Patents by Inventor John J. Schmitz

John J. Schmitz 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: 7030579
    Abstract: A mechanism for retrofitting a turret that has a manual rotation system with a motorized turret rotation system includes a gear box mechanically coupled to the turret, an electrically powered prime mover unit mechanically coupled to the gear box, a user operated control device electrically coupled to the prime mover unit, and an electrical power supply electrically coupled to the prime mover unit. The turret rotates relative to a body structure. The gear box and the prime mover unit are mounted to the body structure. The control device and the electrical power supply are positioned on the turret. The power supply provides electrical power to the prime mover. The control device presents a control signal to the prime mover when the user actuates the control device, and the turret rotates in response to the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: John J. Schmitz, Paul A. Petrovich, A. David Stormer, Robert G. Washburn
  • Patent number: 6371067
    Abstract: A starter circuit provides capacitor-assisted energization of a vehicle's starter motor and prevents damage to capacitors in the circuit. The circuit includes a battery, a capacitor pack and a power control switch in the line connecting the pack to the motor and battery. The starter circuit includes a regulator for limiting current flow from the battery to the pack to a selected rate, the regulator being connected between the battery and the pack in parallel with the power control switch. A regulator switch is between the regulator and the capacitor pack. The starter circuit has a control circuit for selectively opening and closing the switches in response to a voltage level of the pack. The control circuit detects the voltage level of the pack, opens the power control switch when the voltage level falls below a predetermined threshold and simultaneously closes the regulator switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: John J. Schmitz, A. David Stormer, Kenneth J. Libby
  • Patent number: 6215310
    Abstract: A mechanism for testing electrical components in an ignition system of a diesel engine includes a metal jacket having receptacles passing through the jacket and also includes glow plugs fitting in the receptacles. The jacket has an inlet to admit water or other fluid from a pressurized source and also has an outlet to permit the fluid to escape from the jacket. The fluid flows through the jacket and thereby cools the receptacles, jacket and glow plugs. The testing mechanism includes a valve for metering the rate of flow of fluid into the jacket, the rate of flow being kept at a rate sufficient to prevent the jacket's temperature from exceeding a predetermined level. The glow plugs are connected to an electrical power source such as a battery, and a control circuit connected to the electrical power source and the plugs governs the cycle during which the plugs are electrically heated and then permitted to cool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Paul A. Petrovich, John J. Schmitz, A. David Stormer
  • Patent number: 6164258
    Abstract: A starting controller for a diesel engine. The controller has a microprocor that will provide a current to the glow plugs until they are heated to the desired operating temperature and will then distribute sequential pulses to the individual plugs until the engine reaches the desired operating temperature. The system can have a latching circuit that will prevent the preglow cycle from being reinitiated until the glow plugs have been allowed to cool to a level where reinitiation will not represent a substantial degrading effect on the glow plugs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Paul A. Petrovich, John J. Schmitz, A. David Stormer, Jack G. Rodgers
  • Patent number: 5857730
    Abstract: A low visibility interior armor construction for a door of an automotive icle is removably installed in the vehicle without structural change to the vehicle. The construction has a door panel armor component facing an inboard side of the door and a compressible pad between the inboard side of the door and the armor component. The armor component has hooks by which it hangs on the door. The armor component is tightened to the door by tensionable straps connected between the door and the armor component. The construction also has a plate of window armor alongside the door's window frame and a transparent frame forms a channel about a periphery of the plate. The frame is comprised of continuous polygonal bands forming side walls of the channel. Beds of the channel are recessed between the polygonal bands such that the transparent frame defines a continuous surface facing outboard of the vehicle. A transparent flange connects the door armor component to the transparent frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: United Stated of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: John G. Korpi, Paul A. Petrovich, John J. Schmitz, Jack G. Rodgers, Kyle J. Nebel
  • Patent number: 5752490
    Abstract: An improved fuel injection system for use with an internal combustion eng mounted in a vehicle. The fuel system has fuel, a fuel pump, a throttle position sensor for sensing the power requested, and an engine control unit. The improvement comprises a fuel pump control circuit using three distinct duty cycle modulator circuits to control fuel pump speed. One duty circuit is used on startup to bring the system to full operating pressure, a second duty circuit provides modulated pulses to the fuel pump to operate the fuel pump at the level set by the throttle position sensor and a third duty circuit operates the fuel pump at idle the third duty circuit maintaining the fuel flow at a level which prevents vapor lock and being also adapted to operate the fuel pump at the reduced level in the event of throttle position sensor failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1998
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Jack G. Rodgers, John J. Schmitz
  • Patent number: 5715902
    Abstract: A retrofit mechanism adapts a pre-existing manually steered vehicle for b manual and powered remote steering control. The mechanism's steering control subassembly mounts to a bridge of a rigid adaptor assembly fixed to the vehicle's frame. A control subassembly post passes rotatably through a web of the adaptor's bridge. The post is rotated by a motorized steering actuator mounted to a side of the bridge. A symmetric wing fixed to the post pivotally connects with two rods, which themselves pivotally connect an adapter element on the steering column. The rods lie on opposite sides of, and equidistantly from, a line extending from the central axis to the steering column axis. The wing, rods and adapter element cooperate to achieve nonbinding rotation of the vehicle's steering column within a sleeve surounding the column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Paul A. Petrovich, Jack G. Rodgers, John J. Schmitz
  • Patent number: 5644952
    Abstract: A manual braking mechanism is adapted for manually overridable remote conl. The mechanism is disposed in a generally planar region forward of a vehicle's handle bar that does not interfere with the vehicle body or a human vehicle driver. The mechanism includes a base plate releasably clamped to the vehicle's handle bar and a housing fixed on the base plate. A brake cylinder in the housing connects to a control lever swingable on the base plate about a lever axis, and the cylinder's reaction force biases the lever toward a brake releasing position. A link pivots on the plate at the lever axis, has a hinge connection remote from the lever axis and has a carrier closer to the lever axis to the hinge connection. The carrier cammingly rotates the lever as the link swings on the lever axis. The mechanism has a frame whose first leg connects to the base plate at the lever axis and the frame's second leg is releasably clamped to the handle bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1997
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Paul A. Petrovich, Jack G. Rodgers, John J. Schmitz
  • Patent number: 5632500
    Abstract: An adapter mechanism converts a manual throttle control to a powered manuy overidable throttle control. The manual control has a housing element, a post rotatable in the housing element and a control lever connected to the post. A first rotor plate engaged by the lever swings on the post to rotate a second rotor plate in one direction so as to translate a cable. The manual control has a return spring biassing the second plate in another direction toward a position where the cable closes the throttle. The adapter mechanism has a block-like cap on the housing element and the cap has a cavity open to the housing element. An actuator motor on the cap rotates a paddle in the first and second directions. A flange of the paddle engages a tab of the first rotor plate such that the paddle's rotation in the first direction moves the rotor elements but the paddle's rotation in the second direction exerts no force on the rotor elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1997
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Paul A. Petrovich, Jack G. Rodgers, John J. Schmitz
  • Patent number: 5509392
    Abstract: An anti-lock system for preventing vapor lock is disclosed. It has a temperature sensor which controls the vehicle fuel pump to circulate liquid fuel through the majority of the fuel system when the under hood temperature is above a certain level to maintain liquidity at all times and prevent the formation of vapor in the fuel system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Inventor: John J. Schmitz
  • Patent number: 5315515
    Abstract: A remote control system is disclosed for use with vehicles having radios. A irst vehicle has a controller attached to the radio for use in sending signals to a second vehicle. The second, remotely controlled, vehicle has a receiver connected to the vehicle radio which receives commands from the first radio to effect the desired motion and action of the second vehicle. The receiver and controller have circuitry which allows them to be reprogrammed to function on various military vehicles and also be attached to the different radio systes in use by the U.S. Military.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1994
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: John J. Schmitz
  • Patent number: D593079
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: John J. Schmitz, Robert G. Washburn
  • Patent number: D611461
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: The United States of the America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: John J. Schmitz, Robert G. Washburn
  • Patent number: D626118
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: John J. Schmitz