White Consolidated Industries, Inc.

Allen-bradley Company, LLC

Sydney W Frey, Jr

Richard D Marasch

Edwin J Wroblewski

Mark I Herson

Robert E Houf

James E Slagg

An awning includes a roller assembly having a torsion spring, a canopy connected between a wall the roller assembly, and a pair of &ldquo;four-bar&rdquo; arm assemblies supporting opposite ends of the roller assembly. The arm assemblies move the roller assembly between a retracted position and an extended position, where the torsion spring biases the roller assembly toward the retracted position. Each arm assembly includes a vertically extending base arm secured to the wall, a bottom arm having a first end pivotally connected to the base arm, an extended arm having a first end pivotally connected to the bottom arm and a second end supporting the roller assembly, and a top arm having a first end pivotally connected to the base arm and a second end pivotally connected to the extended arm. Each arm assembly also includes a force producing member extending between the base arm and the bottom or top arm to move the arm assembly toward the extended position. The force producing member may be an electric linear actuator extending between the base arm and the bottom arm. A counter-balance spring biases the arm assembly toward the extended position to counter-balance the torsion spring.

Awning extension and retraction mechanism

An awning includes a roller assembly having a torsion spring, a canopy connected between a wall the roller assembly, and a pair of &ldquo;four-bar&rdquo; arm assemblies supporting opposite ends of the roller assembly. The arm assemblies move the roller assembly between a retracted position and an extended position, where the torsion spring biases the roller assembly toward the retracted position. Each arm assembly includes a vertically extending base arm secured to the wall, a bottom arm having a first end pivotally connected to the base arm, an extended arm having a first end pivotally connected to the bottom arm and a second end supporting the roller assembly, and a top arm having a first end pivotally connected to the base arm and a second end pivotally connected to the extended arm. Each arm assembly also includes a force producing member extending between the base arm and the bottom or top arm to move the arm assembly toward the extended position. The force producing member may be a tension spring or a compression spring.

A hub provided at an end of a roller rotates with the roller. A stationary cap mounted to an axle of the roller is positioned adjacent the hub. A pawl pivots on the cap and is movable to engage gears on the hub. The pawl has two abutment surfaces mounted. The pawl pivots between a first position wherein one of the abutment surfaces engages the geared surface to prevent rotation of the hub in a first direction and a second position wherein the other abutment surfaces engages the geared surface to prevent rotation of the hub in a second direction.

Ratchet type cam lock for a roller

A retractable awning for mounting to a wall such as the side of a recreational vehicle. The awning includes a roller, a flexible canopy having an inner edge connected to the wall and an outer edge secured to the roller, a pair of arm assemblies supporting opposite ends of the roller and operable to move the roller between a retracted position adjacent the wall and an extended position spaced from the wall, and a travel latch for securing the arm assemblies in the retracted position. Each of the arm assemblies includes a vertically extending base arm connected to the wall, a bottom arm having a first end pivotally connected to the base arm, an extended arm having a first end pivotally connected to the bottom arm and a second end connected to and supporting the roller, and a top arm having a first end pivotally connected to the base arm above the bottom arm and a second end pivotally connected to the extended arm. The base arm and the extended arm each have a main wall and a pair of side walls extending from opposite edges of the main wall to form a channel. The channels of the base and extended arms facing each other in the retracted position to form a storage cavity for the top and bottom arms. At least one of the side walls of the base arm has a lip for cooperating with the travel latch. The latch is comprised of a resilient polymer and is secured to one of the extended arms. The latch has an angled ramp which engages the lip to releasably secure the extended arm to the base arm with spring tension when the awning is in the retracted position.

Travel latch for retractable awning

An awning includes a roller assembly having a torsion spring, a canopy connected between a wall the roller assembly, and a pair of 'four-bar' arm assemblies supporting opposite ends of the roller assembly. The arm assemblies move the roller assembly between a retracted position and an extended position, where the torsion spring biases the roller assembly toward the retracted position. Each arm assembly includes a vertically extending base arm secured to the wall, a bottom arm having a first end pivotally connected to the base arm, an extended arm having a first end pivotally connected to the bottom arm and a second end supporting the roller assembly, and a top arm having a first end pivotally connected to the base arm and a second end pivotally connected to the extended arm. The base arm has a telescoping extension so that the effective length of the base arm is variable. Each arm assembly also includes a force producing member extending between the base arm and the bottom or top arm to move the arm assembly toward the extended position. In a preferred powered automatic awning, the force producing member is an electric linear actuator extending between the base arm and the bottom arm. A counter-balance spring biases the arm assembly toward the extended position to counter-balance the torsion spring. In a preferred spring-assisted manual awning, a tension coil spring extends between the base arm and the bottom arm to counter-balance the torsion spring, or a compression spring suitably mounted to create tension between the base arm and the bottom arm. In another preferred spring-assisted manual awning, a compression gas spring extends between the base arm and the top arm to counter-balance the torsion spring.

An electric load controller having a modular construction with the logic circuitry located in an enclosure. This circuitry comprises a microprocessor, I/O interface and a memory for storing the computer program to be executed by the microprocessor. The control logic supplies signals via the I/O interface to a set of three modules which switch the three phase electric current to the load. The switch modules each having a separate enclosure containing thyristors which apply the electricity to the load in response to control logic signals. The switch modules are mounted on a heat sink and the logic circuit enclosure is mounted on the switch modules. A protection circuit module may be included that provides a metal oxide varistor and a capacitor connected across each phase of the electric power.

Modular electric load controller

Natural convection cooling of power carrying electronic components mounted within an enclosure is achieved by mounting the power components at the base of the enclosure at the opening of an inner chimney which separates the enclosure interior into forward and rearward compartments. The inner chimney serves to duct the heated air rising from the components at the base of the enclosure forward compartment to the top of the enclosure. A heat exchanger is mounted on the inside face of the enclosure door to provide a cooled surface so that warm air at the top of the enclosure forward compartment is drawn downwardly along the heat exchanger surface to the base of the enclosure thereby creating natural air turbulence within the enclosure. Natural convection cooling is further improved by adding a plurality of heat sinks to the chassis base so that the heat sink fins extend into the rearward compartment which forms an outer chimney by virtue of air ducts being provided in the front and top walls of the enclosure in communication of the rearward compartment. The outer chimney creates an increased draft of cool air along the fins thereby reducing the average temperature of the air rising through the fins. In this way, convection cooling is achieved without the need for separate mechanical air handling equipment.

Natural convection cooling system for electronic components

A rheostat (10) has a disk-shaped base (11) that is slidably mounted between a pair of spaced terminal pins (12, 13). A resistance track (14) is disposed on top of the base (11) and is connected to a collector track (15) that is disposed around the circumference of the base (11). A collector terminal pin (12) has contacts (12d) in sliding engagement with the collector track (15), and a wiper terminal pin (13) has an oblique contact surface formed by projections (13g) that slidably engage the resistance track (14). The terminal pins (12, 13) can be mounted on a supporting surface, so that as the base (11) is rotated, the resistance between the terminal pins (12, 13) is varied. The oblique contact surface on the wiper terminal pin (13) aids in maintaining a balanced current distribution in the resistance track (14).

Rheostat trimmer

A trimming potentiometer (10) has a circuit track pattern (12) disposed on a base (11) having three integrally formed legs (11d). The track pattern (12) includes a collector track (12a), a resistance track (12b) and a pair of termination tracks (12c) connected to opposite ends of the resistance track (12b). Terminals for the device are formed by extending the collector track (12a)and the pair of termination tracks (12c) down the middle leg (11d) and the opposite outside legs (11d), respectively. A multi-functional contact (13) is rotatably mounted on the base (11) and includes multiple fingers (13g) that contact the resistance tracks (12b), dimpled areas (13j, 13k) which form projecting surfaces that contact the collector track (12a), a stop tab (13l) at its upper extremity that limits rotation, and outwardly extending notched tabs (13m) for receiving a suitable drive member to adjust the setting of the potentiometer (10).

Two-piece trimming potentiometer

A compact electrical control, such as a potentiometer, a rheostat, or a switch includes a housing and a shaft rotatably mounted within the housing. The housing has a cavity for receiving a resilient annular seal surrounding the shaft, and the shaft is provided with a radial pressure plate that bears against the seal. A rotary assembly composed of resistance or switch elements is mounted on the shaft between the pressure plate and a journaled end of the shaft, and the resistance or switch elements are contacted by stationary contacts held in the housing. The seal is axially compressed between the pressure plate on the shaft and a cavity end wall, and is radially compressed between a circumferential side wall and the shaft, so that the seal both prevents liquid from entering the housing along the shaft and controls axial end play of the shaft.

Growing community of inventors

Brookfield, WI, United States of America

Sydney W Frey, Jr