Patents by Inventor Fred William Berwanger

Fred William Berwanger 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: 6241052
    Abstract: The integrated aircraft wheel, brake and axle comprises a hollow wheel and brake axle (16, 116) having longitudinal splines (17, 117) about its outer periphery, the longitudinal splines (17, 117) engaging splines (62, 162) of a piston housing (60, 160) to effect a non-rotatable connection therebetween. In one embodiment, the piston housing (60) is connected by way of a spline sleeve (70) with a backing plate (80). A wheel (45) is rotatably mounted upon an end of the brake axle (16) and includes a drum drive (52) which extends axially to a drum drive end (52A) having at its inner diameter a bearing assembly (55, 56) between the drum drive end (52A) and an outer diameter of the piston housing (60). In another embodiment, the drum drive (152) may include a thrust flange (151) engaging a rotor disc backing plate (192A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.
    Inventor: Fred William Berwanger
  • Patent number: 6016892
    Abstract: An adjustment arrangement or adjuster for a hydraulic brake actuator (5) of the type having a piston (13) which moves a preferred distance within a cylindrical bore (18) in a housing (7) between a quiescent retracted position with a preferred clearance space (25) between one piston end (10) and a brake member (2) of a heat stack (1), and an extended position with the one piston end (10) engaging and actuating the brake member (2) in response to the application of hydraulic fluid pressure, includes a return spring (19) which, upon relief of the hydraulic pressure, urges the piston (13) back from the brake member (1) engaging position to the retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.
    Inventor: Fred William Berwanger
  • Patent number: 5944147
    Abstract: The integrated aircraft wheel, brake and axle comprises a hollow wheel and brake axle (16, 116) having longitudinal splines (17, 117) about its outer periphery, the longitudinal splines (17, 117) engaging splines (62, 162) of a piston housing (60, 160) to effect a non-rotatable connection therebetween. In one embodiment, the piston housing (60) is connected by way of a spline sleeve (70) with a backing plate (80). A wheel (45) is rotatably mounted upon an end of the brake axle (16) and includes a drum drive (52) which extends axially to a drum drive end (52A) having at its inner diameter a bearing assembly (55, 56) between the drum drive end (52A) and an outer diameter of the piston housing (60). In another embodiment, the drum drive (152) may include a thrust flange (151) engaging a rotor disc backing plate (192A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.
    Inventor: Fred William Berwanger
  • Patent number: 5908091
    Abstract: A multi-disc brake comprises a piston housing (12) attached to a torque tube (16), a plurality of stator discs (18) engaging the torque tube (16) and a plurality of rotor discs (20) positioned about the torque tube (16) for engagement with a wheel. The torque tube (16) includes a flange (17) having a plurality of over-sized openings (31) with each opening (31) receiving therein a bushing (33, 55). A fastener (40) comprising a nut (44) and bolt (40) extends through each over-sized opening (31) and bushing (33, 55), and compresses a bearing plate (38, 48) against the bushing (33, 55) which is captured between the bearing plate (38, 48) and piston housing (12). The slightly over-sized openings (31) in the torque tube flange (17) allow tangential and radial slippage at the area where the torque tube flange (17) contacts the bearing plate (38, 48) during braking, so as to dampen vibrations which occur during braking. The bearing plate (48) may be segmented into arcuate segments (48a, 48b, 48c).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.
    Inventor: Fred William Berwanger
  • Patent number: 5699881
    Abstract: A multi-disc brake (80) includes a piston housing (102) and attached torque tube (94) located about an axle (87). Integrated within the piston housing (102) is a brake actuator (90). The piston housing (102) is located axially between an actuator member (98) of the brake actuator (90) and an axle sleeve (109) and radial portion 87a of the axle (87). Hydraulic actuation of the brake actuator (90) displaces axially the actuator member (98) against a stationary thrust sleeve (99) such that the piston housing (102) is compressed between the actuator member (98) and axle sleeve (109), thereby reducing torsional vibrational movement of the piston housing (102) and torque tube (94) about the axle (87).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.
    Inventors: Fred William Berwanger, Daniel S. Reynolds