Patents Examined by Christopher G. Trainor
  • Patent number: 5364034
    Abstract: The low flow irrigation system can be used for batch or continuous time-dependent watering. It takes the form of a reservoir tank with a screen basket which filters out large particles from the water coming into the system. A float valve shuts off and turns on the intake water to preserve a predetermined level of water. Once the tank is filled initially, a siphon is started to begin flow into the standpipe, then into the distributor header. From there water flows through holes into plant water tubes and out to the plant clusters. All of the openings in the system allow for finely suspended matter to flow through so that waste water may be used. This system allows for easy adjustment of flow rates, while solving the water loss problems by limiting the area wet and eliminating the spray. The results are low water and energy usage, along with efficient plant nutrient application with minimal ground water pollution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1994
    Inventor: Katsuji Hirahara
  • Patent number: 5360165
    Abstract: An atomized spray applicator nozzle and nozzle shroud, for applying spray fluid to a surface. The shroud captures the unused spray spillage and spray vapors and recycles it. The shroud and nozzle design makes precise application of the fluid to the surface possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1994
    Inventor: Tara C. Singhal
  • Patent number: 5360172
    Abstract: A device for controlling incoming/outgoing of water flow of a sprinkler, comprising a control tube, a control pin, a pushing block, a frame member and a spring, wherein the control tube has a water incoming end and a water outgoing end and an outer surface of the control tube is formed with a rectangular recess. A pin chamber is disposed at a middle section of the recess and extends downward therefrom. The pin chamber having a first side wall formed with a water inlet, a second side wall formed with a water outlet, and a bottom wall formed with a communicating hole. The control pin has a substantially semispherical head section and three projecting ring sections. Each ring section of the control pin is formed with an annular groove receiving a sealing ring. The pushing block has a bottom face formed with a depression, two lateral projecting ribs, and an inclined wall located in the depression. The frame member is formed with an elliptic hole and a rectangular peripheral groove surrounding the elliptic hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1994
    Assignee: Yuan Mei Corp.
    Inventor: King Y. Wang
  • Patent number: 5353994
    Abstract: A foodstuff flavoring apparatus includes a screw conveyor for transporting flavoring axially thereof. A downwardly directed outlet is located in the region of the outlet end of the screw conveyor. An independently driven rotor unit is located below the outlet of the conveyor and is supported from the housing of the screw conveyor unit by a rotatable transfer conduit through which flavouring, which is discharged from the outlet end of the screw conveyor, is delivered to the interior of the rotor housing and which is dispensed by the rotor toward a foodstuff. The rotor is driven by an independent variable-speed drive motor. An electrostatic charging head is located near the rotor housing in the path of the flavouring being dispensed therefrom for facilitating adhesion of the flavouring to the foodstuff. The orientation of the rotor relative to the screw conveyor is adjustable in a range of 360 degrees by rotation of the transfer conduit and is further rotatably adjustable about the axis of the screw conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1994
    Inventor: Gordon A. Clark
  • Patent number: 5353995
    Abstract: Rotating ionizer head for electrostatic application of an air-powder mixture, in particular for coating objects with powder paint fused by heat. The ionizer head is rotated by a turbine and comprises a deflector incorporating or constituting a charging electrode. A counter-electrode is set back axially from the ionizer head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1994
    Assignee: Sames S.A.
    Inventor: Pierre Chabert
  • Patent number: 5351893
    Abstract: The invention is a linear electromagnetic motor which operates to reciprocate a pump plunger within a central pump barrel. The motor has a ferromagnetic armature annularly connected to the pump plunger, located in an annular space in the motor core about the pump plunger. The armature is itself annularly surrounded by a permanent polarizing ring magnet located between two motor drive coils. The motor operates by switching the polarizing magnetic flux of the ring magnet by a control magnetic flux created by electric current in the motor drive coils. On its backward end, the pump plunger is biased by a spring in the direction of its forward stroke. However, when the armature is latched by the magnet at its backward stroke location (distance A=0), the strength of the magnet overcomes the bias in this spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1994
    Inventor: Niels O. Young
  • Patent number: 5350090
    Abstract: A dispenser for use with a pressurizable fluid container. The dispenser comprises a head removably connectable with the container. The head includes an inlet, an outlet, a valve seat, a cavity and a chamber for fluid communication between the inlet and outlet. The valve seat is located between the inlet and the chamber. The cavity is located between the inlet and the valve seat. A valve body has a portion locatable in the chamber. The valve body is actuatable for movement between an open position allowing fluid flow through the chamber and a closed position blocking fluid flow through the chamber. The valve body includes a seal seat surface adapted to face in a direction towards the inlet when the valve body is within the chamber. A seal is receivable on the valve body for engagement with the seal seat surface. The seal is engageable with the valve seat to define the closed position. A cap member is engageable with a surfaced defining the cavity in the head to fixedly attach the cap member within the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1994
    Inventor: Ralph K. McClure
  • Patent number: 5350118
    Abstract: A glass cullet separator utilizes a multi-element optical sensor to detect when an opaque particle in a group primarily composed of transparent particles moving along a plane passes a first line lying in that plane, and the particular location of the particle along the first line. A signal from the optical sensor is fed to a microprocessor. After a delay equal to the time it takes for a particle to pass between the first line and a second line, which is parallel to and separated from the first line, the microprocessor causes a valve to open and emit a jet of high velocity air from a nozzle aimed toward the plane along the second line. The jet of air blows the opaque particle out of the plane where it is captured and separated from the remainder of the particles. A plurality of nozzles are located in a manifold which extends across the extent of the second line. The manifold also supports the valves and fluid conduits that interconnect the valves and the nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1994
    Assignee: Alpine Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: James T. Mitchell, James L. Mitchell, Mark A. Woods
  • Patent number: 5348201
    Abstract: An improved flip top closure device for a dispensing opening of a container, comprising a first body member with a flip top adapted to be mounted on the container, and a second body member mounted on the first body member and having a part which is usually in overlapping relation with the flip top to prevent opening thereof, which part is displaceable from said overlapping relation to expose the edge of the flip top for opening thereof and which, by virtue of spring tabs which provide restorative force, will return to the overlapping position without need for external physical manipulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1994
    Assignee: Kerr Group, Inc.
    Inventor: James Y. C. Koo
  • Patent number: 5346139
    Abstract: A rotary atomizer having a low capacitance, cup-shaped, atomizing head mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation has a coating material flow surface forming a forward cavity. A rotary drive means coupled to the atomizing head rotates the atomizing head about the axis of rotation. High voltage electrostatic energy is conducted through the rotary drive means directly into the atomizing head whereby charged coating material flows outwardly across the flow surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: Nordson Corp.
    Inventors: Dennis Davis, Harold Beam
  • Patent number: 5346136
    Abstract: A fuel injection valve for an engine comprises a tubular housing having a central throughway. An axially directed valve seat defines an outlet from the throughway. At least one housing fuel inlet communicates the exterior of the housing with the throughway outwardly of the seat. A sealing section outwardly of the housing fuel inlet includes an internal annular enlargement in the central throughway. A housing buffer inlet communicates the exterior of the housing with the enlargement. An inert, nonflammable buffer gas is injected through the housing buffer inlet. A valve stem is mounted for reciprocation in the throughway and has a valve element for cooperation with the seat. First and second annular housing seals are disposed between the valve stem and the housing, respectively inwardly and outwardly of the downstream end of the housing buffer inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: Dover Resources, Inc.
    Inventor: H. Eugene Bassett
  • Patent number: 5344079
    Abstract: A foaming nozzle mounted in front of a spray nozzle of a sprayer so that a liquid detergent may be sprayed in a foamed state onto a window glass or tile for cleaning. The foaming nozzle has its mouth shaped so that a mixed cluster of the mist and foam from the foaming nozzle is injected in a band, elliptical, rectangular or triangular shape and at a wide angle. A predetermined relationship between a spray port and the foaming nozzle allows the mist spin-injected at a high swirling speed to be partially mixed with the foam. The foam is formed by the impingement of the mist upon an inner face of the mouth of the foaming nozzle. The mixture may be injected at a wide angle. The foaming nozzle can be composed of first and second nozzles wherein the second foaming nozzle is of a circular cylinder and hingedly mounted to the first foaming cylinder. The user can selectively inject either a mist-foam mixed cluster having the band section or a foam cluster having a circular section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1994
    Assignee: Yoshino Kogyosho Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takaharu Tasaki, Tadao Saito
  • Patent number: 5344078
    Abstract: An improved nozzle assembly for an HVLP paint spray gun. The nozzle assembly includes at least an air cap and a fluid tip, and preferably also includes a baffle for uniformly distributing air flow through the nozzle assembly. The fluid tip has a conical front end which terminates at a fluid discharge orifice adjacent a vertex. The fluid tip is positioned to extend to and to be in axial alignment with an opening in the air cap. The fluid discharge orifice is located at substantially the front face of the opening. The fluid tip and the air cap form an annular air discharge opening. The conical front end of the fluid tip has a vertex angle of from 60.degree. to 90.degree., and preferably about 60.degree.. The air cap has a thin wall surface surrounding the opening and has an annular interior surface surrounding the opening in the shape of a frustum of a right circular cone having a vertex angle of from 100.degree. to 150.degree. and preferably of from about 124.degree. to about 128.degree..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1994
    Assignee: Ransburg Corporation
    Inventors: Alan H. Fritz, Roger T. Cedoz, Mark D. Miller
  • Patent number: 5344084
    Abstract: A watering system for use in a greenhouse has a hose carrier that is supported entirely on a single track, the track having a rectangular cross-section. The hose carrier is connected by a cable that winds through a series of pulleys to a drive system so that the carrier moves at one-half the speed of the drive system as the drive system moves along the track in either direction. The water supply and electrical supply are connected at the approximate mid-point of the track and the hose carrier distributes the hose and electrical conductor among support brackets located along the track so that neither the hose nor the conductor become tangled. The tension on the hose and conductor is minimal as each support bracket has rollers thereon and the hose and/or conductor are not used to apply force to the hose carrier to move it along the track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1994
    Assignee: ANDPRO Ltd.
    Inventors: F. Keith Andrews, Richard R. Ryszanek
  • Patent number: 5344083
    Abstract: Coverings, canopies, or housing each having a removable bottom wall which collectively substantially encapsulates each drive chain of an irrigation mover is disclosed, which prevent or substantially alleviate drive chain link corrosion and which statically extend fore and aft of an engine of the irrigation mover along the frame thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1994
    Inventors: Brent Jackson, Marvin Jackson
  • Patent number: 5341991
    Abstract: A drive gas flowing into a nozzle is allowed to suck with it, by ejector action, an extraneous gaseous medium such as ambient air, the sucked-up medium entraining from a container the liquid to be atomized. The liquid is atomized as the ambient air is mixed with the drive gas flow. An apparatus for carrying out this method includes a nozzle for supplying the drive gas, the container for supplying liquid which is to be atomized, and an inlet between the container and the nozzle for supplying ambient air, or another gaseous medium, to be sucked along with and mixed with the drive gas. A portion of the container in communication with the inlet provides an outlet through which the liquid is entrained by the inrushing ambient air as it is sucked into the drive gas flow path. The flow of ambient air past the container opening to the nozzle is adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Assignee: Mitab Montage & Industriteknik AB
    Inventor: Folke C. G. Ericsson
  • Patent number: 5341992
    Abstract: The present invention provides a storage container containing one or more packets of toilet paper. The container is adapted to have at least part of a wall thereof removed to permit access to the contents of the container for removal thereof from the container and is provided with a device located on or adjacent an outer face of the container wall for preferentially releasing a scent or other volatile material externally of the container into the environment of the container and substantially not into the interior of the container. Preferably, the volatile material releasing device is adapted to be actuated to release the material prior to removal of the container wall to permit access to the contents of the container. The invention also provides a disc or the like carrying the volatile material enclosed thereon by a removable cover foil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Assignee: The Beautiful Bouquet Company Limited
    Inventor: Derek A. Bishopp
  • Patent number: 5340030
    Abstract: A device for selectively dispensing granular material such as fire ant poison, herbicides, fertilizer and the like at the behest of a user, this device comprising inner and outer elongate tubular members disposed in a closely fitted relationship but being relatively rotatable for a selected number of degrees. The inner member serves as a repository for a granular material to be dispensed, and a plurality of holes are disposed in a spaced, aligned relationship in each of these members. These elongate members normally reside in a rotational relationship in which the holes in the members are non-aligned, and a dispensing lever is attached to one of the members for selectively bringing about relative rotation of that one member with respect to the other member, such that the holes in these members will be brought into alignment for the dispensing of the granular material under the influence of gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1994
    Inventor: Raymond F. Siegrist, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5340031
    Abstract: A foaming head (10) has a discharge nozzle (12), the discharge channel (14) of which has at the upper end a tubular section (16), the upper end of which is closed by a deflecting plate (18) and is provided with passage slits (22) which open out radially into an outlet slit (24) in the head wall (20). An inner base (26) of each outlet slit (24) extends radially outwardly from the lower end (28) of each passage slit (22) as far as a deflecting wall (30) which together with the discharge channel (14) forms an acute angle which opens towards the head wall (20). An upper end (32) of each deflecting wall (30) is arranged at a level which is approximately two-thirds of the height of the tubular section (16). An outer base (34) of each outlet slit (24) extends radially outwardly from the upper end (32) of the deflecting wall (30) as far as the vicinity of an outer edge (36) of the head wall (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1994
    Assignee: Perfect-Valois Ventil GmbH
    Inventors: Reinhard Neuhaus, Jens-Heinrich Kersten, Detlef Schmitz
  • Patent number: 5340025
    Abstract: Spraying apparatus for spraying a liquid into air includes a wind sensor and a sprayer. The sprayer provides a spray into the air for a predetermined time interval upon sensing only predetermined ones of the occurrences and the predetermined ones of the occurrences occurring for at least a predetermined time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1994
    Inventor: George W. Pearce