Patents by Inventor Benjamin J. Heater

Benjamin J. Heater has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7717250
    Abstract: A centrifugal clutch is disclosed including a driver adapted to engage and to be rotated by an input shaft, a drum adapted to engage a driven component, a plurality of shoes located between the driver and the drum, and a plurality of springs, each spring engaged with adjacent shoes for urging the shoes together. The shoes are radially movable between an outward position in which the shoes contact the drum and an inward position in which the shoes are spaced apart from the drum. Each shoe has an asymmetrical contacting member for engaging the drum, the contacting member having a toe protruding circumferentially therefrom in one direction. Each shoe is capable of being independently installed into the clutch with the toe of the contacting member facing either towards or away from the direction of rotation of the driver, provided that the driver remains rotationally balanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: The Hilliard Corporation
    Inventors: Brenton H. Barron, Steven M. Averill, Benjamin J. Heater
  • Publication number: 20080156609
    Abstract: A centrifugal clutch is disclosed including a driver adapted to engage and to be rotated by an input shaft, a drum adapted to engage a driven component, a plurality of shoes located between the driver and the drum, and a plurality of springs, each spring engaged with adjacent shoes for urging the shoes together. The shoes are radially movable between an outward position in which the shoes contact the drum and an inward position in which the shoes are spaced apart from the drum. Each shoe has an asymmetrical contacting member for engaging the drum, the contacting member having a toe protruding circumferentially therefrom in one direction. Each shoe is capable of being independently installed into the clutch with the toe of the contacting member facing either towards or away from the direction of rotation of the driver, provided that the driver remains rotationally balanced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2007
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Inventors: Brenton H. Barron, Steven M. Averill, Benjamin J. Heater