Patents Examined by Katherine Chu
  • Patent number: 9890510
    Abstract: Process for installing an offshore tower, specifically a substructure, which basically comprises the following steps: a) dry manufacturing a foundation comprising a block (1, 1?) basically made of concrete and dry manufacturing a base section (25) of a shaft (2); b) applying said base section to said foundation block, forming a unit called the “starting unit”; c) moving said starting unit to the installation point of said substructure; and d) actuating in a controlled manner, first ballast valve means in such a manner that said starting unit sinks until resting on the seabed; having placed said foundation block or said starting unit in the body of water where the installation point said substructure is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignees: ESTEYCO ENERGIA, S.L., SEA WIND TOWERS S.L.
    Inventors: Miguel Angel Fernandez Gomez, Jose Emilio Jimeno Chueca
  • Patent number: 9863115
    Abstract: A manhole cover assembly includes a manhole cover and a latch assembly. The manhole cover is movable between a seated position in which the manhole cover is supported on a seat of a manhole frame, and an unseated position in which the manhole cover is displaced relative to the seat of the manhole frame. A shock absorber includes a housing fixedly coupled to the manhole cover. The housing defines a cylinder. A piston is slidably coupled to the cylinder. A rod is fixedly coupled to the piston. A spring is positioned within the cylinder adjacent the piston. A latch is fixedly coupled to the rod. In response to a pressure applied to the manhole cover, the latch assembly is configured to permit limited displacement of the manhole cover relative to the seat of the manhole frame, and to controllably dissipate energy relating to the pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: NEENAH FOUNDRY COMPANY
    Inventor: David M. Stadler
  • Patent number: 9863578
    Abstract: The present invention provides a device for displaying hazard indicia, having a stanchion defining a first end and a second end, whereby the first end defines a first cross section that is smaller than a second cross section of the second end; a base adapted to removably receive the second end of the stanchion so as to maintain the stanchion in a vertical position; and a means for allowing the device to be collinearly stacked on top of a second device such that only the second end of the device and the second end of the second device contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: LAKESIDE PLASTICS, INC.
    Inventors: Michael A. Cuttill, Anne M. Meunch
  • Patent number: 9850627
    Abstract: A road finishing machine comprises a chassis, a screw bearing arrangement for receiving a spreading screw, and first and second perforated supports at the chassis to fix the screw bearing arrangement to the chassis. The first and the second perforated supports each comprise first and second hole patterns to fix different screw bearing arrangements to the road finishing machine by means of the first hole pattern or by means of the second hole pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: JOSEPH VOEGELE AG
    Inventors: Martin Seibel, Thomas Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9840817
    Abstract: A road module for regulating a passability of vehicles on a roadway. The road module includes an elongated container immersed across the roadway and having an upper plane being essentially at level with the roadway. A lid is pivotally arranged and hinged along an edge of the container. The edge extends along a longitudinal side of the container facing vehicles approaching the road module. The lid forms at least a part of the upper plane of the container. An eccentrically mounted cylindrical roller is configured to support the lid at an opposite longitudinal side of the container. The roller is rotatable between an upper or a lower position. An actuator is configured to rotate the roller to lower and raise the lid, thereby forming a downward ramp in a passing direction of the vehicles when the roller is in the lower position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: EDEVA AB
    Inventor: Jonas Wallinder
  • Patent number: 9809935
    Abstract: Rails for drainage channels or manholes are known on which a cover of a channel or of a manhole can be placed. The rail has a horizontal bearing surface (10) extending in a longitudinal direction of the drainage channel or of the manhole and, substantially perpendicular to this bearing face, a rail edge (11) on the inner surface (12) of which the cover can be placed and on the outer surface (13) of which a surface covering can be applied. To increase the strength, it is proposed that the bearing surface (10) and/or the inner surface (12) and/or the outer surface (13) is/are provided with beads (20, 22, 23) over the entire length of the rail (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: ACO SEVERIN AHLMANN GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Arne Meincke, Jan Mieze, Michael Sieber
  • Patent number: 9803326
    Abstract: A system providing environmentally friendly pathway tunnel utilizes a bottom configuration with multiple elongated beams and slots. One or more of the beams includes upstanding sedimentation members that are spaced apart along a span of the tunnel. The system interacts with the flowing water and earthen material in the flowing water such that capture and settling of the earthen material at locations along the tunnel occurs to produce a more natural water flow pathway along the tunnel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: CONTECH ENGINEERED SOLUTIONS LLC
    Inventors: Scott D. Aston, Michael A. Blank, Edward H. Zax
  • Patent number: 9797098
    Abstract: An aggregate spreading system includes a dump truck that has a cab and a bed. The bed may contain an aggregate. A transport unit is coupled to the dump truck. The transport unit is positioned on the bed to urge the aggregate forwardly in the bed. A distribution unit is coupled to the dump truck. The distribution unit is positioned on the bed to receive the aggregate from the transport unit. Thus, the distribution unit distributes the aggregate onto a support surface. The distribution unit levels the aggregate on the support surface when the aggregate has been released onto the support surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Inventor: George Guilmette
  • Patent number: 9777443
    Abstract: In a self-propelling road construction machine, particularly a road roller (1), comprising a travel drive, a steering device, a control device (30) for the travel drive and the steering device, and a driver's seat (5) rotatable by at least 180° and including an integrated operating element (8) for the vehicle speed, with the operating element (8) generating the control signals for the travel drive in dependence on the direction of the control movement of the operating element (8) or the direction of force application on the operating element (8), it is provided that, in response to a first switching command, the control device (30) will automatically perform a reversing process comprising deceleration, seat rotation, change of direction of travel, and acceleration to the set vehicle speed in opposite direction to the original direction of travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Hamm AG
    Inventors: Detlef Bornemann, Axel Roemer, Gerhard Mahler, Andreas Baumann
  • Patent number: 9758939
    Abstract: A multi-part reusable retaining wall and levee bag. The reusable levee bag includes a top bag section and a bottom bag portion removably affixed to the top bag portion. The combined top bag section and bottom bag portion define an interior space within which fillable material may be received to form a levee bag for use in flooding and other installations. The bottom bag section includes a receiving cell for receiving an end of another levee bag to connect multiple levee bags end to end to form a retaining wall with minimal gaps between levee bags. The bottom bag section is made of a biodegradable material while the top bag section is made of an alternative material. The reusable levee bag, once filled, may be disassembled and the top bag section reused while the bottom bag section may remain in place to biodegrade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Inventor: Beau G. Adams
  • Patent number: 9752313
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include a drainage channel comprising a first barrier for containment and a second barrier for containment. In one embodiment, the second barrier comprises a liner and a support. In a further embodiment, the support substantially secures at least a portion of the second barrier in the first barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: ABT, INC.
    Inventor: Thomas Simon
  • Patent number: 9725856
    Abstract: A cover for a concrete parking block has a first lateral end, second lateral end and a longitudinal enclosure. The first lateral end and the second lateral end can be either open or closed. The longitudinal enclosure is the same length as the concrete parking block. The protective cover can be made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), Thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), Acrylonitrile Butadiene styrene (ABS) or foam and resin. The protective cover can also be used to as a bicycle stand. In doing so, the bicycle wheels are inserted into V-shaped slots of the longitudinal enclosure. A water bladder is attached to the protective cover when used as a bicycle stand. A reflective coating is applied on the exterior of the protective cover in order to provide more visibility during low light conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Inventor: Alexander Povoli
  • Patent number: 9702110
    Abstract: A panel connector has a connection body for connecting with a soil reinforcement rod, and an anchor for connecting the connection body to a concrete face panel. The connection body defines a socket shaped to receive and engage the head of the soil reinforcement rod. The socket includes an insertion aperture having an aperture diameter greater than a head diameter of the head of the soil reinforcement rod, a base having an exit aperture with an exit diameter smaller than the head diameter, and a side slot extending from the insertion aperture to the exit aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Inventors: William K. Hilfiker, William B. Hilfiker, Harold K. Hilfiker
  • Patent number: 9677232
    Abstract: A retractable speed barrier system includes a winged speed barrier assembly, a lateral pivoting assembly that includes a plurality of trapezoidal hinges, a hollow frame assembly, and an electrically activated linear actuator. The winged speed barrier assembly is attached to the hollow frame assembly by the lateral pivoting assembly. The linear actuator causes the winged speed barrier assembly to laterally pivot on the trapezoidal hinges in a direction perpendicular to the flow of traffic between a retracted position and a deployed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Inventor: Robert C. Zwerneman
  • Patent number: 9657447
    Abstract: A screed box includes a screed bucket, a screed plate mount attached to the screed bucket, a screed plate slidably connected to the screed plate mount and a screed bar attached to a bottom of the screed bucket. The screed plate mount includes a sealing edge. The screed plate includes at least one screed flange. The screed bar includes a body and a sealing lip including at least one projection. The screed bar is slidable between an open position where the sealing lip engages the sealing edge and a closed position where the sealing lip is disengaged from the sealing edge, and the at least one projection engages the sealing edge when the screed bar is in the open position and when the screed bar is in a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Graco Minnesota Inc.
    Inventor: Barry W. Mattson
  • Patent number: 9637872
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for continuous paving near or around obstacles that are along a path to be paved. The methods include receipt of paving materials onto a material conveyor then into a hopper, detecting an amount of paving materials received in the hopper, indicating whether the paving materials in the hopper are sufficient for paving around an obstacle, forming the paving materials into a paved trail of widths from one to four meters, and moving the material conveyor while the trail paver continuously paves around the obstacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: GOMACO Corporation
    Inventors: Scott Pedersen, James Hayward
  • Patent number: 9637874
    Abstract: A form assembly for installation of paving materials has elongated form sections, each having a first side wall facing the paving material and an opposite second side wall that has a first longitudinal channel defined between brackets. A number of connector elements join adjacent elongated form sections. Anchor mounting elements have a first coupling member configured to fit into the first longitudinal channel of the form section and a second coupling member configured for coupling to a mounting anchor. Each of the elongated form sections has an upper screed contact surface orthogonal to the first side wall and wherein a first wall thickness between first and second side walls that is between the upper screed contact surface and the first longitudinal channel exceeds a second wall thickness of the form section that is between the first longitudinal channel and a base that is opposite the upper screed contact surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: R.F.V.C. Associates Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Scott Ganey, Richard F. Van Cuyck
  • Patent number: 9630657
    Abstract: A tire skirt system configured for attachment to a vehicle is disclosed. The system may include a first skirt bracket adapted for attachment to the vehicle, a skirt panel having a first edge adapted for attachment to the first skirt bracket, and a transparent window in the first skirt bracket, the window having an outside face and an inside face. The window may be aligned with at least a portion of a tire when the tire skirt system is attached to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventor: Michael William Ries
  • Patent number: 9631741
    Abstract: A casing puller includes a body and at least one arm. The body has first and second ends, at least one end connectable to a drill pipe. The body defines a longitudinal axis and sized for insertion into a casing pipe. The at least one arm is disposed on the body and moves between a stowed position and a deployed position. The at least one arm extends away from the longitudinal axis when in its deployed position and is arranged to engage an arm receiver defined by the casing pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Southeast Directional Drilling, LLC
    Inventor: John M. Heieie
  • Patent number: 9624624
    Abstract: An infrared asphalt heating and repair apparatus includes a converter having downward facing slits cut therein to provide enhanced durability over prior art ceramic blanket or metal ribbon style heaters. In embodiments, the slits are cut by a milling machine, which may be an automatic milling machine, a band saw, or a laser. Embodiments also provide for more uniform heating over prior art solutions, while largely preventing damaging and costly flame-through events. Because the heat is more uniform than that of the prior art, lower temperatures can be used to achieve similar results, thereby extending equipment life, lowering fuel costs, and reducing warm-up times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: R. FILION MANUFACTURING INC.
    Inventors: Roger G Filion, Randall L Tewksbury