Patents by Inventor William Fort
William Fort 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: 8561442Abstract: A steering shaft lock actuator may include a motor having an output shaft, a drive train, and a lost motion device. The drive train may be coupled to the output shaft and may linearly urge a locking member to an unlocked position when the motor is energized. The lost motion device may be configured to store energy when the locking member is in the unlocked position and utilize the stored energy to drive the locking member toward a locked position with a steering shaft when the motor is de-energized.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2011Date of Patent: October 22, 2013Assignee: Stoneridge Control Devices, Inc.Inventors: William Farmer, Sumit Sharma, William Fort, Brian Ganter, Todd Meaney
-
Patent number: 8366426Abstract: A combination loader and post cure tire inflator for use with a tire press is provided. A post cure inflator for inflating and curing vulcanized tires includes a plurality of inflator stations with each inflator station including a pair of axially aligned, vertically separable tire inflating chuck rings. A loading apparatus includes a loading arm movable along a linear track relative to the plurality of inflator stations to load and unload each vulcanized tire in a selected one of the plurality of inflator stations without rotating the vulcanized tires in a turnover operation.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2010Date of Patent: February 5, 2013Assignee: McNeil & NRM, Inc.Inventors: Anand Pal Singh, Daniel Zaklanovich, William Forte Franchim
-
Publication number: 20120048053Abstract: A steering shaft lock actuator may include a motor having an output shaft, a drive train, and a lost motion device. The drive train may be coupled to the output shaft and may linearly urge a locking member to an unlocked position when the motor is energized. The lost motion device may be configured to store energy when the locking member is in the unlocked position and utilize the stored energy to drive the locking member toward a locked position with a steering shaft when the motor is de-energized.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2011Publication date: March 1, 2012Applicant: STONERIDGE CONTROL DEVICES, INC.Inventors: William Farmer, Sumit Sharma, William Fort, Brian Ganter, Todd Meaney
-
Patent number: 8047028Abstract: A steering shaft lock actuator may include a motor having an output shaft, a drive train, and a lost motion device. The drive train may be coupled to the output shaft and may linearly urge a locking member to an unlocked position when the motor is energized. The lost motion device may be configured to store energy when the locking member is in the unlocked position and utilize the stored energy to drive the locking member toward a locked position with a steering shaft when the motor is de-energized.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2005Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: Stoneridge Control Devices, Inc.Inventors: William Farmer, Sumit Sharma, William Fort, Brian Ganter, Todd Meaney
-
Publication number: 20110088812Abstract: A combination loader and post cure tire inflator for use with a tire press is provided. A post cure inflator for inflating and curing vulcanized tires includes a plurality of inflator stations with each inflator station including a pair of axially aligned, vertically separable tire inflating chuck rings. A loading apparatus includes a loading arm movable along a linear track relative to the plurality of inflator stations to load and unload each vulcanized tire in a selected one of the plurality of inflator stations without rotating the vulcanized tires in a turnover operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2010Publication date: April 21, 2011Applicant: MCNEIL & NRM, INC.Inventors: Anand Pal Singh, Daniel Zaklanovich, William Forte Franchim
-
Patent number: 7841634Abstract: A loader basket for gripping, transporting, and releasing tires, including a fixed ring, a rotating ring operatively interrelated with the fixed ring, a plurality of shoe arms pivotally attached to the fixed ring, shoe assemblies pivotally mounted on each of the shoe arms, alignment links pivotally mounted on the fixed ring and pivotally attached to each of the shoe assemblies, shoe arm actuating rods pivotally attached to each of the shoe arms and the rotating ring for pivoting the shoe arms about the fixed rings while maintaining the shoe assemblies in concentric relation during movement between collapsed and expanded positions, and an actuator for selectively moving the rotating ring relative to the fixed ring.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2007Date of Patent: November 30, 2010Assignee: McNeil & NRM, Inc.Inventors: Anand Pal Singh, Sivaram Addanki Krishnayya, William Forte Franchim
-
Publication number: 20100159048Abstract: A loader basket for gripping, transporting, and releasing tires, including a fixed ring, a rotating ring operatively interrelated with the fixed ring, a plurality of shoe arms pivotally attached to the fixed ring, shoe assemblies pivotally mounted on each of the shoe arms, alignment links pivotally mounted on the fixed ring and pivotally attached to each of the shoe assemblies, shoe arm actuating rods pivotally attached to each of the shoe arms and the rotating ring for pivoting the shoe arms about the fixed rings while maintaining the shoe assemblies in concentric relation during movement between collapsed and expanded positions, and an actuator for selectively moving the rotating ring relative to the fixed ring.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2007Publication date: June 24, 2010Inventors: Anand Pal Singh, Sivaram Addanki Krishnayya, William Forte Franchim
-
Patent number: 7513763Abstract: A center mechanism (10) for manipulating a bladder (20) in a tire curing press (12) includes a lower plate ring (28) for carrying a lower bead (22) of the bladder (20), and an upper plate ring (60) for carrying an upper bead (24) of the bladder (20). The center mechanism (10) may also include a first piston chamber (45) and a second piston chamber (105) positioned radially interior from the first piston chamber (45). An outer piston assembly (37) is operative to selectively raise the lower plate ring (28) and an inner piston assembly (71) is positioned inside the outer piston assembly (37) and is operative to selectively raise the upper plate ring (60) relative to the lower plate ring (28). A guide (120) is coupled to the outer piston assembly (37) and is adapted to slidingly contact the inner piston assembly (71) to prevent relative rotation therebetween. Operating fluid is provided through a single port (52) to selectively raise the outer piston assembly (37) and the inner piston assembly (71).Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2007Date of Patent: April 7, 2009Assignee: McNeil & NRM, Inc.Inventors: Anand Pal Singh, Deane Robert Hamilton, Thomas Anthony Wasik, Sivaram Addanki Krishnayya, William Forte Franchim
-
Publication number: 20080028806Abstract: A steering shaft lock actuator including at least one motor having an output shaft; a drive train coupled to the output shaft, a locking pawl coupled to the drive train; and a housing for at least partially enclosing the motor, the drive train, the locking pawl and the locking pin. The drive train may be configured to linearly urge the locking pawl and a locking pin between a locked position wherein the locking pawl and the locking pin extend at least partially out of the housing and unlocked position wherein the locking pawl and the locking pin are retracted toward the housing relative to the locked position. The locking pawl may be positioned to prevent rotational movement of the steering shaft when in the locked position. The locking pin may be positioned to lock the actuator to a steering shaft interface when in the locked position.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2007Publication date: February 7, 2008Applicant: Stoneridge Control Devices, Inc.Inventors: William Fort, Knight Ko
-
Publication number: 20070175694Abstract: An actuator for selectively coupling first and second shafts for transmitting torque between the first and second shafts and a system incorporating the same. The actuator includes a sleeve movable between engaged and disengaged positions. An armature is configured to move the sleeve into an engaged position in response to energization of a coil. A latching mechanism may hold the sleeve in the engaged position when the coil is deenergized.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2006Publication date: August 2, 2007Applicant: STONERIDGE CONTROL DEVICES, INC.Inventors: William Fort, William Farmer, Eric Beishline
-
Publication number: 20070152455Abstract: An actuator and door latch system incorporating the same. The actuator moves a door latch between locked and unlocked positions with rapidity using a gear train directly coupled to an actuator motor or energy stored in an energy storage element such as a spring.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 27, 2006Publication date: July 5, 2007Applicant: STONERIDGE CONTROL DEVICES, INC.Inventors: Knight Ko, Brian Ganter, Thomas Schregardus, Eric Beishline, William Fort
-
Publication number: 20060144184Abstract: A steering shaft lock actuator may include a motor having an output shaft, a drive train, and a lost motion device. The drive train may be coupled to the output shaft and may linearly urge a locking member to an unlocked position when the motor is energized. The lost motion device may be configured to store energy when the locking member is in the unlocked position and utilize the stored energy to drive the locking member toward a locked position with a steering shaft when the motor is de-energized.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2005Publication date: July 6, 2006Inventors: William Farmer, Sumit Sharma, William Fort, Brian Ganter, Todd Meaney
-
Publication number: 20050044979Abstract: An electromechanical actuator for locking a detent bracket in an out of park position is provided. The actuator includes a latching lever that is moveable between a first position and a second position. When the latching lever is in the first position and the solenoid is in an extended position the plunger of the solenoid is positioned between a bearing surface of the latching lever and a bearing surface on a base plate, thereby preventing the latching lever from pivoting to the second position. A park pawl actuator including a rack coupled to park pawl and a motor for driving the rack is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2003Publication date: March 3, 2005Inventors: William Fort, Knight Ko, William Farmer