Kelsey-hayes Company

Leonard T Tribe

Gerald M Sivulka

Daniel L Neill

John R Bruder

Thomas M Atkins

Peter Every

John S Frait

Clark E Lowman

Roger L Miller

Roger Sweet

George W Morris, Iii

The present invention provides an automatic cut off switch which grounds the magneto-spark plug circuit of a small gasoline engine shutting the engine down when the quantity of lubricating oil within the sump falls below a predetermined quantity. The switch is operated by a balance beam float assembly housed within a protective shroud. The protective shroud acts to collect a relatively stable pool of oil, representative of the quantity of oil remaining in the sump, for activation of the balance beam float. Upon refilling of the oil sump the switch automatically resets thereby permitting re-start of the engine.

Liquid level detector

In accordance with the present invention, a normally open isolation valve is connected between a master cylinder and the selected wheel brakes, and a normally closed dump valve is connected between the selected wheel brakes and a fluid accumulator. A computer control module is connected to operate the isolation valve and the dump valve. In operation, when a slip condition of the controlled wheels is detected, the computer control module closes the isolation valve to hold fluid pressure to the controlled brakes at a relatively constant level. If the deceleration of the controlled wheels exceeds a predetermined amount, the computer control module will selectively open the dump valve to enable fluid to flow into the accumulator, thereby reducing the deceleration of the associated wheels. After the isolation valve has been closed and the slip condition is corrected, the computer control module can detect when the vehicle travels from a low friction surface such as wet asphalt to a high friction surface such as a dry concrete, because the braked wheels of the vehicle which are not controlled by the skid control system will cause an increase in deceleration of the vehicle. Under these conditions, pressure to the controlled wheel brakes can generally be increased without causing a lock-up condition. The control module is responsive to an increase in wheel deceleration above a predetermined rate to selectively open the isolation valve after the valve has been closed to gradually increase pressure to the controlled wheel brakes.

Vehicle skid control system

Electrical cut off float switch

The present invention relates to a position sensor which can be utilized as a height sensor in an automatic vehicle suspension system. The sensor comprises a telescoping assembly including an elongate shaft having one end which is axially slidable within an outer housing. The telescoping assembly is connected between sprung and unsprung vehicle frame members. The outer ends of the shaft and the housing are each provided with a unique bifurcated socket unit and an associated retaining clip for attachment to a ball element connection point on the associated vehicle frame member. A pair of magnets are carried by the shaft and are adapted to generate a first magnetic field having one polarity and extending axially along a first portion of the shaft and a second magnetic field having an opposite polarity and extending axially along a second portion of the shaft. A pair of axially spaced apart Hall effect switches are carried by the housing and are responsive to the first and second magnetic fields along the shaft for generating logic signals representing the relative position between the movable vehicle frame members. A separate concentrator element is positioned adjacent each of the Hall effect switches for increasing the intensity of the magnetic field in the region of respective switch. Also disclosed is a simplified method for installing the position sensor on the vehicle.

Position sensor

A slack adjuster for axially moved push rods is provided. An axially extending rotating actuating shaft turns a helical, driving cam member that in turn axially displaces a non-rotating driven cam member. The driving and driven helical cam members are located in a housing with the actuating shaft extending out of one end thereof and a threaded push rod extending out of the other end of the housing. A helical return spring is positioned between the driven cam and the inner wall of the housing to bias the cam members together. The push rod is held against rotation internally of the housing by a flange whose periphery is frictionally engaged by the return spring. A nut is threaded onto the rod and engaged by the driven cam member to transmit axial force to the push rod; and relative extension of the push rod from the cam members is accomplished by a one way spring brake acting on the nut and a disc clutch drive between the driving cam and nut. Lost motion is provided to prevent rotation of the nut on the rod during normal push rod clearance, and rotation of the nut on the push rod occurs when excessive push rod clearance occurs.

Push rod slack adjuster

An improved slack adjuster used for establishing the running clearance between brake shoes and a brake drum. A brake actuating cam is attached to a worm gear mounted in a slack adjuster housing. When the slack adjuster is rotated through greater than a predetermined increment which establishes the running clearance for the brakes, a worm is rotated to change the angular position between the worm gear and the slack adjuster housing.

Slack adjuster for vehicle brakes

A hydraulic pressure transducer comprises a cylindrical housing having a plurality of circumferential inwardly and outwardly directed ribs which axially position and retain coaxially aligned operative components within the transducer. These components include a hydraulic piston and cylinder, a restoring spring disposed between two centering and retaining stabilizer cups, and a biasing spring which maintains the components in compressed juxtaposition to ensure accurate and immediate response while minimizing axial dimensional stack up. The transducer senses hydraulic pressure in, for example, a brake line and provides a variable resistance output which may be used in an auxiliary electric brake system controller commonly used on recreational trailers and the like.

Pressure transducer and method of making same

Pressure transducer

Two embodiments of skid control systems for preventing the skidding of a wheel of a vehicle, each having a fluid pressure actuated brake and a hydraulic modulator that is operated by a vacuum motor in response to a predetermined skid signal to reduce the pressure on the wheel brake to prevent skidding. A bypass valve is incorporated for providing a direct source of actuating fluid to the wheel brake in the event of failure of the vacuum actuator to maintain the modulator in a normal braking position due to failure of the vacuum actuator. In each embodiment the hydraulic modulator includes a skid control valve movable between an open, normal braking position and a closed, skid control position in response to the predetermined skid signal. In one embodiment of the invention, the skid control valve is supported within the structure of the bypass valve to provide a compact assembly.

Fail safe bypass for a skid control system

A speed sensing device for a wheeled vehicle in which the sensing device is mounted within a cavity formed at the outer end of an axle shaft. A flexible and splined drive connection transfers the drive from the wheel of the vehicle to the rotor of the speed sensing device. In this way, axial, angular and radial variations in spacing between the wheel and axle will not affect the signal generated by the speed sensing device nor will such variations subject the speed sensing device to undue loads.

Speed sensing device

A skid control device for pneumatic brake systems embodying relay valves. In response to an impending skidding condition, the control pressure on the relay valve is dumped to relieve the brake pressure. When the brakes are dumped, a latch valve isolates the operator controlled treadle valve from the relay valve and establishes an alternative actuating path for subsequent brake actuation. A regulator is interposed in this path and provides controlled pressure for subsequent re-applications during a given braking cycle. The regulator is operatively connected with a memory volume to provide a regulated pressure that is related to the pressure that existed at the time the brakes were initially dumped.

Growing community of inventors

Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Leonard T Tribe