Patents Examined by George E. Halvosa
  • Patent number: 4984661
    Abstract: The invention relates to a brake with at least one stationary disc (10) and one axially movable disc (33). The movable disc (33) is mounted on hangers (17), themselves each fixed to a cylindrical column (16) parallel to the axis of the wheel. This column can move axially on bearings (15) carried by an extension (8) of the hub. This extension is in the form of a fork, with two teeth set apart axially and located on either side of the plate (2) forming the body of the hub. Seals (22) make it possible to maintain a reserve of grease in the region of the bearings (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 15, 1991
    Assignee: Bendix France
    Inventor: Guy Meynier
  • Patent number: 4979595
    Abstract: The fluid actuated friction damper comprises a cylinder and an expandable piston assembly made up of a piston having two spaced apart parallel end walls which form an annular chamber, and two spaced apart side walls which project toward one another and terminate in two spaced apart parallel edges. These edges define a curved opening for the chamber which fronts upon the inside of the cylinder. A curved friction member is located between these edges in this opening, and is pressed against the inside of the cylinder by an underlying flexible actuator ring. This ring has a width greater than the spacing between the side wall edges and is located inside of the side walls so that the ring simultaneously self-seals against the side walls and bulges outwardly through the opening, thereby pressing the friction member against the inside of the cylinder when the chamber is pressurized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1990
    Inventor: H. Neil Paton
  • Patent number: 4977987
    Abstract: A hydraulically actuated braking apparatus, for spot-type disc brakes is disclosed including a piston having an actuating end, protrudes from the brake housing and which acts on a brake pad. The piston is provided with a shoulder, and a metal ring is mounted on the piston's outside surface. An elastic folded collar is fastened behind the metal ring. The outside surface of the piston has at least one indentation of a specific shape and size in the area of the protruding end of the piston. So as to effect a tight fit of the metal ring on the piston, projections are distributed on the inside circumference of the metal ring on elastic ring elements which elements are axially bent out of the radial plane. Guide surfaces are also distributed at the inside circumference of the ring for fastening the metal ring at the piston in a predetermined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1990
    Assignee: Alfred Teves GmbH
    Inventors: Herbert Schmidt, Erhard Czich, Horst Hefner
  • Patent number: 4976499
    Abstract: The system in accordance with the invention provides braking while an aircraft (1) is being towed on the ground by a tractor vehicle (2) which is mechanically connected to the aircraft and which is fitted with a brake device under the control of a brake pedal (27), with the aircraft being fitted with a braking circuit. The system comprises a towing brake member (7) disposed in the aircraft's braking circuit line (34) for connecting the brake control member (27) of the vehicle to the towing brake member (7) of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1990
    Assignee: Messier-Hispano-Bugatti
    Inventors: Jean Guichard, Christian Favre
  • Patent number: 4974820
    Abstract: A bellows type shock absorber comprises a sealed bellows, a shock absorbing column which is provided with a chamber around it inside the bellows and which is along the axial line of the bellows and combined with the bellows so that it physically varies in conjunction with expansion and contraction of the bellows. Also, the bellows type shock absorber may have a through hole which communicates the internal chamber and the outside, and preferably the shock absorbing column is made of a kind of gelled material with a penetration value of approximately 50 to 200. This shock absorber is provided with the main bellows and a sub-bellows having a spring constant differing from that of the main bellows and a through hole which communicates the internal chamber of the main bellows and the internal chamber of the sub-bellows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1990
    Assignee: Suzuki Sogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Motoyasu Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 4974707
    Abstract: A shock absorber with a variable damping characteristic has a piston which is reciprocable in a cylinder to divide the oil-filled internal space of the cylinder into two chambers. The chambers are connectable to each other by one or more passages so that oil can flow between the chambers in response to movement of the piston relative to the cylinder and/or vice versa. The piston has several bypasses each of which is controlled by an adjustable electrically operated regulating valve. In order to enhance the accuracy of regulation of flow of oil between the chambers by way of the bypasses, the piston is formed with channels which supply oil between the mobile valving elements and the seats of the valves to thus reduce or eliminate friction between such parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1990
    Assignee: Korber AG
    Inventors: Helmut Neumann, Werner Komossa
  • Patent number: 4974708
    Abstract: The invention relates to a drum brake with two shoes, each having a web (16) and a rim (18), of which the face confronting the drum receives a friction lining (20). The drum brake is arranged on a supporting plate (10) and also includes a mechanical control lever (34) comprising a body of considerable length and of small thickness in relation to its width, the body having, at a first end (36), an orifice (38) intended for receiving an articulated connection with the web (16) of one of the shoes (14) at an intermediate point near the orifice, and a notch intended for interacting with a spacer (62) making it possible to subject the shoes (12, 14) to a stress moving them away from one another, and at the second end (40), a fastening point for an actuating cable (54) of the lever. The cable is equipped with a ferrule (60) at its end interacting with the lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1990
    Assignee: Bendix France
    Inventor: Jean-Charles Maligne
  • Patent number: 4974819
    Abstract: An isolating mount for connecting two parts or mechanisms includes a rigid bushing surrounded by a resilient block which includes cavities on opposite sides of the bushing located along a first plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bushing and passage formed between the cavities. A quantity of liquid fills the cavities and a passage, providing a liquid column of predetermined inertia in the passage between the cavities for controlling forces transmitted through the bushing to provide tuning of the damping characteristics of the mount to preselected frequencies of vibration. A rigid outer body surrounds and contacts the block and exerts compressive force thereon substantially along the first plane. The bushing is connected to one of the two parts to be isolated and the outer body is connected to the other of the two parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1990
    Assignee: Cooper Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Richard L. Reichard, Thomas A. Knurek, Terry L. Houston, Gary L. Hipsher, Jamal J. Mousavi
  • Patent number: 4974704
    Abstract: A self-energizing brake of the disc/rotor or rim type is disclosed which includes opposed rocker arms attached to a frame by a bolt or the like. The rocker arms support brake pads adjacent the disc/rotor or rim. Cantilever arms on each of said rocker arms extend opposite the brake pads and are connected to a pressure actuated cable. The rocker arms also terminate in a housing which is rotatable about the bolt. The housing encloses unitary helical ridges which mate with helical ridges on a cylinder fixedly secured to the frame by the bolt. The housing is axially movable relative to the bolt. The housing is sealed about the bolt by O-rings and contains a lubricant such as grease. When force is applied to the cable, the pads contact the rotating rim. Such rotation results in movement of the housing in an axial and rotational direction which, due to the interaction of the helical ridges, multiplies the force exerted on the rim by the brake pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1990
    Assignee: Pedersen Development Corporation
    Inventors: Steven R. Miller, David F. Pedersen
  • Patent number: 4973854
    Abstract: A hydraulic shock-absorber and vibration damper comprising a cylinder (1), a damping piston (2) disposed so as to be axially movable inside the cylinder (1) and dividing off two working chambers (9, 10) filled with a hydraulic damping medium and connected by at least one throttle means (62), a piston rod (3) connected to the damping piston (2) and guided in sealing-tight manner out of the cylinder (1), and a compensating chamber (11) connected to one (9) of the working chambers (9, 10) for receiving a volume of damping medium displaced by the piston rod (3). A damping valve (26) driven by an electromagnet (24) and acted upon by a closing force is disposed at the transition between the working chamber (9) and the compensating chamber (11). The damping valve (26) is disposed in series with the throttle means (62), so that all the damping medium flowing between the working chamber (9) and the compensating chamber (11) flows through the damping valve (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1990
    Assignee: Herman Hemscheidt Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Kurt M. Hummel
  • Patent number: 4969539
    Abstract: A caliper type brake for a bicycle, which includes brake members pivotally supported by a frame of the bicycle for supporting brake shoes adapted to be pressed to a rim of a wheel of the bicycle. Each of the brake members is shaped like a bell crank and has one end pivotally connected to the frame of the bicycle and the other end supporting the brake shoe. An operating radius between a pivotal point of each of the brake members and a point of the brake member on which a brake operating force acts is made as small as possible. The brake further inlcudes a generally V-shaped connecting rod whose ends are connected to the brake members, respectively for applying the brake operating force to the brake member, a pulley rotatably provided at an intermediate portion of the connecting rod, and an operating wire extending about the pulley and having one end fixed to the frame of the bicycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 13, 1990
    Assignee: Bridgestone Cycle Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideyuki Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 4967681
    Abstract: A shock absorber for use in connection with moored barge fleets, and capable of withstanding very large shock loads so that when positioned between a mooring cable and a stationary shore connection the shock absorber absorbs impact loads that are applied to the mooring cable by virtue of the flow of the current and the passage of other vessels. The shock absorber includes a cylindrical outer shell, the shell including end closure plates at each end. Extending between the end closure plates are six guide rods, each guide rod carrying four aligned groups of two concentric helical compression springs, the respective groups of springs being separated from axially adjacent groups of springs by respective alignment plates that are freely movable relative to the guide rods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1990
    Assignee: American Commercial Marine Service Company
    Inventors: Larry Y. Strain, Andrew W. Cannava, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4968055
    Abstract: A device for changing the axle orientation in a balance beam suspension operates by introducing a variable axial eccentricity between an axle carrier and the beam hanger to vary the amount of yaw on the axle to enable the wheels on the axle to be oriented in alignment with the vehicle axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1990
    Inventor: Bruce J. Reilly
  • Patent number: 4967886
    Abstract: A dual function brake and manual drive actuating system for selectively holding a rotatable member of a drive train and manually driving the drive train. A support structure is provided, with a brake operatively associated between the support structure and the rotatable member for holding the member against rotation. A common release member is operatively associated with the brake. A fluid retracting mechanism operates against the common release member to selectively hold the brake in disengaged condition. A manual retracting mechanism also operates against the common release member to selectively hold the brake in disengaged condition. A manual drive is incorporated in the manual retracting mechanism for manually rotating the rotatable member when in the disengaged condtion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1990
    Assignee: Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: John D. Tysver, Thomas A. Gendron, William E. Seidel
  • Patent number: 4966256
    Abstract: An emergency or parking brake for motor vehicles equipped with a disc brake unit that can be provided with an actuating arrangement for disengagement and engagement of outboard brake pad structure against a rotor or disc sandwiched with respect to an inboard brake pad structure via a cam mechanism. In one embodiment the cam mechanism includes a camshaft that carries a cam member fixed thereto and pivotable by a lever spring biased in one direction although pivotable about an axis of the camshaft by a cable with a bifurcated member or fork attached thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 30, 1990
    Inventor: John D. Hunt
  • Patent number: 4964490
    Abstract: The pin type disc brake in which a guide pin is inserted from a boss hole of a second extension arm of a caliper to a boss hole of a first extension arm thereof, the guide pin has a threaded end to which a nut is screwed, a member for preventing the guide pin from moving along the axis of the disc is fitted in a recessed portion formed on the first extension arm of the caliper, and a member for preventing the guide pin from rotating is abutted against a flat surface of an abutment portion formed on the first extension arm of the caliper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1990
    Assignees: Akebono Brake Industry Co., Ltd., Akebona Research and Development Centre Ltd.
    Inventor: Namio Watanabe
  • Patent number: 4961480
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a pin guiding and/or damping element for floating-caliper spot-type disc brakes, the brake comprising a brake carrier (8) as well as a brake housing (10) which is axially slideable thereto and which straddles a brake disc and brake shoes, while the brake carrier and/or the brake housing is further provided with at least one pin (4) which is guided in a bore (12) of the housing and/or the brake carrier (8), as well as with at least one elastic guiding and/or damping portion seated in the bore. In order to accomplish a good damping as well as an improved protection for the entire guiding length of the guiding pin (4), it is provided that the guiding and damping portion (14) is furnished with a pleated bellows portion (16) at least one of its ends, and that adjacent to this pleated bellows portion (16), there is provision of a rolling diaphragm (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 9, 1990
    Assignee: Alfred Teves GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Weiler, Wolfgang Endler
  • Patent number: 4961482
    Abstract: In an illustrative example, an oscillation damper for damping the steering movement of the handle bar of a motorcycle comprises a cylinder and a piston rod axially movable with respect to the cylinder. A damping piston is provided at the inner end of the piston rod and divides the cavity within the cylinder into two working chambers. These working chambers are interconnected by at least one axial bore through the piston. Valve discs are provided on both axial end faces of the piston. These valve discs are fixed to the piston in their respective central areas. Circumferential areas of the valve discs define circumferential gaps with the respective end faces. In response to the velocity of axial relative movement of the piston rod with respect to the cylinder the circumferential areas of respective valve discs are approached to the respective end faces. So the damping resistance is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 9, 1990
    Assignee: Stabilus GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Pohlenz, Gunter Wagner
  • Patent number: 4957277
    Abstract: The outer profile of the spring is shaped to control breakover (i.e., the change in spring deflection from constant to rising rate) and spring rate. A process for inducing breakover in thick-walled elastomeric springs which normally have no breakover, and for controlling breakover, whether so induced or occurring naturally, as well as spring rate, is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1990
    Inventor: H. N. Paton
  • Patent number: 4957192
    Abstract: An adjusting device for a disc brake comprised of a brake piston which, for the actuation of a brake shoe, is slidably arranged in a brake cylinder and which is actuatable by way of a hydraulic and a mechanical actuating device. Between the brake piston and the mechanical actuating device an adjusting member is provided which is composed of two adjusting elements interconnected by way of a thread without self-locking engagement. The adjusting member comprises a friction clutch having conical friction surfaces for fixation of one of the adjusting elements on mechanical actuation; and includes a spring which is supported on a stop formed fast with the housing and on a roller bearing seated on one of the adjusting elements. For the improved manufacture of the parts and in order to improve and facilitate the assembly, the accommodation sleeve comprises at least one groove extending substantially in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the accommodation sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1990
    Assignee: Alfred Teves GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Weiler, Claus-Peter Panek, Bodo Schmidt