Patents by Inventor Michael Troy Richardson

Michael Troy Richardson 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).

  • Publication number: 20230415795
    Abstract: For braking a zip line trolley, a wheel rides on the zip line cable. An array of toothed slots is disposed downslope from the wheel. A slope adjustment pin is fixed downward into a first toothed slot. At least one selection tab connects the slope adjustment pin to a rider. A brake pad is disposed downslope from the slope adjustment pin. The weight of the rider rotates the brake pad about the wheel to apply a braking force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventor: Michael Troy Richardson
  • Publication number: 20230382437
    Abstract: For zipline spring segment, the spring segment includes two spring sub-segments, an end cap, and a guide. The two spring sub-segments each include a set of spring coils, each spring coil set including a large diameter end and a small diameter end, wherein each of the spring coils of the spring segment nests completely within a neighboring spring coil and a cable passes through the spring coils. The end cap is disposed on the large diameter end of the spring coils, the end cap including a hole that receives the cable. The guide connects the two sets of spring coils of the spring sub-segments at the small diameter ends. The guide guides the cable through a center of the spring segment, wherein the guide and the end caps are configured to be in contact upon a full compression of the spring coil segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventor: Michael Troy Richardson
  • Patent number: 11772684
    Abstract: For A zip line trolley brake system includes a cable suspended between upper and lower support platforms which, together, function with rider harnessing, loading, and take-off with a passive braking trolley allowing a controlled descent and barrel spring system providing addition braking near the end of a cable termination. The zip line trolley positioned atop a cable includes a frame assembled from a pair of parallel side plates, a four-sided rotational brake pad, and a parabolic groove wheel which is sandwiched between side plates, and a lever. A lever from which a rider is suspended, can be pinned anywhere within the trolley's circular toothed slot instilling a brake force for the cable slope. A trolley brake generally square sides are grooved for cables and fabricated from a durable polymeric material is rotatably within affixed side plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Inventor: Michael Troy Richardson
  • Publication number: 20230234625
    Abstract: For stopping a zip line trolley, a zip line braking system includes an impact device, a non-zip liner parallel cable, a freewheeling pulley, a tether, and at least one spring. The impact device rides on a zip line cable, wherein the impact device is positioned down the zip line cable from a zip line trolley that rides on the zip line cable. The impact device does not ride on the non-zip liner parallel cable. The tether connects the impact device to a first freewheeling pulley. The impact device applies a force to the first freewheeling pulley via the tether in response to a zip line trolley contacting the freewheeling pulley. The at least one spring is disposed on the non-zip liner parallel cable and slows the freewheeling pulley, wherein the freewheeling pulley decelerates the impact device and the zip line trolley via the tether to a stop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Michael Troy Richardson, Michael Timothy Holder
  • Publication number: 20210061316
    Abstract: For A zip line trolley brake system includes a cable suspended between upper and lower support platforms which, together, function with rider harnessing, loading, and take-off with a passive braking trolley allowing a controlled descent and barrel spring system providing addition braking near the end of a cable termination. The zip line trolley positioned atop a cable includes a frame assembled from a pair of parallel side plates, a four-sided rotational brake pad, and a parabolic groove wheel which is sandwiched between side plates, and a lever. A lever from which a rider is suspended, can be pinned anywhere within the trolley's circular toothed slot instilling a brake force for the cable slope. A trolley brake generally square sides are grooved for cables and fabricated from a durable polymeric material is rotatably within affixed side plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventor: Michael Troy Richardson
  • Patent number: 10807613
    Abstract: For travel on a cable, the zipline trolley includes a wheel, a brake, a frame, a hanger, and a lower slot. The wheel is disposed on a proximal end of a frame. The wheel includes a groove that receives a cable at a lower portion of the wheel and a wheel bearing. The brake is disposed on a distal end of the frame. The brake is connected to a given lever point and includes a groove along a brake bottom that receives the cable. The frame includes an array of lever points disposed between the brake and the wheel. The hanger is connected to a given lever point and suspends a weight. The weight applies a force about the wheel to the brake to control a rate of descent of the device along the cable. The lower slot receives the cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Inventor: Michael Troy Richardson
  • Publication number: 20200023865
    Abstract: For travel on a cable, the zipline trolley includes a wheel, a brake, a frame, a hanger, and a lower slot. The wheel is disposed on a proximal end of a frame. The wheel includes a groove that receives a cable at a lower portion of the wheel and a wheel bearing. The brake is disposed on a distal end of the frame. The brake is connected to a given lever point and includes a groove along a brake bottom that receives the cable. The frame includes an array of lever points disposed between the brake and the wheel. The hanger is connected to a given lever point and suspends a weight. The weight applies a force about the wheel to the brake to control a rate of descent of the device along the cable. The lower slot receives the cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Inventor: Michael Troy Richardson
  • Patent number: 10471971
    Abstract: For travel on a cable, the zipline trolley includes a wheel, a brake, a frame, a hanger, and a lower slot. The wheel is disposed on a proximal end of a frame. The wheel includes a groove that receives a cable at a lower portion of the wheel and a wheel bearing. The brake is disposed on a distal end of the frame. The brake is connected to a given lever point and includes a groove along a brake bottom that receives the cable. The frame includes an array of lever points disposed between the brake and the wheel. The hanger is connected to a given lever point and suspends a weight. The weight applies a force about the wheel to the brake to control a rate of descent of the device along the cable. The lower slot receives the cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Inventor: Michael Troy Richardson
  • Publication number: 20180304907
    Abstract: For travel on a cable, the zipline trolley includes a wheel, a brake, a frame, a hanger, and a lower slot. The wheel is disposed on a proximal end of a frame. The wheel includes a groove that receives a cable at a lower portion of the wheel and a wheel bearing. The brake is disposed on a distal end of the frame. The brake is connected to a given lever point and includes a groove along a brake bottom that receives the cable. The frame includes an array of lever points disposed between the brake and the wheel. The hanger is connected to a given lever point and suspends a weight. The weight applies a force about the wheel to the brake to control a rate of descent of the device along the cable. The lower slot receives the cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventor: Michael Troy Richardson
  • Patent number: 8424460
    Abstract: A zip line trolley includes a frame assembled from a pair of spaced-apart parallel side plates and an inner beam, which is partially sandwiched between the side plates. The inner beam has a gallery of block-T-shaped cross section which extends its length. A shackle, from which a rider is suspended, can be pinned anywhere within the gallery. A main pulley, which is installed in an upper middle portion of the frame, rotates on a pair of sealed ball bearing races that are pressed on a hollow keyed shaft which slides into opposed grooves machined into each of the side plates. The keyed shaft is bolted between the side plates with a shoulder bolt passing transversely through both side plates. A water-wiping brake pad is pivotally mounted within the frame in front of the main pulley. A bumper is bolted between front portions of the side plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Inventors: Shawn Geoffrey Lerner, Michael Troy Richardson
  • Publication number: 20120160122
    Abstract: A zip line trolley includes a frame assembled from a pair of spaced-apart parallel side plates and an inner beam, which is partially sandwiched between the side plates. The inner beam has a gallery of block-T-shaped cross section which extends its length. A shackle, from which a rider is suspended, can be pinned anywhere within the gallery. A main pulley, which is installed in an upper middle portion of the frame, rotates on a pair of sealed ball bearing races that are pressed on a hollow keyed shaft which slides into opposed grooves machined into each of the side plates. The keyed shaft is bolted between the side plates with a shoulder bolt passing transversely through both side plates. A water-wiping brake pad is pivotally mounted within the frame in front of the main pulley. A bumper is bolted between front portions of the side plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Inventors: Shawn Geoffrey LERNER, Michael Troy Richardson
  • Publication number: 20120006023
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for a loop thermal energy system. A heat pump heats a first fluid to first temperature using heat from a heat source. A first pressure tank charges with the heated first fluid while a second pressure tank discharges the heated first fluid stored from a previous charging. The discharged heated first fluid motivates an engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Inventors: Keith Sterling Johnson, Michael Troy Richardson, Brent Harvey
  • Publication number: 20040198502
    Abstract: A zip line thrill ride system includes a cable suspended between a upper cable support tower and platform which, together, function as the harnessing, loading, and take-off point for the ride, and a lower cable support tower and platform which, together, function as the landing, unloading and unharnessing point of the ride. Multiple, substantially identical trolleys are designed to quickly engage and disengage the cable. The trolley includes a frame of generally I-beam cross section, a generally tubular brake retainer, having a longitudinal slit therein, is welded to an upper rear portion of the frame. A grooved, generally cylindrical brake fabricated from a durable polymeric material is rotatably affixed within the tubular brake retainer. When the trolley is affixed to the suspended cable by sliding the cable into the slit and rotating the brake, the grooved insert rides against the suspended cable and generates friction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventor: Michael Troy Richardson
  • Patent number: 6666773
    Abstract: A zip line thrill ride system includes a cable suspended between a upper cable support tower and platform which, together, function as the harnessing, loading, and take-off point for the ride, and a lower cable support tower and platform which, together, function as the landing, unloading and unharnessing point of the ride. Multiple, substantially identical trolleys are designed to quickly engage and disengage the cable. The trolley includes a frame of generally I-beam cross section, a generally tubular brake retainer, having a longitudinal slit therein, is welded to an upper rear portion of the frame. A grooved, generally cylindrical brake fabricated from a durable polymeric material is rotatably affixed within the tubular brake retainer. When the trolley is affixed to the suspended cable by sliding the cable into the slit and rotating the brake, the grooved insert rides against the suspended cable and generates friction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Inventor: Michael Troy Richardson