Hendrickson USA, L L.c.

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Midas International Corporation

John Stephen Bubulka

Ashley Thomas Dudding

Jerome Lim Cortez

Kenneth R Levey

Robert K Dutzi

Jerry Michael Lovett

Sammy C Lumetta

Jeffrey L Trzaskus

Robert P Sellberg

Brian Scott Wiltjer

Joel M Thomas

Kavithas Ponnampalam

Michael Grover

Charles Beaman

Ryan Traxinger

A vehicle axle is provided with a main body defined by the combination of a channel having an inverted U-shaped configuration and a bottom plate. The ends of the main body are curved upwardly to define a pair of gooseneck portions. Axle head sections are formed at the ends of the axle and are closed off by end extensions extending from the front and rear walls of the channel and a cover flap extension extending from the top wall of the channel. A head plate having a rounded back edge and/or a pocket is inserted within the space between the cover flap and the top edges of the end extensions.

Head plate for vehicle axle

A fabricated vehicle axle is provided with a main body defined by the combination of a channel having an inverted U-shaped configuration and a bottom plate. The ends of the main body are curved upwardly to define a pair of gooseneck portions. Axle head sections are formed at the ends of the axle and are closed off by end extensions extending from the front and rear walls of the channel and a cover flap extension extending from the top wall of the channel. A head plate is inserted within the space between the cover flap and the top edges of the end extensions. King pin bolt holes are machined at each axle head section into the cover flaps, head plates and each end of the bottom plate to permit a king pin to be installed therein.

Fabricated vehicle axle

A threaded fastener includes a shank having a tip and a head configured for engagement by an associated driving tool. The fastener is configured for use with an associated threaded opening. The head is disposed on the shank opposite the tip. The shank has a helical thread formed thereon. The thread extends from about the tip to about the head and defines a plurality of zones. Each zone has a plurality of individual threads extending 360 degrees about the shank. A leading thread in each zone is formed with a wave-form profile having an amplitude that is greater than the amplitude of each prior leading thread. In one embodiment, threads other than the leading thread in each zone do not have an amplitude as great as their respective leading threads. A fastening assembly is also disclosed.

Fastener with zoned, varying wave-form thread

A fabricated vehicle axle is provided with a single piece main body having an inverted U-shaped configuration. The ends of the main body are curved upwardly to define a pair of gooseneck portions. A first king pin fixture having a king pin bore is secured to one of the gooseneck portions, while a second king pin fixture having a king pin bore is secured to the other gooseneck portion. A bottom plate is secured to the main body and has ends extending beyond the gooseneck portions to provide seats for the king pin fixtures.

A high performance muffler is used to modify sound waves of exhaust gases generated by a high performance internal combustion engine. The muffler has an inlet for connection to an internal combustion engine exhaust system. A muffler body is connected to the inlet. The muffler body has a shell which has a width greater than its height. The shell includes a pair of spaced apart opposed panels. An outlet is connected to the muffler body to receive exhaust gases from the body. The muffler body has a first expansion chamber adjacent to the inlet. The first expansion chamber extends across the width of the muffler body. A first reduced opening is in the muffler body extending across the width of the muffler body. A second expansion chamber is in the muffler body adjacent to the first reduced opening. The second expansion chamber also extends across the width of the muffler body. A second reduced opening extending across the width of the muffler body communicates with the second expansion chamber. The second reduced opening and first reduced opening cooperate to direct flow of the exhaust gases through the muffler body in a sinuous path. A third expansion chamber extends across the width of the muffler body and is positioned adjacent to the second reduced opening. The third expansion chamber communicates with the outlet so that gases flowing in the sinuous path are exhausted from the muffler body.

High performance muffler

Growing community of inventors

Westchester, IL, United States of America

John Stephen Bubulka