Patents by Inventor Timothy L. Oliphant

Timothy L. Oliphant 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: 4954051
    Abstract: An air spring seat principally for buses, trucks, boats or other vehicles includes a manual air pump for inflating and deflating the air spring. The manual air pump includes a piston having a rearward air intake stroke, a forward compression stroke to deliver pressurized air through a check valve delivery and venting system to the air spring, a pressure stabilized at rest position at the end of the compression stroke and a forward venting stroke from the at rest position mechanically to release air from the air spring through the check valve delivery and venting system. A floating seal carried by the piston provides a fluid tight seal between the piston and pump body during the piston compression stroke but permits air to move from the intake side of the piston to the compression side of the piston during the piston intake stroke. The piston movements are all controlled by a manual lever handle readily accessible to the seat occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1990
    Assignee: National Seating Company
    Inventors: Rod Smith, Timothy L. Oliphant, Charles E. Stephens
  • Patent number: 4925196
    Abstract: A line pressure responsive flow control valve (46) is in series with a solenoid (34) operated off-on valve (26). These two valves (46, 26) are in a common housing having an inlet port (94) and an outlet port (96). A branch (24) of a bypass line (24, 24') extends from a fuel delivery line (10) to a fuel tank (16). A spring (76) biases a closure wall (70) of a piston (66) into contact with a valve seat (88) surrounding a valve orifice (90). Fuel pressure at the inlet (24) acts on the closure wall (70). When this pressure exceeds a predetermined minimum, the piston (66) is moved so as to open the valve orifice (90), allowing fuel to flow from the bypass line (24) to the off-on valve (26). The line pressure responsive flow control valve (46) functions to control flow through the bypass line (24, 24') at times when the off-on valve (26) is open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1990
    Assignee: GT Development Corporation
    Inventors: Charles J. Green, John M. Morris, Timothy L. Oliphant
  • Patent number: 4809944
    Abstract: An air spring seat principally for buses, trucks, boats or other vehicles includes a manual air pump for inflating and deflating the air spring. The manual air pump includes a piston having a rearward air intake stroke, a forward compression stroke to deliver pressurized air through a check valve delivery and venting system to the air spring, a pressure stablized at rest position at the end of the compression stroke and a forward venting stroke from the at rest position mechanically to release air from the air spring through the check valve delivery and venting system. A floating seal carried by the piston provides a fluid tight seal between the piston and pump body during the piston compression stroke but permits air to move from the intake side of the piston to the compression side of the piston during the piston intake stroke. The piston movements are all controlled by a manual lever handle readily accessible to the seat occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1989
    Assignee: National Seating Company
    Inventors: Rod Smith, Timothy L. Oliphant, Charles E. Stephens
  • Patent number: 4732188
    Abstract: A valve plug (22, 22a, 22b) is biased inwardly by a spring (78, 78a, 78b) to close an opening (6, 6a, 6b) in a tank. A stem (32, 32a, 32b) extends axially inwardly from the plug (22, 22a, 22b). The stem (32, 32a, 32b) has an inner portion (36, 36a, 36b) which is mechanically interlocked with an outer portion (52, 52a, 52b) to directly transmit axial forces created by the spring (78, 78a, 78b). Fusible material (66, 66a, 66b) holds the stem portions (36, 36a, 36b, 52, 52a, 52b) in an interlocking position but carries only relatively small loads. The plug (22, 22a, 22b) and stem (32, 32a, 32b) move against the force of the spring (78, 78a, 78b) to relieve pressure. At elevated temperatures, the fusible material (66, 66a, 66b) melts to allow the stem portions (36, 36a, 36b, 52, 52a, 52b) to separate and the plug (22, 22a, 22b) and outer stem portion (52, 52a, 52b) to move away from the opening (6, 6a, 6b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1988
    Assignee: GT Development Corporation
    Inventors: Zdenek Gabrlik, John M. Morris, Nelson O. Phillips, Timothy L. Oliphant
  • Patent number: RE34238
    Abstract: A valve plug (22, 22a, 22b) is biased inwardly by a spring (78, 78a, 78b) to close an opening (6, 6a, 6b) in a tank. A stem (32, 32a, 32b) extends axially inwardly from the plug (22, 22a, 22b). The stem (32, 32a, 32b) has an inner portion (36, 36a, 36b) which is mechanically interlocked with an outer portion (52, 52a, 52b) to directly transmit axial forces created by the spring (78, 78a, 78b). Fusible material (66, 66a, 66b) holds the stem portions (36, 36a, 36b, 52, 52a, 52b) in an interlocking position but carries only relatively small loads. The plug (22, 22a, 22b) and stem (32, 32a, 32b) move against the force of the spring (78, 78a, 78b) to relieve pressure. At elevated temperatures, the fusible material (66, 66a, 66b) melts to allow the stem portions (36, 36a, 36b, 52, 52a, 52b) to separate and the plug (22, 22a, 22b) and outer stem portion (52, 52a, 52b) to move away from the opening (6, 6a, 6b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Assignee: GT Development Corporation
    Inventors: Zdenek Gabrlik, John M. Morris, Timothy L. Oliphant, Charles J. Green, Nelson O. Phillips