Caterpillar Tractor Co.

Caterpillar Inc.

Joseph C Hafele

Thomas J Richards

William H Belke

Michael S Englund

Ernest W Landen

Dwain C Schulze, Jr

Gerald P Simmons

John W Crayton

Paul L Wright

Donald P Diemer

Robert H Hawkins

John C McCornack

A contamination monitor for sensing particle contamination in a liquid system having a filter includes a sensor for measuring the pressure differential across the filter, a reference apparatus for providing information relative to at least one of the viscosity changes and the flow changes of the liquid passing through the filter by providing one or more reference signals relating thereto, and a programmable data processing and interface unit for receiving data from the sensor and the reference apparatus and providing a recognizable compensated output corresponding to the contamination level of the liquid system. The data processing and interface unit can provide a plurality of command signals for lighting a plurality of lights that can be individually used for diagnostic purposes and can provide information on the rate of plugging of the filter.

Contamination monitor and method

A system for obtaining samples of the exhaust of a combustor for subsequent constituent level analysis and a method of determining constituent levels. The system includes inlets (10,26) for alternately delivering exhaust or ambient air to the system. System outlets (56,58) are sealingly coupled to sample receiving and collecting containers (60,62) and a pump (32) is connected to the inlets (10,26) to pressurize gases entering the system. The pump has an outlet (32) to an air cooled heat exchanger (38) which is cooled by a fan (40) to condense water vapor in the gases. The heat exchanger is connected by plumbing (48,50,52,64,66) to the system outlets (56,58) and a chemical gas dryer (54) may be connected in the system when ambient air is entering the system inlet (26). The method of analyzing the exhaust includes the steps of partially filling a sample collecting container with dried air and thereafter directing the exhaust to be analyzed into the sample collecting container. The sample is subsequently measured to determine the volumetric levels of at least two constituents and thereafter, the Fuel Specific basis of one of the constituents is calculated utilizing the data obtained in the step of measuring and the normal volumetric level of the other constituent in ambient air.

System for obtaining exhaust samples and analyzing the same

A system for obtaining samples of the exhaust of a combustor for subsequent constituent level analysis and a method of determining constituent levels. The system includes inlets (10,26) for alternately delivering exhaust or ambient air to the system. System outlets (56,58) are sealingly coupled to sample receiving and collecting containers (60,62) and a pump (32) is connected to the inlets (10,26) to pressurize gases entering the system. The pump has an outlet (36) to an air cooled heat exchanger (38) which is cooled by a fan (40) to condense water vapor in the gases. The heat exchanger is connected by plumbing (48,50,52,64,66) to the system outlets (56,58) and a chemical gas dryer (54) may be connected in the system when ambient air is entering the system inlet (26). The method of analyzing the exhaust includes the steps of partially filling a sample collecting container with dried air and thereafter directing the exhaust to be analyzed into the sample collecting container. The sample is subsequently measured to determine the volumetric levels of at least two constituents and thereafter, the Fuel Specific basis of one of the constituents is calculated utilizing the data obtained in the step of measuring and the normal volumetric level of the other constituent in ambient air.

A bearing having a generally flat planer surface of pearlite, and an array of microasperities of martensite on the planer surface, each microasperity including a gently sloping front surface in relation to the direction of movement of the bearing and a sharply sloping rear surface in relation to such direction of movement. A pulsed laser beam or other heat source is focussed on the bearing to produce the array with microasperities of controlled size and shape.

Bearing having an array of microasperities

A liquid cooled, internal combustion engine operating on the diesel cycle including a combustion chamber (34) and a piston (14). Liquid coolant passages (40) receive liquid coolant from a pump (46) for cooling the engine. A prechamber housing (54) is in fluid communication with the combustion chamber but spaced by an air gap within an opening (50) in the head (24) of the engine. A gaseous coolant is directed via conduits (72,82,86,92) to the opening to cool the prechamber.

Liquid cooled diesel engine having gas cooled prechamber

An electrostatic coating system in which the workpiece to be coated is charged to a high DC potential. A conveyor moves the workpiece through the coating zone past a charged conductor. A suspended workpiece support includes a swivel joint to accommodate tilt and sway of the workpiece. A charge collector on the support has a spherically contoured surface which swings from the swivel joint so that the spacing of the collector from the conductor is substantially constant, stabilizing the voltage induced on the workpiece and minimizing the danger of sparking.

Electrostatic coating system

A laser system includes a nozzle assembly for use in directing a shielding gas around a laser beam and thereby protecting the point of focus from contamination by the atmosphere as is useful in welding and cutting applications. The nozzle includes a manifold section for admitting a shielding gas such as inert gas through a diffuser formed therein which exits from an outlet aperture through a nozzle tip section. The geometry of the nozzle is such that a certain amount of the shielding gas is flowed backward through an inlet aperture in the manifold section and thence into a housing container reflecting mirrors for directing and focusing the laser beam through the nozzle assembly. The remaining shielding gas, which is the bulk of the gas admitted, passes out through the outlet aperture in column fashion around the laser beam. By producing a back flow of shielding gas, aspiration of air through the housing and onto the workpiece is avoided. In addition, the necessity of having alternative means for preventing such aspiration in the form of windows or lenses closing off access to the housing is also prevented. The nozzle assembly is in two parts to facilitate interchanging of nozzle tips with the manifold, thereby providing a range of outlet opening sizes.

Gas nozzle for laser welding

A method and apparatus for producing microasperities for enhancing lubrication is provided. A pulsed laser beam or other heat source having high resolution with respect to time and space is focused onto a surface such as a thrust bearing surface to produce an array of microasperities of controlled size, shape and density. The staggered ramp shaped asperities produce an enhanced lubrication effect.

Corpuscular energy beam produced microasperities

A reflective mirror system for controlling the supply beam of a laser is provided. The system includes a first mirror having the surface of a partial section of the surface of a paraboloid of revolution and mounted in a housing relative to a collimated beam such as produced by a laser, so as to reflect the beam from the direction of travel on to a second mirror. From the second mirror the beam is reflected through an opening in the first mirror and converged to a point of focus for doing useful work on a workpiece.

Growing community of inventors

Peoria, IL, United States of America

Joseph C Hafele