Patents by Inventor John D. Sims

John D. Sims 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).

  • Vehicle axle alignment instrument and method
    Patent number: 5157838
    Abstract: Axle alignment for a tractor-trailer vehicle combination is important for tire wear, fuel economy and driver fatigue. Misalignment occurs when the tractor thrust line vectors (one perpendicular to each drive axle) has a skew angle with respect to a longitudinal reference axis of the tractor. In addition, the tandem axles of a dual axle combination must be parallel to minimize scrubbing between the tires and the roadway. The same problems exist when the trailer drag line vectors (one perpendicular to each trailer axle) are not aligned with a longitudinal reference, and the dual axles are not parallel, due to axle misalignment.The instrument and method of this invention are components of an alignment system for making accurate alignment adjustments to the vehicle. The instrument is compact, light weight and portable. Also, only one instrument is required to establish location points on the reference surface supporting the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1992
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique
    Inventor: John D. Sims