Patents by Inventor Paul B. ASPENGEN

Paul B. ASPENGEN 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: 8813655
    Abstract: A railroad car constant contact side bearing assembly including a housing, a top cap arranged for vertical reciprocatory movements relative to the housing, and a spring accommodated in a spring cavity defined by the housing and cap for resiliently urging the top cap into frictional sliding engagement with an underside of a railcar body. At least one of the side bearing housing and cap is formed from a high performance plastic material whereby enhancing the vertical reciprocity of the cap relative to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Miner Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul B. Aspengen, Steve R. White
  • Patent number: 8807050
    Abstract: A constant contact side bearing assembly for a railcar including a housing with wall structure defining a central axis for the side bearing assembly and a multipiece cap. The cap is arranged in operable combination with the housing and includes a movable first member or spring seat and a movable second member or top cap carried by the first member. A spring resiliently urges the cap members toward railcar body structure. The cap members define cooperating angled surfaces therebetween for urging wall structure on the first member and wall structure on the second member into frictional engagement with the wall structure on the housing in response to a vertical load acting on the friction contacting surface on the cap. At least the top cap is structured to establish a coefficient of friction ranging between about 0.4 and about 0.9 with the railcar during operation of the side bearing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Miner Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul B. Aspengen, Erik D. Jensen, Michael D. VanMaldegiam, Adam J. Merges, Mark W. Stanek, Jeff Ballerini, Steve R. White, Andy R. Kries
  • Publication number: 20130327245
    Abstract: A railroad car constant contact side bearing assembly including a housing, a top cap arranged for vertical reciprocatory movements relative to the housing, and a spring accommodated in a spring cavity defined by the housing and cap for resiliently urging the top cap into frictional sliding engagement with an underside of a railcar body. At least one of the side bearing housing and cap is formed from a high performance plastic material whereby enhancing the vertical reciprocity of the cap relative to the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventors: Paul B. ASPENGEN, Steve R. WHITE
  • Publication number: 20120291660
    Abstract: A constant contact side bearing assembly for a railcar including a housing with wall structure defining a central axis for the side bearing assembly and a multipiece cap. The cap is arranged in operable combination with the housing and includes a movable first member or spring seat and a movable second member or top cap carried by the first member. A spring resiliently urges the cap members toward railcar body structure. The cap members define cooperating angled surfaces therebetween for urging wall structure on the first member and wall structure on the second member into frictional engagement with the wall structure on the housing in response to a vertical load acting on the friction contacting surface on the cap. At least the top cap is structured to establish a coefficient of friction ranging between about 0.4 and about 0.9 with the railcar during operation of the side bearing assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Inventors: Paul B. ASPENGEN, Erik D. JENSEN, Michael D. VanMALDEGIAM, Adam J. MERGES, Mark W. STANEK, Jeff BALLERINI, Steve R. WHITE, Andy R. KRIES