Patents Examined by Alexandra K. Pechhold
  • Patent number: 6811352
    Abstract: A revetment for bank, water-retaining structure and the like includes elements made of concrete or a similar material, which elements are approximately prismatic in the height direction and each have two transverse faces and two longitudinal faces which run parallel to their height direction. One transverse face of each element is made a concave shape, and the other transverse face is made a corresponding convex shape, in such a way that the elements can rest with their transverse faces against each other in various rotated positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Den Boer Beton Groot Ammers B.V.
    Inventor: Pleun Meerkerk
  • Patent number: 6805515
    Abstract: A removable traffic control bollard has a post and a base for removably receiving the post. The post has a depending cylindrical part that fits into the tube of the base, held by rider elements that fit inside an upper post member of hollow tubing. The base has a faceplate opening into a downwardly depending tube that is embedded in the ground, or the like, preferably with the faceplate at surface level. The faceplate has two locking apertures over a box, and the post has an aperture in a cleat, through which apertures a padlock U-bolt can be inserted to lock the post to the base. The post can be repeatedly inserted into the base and locked into position and, if desired, subsequently removed by unlocking it and pulling it up out of the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Inventor: George S. Reale
  • Patent number: 6804850
    Abstract: A dock leveler and installation thereof having a bumper assembly to protect the deck and the lip of the leveler. In one embodiment the dock leveler comprises a pivotable deck and a lip attached to the deck at one end thereof. A bumper is operably connected to the deck and moveable with the deck. The bumper is selectively moveable to protrude beyond the end of the deck to protect the dock leveler from impact. In another embodiment a dock leveler installation comprises a loading dock having a front face. A dock leveler is mounted at the loading dock and has a pivotable deck and a lip attached to the deck at one end thereof. A bumper is operably connected to the front face beneath the dock leveler and projecting in front of the lip when the lip is in a pendent position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: United Dominion Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: James C Alexander
  • Patent number: 6802669
    Abstract: Numerous embodiments of a synthetic drainable base course (“SDBC”), and paved structures that may advantageously include an SDBC, are provided. As a key advantage of SDBC's according to the invention, they are of sufficient capacities and structural strength to be used within layered paved structures such as highways, airport runways and parking lots, to provide drainage superior to that afforded by conventional means and methods involving the use of open graded base courses that are typically formed of natural soils and aggregate and are extremely expensive to install. The invention includes means and methods that use conventional heavy equipment for installing an SDBC during the construction of a roadway or other paved surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Inventors: Peter J. Ianniello, Giovanni Capra, Aigen Zhao
  • Patent number: 6802667
    Abstract: An anti-segregation device (10) for preventing segregation of paving material (P) that is applied to a road bed (7) by a paving vehicle (1). The anti-segregation device (10) includes a first end (14) that is connected with the frame (2of the paving vehicle (1) and an opposing end (16) proximal to the road bed (7). The anti-segregation device (10) is configured to substantially contain paving material (P) between the anti-segregation device (10) and a screed (3) on the paving vehicle (1). The anti-segregation device (10) substantially prevents larger material particles from falling, rolling or otherwise moving forwardly from the remainder of the paving material head (H) so as to generally prevent material segregation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Blaw-Knox Construction Equipment Corporation
    Inventor: Adrian Baker
  • Patent number: 6799640
    Abstract: A bearing support arrangement for a grader blade uses short stroke hydraulic cylinders to compensate for wear between slide bearings and slide rails of the grader blade. The cylinders are preferrably pressurized by grease and a grease fitting is provided for each cylinder to provide with convenient access, to allow service by the operator. Preferrably the cylinders are located in a generally closed cavity between the bearing support holder and the slide bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Volvo Motor Graders Limited
    Inventor: Edward McGugan
  • Patent number: 6799921
    Abstract: The present invention provides a manhole cover/frame exchange method capable of minimizing the size of a portion to be mended, of eliminating a pressing step by a roller machine, of eliminating/reducing steps and a required mending time and of suppressing vibrations, noises and the like during the exchanging process. The manhole cover/frame exchange method comprises steps of: cutting a portion of a paved road around the manhole cover/frame spherically; removing the spherically cut portion; filling a self-curing highly fluid non-shrink filler into a spherical hollow space formed by the removing step, and filling a surface layer material over the self-curing highly fluid non-shrink filler. Thus, the pressing step by the roller machine is eliminated by the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Shiga Sangyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiharu Kodama
  • Patent number: 6796740
    Abstract: Dispensing apparatus (2) for dispensing reflective elements, such as glass beads (4), onto a surface, typically a road surface, the apparatus (2) being attached to a vehicle. The glass beads (4) are placed in an inlet means (6) and directed along a path around a drive means (10), which drive means (10) imparts a velocity to the glass beads for subsequent delivery onto the surface through an outlet means (20). The glass beads (4) exit the outlet means (20) at a velocity having substantially the same magnitude as the magnitude of velocity at which the vehicle travels and a direction substantially opposite to the direction of travel of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Potters Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Joseph Chiron, Colin William Yob, Robert Alexander Carnaby
  • Patent number: 6792638
    Abstract: A construction of a floor slab bridge includes a plurality of columnar H-shaped steels each disposed between adjacent bridge legs and arranged in side-by-side relation with an end face of a lower flange abutted with a corresponding end face of the adjacent columnar H-shaped steel. A lower concrete layer is formed by placing concrete in a space defined between the upper and lower flanges and between adjacent web plates through a concrete inlet port formed between the adjacent upper flange, and an upper concrete layer is formed by placing concrete on the upper flange. An iron reinforcement is horizontally disposed on the upper flanges, and an iron reinforcement is suspended in the space from the horizontal iron reinforcement through the concrete inlet port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignees: Asahi Engineering Co., Ltd., Eco Japan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tokuno, Kazutoshi Tsuda, Fumihiro Saito
  • Patent number: 6793437
    Abstract: A compaction roller particularly useful for vibration compaction of the shoulder area of roadways. The compactor is designed as an attachment for side-mounting to self-propelled or motorized machinery (e.g. a skid steer front loader). The compaction roller contains: (a) a front section comprising a frame connected to a front cylindrical roller; (b) a rear section comprising a frame connected to a rear cylindrical roller; (c) a joining means pivotally connecting said front and rear sections; and (d) a means for attaching to a self-propelled machinery in a side-mounted fashion. The pivoting compactor allows for simultaneous pinching and compacting on two different planes and reduces the hazards of operating a road roller compactor directly on a sloped surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Glenn O. Hawbaker, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph P. Kitko, Michael C. Wolf
  • Patent number: 6789629
    Abstract: A mobile trailer having an easily raisable and lowerable ground engaging scraper/leveler planar type plate that a single user can raise and lower by a lever arm. Various spring type members allow for the plate to be easily moved upward and downward, and the plate can be locked in a raised position. The trailer can be easily towed behind small tractors and all terrain vehicles(ATVs). Another embodiment allows the plate to be easily raised and lowered by a single arm having one end pivotally attached t a support frame on the mobile trailer. The arm can be slid into side catches so that the plate is at selected heights as needed. Another embodiment allows for a barrel to be pivotally attached to the frame so that raising and lowering the arm allows for a filled barrel to be turned upside down discharging any contents in the barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Inventor: Leland W. Jones
  • Patent number: 6789286
    Abstract: An apparatus for moving passengers between an airport terminal building and a doorway of an aircraft located rearward of a wing of the aircraft, including a passageway member pivotally anchored to one of the terminal building and a passenger loading bridge for servicing a front doorway of a same aircraft. The apparatus a telescopic passageway member is pivotally mounted to the passageway member via a flexible connection. In use, the apparatus is cantilevered over the wing of an aircraft with the flexible connection substantially above a highest point along an upper surface of the aircraft wing. The flexible connection allows a cabin carried at an outboard end of the telescopic passageway member to mate to the rear doorway of the aircraft, providing an open passageway between the rear doorway and the terminal building through which passengers deplane. Positioning the flexible connection above the high point of the wing approximately minimizes the inclination of each passageway member floor surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: DEW Engineering and Development Limited
    Inventors: Neil Hutton, Christopher Nowak
  • Patent number: 6786673
    Abstract: Molded ribs are provided for use in connection with traffic channeling devices, such as drums, which employ external ballasting collars, such as molded rings or truck tire rings. The ribs are disposed at spaced intervals near the bottom of the external wall of the drum, for improving contact between the drum wall and the internal diameter of the ballasting collar, in order to eliminate undesirable separation of the drum and collar during ordinary use, and to prevent inadvertent rotation of the drum relative to the collar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Traffix Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Jack H. Kulp, David C. Gertz
  • Patent number: 6786675
    Abstract: An erosion control method and apparatus provides multiple concrete bodies for erosion control that each include tubular hollow bore sections. Each section has front and rear openings that communicate with the hollow bore. Each body is an elongated tapered pile-like member. The plurality of the concrete bodies can be installed side by side using a jetting pump that preferably occupies the bore, and with tongue and groove connections interlocking the bodies upon assembly. A plurality of the concrete bodies can be placed side by side to form a bulkhead or breakwater to protect a shoreline, bank, island or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Inventor: Carl T. Detiveaux
  • Patent number: 6782577
    Abstract: A knock-down quarter pipe for bikers, skateboarders and in-line skaters has a base, and a plurality of legs extending up from the base, the legs having lower ends lying in a common plane. A deck is supported by the legs at a selected elevation above the base, the deck having front and rear edges and a surface extending between those edges that is substantially parallel to the plane. A ramp extends from the front edge of the deck down to the plane, that ramp having a lower leading edge that is located in that plane and spaced in front of a base. Preferably, the base and at least the lower end portion of the ramp may be filed with a fluid medium to add weight to and lower the center of gravity of the quarter pipe. Preferably also, a rigid coping rail is located between the front edge of the deck and the ramp which can function as a grind rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Hedstrom Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick M. Rieber, Don McCloskey, Frank Bork
  • Patent number: 6779946
    Abstract: A drainage structure having perforated parallel top and bottom plates separated by spacer members. A web joins adjacent spacer members and has a curved profile such that water spilling over the web does so, at a varying velocity profile to increase oxygenation of the water. This drainage structure can also be filled with good drainage soil and planted with grass to filter and retain water that passes therethrough, with a layer of filter medium below and a water permeable drain below the filter medium, to transport water into the substrate and into a reticulation tank where the water can percolate back into the soil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Inventors: Humberto Urriola, Christian Urriola
  • Patent number: 6773202
    Abstract: A device for covering shafts of manholes in roads, (3) which is slideably guided in a covering ring (2) that is rigidly fixed on the shaft (1) proper, and a retaining ring (4) for receiving the shaft cover positioned in the plane of the road surface (6). Flexible fastening and simple construction is obtained by mounting the retaining ring (4) on the tube (3) so as to be detachable, with a limited degree of movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Inventor: Peter Hagen
  • Patent number: 6773203
    Abstract: A paving machine arranged to spread and level concrete along a path. The paving machine has a frame assembly, and at least one concrete processing device carried by the frame assembly. The processing device include at least two mutually screed elements spanning the width of the frame assembly and are mutually adjustable in height relative to the frame assembly. The paving machine futher include a control device that positions the at least two screed elements relative to the frame assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Drion Constructie, besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid
    Inventor: François Casters
  • Patent number: 6772464
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for aligning a door of an aircraft to a passenger loading bridge. A final parking position of the aircraft is defined as being immediately adjacent to a position of the passenger loading bridge, such that when the aircraft is stopped at the final parking position, the passenger loading bridge requires only a telescopic extension of less than about 1 meter to complete the alignment operation. To this end, an indicating device that works cooperatively with an aircraft-engaging end of the passenger loading bridge is provided for displaying human intelligible instructions for use by a pilot of the aircraft to guide the aircraft to the final parking position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: DEW Engineering and Development Limited
    Inventor: Neil Hutton
  • Patent number: 6769494
    Abstract: An improved vegetation trimmer and edging unit for lawn and garden use provides a multi-position front handle, an integral roller edging guide having a flange concentrically located about the motor shaft and being of sufficient diameter to maintain a consistent distance between the cutting plane and the object being edged around, activation switches equally convenient to either operating position, and a power source mounted in a location equally balanced in either operating position. The combination vegetation trimmer and edger unit may be used in a first, horizontal cutting plane position for lawn trimming, and may be further used in a second, vertical cutting plane position for edging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: PowerQwest, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew R. Breneman, John P. Leffler, James F. Hutfles