Other

Horton, Inc.

Horton Manufacturing Company Inc.

James P LeClaire

David R Hennessy

Chris A Nelson

Chris Lee Nelson

Christopher A Nelson

Bradford K Palmer

James V Radomski

Richard G Christensen

Dean Zierden

Lynn David Jensen

A central tire inflation system for maintaining tire inflation on a vehicle having a torque transfer sleeve connected between an axle plug assembly and a stationary shaft on the rotary union assembly. A flexible conduit extends through the axle plug to the rotary union assembly and is used to provide air pressure to tires connected to the rotary union assembly. The torque transfer sleeve limits rotational torque on the flexible conduit. Primary and secondary seals are provided on the rotary union assembly as well. A vent chamber between the primary and secondary seals allows the release of air which exits the primary seal, which prevents pressure from entering the lubrication area of the rotary union assembly.

Central tire inflation system rotary air union

A method and apparatus for automatically adjusting the down pressure exerted by an actuating device on a seed channel opener of a planting implement in order to maintain the seed channel opener at a predetermined depth. The method and apparatus includes a depth control device which senses the load on the depth control wheel of the planting implement and transmits a sensed load output to an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit includes a micro-controller which receives, monitors and analyzes the sensed load output and compares it to the predetermined depth value. When the micro-controller detects a change between the predetermined depth value and sensed output value, a signal is transmitted to a regulating control valve which adjusts the down pressure exerted by the actuating device on the seed channel opener to maintain the proper cutting depth.

Depth control device for planting implement

An eddy current fan drive cooling system is operable in a vehicle having a sheave rotating at a speed related to an engine speed. A driving assembly of the cooling system is attached to the sheave. A plurality of poles are exposed around an outer perimeter of the driving assembly. A plurality of windings are wrapped around the poles. The windings are electrically connected to receive a driving signal to generate a magnetic field around the poles. A driven assembly carrying a cooling fan is provided around the driving assembly. The driven assembly includes a plurality of concentric rings arranged around the exposed poles of the driving assembly. An eddy current torque is produced in the rings in response to magnetic flux passing through the rings from the exposed poles due to the magnetic field around the poles.

Eddy current fan drive

The invention relates to a winterfront composed of a porous material which restricts cold ram air but provides a continuous and uniform air flow across the full frontal area of a vehicle's grill and to its cooling system. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a porous winterfront bound within a frame suitable for mounting to the grill of a vehicle. In a second embodiment, the winterfront of the present invention is a composite structure having inner and outer screen layers secured to a mountable frame and a porous fibrous web disposed in a pocket between the two screen layers.

Winter front assembly

A roller bushing assembly (21d, 21e, 21f) designed to enable a low tolerance, frictional fit within an out-of-round or otherwise distorted support member (5, 9) includes a bushing member (29a, 216) having an outer surface (102) machined to provide various axially spaced, annular grooves (127-130, 132 and 242-250). Between or directly adjacent respective ones of the annular grooves (127-130, 132 and 242-250) are defined a plurality of axially spaced and radially extending ribs (113-122 and 232-240). The axial outermost ribs (113, 122 and 240) are preferably elongated relative to the remaining ribs (114-121 and 232-239) and have annularly chamfered portions (124, 125 and 252). The ribs (113-122 and 232-240) are adapted to shear upon mounting of the bushing member (29a, 216) within an out-of-round or otherwise distorted support. By providing the shearable ribs (113-122 and 232-240), the bushing assembly (21d, 21e, 21f) can be effectively mounted within a greater range of varying sized support members. In accordance with a first embodiment, the bushing member constitutes a sleeve (29a) within which is mounted at least one bearing unit (33, 34). The shearing of the ribs (113-122) assures that the bearing unit (33, 34) will not be excessively pre-loaded in a radial direction.

Roller bushing assembly

A rotational control apparatus (A) having a rotatable input (26 or 180) and output (26 or 180) with respective interface discs (106, 180). Three sets of two diametrically opposed pistons (64 and 66, 68 and 70, 72 and 74) are controllable to rotatably relate the interface discs (106, 180). The piston sets (64 and 66, 68 and 70, 72 and 74) include piston heads (76) with dissimilar diameters such that each of the sets of pistons (64 and 66, 68 and 70, 72 and 74) may apply a dissimilar torque for a given amount of air pressure. Each of the piston sets (64 and 66, 68 and 70, 72 and 74) may be actuated independently or in combination with each of the other sets of pistons (64 and 66, 68 and 70, 72 and 74) such that the interface discs (106, 180) may be rotatably related to each other with varying degrees of torque. The rotational control apparatus (A) also includes a unique interface disc (106) with a frustoconical annular projection (136) for drawing relatively hot air away from the hub (26) near the interface disc (106) and out of the apparatus (A). The rotational control apparatus (A) further includes a unique set of axially extending channels (38, 60, 111) for the conveyance of air for cooling the interface discs (106, 180) from a location remote from the interface discs (106, 180). Blades (152) on interface disc (106) draw relatively cool air through the channels (38, 60, 111) to the hub (26) near the interface disc (106).

Rotational control apparatus

A rotary fluid displacement apparatus (100) with an orbiting toothed ring member (30) is shown with an improved casing (60) and rolling support between the faces of the valve discs (46, 47) and the first and second fluid transfer elements (21, 35). Particularly, needle bearings (106, 112) are sandwiched between thrust washers (108,114) and then between the valve discs (46, 47) and the fluid transfer elements (21, 35), with one of the needle bearings (106) being piloted in an annular groove (110) formed in the annular plate (23) of the first fluid transfer element (21) and the other of the needle bearings (112) being piloted on the hub (35') of the second fluid transfer element (35). The casing (60) includes two pieces, i.e. a generally cylindrical portion (62) and an end cap (64). The portion (62) includes four cavities (70, 72, 74, 76), with the hub (35') of the second fluid transfer element (35) being in a sliding rotatable, and sealing relation with the axially inner cavity (76) and the end cap (64) being in sliding and sealing relation with the axially outer cavity (70). The end cap (64) includes a cavity (90) for slideably, rotatably, and sealing receipt of the hub (24) of the first fluid transfer element (21). Fluid communication is allowed axially through the end cap (64) by an axially extending fluid conduit (94) intersecting with the cavity (90) of the end cap (64) and by an axially extending fluid port (98) which intersects with first and second axially extending fluid bores (82, 96) formed in the generally cylindrical portion (62) and the end cap (64) which in turn intersects with a radially extending fluid conduit (80) terminating in the axially inner cavity (76).

Rotary fluid displacement apparatus

A torque and/or rotational control apparatus is disclosed in a preferred form of a brake (10) including a plurality of pairs of actuators (18) positioned on opposite sides of a friction disc (16) by spacers (120) having tear shaped cross sections. The pads (32) of the actuators (18) are removably held by a slideable locking pin (70) biased by a spring (80) into an aperture (68) of a backing plate (62) for the pad (32). A notch (64) formed in the pad (32) and the backing plate (62) is slideably received on a rail (66) axially extending from the housing (35) of the actuator (18) to prevent rotation about the locking pin (70). The friction disc (16) includes elongated and shortened fins (42, 43) upstanding between and equally circumferentially spaced intermediate first and second component discs (40, 41). The fins (42, 43) are free of circumferential interconnections to allow air to radially pass freely between the fins (42, 43). The elongated fins (42) extend generally tangentially from the inner edges of the component discs (40, 41). The spacers (120) are orientated with their lengths extending generally perpendicular to the fins (42, 43) and generally parallel to the air movement from between the component discs (40, 41). The shape and orientation of the spacers (120) promote laminar flow and reduce air turbulence to increase air flow around the spacers (120) and through the friction disc (16) and the brake (10).

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Saint Paul, MN, United States of America

James P LeClaire