Patents by Inventor Joseph A. L. LeDoux

Joseph A. L. LeDoux 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).

  • Molybdenum alloy elevator safety brakes
    Patent number: 6371261
    Abstract: An elevator safety brake for stopping an elevator car is provided with a brake shoe having a molybdenum alloy friction surface for contacting an elevator guide rail surface to provide a stopping force. The molybdenum alloy contains 99.4 weight percent molybdenum, 0.5 weight percent titanium and 0.1 weight percent zirconium. The friction surface of the brake formed from the alloy exhibits a consistent high friction and low wear suitably accommodating high speed, high load elevators installed in very tall buildings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Mark S. Thompson, James T. Beals, Philip H. McCluskey, David W. McKee, Michael C. Lang, Fred J. Lussier, Joseph A. L. LeDoux, Dat T. Nguyen, Paul Bennett
  • Carbon--carbon composite elevator safety brakes
    Patent number: 5979615
    Abstract: An elevator safety brake for stopping an elevator car is provided with a brake shoe having a carbon-carbon composite friction surface for contacting an elevator guide rail surface to provide a stopping force. The friction surface of the brake formed from the carbon-carbon composite exhibits a consistent high friction and low wear suitably accommodating high speed, high load elevators installed in very tall buildings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Mark S. Thompson, James T. Beals, Philip H. McCluskey, David W. McKee, Michael C. Lang, Fred J. Lussier, Joseph A.L. LeDoux, Dat T. Nguyen, Paul Bennett
  • Safety brake
    Patent number: 5819879
    Abstract: An elevator safety brake is provided comprising two cantilevers, a pivot, a spring, and a hold-off-engagement linkage. In one embodiment, the hold-off-engagement linkage is comprised of two upper struts, and two lower struts. When it is desired to slow or stop the elevator via the safety brake, the lower struts move from a first position in which the lower struts are substantially in alignment with one another and the cantilevers are in an open position, to a second position in which the lower struts are not substantially in alignment with one another and the cantilevers are in a closed position. When the cantilevers are in the closed position, the spring exerts a force via the cantilevers on the guide rail in order to decelerate the elevator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Michael C. Lang, Dat T. Nguyen, Samuel C. Wan, Richard J. Ericson, Paul Bennett, Joseph A. L. LeDoux, Fred J. Lussier, Philip H. McCluskey, David W. McKee, James T. Beals, Mark S. Thompson, Anthony Cooney