Patents Examined by Frank H. McKenzie, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4547180
    Abstract: A crankshaft pulley of an internal combustion engine, comprises a first pulley section for use with a V-belt to drive an engine accessory, the first pulley section being formed of sheet metal, and a second pulley section for use with a cogged belt to drive a camshaft of the engine, the second pulley section being formed of sheet metal and integral at at least a part thereof with the first pulley section, thereby greatly reducing engine weight while contributing to noise reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1985
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshimasa Hayashi
  • Patent number: 4547179
    Abstract: A pulley particularly developed for timing belt systems for engines where the outer pulley surface is formed from a corrugated strip butt welded together. The resulting cylindrical ring is fixed to an inner formed wheel and conveniently positioned during assembly by tabs protruding inwardly from the cylindrical ring. The wheel is further fixed to an inner hub for placement on a shaft or the like. Protrusions on the outer surface of the wheel cooperate with recesses on the inside of the cylindrical ring to help interlock and locate the ring thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1985
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuo Ohhashi
  • Patent number: 4543849
    Abstract: An automatic adjusting device which is disposed midway of a control wire connecting an actuating mechanism such as a brake and an operating lever. The automatic adjusting device automatically compensates not only the internal wear of the actuating mechanism but also the extension of the control wire so that it can always take up any excessive play or slack of the control wire to thereby impart to the operating lever a minimum play, which corresponds to the proper ineffective stroke of the actuating mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1985
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Sadashi Yamamoto, Hiroaki Kayama, Masaki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 4543078
    Abstract: A fork element 1 for guiding the chain is pivotally mounted by means of a deformable parallelogram structure 11, 12 on a support constituted by an arm 3 which is upwardly and outwardly inclined relative to a vertical plane containing the longitudinal axis of the bicycle. The parallelogram structure is deformed in a plane which is inclined in a direction parallel to said arm. With this arrangement, the fork element is shifted in a constant vertical position in a combined oblique upward and advancing movement so as to shift the chain from a small chain wheel to a larger chain wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1985
    Assignee: Huret et ses Fils
    Inventor: Maurice E. L. Coue
  • Patent number: 4543081
    Abstract: A transmission chain comprising links and hinge pins extending through link apertures an intermediate member being received between each hinge pin and the opposite aperture sides of a plurality of adjacent links, the length of the intermediate member being equal to or somewhat less than the length of the hinge pin a limited displacement thereof in the longitudinal direction being possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1985
    Assignee: Varitrac AG
    Inventors: Jacobus H. M. van Rooij, Leonardus M. A. Vaessen
  • Patent number: 4541821
    Abstract: A V-belt type stepless transmission, basically including an input pulley and an output pulley mounted on parallel input and output shafts, respectively, each of the input and output pulleys having a stationary flange and a movable flange axially displaceable relative to the stationary flange and rotatable integrally therewith; an endless V-belt lapped around the input and output pulleys to transmit power therebetween; a servo mechanism for the movable flange, constituted by a drive member having a first screw or a second screw, the first screw formed on the movable flange or on a structure integrally connected to the movable flange, the second screw threadedly engaged with the first screw for axially displacing the movable flange by rotation of the second screw relative to the first screw, and a drive mechanism for the drive member; and a cam mechanism provided at least on one of the input and output shafts to vary compressive belt gripping force of the stationary and movable flanges in proportion to the torq
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1985
    Assignee: Aisin-Warner Limited
    Inventor: Shiro Sakakibara
  • Patent number: 4541823
    Abstract: A long synchronous belt made primarily of elastomeric material is provided which comprises a plurality of narrow, toothed strips joined in side-by-side fashion, each strip having at least one longitudinally-extending reinforcement located therein. Also provided is a method for making such a belt which comprises the steps of providing a first belt sleeve having the desired tooth configuration, cutting the first sleeve into a continuous strip, winding the strip to form a second sleeve of desired circumferential length, joining the adjacent strips of the second sleeve in side-by-side fashion, and cutting at least one belt of desired width from the second sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1985
    Assignee: Dayco Corporation
    Inventors: Richard L. Marsh, Robert E. Wetzel
  • Patent number: 4541302
    Abstract: In a vehicle body structure wherein a reinforcement panel is fixedly arranged at an angle to reinforce an upright fire-wall panel in the form of a rear wall of an engine room for mounting a power transmission unit together with an internal combustion engine in the engine room and wherein each of the panels is provided with a through hole through which at least a push-pull cable of the power transmission unit extends into the vehicle compartment to be connected to a manual shift lever, a support structure for the push-pull cable comprises a pair of cover members of elastic material fixedly coupled over the through hole of each of the panels for resiliently supporting and clamping the push-pull cable thereon and for closing the interior space between the panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1985
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keniti Yamamoto, Tenji Suzuki, Yukitomo Sanada
  • Patent number: 4541822
    Abstract: An endless power transmission belt construction and a transverse element therefor as well as a method of making the same are provided, the belt construction comprising an endless flexible carrier and a plurality of transverse belt elements assembled on the carrier. Each belt element has a recess therein defining an intermediate transverse shoulder for engaging the inside surface of the carrier and a pair of inwardly facing shoulders confining the carrier therebetween, each inwardly facing shoulder having an opening interrupting the same and being aligned with the opening in the other inwardly facing shoulder of its respective element. Each belt element has a pin provided with opposed ends respectively disposed in the openings of the inwardly facing shoulders thereof whereby the carrier is confined between the pin and the transverse shoulder of each belt element. The pin of each belt element has its opposed ends snap-fitted into the respective openings of the inwardly facing shoulders thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1985
    Assignee: Dayco Corporation
    Inventor: Carl A. Stiles
  • Patent number: 4541820
    Abstract: A V-belt type stepless transmission, comprising: an input pulley and an output pulley mounted on parallel input and output shafts, respectively, each pulley having a stationary flange and a movable flange axially displaceable relative to the stationary flange and rotatable integrally therewith; an endless V-belt lapped around the input and output pulleys to transmit power therebetween, a servo mechanism for the movable flange, including a drive member having a first screw or a second screw, the first screw formed on the movable flange or on a structure integrally connected to the movable flange, the second screw threadedly engaged with the first screw for axially displacing the movable flange by rotation of the second screw relative to the first screw, and a brake provided between the drive member and a transmission case for braking the drive member, and a torsion spring interposed between the movable flange and the drive member; anda cam mechanism provided at least on one of the input and output shafts to va
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1985
    Assignee: Aisin-Warner Limited
    Inventor: Shiro Sakakibara
  • Patent number: 4541303
    Abstract: A flexible coaxial pushpull cable comprising an outer cable member, and an inner cable member disposed inside the outer member so as to be slidable lengthwise therein, the inner cable member having a projecting end portion which extends lengthwise beyond the free end of the outer cable member, the inner cable member including a flexible working core and a length of wire tightly wrapped around the core in a helical configuration and with a given lengthwise pitch, whereby the inner cable member has an apparent diameter which is substantially equal to the sum of the diameter of the core and twice the diameter of the wire, the wire defining a helical groove, at least the projecting end portion of the inner cable member including a reinforcing member formed by a flexible polymeric material which fills the helical groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1985
    Assignee: Chuo Hatsujo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Kuzunishi
  • Patent number: 4538479
    Abstract: A reversible torque hand crank or lever for machine tools comprises a generally elongated cylindrically outlined hub having a blind bore located axially in the mounting face of the hub for mounting the hub fixedly to a feed mechanism shaft of the machine. The end of the hub opposite the mounting face has a generally flat lever mounting face substantially parallel to the hub mounting face. An arm guide channel having parallel arm support side walls and oppositely disposed symmetrical straight bottom walls which walls are sloped from the apex to form guide arm support planes depending outwardly at an obtuse angle to the hub faces is located diametrically and transversely on said hub.A pair of oppositely disposed hub bearing bores are transversely located in said hub perpendicular to said channel at its apex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1985
    Inventor: Kenneth C. Blessing
  • Patent number: 4537581
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a tightening device for cone belts and the like for use in cone belt transmissions, including at least one preferably driven cone belt pulley which is axially or substantially axially displaceable relative to at least one other, preferably driven cone belt pulley, and a cone belt interconnecting said cone belt pulleys, said tightening device engaging one run of the cone belt by means of a rotary member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1985
    Assignee: Stiga AB
    Inventors: Soren Johansson, Roger Andersson, Lennart Jonsson
  • Patent number: 4534747
    Abstract: A transmission rotatable coaxially about a crankshaft. The transmission is rotatable to three positions: forward, idle, and reverse. Four pulleys are rotatably affixed to the casing such that each pulley occupies the corner of an imaginary square, the diagonals of the square intersecting the longitudinal axis of the crankshaft. The planes of the pulleys all lie in a single plane generally perpendicular to the crankshaft. Thus as the casing is rotated the pulleys rotate coaxially about the crankshaft. Two of the pulleys occupying adjacent corners are driven in opposite directions by gear and/or chain and sprocket means disposed in the casing. The other two pulleys are free turning. The casing pulleys are belt coupled to a pulley on a drive shaft. When the casing is in the forward position, the belt is in contact with one of the driven pulleys and one of the free turning pulleys only. When the casing is in the idle position the belt is in contact only with the two free turning pulleys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1985
    Inventor: Clement J. Fitzsimmons
  • Patent number: 4533343
    Abstract: A machine and method are disclosed for securing a loop of thermoplastic strap around an article so that two overlapping portions of strap are bonded together. One form of an apparatus in the machine has a strap engaging weld pad with spaced-apart, parallel strap-engaging ribs for effectively making a friction-fusion weld in thin film strap. Another form of the apparatus in the machine includes a rack gear associated with a weld pad and engaged with an arc of teeth on a torsion bar for utilizing the torsional oscillation kinetic energy to reciprocate the weld pad along a linear path of motion. Another form of the apparatus in the machine includes a strap carrier chain for forming the strap in a loop about an article and the chain may include a resilient lug positioned between each pair of adjacent cross pins in the chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1985
    Assignee: Signode Corporation
    Inventor: Robert J. Kobiella
  • Patent number: 4531926
    Abstract: As the sprocket teeth wear, the pitch of the sprocket teeth decreases. As the chain wears, the pitch of the chain increases, this causes the rate of wear to increase. A sprocket after being in use for 1000 hours may have four times the wear as it had after 500 hours use. This invention, a sprocket with simultaneous adjustable pitch of the teeth, will keep the wear rate to the minimum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1985
    Inventor: James B. Reeves, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4531927
    Abstract: A transmission, in particular for a motor vehicle, provided with an infinitely variable V-belt transmission having a primary and a secondary pulley over which the V-belt has been looped and provided with an input shaft, which is connected through a reversing gear to the primary pulley. The reversing gear being operated by means of a forward and a reverse command, respectively, in such a way as to transmit the same or the opposite direction of rotation. The primary pulley of said transmission is connected to an annular channel radially closed from the outside and into which a stationary pitot tube terminates for picking up a hydraulic signal depending on the speed of rotation, whereby the incorporation of means of control which prevent the reverse signal putting into operation the reversing gear, depending on the hydraulic signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1985
    Assignee: Van Doorne's Transmissie B.V.
    Inventor: Theodorus P. M. Cadee
  • Patent number: 4530681
    Abstract: A motorcycle engine having a tensioning mechanism for a cam chain. The mechanism includes a guide on the slack side of the chain which is controlled by two spaced pivotally-mounted links. One of the two links is biased by a spring to tension the cam chain. A sliding rod mechanism prevents facile motion of the links to lessen tension in the cam chain while allowing free tightening. The links are of such proportional extent that the end of the guide nearest the driving sprocket provides the tensioning motion while the end of the guide adjacent the driven sprocket remains tangent thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1985
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noboru Kurata, Toshifumi Ito
  • Patent number: 4530683
    Abstract: A device for preventing separation of a belt from a motor pulley comprises a protection cover for covering a pulley attached to the output shaft of a motor, a guide slot formed in the protection cover extending into a predetermined direction, a belt separation preventing plate supported on the side of the motor pulley by a supporting body which passes through the guide slot, and retaining device associated with the supporting body to fix the plate to the protection cover by a spring pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1985
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shouzi Kasugai, Tatsuya Sawato
  • Patent number: 4530684
    Abstract: A method of making an arched endless belt and belt made employing the method are provided wherein the method comprises the steps of disposing in tubular form a plurality of uncured belt-defining layers with the layers being adapted to define corresponding sections of the belt and curing the layers in a controlled environment to define the belt having a longitudinal axis and an arched configuration relative to the axis wherein prior to the disposing step the method comprises wrapping a shaping material consisting of an uncured gum material around a belt building device and the disposing step comprises wrapping the plurality of layers against the shaping material so that during the curing step the shaping material and controlled environment cooperate to define the arched configuration of the belt including all of its layers and during the curing step the shaping material is bonded to the layers and comprises an inner portion of the belt with the cured gum shaping material serving as a crack barrier for such inn
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1985
    Assignee: Dayco Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph P. Miranti, Jr.