Other

Ameron International Corporation

Ameron, Inc.

Ming Chuan Kuo

Ralph S Friedrich

Kevin Smyth

Paul Kubat

Danny I Wang

A pre-stressed concrete pipe is made by casting a concrete pipe inside a metal cylinder and then being pre-stressed by injecting solidifying compound under pressure into the boundary between the metal cylinder and concrete pipe, and includes a pair of end rings within the metal cylinder, each having a metal ring with an annular groove and an elastic band having a curved end to provide a rounded corner on the concrete pipe. After the solidifying compound is solidified, the concrete pipe retains the compression increasing its strength to withstand pressure, and moments caused by external loads. The pre-stressed concrete pipe further includes a bell ring mounted at one end and a spigot ring having a gasket ring at the other end. A bell clamp is mounted on the bell ring.

Pre-stressed concrete pipe

A conventional passenger vehicle has a lower deck and an upper deck on both sides of its aisle to double its seating areas. Each deck has ceiling and seat heights about the same as that in sedans, and hence without substantially increasing the vehicle height. Both decks are divided into seating sections with partition walls, and in a seating section each deck contains only a row of power reclining seats. Each seat has a power footrest mounted separately on the partition wall in front of the seat for sitting comfort and forming a bed with the seat. The footrest can also be placed to higher elevations to use as a table for eating or working. The footrest is stored vertically to allow more leg room for the seat. In some section of the vehicle each seating section may mount two rows of sitting-only seats to increase the vehicle capacity.

Double-deck passenger vehicle

An improved enclosed electric motorcycle has an electric motor directly driving the rear wheel with a chain or a belt. A pair of steering handles and an accelerator foot pedal enables a driver to drive the motorcycle like an automobile. The pair of the landing wheel assemblies individually has a take-up assembly to reduce their sprung weights, and has an electric motor to increase reliability. By adding a pair of anti-skid wheels, the driver can avoid many accidents. An inflatable safety belt and a pair of side airbags will protect the driver in an accident. If the battery pack explodes, it will be ejected away from the motorcycle to protect the driver. A drive-in electric engaging device enables the driver to drive the motorcycle to engage with a stationary charging station for charging its battery pack while parking.

Enclosed electric motorcycle

A pre-stressed concrete pipe is taught that incorporates a cylinder (), an annular ring () and an annular offset member () welded together. A seal band () stretches over the annular offset member and the assembled annular ring is welded within a first end () of the metallic cylinder. A strip of pressure sensitive tape () seals the internal interface. An O-ring () is positioned around the annular ring during joint attachment of a pipeline. The cylinder second end () utilizes a hat member () and a resilient seal band () stretched over the hat member with the assembled hat member welded within the second end of the cylinder. A strip of pressure sensitive tape () seals this interface. A film layer of release agent () is adhered to the inside of the metallic cylinder where a concrete tube () is cast within the cylinder. A pressurized solidifying compound () is disposed through annular spaces created between the cylinder inner wall and the offset member and hat member formed between the cylinder and the concrete tube permitting the concrete tube to remain constantly in a tangential compressed state.

An improved enclosed motorcycle () is taught, having an electric motor () and an improved handlebar assembly () employing a torque arm () with spherical rod ends (). The foot brake pedal () is improved by attached rigidly to the frame () and the bench seat () is now slideably attached and the back portion of the bench seat capable of tilting providing the requisite adjustment. The landing wheels () are now individually mounted on a support arm () hinged on the frame retained by a spring loaded take-up rod assembly () allowing stabilizing on uneven surfaces. The entrance doors upper half windows each have vent window () hinged independently on a front edge with the hinge including a locking head () secured to the window frame for ventilation. The leg doors () are hinged horizontally onto the entrance doors () and open at a predetermined speed before the motorcycle has stopped.

Enclosed motorcycle

An enclosed motorcycle ( ) that utilizes a structural frame ( ), a pair of tandem wheels ( ), an engine ( ) and a handlebar assembly ( ) provides transportation for a single driver. A foot brake pedal assembly ( ) is pivotally affixed to the frame for stopping the motorcycle and a bench seat ( ) is rigidly attached to the frame for seating the driver. A pair of outrigger landing wheels ( ) are attached to the motorcycle frame on a common axle and have automatic control to extend the wheels at a predetermined road speed, for preventing tipping at low speeds and when stopped. An enclosure ( ) is disposed over and attached to the frame which includes a pair of entrance doors ( ) and a pair of leg doors ( ), one on each side of the motorcycle for access to the seat for minimizing the enclosure envelope and providing effortless entry into the motorcycle. A two piece external passenger seat ( ) is provided over the engine with a fold down cargo compartment underneath. When the seats are hinged upward the cargo compartment mechanically unfolds providing storage space.

A set of vehicle electrically actuated reclining seats are provided to replace stationary seats in a van permitting comfortable sleeping. The invention consists of a pair of side walls ( ) attached to the van interior, with each side wall including a slotted frame ( ) having a horizontal slot ( ) therein. A set of rollers ( ) on a bench frame ( ) interface with the slots permitting the frame to slide horizontally as driven by a first electric motor drive. A pair of seats ( ) and back rests ( ) are attached to the bench frame, connected to a second electric motor drive such that when the back rest is substantially upright the back of the seat is lower than the front of the seat and when the back rest is pivoted flat the seat is simultaneously raised to a horizontal position parallel to the back rest. A pair of extendible foot rests ( ) are connected to the frame adjacent to a seat, and a third electric motor drive is jointly attached to the frame and foot rest to extend the footrest when the back rest and seat is reclined to a fully horizontal position, forming a bed within the van.

Vehicle electric reclining seats

An electric lift camper top is provided for covering a rectangular head clearance opening (,) in a vehicle top structure for camper modification. The camper top consists of a bottom frame (,), including compression springs (,), attached to the vehicle surrounding the opening with a top frame (,) which is in turn attached to the compression springs urging the frames apart. A roof (,) is attached onto the top frame covering the opening in the vehicle. A flexible wall (,) is attached to both the top and bottom frame, securing them together forming a sealed enclosed area, when extended, to allow head room within the vehicle interior. Raising and lowering linkage means, employing front and rear connecting arms (,) and (,) are also jointly attached to the top and bottom frame. Electric drive means, in the form of an electric motor (,) and worm gear (,), are attached to the linkage such that the connecting arms are angularly separated raising or lowering the roof electrically using vehicle electric power.

Electric lift camper top

A belt assembly for a pipe lining machine used to make concrete lined pipes. A pipe to be rotated is supported on the exterior surface of a belt loop wound around several pulleys, including a drive pulley and a displaceable pulley which moves laterally in response to slack and tension in the belt loop. A damping assembly is connected to the displaceable pulley to damp vibrations in the displaceable pulley. Preferably, the damping assembly includes a pneumatic suspension member, e.g., air bellows, and a hydraulic damping member, e.g., a hydraulic shock-absorbing cylinder, connected in series to the displaceable pulley.

Air bellow suspended pipe lining machine

An outer pipe casing (20) and a concrete tube (26) cast inside, form a pre-stressed concrete pipe in its elementary form. Prior to casting, a layer of non-cohesive material (28) is sprayed on the inside of the pipe casing and an annular ring (32) is welded inside adjacent to each end. A resilient seal ring (46) is captivated into the inwardly facing legs (38) of the second channel (36) of each annular ring and a temporary seal (52) separates each annular ring from the material (28). After the concrete of the tube cures, a pressurized solidifying compound (54) is inserted under pressure to a pathway (42) formed into each annular ring and it is also extruded into a region (30) coated by the non-cohesive material. Pressurization of the compound is sufficient to cause the pipe casing to bulge outwardly and compression of the concrete in the tube is achieved. When the compound hardens, the compressive force remains and pre-loads the pipe. As the outer casing bulges externally when pressurized by the compound, the seal ring (46) is compressed tightly against the concrete of the tube assuring and maintaining an absolute closure between the tube and the annular ring.

A pipe joint for fiber reinforced composite pipe has internal and external matching tapers with a low taper angle. A half round helical groove is formed in each of the internal and external tapers for receiving several turns of a ductile key. The pipe joint is usable on high strength lightweight fiber reinforced composite pipe having helically wound steel strips embedded in the fiber reinforced resin. The pipe joint on such pipe is on an enlarged portion of glass fiber reinforced composite built up on an end of the pipe. The steel strips are terminated at differing distances from the end of the pipe joint and the ends of all of the steel strips are completely embedded in the fiber reinforced resin.

High-pressure fiber reinforced composite pipe joint

A gated mold for casting concrete pipe requires no wedges or bolts for securement. A core mold may be contracted by lifting at an actuation point, and expanded by resting on a base ring. An external mold may be expanded by lifting at an actuation point, and contracted by resting on a base ring. The mold gates are opened and closed with sets of collapsing links pivotably attached to a longitudinally extending actuation column. Longitudinal motion of the actuation column forces the links to collapse or extend, thereby expanding or contracting the mold. Appropriately positioned actuation and lifting points are provided such that the mold can be lifted vertically along the longitudinal axis containing the mold center of gravity.

Self-actuating molds for vertically casting concrete pipe

A pipe joint for fiber reinforced composite pipe has internal and external matching tapers with a low taper angle. A half round helical groove is formed in each of the internal and external tapers for receiving several turns of a ductile key. Deformation of the key in shear redistributes longitudinal loads along the length of the pipe joint. The outer member of the pipe joint has a high stiffness so that internal pressure in the pipe presses the tapered surfaces together so that the resulting friction enhances the longitudinal load carrying capability of the joint. High external stiffness may be provided by winding the external moiety of the joint with high modulus of elasticity fiber. The pipe joint is sealed by introducing a liquid ductile thermosetting sealant between O-rings at the inner end of the joint. The seal can be nondestructively tested and deployed under water before the sealant cures. The pipe joint is usable on high strength lightweight fiber reinforced composite pipe having helically wound steel strips embedded in the fiber reinforced resin. The pipe joint on such pipe is on an enlarged portion of glass fiber reinforced composite built up on an end of the pipe. The steel strips are terminated at differing distances from the end of the pipe joint and the ends of all of the steel strips are completely embedded in the fiber reinforced resin.

A prestress wire splicing apparatus is used to replace sections of wire used in prestressing concrete pipe, where a section of wire has either failed due to corrosion or has been removed for inspection purposes, and to restore the proper amount of tension necessary to keep the concrete pipe in a net overall compression force. The prestress wire splicing apparatus comprises a set of anchor blocks for attachment to the ends of wires, a stop screw for holding a set of the anchor blocks apart, a clamp bolt for securing a set of the blocks together, and a hydraulic clamping device for pressing a set of blocks toward each other. A splice-wire anchor block is attached to each end of a splice wire. An exposed-wire anchor block is attached to each remaining wire end. A clamping device is attached and operated to compress the anchor blocks together to a desired tension force. A clamp bolt is tightened to maintain the tension and the clamping device is removed. Each anchor block has a longitudinal groove with a plurality of teeth spaced apart along its length for engaging a wire with the wire surface flush with the surface of the block.

Prestress wire splicing apparatus

A traction frame supports the body of a user in an angularly inclined, inverted position. The traction frame includes a body-supporting frame mounted in a stationary angular position. A leg support beam, extends axially away from the body-supporting frame to an elevated position above the upper end of the frame. A pair of ankle support pads on the beam support the underside of the user's lower legs. A lever arm extends above and parallel to the beam and pivots to the upper end of the beam. A pair of instep support pads on the lever arm can pivot to a locked position in which the user's lower legs are fastened between the instep support pads and the ankle support pads. The lever arm pivots toward the locked position along a guide having a latch engaged by a spring-biased detent in the lever arm. The detent latches in a snap lock to positively prevent the instep pads on the lever arm from rotating away from the ankle support pads. The lever arm can be released from its locked position by pulling axially on the lever arm against the bias of the detent to release the detent from the latch, allowing the lever arm to pivot away.

Growing community of inventors

Cerritos, CA, United States of America

Ming Chuan Kuo