Patents Represented by Attorney Alex Rhodes
  • Patent number: 7011652
    Abstract: An eye wash station for administering an eye wash fluid to an eye which has been exposed to a noxious gas, or solid or liquid which can irritate or injure said eye. In a first aspect of the invention, a flexible bag, filled with an eye wash fluid is suspended from a hook or a stand. The flexible bag is operatively connected with a flexible tube to an applicator which is fed by gravity from the bag. The applicator includes a retractor for opening and holding open the eyelids of the eye which is being treated and a valve for controlling the amount of eye wash fluid which is applied to the eye. In second and third aspects of the invention, the applicator is connected with a pressurized water supply. One benefit if the invention is that it is disposable. Another benefit of the first and second aspects is that they are portable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Berke-Tec, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph J. Berke, Charles T. Michael, Alex Rhodes
  • Patent number: 7011003
    Abstract: A large kitchen or barbecue fork and protector for preventing injuries from sharp tines of the fork and preventing food contamination from bacteria and dirt on the tines. The guard is movable on a shank of the fork from a covering relationship with the sharp pointed tines to an uncovering relationship with the sharp pointed tines. The guard is comprised of a hub portion which closely fits the shank and a cover portion which encloses the tines in the covering portion. In a first embodiment, the guard is retained on the shank at the covering and uncovered positions by a permanent magnet mounted in the guard. In a second embodiment, the guard is retained on the shank at the covering and uncovered positions by the friction of the guard on the shank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Inventor: Joseph J. Berke
  • Patent number: 6976279
    Abstract: A portable stand alone treatment station for eyes which have been exposed to corrosive liquids, noxious gases and foreign objects. An eye washing fluid reservoir and one or more applicators are mounted on a two-wheel cart. The eye washing fluid in the reservoir is stored under pressure to discharge the eye washing fluid from the applicator when a resiliently biased valve is opened. The tank is pressurized by a hand pump mounted in the tank or through a valve in a wall of the tank. The portability of the station allows it to be relocated on an as needed basis or to be transported to an injured person and carried in a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: Berke-Tec, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph J. Berke, Charles T. Michael, Alex Rhodes
  • Patent number: 6966140
    Abstract: An easy to use signaling apparatus which can be used during an entire year for warm and cold weather fishing to signal a fisherman that a fish has nibbled, struck or hooked a bait. The signaling apparatus can be used with a variety of fishing rods of different diameters. The signaling apparatus is mounted in surrounding relationship to a fishing rod and includes an adjustment for triggering an LED and/or a buzzer at higher or lower tensile forces in a fishing line caused by a fish nibbling, striking or hooking a line. The signaling apparatus has a high resistance to corrosion, is sensitive to low levels of a tensile force in a fishing line and does not affect the castability of a rod and reel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Rozko, Inc.
    Inventor: Henry Rozkowski
  • Patent number: 6953312
    Abstract: A method and aluminum extruded, one-piece, easy to install tie-down rail for restraining a cargo in a pick-up truck is provided. The tie-down rail is comprised of an upper cylindrical thin wall section, an adjoining downward extending, substantially vertical wall portion and an adjoining inward extending lower flange portion for supporting the rail on a side panel of the pick-up truck. Rectangular apertures are provided in the vertical wall portion for receiving a tie-down rope, strap, or bungee cord and apertures are provided in the flange portion for attaching the rail to the pick-up truck. The method for making the rail comprises the steps of extruding an aluminum blank, cutting the blank to a specified length to form the rail, stamping the apertures in the vertical wall portion of the rail, drilling or stamping the apertures in the flange portion of the rail and applying a finish to the rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Inventor: Donald G. Wheatley
  • Patent number: 6942791
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for eliminating dross in a solder pot of a soldering machine by converting the dross into usable solder. The conversion apparatus is comprised of an impeller, a shroud, an electric motor for driving the impeller, a vacuum source operatively connected to the shroud, an arrangement of guides immersed in the solder pot for recirculating liquid solder and a chemical de-oxidizing agent. The impeller and shroud are adjacent to a free surface of the dross which forms at the top portion of the liquid solder. The method includes the steps of adding a measured amount of de-oxidizing agent to the solder pot, agitating and recirculating the liquid solder/de-oxidizer mixture with the impeller to break-up the dross into smaller particles and separate the solder from the dross, and removing a residue of the dross by suction as the recirculating mixture passes beneath the shroud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Inventors: Radko G. Petrov, Mark Razdolsky
  • Patent number: 6878020
    Abstract: A braking system for a personal water craft which is activated when a high velocity water jet is cut off. The braking system is comprised of a planar member attached to a rear portion of the water craft. The braking member is movable to an elevated non-operative position during a discharge of the high velocity water jet and to a lowered operative position during a cut off of the water jet. In a first embodiment of the invention, the planar braking member is automatically movable to the operative position and to the non-operative position. In a second embodiment, the planar braking member is manually elevated to the non-operative position and manually lowered to the operative position by a link or a cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Inventor: Mark E. Adomeit
  • Patent number: 6871654
    Abstract: A sonic fruit and vegetable washer for removing inorganic impurities and pathogens from a variety of raw fruit and vegetables. The sonic fruit and vegetable washer is comprised of a housing, a removable basket, a liquid dispenser, a filter, a sonic generator, a spray head, hydraulic values, electrical controls, a blower, and a heating element. The washer is connected to an existing faucet, and drains into a conventional kitchen sink. During a typical operation, the controls are adjusted for a particular fruit or vegetable, a fruit or vegetable is loaded into the basket, and a small amount of a preservative, cleaning agent, sweetener or vitamin or mineral is added and electrical power is applied. Water enters the washer, is filtered, and one or more wash and rinse cycles are completed. The sonic generator is active during the wash and rinse cycles to remove and flush contaminants from the washer. Thereafter, a drying cycle is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Berke-Tec, Inc.,
    Inventors: Joseph J. Berke, Charles T. Michael
  • Patent number: 6832668
    Abstract: A compact descender apparatus which is easy to use and easy to store for lowering a person from an elevated position to a relatively lower position, having a generally cylindrical housing; a spool mounted for rotation in the housing having an axis of rotation which is in orthogonal relationship to a front face of the housing; a rope stored on the spool having a free end portion which extends upwardly to a helical groove on an outer portion of a friction core which is mounted on an upper portion of said housing for controlling a rate of descent with the descender; and a camshaft rotatably mounted in the housing for adjusting the rate of descent. A tang extending downwardly from a lower portion of the housing and a pair of spaced apart bosses having apertures on an upper portion of said housing are provided for attaching the descender apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: American Escape Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: William E. Henson
  • Patent number: 6823627
    Abstract: A method and kit for retrofitting security doors to facilitate escaping from buildings during emergencies. One benefit is that it applies to new security doors as well as existing security doors. Still yet another benefit is that it can be molded from a corrosion resistant plastic. Still yet another benefit is that only basic hand tools are required for retrofitting existing doors. The kit is comprised of a simple separable shield having a thin outer wall portion for enclosing an unlocking member and an orthogonal portion for retaining the shield in a security door. In one aspect of the invention the shield is mounted in fixed relationship to the security door. In a second aspect, the shield is mounted in rotating relationship to the security door. The method is comprised of the steps of removing a lock member, installing the shield and re-installing the lock member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Palladium Manufacturing Company, LLC
    Inventor: Isaac Ben-Ezra
  • Patent number: 6823966
    Abstract: A descender apparatus for lowering a person in a controlled manner from a height to a relatively lower height and for use as a safety equipment for workers and mountain climbers comprising a generally cylindrical housing; a rope arranged in the housing about a vertical axis of the housing in a stack of layers of closely wound coils and a friction core at one end of the housing for controlling a rate of descent and uncoiling the coils of rope as they are withdrawn from the housing; and a camshaft in transverse relationship to the axis of the housing for selectively controlling the rate of descent during the lowering of the person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: American Escape Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: William E. Henson
  • Patent number: 6820721
    Abstract: An easy to use and easy to store rescue apparatus for lowering a person from an upper level to a lower level during an emergency. The rescue apparatus is comprised of a body harness and a decender mounted on a chest portion of the harness in plain view of a wearer. In a first aspect of the invention, a descender is stored in a vertical pocket of the body harness. A rope is tightly coiled inside of the descender and as the rope is withdrawn it passes through a friction core which limits a rate of descent and removes twists from the portion of the rope which is in the process of withdrawal. A camshaft is provided in the decender for accommodating differences in body weight and satisfying the preferences of wearers of the apparatus. In a second aspect of the invention, the decender is attached and exposed the chest portion of the harness. In a third aspect of the invention, an alternate descender is attached to the same body harness in the same manner as the second aspect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: American Escape Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: William E. Henson
  • Patent number: 6808046
    Abstract: An improved body harness for use during an emergency and for fire fighters, tree trimmers, window washers, mountain climbers and construction workers. A pocket is provided on the front of the harness for enclosing either a descender and/or a lifeline. The pocket is capable of withstanding the forces of the descender during a lowering of a person wearing the harness from a height to a relatively lower height. An aperture is provided in an upper portion of the harness for installing the harness over a head of the person. Three buckles are used for installing the harness on a person. The body harness is moderate in cost, easy to install and requires only a small amount of storage space when the harness is not in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: American Escape Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: William E. Henson
  • Patent number: D500471
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Inventor: Donald G. Wheatley
  • Patent number: D502038
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Inventors: Joseph J. Berke, Jason J. Berke
  • Patent number: D517246
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: American Escape Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: William E. Henson
  • Patent number: D517247
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: American Escape Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Randy Goodman
  • Patent number: D490135
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: American Escape Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: William E. Henson
  • Patent number: D490575
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: American Escape Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: William E. Henson
  • Patent number: D491878
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Inventor: Donald G. Wheatley