Patents Examined by D. Rutherford
  • Patent number: 5429217
    Abstract: A hydraulic positioner of the type having a piston movable in a hydraulic cylinder and a valve actuatable for releasing the piston for movement in the chamber is provided with a continuously adjustable mechanism for limiting the stroke of the piston. The cylinder and the stroke limiter share a common tubular housing which is partitioned to define the hydraulic chamber, thereby simplifying the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1995
    Assignee: P. L. Porter Co.
    Inventors: Calvin R. Stringer, Clyde R. Porter
  • Patent number: 5427210
    Abstract: A wheel chock for aircraft comprising a first inverted U-shaped channel member which includes a horizontal upper surface and side surfaces extending downwardly therefrom to form vertical side edges. A first side panel is secured to one side edge of the first channel member and extends horizontally in a first direction with at least one locking hole extending therethrough. An aperture extends through each side surface of the first channel member in axial alignment about a horizontal axis. Both apertures are of a common predetermined diameter. A second U-shaped channel member includes a horizontal upper surface and side surfaces extending downwardly therefrom to form vertical side edges. A second side panel is secured to one side edge of the second channel member and extends horizontally in a second direction opposite from the first direction with at least one locking hole extending therethrough adapted to be positioned in alignment with at least one of the holes of the first side panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Inventor: Kenneth Willaford
  • Patent number: 5425312
    Abstract: A clip-on wear plate to protect the downwardly facing flat surface of the pedestal opening of a railway truck is provided. The wear plate has a first flat surface in contact with the downwardly facing flat surface of the pedestal and an opposed second surface in contact with the bearing adaptor. The first surface is provided with a relatively high coefficient of friction relative to the second surface to an minimize movement of the wear plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1995
    Assignee: Trans-Dyne Incorporated
    Inventor: Carl E. Tack, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5423400
    Abstract: An energy absorbing system for controlling the force where a moving object engages a stationary stop and where the system utilized telescopic tubular members, energy absorbing diaphragm elements, force regulating disc springs, and a return spring to return the telescoping member to its start position after stroking. The energy absorbing system has frusto-conical diaphragm elements frictionally engaging the shaft and are opposed by a force regulating set of disc springs. In principle, this force feedback mechanism serves to keep the stroking load at a reasonable level even if the friction coefficient increases greatly. This force feedback device also services desensitize the singular and combined effects of manufacturing tolerances, sliding surface wear, temperature changes, dynamic effects, and lubricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1995
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics & Space Administration
    Inventor: Clarence J. Wesselski
  • Patent number: 5423403
    Abstract: Fastening device on the outer tube of a shock absorber, comprising a receptacle for the connection to a vehicle axle and, optionally or in combination, additional mountings for a roll stabilizer and for brake hoses, whereby the connection and the additional mountings are at a distance from one another, characterized by the fact that the receptacle and the mountings are components of a one-piece fastening device, whereby the distance between the receptacle and the additional mountings is bridged by a connecting web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1995
    Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AG
    Inventors: Gunther Handke, Bruno Deigner
  • Patent number: 5421436
    Abstract: A brake assembly (10) for selectively starting and stopping rotation of a shaft (12) journaled in a frame (14) of a motor comprises an end plate (16) mounted to the motor frame, the end plate (16) being formed with mounting slots (40) formed axially therein. Friction discs (26, 26a) are secured to the shaft (12) for rotation therewith about the longitudinal axis of the shaft (12) and pressure plates (36, 36a, 36b) are non-rotatably mounted in the mounting slots (40) of the end plates (16) and axially movable toward and away from the friction discs (26, 26a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1995
    Assignee: Rexnord Corporation
    Inventors: Bernard J. Lindner, Harold Lorenz, Jerry L. Hamberger, Walter G. Stelzer
  • Patent number: 5417311
    Abstract: A bicycle brake assembly having an inverted substantially U-shaped brake arm assembly (21, 21a) and a cable coupling (31, 31a) centrally positioned between outwardly and downwardly extending brake arms (32, 33). Each brake arm (32, 33) includes a resiliently flexible upper arm portion (36, 36a) connected to a downwardly and inwardly extending relatively inflexible lower arm portion (37, 37a), preferably by integrally forming the arm portions as a single member. The upper and lower arm portions are formed and coupled together, and the frame mounts (39) positioned, so that upward displacement of the cable coupling (31, 31a) causes resilient flexing of the upper arms (36, 36a), which in turn pulls the lower arms (37, 37a) toward each other to effect braking, all without straightening out of the upper and lower arms in a manner losing braking leverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Inventor: Nicholas Musco, III
  • Patent number: 5417313
    Abstract: A hollow hole is radially formed in a rotor in at least one position on its circumference so that the minimum thickness between an inner surface of the hollow hole and each of the front and rear braking surfaces is selected to be not larger than 3 mm. Alternatively, in a ventilated rotor, at least one of a plurality of holes formed radially in the rotor is shaped into an expanded hole so that the minimum thickness between an inner surface of the hole and each of the front and rear braking surfaces is selected to be not larger than 3 mm. Two rows of small circular holes may be formed in a specific arrangement so as to penetrate a disc rotor. If longitudinal wave vibration is transmitted to the disc rotor, squeals due to an even number order resonance mode, that is, a resonance mode of the second, fourth, sixth order or the like, can be effectively attenuated by specially shaped hollow holes, reduced holes, or two rows of small circular holes formed in a disc rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignees: Akebno Brake Industry Co., Ltd., Akebono Research And Development Centre Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikio Matsuzaki, Toshitaka Izumihara, Toru Yoshino
  • Patent number: 5415254
    Abstract: A tripod head comprises a panning braking device having a plurality of braking units with different braking forces which is supported on a panning shaft, and a torque switchover mechanism allowing to freely switch over torque on the side of said braking units; a weight balancer having a plurality of spring units, in which one or a plurality of spiral springs with different elastic forces are incorporated, supported on a tilting shaft and a righting moment switchover mechanism allowing to freely switch over a righting moment against the tilting on the sides of the spring units; a tilting braking device having a plurality of braking units with different braking forces which is supported on said tilting shaft, and a torque switchover mechanism allowing to freely switch over torque on the sides of the braking units; and a sliding plate device having a set spring capable of freely floating and sinking, said set spring being in contact with one of the side end surfaces of the sliding plate for securing a device suc
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1995
    Assignee: Heiwa Seiki Kagya Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masao Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 5415106
    Abstract: A portable snow skier rope towing system comprises: an endless loop of flexible tow rope; a series of pulleys supporting the endless loop of tow rope for driving about an elongated enclosed path, the elongated path having opposed extreme ends, each extreme end being defined by at least one pulley; a supporting frame; a motor operably mounted relative to the supporting frame, the motor having an output drive; and a winch apparatus operably connected with the motor output drive and relative to the supporting frame, the tow rope passing through the winch at a location within the enclosed path which is displaced from each of the extreme end pulleys, the winch apparatus comprising: a drive wheel mounted for rotation and engagement with the output drive, the drive wheel having a circumference with a tapered groove formed thereabout which receives the tow rope; a rope inlet wheel mounted for rotation adjacent the drive wheel, the inlet wheel having a circumferential groove which receives the tow rope; and a rope out
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1995
    Assignee: Marc Groskreutz
    Inventors: Marc Groskreutz, Patrick W. Foster
  • Patent number: 5413197
    Abstract: A parking brake valve includes a magnetically attractable sled containing fluid stoppers and fluid passers that moves along a track, a fluid exchange unit, solenoids at either end of the track and a remote actuator. The parking brake valve is added to an existing hydraulic vehicle braking system. When the existing braking system is actuated, braking fluid is forced through the parking brake valve. Activating a locking solenoid attracts the sled into a fluid interrupting or locking position, thereby locking the brake system in a braking state. Activating an unlocking solenoid moves the sled such that brake fluid can again flow through the parking brake valve, thereby allowing the braking system to function normally. Integral fluid pressure valves allow the monitoring of fluid pressure within the parking brake valve allowing operation to be monitored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Inventors: Larry G. Baer, Walt Pyndus
  • Patent number: 5409087
    Abstract: A hydraulic dashpot for motor vehicles. It has a cylinder that accommodates a fluid. A shock-absorbing piston travels back and forth in the cylinder and divides it into two displacement chambers. The piston is connected to a rod that extends through a centering component at one end of the cylinder. A hydraulic decompression-stroke limiter consists of a cup-shaped recess below the rod-centering component and of another piston on the piston rod above the shock-absorbing piston. Channels extend through the stroke-limiting piston and are blocked off in the decompression-stroke direction. The object is a less expensive dashpot. The stroke-limiting piston consists of a thin stroke-limiting disk with a diameter slightly shorter than the critical diameter of the recess and resting on a thicker support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1995
    Assignee: August Bilstein GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Rolf Angermann, Reinhard Holscher, Volker Hansemann, Berthold Kolz, Walter Theobald, Friedrich Wiegand
  • Patent number: 5409086
    Abstract: The lining (1) includes by studs (2) mounted on a support (3), each being rigid with the support by reason of a mounting element and is characterized in thata) the mounting element (5) consists of a base (9) with a flange (13) with no axial symmetry,b) the support (3) consists of two metal plates, a rigid support plate (7) and a mounting plate (6) having orifices (10) in order to be able to grip the said flange (13) by reason of mechanical connections (8) between these two plates (6, 7),c) at least one of the plates (6, 7) displaying a deformation in such a way as to grip the flange and so achieve rotational locking of the stud (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1995
    Assignee: Le Carbone-Lorraine
    Inventors: Luc Themelin, Georges Cornillon, Michel Altmeyer
  • Patent number: 5404972
    Abstract: A gas spring comprises a first bypass with a one-way valve that allows fluid to bypass the piston when the piston moves outward and a second bypass with a temperature-compensating spring-biased one-way valve that allows fluid to bypass the piston when the piston is pushed inward with a force exceeding the total of the force due to the gas pressure of the gas spring and the force required to open the spring-biased valve. Variations due to temperature changes in the force required to retract the gas spring are minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Popjoy, Paul McDonnell
  • Patent number: 5402865
    Abstract: The aircraft brake retention mechanism (40) comprises a retractable mechanism (41) having an enlarged circular head (42) , and a threaded shaft (43) received threadedly in an end part (50) biased by a resilient mechanism (60). The head (42), shaft (43), end part (50) and resilient mechanism (60) are received within a radial opening (33) of a piston housing (30), with the end part (50) extending through the radial opening (33) and into abutting engagement with a flange (13A) of the axle (13) . The piston housing (30) is connected fixedly with a torque tube (20) so that the piston housing (30)/torque tube (20) and associated brake discs (34, 36) are retained axially by the axle flange (13A) which is captured axially between the end part (50) and torque tube (20) . The retractable mechanism (41) may be retracted manually and rotated to engage a surface (37A) of the piston housing (30) and be retained in the; retracted position, so that the brake assembly (10) may be disengaged from the axle (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1995
    Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.
    Inventor: Brian G. Harker
  • Patent number: 5400879
    Abstract: The drum brake wheel cylinder (20) comprises a longitudinal through bore (16) having therein a pair of opposed pistons (22, 24) with each piston (22, 24) engaging a respective web (12, 14) of an adjacent drum brake shoe. A first piston (22) includes a longitudinal opening (32) receiving therein one end (62) of a friction rod (60), and the second piston (24) includes a recess opening (27) receiving therein the second end (64) of the friction rod. A friction latch adjusting lever (50) has a central opening (52) receiving therethrough the friction rod (60) and is located diagonally relative to a longitudinal axis of the friction rod (60). A spring (70) is located about the friction rod (60) with one end biasing the friction latch adjuster lever (50) against a wall (34) of the first piston (22) and the other end of the spring engaging an abutment (27B) in the recess opening (27 ).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1995
    Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.
    Inventor: Donald D. Johannesen
  • Patent number: 5400875
    Abstract: A brake application mechanism for a disc brake, particularly a sliding-caliper disc brake having an application shaft which extends parallel to the plane of the brake disc, wherein on the side of the shaft (8) which faces the brake disc (2) the shaft is supported against a thrust piece (9) which is movable against the brake disc (2), support being via a circularly arcuate first contour (17) which is rotatably mounted in a suitable bearing seat (18), and on the side of the shaft which faces away from the brake disc, the shaft is supported against an element with respect to which the thrust piece (9) is movable, support being via a second contour (21) which is eccentric with respect to the first contour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1995
    Assignee: Perrot Bremsen GmbH
    Inventors: Paul Anthony, Rainer Baumgartner, Andrzej Bielawski, Wlodzimierz Macke, Bernd Rupprecht, Wilfried Strauss, Jurgen Tempel
  • Patent number: 5401081
    Abstract: The invention is directed to an arrangement for controlling a braking force applied to each of driven wheels and non-driven wheels depending upon a braking condition, with a hydraulic braking pressure supplied to each of wheel brake cylinders through an actuator. The actuator is controlled by the braking force controller into which output signals of wheel speed sensors are fed. The braking force controller is arranged to control the hydraulic braking pressure supplied to each of the wheel brake cylinders. When one driven wheel is under the anti-skid control, it is determined whether a difference speed between the driven wheels is greater than a predetermined value. If it is determined that the difference speed is greater than the predetermined value, the actuator is actuated to restrain the hydraulic braking pressure from being supplied to the wheel brake cylinder operatively connected to the other driven wheel, e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1995
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinsuke Sakane, Hiroyuki Ichikawa, Satoru Fukushima, Chiaki Hamada
  • Patent number: 5392881
    Abstract: There is presented a device for dampening vibratory motion. The device coises a ferromagnetic housing, a non-magnetic, electrically conductive wall upstanding in the housing, and a plunger assembly. The plunger assembly includes a magnetic body movable in the housing adjacent the wall, and connector structure extending from the body and in communication with a vibratory energy source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Chahee P. Cho, John Y. Hung
  • Patent number: 5390768
    Abstract: The present invention involves a hydraulic device for immobilizing the wheel of a stationary trailer. The locking brake is spliced into a brake line of a trailer carrying a surge brake system and allows an individual to manually activate the trailer brake when the trailer is stopped. The brake device includes a housing block with a cylindrical bore and a spring biased piston. A shank is connected to the piston and provides a manual handle for shifting the position between an inner and outer position. In the outer position, brake fluid may flow from the brake system actuating device. In its inner position, brake fluid is prevented from flowing from the actuating device and is pressurized to lock each brake. The housing block also includes a pivotally secured lock pin which engages a hole on the shank to secure the shank to the housing block. In this manner, the brakes of the trailer may be secured in a locked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Inventor: Paul A. Borkowski