Patents by Inventor Willard J. Opocensky

Willard J. Opocensky 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: 4397538
    Abstract: An apparatus which controls lateral alignment of a belt arranged to move along a predetermined path. The belt is supported by a pivoted roller. A member having a pair of opposed, spaced flanges extending outwardly therefrom is mounted slidably on a shaft extending outwardly from one end of the roller. A spring, contacting the flanged member, resiliently urges one of the flanges into continuous engagement with one side of the belt. Movement of the belt from the predetermined path slides the flanged member so that one of the flanges frictionally rotates a disc interposed therebetween. Rotation of the disc tilts the roller restoring the belt to the predetermined path of movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1983
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Vittorio Castelli, Ralph A. Hamaker, Willard J. Opocensky
  • Patent number: 4005485
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for moving a plurality of transducer heads to and from an operative position adjacent the magnetic surfaces of a plurality of rotating disks in a magnetic disk storage system. The transducer heads are supported on a "T" Bar attached to a carriage. The transducer heads are loaded or urged towards their respective disk surfaces in pairs of one up (left) and one down (right) or one down (left) and one up (right) by means of a torsion bar. A like plurality of camming elements are mechanically linked with the carriage and are movable radially with the elongated supports to restrain the heads from contact with the disk surfaces until a loading position is reached substantially inward of the circumferences of the disks, after which the camming elements are moved to a withdrawn position and held there by a solenoid-operated latch, thereby allowing the transducer heads to be moved to any desired radial position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1975
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1977
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Willard J. Opocensky
  • Patent number: 3987685
    Abstract: The invention relates to a position device which rides over a surface for controlling a cursor over a visual display. The device generates signals indicative of its position to cause the cursor to be displayed on the display at a corresponding position. The device includes a control mechanism that comprises a transport sphere coupled with rotatable shafts which represent the position of the device in terms of Cartesian coordinates. The sphere is in contact with the surface over which the device rides and the rotatable shafts contact the sphere at a position on the sphere approximately 90.degree. from the contact loci of the sphere and the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1974
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1976
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Willard J. Opocensky