Patents by Inventor Thomas F. Long, Jr.

Thomas F. Long, Jr. 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: 8696473
    Abstract: A resettable torque limiter for installation between two rotary members, which can smoothly disengage upon application of predetermined torque acting between the members and smoothly reset upon decline of applied torque below the predetermined level. An undulating engagement surface formed on one member according to a function preferably an eighth power polynomial is engaged by a plurality of engagement elements on the other member which smoothly ride over lobes formed on the engagement surface when the torque limit is exceeded without causing any discontinuities in acceleration or jerk when the driving connection between the rotary members is interrupted until the applied torque declines below the preset limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Brunel Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas F. Long, Jr., Mark Wayne Rudolph
  • Publication number: 20130157768
    Abstract: A resettable torque limiter for installation between two rotary members, which can smoothly disengage upon application of predetermined torque acting between the members and smoothly reset upon decline of applied torque below the predetermined level. An undulating engagement surface formed on one member according to a function preferably an eighth power polynomial is engaged by a plurality of engagement elements on the other member which smoothly ride over lobes formed on the engagement surface when the torque limit is exceeded without causing any discontinuities in acceleration or jerk when the driving connection between the rotary members is interrupted until the applied torque declines below the preset limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Inventors: Thomas F. Long, JR., Mark Wayne Rudolph
  • Publication number: 20110088818
    Abstract: A resettable torque limiter in which major components are cast from stainless steel in order to minimize material requirements and which are thereafter annealed to provide corrosion resistance in service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventor: Thomas F. Long, JR.
  • Publication number: 20100210386
    Abstract: A compact low capacity torque limiter is installed in a drive sheave of a belt drive connecting an engine to the hammer mill of a horizontal grinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Inventor: Thomas F. Long, JR.
  • Publication number: 20090305794
    Abstract: A resettable torque limiter for installation between two rotary members, which can smoothly disengage upon application of a predetermined torque acting between the members and smoothly reset upon decline of applied torque below the predetermined level. An undulating cam surface formed on one member is engaged by one or more cam followers on the other member which smoothly ride over undulation peaks comprising cam lobes when the torque limit is exceeded and the driving connection between the rotary members is interrupted until the applied torque declines below the preset limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2009
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Inventors: Thomas F. Long, JR., Jason Alan Clemans, Mark Wayne Rudolph
  • Patent number: 5064037
    Abstract: A one way acting sprag clutch is disclosed of the type automatically disengaging the sprags from an outer raceway at a predetermined rotative speed of the inner raceway to reduce wear during overrunning, in which the sprags are of an upright shape and are formed with a rocker portion having asymmetric rocker lip portions creating an unbalanced mass. The unbalanced mass causes increased tilting movements of the sprags overcoming the energizing force of the springs at the predetermined rotative speed of the inner raceway and liftoff of the outer end of the sprags from the outer raceway. The upright shape allows a complete complement of sprags to be employed to achieve high torque capacity. The rocker lip portions have abutment surfaces facing the adjacent sprags, which surfaces move into abutment when the sprags move to an overloaded wedging condition to provide an antirollover feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1991
    Inventor: Thomas F. Long, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4450943
    Abstract: A low drag air clutch for use in power transmission systems includes a rotating housing containing a clutch plate, a pair of spaced apart friction disks disposed on opposite faces of the clutch plate and a pneumatic operator assembly. One of the friction disks is fixedly retained in the housing. The other is coupled to the housing through arrays of helical splines which permit limited axial and rotational movement. The pneumatic operator assembly is disposed adjacent, engages and axially translates the movable friction disk. The clutch plate is coupled to a shaft member through arrays of helical splines. Activation of the pneumatic assembly engages the clutch elements. When deactivated, the rotation of the clutch elements and contact therebetween causes the helical spline arrays to urge the clutch plate and friction disks apart in order to eliminate partial mechanical coupling, i.e., drag, through the clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1984
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas F. Long, Jr.
  • Patent number: RE45889
    Abstract: A displaceable drive ball safety element type torque limiter is installed in a variable speed AC motor drive crusher mill drive which can include a selective operable locking brake to hold the crusher components stationary during maintenance operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Inventors: Randall Long, Joseph C. Blum, Thomas F. Long, Jr., Mark Wayne Rudolph