Patents Examined by Frank T. Yost
  • Patent number: 5237749
    Abstract: A hand tool for peeling elongated vegetables such as, for example, asparagus, carrots, cucumbers, black salsify, etc. including two hand levers pivotable against a spring force about a pivot axis, with the hand levers carrying, on free ends thereof, two mutually opposed paring knives constructed as low-waste peelers. The paring knives are oriented such that longitudinal center axes thereof are disposed parallel to the pivot axis of the hand levers and remain constantly aligned in parallel with each other independently of the pivoting position of the hand levers. The hand levers may be integrally formed in one piece from, for example, spring steel and the pivot axis and the longitudinal axis of the paring knives may be arranged inclined with respect to a longitudinal extension of the hand tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1993
    Assignee: Westmark Schulte Co. KG
    Inventors: Wilhelm Henning, Hans G. Koenig
  • Patent number: 5238168
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for removing a jammed fastener from a fastener drive track formed in a driver guide of a fastener driving device through an opening formed in the fastener dive track. The fastener driving device includes a driver reciprocally driven by a driving source to drive fasteners fed into the fastener drive track. The mechanism for removing the jammed fastener includes a movable member for closing the opening of the fastener drive track. A connecting mechanism connects the movable member to the drive guide to such a manner that the movable member is movable relative to the drive guide between a first position for closing the opening and a second position for opening the opening. An engaging mechanism is provided for engaging the movable member with the driver guide so as to keep the movable member at the first position. A first biasing mechanism biases the movable member in a direction to engage the same with the driver guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1993
    Assignee: Makita Corporation
    Inventor: Jiro Oda
  • Patent number: 5237752
    Abstract: A safer and easier control of power to the chain by means of a hinged or flexible handle that is pressed or rotated in the direction of cut in order to drive the chain, and is released or rotated away from the direction of cut to stop the chain. This method of stopping the chain is of critical importance when a chainsaw is dropped by the supporting hand, because power to the chain is automatically stopped by the control-handle in the other hand, thereby much reducing the danger of injury or damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1993
    Inventor: Daryl Maseck
  • Patent number: 5238167
    Abstract: In pneumatically powered combustion-powered fastener-driving tool including a nosepiece, a mechanism is provided for positioning the tool relative to an opening in a workpiece to be fastened to another workpiece. A probe connected to an actuator used in such a tool, preferably via a spring strip, so as to be laterally movable extends into the opening to align the nosepiece so that a fastener can be precisely driven. The probe has a surface engageable by a driven fastener to move the probe laterally and from the opening as the tool recoils. Optionally, a guide spaced from the probe and mounted pivotally is adapted to bear against the workpiece with the opening. The probe and the guide have respective grooves defining a channel for guiding a driven fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1993
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Frank C. Howard, Mohamed K. Wagdy, Reinhold Meditz
  • Patent number: 5235753
    Abstract: A circular saw comprises a motor housing 13 and a shoe 15 attached to housing 13. An upper guard 17 fixed to housing 13 shields an upper portion of blade 25. A lower guard is pivotally mounted relative to the blade axis of rotation 27. The lower guard has an extended position (FIG. 1 ) for covering a lower portion of blade and retracted position (FIG. 2 ) for exposing the lower blade portion for cutting. A chip deflector 67 is formed on the radial extremity of the trailing edge 55 of lower guard 19 to prevent the build up of sawdust chips on trailing edge 55 by guiding the chips inwardly toward blade axis 27 and into the path of blade 25.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventor: William R. Stumpf
  • Patent number: 5235889
    Abstract: A compound miter saw or the like comprising a base having a lower surface for supporting the base on a work surface. A turntable is rotatably supported by the base, and a fence is disposed above the work table for supporting the orientation of a workpiece located on the base. A support is coupled to the turntable at a rear portion of the turntable.The compound miter saw disclosed also includes a cuttinghead system for cutting the workpiece. The cuttinghead system comprises a pivoting system coupled to the support for pivoting a motor driven saw between a raised, rest position and a lowered, operational position.A compound miter saw beveling system comprises a male conical taper structure having an outer surface defining a cone-shaped member, the cone-shaped member being coupled to the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Delta International Machinery Corp.
    Inventors: Louis C. Brickner, Jaime E. Garcia
  • Patent number: 5235748
    Abstract: A seal cutter for cutting seal material formed on a bottle neck, such as a wine bottle, includes a handle, a stationary jaw member and a movable jaw member. The movable jaw member is formed with a base portion slidably mounted to a track formed on the handle. A spring biased adjustment member is slidably mounted within a channel formed in the handle for adjustably locking the position of the movable jaw member with respect to the stationary jaw member. The adjustment member includes a triangular shaped tooth that mates with triangular shaped slots formed on the base of the movable jaw member to lock the position of the movable jaw member. A cutter wheel is rotatably mounted to the stationary jaw member for cutting the seal material on a bottle that is held between the stationary and movable jaw members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Inventor: Albert J. Jahn
  • Patent number: 5236132
    Abstract: An improved comminuter/dehydrator apparatus and method includes a body having an inverted, coaxially shaped cavity with an open truncated lower end and an open upper end connected to a cylindrically shaped chamber. A sleeve, which extends through the chamber and into the cavity, is adjustable axially by a pair of jacks. A damper is adjustable relative to the sleeve to control air escaping from the cavity into the ambient atmosphere. A manifold with a velocity-enhancing venturi mechanism directs air from a blower tangentially into the chamber to create cochleated and resonating, oscillatory cyclonic air-flow activity. A portion of the air from the blower to the chamber is diverted through a feeder containing the material being comminuted and dehydrated. The comminuted and dehydrated material is gravitationally discharged through the cavity lower end. The body has a removable nozzle tip to extend the operational characteristics of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Vortec, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank F. Rowley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5235749
    Abstract: The invention is directed to an electric shaving apparatus having a housing and a shaving head assembly which is adapted to pivot relative to the housing about a pivotal axis Z and is comprised of a shaving head frame, a shaving plane formed by at least one outer cutter having arcuate extensions to the longitudinal sides of the shaving head frame, and of at least one inner cutter operatively associated with the outer cutter and driven by a drive mechanism, wherein the outer cutter is arranged in an outer cutter frame member and the outer cutter frame member is mounted in the shaving head frame so as to be pivotal about the pivotal axis Z.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Braun Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Gerhard Hildebrand, Gunther Seidel, Hans-Eberhard Heintke, Klaus Ramspeck, Reinhold Eichhorn, Helmut Durr, Wolfgang Franke, Gebhard Braun, Manfred Ohle, Roland Ullman
  • Patent number: 5236136
    Abstract: A system and method for recycling used oil filters by shredding the filters to facilitate separation of the metal and nonmetal filter components and to release free oil trapped inside the filters, separating the metal and nonmetal filter components using combined magnetic and gravitational means, compressing the nonmetal filter components, and recovering the oil therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Michael W. McCarty
    Inventors: Michael W. McCarty, James M. Taylor, Lloyd A. Baillie
  • Patent number: 5235880
    Abstract: A detectable cutter knife (100) is useful as a replacement for a conventional cutter knife used in product inspection and cutting systems of the type having a cutting wheel assembly. The cutting wheel assembly includes a knife guide having angularly spaced radially oriented knife support slots through which cutter knives having tangs extending therefrom move between a retracted noncutting position and an extended cutting position. The detectable cutter knife (100) includes a shank (102), a tang (114), and an amount of metallic material in the shank sufficient to stimulate a metal detector. The use of metallic material in the shank permits automatic and efficient detection of a broken cutter knife (100) and its removal from product flow. Preferably, the metallic material takes the form of a ball bearing (152) secured within a hole (150) positioned in a low-stress area (154) of shank (102).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Simco/Ramic Corp.
    Inventors: John H. Wilbur, Gale M. Wood
  • Patent number: 5235885
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for slicing food products such as loaves of bread and the like where multiple slices are formed at substantially the same time. A blade cleaning assembly is included for removing slicing debris from band slicing blades after having moved through the product being sliced. Multiple blade continuous cleaning by opposed scraper blades through which each band blade passes achieve the desired cleaning function. The apparatus and method are particularly well-suited for removing slicing debris from loaves of bread which are of the so-called no-fat or low-fat variety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Kraft General Foods, Inc.
    Inventors: Jose L. Camarena, Robert J. Thomas
  • Patent number: 5235881
    Abstract: A piercing die including a punch and a die cooperating with each other to effect a piercing operation on a metallic workpiece sheet, the punch having an outer peripheral edge having a closed profile at a working end thereof. The outer peripheral edge of the punch has a first and a second chamfered portion which are formed such that the amount of chamfer of the first chamfered portion is larger than that of the second chamfered portion. The first and second chamfered portions are formed along large-curvature and small-curvature portions of the closed profile of the punch, respectively, and/or along acute and obtuse outer peripheral portions of the punch whose working end face is inclined with respect to the direction perpendicular to the piercing direction. A piercing method using the punch and die is also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Sano, Yutaka Suzuki, Shingo Nishimura
  • Patent number: 5236138
    Abstract: A document shredder (11) has a cutting mechanism (13), which is driven via a gear (25) by an electric motor (26). In the return movement a diode (30) is connected in, which reduces the voltage supplied to the motor and therefore its maximum torque.This avoids material being jammed on the top of the cutting mechanism during the return movement in such a way that the cutting mechanism cannot be rotated again during the following forward movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Schleicher & Co. International Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hartmut Stangenberg, Rolf Gasteier
  • Patent number: 5236053
    Abstract: Magnetically controlled torque system or wrench for turning a fastener in a controlled manner until a variable and selectable maximum torque value is achieved whereupon the torque system is rendered inoperative, the maximum torque value being determined by the amount of force required to decouple a plunger from a magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Aseptico, Incorporated
    Inventor: Otto R. Butsch
  • Patent number: 5235882
    Abstract: A device which trims off the perforated margin strips of printer paper and cuts the paper transversely to separate it into individual pages. The paper which discharges from the printer is drawn around a tension bar and is applied to a toothed belt driven by feed wheels. Cutter wheels act against a grooved roller to cut along the tear lines of the margin strips. A photocell based counting system counts the perforations which pass the photocell to indicate each time the paper is advanced to position one of the transverse fold lines at a cutting station. Then, the paper is stopped and a cutter wire is pulled through the fold line to separate the leading page from the rest of the paper sheet. Each time a new sheet of paper is loaded, a special control circuit assures that the initial advance of the sheet stops with the leading edge of the paper at the cutting station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Inventor: William B. Rabourn
  • Patent number: 5233749
    Abstract: A hydraulic puncher comprises a cylindrical casing, a pump unit including a pump and fixedly held in the casing, a cylinder chamber defined by the cylindrical inner face and the inner end face of the pump unit, a piston reciprocatingly and slidably provided in the cylinder chamber and an oil reservoir which is formed adjacent to the pump unit in the casing and from which the pump sucks operating oil filled within the cylindrical casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1993
    Assignee: Nitto Kohki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Saito, Masunari Kowada
  • Patent number: 5233747
    Abstract: A manually operated nutcracking device with a threaded member for urging a carrier and a wedge thereon into nut engagement to split the nut. A base includes a pair of guides and a nut supporting surface. The carrier includes plate components coupled to the wedge in a detachable manner. The plate components are recessed to engage the inner edges of the pair of guides. A foot on the threaded member imparts travel to the carrier. The nut supporting surface area on the base has convergent surfaces for retention of a nut during cracking. Concave surfaces formed in the convergent surfaces are for retention of a nut with a circular shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1993
    Inventor: Paul E. Johnson
  • Patent number: 5233750
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a motor-driven chain saw having a housing and a guide bar extending forward of the housing. The guide bar is clamped between the housing and a sprocket wheel cover. A brake device having a trigger configured as a hand guard is mounted in the sprocket wheel cover. The sprocket wheel is brought to standstill by the brake device when the trigger is actuated. With the sprocket wheel cover assembled, the hand guard is disposed transversely in front of the upper handle of the chain saw. In order to obtain a reliable triggering of the brake device, for example, during kickback and for a manual triggering at all areas of the hand guard, the hand guard is supported in a second bearing on the housing of the chain saw when mounting the sprocket wheel cover. In this way, torques acting in a direction opposite to the actuation of the hand guard are substantially avoided which could otherwise occur because of bearing play.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1993
    Assignee: Andreas Stihl
    Inventors: Gunter Wolf, Reinhold Fink
  • Patent number: 5233894
    Abstract: The apparatus comprises a housing having a pair of opposed side walls closed at their upper edges by a panel spanning the side walls with the panel being slotted between the side walls and depressible at least in the areas of either side of the slotting. Below and in line with the slot is mounted a rodless cylinder operable by air pressure deliverable at one end or the other of the cylinder as determined by a control device mounted on one of the side walls adjacent one end of the slot. A cutting element extends upwardly from the carrier of the rodless cylinder to move therewith. An arm is pivotably mounted on the opposite side wall from the central device and in line with the slot so that when the arm is brought down onto any sheet disposed on the top panel along the slot line, the arm depresses the sheet and underlying areas of the panel and simultaneously triggers the control device to move the cutting element along the slot to sever the sheet pressed down to meet the cutting element as it so moves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1993
    Assignee: Sunclipse, Inc.
    Inventor: Cecil E. Puett