Patents Examined by C. D. Crowder
  • Patent number: 5826773
    Abstract: A material transfer device for continuously feeding or outputting strand material into or out of a treatment room, as well as to a material transfer structure. In order to maintain a desired treatment atmosphere in the treatment room, a material transfer device which is free from wear and trouble and has a good sealing effect. The material transfer device has a passage element, an inlet opening of which has a variable cross-section. The cross-section is either varied by a pressure device or by internal forces in a circumferentially expansible tube. Further, a pulling device pulls the strand material through the passage element. A plurality of chambers are arranged one behind the other, through which chambers the strand material travels both towards and out from the treatment chamber. The material passages of the chambers each have locks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Inventor: Siegfried Straemke
  • Patent number: 5826274
    Abstract: A method and article for facilitating the application of a wet suit to a human body having a torso portion with a first arm member and a second arm member extend outwardly from opposite sides of the torso portion. The first and second leg members extend downwardly from the torso portion. The torso portion, the leg members and the arm members are formed of a spun high density polyethylene fiber material. First and second mittens are also formed of the same material and are removably affixed adjacent to the first and second arm members, respectively. First and second boots are also formed of the same material and are removably affixed adjacent to the first and second leg members, respectively. The torso portion has a V-shaped open area formed on a back surface of the torso portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Inventor: Michael Thompson
  • Patent number: 5822833
    Abstract: A topographical support member and a method of forming a topographical support member for use in producing nonwoven fabrics with raised portions, especially intaglio and slub type portions. The topographical support member comprises a body having a top surface including a first micro-sized topographical pattern and a pattern of apertures extending through the body. At least one macro-sized region recessed below the top surface is provided. The micro-sized pattern produces a background portion of the fabric and the macro-sized recessed regions produce the raised portions of the fabric. Multiple levels may be provided in the macro-sized region to produce multiple level raised portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: McNeil-PPC, Inc.
    Inventors: William A. James, William G. F. Kelly
  • Patent number: 5823015
    Abstract: A knitting machine and needle selection mechanism is provided including a piezoelectric body movable between upper, lower and neutral positions corresponding to knit, tuck and welt positions of the knitting needles, a first driving circuit for displacing the piezoelectric body upwardly, a second driving circuit for displacing the piezoelectric body downardly, a third driving circuit for displacing the piezoelectric body to the neutral position, and a control device for controlling the driving circuits in accordance with a pre-set program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Precision Fukuhara Works, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takao Shibata
  • Patent number: 5819383
    Abstract: A brush conveyor, such as a velvet needling machine, has an assembly of contiguous brushes disposed in transverse rows, and a drive source for this assembly of brushes which forms a conveying plane having a predetermined direction of displacement to constitute an upper face of the conveyor. Each brush includes a body including, on its upper face, holes which are provided for receiving a tuft of hair and, on its lower face, connecting apparatus to fasten this brush to a drive source. The drive source has several parallel drive belts or chains placed between at least two drive cylinders running in the same direction. The conveyor also has a support structure for supporting the brush bodies forming the conveying plane. This support structure includes a support table having several flat support parts separated by spaces provided for the drive belts or chains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Asselin
    Inventors: Bernard Jourde, Jean-Christophe Laune, Robert Jean
  • Patent number: 5815845
    Abstract: A pocket billfold removably securable within a front pocket includes a pair of panels forming a container for holding bills, currency, credit cards, and the like. The pocket billfold has a notched corner portion at the top of the container. The pocket has a rivet on its top line adjacent the side seam of the pocket. When the billfold is inserted into the pocket, the notched corner portion of the container engages the underside of the riveted portion of the pocket and the side thereof, preventing the billfold from unintended removal from the pocket. A clip secured to one of the panels of the billfold grips the material of the front of the pocket and provides additional protection of the billfold within the pocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Inventors: Phillip H. Ault, Patricia P. Landrem
  • Patent number: 5815843
    Abstract: A fastener for removably attaching pockets and other accessories to garments which includes slidably interlocking male and female members. The male member also includes a locking tab which cooperates with a locking post on the female member for securing the fastener in a closed position. The male member and the female member may be attached to the pocket and the garment respectively by sewing them in position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Survival, Inc.
    Inventors: Lee W. Brillhart, III, Ricky W. Stewart
  • Patent number: 5815889
    Abstract: A method of regulating a drafting arrangement, in which measuring signals are acquired at a feed end of the drafting arrangement, compared with a set value to provide a differential signal, and an adjusting signal for the control unit of a variable speed motor for the pair of drafting rollers is derived from the differential signal, provides reliable control results and adjustment of the sliver where a difference has been detected. Set values are entered by a transfer address from a set-point register. The basic speed is derived from actual speed of a doffer and supplied as basic voltage to the control unit of the variable speed motor. A measuring clock pulse of low frequency is generated, dependent upon a roller of the drafting arrangement. With every measuring clock pulse a measuring signal is obtained, converted into a digital signal, compared with the activated transfer address of the set-point register and a differential signal is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: CSM-Saechsische Spinnereimaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Barth, Thomas Enghardt, Thomas Heinecke, Gert Zeidler
  • Patent number: 5815837
    Abstract: A long-sleeved garment having a sleeve with a cuff attached thereto along an annular seam. A pocket connected to an inner side of the sleeve and cuff along a portion of the annular seam accommodates all fingers of a hand except for the thumb. A thumb compartment extends from the sleeve above the cuff for accommodating the thumb of the hand. Both the pocket and thumb compartment are retractable inside the sleeve such that they are unnoticeable when not in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Inventors: Rodney Gene Christman, Amy Jo Kasza-Christman
  • Patent number: 5815838
    Abstract: A batting glove is designed for players that hold the bat with one or two fingers over or under the knob. The glove includes a knob receptacle that will act as a pivot point for the knob in the palm of the glove. A surface pad is fixed proximally along the surface of the palm of the glove. A piece of foam is mounted proximally perpendicularly to the surface pad approximating the shape of the letter "J". A cover is then placed over both foam pads to protect the pads against wear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Worth, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Leon Lord, Floyd Jackson Hayes, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5815831
    Abstract: Headwear comprising a support positionable on the head of a wearer with a front positionable across the forehead of a wearer and sides positionable across the sides of the head of a wearer. A forwardly extending shield is provided. The shield has a forward end remote from the support and a rearward end adjacent to the support with lateral side edges therebetween whereby the forward end and lateral side edges form a periphery having the shape of an object and indicia correlated to the periphery. The shield may also have an internal portion within the periphery which is bendable up or down to display logos, etc., and the periphery of this portion along with indicia may also combine or make a replication. The periphery and the indica together are designed to make a replication. Further provided are mechanisms to couple the shield with the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Inventor: Thomas De Wan
  • Patent number: 5813101
    Abstract: A device for needling a prebonded web (1), comprises at least one needle board (3) reciprocatingly movable in a needling direction, and a web support (2) disposed opposite the needle board (3) between a feed roller (7) and a discharge roller (8). To avoid a stripper it is proposed that the needle board (3) be disposed directly opposite the web support (2), that the web support be provided with a continuous convex curvature in direction of web movement (6), and that the discharge rate of the discharge roller (8) exceed the feed rate of the feed roller (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Inventor: Ernst Fehrer
  • Patent number: 5813056
    Abstract: A strap or band worn on the swimmer's head that is attached to a pair of swimming goggles includes two ear restrainers, one for each of the swimmer's ears, that restrain and at least partially cover the swimmer's ears and pin the ears tightly against the swimmer's head to reduce the swimmer's hydrodynamic drag. When the strap is stretched or elongated around the swimmer's head during use, the top and bottom edges of the ear restrainers curve inward toward the swimmer's head. The strap reduces the swimmer's hydrodynamic drag by reducing the barrier created by the ears when the ears extend outward from the swimmer's head. In addition, the strap creates a smooth surface over the swimmer's ears so that the water passes more easily and quickly over the ears as the swimmer moves through the water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Inventor: Richard W. Ambrose
  • Patent number: 5809764
    Abstract: A piecing method for a spinning machine wherein, following stoppage of the spinning operations, after cutting the sliver (S) between the usually rotating draft rollers (13) and the stopped draft rollers (12) and before the restarting of drafting and spinning, the sliver (S) is once again cut between the usually rotating draft rollers (13) and the stopped draft rollers (12) by driving the stopped draft rollers (12) for a predetermined period of time and then stopping again, thus sliver (S) is supplied to the twisting part (2) by then driving the stopped draft rollers (12). Therefore, not only can the sliver fiber density of the sliver end supplied to the piecing area during piecing be increased, but that length of the tip of the sliver can also be shortened. Accordingly, the strength of the piecing part is increased and the length of the piecing part can be shortened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Murata Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenji Baba
  • Patent number: 5809673
    Abstract: A display device comprising a first base panel comprising a first and a second slot, and a second base panel above the first base panel. The second base panel comprises a third and a fourth slot. The display device further comprises an opening member comprising a first opening face connecting at a first axis to a second opening face. The opening member further comprises a back face parallel to the second opening face. The opening member is connected to the first base panel at second axis, and the opening member is connected to the second base panel at a third axis. The device further comprises an elastic device cooperatively engaged between the first slot, the second slot, the third slot, and the fourth slot. The elastic device slides the first base panel along the second base panel, and the first opening face rotates along the second axis, the second opening face rotates along the first axis, and the back face rotates along the third axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: American Slide-Chart Corporation
    Inventors: James D. Johnson, Judy M. Studenski, James J. Jacisin
  • Patent number: 5809568
    Abstract: A disposable bib is formed from two sheets of absorbent material such as tissue paper, separated by perforations. The bibs are dispensed from a roll, with each bib being separated from the roll along a row of perforations. Alternate sheets have a flap defined by perforations. In use the flap is released from one of the sheets and folded to overlie or underlie the other sheet to provide a neck-receiving opening and a double thickness protective bib portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Inventor: Muriel Morris-Jones
  • Patent number: 5809805
    Abstract: An improved warp/knit stitch reinforced multi-axial non-crimp layered fabric sheet used in structural applications, as for example, in aircraft and water applications, e.g. the skin of an airplane wing or fuselage structure, in water applications, e.g. skins of surfboards and boats, and in other areas where high strength and relatively light weight is required. The fabric is comprised of a plurality of plies facewise disposed upon one another and knitted or stitched to form a structural sheet. Each fabric ply is made of strands of aligned structural fibers which can be later impregnated and even pre-impregnated with a resin curable matrix. The improved sheet is formed by applying unidirectional non-crimp and non-woven plies of different angular relationship to one another, e.g. a +45.degree., a 90.degree. and a -45.degree. ply and locating 0.degree. plies in essentially any position in the ply arrangement such that the 0.degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: McDonnell Douglas Corporation
    Inventors: Raymond J. Palmer, Gert Wagener
  • Patent number: 5809580
    Abstract: A multi-sport goggle having a tear-away lens system includes a pair of strap brackets which pivotally and removably attach a goggle strap to the goggle frame. One of the strap brackets includes a third post to removably secure the lateral pull-strap of the tear-away lenses, the other two posts (for securing the panes of the tear-away lenses over the permanent lens) being carried on a pair of lens brackets which are removably secured to either side extent of the goggle frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Bausch & Lomb Incorporated
    Inventor: Gregory F. Arnette
  • Patent number: 5806154
    Abstract: Disclosed is a textile laminate comprising a fiberfill web substrate and a face layer. The fiberfill web substrate has a plurality of first fibers at the surface of the substrate. The face layer comprises a plurality of extruded second fibers which are mechanically intertangled with the plurality of first fibers at the surface of the substrate to thereby form the textile laminate. Typically, the first fibers of the fiberfill web are polyester fiberfill fibers and the second fibers of the extruded face layer are polypropylene fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Springs Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Warren Tolbert
  • Patent number: 5806295
    Abstract: A cut-resistant flexible yarn suitable for knitting, method of forming the cut-resistant yarn, and protective apparel incorporating the cut-resistant yarn are provided. The yarn includes a plurality of core units. Each of the core units includes a core yarn, and a flexible metallic filament wrapped around the core yarn. The plurality of core units are positioned adjacent to each other to form a bundle. At least one cover strand is wrapped around and encases the bundled core units to form a cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Inventors: Steven D. Robins, Robert H. Fleming, Jr.