Patents Examined by Larry D. Worrell, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5890237
    Abstract: A swimming goggle structure includes lens frames, lenses, cushion pads and a head strap. The cushion pads of the swimming goggles include a collapsible layer and a resilient layer. The collapsible layer has a cushioning portion and a connection portion. The cushioning portion is mounted to the lens frame and is collapsible. The connection portion is connected to the resilient layer. The resilient layer is made of a resilient material, such as foam materials, for example foam rubber and foam plastics, and sponge. The collapsible layer collapses upon worn on the wearer's face to create a negative pressure suction inside the goggles. The resilient layer provides a comfortable engagement with the wearer's face and also provides a water-tight, hermetic contact engagement with the wearer's face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Inventor: Chiang Herman
  • Patent number: 5890235
    Abstract: In safety goggles, in particular industrial safety goggles, comprising a one-piece sight piece, the sight piece having lateral, transparent pieces joined on, forming one piece with the sight piece and extending toward the head of the user, it is provided, with a view to expanding the field of vision and increasing the effect of lateral protection, that the sight piece is rounded at its lateral outer ends and that the lateral pieces have a convexity matching this rounded configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Uvex Arbeitsschutz GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Wiedner, Herbert Nussbickl, Erich Hegendorfer
  • Patent number: 5890380
    Abstract: An elastic knitted band having stretch woven appearance and feel including filling yarn laid in between the warp yarn needles. The filling yarns are secured to the elastic band by the conventional warp yarn chain stitches so as to become an integral component of the elastic knit band without creating warp or filling ridges. The filling yarns can be positioned: (1) in front of the back weft yarns; (2) behind the front weft yarns; or (3) in between front and back elastomer bars separating the elastomer threads. The filling yarn preferably is textured yarn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Beech Island Knitting Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert K. Ives, Vincent K. Snow
  • Patent number: 5890236
    Abstract: A new and improved firefighting goggle has sealing members formed from fire-resistant cloth material which improves both the firefighter's comfort and safety. The sealing members are removably attached to edges of the eye cups by a groove extending along the face-contacting edges. The headband of the goggle is protected with fire- and high temperature-resistant fabric material and includes a connector, e.g., a side release snap buckle, that connects in the back of the firefighter's head to facilitate doffing and donning without removal of the firefighter's helmet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Inventors: Cordell Frank Harges, Jr., Bert Rivera
  • Patent number: 5887323
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for the production of a multicomponent yarn which is composed of several multifilament strands with differing characteristics, such as color. The individual strands are drawn in parallel and simultaneously by a pair of godets following spinning, and then crimped by compression in an air jet crimping device. According to the invention, the individual strands are spread apart from one another prior to run-off from the drawing godet in such a way that the distance in the axial direction between the run-off points of the individual strands on the godet surface is increased. This spreading of the strands assures that the strands do not intermix prior to entering the air jet crimping device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: Barmag AG
    Inventors: Horst Beifuss, Klaus Gerhards
  • Patent number: 5887453
    Abstract: A protective material from which a protective garment such as is used by motorcyclists is made, and has an outer layer of fibres having a high softening temperature 400.degree. C. and a mass (580 g.m.sup.-2 to 620 g.m.sup.-2) to provide high quality abrasion resistance. The outer layer is preferably two separate sheets one preferably being of Terry Loop knitted fabric, and the other of high tenacity Polyester having a 300 g.m.sup.-2 upwards warp knit permitting high air flow therethrough. An inner layer conveniently of a Polyamide Rachel knit supports an impact attenuating layer preferably made from one of Polyurethane, Polynorbornene, Nitrile/PVC or synthetic rubber. The impact attenuating layer is preferably solid and flexible, is attached to the inner layer between the outer and inner layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Inventor: Roderick Ian Woods
  • Patent number: 5887452
    Abstract: A method of forming a weft knitted fabric upholstery cover having a wale-wise extending flap on its reverse side in which method the excess fabric is knitted coursewise into the cover and is gathered into a flap on the reverse side of the fabric and sewn along its length. The coursewise length of the cover is sufficient so that after gathering to form the flap, the cover is substantially an exact fit over the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Stuart Thomas Smith, Debra Jean Tiensivu
  • Patent number: 5884505
    Abstract: Stitch loops are securely pressed down and retained. The pressing and retaining position of the loop presser is properly adjusted according to the tension in the stitch loops. The loop presser 460 of a flat knitting machine is stored in a groove 445 of an auxiliary bed, and the loop retainer 462 is energized downward by an arm 465 and a cam 422. The loop retainer is swung downward by the cam 422 when it is advanced, and the retainer is swung back to the initial position when it is retracted. The top end of the loop retainer 462 is made to move forward to and over the opposing needle bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignee: Shima Seiki Manufacturing, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Shima
  • Patent number: 5881440
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing fibrous material into a web (15) of hydroentangled nonwoven fabric, the web (15) passing through an apparatus (11) comprising high pressure jets (51) and drums (31) (32) and rollers (41). The web (15) is initially passed through the apparatus by guide tapes (62) (63) which pass through the apparatus in parallel with the web, and holds the web (15) on one front lateral edge only during the initial pass of the web through the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: Courtaulds Engineering Limited
    Inventors: Robert Michael Deeming, John Eric Arden
  • Patent number: 5878464
    Abstract: An apparatus and method enables a synthetic fiber tow of indeterminate length passed through a break drawframe to be converted to relatively short spinnable staple length fibers in the form of sliver. During passing through the drawframe, a concentrated beam of energy, illustrated as being a laser beam is swept across the tow by a rotating mirror and in the course of doing so, effectively cuts the tow fibers where struck by the laser beam. In one embodiment the laser beam stays on while sweeping across the width of the tow and then repeats that cycle in a succeeding section of tow. In another embodiment, the laser beam is energized and deenergized as it transverses across one section of tow and in the next succeeding section of tow the laser beam is actuated in a different time cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Inventor: Homer S. White
  • Patent number: 5878436
    Abstract: A center webbed baseball glove which utilizes the natural fold of the human hand and folds into two equal halves increasing the utilizable surface area is provided. The center webbed glove is constructed from a pocket and back piece which are attached together to form a central pocket, a set of outer finger slots and a set of inner finger slots. The glove is worn by placing the pinky and ring fingers into the left outer finger slot, the middle and index fingers into the left inner finger slot, and the thumb into either the outer or inner right finger slots. The glove can be worn on the right hand by placing the thumb in the left inner or outer finger slots and placing the remaining fingers in the left finger slots of the glove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Inventor: Robert B. Jones
  • Patent number: 5873134
    Abstract: A pair of swimming goggles includes a pair of protective pads each including an engaging section having an engaging groove defined therein. Each protective pad further includes an outer side having a mediate portion. A pair of lenses each has a flange securely received in the engaging groove of an associated protective pad. A pair of connecting straps each has a connecting section connected to the outer side of the engaging section of the associated protective pad. A slot is defined in the connecting section such that the mediate portion of the outer side of the engaging section is not deformed when the strap is subjected to a force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1999
    Inventor: Terry Chou
  • Patent number: 5873152
    Abstract: The needling machine includes a support and a stripper defining a path for a lap. A needle board supported by sliding rods has a reciprocating motion between the represented maximum penetration position and the withdrawal position by means of two rod-eccentric devices, each having a rod hinged to the sliding rod. Each pair of rods is hinged to a crankshaft supported by bearings and carrying an equilibration device. The bearings are supported in a crankcase by partitions in a position situated axially between the eccentrics and the equilibration device. The crankshaft extends from the crankcase through simple sealing liners. An advantage of the present needling machine is that the crankcase is stiffened and crankshaft deformations are reduced to increase the striking rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1999
    Assignee: Asselin
    Inventors: Bernard Jourde, Pierre Mouchard, Didier LeBloas
  • Patent number: 5870808
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing a synthetic yarn includes at least a one sensor for generating a signal representative of the actual velocity of the yarn at a point intermediate an upstream and the downstream rolls. The temperature of the upstream roll in accordance with the variation between the actual velocity of the yarn at the measurement point and a predetermined reference velocity. A second sensor may be provided to generate a signal representative of the actual velocity of the yarn at a second point intermediate the rolls. The controller may regulate the temperature of the upstream roll in accordance with the variation between the actual velocity at each measurement point and a predetermined reference velocity for that measurement point. Alternatively, the controller may regulate the temperature of the upstream roll in accordance with a relationship (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1999
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Kevin Guy Bremser, Nitin Jivanlal Champaneria, Jon Ovitt Stanley
  • Patent number: 5870904
    Abstract: Knitting fabric take-down devices, located in front and back of and facing each other across a knitting fabric passageway formed under a needle bed gap between at least a pair of front and back needle beds of a flat knitting machine, for taking down a knitting fabric. Each of the knitting fabric take-down device includes a front knitting fabric take-down mechanism for capturing only a front part of the knitting fabric in the knitting fabric passageway and taking it down; a back knitting fabric take-down mechanism for capturing only a back part of the knitting fabric and taking it down; and a take-down force adjusting mechanism for adjusting a take-down force of each of the knitting fabric take-down mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1999
    Assignee: Shima Seki MFG., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Shima, Kenji Ikoma, Yoshiaki Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 5868009
    Abstract: A process for making a fabric to be used as reinforcing material in rubber products like automotive radiator hoses comprises: first warp-knitting a mesh textile fabric having a lengthwise extending main fabric body formed in an open mesh stitch pattern and lengthwise extending fabric selvedges respectively adjoining opposite side margins of the main fabric body for defining the lengthwise side edges of the fabric, each selvedge being formed with a sufficient width to naturally lay substantially flat in an open-width condition of the fabric against any tendency of the side margins of the main fabric body to induce curling of the selvedges; applying a stiffening resin to the mesh textile fabric prior to passing the mesh textile fabric through a tenter frame for heat setting the mesh textile fabric; and then passing the mesh textile fabric only once through a tenter frame for drying the resin and for heat setting the mesh textile fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Aberdeen Fabrics, Incorporated
    Inventor: Ricky D. Walker
  • Patent number: 5867841
    Abstract: A sport goggle structure includes a rim having an inner circumference along which a circumferential slot is formed to receive and hold therein a lens and a head strap having two ends respectively connected to connecting holes formed on two opposite lateral side edges of the rim. The circumferential slot of the rim has a minimum depth that is sufficient to receive a circumferential edge of the lens in order to minimize the size of the rim. The size-minimized rim has ventilation device and face contact device provided thereon. The face contact device is to provide a more comfortable and position-secured engagement with wearer's face. The ventilation device is to guide fresh air flow from outside goggles through a right-angled bend and directly toward an inner surface of the lens to provide the best defogging effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Inventor: Herman Chiang
  • Patent number: 5867880
    Abstract: A method for producing textiles from fibers and/or filaments circulating in the form of a web by performing transverse texturing of the fibers and/or filaments as well as stretching thereof, and collecting the fibers and/or filaments in the form of at least one crinkled pseudo-yarn (100) of a given length in which the fibers and/or filaments are properly parallelized. The method is characterized in that said fibers and/or filaments are collected in or against transfer members (9) separate from the needles and the full length of said pseudo-yarn (100) is transferred to needles (11 or 21) for receiving the pseudo-yarn (100).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Sommer S.A.
    Inventors: Xavier Bathelier, Francois Naudin
  • Patent number: 5864930
    Abstract: A needle loom including a support and a stripper defining a path for a fiber lap. A needle board supported by sliding shanks moves back and forth between a maximum penetration position and a retracted position, by means of a connecting rod/crank assembly including a connecting rod hingedly connected to the sliding shank. The shank is guided by slide bearings secured to a mounting which is angularly adjustable about the shank axis so that the axis of ovality can be moved periodically relative to the main direction in which lateral stress is exerted on the bearings as a result of the angular displacement of the connecting rod. The service life of the bearings may thus be extended, while reducing maintenance requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Asselin
    Inventors: Bernard Jourde, Fran.cedilla.ois Louis
  • Patent number: 5862530
    Abstract: Protective eyewear is described which includes a frame and a detachable lens. The frame has right and left temple flaps, each with at least one hole for locking the flaps onto corresponding detents molded into the temples of the frame. The lens may be molded in a ready-to-wear shape including temple portions, or it may be a flat shape for easy packaging. For the flat lens, a wearer can bend the lens appropriately to create the temple portions, thus forming a ready-to-wear shape. The lens is then secured to the frame by closing the flaps, thus sandwiching the temple portions of the lens between the flaps and the temples of the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Inventor: Richard A. Shillington