Patents by Inventor William I. Buchanan

William I. Buchanan 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: 5200747
    Abstract: A position sensor (25) includes both a position potentiometer (90) and a turns count potentiometer (92). The position potentiometer (90) includes a pair of wipers (12 and 14) positioned on a rotor (10) which each contact both a resistive track (46) and one of two different commutator tracks (48 and 50) on element (26). The sensed percentage of total voltage output, which is a function of the position the wiper (12 or 14) contacts the resistive track (46), corresponds to the angular position between 0.degree. and 360.degree. of the shaft on which the position sensor (25) is mounted. The turns count potentiometer (92) comprises a turns count rotor (66) which is incrementally advanced via a cog (18) on rotor (10) using a gear or geneva type mechanism. The turns count rotor (66) includes a wiper (64) which either contacts both a resistive track (150) and commutator track (152) or contacts one of a plurality of switch pads (154).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1993
    Assignee: Bourns, Inc.
    Inventors: James W. Betz, William I. Buchanan
  • Patent number: 4262831
    Abstract: A traffic cone rack adapted to be mounted on a bumper, a floor or side panel of a vehicle. The device includes an elongated body portion adapted for securing to a portion of a vehicle. A cone support bail projects outward from the body for receiving traffic cones. A cone locking bail is tiltably secured to the body and moves over a fulcrum point for locking the traffic cones on the bail in a carrying position. An adjunct to the device is a warning buzzer which sounds when the locking bail is in the open position and the ignition switch of the vehicle is on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1981
    Inventor: William I. Buchanan