Patents by Inventor H. Ronald Huston

H. Ronald Huston 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).

  • Apparatus and method for transferring exhaust from a tractor unit to a trailer unit
    Patent number: 5622311
    Abstract: A vehicle assembly includes a tractor unit having an exhaust system and a trailer unit having a duct system. The vehicle assembly further includes a hitch assembly for connecting the trailer unit to the tractor unit. Moreover, the vehicle assembly includes a first conduit having a first passageway extending therethrough, the first passageway being in fluid communication with the duct system. The vehicle assembly additionally includes a second conduit having a second passageway therethrough, the second passageway being in fluid communication with the exhaust system, wherein a portion of the first conduit and a portion of the second conduit are positioned in a coaxial orientation with respect to each other so that the first conduit is movable in an axial and rotational direction with respect to the second conduit when the tractor unit is connected to the trailer unit by the hitch assembly. A method for transferring exhaust from the tractor unit to the trailer unit is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1997
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: H. Ronald Huston, Jerry F. Smith