Patents Assigned to The Torrington Company
  • Clamping mechanism for an adjustable steering column
    Patent number: 5626059
    Abstract: A clamping mechanism for an adjustable steering column includes clamping members which are drawn by a spring against sides of a steering column mounting bracket which flexes to clamp a steering column supporting adjustment bracket. The clamping members are located at opposite pivot points of a parallelogram linkage which has intermediate pivot points coupled to a Bowden cable with sheath. Operating the Bowden cable to draw arms of the linkage together against the bias of the spring causes the clamping members to be unclamped to allow adjustment of the steering column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1997
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: John T. Bobbitt, III, Stephen J. Baker
  • Device for fixing a sensor to a rolling-element bearing
    Patent number: 5622437
    Abstract: The bearing has a movable ring and a fixed ring, separated from the movable ring by rolling elements, and is axially restrained by an axial stop member. A support member adapted for mounting of the sensor is positioned between the fixed ring and the axial stop member. Elastic means on the support member biases the support member away from the axial stop member to maintain a constant gap between the coding element and the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1997
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Denis Alff
  • Bearing seal with integral encoder, equipped with an information sensor
    Patent number: 5611545
    Abstract: A seal for a rolling element bearing or rolling element bearing seat wherein a packing with sealing lips is in contact with two reinforcements to which the sensor and encoder are fastened. The reinforcements have a cylindrical mounting surface. One of the reinforcements is radially extended by a support surface and by a local radial extension for positioning and retaining for the sensor with respect to the encoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1997
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Christophe Nicot
  • Adjustable steering column
    Patent number: 5607184
    Abstract: An adjustable steering column construction in which a steering shaft is mounted within a column tube; a bracket having bracket members secures the tube to a vehicle; adjustment between tube and bracket is provided by slots preferably in antifriction elements; a clamping arrangement is provided which has a central clamping axis A which intersects the steering shaft axis B so that the clamping force to secure the tube relative to the bracket acts through the intersection resulting in a reduction of the downward extension of the construction including a clamping handle which preferably extends under the column tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Laurence G. H. Barton
  • Bearing with an electric-acoustic transducer for transmitting information regarding various parameters within the bearing
    Patent number: 5602539
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1997
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: Richard L. Lemoine, Richard W. Browner, John K. Pearson, Mark I. Jurras, III
  • Clamping mechanism for an adjustable steering column for a vehicle
    Patent number: 5598741
    Abstract: A clamping mechanism for an adjustable steering column incorporates a pre-set but variable preload. An operating handle is fitted on a shaft to rotate between clamped and unclamped conditions. Part of the shaft is provided with opposed flats about which a shaft lock washer is non-rotatably fitted. The lock washer operates with a stop member to prevent rotation of the assembly and a nut is tightened on one end of the shaft to the required preload.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1997
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: Colin A. Mitchell, Gerald A. Speich
  • Antifriction element for use between relatively sliding components of an adjustable steering column
    Patent number: 5596907
    Abstract: An antifriction element for use between two relatively sliding metal components of an adjustable steering column is locatable between the two components and is formed such that, in an unclamped state of the components, two opposed resilient angled flanges act to urge the components away from contact with one another to allow relative free sliding of the components on the element, which is of plastics material, and, in a clamped state of the components, the flanges are deflected to allow direct contact between surfaces of the metal components to provide the clamping friction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Laurence G. H. Barton
  • Bearing having a sensor incorporated in a bearing seal and a circumferential sensor cable extending through and along the side of the bearing seal
    Patent number: 5594334
    Abstract: A bearing with integrated data sensor has a stationary bearing ring, a rotatable bearing ring, and rolling elements in contact with the bearing rings. An encoder is mounted on the rotatable bearing ring, and a sealing gasket is mounted on the stationary bearing ring. A sleeve for protection of a sensor cable is integrally connected to the sealing gasket and has a groove for housing a sensor means which is connected to the sensor cable. The sleeve has a wall of its extremity which is substantially perpendicular to an external side of the sealing gasket through which the sensor cable exits such that it is tangential to said external side of the sealing gasket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1997
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: Claude Sonnerat, Denis Alff, Christian Hajzler
  • Apparatus for and methods of stabilizing and regenerating metalworking fluids
    Patent number: 5589138
    Abstract: Metalworking fluids (MWFs) can be regenerated and stabilized by the controlled addition of a chelating agent. The resulting sequestration of the dissolved metals in the MWF has been found to reduce incidence of dermatitis, to control the growth of microbes including bacteria and fungi, and to reduce the generation of odors, all without the further addition of fresh (virgin) MWF or a conventional biocide. Apparatus useful for this control includes monitoring means for determining the presence of free metal ions in the MWF, testing means for determining the concentration of free metal ions if present, and addition means for adding, in a controlled manner, a chelating agent for sequestering the free metal ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Peter H. Drechsler
  • Bearing with a sensor arrangement for obtaining an indication of various parameters within the housing of the bearing
    Patent number: 5585577
    Abstract: One or more sensors are mounted on the inside surface of a stationary race/sensor mount assembly in the bearing housing. A parameter sensed by the sensor is electronically fed to the outside surface of the stationary race/sensor mount assembly and detected by a transmitter mounted in the housing. The detected information is electrically fed from the transmitter to an electronic system located outside the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: Richard L. Lemoine, John A. Butine, Mark I. Jurras, III, Richard W. Browner, Paul E. Duffy
  • Angular adjustable clamp yoke
    Patent number: 5580184
    Abstract: A clamp yoke having an angular adjustable insert. The angular adjustable insert has a profiled bore which is complementary to the profile of a shaft. The adjustability of the insert allows the insert to be rotated slightly during installation to account for tolerances in both the clamp yoke and the device the clamp yoke is being installed into. Preferably, the insert is axially restrained within the clamp yoke to prevent the insert from falling out of the clamp yoke prior to installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Martin G. Riccitelli
  • One-piece stamped clamp yoke
    Patent number: 5580180
    Abstract: A clamp yoke formed from a flat piece of metal. The flat piece being approximately T-shaped which is bent into the clamp yoke. The top portion of the T forming the yoke ears and the vertical portion forming two approximately parallel shaft portions. The yoke ears each having a bearing bore and the shaft portions each having a shaft receiving bore. The clamp yoke can be provided with a bolt having a reduced diameter middle which allows a shaft to be inserted into the shaft receiving bores without removing the bolt. The bolt is then tightened, drawing the larger diameter portion into the center of the clamp yoke where the bolt engages a transversely relieved portion on the shaft to axially retain the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: James G. DeBisschop, William E. Korzan
  • Clamp yoke and bolt assembly
    Patent number: 5575581
    Abstract: A clamp yoke formed from a flat piece of metal. The flat piece being approximately T-shaped which is bent into the clamp yoke. The top portion of the T forming the yoke ears and the vertical portion forming two approximately parallel shaft portions. The yoke ears each having a bearing bore and the shaft portions each having a shaft receiving bore. The clamp yoke can be provided with a bolt having a reduced diameter middle which allows a shaft to be inserted into the shaft receiving bores without removing the bolt. The bolt is then tightened, drawing the larger diameter portion into the center of the clamp yoke where the bolt engages a transversely relieved portion on the shaft to axially retain the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: James G. DeBisschop
  • Seal for a spherical plain bearing
    Patent number: 5573336
    Abstract: An annular metallic support member has a cylindrical surface mountable within a bore of the spherical plain bearing outer ring or bearing housing such that a conical surface of the metallic support member overlies the spherical member. An annular elastomeric seal lip is mounted on the conical surface of the metallic support member, and an elastomeric seal body is mounted on the conical surface of the metallic support member, axially inward of the elastomeric seal lip, such that the elastomeric seal lip and elastomeric seal body contact the spherical member. The elastomeric seal body may have grooves for supplying lubricant to the elastomeric seal lip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Michael E. Maroney
  • Speed sensor assembly having a fluid seal carrier and piloting cup
    Patent number: 5570013
    Abstract: A fluid seal is joined to a seal carrier, and a magneto-responsive sensor is coupled to a carrier to sense the polarities of a magnet borne on a rotatable shaft. The seal carrier, with the incorporated sensor, is arranged about the shaft, and leads from the sensor transmit an output signal voltage which corresponds to, or is proportional to the speed of rotation of the shaft. Depending upon the type of sensor employed, the signal voltage will be of repeatedly changing amplitude (i.e., pulsed or sine wave), or of given amplitude, in which the signal goes from zero to the given amplitude, to zero cyclically, or the sine wave amplitude/voltage increases with increasing speed, or pulse widths which diminish with speed acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: Mark A. Polinsky, John M. Grillo, Scott M. Duncan
  • Preload adjustment apparatus and method
    Patent number: 5564840
    Abstract: First and second radial actuating clamps provide selective radial engagement with a housing for preloaded bearings. An axial actuator, retained between the first and second radial actuating clamps, provides selective expansion and contraction of the axial distance between the first and second radial actuator clamps. A method for adjusting the preload of preloaded bearings mounted within a housing is also disclosed. The method includes alternate clamping and unclamping of two radial actuating clamps against the housing while an axial actuator expands and contracts the axial distance between the radial actuating clamps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: Mark I. Jurras, III, Richard L. Lemoine, Brian McMorrow
  • Vehicle steering column adjustment and energy absorbing mechanism
    Patent number: 5562307
    Abstract: A vehicle steering column adjustment and energy absorbing mechanism includes a steering column tube slidably mounted in a support member. A toothed slipper releasably engages with a toothed rack on the tube to lock the steering column relatively to the support member, a cam being provided to provide the locking action. The energy absorbing mechanism is provided by a strap which is rigidly joined to the slipper and is bent over a pin so that, in the event of vehicle crash with the rack and slipper locked together, energy imparted to the steering column causes the outer tube to move to cause the slipper to draw the strap around the pin, thereby to absorb energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: John M. Connor
  • 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
  • Adaptor for inner bearing ring bore
    Patent number: D376159
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Walter P. Waskiewicz
  • Pillow block bearing housing
    Patent number: D376160
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1996
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventor: Walter P. Waskiewicz