Patents by Inventor Richard J. Lessway

Richard J. Lessway 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: 20080139092
    Abstract: An improved steady rest assembly having a pair of opposed gripper arms that selectively open and close around a rotating cylindrical workpiece. One end of the gripper arms includes a workpiece-engaging member while the opposite end is pivotally coupled to a stationary base portion. Each gripper arm has a precision cut camming groove located between the two ends. A linearly translating yoke carries a third workpiece-engaging member and a pair of camming pins that slidably mates with these camming grooves to open and close the gripper arms. As the yoke moves toward a workpiece, the three workpiece-engaging members close around and center the workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Inventor: Richard J. Lessway
  • Patent number: 6896603
    Abstract: A steady rest having separate adjusting screws for adjusting the clamping positions of three workpiece engaging rollers either horizontally or vertically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Arbotech Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard J. Lessway
  • Publication number: 20040237734
    Abstract: A vibration damper has a pair of rollers that engage a shaft rotating about its longitudinal axis while being supported at its ends on centers. The rollers transmit shaft vibrations to the piston rod of a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder in such a manner that the piston rod dampens the vibrations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventor: Richard J. Lessway
  • Patent number: 6699113
    Abstract: A steady rest having cams for adjusting both vertical and the horizontal position of the centerline of a cylindrical workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Arobotech Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard J. Lessway
  • Publication number: 20030077994
    Abstract: A steady rest having cams for adjusting both vertical and the horizontal position of the centerline of a cylindrical workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2001
    Publication date: April 24, 2003
    Inventor: Richard J. Lessway
  • Patent number: 6257972
    Abstract: This invention is related to a steady rest, which employs a pair of parallel, sliding, linear moving clamping bars for moving wear pads or rollers toward a workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Arobotech Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard J. Lessway
  • Patent number: 5285599
    Abstract: A centering and supporting apparatus is disclosed for use as a true centering steady rest for rotatably supporting a cylindrical workpiece during a machining or grinding operation. The apparatus has an internal centerline adjustment mechanism for adjusting the steady rest so as to support the workpiece at its dynamic working centerline. At least one, or a pair of support arms are slidably mounted on an operator body in a housing. Said one or pair of support arms each carries a side workpiece contact member, and the operator body carries a center workpiece contact member, and each workpiece contact member is engagable with the perimeter of the workpiece. The operator body is moved by a stroking means to urge the center workpiece to support a workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1994
    Assignee: Arobotech Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard J. Lessway
  • Patent number: 5237780
    Abstract: A centering and supporting apparatus is disclosed for use as a true centering steady rest for rotatably supporting a cylindrical workpiece during a machining or grinding operation. The apparatus has an internal centerline adjustment mechanism for adjusting the steady rest so as to support the workpiece at its dynamic working centerline. At least one, or a pair of support arms are slidably mounted on an operator body in a housing. Said one or pair of support arms each carries a side workpiece contact member, and the operator body carries a center workpiece contact member, and each workpiece contact member is engagable with the perimeter of the workpiece. The operator body is moved by a stroking means to urge the center workpiece to support a workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1993
    Assignee: Arobotech Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard J. Lessway
  • Patent number: 5058468
    Abstract: An automatic true centering steady rest apparatus for a rotating cylindrical workpiece during a machining or grinding operation on the workpiece. The apparatus has an integrally mounted gaging device, for continuously gaging the diameter of a workpiece during a machining or grinding operation. A pair of gripper arms are slidably mounted on an operator body in a housing. Each gripper arm and the operator body carries a workpiece contact member engageable with the perimeter of the workpiece. The gripper arms are urged to grip a workpiece by the action of a pair of rollers and two sets of fixed guide pins which are operatively engageable with camming contours contained on opposing inner surfaces of the apparatus housing. The improved efficiency of the apparatus, as a result of the roller and guide pin action allows for placing the gaging device remotely from the workpiece, without any loss in the precision of its measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1991
    Assignee: Arobotech Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard J. Lessway
  • Patent number: 4650237
    Abstract: An automatic centering and gripping apparatus which includes a housing in which is slidably mounted a longitudinally movable operator body. A pair of gripper arms are slidably mounted on the operator body. Each gripper arm carries a gripper member engageable with a workpiece. The gripper members are moved longitudinally and laterally into gripping engagement with a workpiece when the operator body is moved in one longitudinal direction, and they are correspondingly disengaged from the workpiece when the operator body is moved in the other longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1987
    Assignee: Arobotech Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard J. Lessway
  • Patent number: 4647097
    Abstract: A gripping apparatus including a housing in which is slidably mounted a longitudinally movable operator body. A pair of gripper arms are slidably mounted on the operator body. Each gripper arm carries a gripper jaw engageable with a workpiece. The gripper jaws are moved along straight line travel paths into gripping engagement with a workpiece when the operator body is moved in one longitudinal direction, and they are correspondingly disengaged from the workpiece when the operator body is moved in the other longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1987
    Assignee: Arobotech Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard J. Lessway
  • Patent number: 4647100
    Abstract: A gripping apparatus which includes a housing in which is slidably mounted a longitudinally movable gripper operator. A pair of gripper arms are rollably mounted on the gripper operator. Each gripper arm carries a gripper jaw engageable with a workpiece. The gripper jaws are moved along straight line travel paths into gripping engagement with a workpiece when the gripper operator is moved in one longitudinal direction, and they are disengaged correspondingly from the workpiece when the gripper operator is moved in the other longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1987
    Assignee: Arobotech Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard J. Lessway
  • Patent number: 4399639
    Abstract: A true centering steady rest for rotatably supporting an elongated cylindrical workpiece for a metal working operation on the outer diameter of the workpiece, such as a grinding operation. The steady rest includes a housing in which is slidably mounted a pusher arm carrying a workpiece center wear pad. A pair of side arms are slidably mounted on said pusher arm. Each side arm carries a replaceable wear pad engageable with a workpiece at a point in the range from 90.degree.-140.degree. from the center wear pad. The center and side wear pads are moved into operative engagement with a workpiece when the pusher arm is moved toward the workpiece, and they are disengaged from the workpiece when the pusher arm is moved away from the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1983
    Inventor: Richard J. Lessway