Patents Represented by Attorney William M. Hobby, III
  • Patent number: 8272138
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of aligning a vehicle's fixed rear axle relative to the vehicle frame and suspension elements uses an adjustable axle housing shim between one end of the axle housing and a leaf spring. One end of the axle is moved by the adjustable axle housing shim to remove any skew in the axle and wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Inventors: Scott S. Porta, Michael C. Loescher
  • Patent number: 8231780
    Abstract: The present invention is a storm water filter system for filtering floatable debris and non-floating pollutants from storm, water passing through a storm water drain system vault. The storm water filtering system has a vault having chamber having a floating skimmer panel between the inlet thereto and the outlet therefrom. The skimmer panel has a filter passageway therethrough for filtering the storm water while the floatable skimmer panel captures floatable debris and trash from the storm water. Storm water entering the vault inlet passes through a filter element in the skimmer panel and out the vault outlet and also can pass under the floating skimmer panel when the floatable skimmer panel is floated to a raised position to thereby prevent storm water from accumulating on the inlet side of the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Inventor: Thomas H. Happel
  • Patent number: 8232664
    Abstract: This invention is for a vertical axis wind turbine apparatus supported in a tower with wind diverter doors for controlling the air impinging on the turbine blades. The diverter doors are closable in high wind conditions to seal off the wind turbine to protect the turbine against damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Inventors: Mark R. Stroup, Luis Piloto
  • Patent number: 8221680
    Abstract: A culinary tool having a sterilizing handle apparatus and method includes a culinary tool, such as a fork, spoon or tongs, which has a tang extending therefrom. A handle is removably attached to the culinary tool over the culinary tool tang which handle includes a non-porous sleeve having a disinfectant impregnated foam reservoir therearound encapsulated in a semipermeable layer. Pressure applied to the handle causes a disinfectant material to ooze through the semipermeable layer to disinfect the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Inventor: Beverly A. Thomas
  • Patent number: 8216453
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a temporary grate cover apparatus for placement over a storm water grate to filter sediment and trash from entering the storm drain during a construction project.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Inventors: Gary L. Moody, Thomas H. Happel
  • Patent number: 8211413
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of dying a person's hair and especially to a method and composition for preventing coloring of the skin adjacent the hairline when dying a person's hair. The composition for applying to a person's skin adjacent the hairline to prevent coloring of the skin adjacent the hairline when dyeing a person's hair includes a mixture of alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, glycerin, ethylhexyl palminate, bambusa starch octenylsuccinate, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, polythylene glycol, dimethicone, allantoin and water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: You See, LLC
    Inventor: Sang H. Yoon
  • Patent number: 8209855
    Abstract: A method of splicing a power cable used to supply electricity to down hole submersible pumps uses a pair of annular armored seal members that are slid over the ends of an insulated electrical conductor being spliced together. Each armored seal member has a plurality of O-ring seals on one end thereof and a plurality of openings in the side thereof and are used to cover and protect a crimped conductor being spliced together. The method and apparatus allow a pair of spliced electrical cables to be used in an adverse environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: M.C. Miller Co.
    Inventors: Albert J. Hilberts, James Miller, James H. Muir
  • Patent number: 8177692
    Abstract: A pike pole exercise apparatus is provided for firemen to train and condition themselves for using a pike pole hook. A base has an elongated post attached thereto which extends generally vertically therefrom. An elongated hollow slide member is slidably mounted on the elongated post for sliding thereon and has a weight attached thereto so that a fireman can grip the slide member and slide it up and down on the elongated pole to exercise and train for using a pike pole hook.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Inventor: Timothy A. Deppen
  • Patent number: 8166726
    Abstract: The process of tiling a floor is disclosed in which the leveling of the tile members being attached to a floor or counter top includes selecting and attaching a plurality of tile height spacers to each piece of tile. Each tile height spacer has a plurality of feet extending from one side thereof and an adhesive coating on the other side having a protective cover thereover. The adhesive cover is removed from the tile so that the tile height spacer can be attached to the bottom of a tile member for pressing the tile member and tile height spacers attached thereto into the tile bonding agent applied to the floor for leveling the tile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Inventor: Tuan N. Dang
  • Patent number: 8105123
    Abstract: A marine electric generator flushing system for a boat has a liquid container attached in the generator raw cooling water intake line and mounted in a boat hull positioned along the water line of the boat. The liquid container has a fresh water inlet that allows a fresh water hose to be connected thereto and which automatically blocks the raw water line anytime fresh water is entering the liquid container so that fresh water is drawn through the generator cooling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Inventor: Edward W. Hamlin
  • Patent number: 8083937
    Abstract: The present invention is a storm water filter system for filtering floatable debris and non-floating pollutants from storm water passing through a storm water drain system vault. The storm water filtering system has a vault having chamber having a wall between the inlet thereto and the outlet therefrom. The wall has a filter passageway therethrough for filtering the storm water and a floatable baffle panel covering a second passageway therethrough for capturing floatable debris and trash from the storm water. Storm water entering the vault inlet passes through a filter element and out the outlet and also can pass under the floating baffle panel when the floatable baffle panel is floated to a raised position to thereby prevent storm water from accumulating on the inlet side of the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Inventor: Thomas H. Happel
  • Patent number: 8065971
    Abstract: A method for adjustably positioning a boat fender on the side of a boat utilizes a flexible strap having a plurality of openings therein having a boat fender rope threaded therethrough. The boat fender rope can be quickly moved through the openings in the strap to raise or lower the boat fender to lock the boat fender in place on the side of the boat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Inventor: Robert W. Loisel, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8061030
    Abstract: A cylinder head modification method includes the steps of selecting a cylinder head for an internal combustion engine having a plurality of combustion chambers and the cylinder head having a plurality of combustion chamber faces on the top of each combustion chamber. An elongated cylinder head insert is selected having a generally T-shaped cross-section and then forming an elongated slot in the selected cylinder head between a pair of combustion chamber faces. The elongated slot is shaped to receive the elongated cylinder head insert therein. A method includes press fitting the elongated cylinder head insert into the elongated slot and the cylinder head to thereby reduce localized high temperature deformations in the cylinder head. The method includes the step of heating the cylinder head to expand the slot for pressure fitting the cylinder head insert thereinto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Inventor: Henry J. Outhouse
  • Patent number: D649405
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Inventor: John L. Lingo
  • Patent number: D651500
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: ABG Tag & Traq, LLC
    Inventors: Ronald R. Lancaster, Philip N. Chivers, Mark A. Chivers, Michael R. Custer
  • Patent number: D653413
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Inventors: Frederic Wicks, Aaron D. Wicks
  • Patent number: D653715
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Inventor: Ronald A. Tumminia
  • Patent number: D657731
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Inventor: Cynthia C. Fried
  • Patent number: D667063
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Inventor: Deron C. Thompson
  • Patent number: D672973
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Inventor: Thomas P. Klein