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Hi, Sean:
I can understand your confusion since the language
in this particular patent is not as clear as it should be . . the degree of
axial movement cited - a couple of degrees - is the allowable tilt of the oil
reservoir piston without binding. It has nothing to do with the 'anti-tilt'
bearing described in Humphrey's subsequent patent CA 2485908. The anti-tilt
mechanism was developed by my company, (Hard Suits Inc.) around the same time as
my CA 1209632 patent - that patent describes the basic principle of the
rotary joint but purposely omitted the 'anti-tilt' feature and an addition
feature which was in use at that time called the 'fail-safe'
ring.
Although the Humprey patent appears to cover an
entire rotary joint - it does not. The joint shown in the Humphrey is from my
original patent, but with the addition of the 'anti-tilt' feature and the
'fail-safe' ring. There are only two claims in the Humphrey patent - the
'anti-tilt and the 'fail-safe' - the rest is prior art (my prior art). The short
version is that my original patent lapsed and the owners of the company (which
was sold and re-named several times after it was acquired from me and the other
shareholders by a hostile take-over bid from a Texas company in 1996) very
much wanted to continue to claim 'exclusive patented technology' even
though that was no longer the case. Humphrey was my employee from 1985
to late 2001 and, unbeknownst to me, cut a deal
with Oceanworks (the most recent descendant of the original Hard Suits
Inc.) to 'patent' these two features in his name - but assigned to
Oceanworks,(the two features that were not in my original patent.)
He is no longer in my employ.
The few degrees of axial movement possible in the
oil make-up section amount to about 15 degrees in a five bearing limb -
significant - but nothing like the 90 degrees of normal movement - it is made
possible by 'rocking' the piston when the reservoir is partially depleted - not
usually used and not claimed in either patent.
This pretty sketchy, but I can't
go into further detail - except to say that I am currently the sole owner
of Hard Suits Inc.
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