Patents Represented by Law Firm Wagner & Middlebrook
  • Patent number: 5509656
    Abstract: A maze puzzle is disclosed employing a concealed maze pattern on one member and a second member movable with respect to the first member and including a pin or follower which engages the maze pattern. A plurality of switches are located in various positions in the maze pattern and are operated as a pin passes each point. A sound generator producing an appropriate audible signal provides an audible message to the player. A similar generator provides a power for visual indicators such as a liquid crystal display or light emitting diode. A key member is either concealed or locked within the puzzle until a certain level of successful performance of the puzzle is achieved. The key may be used to open a secret compartment in the puzzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: Image Design & Marketing
    Inventors: Howard H. Berger, Gary T. Yamron, Richard Perkins
  • Patent number: 5502941
    Abstract: An ornamental coating and process for applying the coating to a substrate includes mixing a first batch of liquid mortar composed of sand, cement and an aqueous solution of acrylic resin, and trowelling or spraying a first layer of the liquid mortar onto the substrate and allowing the liquid mortar to cure. A second batch of liquid mortar is mixed which is the same as the first except that it contains a color pigment contrasting with the color of the first batch. A template defining a pattern of grout lines is placed over the cured first batch and the second batch of liquid mortar is trowelled or sprayed over the first batch and the template as a second layer and allowed to cure only to the extent that the second layer is firm, but not hard. The template is then removed, removing that part of the second layer immediately above the template thus exposing lines of the cured first batch which then appear as grout lines between areas of colored mortar which appear as bricks, flagstone or tiles etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1996
    Assignee: Ultra-Tex Surfaces, Inc.
    Inventors: Louis F. Zember, Kenneth W. Masters, James A. Ogilvie, Edward Shea
  • Patent number: 5465966
    Abstract: An improved hockey puck particularly for street or court play. The puck has a cylindrical body and includes on its pair of planar faces at least one cushioned disk extending above the face surface and acting as the sliding surface for the puck. Angular e.g. vertical forces applied to this puck are absorbed by the cushion allowing the puck to slide with a minimized tendency to roll. In one embodiment, a single disk is located on each face. In another embodiment, a plurality such as three disks are present, each cushioned by an O ring. In other embodiments, an inertial member is rotatably or flexurally mounted along the central axis of the cylindrical body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1995
    Inventor: Michael La Savio
  • Patent number: 5454742
    Abstract: A radar reflector buoy is disclosed comprising a unitary molded inflatable hollow body with an enlarged or thickened portion which is used to attach the buoy to an anchor. The thickened portion includes a mount for an internal staff and corner radar reflector. Also disclosed is a process for producing the radar reflective buoy. The process involved open molding of the attachment area from a liquid unpolymerized polymer, partially curing it with a mount for a radar reflector staff in place, transferring the attachment area to a rotational molding apparatus, inserting a radar corner reflector and rotational molding the buoy body from a compatible powdered polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1995
    Inventor: James H. Robertson
  • Patent number: 5446628
    Abstract: A flexible light transfer conduit for use in combination with a light source of the type having a plastic heat shrink tubing that is shrunk around a core of flexible fiber optic rod(s) of varying diameters, along with a wire stiffening element that is capable of holding the cable in a position it is bent to without fracturing after repeated bends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Inventors: Richard P. Blom, Robert J. Hauerwaas
  • Patent number: 5445825
    Abstract: From prior oral hygiene devices, this invention, in its preferred embodiment, is dry and intended for oral use in cleaning and polishing the teeth and for cleaning the gums, tongue, and surrounding mucosa of the mouth and in plaque removal, with the user's own mouth furnishing the only liquid required, which reconstitutes, in situ, the ingredients which are dehydrated and/or impregnated within a membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignees: The Copelan Family Trust, James B. Copelan Family Trust
    Inventors: Phoebe Copelan, James B. Copelan
  • Patent number: 5443409
    Abstract: A water saddle is formed of a unitary member of expanded plastic such as polystyrene having closed cells on it surface. The saddle includes a center seat located between end sections. The center of the seat portion is narrower than the end sections and includes tapered surfaces to be grasped by a riders legs which extend to a bottom surface which curves downwardly from one end section to a maximum depth below the seat portion and them upwardly to the other end section. The saddle is designed such that the center of buoyancy of the combined saddle and rider is significantly below the surface of the water, leaving the rider's arms, shoulders and head out of the water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1995
    Assignee: Orca Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Keith Adamson
  • Patent number: 5430474
    Abstract: A system for creating stereoscopic images from multiple sources from predetermined lateral directions for forming the multiple images onto a multiple image plane and converging the images into multiple superimposed images on a viewing screen. The viewing screen employs a Fresnel lens and a lenticular lensed surface with horizontal lenticules. No glasses are needed, by one or more persons, to view stereoscopic 3-dimensional images. The source of the multiple images may be multiple cameras, composite multiple image film, video signals, or computer-generated images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1995
    Inventor: Stephen P. Hines
  • Patent number: 5406844
    Abstract: A reservoir sight glass assembly forming part of a material transfer system for loading lightweight granular plastic material into injection molding machines and the like is connected to the associated machine and to a light weight pressure relief chamber attached to the reservoir sight glass assembly, both connections being by quick disconnect devices. The reservoir sight glass assembly includes a sensor adjustably positioned against the sight glass which responds to the level of material in the reservoir sight glass assembly and a magnet assembly which traps ferrous contaminants and prevents their entering the machine. The flow of material to the pressure relief chamber is controlled by the sensor which turns a regulated source of compressed air on or off depending upon the sensed level of material in the reservoir sight glass assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Inventors: Peter May, III, Daniel T. Harnish
  • Patent number: 5398585
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument is designed in a generally guitar-shaped configuration with a fingerboard containing rows of keys replacing each string, one key for each string/fret position. Pressing on a key causes a signal to be provided to a central processing unit which continually scans the fingerboard at a high rate and converts the signals to a plurality of outputs to a synthesizer. Unlike a guitar, a plurality of keys, including a plurality along a single row, may be operated simultaneously to produce a plurality of notes simultaneously. A number of pressure switches and other switches located on the body enable a player to modify the output with vibrato, pitchbend, stereo pan, percussion effects, etc. Additional pressure responsive circuits provide inputs to the central processing unit varying with pressure on the keys. A second embodiment includes a fingerboard with many more rows or columns of keys and more keys per column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1995
    Inventor: Harvey Starr
  • Patent number: 5390701
    Abstract: A housing for use with a removable filter element includes fluid inlet passages and a fluid outlet passage, a plurality of arcuate slots arranged in a generally circular pattern on the housing, the housing including a valve body with bolts passing through the slots securing the valve body to the housing. A threaded boss is formed on the valve body for attachment of a filter element. A number of ports are formed on the valve body in registery with the fluid inlet passages for supplying fluid to the filter element. The boss includes a passageway therethrough communicating with the outlet passage and a check valve in the passageway. A seal is positioned between the housing and the valve body. Turning the filter element in a direction to remove it causes an initial rotation of the bolts in the slots resulting in misalignment of the ports and the fluid inlet passages, blocking flow to the ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Inventors: Michael R. Lessley, Larry P. Henry
  • Patent number: 5361531
    Abstract: A fishing lure includes a generally cylindrical body with a head end and a rear section, the head end being of larger diameter than the rear section. A plurality of bosses are formed on the surface of the rear section. A sleeve member consisting of a ring having a cut through its height and a lip around its periphery at one end surrounds the body at the smaller diameter end. One or more streamers are attached to the rear of the body. These streamers are of a generally known kind consisting of a flat plastic member having a large number of separated strands and an attachment end which is undivided and which is wrapped around the rear section of the lure. The attachment ends of the streamers for the lures of this invention are perforated or cut with cut outs or ports to match the bosses so that as they fit over these bosses as they are wrapped around the rear end of the body and are thereby partially held in place by the bosses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1994
    Inventor: John Rodrigues
  • Patent number: 5361955
    Abstract: A modular backpack for carrying heavy loads over substantial periods of time includes a back panel with a polyfoam layer, a stretch fabric cover, and a fabric layer between the polyfoam layer and the back panel, all thermally molded to the back panel to define a number of smaller polyfoam pads, a carry bag attached to the back panel, a separate waist support having separate molded left and right waistband pads fastened thereto, a molded bun pad of multilayered polyfoam positioned between the waistband pads and stitched to the lower part of the back panel and to a bottom panel of the carry bag, leaving a space between itself and the back panel to insert and remove the waist support and waistband pads. A pair of generally triangular stress panels are stitched to the lower part of the back panel on each side so as to overlay the outside of the waistband pads and padded shoulder straps are attached to the stress panels and to the upper part of the back panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1994
    Assignee: Bianchi International
    Inventor: Wayne B. Gregory
  • Patent number: 5361413
    Abstract: Herein is described an invention comprising an adjustable bow tie of three basic parts: a bow strip, a bow loop and a neck band. The bow strip may be pre-tied or otherwise, and is held in a bow shape by a tubular bow loop, located in the center of the tied bow strip. The neck band is separable from the bow tie portion and has an unrestricted path through the bow loop. The neck band is adjustable to the size of the wearer's neck and employs hook and pile fabric fasteners adjacent to both ends of the band and located longitudinally along opposite sides of the band. The combination of the fastening means with the unrestricted movement of the neck band allows the wearer to adjust the band and conceal such adjustment and the fastening means from view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1994
    Inventor: Aaron M. Schaefer
  • Patent number: D354722
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Inventor: Roger Medby
  • Patent number: RE34897
    Abstract: Disclosed are suspension devices for motorcycles, in which the rear wheel is rotatively supported by rear ends of right and left side swing arms front ends of which are pivotally connected to rear low-portion of the vehicle frame, one end of a link lever pivotally supported at its center portion by rear upper-portion of the frame is pivotally connected to the swing arms via a rod member at each side of the rear wheel and other end of said link lever is pivotally connected to upper end of a spring member, and lower end of said spring member is pivotally connected to a position of each swing arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Inventors: Donald G. Richardson, J. Guy Cazort
  • Patent number: D358548
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Inventor: Richard L. Platte
  • Patent number: D362384
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: Vortech Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: James K. Middlebrook
  • Patent number: D363887
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1995
    Inventor: James K. Middlebrook
  • Patent number: D366430
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Inventor: John J. Grundl