Did You Know...
...that the inventor of the electric motor was a blacksmith named Thomas Davenport? Described as "a brilliantly unsuccessful inventor", Davenport invented the first rotary electric motor. In 1836 he headed out -- on foot -- from his Vermont home to file a patent application at the Patent Office in Washington, D.C. By the time he got there, he had squandered away his money and couldn't afford the $30 filing fee so he turned around and went home. When he later mailed in his application with money he'd raised, the Patent office was destroyed in a fire. He did finally get credit for his invention on Feb. 5, 1837.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8109528 | Service load bearing assembly for spreading out high induced stresses Embodiments of the present invention provide a suspension assembly including a bolt made from a bolt material; a suspension component made from a suspension material, the suspension component having a suspension opening therethrough, the suspension opening having a ... | 02/07/2012 |
| 8075005 | Wheel alignment apparatus An apparatus for adjusting wheel alignment at an upper ball joint assembly of a vehicular suspension includes a bushing having an outer surface defined about a first axis, and a receptacle defined about a second axis eccentric to the first axis. The apparatus furthe... | 12/13/2011 |
| 7914021 | Offset suspension bushing Embodiments of the present invention provide a suspension assembly including a bolt made from a bolt material; a suspension component made from a suspension material, the suspension component having a suspension opening therethrough, the suspension opening having a ... | 03/29/2011 |
| 7568711 | Eccentric-based caster adjustment apparatus Apparatus for adjusting the caster of the steering wheels of an all terrain vehicle. An eccentric threaded stud support is adjustively rotatable to position the eccentrically retained stud at a plurality of caster angle defining orientations extending from zero cast... | 08/04/2009 |
| 7331588 | Trailing beam suspension with alignment adjustment assembly A trailing beam suspension comprises a hanger bracket adapted to be mounted to a vehicle frame, wherein the hanger bracket includes a mounting aperture, and a trailing beam pivotally mounted to the hanger bracket by a pivot pin extending through the mounting apertur... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7331589 | Dual axis bushing assembly and method for camber and caster adjustment A dual axis bushing assembly for engagement between an axle arm and an upper ball joint of a vehicle. The dual axis bushing assembly includes an inner skewed bushing engaged in and rotatable in an outer skewed bushing. The dual axis bushing assembly includes a zero ... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7300237 | Self-locking bolted fastener A bolted fastener for joining components, such as a bracket fastened to a crosspiece, includes a bolt, a nut and an eccentric. A square neck of a bolt fits into an oblong hole in a component and prevents the bolt from turning. The diameter of the eccentric that serv... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7240755 | Engine-supporting structure for a motorcycle, and methods of using same An engine-supporting structure for a motorcycle, in which a collar can be removed to perform engine maintenance, and can be suitably re-mounted after the completion of maintenance. The engine-supporting structure supports a rear upper mounting portion of an engine, ... | 07/10/2007 |
| 7210693 | Dual axis bushing assembly and method for camber and caster adjustment A dual axis bushing assembly for engagement between an axle arm and an upper ball joint of a vehicle. The dual axis bushing assembly includes an inner skewed bushing engaged in and rotatable in an outer skewed bushing. The dual axis bushing assembly includes a zero ... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7150462 | Wheel guide arrangement for a steered motor vehicle wheel In a wheel guide arrangement of a steered motor vehicle wheel which has control arms and a steering knuckle, and wherein the steering knuckle includes a reception structure for a wheel mount and also connecting areas for the mounting of stubs of ball joints connecte... | 12/19/2006 |
| 7111854 | Trailer sub-frame assembly A sub-frame assembly for use with a vehicle having wheels such as a trailer is provided. The sub-frame assembly comprises two or more frame members, one or more cross members, and two or more stub torsion axle assemblies. Each of the stub torsion axle assemblies hav... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7111850 | Wheeled vehicle provided with an oscillating axle and a pair of cylinders for blocking the axle A wheeled vehicle including a chassis; an axle coupled to the chassis to oscillate about a longitudinal axis parallel to a direction of advance of the vehicle; a pair of cylinders disposed between the axle and the chassis for blocking oscillation of the axle; and a ... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7052024 | Suspension assembly applicable to both manual and power steering systems A vehicular suspension assembly is applicable to both manual and power steering systems. In the suspension assembly, when the manual steering system and the power steering system are exchanged with each other, a strut, a lower arm and a frame are commonly used. Thre... | 05/30/2006 |
| 6997658 | Alignment pin and fastener with bi-directional clamping An alignment pin or fastener includes a radially eccentric part such that when the fastener is tightened, the eccentric part shifts radially to simultaneously align the holes of two plates in a radial direction and clamp the two plates together in an axial direction... | 02/14/2006 |
| 6902176 | Steering knuckle and adjustable boss A multi-piece steering knuckle having at least one boss which is adjustable in position along an axis of a king pin. More particularly, a steering knuckle including at least one boss having a threaded surface for threading to a mating surface of a yoke arm, the thre... | 06/07/2005 |
| 6672605 | Vehicle suspension systems A vehicle suspension system having first and second trailing arms (10), each trailing arm (10) being mounted to the vehicle adjacent its forward end (14) for pivotal movement about a transverse axis of the vehicle, one trailing arm (10) being located adja... | 01/06/2004 |
| 6588776 | Caster adjuster for a wheel assembly An adjustable mounting assembly for a steerable wheel assembly. A pin member is horizontally movably disposed within a slot formed in the lower arm of a yoke assembly. A ball joint forging is adjustably secured to the lower arm. The pin member extends bet... | 07/08/2003 |
| 6514002 | Rotary pin A grease hold extends in an axial direction from one end of a rotary pin to an eccentric portion, and a pair of grease injection holes communicating to the grease hole is open on the outer circumferential surface of the eccentric portion. These grease inj... | 02/04/2003 |
| 6431565 | Motor vehicle suspension alignment adjuster Castor of a motor vehicle suspension, typically having a wishbone (1), is adjusted by mounting the suspension upright ball joint (4) in a housing (6) having an offset spigot (10) rotatable by an Allen key engaged in the spigot to move the ball joint backw... | 08/13/2002 |
| 6371500 | Cam mechanism for an adjustable wheel mounting assembly An adjustable mounting assembly for a steerable wheel assembly. A cam member is rotatably disposed within a recess formed in the lower arm of a yoke assembly. An eccentric cylinder of the cam member extends within a vertically oriented slot formed in a ba... | 04/16/2002 |
| 6328321 | Adjustable mounting for suspension strut An adjustable mount for the upper end of a vehicle suspension strut allowing the strut to be relocated relative to a vehicle chassis member. The mount comprises a bush adapted to receive and secure the upper end of the strut, a flange extending radially o... | 12/11/2001 |
| 6308970 | Apparatus for coupling a ball joint to a motor vehicle suspension An apparatus for coupling a ball to a frame of a motor vehicle. The apparatus includes a main body portion and a ball joint housing. The main body portion is adapted to be pivotally mounted to the frame and has at least one support surface. The ball joint... | 10/30/2001 |
| 6293724 | Adjustable mount for vehicular ball joints An adjustable ball joint assembly to be secured between the wheel and the apex of an upper control arm member of a motor vehicle suspension system to provide for camber/caster adjustment of motor vehicles with altered suspensions, typically lowered suspen... | 09/25/2001 |
| 6224075 | Motor vehicle suspension alignment adjuster Castor of a motor vehicle suspension, typically having a wishbone (1), is adjusted by mounting the suspension upright ball joint (4) in a housing (6) having an offset spigot (10) rotatable by an Allen key engaged in the spigot to move the ball joint backw... | 05/01/2001 |
| 6176501 | Independent front suspension eccentric alignment device An alignment device for adjusting the camber and caster angles of a wheel in an independent front suspension. The wheel is supported on a knuckle assembly which is pivotally connected to upper and lower control arms which are pivotally connected to the ve... | 01/23/2001 |
| 6047789 | Toe angle adjustment mechanism for vehicle wheels A vehicle having a toe angle adjustment mechanism. The vehicle has a frame member, a steerable wheel, a steering knuckle pivotally connecting the wheel to the frame member about a substantially vertical axis, a steering mechanism for steering the vehicle,... | 04/11/2000 |
| 6019383 | Suspension link assembly The present invention provides a suspension link assembly for use in interconnecting a suspension member to frame structure in a motor vehicle, and which finds particular application in rear independent suspension systems. The suspension link assembly inc... | 02/01/2000 |
| 5826894 | Alignment cam position limiter A toe adjustment assembly including a frame and a pair of lateral links pivotally mounted to the frame. A bore is formed in at least one of the links. A shaft is extended through the bore. A cam is rotatably mounted between the shaft and the bore. The bor... | 10/27/1998 |
| 5697632 | Wheel alignment apparatus for use on a beam axle The present invention relates to a mechanism for setting and adjusting wheel alignment parameters such as caster and camber on a driving or non-driving steerable beam axle. An enlarged bore is provided in at least one end of the yoke to receive a ramp mem... | 12/16/1997 |
| 5538273 | Caser adjustment apparatus A steerable axle assembly for use in a motor vehicle. The assembly includes a tube yoke attached to an axle tube, with the yoke having vertically spaced arms. The assembly further includes a steering knuckle having a pair of vertically spaced flanges. At ... | 07/23/1996 |
| 5316332 | Method and structure for correcting alignment of kingpin axle assemblies A vehicle kingpin assembly having a kingbolt journalled in a knuckle with laterally offset projections on the ends of the kingbolt, endcaps journalled in a yoke with offset openings therein holding the projections in spherical bearings, and compliant thru... | 05/31/1994 |
| 5031928 | Wheel alignment adjusting mechanism A wheel alignment adjusting mechanism for a rear suspension system for an automotive vehicle. The wheel alignment adjusting mechanism is comprised of a rear upper link for movably connecting a wheel supporting member and a bracket projecting from a suspen... | 07/16/1991 |
| 4953889 | Adjustment of camber in four wheel drive A camber adjusting system for use on the steerable wheels in a closed knuckle steering system comprises eccentrically mounting the steering knuckle relative to the axle tube such that the camber angle of the steering knuckle is adjustable by rotation of t... | 09/04/1990 |
| 4921271 | Method and apparatus for adjusting wheel alignment in a steerable wheel suspension assembly A bushing assembly for adjusting at least one wheel alignment parameter for use in a vehicle wheel suspension system of the type having a suspension member with a bore therein adapted for mounting a ball-joint-shaft-receiving bushing and with at least one... | 05/01/1990 |
| 4836574 | Asssembly for adjusting wheel alignment, and method A structure and method for adjusting alignment of steerable wheels movable supported by a ball joint with a ball joint stud having an annual tilt bearing surface carried thereon, the structure comprising a bore defined in a suspension member and configure... | 06/06/1989 |
| 4754991 | Method and buffer apparatus for preventing corrosion in dynamic load bearing assembly A method and buffer apparatus for preventing corrosion in a dynamic load bearing assembly. A resilient buffer material is compressively adjustably positioned between a pair of dynamic adjacent load bearing components in a machine such that the amount of e... | 07/05/1988 |
| 4744585 | Collapsible barrow with adjustable wheels A collapsible golf club barrow includes two wheel holding bars on which are mounted wheels through a ball-and-socket joint member. The joint member includes a ball member mounted on the shaft of each wheel and a socket member sleeved around the ball membe... | 05/17/1988 |
| 4641853 | Method and structure for caster and camber adjustment The present invention includes a bushing having an eccentric inner bore, used for adjusting camber and caster in conventional vehicle steering structures. The bushing assembly is preset to provide a desired camber and caster adjustment when mounted on the... | 02/10/1987 |
| 4509772 | One-piece adjusting sleeve A one-piece sleeve fitted within an aperture of a top arm of a spindle. The sleeve has an aperture therethrough angled with respect to the central axis of the sleeve. The angled aperture is constructed to receive a tapered ball stud integral with a ball m... | 04/09/1985 |
| 4420272 | Method and structure for bearing the eccentricity of a bushing bore A bushing formed of an outer body and an inner sleeve member adapted to rotate within the outer body, the outer body having a bore adapted to rotatably receive the inner sleeve member such bore being eccentric, i.e. offset and/or skewed, relative to the a... | 12/13/1983 |
