Patents by Inventor Leonard Earp

Leonard Earp 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: 8250938
    Abstract: An automatic powershift vehicle transmission comprising an input shaft; an output shaft; first and second intermediate shafts parallel to the input shaft; a lay shaft parallel to the output shaft; gearing providing first, second, third and fourth forward driving paths from the input shaft to the output shaft; a first clutch and a second clutch between the ends of the input shaft to establish driving connections; a third clutch for establishing the first or third forward driving path when the first clutch is operative; and a fourth clutch for establishing the second or fourth forward driving path when the second clutch is operative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: JCB Transmissions
    Inventors: Leonard Earp, David Allan Wozencraft
  • Patent number: 7867138
    Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle transmission, the vehicle transmission including a power shift gearbox, the power shift gearbox having a power shift input shaft, a power shift output shaft, power shift input gearing and power shift output gearing, and a plurality of power shift clutches to drivingly connect the power shift input gearing and the power shift output gearing, and a master clutch operable to connect the power shift input shaft to a prime mover, the method comprising the steps of, disengaging the master clutch, and engaging at least two of the power shift clutches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: J.C. Bamford Excavators Limited
    Inventors: Leonard Earp, David Allan Wozencraft, Glyn Clifford Price
  • Patent number: 7713169
    Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle transmission during a gear change thereof, the method comprising operating a plurality of power shift clutches to disengage the power shift input gearing and the power shift output gearing, disengaging the driving connection between the range shift input shaft and the range shift output shaft by means of the range selection gearing, engaging at least two of the power shift clutches to vary the rotational speed of the power shift output shaft and hence the range shift input shaft, and operating the range selection gearing to establish a driving connection between the range shift input shaft and the range shift output shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: J.C. Bamford Excavators Limited
    Inventors: Leonard Earp, David Allan Wozencraft, Glyn Clifford Price
  • Publication number: 20090078070
    Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle transmission, the vehicle transmission including a power shift gearbox, the power shift gearbox having a power shift input shaft, a power shift output shaft, power shift input gearing and power shift output gearing, and a plurality of power shift clutches to drivingly connect the power shift input gearing and the power shift output gearing, and a master clutch operable to connect the power shift input shaft to a prime mover, the method comprising the steps of, disengaging the master clutch, and engaging at least two of the power shift clutches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: J. C. BAMFORD EXCAVATORS LIMITED
    Inventors: Leonard EARP, David Allan Wozencraft, Glyn Clifford Price
  • Publication number: 20090025496
    Abstract: An automatic powershift vehicle transmission comprising an input shaft; an output shaft; first and second intermediate shafts parallel to the input shaft; a lay shaft parallel to the output shaft; gearing providing first, second, third and fourth forward driving paths from the input shaft to the output shaft; a first clutch and a second clutch between the ends of the input shaft to establish driving connections; a third clutch for establishing the first or third forward driving path when the first clutch is operative; and a fourth clutch for establishing the second or fourth forward driving path when the second clutch is operative.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: JCB TRANSMISSIONS
    Inventors: Leonard Earp, David Allan Wozencraft
  • Publication number: 20080081738
    Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle transmission during a gear change thereof, the vehicle transmission including a power shift gearbox and a range shift gearbox, the power shift gearbox having a power shift input shaft, a power shift output shaft, power shift input gearing and power shift output gearing, and a plurality of power shift clutches to drivingly connect the power shift input gearing and the power shift output gearing, the range shift gearbox having a range shift input shaft drivingly connected to the power shaft output shaft, a range shift output shaft and range selection gearing to drivingly connect the range shift input shaft and range shift output shaft, the method comprising the steps of operating the plurality of power shift clutches to disengage the power shift input gearing and the power shift output gearing, disengaging the driving connection between the range shift input shaft and the range shift output shaft by means of the range selection gearing, engaging at least two of the power shift
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: J. C. BAMFORD EXCAVATORS LIMITED
    Inventors: Leonard EARP, David Wozencraft, Glyn Price
  • Publication number: 20070155585
    Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle transmission during a gear change thereof, the vehicle transmission including an input shaft, an output shaft, input gearing, output gearing, a first clutch for establishing a driving connection between the input shaft and the input gearing to drive the output shaft in a first direction, and a second clutch for establishing a driving connection between the input shaft and the input gearing to drive the output shaft in an opposite direction. The method comprising the steps of disengaging the driving connection between the input shaft and the input gearing by means of the first clutch, and subsequently establishing a driving connection between the input shaft and the input gearing by means of the second clutch to retard the rotational speed of the input gearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Publication date: July 5, 2007
    Applicant: J.C. Bamford Excavators Limited
    Inventors: Leonard Earp, Richard Littler
  • Patent number: 5893293
    Abstract: A single shaft shifting mechanism (300) is provided having supports (310, 312), independent of the shift shaft (106), for supporting the weight of the shift forks (302, 304, 306) to minimize frictional contact between the shift shaft and the shift forks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1999
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: Leonard Earp
  • Patent number: 5086659
    Abstract: An improved upshift brake (130) for a mechanical transmission (10) is provided. The upshift brake is provided with an axially clamped stator (138) and piston/cylinder assembly (148) to minimize cyclical axial loading and stress on the cantilevered end walls (134 and 136) of the upshift brake housing (132).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1992
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: Leonard Earp