Applied Power Inc.

Spx Corporation

Global Engineering Marketing LLC

Other

Douglas P Miller

Donald E Blackman

Martin A Medley

Michael T Landrum

George R Steber

Dale A Knutson

James M Heim

Thomas Varghese

Travis John Bakker

Edward T Arters

Ronald J Morgenson

Patrick J Yeko

James F Grimes

The present invention is a valve for use in a central tire inflation system including a casing securable to the rim of a vehicle in communication with the tire that houses a main body connectable to a pressurized fluid supply of the central tire inflation system, and a valve member moveable within the main body to control the flow of air through the valve. The valve can be mounted flush on the exterior surface of the rim or in a recessed position within the rim, and can be connected to a manifold that is able to control the flow of pressurized fluid from the central tire inflation system to each valve and tire connected to the valve. The operation of the manifold and pressurized fluid supply can be controlled utilizing a controller operably connected to the manifold and fluid supply, and to sensing devices that supply information regarding the operational conditions of the vehicle to the controller to assist in adjusting the inflation of the tires as necessary.

Central tire inflation wheel assembly, valve and central tire inflation system

The present invention is a valve for use in a central tire inflation system including a casing securable to the rim of a vehicle in communication with the tire that houses a main body connectable to a pressurized fluid supply of the central tire inflation system, and a valve member moveable within the main body to control the flow of air through the valve. The valve can be mounted flush on the exterior surface of the rim or in a recessed position within the rim, and can be connected to a manifold that is able to control the flow of pressurized fluid from the central tire inflation system to each valve and tire connected to the valve. The operation of the manifold and pressurized fluid supply can be controlled utilizing a controller operably connected to the manifold and fluid supply.

Central tire inflation wheel assembly and valve

The present invention is a wheel assembly having a rim with a valve aperture extending therethrough that is designed to receive a valve having a simplified a construction that can be seated directly within a tire wheel assembly to minimize the number and type of components necessary for the valve. The valve includes a main body that is positionable in a sealed and recessed or embedded configuration within the aperture in the wheel rim in communication with the interior of the tire and with a pressurized air source that is used to inflate or deflate the tire. The main body encloses a valve mechanism that includes a components situated within the main body in a manner that enables the parts to be easily removed, cleaned and/or replaced if necessary without having to remove the entire valve assembly from the wheel.

A pump that includes a piston moveable along a first axis and an eccentric cam positioned about a second axis, wherein the second axis is substantially perpendicular to the first axis. The pump also includes an actuator positioned adjacent to the cam and configured to move the cam along the second axis. In addition, the pump further includes a cam-adjacent bearing positioned between the piston and the cam, wherein the cam-adjacent bearing remains positioned substantially along the first axis upon movement of the cam along the second axis.

Pressure compensated and constant horsepower pump

A piston cartridge having a piston chamber, an inlet port, an outlet port, and a piston moveable between a first position and a second position. Also, the cartridge includes a first barrier positioned between the piston and the inlet port and a first sealing member moveable between the first barrier and the inlet port, wherein the first sealing member seals the inlet port when positioned adjacent to the inlet port but allows the fluid into the chamber when positioned adjacent to the first barrier. In addition, the cartridge also includes a second barrier positioned adjacent to the outlet port and a second sealing member moveable between the piston and the second barrier, wherein the second sealing member seals the outlet port when positioned adjacent thereto but allows the fluid to pass through the outlet port when positioned adjacent to the second barrier.

Piston cartridge

A method and apparatus is provided that includes a hand pump having a handle locking mechanism, a counter bored nut, pivoting links, and unloading valve assembly. The unloading valve assembly allows a pump operator to pump a larger volume of hydraulic fluid and/or to pump to higher pressures in first stage operation than a conventional pump which employs a direct-acting relief valve. The unloading valve also decreases the effort required to pump the handle during second stage operation. The handle locking mechanism allows the pump handle from moving during transporting and storing of the hand pump. The counter bored nut allows for more reservoir room than conventional hand pumps. The pivoting link allows for greater leverage of the handle during pumping.

Hydraulic hand pump with locking device

A system for tightening a threaded fastener with a hydraulic wrench has a pumping unit which measures parameters representative of the torque applied to the fastener and the angle of advance of the fastener, remote from the wrench. The pump measures pressure as a parameter representative of torque and measures, pump speed as a parameter which is processed so as to be representative of the angle of advance of the fastener. A ratchet-type hydraulic wrench is used, and the pressure versus angle data produced in tightening a fastener is manipulated to discard irrelevant portions and smooth relevant portions to provide data representative of torque and angle during the tightening process from which to determine a final stopping parameter for terminating tightening. The system also has a calibration fixture for determining the volumetric rate of angle advance for a given wrench. Any tightening methodology dependent upon angle may be used to practice the invention, or the invention may be applied to monitor the tightening process.

Pumping unit with speed transducer

A travelling clamp unit of the type for extending and retracting a T-head clamping cylinder into and out of a T-slot of a press has a main frame which supports clamping cylinder drive means and the clamping cylinder when it is in a parked position in which it is retracted from the T-slot of the press. The main frame has rails which support the clamping cylinder T-head in the parked position and which are removable from the main frame so that the T-head can be dropped out of the bottom end of the main frame for removing the clamping cylinder from the travelling clamp unit.

Travelling clamp with removable rails

A system for tightening a threaded fastener with a hydraulic wrench has a pumping unit which measures parameters representative of the torque applied to the fastener and the angle of advance of the fastener, remote from the wrench. The pump measures pressure as a parameter representative of torque and measures flow rate, pump speed (for a fixed displacement pump), or time (for a fixed displacement pump driven at constant speed) as a parameter representative of the angle of advance of the fastener. A ratchet-type hydraulic wrench is used, and the pressure versus angle data produced in tightening a fastener is manipulated to discard irrelevant portions and smooth relevant portions to provide data representative of torque and angle during the tightening process from which to determine a final stopping parameter for terminating tightening. The system also has a calibration fixture for determining the volumetric rate of angle advance for a given wrench. Any tightening methodology dependent upon angle may be used to practice the invention, or the invention may be applied to monitor the tightening process.

Method and apparatus for hydraulically tightening threaded fasteners

A hydraulic coupler has two halves connected together and identical bores in the halves which together promote laminar flow through the coupler. After entering the poppet in one half, flow through the coupler is directed to an enlarged flow section, through the central portion of the coupler to the enlarged flow section in the other half and then through crossbores in the poppet in the other half and out through that poppet. The flow section of each half is between a seating section and an outward section, and the seating section has a cylindrical portion with a diameter which is equal to the diameter of the outward section.

Hydraulic coupler

A hydraulic fluid reservoir contains an extensible bladder which has its exterior exposed to the fluid and its interior vented to the exterior of the reservoir. The interior of the bladder is sealed from the hydraulic fluid in the reservoir. Depletion of the fluid from the reservoir results in distension of the bladder and replenishing the fluid to the reservoir collapses the bladder. The bladder is pleated and a tie-rod which holds the reservoir together extends through the bladder.

Vented hydraulic fluid reservoir

A retainer for the drive shaft of a hydraulic torque wrench has an eccentric pivotably connected to the free end of the shaft which can be pivoted between an unlocked position and one or more locked positions and locked in any of the positions with a plunger. In the unlocked position, the eccentric does not overlap a bearing of the wrench so that the shaft and eccentric can be withdrawn axially from the wrench drive head. In the locked position(s), the eccentric overlaps and abuts an axial face of the bearing so that the eccentric cannot be drawn into the bearing, thereby securing the shaft against axial movement out of the wrench drive head in the direction from the eccentric toward the bearing.

Hydraulic torque wrench drive shaft retainer

A modular valve has a valve housing which defines a manifold interface having a normally open port, a normally closed port and a common port. A manifold block is mounted to the valve housing with its valve interface sealed against the manifold interface. The valve interface of the manifold block has first, second and third valve ports which lead to respective first, second and third mounting ports at a mounting interface of the manifold block. The first, second and third valve ports and the normally open normally closed and common ports are arranged to communicate with one another in either of two angularly spaced positions of the valve housing relative to the manifold block. In one position, the first valve port comunicates with the normally open port, the second valve port communicates with the normally closed port, and the third valve port communicates with the common port. In the other position, the first valve port communicates with the normally closed port, the second valve port communicates with the normally open port, and the third valve port communicates with the common port.

Modular valve

A powered work clamping device including a housing with an upper and lower chamber and an intermediate chamber communicating with the upper and lower chambers, an upper and lower piston respectively residing in the upper and lower chambers, and wherein the lower piston has a section with reduced diameter slidably and rotatably operating in the intermediate chamber, an index rod projects from the lower piston into an index bore in the upper piston and a piston rod connected thereto. The piston rod projects from the housing and is secured to a work-engaging head. The head is rotatable and independently extendable depending upon operation of the upper and lower pistons and means for rotating the lower piston and actuated upon operation of a check valve served by one of two independently actuated two-stage directional control valves.

Growing community of inventors

New Berlin, WI, United States of America

Douglas P Miller