Patents Examined by Andrew E. Rawlins
  • Patent number: 4813121
    Abstract: In an over-running clutch including a cylindrical clutch outer, a clutch inner located inside an inner periphery of the clutch outer and defining a wedge-shaped space between the same and the inner periphery of the clutch outer, an engagement member mounted in the wedge-shaped space, an elastic member of urging the engagement member in a convergent direction of the wedge-shaped space, a washer for closing the wedge-shaped space, and a cover fitted on an outer periphery of the clutch outer for fixing the washer; a method of mounting the cover comprising the steps of bending a front end portion of the cover inwardly at an acute angle, insertingly engaging the cover with the outer periphery of the clutch outer, bending back the front end portion at right angles and bending the rear end portion of the cover to fix the cover to the clutch outer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1989
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kyoichi Okamoto, Shigeru Shiroyama
  • Patent number: 4813120
    Abstract: A tool for extracting seated o-rings from a confining annular indentation having an elongated o-ring prying section coupled to a handle, the prying section including a curved terminal portion affixed to the handle, a recess formed between the curved terminal portion and the handle to deter interference between the tool and shoulder portions of the indentation during prying of the o-ring out of the indentation upon rocking of the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1989
    Inventor: James L. Fournier
  • Patent number: 4811062
    Abstract: In a method for aligning first and second objects relative to each other, according to this invention, the first and second objects are arranged opposite to each other, and are aligned in a direction perpendicular to their opposing direction. A grating pattern is formed, as an alignment mark, on the first object, and a checkerboard-like grating pattern is formed, also as an alignment mark, on the second object. A light beam emitted from an alignment light source is radiated onto the checkerboard-like grating pattern of the second object. The light beam diffracted by the checkerboard-like grating pattern is guided onto the grating pattern of the first object. The light beam diffracted by the grating pattern of the first object is detected by a detector. Since the light beam emitted from the light source is diffracted by the checkerboard-like grating pattern, a relative position of the first and second objects can be detected, irrespective of the distance therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1989
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo Kogaku Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuo Tabata, Toru Tojo, Hiroaki Shimozono
  • Patent number: 4807347
    Abstract: A tool for rewinding the recoil starter spring within a recoil starter mechanism for a small engine which allows the repair person to rewind the spring with a minimum of trouble and without the danger of the spring flying out of the central spring receiving recess of the starter pulley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1989
    Inventor: George H. Johnson
  • Patent number: 4803764
    Abstract: A process is disclosed in which a rectangular spacer frame (16) for insulating glass is automatically manufactured in that a tubular bar is repeatedly bent in a common bending plane (5) and its free ends (19, 20) are joined. One or both end portions of the tubular bar are deflected out of the bending plane (5) during the final bending operation so that the free ends (19, 20) are moved to such positions that said extremities are laterally spaced apart and extend alongside each other. The end portions (17, 18) of the tubular bar are then gripped and moved to positions in which they are axially aligned and spaced apart. The free ends of said end portions are subsequently joined to each other to form the spacer frame (16), which is subsequently transferred to an overhead conveyor (69) in an automatic operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1989
    Assignee: Lenhardt Maschinenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Karl Lenhardt, Uwe Bogner
  • Patent number: 4800948
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for forming a thermally activated pressure relief valve which is designed to be attached to a pressure vessel. The valve contains a body having an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with each other and an insert having a helical groove formed about its outer periphery. The method includes securing the insert in the outlet such that the helical groove cooperates with the body to form a helical passageway. A molten fusible material is then introduced into one end of the helical passageway. A force is exerted on the material to cause it to move through the helical passageway and displace any trapped air, gas or foreign matter which might be present therein. Once the material completely fills the passageway, it is allowed to cool and solidify. This method is advantageous in producing a safety relief valve which can operate at higher service pressures and temperatures over an extended period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1989
    Assignee: Aluminum Company of America
    Inventor: James E. Visnic
  • Patent number: 4800634
    Abstract: A hub sleeve for a bicycle hub is manufactured by cold-swaging or forging. The hub sleeve is integrally provided with ball bearing faces and with internal torque transmission teeth. The torque transmission teeth are obtained by radial dislocation of the wall material of the hub sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1989
    Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AG
    Inventors: Richard Gerstner, Gunter Look, Werner Seybold, Werner Steuer
  • Patent number: 4800643
    Abstract: A method for mounting an insert fastener to accommodate a bolt in lightweight panels is described. A hole is bored in a panel to penetrate the core and upper facial sheet and then is filled with a quick setting resin. A fastener having a flat circular head and central threaded bore is inserted into the hole. Integral with and depending from the head is a cylindrical body with a pair of radial flanges parallel to each other and to the head. The flanges are spaced apart from each other and the head. The edges of the flanges are serrated. Two holes, one on each side of the central bore, are present in the head to allow excess resin potting material to leave the hole in the lightweight panel. A bolt for holding auxiliary structures to the panel is screwed into the central bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1989
    Assignee: ATR International, Inc.
    Inventor: William R. Higgins
  • Patent number: 4800640
    Abstract: An automated assembly system comprising a pair of spaced supporting frames on which a corresponding pair of guide rails extend transversely in a direction perpendicular to the direction of conveyance of a workpiece. Two movable arm units, each having tool heads movably mounted thereon, are supported on the spaced frames. A feed unit is mounted on each of the support frames for moving independently a corresponding one of the two movable arm units along the guide rails in a direction perpendicular to the direction of conveyance of the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1989
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Miyazaki, Takao Miyatani, Akira Ishizaki, Shinpei Abe
  • Patent number: 4800639
    Abstract: The metal bone implant is constructed with thin sheets of superplastic material which are deformed into irregular contours. The sheets are welded to the solid base element of the implant and thereafter deformed outwardly under fluid presure to an irregular shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1989
    Assignee: Sulzer Brothers Limited
    Inventors: Otto Frey, Manfred Semlitsch
  • Patent number: 4800057
    Abstract: A method of producing a structural element comprising a metallic sleeve provided with a continuous axial slot at a circumferential area and an outer surface completely surrounded by a jacket comprising making a metallic sleeve (3,18) with an inner diameter corresponding to a maximum of the inner diameter of the finished structural element (1,16) surrounding the sleeve with the jacket (4,17) in an apparatus (5) provided with a core (8) for receiving the metallic sleeve (3,18) and elastically widening the metallic sleeve (3,18) when placed on the core (8) whereby the slot (2,19) of the metallic sleeve (3,18) is at least partially filled with the material of the jacket (4,17) during formation of the jacket (4,17) so that the boundary surfaces of the slot (2,19) of the metallic sleeve (3,18) is at least partially covered, and the structural element produced thereby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1989
    Assignee: INA Walzlager Schaeffler KG
    Inventor: Jurgen Rabe
  • Patent number: 4797986
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a manufacturing process whereby a spur gear is cold-press molded. By means of the invention a pre-punched workpiece is loaded on a counter which is admitted to a bore in a female die having a chamfer at its inlet, pressure is applied on the workpiece through the bore in the female die by means of a punch when pressure is increased from below so as to lift the counter from the counter plate, a primary product is formed by means of causing said workpiece to descend so as to transit the chamfer, extracting said primary product from the female die and reversing its orientation top to bottom, and repeating the identical process once again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1989
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yokoyama Seisakusho
    Inventor: Michihiro Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 4796349
    Abstract: A damaged binding post on a telephone wire connecting panel is replaced by a binding post having a threaded stem and a polygonal head adapted to seat freely in a hole in the panel. A retaining nut is screwed on the stem and spaced from the surface of said panel. A bridge is placed over the binding post and each of the next adjacent binding posts and a locking nut threaded over each of the stems of said adjacent binding posts, to cause said bridge to bow and provide a bias urging the retaining nut downwardly forcing the replacement post to seat in the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1989
    Inventor: Douglas J. Miller
  • Patent number: 4794685
    Abstract: A process for forming a metallic article such as a fluid actuated ram assembly and particularly a hydraulically actuated ram assembly which includes as an initial step production of a raw casting from a mold. Subsequently one or more transverse parting operations are effected to the casting so as to form components of the article which may subsequently be attached to form the article. Suitably the raw casting is mounted on a lathe for various machining operations to be effected prior to carrying out the parting operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1989
    Assignee: Delibes Pty. Ltd.
    Inventor: Raymond G. Hillier
  • Patent number: 4793055
    Abstract: An assembly line arrangement for producing a vehicle comprises a body assembly line including a door removing station for detaching at least one door from a vehicle body fed thereto with the door, a door mounting station located at the lower course of the line compared with the door removing station for attaching the door fed thereto to the vehicle body from which the door is detached, and a body conveying device for transporting the vehicle body through the door removing station and the door mounting station successively; and a door subassembly line including a door equipping station located in the vicinity of the door mounting station for equipping the door detached from the vehicle body with door parts, and a door conveying device for transporting the door detached from the vehicle body at the door removing station to the door equipping station and further transporting the door equipped with the door parts at the door equipping station to the door mounting station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1988
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Katsuhiro Shintani
  • Patent number: 4793056
    Abstract: A plug removal apparatus for removing a mechanical plug fixed in an end of each heat exchange tube of a heat exchanger includes a plug removing mechanism which engages with and pulls out a cylindrical member of the mechanical plug. The plug removing mechanism includes a mandrel insertable into and threadedly engageable with the cylindrical member, a push rod coaxially extending through the mandrel for pushing a cone member of the mechanical plug, an actuating means for selectively moving the mandrel and the push rod towards and from the mechanical plug, and a drive means for selectively rotating the mandrel into engagement with the cylindrical member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1988
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideyuki Kurokawa, Shoichi Hamada, Makoto Ohta
  • Patent number: 4789091
    Abstract: A tufting machine feeds upholstered female and male button parts into drive mechanisms above and below a central table for receiving a cushion to be tufted. A retractable needle drive assembly forms an aperture through a cushion on the table along a drive axis of the machine, and, following retraction, a male button driver moves a male button part into the aperture and holds this button part on the drive axis while an upper drive mechanism drives a female button part onto the male button part to lock the parts together to complete a single tufting operation. Safety means prevent damage to elements and mechanisms of the tufting machine by possible malfunctioning or improper operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1988
    Inventor: Arthur J. Randolph
  • Patent number: 4787132
    Abstract: A dynamic rotational counterbalance structure includes a discoid balance body having a groove or race formed in an outer circumferential surface of the body. A plurality of movable weights such as spherical weights are positoined in the groove along with a lubricating and noise damping fluid. The groove is closed by an outer circumferential band. At least two of the balance structures are affixed coaxially on a rotatably member to be balanced. During rotation of the member so balanced, the weights shift circumferentially to offset unbalancing forces which influence the rotating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1988
    Inventor: Ronald B. Kilgore
  • Patent number: 4787136
    Abstract: A control and monitoring arrangement for "intelligent" tools is disclosed each of which is preset with a reference value for at least one assembly parameter for each assembly operation by a control unit, and each of which signals the actual value measured by means of incorporated sensors in respect of said assembly parameter to the control unit which compares that measured value to the reference value. In the control unit a plurality of reference values and/or tolerance limits in respect of difference assembly tasks is stored. Each of the tools can be used without particular operating steps, in a freely selectible sequence, for different assembly tasks at different assembly locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1988
    Assignee: Stabil Elektronik GmbH
    Inventor: Milivoj Majic
  • Patent number: 4785514
    Abstract: A fixed, non-rotating shaft supports a resilient roller for rotation and oscillation by means of bearing assemblies adjacent opposite ends of the roller. Each bearing assembly comprises a rotary bearing mounted inside the respective end of the roller and a reciprocating bearing assembly mounted in a respective keyway on the shaft so that the roller rotates about the fixed shaft but oscillates and reciprocates for a limited distance in opposite directions. The rotary bearing has the reciprocating bearing mounted therein in a housing as a subassembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1988
    Assignee: HH&L Co.
    Inventor: Kurt R. Kannwischer