Fork And Tongue Patents (Class 403/157)
  • Patent number: 4192153
    Abstract: A yoke for a hookes universal joint, formed of a lightweight metal and having a base, two limbs extending axially from the base, the limbs having reinforcing flanges at least adjacent to the base and the thickness of the base being such that the limbs and base form a generally U-shaped structure of high rigidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1980
    Assignee: GKN Transmissions Limited
    Inventor: Leslie G. Fisher
  • Patent number: 4184783
    Abstract: A quick disconnect assembly is disclosed for joining two members. The assembly is comprised of two circular steel bushings, a cylindrical steel pin and a steel spring ring. The bushings include axial circular openings and are each disposed in one of the legs of the first member so that they are axially aligned. The pin includes an annular groove in which is disposed the spring ring. The second member has a circular bearing at one end which has a circular opening extending axially therethrough.Connection of the first and second members is accomplished by positioning the second member between the legs of the first member so that the bearing opening is in axial alignment with the bushings openings. The pin is then inserted into the three aigned openings from one end. Insertion is aided by chamfers which help to compress the spring ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1980
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Gerald H. Hall
  • Patent number: 4177368
    Abstract: A high-current, low-voltage load-break switch of the type having a plurality of fixed contacts and a plurality of movable contacts. Each of the movable contacts moves between a closed position in bolted pressure contact with one of the fixed contacts and a open position which is displaced from its fixed contact. An actuating bar connects the movable contacts for movement of the contacts in unison. A switch-operator mechanism is provided for rapidly closing the switch by driving the movable contacts to their closed positions and also to their open positions. An electrically non-conductive operating rod assembly is provided for connecting the actuating bar and the switch-operator mechanism. This rod assembly includes an elongated metal rod having threads at its opposite ends. One end of the rod is threaded to a first metal yoke which is pivotally connected to one end of an insulator link. The insulator link is pivotally connected to an operating lever formed as part of the switch-operator mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1978
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1979
    Assignee: Boltswitch, Inc.
    Inventor: James A. Erickson
  • Patent number: 4170804
    Abstract: An improved wiper arm and connector head arrangement which may be readily assembled without use of special equipment by means of inserting opposed bosses on the head into corresponding open-sided recesses on the arm and then relatively rotating the head and the arm, to a position locating a tongue member on the head into a groove in the arm whereby the bosses can no longer be extracted through the open side of the recesses and therefore the head is attached to the arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1978
    Date of Patent: October 16, 1979
    Assignee: Vanauto Accessories Proprietary Limited
    Inventor: Douglas E. Scotcher
  • Patent number: 4159187
    Abstract: A brake lever connection is formed from a tube with a two-piece jaw welded to each end, each jaw having laterally spaced side portions merging at one end into end portions engaging each other to form the inner end of the jaw, which has a first frusto-conical surface tapered toward the other jaw and merging into a smaller diameter frusto-conical surface tapered less sharply. The larger end of the smaller conical surface has about the same diameter as the inside of the tube, into an end of which the smaller conical surface is inserted. The end walls of the tube form with the first conical surfaces annular recesses filled with welding metal that joins the jaws to the ends of the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1979
    Assignee: Schaefer Equipment Incorporated
    Inventor: Roland E. Cale
  • Patent number: 4145029
    Abstract: A clevis having a pulley rotatably mounted between its outer ends has a bight or closed inner end of uniform thickness curved around a segment of a cylindrical surface with its axis parallel to the plane of rotation of the pulley, and spaced from the surface of the pulley. A retaining clamp bar has flat ends attachable to a mounting surface, and a center portion off-set upwardly from the plane of the ends by a distance no greater than the thickness of the bight of the clevis. The off-set center portion is curved transversely upwardly about a segment of a cylindrical surface substantially coincident with the axis of curvature of the bight of the clevis when the clamp bar is arranged through the clevis and secured at its ends to a supporting surface. The periphery of the pulley is concavely curved and spaced at its center from the bight of the clevis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1979
    Inventor: Allen R. Johns
  • Patent number: 4139245
    Abstract: Vibration damping annular elastomeric members are mounted between outer spherical bearing members and elements which are attached to inner spherical bearing members to prevent vibrations between the elements and the outer bearing members.The elastomeric members extend outwardly beyond the connection between the inner bearing member and the elements so that the elastomeric members are compressed as the elements are connected to the inner bearing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1977
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1979
    Assignee: The Heim Universal Corp.
    Inventor: Albert R. McCloskey
  • Patent number: 4122960
    Abstract: A linkage, especially for the pedals of a skid-steered tractor vehicle for operating the boom arms and attachment carrier, which requires no machining or threaded couplings. The arrangement includes links made of flat bar stock. Pivotal connections between adjacent links are made by punched holes, pins and side connectors. Adjustment for linear travel is at the pedal or valve rather than in the linkage itself. Crossover in the linkage path is by a bridging link having an open slot with curved sides rocking on a flat sided pin whereby movement is transmitted laterally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1977
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1978
    Assignee: Clark Equipment Company
    Inventors: James J. Bauer, Lonnie D. Hoechst
  • Patent number: 4110051
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing a non-releasable connection of a component with a shaft protruding into a continuous bore of the component, wherein the bore possesses two bore edges and an inner profile by means of which the shaft is secured against rotation. At one bore edge there bears a shoulder and at the other bore edge a flange of the shaft. The shoulder and flange are formed of one piece with the shaft and conjointly secure the shaft in both directions against axial displacement. In order to form the flange of the shaft by means of cold impact or press forming there is provided a punch possessing a ring-shaped rib at its end face.The non-releasable connection fabricated with such apparatus is manifested by the features that the component is formed by at least one fork-type joint which is secured at an end of a shaft for steering a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1977
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1978
    Assignee: Press- und Stanzwerk AG
    Inventors: Karl Mettler, Paul Marxer, Arthur Tiefenthaler
  • Patent number: 4105347
    Abstract: The anchored end of a mast of a gin-pole derrick is pivotally mounted on a releasable connector. The connector comprises a pair of laterally spaced support brackets having a retaining pin reciprocally mounted thereon for movement between a first position attaching the mast on a large portion of the pin and a second position whereby the mast may be released and detached from a smaller portion of the pin. A compression coil spring is mounted between the pin and one of the support brackets to normally bias the pin to its former condition of operation, attaching the mast on the connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1977
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1978
    Inventor: Thomas M. Gossage
  • Patent number: 4102124
    Abstract: A pin or bolt slidingly supportable in rings at opposite ends, or throughout its body in a sleeve, such as through the eyes of a clevis, is usefully locked against axial displacement by a radially sliding spring-biased detent which fits into a groove of a supporting ring or sleeve, securing it against axial displacement. The supporting ring has a slot extending inward from a support surface and sized to receive a key, such as a disc or a coin, which may be inserted in the slot to engage and depress the detent against its biasing spring, sufficient to displace it from the groove of the ring and thus unlocking and allowing the pin to be displaced in its support by sliding therefrom axially. In a modified form, where the supporting rings of a clevis are dimensioned so small that the radially cut slot would tend to weaken them, the ends of the pin may be secured by extra annular rings or washers mounted adjacent to the main supporting rings of the clevis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1976
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1978
    Inventor: William E. Swager
  • Patent number: 4096957
    Abstract: A pivot pin assembly for mounting a loader bucket to a loader arm of a tractor. The pivot pin assembly includes a cylindrical pin having spaced-apart retaining sleeves which capture a sleeve bearing therebetween. The retaining sleeves engage the bucket bracket assembly and the bearing engages the loader arm assembly. Flanges on one retaining sleeve engage the bucket bracket assembly to restrict axial movement of the pin in one direction. A cover plate, secured to the bucket bracket over the flanges, restricts axial movement of the pin in the other direction. The flanges define two spaced-apart sides which are retained in a channel on the cover plate to prevent rotational movement of the pin with respect to the loader bucket. The pivot pin assembly may be removed by detaching the cover plate and pulling the pin from the bucket bracket assembly and the loader arm assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1978
    Assignee: Caterpillar Tractor Co.
    Inventors: Lowell P. Iverson, George W. Dirscherl, Paul D. Hagen
  • Patent number: 4096787
    Abstract: A piston rod connected at one end to a piston slidably arranged in a cylinder projects with its other end through an opening in an end wall of the cylinder beyond the latter and a fork-shaped member is connected by a friction weld, that is without adding welding material or external heat, to the other end of the piston rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1976
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1978
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Hartmut Sandau, Wilhelm Weigert, Winfried Steinel, August Kraisel, Klaus Ritter, Erwin Gaub, Heinrich Kochendorfer
  • Patent number: 4092074
    Abstract: Structure for removably locking a cover in a covering disposition. The locking device is arranged to be released notwithstanding the disposition thereof in a relatively inaccessible area of the machine on which the cover is mounted. The locking device includes a locking pin which is axially movable so as to have clearance with the cover with the pin being so moved by a tool inserted through the small access space available to the locking device. The pin is drawn back outwardly into locking arrangement with the cover by a threaded device having a shank portion passed through a hole in the cover into threaded association with the locking pin, permitting threaded operation of the device to draw the pin outwardly into the hole of the cover and thereby lock the cover against rotation about a pivot mount thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1978
    Assignee: Caterpillar Tractor Co.
    Inventors: Robert W. Harper, Robert L. Shelby
  • Patent number: 4090797
    Abstract: A mechanical coupling device is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed arcuate jaws and integral arms defining a slot communicating with a cavity for connecting a shaft thereto. A tongue integral with the shaft is engaged by the jaws and suspended within the cavity, and the coupling device slides axially and laterally along the tongue and pivots along the arcuate jaws to eliminate end and side thrust of the shaft. A variable resistance control connected to the coupling device comprises a substrate closing one end of a housing and a rotatable driver disposed within the housing. A resistive path and a conductive collector path are disposed on the substrate along the same radius and a contactor comprising a pair of diametrically opposed contact fingers symmetrically disposed near the periphery of the driver engages the resistive and collector paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1978
    Assignee: CTS Corporation
    Inventors: James N. Hufford, Wayne A. Barden
  • Patent number: 4079908
    Abstract: A camera is fixedly supported in a desired position by providing a support screw, for engagement with the usual threaded opening in the camera base, in association with a sharply pointed member, such as a knife blade, which is inserted into earth, snow, ice, wood, or other supporting material pierceable by the pointed member. The camera support member having the support screw on one end is attached to the tang of the knife blade by a clevis, allowing pivotal movement of the camera to a desired angular position relative to the supporting surface. A hollow, removable handle includes a socket-type wrench for engaging the clevis bolt, and/or another removable element may be used as a screwdriver to engage a slot in the head of the clevis bolt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1978
    Inventor: Francis W. Davis
  • Patent number: 4034946
    Abstract: A mount for removably mounting a light to a base member comprising a pair of clevis members. One clevis member is provided with a pair of upstanding spaced arms in which a stem is journaled for rotation and linear translation. A bushing having teeth thereon is mounted on the stem and translatable therewith. The second clevis is provided with a pair of depending arms defining a groove therebetween which fits over the stem within the upstanding arms of the first clevis. At least one face of the second clevis contains teeth which cooperate with the teeth on the bushing to secure one clevis to the other, the bushing being translatable away from the second clevis to permit repositioning and removal of the second clevis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1976
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1977
    Assignee: N. A. Taylor Co. Inc.
    Inventor: Judson Zimmer, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4030378
    Abstract: A pushrod-to-bellcrank attachment includes a primary pivot connection and two secondary pin and slot connections so arranged relative to each other that there is a continuing operative connection of the pushrod to the bellcrank in the event the primary connection is lost by small arms fire. When the primary pivot is lost, the pins of the secondary connections act in conjunction with the slots, which are arcuate, as a large bearing struck about the primary pivot to maintain the rod and the bellcrank in their original relative positions about the primary pivot with no introduction of lost motion between bellcrank and rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1976
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1977
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Edward James Kroesser
  • Patent number: 4025208
    Abstract: A clevis is formed from two pieces, a shank and a U-member. The proximal end of the shank is inserted through a hole in the U-member and said end is rolled outwardly to form a flange which prevents distal movement of the shank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1975
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1977
    Inventor: Carroll F. Donahue
  • Patent number: 3990118
    Abstract: An implantable prosthetic joint comprising a first member and a second member, both of which include a stem portion implantable in bone. The first member has a neck portion and a protuberant head portion attached to the neck portion. The second member has a head-receiving cavity and a slot in communication with the cavity to provide hinge-like motion of the joint as the neck portion is moved within the slot and the head portion rotated within the cavity. The head-receiving portion of the second member includes a transverse channel communicating with the cavity and a transverse slot communicating with the transverse channel whereby the head and neck portion of the first member may be inserted into the head-receiving portion of the second member in a direction transverse to the plane established by the hinge-like motion of the first member relative to the second member as the neck portion of the first member moves along the channel in the head-receiving portion of the second member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1975
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1976
    Assignee: Bio-Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: James W. Strickland, Allan Vegell, Terry L. Woodling
  • Patent number: 3976144
    Abstract: An automatic reset plow assembly includes a plow frame drawn by an agricultural vehicle. A plow standard is pivotally connected to the underside of the frame to enable the plow share to pivot backwardly and upwardly upon engaging an obstruction in the soil. The plow standard is resiliently biased downwardly by a toggle link assembly having one link pivotally connected to the plow standard and a second link pivoted to the frame. The other ends of the two links are pivotally connected together and to a slide element to form the elbow of the toggle link. The slide element is slideably received along a guide member which is also pivotally mounted to the frame. A compression spring surrounds the guide and resiliently biases the slide element and toggle links to maintain the plow standard in a normally downwardly pivoted plowing position. Upon encountering an obstruction, the plow pivots rearwardly and collapses the toggle link assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1975
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1976
    Assignee: J. I. Case Company
    Inventors: Harold A. Ralston, Phillip G. Venable
  • Patent number: 3958089
    Abstract: The disclosed device eliminates the undesired rotational movement of an installed in-line power switch of the type having a ribbed insulator through which an insulator rod is extended into metallic end fittings. The end fittings carry the electrodes or contacts of a blade switch assembly and at least one of the end fittings is adapted for pivotal mounting to the clevis member end of a strain link. The end fitting at the pivotal mounting is provided with integral projecting tongues which project away from the pivot axis and engage a surface of the clevis thereby to reduce the relative rotation between the end fitting and the clevis member about the pivotal mounting. In one embodiment the tongue includes an inclined surface adapted to wedgingly engage a corresponding inclined surface of the clevis member in a complementary relationship therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1974
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1976
    Assignee: International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation
    Inventor: Ronald Vernon Anderson
  • Patent number: 3950941
    Abstract: A lift chain including an end connector for connecting an end link to the load-carrying member of a fork-lift truck or similar load-handling device. Each link of the chain comprises a plurality of juxtaposed parallel link plates and the end connector includes a clevis joining the end link with a head having a screwthreaded attachment stud. The clevis is pivotally connected to the end link and the head by means of two spaced connector pins disposed crosswise to permit the end link to swing omnidirectionally relative to the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1974
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1976
    Assignee: Bulten-Kanthal AB
    Inventor: Gosta Ohrn
  • Patent number: 3949814
    Abstract: An automatic reset plow assembly includes a plow frame drawn by an agricultural vehicle. A plow standard is pivotally connected to the underside of the frame to enable the plow share to pivot backwardly and upwardly upon engaging an obstruction in the soil. The plow standard is resiliently biased downwardly by a toggle link assembly having one link pivotally connected to the plow standard and a second link pivoted to the frame. The other ends of the two links are pivotally connected together and to a slide element to form the elbow of the toggle link. The slide element is slideably received along a guide member which is also pivotally mounted to the frame. A compression spring surrounds the guide and resiliently biases the slide element and toggle links to maintain the plow standard in a normally downwardly pivoted plowing position. Upon encountering an obstruction, the plow pivots rearwardly and collapses the toggle link assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1974
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1976
    Assignee: J. I. Case Company
    Inventor: Harold A. Ralston