separated, radially extending annular shoulders form an annular groove on the inside diameter of an outer ring of an antifriction bearing. An adjacent axially extending eccentric surface ensures that of the outer annular shoulder continuously increases around a first arcuate portion and continuously decreases around a second arcuate portion. An annular seal between an inner ring and the outer ring has concentric circumferentially separated protrusions. An annular portion of the annular seal extends into the outer ring annular groove such that when the annular seal rotated, at least one of the protrusions abuts against the eccentric surface to lock the seal against rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1997
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Salvatore Acampora, Jr.
  • Bearing with an arrangement for obtaining an indication of the temperature within the bearing
    Patent number: 5642105
    Abstract: A temperature sensor is mounted on the inside surface of a stationary race around which a rotatable race rotates. Electric signals from the temperature sensor are converted into acoustic signals. Without the use of any hard wires, the acoustic signals are received by an acoustic-electric transducer mounted on the outside surface of the bearing housing. These electric signals from the acoustic-electric transducer are frequency demodulated and converted into signals which indicate on a display panel the temperatures within the bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1997
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: Paul E. Duffy, Richard W. Browner, Richard L. Lemoine, Mark I. Jurras, III
  • Device for detection of the speed of rotation of a rolling bearing
    Patent number: 5640087
    Abstract: A device for detection of the speed of rotation of a rolling bearing which has an encoder element mounted on the rotating part of the bearing and a sensor unit consisting of a sensor holder attached to a support mounted in contact with a nonrotating part of the bearing. The sensor unit is mounted on an elastic member for positioning with respect to the encoder element and may be adjusted with respect to a removable immobilization component of the sensor unit in contact with the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1997
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Denis Alff
  • Locking device for a bearing assembly
    Patent number: 5630671
    Abstract: An annular collar includes a first clamping surface to be positioned radially outwardly of a surface of a bearing inner ring. The annular collar is made of a thermoelastic material such that an increase in temperature decreases the circumference of the annular collar and causes the first clamping surface to clamp against the surface of the bearing inner ring. The thermoelastic material may be a shape memory alloy or a polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1997
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: John A. Larson
  • Tolerance ring
    Patent number: D380959
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Colin Andrew Mitchell