Patents Represented by Attorney Alan Ruderman
  • Patent number: 6672593
    Abstract: A variable pressure washer has two interlocking channel rings separated by a channel and retained by a captive set of fasteners. Within the channel between the rings are multiple rows of springs having at least two different spring moduli. The washer is particularly suited for use with a polar boss assembly secured to a bulkhead of a pressure vessel such as of propellent tank dome structure where the washer allows for the substantially uniform deflection of multiple O-rings as affected by the curved structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Stanley S. Smeltzer, III, Hector Estrada
  • Patent number: 6662632
    Abstract: Accordingly, a tank, preferably on a wheeled vehicle such as a railcar or trailer, is provided with a protective liner. Two electrodes are preferably permanently mounted within the tank and respectively connected to a monitor. Another two ground connections are made from the monitor to the tank. At least one of the two probes in the tank are utilized with the monitor to measure the voltage between the tank and the selected probe. When the tank is filled with an ionic solution, a breach of integrity of the liner results in a voltage corresponding to the difference in potentials of the metals forming the probe and tank is read by the monitor. This triggers an alarm. Furthermore, the monitor provides a voltage or current from probe to probe, probe to shell, and shell to shell on a periodic basis to measure and then record the performance of the liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Inventors: Larry L. Parker, Norman L. Parker, Terry L. Parker
  • Patent number: 6663065
    Abstract: A portable boom for use with a support, such as a tree, has a support extendable from a mound. The mount secures to a tree and supports a lifted weight connected to the support. The portable boom is designed to be portable and easy to connect to the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Inventor: Franklin Whittenburg
  • Patent number: 6656108
    Abstract: A therapeutic device for treating a portion of a human body has a rigid outer surface with a magnet therein. The outer surface has a curved shape to provide a pressure point proximate to the location of the magnet so that a patient may be simultaneously treated with pressure point therapy and magnetic therapy. Furthermore, the device may be chilled to treat the patient simultaneously with cryotherapy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Les Appel
    Inventors: Robert T. Spalding, Jr., Dennis Ogrodowczyk
  • Patent number: 6651571
    Abstract: A tufting machine configured to provide needles co-linearly along a tufting plane from opposing needle holders provided in a needle module. The needle holders may be selectively latched with latch pins connected to limbs extending from a yoke connected to the push rod of the tufting machine. The needle holders are biased in a dis-engaged position with compression springs which extend between caps on the needle holders and a guide plate which locates the needle holders laterally while spacing the opposed needle holders from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Spencer Wright Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Neale Bennett, Gary Crossley
  • Patent number: 6648174
    Abstract: A water treatment tank for use with water purification apparatus including an ultra-violet lamp within a bulb onto which incoming water is directed to provide a thin laminar flow about the bulb. The tank may have two compartments, one above the other, formed by a separating baffle. The lower compartment has cooling coils about the walls for cooling the water therein relative to the water in the upper compartment. The ultraviolet lamp and a bulb extends through both compartments and the baffle to purify the water. A controller operates a switch to turn the normally off UV lamp on before opening a fill valve to replenish water in the tank. The lamp is turned off after a first run time. The water level is sensed by a low and high level limit which allow for a volume of water in the tank which may be utilized without necessitating operation of the lamp upon each dispensing of water from the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Inventor: Ralph G. Greene
  • Patent number: 6637356
    Abstract: A needle module contains a plurality of needles having a shank and an eye at a first end and a mounting portion at the second end mounted in a module body. A rod is mounted on and spaced apart from the module body transversely to the needles. Yarn stands pass over the rod and are directed through the eyes of the needles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Spencer Wright Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Ian Beverly
  • Patent number: 6581765
    Abstract: A hanger supports the weight of merchandise on a merchandise support arm. The hanger proceeds through an opening in a sleeve into a cavity where the merchandise is supported by a merchandise support arm. The hanger arm includes a fixture attachment, such as a hook for cooperation with a display fixture. The sleeve assists in retaining the merchandise on the hanger when inserted properly. Furthermore, a sleeve has at least one display panel which may be utilized to provide information relating to the product. It is further anticipated that some embodiments of hangers may include retention means to assist in retaining the hanger relative to the sleeve and/or merchandise support arm on the support arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Inventor: Steven B. Rhyne
  • Patent number: 6558539
    Abstract: A chromatography column has valve and method for filling it with a slurry of media, the valve utilizing a piston to compact the slurry in the column. The piston moves through a cavity in communication with both a slurry inlet and slurry ports which are in communication with the interior of the chromatography column. The piston assists in compacting the slurry within the column. The method of filling the column does not require disassembly of the column. The piston may also be utilized to change the valve position from a slurry fill position to a normal operation position or other position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Inventor: William H. Mann
  • Patent number: 6553575
    Abstract: A golf glove including a tab which spans a slit on a back portion of the glove has a removable ball marker connected to the tab. A top surface of a ball marker is substantially flush with a ridge on the tab. A rubber insert having a hole therein receives a back surface of the ball marker within a recessed portion defined within the ridge. A socket is located within the hole of the rubber insert to receive a prong which is connected to the back surface of the ball marker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: International GLUV Corporation
    Inventors: Lanier M. Davenport, Dennis L. Knight
  • Patent number: 6519776
    Abstract: A golf ball marker for use with a golf glove including a tab which spans a slit on a back portion of the glove. A top surface of a ball marker is substantially flush with a ridge on the tab. A rubber insert having a hole therein receives a back surface of the ball marker within a recessed portion defined within the ridge. A socket is located within the hole of the rubber insert to receive a prong which is connected to the back surface of the ball marker. The ball marker is formed with a recess in the bottom surface to receive a base of a stud member so that the stud extends away from the bottom surface of the ball marker and the interfacing surface of the base is substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the ball marker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: International GLUV Corporation
    Inventors: Lanier M. Davenport, Dennis Knight
  • Patent number: 6513254
    Abstract: A gauge for use in measuring, or evaluating, conical root canal gutta percha inserts has a body and a plurality of measuring locations. The measuring locations include a chute having first and second ends bounded by first and second walls and a floor. The first and second walls are portions of planes which meet at a first angle and a first distance between the first and second walls at the first end is greater than a second distance between the first and second walls at the second end. A standardized gutta percha cone may be received in the measuring location by placing the gutta percha cone in the chute and pushing it toward the second end to evaluate the taper and apex diameter of the gutta percha cone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Inventor: Andrew R. Lunn
  • Patent number: 6497045
    Abstract: A hand held loop cutting tool for cutting tufted loops of yarn projecting from a carpet includes a handle portion connected to a blade carrying housing portion carrying a blade holder having a plurality of slots for receiving a like number of blades. The blades have two cutting edges which may be secured in the holder with one of the edges projecting from the operating face of the housing. When the first edges of the blades are spent, the blade holder may be reversed within the housing to present the second set of edges. The blades themselves do not have to be removed from the holder until both cutting sets of cutting edges have been spent. A user merely needs to insert one of the first edges into each projecting loop where there are more than one projecting loop in a line of stitching and pull to cut the loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Inventor: Tarek A. Forgani
  • Patent number: 6462651
    Abstract: A gear indicator provides a display to a motorcycle driver of which gear the motorcycle is currently operating in. The gear indicator is used with a gear position switch providing ground signal indication to a motorcycle CPU at a connection with a plurality of leads which reflect the gear a motorcycle is operating in, no indication indicating that the motorcycle is in first gear. The gear indicator bridges the gear position switch to the motorcycle CPU receiving this ground information through a bridge and a similar number of leads communicate with the gear indicator processor from this bridge. The processor of the gear indicator processes the information received to drive a display to reflect the gear to the operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: Ooltewah Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony John Consiglio, Robert L. Doss, Michael Doss, John A. McGirr
  • Patent number: 6446566
    Abstract: A tufting machine has a yarn feed roller assembly with a plurality of rotatable driver rollers driven at different speeds and a plurality of actuators in the form of a pivotable arm having in one embodiment a pair of yarn feed reels one of which is arranged to selectively press yarn into engagement with one of the drive rollers and the other arranged to selectively press yarn into engagement with another drive roller. Yarn is engaged by each actuator and a selected drive roller for a period of time determined by a pattern. The longer the actuator engages the high speed roller during the stroke of a tufting machine needle the greater will be the pile height of the tufts produced and alternatively the longer the actuator engages the lower speed roller during the needle stroke the lower will be the pile height. Pile height variations between a high pile and a low pile may be obtained by controlling the proportion of time during the stroke that the yarn engages with the high and low speed rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Spencer Wright Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Neale Bennett, Alan Reid, Gary Crossley, Ian Corson
  • Patent number: 6428432
    Abstract: A ball toy has an inner spherical shell within an outer spherical shell, a light source being mounted within the inner shell adjacent to a first end of a plurality of etched optical fibers having the other ends arrayed between the inner and outer shells. The outer shell is translucent while the inner shell has a coated outer surface that reflects light from the optical fibers. Between the light source and the first end of the optical fibers is a color chamber having different color elements through which light may be transmitted and which may move when the ball moves so as to vary the colors received by the optical fibers thereby effecting variation in the color seen as the ball rolls or is otherwise moved, the light seen at the translucent shell fluctuating according to the colors transmitted. A motion switch and/or a master switch may be used to turn the system on and off. A timer may deactivate the circuits if the ball is not moved after a period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Inventor: Bruce S. Kachel
  • Patent number: 6428313
    Abstract: A burner having an elongated cylindrical body closed at one end with a plurality of ports spaced apart in two rows along the upper segment of the body, said ports formed by punching. The ports have an upper edge and a lower edge wherein the lower edge is displaced a first distance below the upper edge and a second distance beyond a vertical axis tangent to the upper edge. Accordingly, flames are emitted substantially sideways out of the cylindrical body and any drippings on the tube are directed away from the cavity of the cylindrical body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Burner Systems International, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian M. Rodgers, Gerry L. Shavers
  • Patent number: D458714
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: International GLUV Corporation
    Inventor: George T. Tepley
  • Patent number: D462810
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: International GLUV Corporation
    Inventor: Dennis Knight
  • Patent number: RE40194
    Abstract: A tufting machine has a yarn feed pattern assembly including a housing having a mounting plate for mounting a multiplicity of yarn feed rollers from the exterior of said mounting plate and a multiplicity of servo motors connected to said mounting plate on the interior of said housing. Each servo motor is connected to a respective feed roller. A multiplicity of tubes extend within said housing, half the tubes directing yarn from a source to respective rollers and half of the tubes directing yarn from the rollers to respective needles. The guide tubes direct yarn from the interior of said housing through said mounting plate where the yarn is trained about a respective roller and directed back into the yarn guide leading toward the needles of said tufting machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Spencer Wright Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Ian Slattery