Patents Examined by P. McCoy Smith
  • Patent number: 4732302
    Abstract: A cartridge (1) contains dental material and at one end has a discharge nozzle (2) and at the other end is connected fixedly in terms of rotation to a nut (3) having an internal thread. A plunger is disposed at the end of a spindle ( 4) in the cartridge, for ejecting the dental material from the nozzle (2). A handle (6) is connected fixedly in terms of rotation to the spindle. The handle (6) and grip part (8) thereof are grasped in the lower portion of the hand, while the thumb and forefinger rotate the cartridge relative to the spindle to discharge the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1988
    Inventor: Ernst Muhlbauer
  • Patent number: 4728253
    Abstract: Feed bar advance and return driving apparatus for a transfer press. An upper slider is reciprocally vertically movable in the press crown in synchronization with the operation of the press, and a pinion rotatably mounted on the upper slider is rotated alternatingly in opposite directions with the upward and downward vertical movement of the upper slider. A drive rack vertically slidably supported on the upper slider is connected to the pinion at a position on the pinion which is eccentric to the axis of rotation of the pinion and is reciprocally vertically driven by the rotation of the pinion. The lower end of the drive rack extends downwardly and engages a drive pinion for rotating the drive pinion alternatingly in opposite directions during the reciprocal vertical motion of the drive rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1988
    Assignee: Aida Engineering, Ltd.
    Inventors: Susumu Oba, Kenji Kurishima, Masaharu Kusunoki, Tadao Odaka, Toshihiko Arai
  • Patent number: 4728252
    Abstract: A workpiece transfer apparatus includes a drive assembly and a transfer arm assembly. The transfer arm assembly is articulated, including a linking arm enclosure pivotally attached to a transfer arm. The linking arm enclosure is mounted on a rotatable sleeve, which in turn is mounted in a bearing assembly which is mountable in a housing. A shaft runs axially through the sleeve and terminates with a pulley within the linking arm enclosure. The transfer arm is coupled to the shaft so that rotation of the sleeve relative to the shaft causes articulation of the transfer arm assembly. A first motor causes rotation of the sleeve and the shaft simultaneously, which effects rotation of the transfer arm relative to the housing. A second motor rotates the sleeve relative to the shaft, causing translation of the transfer arm relative to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1988
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher O. Lada, Raymond L. Degner, Robert T. LoBianco
  • Patent number: 4726492
    Abstract: A fuel supplying apparatus comprises a switch for driving a pump in response to moving of a fuel supplying nozzle from a waiting position, a circuit for driving the pump and carrying out a fuel supplying operation until a desired quantity or price of fuel is reached, a circuit for driving the pump for a predetermined short time after completion of the fuel supplying operation, and a circuit for comparing a measured flow rate which is measured in the flowmeter and a predetermined flow rate when the pump is driven for the predetermined short time, and for prohibiting the pump from being driven in a subsequent fuel supplying operation when the measured flow rate is greater than the predetermined flow rate, even when the switch operates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1988
    Assignee: Tokico Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigemi Komukai
  • Patent number: 4725193
    Abstract: A handling system for components or tools comprises a guiding track formed by a pair of spaced parallel guiding posts, on which is displaceably mounted an intermediate carrier for the components coupled to an apparatus for displacing and positioning the intermediate carrier along the guiding posts, in which the guiding posts are associated with respective support elements extending parallel and lengthwise of the posts and transversely therefrom the support elements being arranged to stiffen the guiding posts and support them against bending due to operating forces on the carrier when handling components or tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1988
    Inventor: Walter Sticht
  • Patent number: 4725187
    Abstract: An excavator for use in tunneling operations wherein there is minimal head room, comprising a boom mounted to a mobile carriage for rectilinear movement in a horizontal plane and angular movement in a vertical plane. A rigid arm is pivotally mounted at one end to the distal end of the boom for angular movement relative thereto and a slide is supported by the arm for rectilinear movement thereon. The backhoe is fixed to the slide and there is linkage for manipulating the backhoe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1988
    Inventor: Aldo Morelli
  • Patent number: 4721432
    Abstract: The present invention is concerned with an article carrier adaptable for the transportation of a variety of functional apparatus such as painting, coating, sanding and buffing apparatuses and a transport mechanism comprising a pair of spaced apart pulleys, a continuous drive belt of resilient material entrained about said pulleys, a switch actuated motor for driving the pulley wheels and the belt, and at least one belt cam permanently attached to the belt for gripping a cam holder attached to a holding member which is mounted onto the holding plate, causing the belt cam to move the article carrier in both directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1988
    Inventor: Fithsroy P. Cargill
  • Patent number: 4718815
    Abstract: A device for carrying and adjusting a tool has a frame and a base member which is rotatably connected to the frame about a first axis with a main arm pivotally connected at one end to the base member and at the other end to a lifting-arm holder with a yoke pivotally connected at its central portion to the main arm at some distance from one end thereof. A piston rod part of a first cylinder assembly is pivotally connected to a projection projecting at an angle from the main arm, and its cylinder part is pivotally connected to one arm of the yoke with a piston rod part of a second cylinder assembly pivotally connected to the base member and its cylinder part pivotally connected to the other arm of the yoke and with a link arm parallel to the main arm pivotally connected at one end to the other arm of the yoke and pivotally connected at its other end to the lifting-arm holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1988
    Assignee: AVP Robot AB
    Inventor: Kenneth Lindgren
  • Patent number: 4718813
    Abstract: A transport cart for material carriers such as bobbins or drums having threads or other elongated material wound thereon, has a cart frame with wheels and a tilting frame journalled in said cart frame. The tilting frame carries two parallel skids for supporting a material carrier on its rollers. The tilting frame is tiltable between a first position in which the skids extend horizontally for loading a material carrier onto the cart, and a second position in which the skids extend vertically for unloading a material carrier, or vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1988
    Assignee: H. Krantz GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Guenther Kehlenbach
  • Patent number: 4717309
    Abstract: The specimen (P) can be turned about each of three axes (A, B and C) by rtion of the input shaft (10). The apparatus exhibits three brackets (H1, H2, H3) mounted on each other in the manner of a cardan joint and supported by the frame (GR). The first bracket (H1) is fixed on the frame (GR) via a clutch coupling (K1). Additional couplings (K2 and K3) connect the second bracket (H2) to the first bracket (H1) and the third bracket (H3) to the second bracket (H2). Of the three couplings, only one is ever released, while the two others are engaged. In this manner the specimen (P) can describe a movement about each of the three axes by rotation of the single input shaft (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1988
    Assignee: Deutsche Forschungs--und Versuchsanstalt fur Lift--und Raumfahrt E.V.
    Inventor: Dietmar Neuhaus
  • Patent number: 4715771
    Abstract: A variable geometry mounting arrangement for the boom assembly of a backhoe is disclosed which permits relatively great working depths without increasing the overall height of the backhoe assembly in its raised, transport position. The arrangement includes a bellcrank coupler assembly operatively interposed between a swing tower and boom assembly of a backhoe, with a gearing arrangement provided operatively connecting the boom and the swing tower. By this construction, the vertical disposition of the horizontal pivot axis of the boom is altered as the boom is pivoted. The bellcrank coupler asembly provides a central anchor for the hydraulic fluid boom actuator of the backhoe, and permits the actuator to work through a relatively large moment arm for enhanced performance, and further permits use of a relatively simpified box-section boom construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1987
    Assignee: J. I. Case Company
    Inventor: Charles B. Hanson
  • Patent number: 4714400
    Abstract: A robotic system includes two joints moving a common load-bearing member along a path for positioning a load. Each joint includes a linear electric motor and a feedback loop, the latter driving the motor accurately in response to a commanded position signal, and a true position signal provided by sensor apparatus disposed alongside a track of each linear motor. Cross-coupling circuitry connects with the sensor apparatus of each joint to produce signals representing differences in positional error and in speed of the joints. The signals are injected into the feedback loops of the joints to effect a shift of power between the joints to synchronize their travel. Window comparator circuitry is employed for introduction of variable gains to the feedback loops for values of positional error and velocity which are greater than reference values in a window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1987
    Assignee: IBM Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph A. Barnett, Joseph M. Gomez, William F. Green, Vincent M. Lisica, Arnold B. Rosenthal
  • Patent number: 4714179
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing solvent at a predetermined flow rate into a painting apparatus to push paint from the painting apparatus at the required flow rate to maintain the paint spray operation until the end of the paint spray cycle and prior to the start of a color change process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1987
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Charles H. Otterstetter, Duane C. Schowiak, Paul Stueckle
  • Patent number: 4712969
    Abstract: An expandable and contractable arm is constituted by a plurality of expandable and contractable units and connecting devices including universal joints for serially interconnecting the units into the arm. Each unit includes at least three expandable and contractable operating members in the form of link mechanisms or double thread type expandable and contractable rods, and actuating devices for equally or unequally expanding and contracting the operating members so as to increase or decrease distances between the connecting members while maintaining them in parallel or inclined with respect to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1987
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Motohiko Kimura
  • Patent number: 4706795
    Abstract: A coin discriminator for discriminating good coins from bad coins among a plurality of different types of coins and sorting the coins by denomination has a cradle for selecting the coins in accordance with their diameter, and a swing lever which is urged in a direction toward the space between the two ends of the cradle. The swing lever biases a small coin so as to cause it to pass the space between the two ends of the cradle. A large coin urges the swing lever and is removed from the cradle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1987
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Nipponcoinco
    Inventors: Mitsugu Mikami, Kougi Yukimoto, Jun Ishii
  • Patent number: 4706846
    Abstract: A tag container has a dispensing wall and contains a plurality of tags which are stackable in parallel to the dispensing wall. In the top wall of the container is a dispensing opening through which tags may be dispensed from the container by a slider which is slideable up and down along the dispensing wall. The slider includes a pusher portion which engages the bottom edge of a tag to push it upwardly and out through the dispensing opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1987
    Inventor: Bernard Engelhardt
  • Patent number: 4705447
    Abstract: A system for positioning an electronic test head of a test system with respect to an electronic device handler. A positioner assembly moves vertically and provides substantial movement in the horizontal plane with six degrees of freedom. The positioner assembly includes a section for attaching the test head. A counterbalancing assembly is coupled to the positioner assembly to provide a substantially weightless condition to the positioner assembly with the test head attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1987
    Assignee: inTEST Corporation
    Inventor: Nathan R. Smith
  • Patent number: 4705450
    Abstract: A material handling vehicle is provided which includes a lower truck chassis and an upper material handling structure pivotally supported by the lower chassis, all functions of which vehicle are driven by a single engine. The material handling vehicle is controllable from a main truck cab on the truck chassis or from an upper operator's cab mounted on the upper structure. The single engine provides highway travel power and power to all excavator functions, while the vehicle, including remote travel and implement manipulation capabilities, may be controlled from the upper operator cab. The main engine, when used for over the highway travel, powers the driven wheels through a power shift transmission in a conventional manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1987
    Assignee: The Gradall Company
    Inventor: John W. Gano
  • Patent number: 4705154
    Abstract: A coin selection apparatus comprises a plurality of detection coils and an oscillation circuit which detects changes of impedances of the detection coils caused when a coin pass through the detection coils, as a change of a voltage output. The plurality of detection coils include at least two sets of detection coils each including two detection coils opposingly arranged to the coin path. One set of detection coils has its two coils connected in series and in phase and the other set of detection coil has its two coils connected in series and in phase opposition. The two sets of coils are arranged at a spacing along the coin path smaller than a minimum diameter of a coin to be selected and all of the coils are connected in series and connected as a resonance element of the oscillation circuit. Thus, material, thickness and diameter and other appearance characteristic of the coin are detected based on the voltage output of the oscillation circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1987
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukio Masho, Shigeru Kakimi, Toru Ueki, Satoshi Miyauchi, Tugio Ohigashi, Hitoshi Kurohata
  • Patent number: 4703668
    Abstract: An improved wrist mechanism for a robot arm is disclosed. A first drive mechanism is provided which includes a hollow upper knuckle portion adapted for rotation about a first axis. The upper knuckle portion terminates in an angled end. A second drive mechanism is provided which includes a first hollow torque tube journalled in the upper knuckle portion for rotation relative thereto and a lower knuckle portion having an angled end journalled to the upper knuckle portion curved end for rotation about a second axis. The first torque tube and the lower knuckle portion engage each other for rotation together, and the first and second axes of rotation intersect at a first point. A third drive mechanism includes a second hollow torque tube journalled in the first torque tube for rotation relative thereto, an intermediate drive member journalled in the lower knuckle portion curved end, and an output tube journalled in the lower knuckle portion for rotation about a third axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1987
    Assignee: Champion Spark Plug Company
    Inventor: Dirk A. Peter