Patents Examined by Paul F. Neils
  • Patent number: 4793261
    Abstract: An accumulating pallet chain-dog conveyor has spring-biased roller assemblies attached to the pallet underside for frictionally engaging dogs and spacers which are connected to an endless chain. The roller assemblies include rotatable rollers having a plurality of flats for engaging the surfaces of the dogs and spacers. In operation, the pallets are propelled by the dogs which are engaged by the spring-biased rollers. The conveyor includes a pallet stop which halts the forward movement of the pallet at a predetermined position. When the forward movement of the pallet is stopped, the opposed rollers rotate the distance of one flat whereby the dog passes between the rollers in sliding, frictional engagement therewith. Thus, the pallet stops and the endless chain with its attached dogs and spacers continues to move. After the dog passes from between the opposed rollers, the rollers slidingly, frictionally engage a spacer which also passes between the rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1988
    Assignee: Durr Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Kurt W. Schwaemmle
  • Patent number: 4792289
    Abstract: In a reciprocating pump for cryogenic fluids comprising a pump cylinder in which a piston is oscillatingly displaceable in a sealed state, an inlet valve and an outlet valve, and an annular channel surrounding the pump cylinder on the outer side and forming an outlet for the cryogenic fluid delivered by the pump, in order to attain optimum sealing at the operating temperatures, without the piston motion being impeded at higher temperatures, it is proposed that the cylinder be made of a material with good sliding and self-lubricating properties and a thermal expansion coefficient which is larger than that of the piston, that the dimensions of the cylinder and the piston be so selected that the piston sealingly contacts the inside wall of the cylinder at operating temperature, and that the outlet valve be arranged at the downstream end of the annular channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1988
    Assignee: Deutsche Forschungs- und Versuchsanstalt fur Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventor: Willi Nieratschker
  • Patent number: 4792284
    Abstract: A device for creating a pressure difference in the flow of a fluid which may be a liquid or a gas and a number of technical applications. The fluid medium is fed along the longitudinal axis of a double cone, consisting of two coaxial hollow cones linked by their smallest faces. At the narrowest point of the double cone a depression occurs in the fluid flow which is made accessible to the outside by means of a lateral connection piece. Compared with a conventional venturi the present double cone offers increased efficiency owing to its special shape, which is defined by geometric parameters. The high efficiency of the double cone, which can be further improved by a special embodiment, makes the device suitable for a number of technical applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1988
    Inventors: Paul W. Straub, John H. Stark, Michel Vermot
  • Patent number: 4792293
    Abstract: An air pump assembly including a one-piece pump stock provided with a base portion defining a first recess for receiving a rubber cushion, the pump stock being attached to an interior wall of a pump casing by securing the base portion within a second recess formed on the interior wall by opposed inwardly directed flanges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1988
    Assignee: Meiko Pet Corporation
    Inventor: Chiao-Ming Wang
  • Patent number: 4790727
    Abstract: A swashplate air conditioning compressor comprising a two-part compressor housing with a generally cylindrical region and integral end plates, a pair of cylinder blocks disposed in said cylindrical region and defining axially disposed cylinder openings, a centrally disposed swashplate and shaft assembly within the cylinder blocks, and cast refrigerant intake and discharge passages in each end plate that cooperate with valve plate assemblies between the cylinder heads and the end plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1988
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Duane F. Steele
  • Patent number: 4789311
    Abstract: A swash plate type refrigerant compressor having a swash plate supported on a rotatable drive shaft, a plurality of double-headed pistons engaged with the swash plate so as to be reciprocated in cylinder bores of the compressor is disclosed herein. The swash plate has formed round and throughout its circumferential periphery an annular groove. An annular ring member is received in the groove, said ring member having an outer diameter larger than the diameter of said swash plate and forming with the bottom annular surface of said groove a substantially annular clearance at least during the operation of the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1988
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda jidoshokki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Hayato Ikeda, Kazuaki Iwama, Satoshi Kitahama
  • Patent number: 4788902
    Abstract: A thrust hydrostatic bearing device for use in an axial piston machine includes a bearing sleeve fitted into a housing cover for rotatably supporting a drive shaft through a bearing and having a plurality of hydrostatic pads. The hydrostatic pads are disposed at locations which are symmetrical with respect to an axis lying in a cross-section taken perpendicular to the drive shaft, and these pads increase the performance and durability of the thrust hydrostatic bearing device for use in an axial piston machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1988
    Assignees: Hitachi Ltd., Hitachi Construction Machinery
    Inventors: Yoshimichi Akasaka, Ichiro Nakamura, Ken Ichiryu, Eiji Kometani, Yasuharu Gotoh
  • Patent number: 4789309
    Abstract: A non-evaporable getter device having an electrophoretically deposited electrically insulated heater and support lead wires. To avoid the production of loose particles or short circuits each support lead wire is encircled by a hollow insulating cylinder whose surfaces are partially covered by the electrophoretically deposited heater insulation thus providing a reinforced insulated heater getter device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1988
    Assignee: SAES Getters SpA
    Inventor: Ettore Giorgi
  • Patent number: 4789308
    Abstract: A self-contained electric fuel pump includes a pair of coaxially spaced inlet and outlet end caps joined by a case to form a pump housing. A d.c. motor includes an armature journaled for rotation within the housing and coupled to a pump mechanism for feeding fuel through the housing from the inlet to the outlet, fuel within the housing surrounding the armature being at substantially outlet pressure. A pressure sensor comprises a magnetic piston slideable against adjustable spring force within a bore in the outlet end cap as a function of fuel pressure within the pump housing. A Hall sensor is responsive to varying magnetic field as a function of piston position for applying electrical power to the pump armature as a function of pump outlet pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1988
    Assignee: Walbro Corporation
    Inventor: Charles H. Tuckey
  • Patent number: 4789307
    Abstract: A pump assembly has a housing with water admitting openings through the housing near the bottom. A pump in the housing has an intake near the bottom. A water level sensor connects the pump to a battery in the housing when the level rises above the pump intake, to operate the pump. Closed cell foam flotation floats the assembly to permit pumping from a pool of any depth greater than one third the height of the housing. Flotation also is arranged to achieve self-righting of the assembly in the event of inadvertent tipping or upset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1988
    Inventor: Donald L. Sloan
  • Patent number: 4787825
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a dipharagm pump having a housing, a first chamber within the housing, a second chamber within the housing and a pair of diaphragm elements mounted in the housing between said first chamber and the second chamber, is provided with a failure sensing system for the diaphragm. The failure sensing system including a failure sensing device which is between the two parts of the diaphragm and an indicator circuit which includes the conductive liquid which is being pumped and an alarm. The two parts of the diaphragm element are clamped together proximate their peripheral edge such that a circumferential fluid tight compression seal region is provided. The sensing device include an electrically conductive lead which extends from the exterior of the housing, through the circumferential fluid tight seal region into the region peripherally inward of the seal region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1988
    Inventor: Myron Mantell
  • Patent number: 4787824
    Abstract: A method of and apparatus for pumping fluids wherein a rotating ring of liquid traverses a hollow probe which has a surface aperture out of which the fluid to be pumped is sucked into the rotating liquid ring, wherein the fluid migrates to a collection region inside the rotating liquid ring, from where the fluid can pass to a fluid outlet, and wherein a gas which does not condense under the prevailing operating conditions is also fed to the collection region in order to assist throughput of the fluid being pumped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1988
    Assignee: Genevac Limited
    Inventor: Michael Cole
  • Patent number: 4784045
    Abstract: A wobble plate type compressor is disclosed which includes a compressor housing having a crank chamber and a cylinder block which is provided with an axial center bore and a plurality of cylinders. A plurality of pistons are slidably fitted within each of the cylinders. A cam rotor is disposed within the crank chamber to rotate together with a drive shaft. A wobble plate is coupled to the pistons through each connecting rod. The wobble plate is disposed on the inclined surface of the cam rotor to convert rotating motion of the cam rotor into reciprocating motion to be imparted to the pistons while preventing the rotational motion of the wobble plate. A first bevel gear is non-rotatably disposed within the center bore of the cylinder block. A second bevel gear is fixed on the wobble plate and engaged with the first bevel gear through spherical member to prevent rotating of the wobble plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1988
    Assignee: Sanden Corporation
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Terauchi
  • Patent number: 4784580
    Abstract: An airflow control system generates a compensating output which is combined with the normal damper control output in a damper operating device when a pole change motor driving a blower changes speed so that the damper is changed to compensate for the change in blower speed to avoid a large change in airflow. This overcomes the delay in the normal integrating damper control which produced unwanted fluctuation in airflow when the motor speed was changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1988
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuharu Takata, Kohji Kurita
  • Patent number: 4782737
    Abstract: A fluid machine such as a pump, compressor, engine, motor or transmission has working chambers in a rotor and a central rotor-hub is provided in the rotor for the reception of a control pintle therein. The control pintle has control ports for the control of flow of fluid into and out of the working chambers of the rotor. Pressure fields form in the clearance between the rotor hub and the control pintle especially around the control ports. Leakage flows from the pressure fields through portions of the clearance between the rotor--hub and the control pintle which reduces the efficiency of the machine. Therefore means are provided in the control pintle to press those portions of the faces of the rotor hub and of the control pintle, which have those local pressure fields, together or to narrow the clearance between these faces in the respective areas where those pressure fields are located in order to reduce the leakage through the clearance between the faces of the rotor hub and the control pintle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1988
    Inventor: Karl Eickmann
  • Patent number: 4783071
    Abstract: A device for determining distance to the pin on the green of a golf hole is disclosed which incorporates an aerial schematic representation of the entire hole, upon which is superimposed a series of concentric distance calculation arcs centered at a key location point on the apron adjacent the green, in combination with a detailed aerial schematic representation of the green, upon which a scaled rectilinear grid and second representation of the adjacent location point appear. A board for posting current positions of pins for all greens of a golf course is also disclosed to be used in updating the schematic representation of the green for each hole for accurate distance calculation to the pin from substantially any point on the golf course.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1988
    Inventor: Harold D. Tattershall
  • Patent number: 4782739
    Abstract: An improved wobble plate type refrigerant compressor in which the tendency of the wobble plate to rotate is reduced. The wobble plate is prevented from rotating and is allowed to nutate by a rotation-preventing mechanism which includes a pair of bevel gears which are coupled together. One bevel gear is located within the wobble plate and the other bevel gear is supported on the cylinder block. A steel ball is located between the bevel gears. The improvement is achieved by locating the bevel gear within the wobble plate so that the connecting rods are inclined to the axis of the cylinders. This arrangement is achieved by locating the bevel gear so that a line connecting the center of the bevel gear and including a point on the edge of the bevel gear located exactly between two teeth of the bevel gear includes a third point near the edge of the wobble plate which is located between receiving portions of the wobble plate but which is not located at the center between the two receiving portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1988
    Assignee: Sanden Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Saito
  • Patent number: 4781104
    Abstract: A rotary fluid energy converter which can be used either as a hydraulic pump or as a motor, can recover energy with high efficiency. The converter has a spring for biasing a pintle, which supports a torque ring, in one direction, and a hydraulic actuator for moving the pintle in the opposite direction against the action of the spring. A high pressure fluid used in the converter is introduced into the actuator via a pressure-compensating valve to maintain the pressure of this fluid at the pressure set for the valve at all times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1988
    Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuo Kita
  • Patent number: 4781547
    Abstract: A gas equalizer device for use in conjunction with a reciprocatory pump located downhole in a wellbore. The device of the present invention avoids a condition commonly known in the pumpjack art as "fluid pounding", which is brought about when compressible gases accumulate in the working chamber of the downhole pump. The gas equalizer device of this invention includes a pushrod having a marginal end reciprocatingly enclosed in a slidable manner within a housing which is mounted to the usual traveling valve cage of the downhole pump. The pushrod is alternately moved from an extended into a retracted position each upstroke and downstroke of the pump. The free terminal end of the pushrod is arranged to engage the ball check valve of the traveling valve assembly as the pump commences the downstroke. This unseats the ball, thereby allowing any accumulated gases to escape from the variable pump chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1988
    Inventor: Raymond D. Madden
  • Patent number: 4781535
    Abstract: Apparatus for monitoring the diaphragm integrity in a diaphragm pump. A single continuous circuit trace is supported on a pump diaphragm. An electrical circuit is connected to the continuous circuit trace for measuring both the continuity and a potential ground fault condition between the circuit trace and pumping liquid. The circuit trace is formed in a configuration which resists the effects of strain induced by continuous flexing of the diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1988
    Assignee: Pulsafeeder, Inc.
    Inventors: James J. Frawley, Richard L. Mearns