Patents Examined by Everett G. Diederiks, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4874184
    Abstract: A trailer for hauling on the fifth wheel of a tractor-truck. The fifth wheel attachment point of the trailer is substantially above the flat floor thereof, the trailer's front wall and floor being at right angles to each other as are the trailer's top and rear, but the angle between the rear and the floor being obtuse so that the trailer is taller at its front than it is at the rear. Jacks are provided at the front of the trailer to level the floor for loading while allowing the forward portion to be tilted downwardly for attachment to the fifth wheel and hauling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1989
    Assignee: Road Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: John D. Boyer
  • Patent number: 4840400
    Abstract: A gravel shield for hitch trailers of the type having a front tongue frame member for hitching to a towing vehicle. The gravel shield includes a lower portion adapted to cooperate with a portion of the tongue frame, an imperforate front sheet and rear cushioning material. The shield is adapted to be operably disposed so as to cover the lower front portion of the trailer so as to protect same from gravel and other road debris during travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1989
    Inventor: Eugene F. Greenleaf
  • Patent number: 4840399
    Abstract: In an anti-skid device for motor vehicles with a plurality of chain strands (2,3,4,5) retained in a support (1) which can be set into a revolving motion and connected to the latter by intermediate pieces (7) forming resilient spreading arms, the chain strands are combined to form chain strand groups (6) which consists of at least two chain strands. The chain strands (2,3,4,5) of the chain strand groups (6) are of fine-linked construction and connected to the intermediate pieces (7) by rings (23).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1989
    Assignee: Rud-Kettenfabrik Rieger & Dietz GmbH u.Co.
    Inventors: Hansjorg W. Rieger, Wolfgang Biehler
  • Patent number: 4836324
    Abstract: A saddle type vehicle for running on an uneven ground includes a swing type engine unit whose pivot is positioned before a center of the wheel base of the vehicle. The vehicle includes a lower member disposed opposite to a lower surface of the engine unit and includes a frame connected by coupling the lower member and an upper member by a bridge member surrounding a main portion of the engine unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1989
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masataka Morita, Masao Ishihara, Mitsuru Tachikawa
  • Patent number: 4834412
    Abstract: A supporting and steering device for a front wheel of a motorcycle includes a single arm having a bent portion enveloping a portion of the periphery of the front wheel, a lower portion holding the wheel axle and an upper extension; a lower guiding arm having a first end rotatively mounted on the chassis in a position substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal median plane of the motorcycle and a second end; a first ball and socket joint which pivotally connects the second end of the lower guiding arm with the lower portion of the single arm; an upper connecting arm having a first end rotatively mounted on the chassis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal median plane of the motorcycle and the second end; a second ball and socket joint which pivotally connects the second end of the upper connecting arm with the upper extension of the single arm; an imaginary line extending between centers of the first and second ball and socket joints constituting the steering axis of the front wheel about which
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1989
    Assignee: Elf France
    Inventor: Daniel Trema
  • Patent number: 4834402
    Abstract: A rocking horse capable of moving forward and of changing its moving direction. The horse has two curved pitching rods, two movable support rods, and two rider controllable L-shaped levers with pedals. By manipulating the pedals, the rider can rock back and forth on the same spot, move the horse forward, or change the horse's moving direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1989
    Assignee: Yeou-Wei Gong
    Inventor: Cheng-Ming Jian
  • Patent number: 4834405
    Abstract: A support member is rotatably fastened to a bracket that is configured for mounting to a bicycle seat tube just above the bottom bracket. The support member is movable between a stored position where it is generally parallel to and just behind the seat tube and a lower position to support the weight of the bicycle. A locking mechanism includes an X-shaped recess in a head of the support member and a pair of detents in the bracket. The detents extend from a projection that is flexibly connected to the bracket. The projection bends slightly to permit movement of the support member between positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1989
    Inventor: James V. Dimaio
  • Patent number: 4832145
    Abstract: A four-wheel-drive vehicle in which the brakes are individually controlled to prevent locking. According to the invention, during anti-locking brake, the torque transmitted between the front and rear wheels is reduced, either by disconnecting the inter-axle transmission or switching to a loosely coupled viscous coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1989
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Etsuo Fujii, Makoto Sato, Seiichi Hirai
  • Patent number: 4830130
    Abstract: A power steering system for automotive vehicles includes devices for decreasing reaction force and for increasing assisting force applied to the steering wheel in cases where steering operation is performed while the vehicle is stopped. The device comprises a cut-off valve and a bias spring biasing the cut-off valve upwardly. The area of the upper surface of the cut-off valve is larger than that of the lower surface thereof. Therefore, the cut-off valve can move downwardly against the biasing force of the bias spring to block fluid communication between a fluid pressure source and chambers of a power cylinder when fluid pressure exceeding a predetermined value is applied to the upper and lower surfaces of the cut-off valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1989
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Company, Limited
    Inventor: Makoto Miyoshi
  • Patent number: 4830398
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel suspension system includes a suspension device having a double acting hydraulic actuator, of which the piston position is adjustable in response to forces acting on the piston and/or to a selective control input, and a load bearing strut operable in response to the actuator piston experience to minimize the actuator load. The device comprises an inner member having a portion slidable within an outer member with the piston on the inner member and slidably engaging the outer member and a fluid body operative between the members, the volume of which is selectively adjustable to alter and strut pre-load and load deflection characteristics. The fluid body may be a body of oil or a gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1989
    Assignee: Group Lotus Public Limited Company
    Inventors: David A. Williams, Peter G. Wright
  • Patent number: 4830391
    Abstract: A motor cycle rear wheel suspension linkage to provide a rising rate suspension comprises a link (30) pivotally attached at (32) to a motor cycle frame (4) and to a shock absorber (18) at (34). A roller (26) mounted on the rear wheel swing arm (14) engages in a cam slot (28) in the link (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1989
    Assignee: Silk Engineering (Derby) Limited
    Inventor: George R. Silk
  • Patent number: 4828062
    Abstract: A motor-operated power steering apparatus for a vehicle with steerable front and rear wheels comprises a front wheel steering mechanism for turning the front wheels, the front wheel steering mechanism comprising a rack shaft having opposite ends adapted to support the front wheels through knuckle arms, respectively, a rack casing adapted to be fixed to a body of the vehicle, the rack shaft being axially movably supported by the rack casing, a rear wheel steering power output mechanism disposed substantially centrally on the rack shaft for extracting rear wheel steering power from the rack shaft, a pinion shaft operatively coupled to an end portion of the rack shaft in the rack casing through an operative coupling mechanism in a rack-and-pinion configuration for transmitting manual steering forces applied from a steering wheel, an electric motor disposed coaxially on the rack shaft between the rear wheel steering power output mechanism and the operative coupling mechanism for generating assistive steering powe
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1989
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuo Shimizu
  • Patent number: 4828064
    Abstract: In a four-wheel steering system for a vehicle, a rear wheel turning mechanism for turning the rear wheels is controlled so that the ratio of the rear wheel turning angle to the front wheel turning angle changes with change in the vehicle speed. The ratio of the rear wheel turning angle to the front wheel turning angle is set so that the vehicle lateral acceleration response characteristics and the vehicle heading response characteristics generated by operation of the steering wheel approximate each other as far as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1989
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeki Furutani, Hirotaka Kanazawa, Teruhiko Takatani, Hideharu Masumoto
  • Patent number: 4828066
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an electrically driven power steering system for a fork lift truck includes a torque sensor for generating torque signals when a steering torque is applied to the steering wheel, a load weight sensor for generating load weight signals corresponding to the load weight placed on the truck and a control circuit for supplying a driving torque to the steering assist motor in accordance with steering assist characteristics determined in accordance with the aforementioned torque signals and load weight signals. The control apparatus may also include a vehicle speed sensor so that the steering assist characteristics will be determined with the vehicle speed simultaneously taken into account.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1989
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Takashi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 4828284
    Abstract: A multi-wheeled vehicle powered via a twin treadle-acting drive train. An upright front steering assembly including a pair of tie rod coupled front wheels and steering bar-mounted gear shift and hand brake assemblies facilitate operator control of a chain-driven rear wheel. The drive train incudes left and right treadles which, via an interconnected chain and crossover sprockets, drive a rear wheel housing supported stub shaft having a pair of end-mounted, over-running sprocketed clutches, a drive sprocket and a non-reversing clutch. A derailleur-controlled drive chain transfers power from the drive sprocket to the rear wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1989
    Inventor: John A. Sandgren
  • Patent number: 4828059
    Abstract: A wall-crawling machine comprises a body, a plurality of guide wheels rotatably mounted on the body, at least one crawler track extending around the guide wheels, a plurality of permanent magnets disposed on an outer surface of each of the crawler tracks, and a guide device provided on the respective crawler tracks for selectively restraining or releasing the crawler track from moving relative to the body in a direction perpendicular to a plane on which the permanent magnets travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1989
    Assignee: Babcock-Hitachi Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Naito, Kenji Tsuchita, Yoshiaki Ichikawa, Chikara Sato, Shigeru Kajiyama
  • Patent number: 4826191
    Abstract: A velocipede such as a bicycle or tricycle includes a drive sprocket mounted on a frame for adjustment between a plurality of positions defining an arcuate path having an axis of curvature. A second sprocket is rotatably mounted on the axis and is coupled to the drive sprocket by a first chain. A third sprocket is mounted coaxially with and is coupled to the second sprocket for rotation therewith. A fourth sprocket is mounted on the rear wheel and coupled to the third sprocket by a second drive chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1989
    Assignee: Harley-Davidson, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel A. Matre, Jeffrey L. Bleustein
  • Patent number: 4824134
    Abstract: A portable fifth wheel hitch assembly (10) for conventional pick-up trucks (100); wherein, the assembly (10) comprises a plurality of rail units (11) which are removably secured to the truck side walls (105) via a plurality of expansible securing members (60) that fit inside the stake wells (103) of the truck (100); and wherein the assembly further comprises a draw bar unit (12) having pintles (72) whereby the draw bar unit (12) having pintles (72) whereby the draw bar unit (12) is operatively and removably connected to the rail units (11) via a pintle capturing assembly (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1989
    Inventor: George M. Harris
  • Patent number: 4824133
    Abstract: An auxiliary wheeled support for the rear of a trailer works in combination with the wheeled front trailer jack to increase the maneuverability of the trailer by raising the main trailer wheels off the ground. The invention disclosed swings to a storage position when not in use, and is adjustable to fit a range of trailer heights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1989
    Inventor: Gary W. Wilson
  • Patent number: 4823904
    Abstract: In an installation for the slippage limitation, respectively, prevention of driven wheels of a motor vehicle with an internal combustion engine controllable by an actuatable output adjusting member, an adjustable abutment for the output adjusting member serves for the purpose to so correct the driving torque of the internal combustion engine that the slippage is reduced to the permissive extent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1989
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Christian Dietrich