Patents Represented by Law Firm Gerlach & O'Brien
  • Patent number: 4486169
    Abstract: A cigarette lighter securing accessory includes a lighter holder connected to a lighter by extensible cord means, means for retracting the cord means from an extended position, and, preferably, means on the holder for attaching it to a support. A preferred additional element, for use with a replaceable and/or disposable lighter, is a lighter receptacle, which is removably connected to the lighter and is connected to the cord, between them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1984
    Inventor: Marcus E. Lewis
  • Patent number: 4482377
    Abstract: Zinc is separated from a zinc-copper alloy, in particular, brass scrap, by reacting the alloy with an aqueous alkali metal bisulfate to dissolve zinc selectively with respect to copper. Zinc is recovered from the resulting solution by precipitation in the form of an insoluble zinc compound, namely, zinc carbonate or zinc hydroxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1983
    Date of Patent: November 13, 1984
    Assignee: Chempro Corporation
    Inventor: Sidney M. Heins
  • Patent number: 4451371
    Abstract: Apparatus for separating liquid from solids contained in a liquid-solid slurry includes a centrifugal concentrator which is supplied with feed slurry, and a centrifugal separator to which the output of the concentrator is conducted. The concentrator includes a rotatable central slurry reservoir having outlets discharging slurry under centrifugal force in streams nominally following spiral flow paths. Spirally-curved perforate vanes rotated with the reservoir and intersect respective slurry streams at acute angles. A fractional portion of the fluid in the slurry is removed by filtration as each stream intersects and then flows along a spirally-curved perforate vane, thereby to provide concentrated slurry, which is supplied to the separator. The separator includes a high-speed rotatable carrier, which carries eccentrically-disposed filter baskets independently rotatable at low speeds about their own axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1983
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1984
    Inventor: William H. Peck
  • Patent number: 4446709
    Abstract: A cylinder lock mechanism includes a tubular barrel, a lock cylinder rotatable in the barrel, tumblers longitudinally and reciprocally movable within the cylinder, a cap on a front end of the barrel and having a key opening therethrough, a facing member interposed between the cap and the cylinder and having an opening registering with the cap opening, a spacer interposed between the facing member and the cylinder and having an opening registering with the cap opening, such openings when in registry receiving a key for insertion thereof into engagement with the tumblers, an engagement member extending transversely of the cylinder for engagement with the tumblers and laterally movable to and from the tumblers, a locking member extending longitudinally of the cylinder for engagement with the engagement member and laterally movable to and from the tumblers, structure on the cylinder and the barrel respectively for engaging the locking member therealong for locking purposes, structure on the tumblers for engaging
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1984
    Assignee: Chicago Lock Co.
    Inventor: Robert L. Steinbach
  • Patent number: 4433709
    Abstract: A striking tool such as a drywall hatchet for use in the installation of drywall panels in buildings and adapted for driving nails close to the junction of room surfaces, while minimizing damage to the panels, includes a head unit having a hammerhead portion, a medial body portion, and a blade portion. The hammerhead portion has a truncated disk-like configuration, providing a planar top marginal surface, and an arcuate side and bottom marginal surface extending around the hammerhead portion from one end of the top marginal surface to the opposite end thereof, and being convexly curved in the longitudinal direction of the head unit. The hammerhead portion has a convexly curved forwardly facing striking surface extending between the marginal surfaces, including a central milled area and a substantially smooth border completely therearound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1984
    Assignee: Vaughan & Bushnell Manufacturing Co.
    Inventor: Lawrence W. Porter
  • Patent number: 4417425
    Abstract: A pickup device has a trunion plate that is placed across an opening formed by a tubular insert in a horizontal concrete slab or panel. A housing extends through a hole in the trunnion plate into the insert and defines an internal cavity disposed inwardly of the insert. A bore communicates an end of the housing outside the panel with the housing cavity. An axially movable actuator rod or plunger is disposed in the bore and includes a head disposed in the cavity and formed of contiguous cylindrical and conical portions. A plurality of lugs are movably mounted in housing cutouts that extend radially outward of the cavity and such lugs have sides facing the plunger head which are, respectively, parallel to the cylindrical and the conical portions of the plunger head for cooperation therewith so that the lugs are moved radially outward of the housing by the cooperating conical portion of the head and the angularly inclined lug sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1977
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1983
    Assignee: Dayton Superior Corporation
    Inventors: James E. Case, Richard L. Ruppert, Lindley Manning
  • Patent number: 4395893
    Abstract: An improvement in a plate tumbler-type cylinder lock mechanism including an elongate barrel having a longitudinal bore therein, and a key plug having a body portion and a shaft portion extending therefrom, such plug being received rotatably in the bore with the body portion extending between opposite ends of the barrel and the shaft portion extending outwardly from one end of the barrel, the bore having a draft-induced longitudinal taper widening in the direction of the said one end of the barrel, such improvement including journal means on the body portion and projecting laterally therefrom for journalling the plug in the barrel adjacent to the said one end thereof, thereby to minimize lateral play between the plug and the barrel thereat. Preferred structure for limiting the rotation of the plug embodies stop means for interengaging the journal means and the barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1983
    Assignee: Chicago Lock Co.
    Inventor: Robert L. Steinbach
  • Patent number: 4368914
    Abstract: A pickup unit for releasable connection to an anchor insert embedded in a body, such insert having an exposed head portion and a reduced shank portion extending from the head portion and into the body, includes a connecting member rotatable adjacent to the insert head portion, such connecting member having a recess of the bayonet slot type receiving the insert head portion captive within the connecting member while the insert shank portion extends outwardly therefrom upon relative rotation between the connecting member and the insert in one direction, and such connecting member releasing the insert head portion upon such relative rotation in the opposite direction, a latch mounted for in and out movement relative to the recess for respectively preventing and permitting relative movement of the insert head portion out of the recess, a lever movably connected to the connecting member, structure for coupling the lever and the latch, and structure for engaging the lever with such body, whereby a force may be appl
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 18, 1983
    Assignee: Superior Concrete Accessories, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Truitt, Homer E. Berry
  • Patent number: 4363742
    Abstract: Control apparatus and a method for making battery paste by mixing selected quantities of lead oxide, sulfuric acid and water to form a reaction mixture are disclosed. During the reaction portion of the process, the viscosity of the mixture initially descends on a time-viscosity curve, which then changes in slope to reach a point of minimum viscosity. The temperatures of the reaction mixture form a time-temperature curve having a temperature peak therein. The temperature and the viscosity of the reaction mixture are determined respectively by temperature sensing devices and by viscosity sensing devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1982
    Assignee: Pettibone Corporation
    Inventor: Milton Stone
  • Patent number: 4361404
    Abstract: Mixing equipment includes a mixing compartment and at least one mulling assembly for dispersing therein material, including granular material, such as foundry sand. An agitator is provided for improving the mulling and aerating of the dispersed material within the compartment. The agitator includes a rotor rotated about an upright axis disposed within a cavity opening into the mixing compartment. The rotor includes a hub disposed within the cavity and having a plurality of fingers extending outwardly therefrom. Upon rotation of the rotor, the fingers move forcibly out of the cavity and into the mixing compartment to impact the material moving therepast, for mixing and aerating the material. An overflow discharge opening in a side wall of the compartment permits the prepared material to be discharged continuously from the mixing compartment. The supply of material to the compartment and the discharge of material are under the control of door, material consistency sensing, and timing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1982
    Assignee: Pettibone Corporation
    Inventors: Richard E. Colin, Pete B. Pederson
  • Patent number: 4361697
    Abstract: A process for recovering diterpene glycosides from the Stevia rebaudiana plant includes the steps of sequentially extracting plant material with a first solvent of intermediate polarity to extract plant substances which tend to interfere with a liquid chromatographic separation of the glycosides, and then with a second solvent of high polarity to extract glycosides, and chromatographically separating the extracted glycosides by introducing them onto a liquid chromatography column having a packing of an oxygen-containing organic stationary phase covalently bonded through a silicon atom to an inorganic support, eluting them with a solvent of polarity higher than that of the first solvent but lower than that of the second solvent, and collecting individually eluate fractions rich in respective glycosides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1982
    Assignee: F. K. Suzuki International, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert H. Dobberstein, Mohamed S. Ahmed
  • Patent number: 4332250
    Abstract: Equine sanitation apparatus includes a supply tube, and in succession on the tube, a nozzle at its distal end, a sponge, and structure for manipulating the apparatus, whereby the nozzle and the sponge may be inserted into a body cavity and the sponge manipulated therein, and liquid may be supplied to and exhausted from the body cavity via the tube and the nozzle. The preferred apparatus includes a syringe-type instrument for supplying liquid to the tube and exhausting the liquid therefrom. The apparatus advantageously is employed in a method for cleaning an equine sheath, wherein the nozzle and the sponge are inserted in the sheath, the sheath cavity is flushed through the tube and the nozzle to loosen and remove smegma therein, and the interior surface of the sheath is scrubbed with the sponge to break up crustaceous smegma for removal thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1982
    Inventor: Charles A. Behney
  • Patent number: 4326396
    Abstract: A plate tumbler for a cylinder lock mechanism, such mechanism including a tubular barrel provided with an internal longitudinal groove, and a key plug assembly rotatable in the barrel, such assembly including a key plug, a plurality of plate tumblers transversely reciprocally movable in slots in the plug and each having an end received in the barrel groove in a locking disposition of the mechanism, and spring means biasing such tumbler ends into the groove, such tumbler being relieved along the side edges of a body portion thereof, as compared to conventional tumblers, at diagonally opposite corners of the body portion, to provide a trailing edge having an arcuate end portion received in the barrel groove in the locking disposition of the mechanism and an adjacent oblique portion at one of the corners, and a leading edge having an oblique end portion at the diagonally opposite corner, whereby the arcuate end portion of the trailing edge hooks over the key plug while the oblique end portion of the leading edge
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1980
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1982
    Assignee: Chicago Lock Co.
    Inventor: Robert L. Steinbach
  • Patent number: 4310577
    Abstract: A liquid crystal film laminate embodies an indicator component and a supportive and protective component removable from the indicator component to provide maximum flexibility and minimum mass in the resulting indicating article. The indicator component includes a liquid crystal film and may include a protective layer and/or an adhesive layer. The film has an outer surface which forms one of two opposite side surfaces on the indicator component. The supportive and protective component includes two release surfaces provided by at least one release sheet, such release surfaces separably contacting respective ones of the indicator component side surfaces in covering relation thereto, for removably supporting and protecting the indicator component. The outer surface of the film thereby is exposed to unobstructed view upon removal of the supportive and protective component, for maximum clarity of the indication given by the film. The maximum total thickness of the indicator component preferably is about 4 mils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1979
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1982
    Assignee: Liquid Crystal Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas W. Davison, Fred K. Suzuki
  • Patent number: 4291793
    Abstract: A hand brake mechanism of the quick-release type having locking structure preventing accidental brake release includes a clutch collar interconnecting a drive member mounted on a shaft for rotation therewith and a pinion mounted on the shaft for rotation relative thereto and for being operatively connected in a power train to the car brakes. The collar is shiftable on the shaft between a drive position making the aforesaid interconnection, and a brake-release position wherein the connection is broken and the pinion is freely rotatable on the shaft. A pivotally mounted shift lever has collar-engaging members for shifting the collar between such positions. A cam shaft is provided with a cam which, when the cam shaft is rotated in one direction, engages the shift lever to shift the collar into the brake-release position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1981
    Assignee: Klasing Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Wayne G. Klasing
  • Patent number: 4290638
    Abstract: Apparatus such as a pickup unit for releasable connection to a member such as an anchor insert embedded in an object such as a concrete body, of the type including a housing forming part of the apparatus and which is inserted into the object adjacent to the member, lugs movably mounted in the housing for releasable engagement with the member, and an actuator movably mounted in the housing for moving the lugs between member-engaging and disengaging dispositions, is provided with sockets in the housing, a lug mounted in each socket for reciprocal rotational movement between such dispositions, the actuator having first reaction surfaces engaging the lugs to prevent them from being rotated under load, and a seat for each lug forming a part of the socket structure and providing a second reaction surface for transferring to the housing load forces exerted on the lug by the member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1981
    Assignee: Superior Concrete Accessories, Inc.
    Inventor: Lindley Manning
  • Patent number: 4272153
    Abstract: A binocular wherein each telescope embodies a porro arrangement of mirrors within a shell and includes eyepiece and objective barrels. The objective regions of the telescope shells are hingedly connected together so that the interpupillary distance between the eyepiece barrels may be adjusted as desired, and the position of the hinge connection is such that the objective barrels are offset inwardly from the eyepiece barrels in any angular or adjusted position of the telescopes and to such an extent that no part of the binocular is projected in any manner into the rim region of the field of view when the binocular is put to use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1981
    Inventor: William J. Beecher
  • Patent number: 4269190
    Abstract: Pressure is applied to a loose skin region of the animal body by forming an elongated skin fold in the region and applying a clamp to the fold, such clamp including a pair of elongated clamping portions resiliently biased towards each other, and the clamping portions being disposed on opposite sides of the fold therealong and spaced inwardly from the outer margin of the fold so as to clamp the fold between the clamping portions and secure the clamp in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1981
    Inventor: Charles A. Behney
  • Patent number: 4252110
    Abstract: An article of manufacture for use as an implant in the animal ear to correct a faulty carriage of the ear occasioned by the presence of a skin-enclosed cartilage fault comprises a spring constructed of non-porous biologically inert material, the spring having outwardly divergent arms terminating in outer free ends and adapted to be forced together to present a narrow elongated spring outline for implantation of the spring in the ear by insertion through a small incision in the skin of the ear with the free ends foremost and into a pocket previously formed between the skin and cartilage over a cartilage fault, so that the spring bridges the fault, the spring arms when free of applied force tending to return to their original divergent dispositions owing to the resiliency of the spring, whereby when the spring is implanted in the ear, the spring arms resist displacement of the spring towards the incision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1981
    Inventor: Charles A. Behney
  • Patent number: RE30637
    Abstract: A multi-dial, manually operable indicator employing color-coded, alphabetical and numerical indicia which are indicative of railway or road vehicle destinations, regardless of whether they may be local or outbound, major or minor vehicle defects requiring repair, other varied information requiring matching of indicia for proper vehicle selection, and other indicia affording useful information to the driver of the associated vehicle or highway or railway personnel. A novel clutch mechanism which is effective under the control of a single knob affords selective dial rotation while other manually operable knobs effect pointer operations indicative of the condition of special vehicle equipment such as refrigeration apparatus or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1981
    Inventors: John H. King, William C. Gore