Patents by Inventor Thomas P. Hillstrom

Thomas P. Hillstrom 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: 4464604
    Abstract: Tractor with speed-responsive circuit-interrupting switch for automatically dousing, at night, flood work lamps provided in a lighting circuit on the tractor. Switching is controlled according to a microcomputer chip program by which frequency of a ground speed transducer is compared with the speed limit speeds pre-assigned to an intermediate tractor speed range; thus deluminizing occurs, necessarily on the highest side, at one speed commonly associated with highway rate of travel whereas, on the lower side, the switching effective to reconnect and relight the lamps is at a materially different desired speed of the tractor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1984
    Assignee: International Harvester Co.
    Inventors: Thomas P. Hillstrom, Robert J. Wilson, John T. Corwith
  • Patent number: 4060157
    Abstract: A vehicle control mechanism for manipulating three controllable members through one control handle. The control mechanism includes a support rigidly attached to the vehicle. The support rotatably carries three control assemblies which are operably connected to one of each of the three controllable members. The control mechanism also includes a drive assembly rotatably carried by the first and third control assemblies first, second and third control assemblies and the support have force selectively transmitted therebetween by a roller which is contained in the control assembly by roller retainers of the support. The force which manipulates the controllable members is derived from the operator selectively pivoting the handle about the third control assembly. To manipulate the various control assemblies the operator will either pivot the handle to engage the handle and the dive assembly or pivot the handle to engage the handle and the second control assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1976
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1977
    Assignee: International Harvester Company
    Inventor: Thomas P. Hillstrom