"Flight by machines heavier than air is unpractical and insignificant, if not utterly impossible."
Simon Newcomb, astronomer ; Said in 1902, less than two years before the first flight at Kitty Hawk
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7354119 | Brake system A brake system for a vehicle has a brake pedal and at least one rotational part. The brake system further includes a shaft connectable to the rotational part, and a first fluid control unit configured for being filled with fluid and actuating in response to manipula... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7325567 | Pneumatic retarder acutator valve The present invention pertains to an electro-pneumatic retarder control (EPRC) valve for a pneumatic retarder that controls the speed of railroad cars in a marshaling yard. The EPRC valve has a housing that generally encloses and protects its various components. The... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7219775 | Attachment for preventing reverse rotation of a shaft A fan rotor is mounted on a shaft carried on bearings attached to a base plate and there is provided an assembly for preventing reverse rotation of the fan which could damage the motor. A stop plate is mounted on the base adjacent the shaft with an edge adjacent the... | 05/22/2007 |
| 7077246 | Fall safety device A fall safety device is provided having a load-bearing rotor 2, which supports at least one locking member 6, which can be moved by centrifugal force and which is moved into engagement with at least one stop 7b of a stator 4 if a c... | 07/18/2006 |
| 7036638 | Brake arresting device with adaptable brake force for an elevator A safety brake device has a setting device moving an abutment or a housing to limit movement of brake wedges engaging a guide rail which limits a braking force applied by the brake wedges. The setting device can continuously adjust the braking force limit in depende... | 05/02/2006 |
| 7014019 | Brake actuator comprising an energy accumulator and an inertia weight The invention relates to a brake actuator, especially for a rail vehicle brake, comprising an accumulation brake unit having an energy accumulator for storing and supplying energy for applying the brake, preferably in the event of safety braking and/or park braking,... | 03/21/2006 |
| 6691834 | Elevator governor A centrifugally activated device for controlling the speed of movement of an elevator cab includes the capability of controlling upward and downward movement. A first stopping device is associated with at least one elevator sheave. A second stopping devic... | 02/17/2004 |
| 6659230 | Safety brake for stairlifts The present invention relates to an overspeed governor for a stairlift and is characterised in that it can operate in two opposite directions. This means that the same device can be fitted to stairlifts regardless of whether the stairlift installation is ... | 12/09/2003 |
| 6460828 | Brake, in particular for a drive of a hoist A brake for a hoist, includes a brake disk and a magnetic filed which is aligned transversely to the brake disk and generates a reactive force which inhibits a movement of the brake disk and is dependent on the rotation speed of the brake disk as well as ... | 10/08/2002 |
| 6457569 | Rotary actuated overspeed safety device A rotary actuated overspeed safety device is provided for elevators. The overspeed safety device comprises a pair of pivotally mounted counterweights linked by a pivotally attached coupling rod and a wheel that rollably engages a guide rail. The counterwe... | 10/01/2002 |
| 6386344 | Braking device A braking device including a chamber rotatably mounted on an axle, the chamber defining an inner cavity, a disc mounted on the axle in the inner cavity, the disc having opposing surfaces extending away from the axle, and a pourable material disposed in th... | 05/14/2002 |
| 6293376 | Apparatus including eddy current braking system Eddy current braking apparatus includes a linear array of spaced apart permanent magnets arranged for defining a slot therebetween. A diamagnetic or non-magnetic fin is disposed and sized for movement through the slot. A pivotal linkage enables the magnet... | 09/25/2001 |
| 6233514 | Method for controlling the downhill speed of an off-the-road vehicle A method for controlling the speed of an off-the-road vehicle traveling on a gradient permits a constant downhill speed to be maintained. The vehicle speed can be set to a constant descending speed by an electronic system through active braking interventi... | 05/15/2001 |
| 6059050 | Apparatus for controlling relative rotation of a drilling tool in a well bore An apparatus for controlling rotation of an outer sleeve member relative to an inner cylindrical duct member is used in a drilling system for controlling steering of a downhole drilling tool. The apparatus includes an annular swash plate pump and a stack ... | 05/09/2000 |
| 6003798 | Adjustable brake for baitcast reel A braking apparatus for a fishing reel and a braking element assembly preferred for use in the inventive apparatus. The inventive braking apparatus comprises: a contacting structure; a plurality of braking elements for contacting the contacting structure ... | 12/21/1999 |
| 5997108 | Process for controlling the speed of a vehicle travelling on a slope A process for controlling the speed of a vehicle travelling on a slope is disclosed. The vehicle is equipped with an electronic system which, through active brake intervention, adjusts the speed of the vehicle to a predetermined constant hill descent spee... | 12/07/1999 |
| 5950949 | Adjustable brake for baitcast reel A braking apparatus for a fishing reel comprising: a plurality of braking elements; a braking element assembly for retaining the braking elements in radial paths about a rotational axis such that a centrifugal force imparted to the braking elements by rot... | 09/14/1999 |
| 5803211 | Motorized brake actuator, especially for rail vehicles A brake system for gradual, uniform and jerk-free deceleration of a load, such as a railway car, can have a motor which is operable to store force in a spring and which force is applied in a force-transmitting chain including a measuring spring to a brake... | 09/08/1998 |
| 5540306 | Adjustable centrifugal brake The variable centrifugal brake is used for providing a load and for dissipating energy coming from a power input. The brake comprises a frame provided with a driven hub connectable to the power input. A floating plate is mounted on the hub with one side c... | 07/30/1996 |
| 5458318 | Drum brake A safety mechanism for preventing a cable drum to rotate with overspeed has parallel ratchet wheels which encircle a brake drum. At a periphery of the ratchet wheels are stopping slots wherein a latching pawl is inserted when an overspeed is detected. The... | 10/17/1995 |
| 5441131 | Asymmetry/overspeed brake unit An asymmetry/overspeed brake unit designed to stop the rotation of a control surface and its attending drive set and attachment hardware in response to a mechanical overspeed condition or an electrical signal from a flight control computer. The asymmetry/... | 08/15/1995 |
| 5295562 | Centrifugal brake The present invention provides a centrifugal brake which, according to one aspect of the invention, has a center hub from which extend flex members terminating in tabs extending from the flex members. Disposed on the opposite side of each flex member from... | 03/22/1994 |
| 5202539 | Emergency brake apparatus for an elevator An additional emergency brake apparatus is provided for an elevator installation which contains a car, counterweight, hoist ropes, drive sheave, motor, brake and elevator car safety. This additional emergency brake apparatus acts directly at the drive she... | 04/13/1993 |
| 5186289 | Retractable lifeline safety device A retractable lifeline safety device usable by workers performing tasks at great heights above the ground. The mechanical components of the safety device are contained within a sealed housing that is filled with a viscous fluid. The sealed housing prevent... | 02/16/1993 |
| 5101938 | Mechanical load brake with automatic adjustment In a mechanical load brake for a hoist or other lifting device, a one-way device such as a helical wrap spring is fitted over the load brake shaft to automatically adjust for brake disc wear. A tang on the one-way device engages a drive hole in an input g... | 04/07/1992 |
| 5065845 | Speed governor safety device for stopping an elevator car A safety apparatus includes a safety device and a centrifugal force speed governor for preventing overspeed conditions of an elevator car in both the downward direction and the upward direction. A bracket attached to the elevator car slidably retains a sh... | 11/19/1991 |
| 5031730 | Safety brake A safety brake for braking a moving member includes at least one active member co-operating by friction with a passive member. The active member is kept at a distance from the passive member by an incompressible fluid which opposes the effect of a drive e... | 07/16/1991 |
| 4977982 | Elevator sheave brake safety The cable drive sheave (14) carries a wedge-shaped brake ring (44) engageable with V-shaped brake shoes (52, 58). Each shoe is spring biased (68, 76) tangentially toward the ring and resiliently supported and biased radially (50) toward the ring. The shoe... | 12/18/1990 |
| 4919238 | Variable centrifugal brake A variable centrifugal brake comprises a driven shaft carrying a disc with centrifugally-acting bob weights which bear against an axially displaceable bush, which in turn bears against a forked lever assembly, in turn bearing against a further lever carry... | 04/24/1990 |
| 4885698 | Overload prevention apparatus for jacking system of offshore structures An overload prevention apparatus for a jacking system of a rack and pinion type for use in offshore structures is disclosed. Each of the pinions is provided with a torque meter and tachometer for detecting a relative position between the pinion and the ra... | 12/05/1989 |
| 4877110 | Safety device with retractable lifeline A safety device for restraining a person who works at great heights. The device comprises a housing, a drum rotatably mounted and contained within the housing, and a lifeline having a first end attached to the drum, and a second end extending outside the ... | 10/31/1989 |
| 4856623 | Overspeed brake An overspeed brake mounted on an elevator cage includes a shaft that carries a pinion engageable with a rack so that linear movement of the cage produces rotation of the shaft. A carrier rotated by the shaft has two pivotably mounted dogs thereon that mov... | 08/15/1989 |
| 4819388 | Spin-blast tool with rotational velocity restraint A pipe spin-blast tool having a tubular handle with inflow and outflow ends. An inner pipe is rotatably mounted to the tubular handle and a jet head is fixed at the end of the inner pipe for rotation therewith. A sand-air mixture is caused to enter the in... | 04/11/1989 |
| 4811994 | Hydraulic brake system A hydraulic brake system having a hydraulic cylinder including a piston used for brake pressure modulation disposed between a master brake cylinder and at least one wheel brake cylinder in which the piston of the hydraulic cylinder is actuated mechanicall... | 03/14/1989 |
| 4809823 | Braking device for a vehicle Braking device for a vehicle, comprising a mechanism for driving at least one friction member in frictional engagement with a rotary member to be braked, the mechanism comprising a wedge (28) movable in a first axis in order to shift an actuating member (... | 03/07/1989 |
| 4729456 | Rope locking device with lock device and lock release therefor A rope locking device for stopping an abnormal descent of an ascending and descending apparatus such as a gondola used for a construction work. The device comprises two separate cases. One of the cases contains a rope clamping member formed on one side th... | 03/08/1988 |
| 4718733 | Automatic reverse speed control device including pump and brake restricting means According to progress of a vehicle, a pump is actuated to feed fluid into a brake pipe. The discharge of the pump is generally proportioned to vehicle speed. On the other hand, the fluid within the brake pipe is relieved to an upper stream side of the pum... | 01/12/1988 |
| 4714142 | Railway car hand brake with release governor In a hand brake mechanism for railway cars in which a chain drum is rotatable by a manually rotatable shaft connected to the chain drum by a gear train, a centrifugal governor or brake connected to an intermediate gear of the gear train reduces the speed ... | 12/22/1987 |
| 4655327 | Impeller type descent slowing device A descent slowing device is disclosed that includes a housing having an input driving shaft and a driving pulley fitted thereon and accommodating therein a gear train and an impeller adapted to be driven through the gear train by a driving pulley about wh... | 04/07/1987 |
| 4633984 | Braking arrangement for a rotary drive system The braking arrangement has an input shaft for connection to a drive shaft of the system. A brake device for the input shaft is urged towards operation by a spring released by an electric actuator. The input shaft is coupled to a flywheel by step-up geari... | 01/06/1987 |