Patents by Inventor Dale B. Childress

Dale B. Childress 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: 6030183
    Abstract: A variable margin pressure control for a variable displacement load sensing pump comprises a body having a bore therein and a valve spool slidably disposed in the bore defining a chamber in continuous communication with a discharge passage in the body. The valve spool is movable in a first direction for communicating the discharge passage with a control port in the body and in a second direction for communicating the control port with an exhaust flow path. The valve spool is biased in the first direction by discharge fluid pressure in the chamber. A spring mechanism biases the valve spool in the second direction against the force generated by the discharge pressure with a biasing force sufficient to establish a predetermined margin pressure. A remotely controllable variable biasing force is applied against the valve spool by a device so that the margin pressure can be selectively varied in response to receiving a pressure signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Dale B. Childress
  • Patent number: 5673606
    Abstract: A swash plate actuating device for an axial piston unit has a swash plate tiltably mounted within the housing. A pair of axially aligned actuating chambers defined in the housing slidably receive the opposite ends of an elongate actuator and are disposed on opposite sides of a distal end portion formed on an actuator lever connected to the swash plate. A connector has a mounting portion spanning a transverse slot in the actuator and seated on a planar surface of the actuator. A guide portion of the connector is disposed within the transverse slot and has a bearing slot slidably receiving the distal end portion of the actuator lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1997
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Charles E. Rose, Dale B. Childress
  • Patent number: 5567123
    Abstract: A pump displacement control for a variable displacement pump includes a torque control valve disposed between a variable torque limiter and a force applying device disposed in axial alignment within a common bore. A sleeve and a valve spool are movable relative to each other to establish a first condition communicating discharge pressure into an actuator chamber to move a swashplate toward a minimum displacement position against the bias of a spring or a second condition communicating the actuating chamber with an exhaust passage to allow the spring to move the swashplate toward its maximum displacement position. A torque control piston disposed between opposing springs resiliently bias the valve spool in a direction to establish the second condition when control fluid is directed into a control chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Dale B. Childress, Noah D. Manring