Patents Examined by Louis Tran
  • Patent number: 6648203
    Abstract: An upholstery tack holding tool is formed with a shaft having a concave gripping surface formed transversely into the shaft. The concave gripping surface terminates in a circumferential lip that encircles a longitudinally extending concave tack receiving area at one end of the shaft opposite the flat top surface adapted for striking by a tack hammer. The tools improves control, stability, and speed of operation by enabling the operator to simultaneously grasp the lip of the tool and the head of the tack to hold the tack against the concave tack receiving portion while being inserted into the desired surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Inventor: Steven Douglas Lord
  • Patent number: 6640523
    Abstract: A system for continuously packaging or sorting fragile articles having varying thicknesses in a stack includes a plurality of proportional shifters coupled to each of a plurality of stripping devices in an article infeed assembly. Each proportional shifter has an article gauge for measuring the height of a stack having a set or desired number of fragile articles, such as crackers or cookies. An article stripping device may be quickly and accurately adjusted in-process to measure the thickness of a set number of stacked articles contained in a given batch coming from an article infeed. The article gauge provides a measure of the height of a stack of a set number of articles sampled from an article infeed. The stack height is equivalent to the height of the stack of articles stripped by the strip feeder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore E. Jones, Jr., William A. Blain, Steve A. Ramos, Edward Drake, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6641024
    Abstract: A stapling device for automatically binding a set of sheets is formed of a needle driving unit for driving a needle in the set of the sheets; a bending unit for bending the driven needle; two pairs of front and rear guide shafts for supporting the needle driving unit and the bending unit and guiding movements of these units in a sheet width direction; and moving shafts for moving these units along the guide shafts in the sheet width direction. By disposing each moving shaft between the front and rear guide shafts, each unit can be moved in the sheet width direction stably and smoothly, and the entire device can be structured small. Also, in at least one of the units, a small space is formed for a moving mechanism for at least one of needle driving device and bending device in a sheet thickness direction, to thereby achieve a further miniaturization of the entire device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Nisca Corporation
    Inventors: Kouki Sato, Toshiro Fukasawa, Koichi Kitta
  • Patent number: 6637520
    Abstract: There is provided a hammer assembly (10) comprising a hammer casing (11) having a bore (12) therethrough and a drive sub (13) and retainer (15) supporting a drill bit (14). A piston (16) has a hammer end (17) adapted to strike an anvil end (20) of the drill bit (14). A porting body (21) is located in the bore (12) by expandable mounting member (22) frictionally engaged with the bore (12) by a tapered portion of the porting body (21) being urged by a top sub (23) into a tapered bore in the mounting member (22). The porting body (21) supports a non-return valve (24) in a flushing fluid path communicating with the bit face. The mounting member (22) has a small annular flange (40) adapted to engage a shoulder (41) in the casing (11) and opposed axial slots (42) extending from port apertures (43) to the upper rim (44) of the mounting member (22). The porting body (21) comprises an annular manifold (45) for pressurized fluid supplied via top sub bore (46), non return valve chamber (47) and passages (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Azuko Pty Ltd, ACN
    Inventor: Joseph M. Purcell
  • Patent number: 6635004
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for removing cutout material that is at least partially severed from a web has a vacuum passage for drawing a vacuum, and a vacuum inlet plate connected to the vacuum passage. The vacuum inlet plate has an inlet edge defining at least part of an opening into the vacuum passage. The inlet edge has first and second angled edge portions that converge at first and second angles relative to the machine direction, respectively, to meet at a vertex portion. The vertex portion constitutes the rearmost portion of the inlet edge relative to the machine direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Paragon Trade Brands, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary Lee Conger
  • Patent number: 6634439
    Abstract: An interlock mechanism for a power tool is provided to releasably couple first and second portions of the power tool. The mechanism includes a spring normally biased into a closed position and an actuator enabling the spring to be moved to an open position. The actuator has a spring-engaging surface formed from several individual surfaces which are non coplanar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventor: Leo Driessen
  • Patent number: 6626247
    Abstract: The present invention provides a post driver which includes various post adaptors having different cross-sections. The post adaptors can be attached to, and detached from, a head portion of the post driver. An adaptor is attached to the head portion by retracting a pin in the head portion, sliding the adaptor into slots on the head portion, and releasing the pin such that the pin extends through an aperture of the adaptor. A post having a cross-section comparable to that of the adaptor can then be inserted into the adaptor, allowing the post driver to drive the post into the ground. The adaptor can be removed from the head portion by retracting the pin and sliding the adaptor out of the slots. If another type of post is to be driven into the ground, a corresponding adaptor can be attached to the head portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Greenlee Textron, Inc.
    Inventor: William F. Nordlin
  • Patent number: 6616586
    Abstract: A container manufacturing method and device. The container manufacturing method includes steps of mixing, board-making, molding, guiding/crimping and demolding. Lower protruding guide bodies are arranged along the circumference of the mold cavity of the lower mold seat of the container manufacturing device at intervals. Upper protruding guide bodies are arranged on the press board and aimed at the intervals between the adjacent lower guide bodies. In the step of guiding/crimping, when the press board is pressed down by an oil pressure cylinder, the interlaced upper and lower guide bodies clamp and press the circumference of the board body to form regular crimps thereon. Therefore, when the upper mold block presses the board body into the mold cavity, the material can be evenly distributed and flowed so that the wall of the molded container can have uniform thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Inventor: Wen-Long Dai
  • Patent number: 6612096
    Abstract: An apparatus for closing packages made from a heat-sealable material has sealing jaws, which are subdivided by a recess or by slits into two zones. What is essential is that the two zones are eastically joined together by means of a connecting web, so that when a transverse seam is sealed, it is possible to compensate for a different number of layers of packaging material along the transverse seam. The apparatus according to the invention is relatively simple in structure and makes high sealing qualities attainable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Barend Bastiaan Romijn
  • Patent number: 6604583
    Abstract: A device for driving an object by vibration, in particular a pile or sheet piling to be driven into the ground be removed therefrom, which device comprises a first eccentrically rotatable weight (1, 2) and a second eccentrically rotatable weight (3, 4), which weights are interconnected by a phase shifter (13) which is capable of adjusting the rotational position of the weights (1, 2; 3, 4) relative to each other. The phase shifter (13) comprises a differential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignee: International Construction Equipment B.V.
    Inventor: Johan Bernard Van Randen
  • Patent number: 6595399
    Abstract: A stable pushing magazine for a manual frame stapler having a punch bearing a guide member in the form of a stud magnetized to hold a staple positioned against it. The magazine is in the form of an elongated, closed drawer. One face of the magazine is pierced by a longitudinal opening and another end of the magazine opens in a window at the end of the drawer. The drawer contains a sliding pusher operated by a button for the purpose of displacing the contiguous staples and of placing one staple on the punch via the window at the end of the drawer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Societe Cassese
    Inventor: Alain Cassese
  • Patent number: 6594970
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for wrapping a loop of film about a pallet, which supports a layer of products, and a guide, through which said layer passes, to prevent crushing and/or displacement of the product layer. Subsequent product layers are similarly protected by looping film about a previous loop of film and said guide. The guide is designed to facilitate removal of the film looped thereabout as the product layers are lowered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Quipp Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy D. Hyne, Jeffrey A. Bond
  • Patent number: 6592504
    Abstract: The disposable cup has a bottom insert, and a substantially truncated conical body having an integral lid and a cup opening. The lid is movable between a raised position and a closed position, possibly via a semi-closed position. The lid has a free edge, with a liquid passage opening allowing liquid passage when the lid is in said closed position. The lid is foldably joined to the body along an arcuate first score line. The lid further has second score lines arranged at respective ends of the free edge, the second score lines connecting the free edge and the first score line so that, when the lid is pushed towards the cup opening, the lid flips into a position inside the cup opening, the movement of the lid being substantially aided by the folding of the lid along the second score lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: The Cupworks Corporation
    Inventors: George E. Sarson, Daryl J. Howes-Jones, Gregory John Kleynhans
  • Patent number: 6591919
    Abstract: A post driving apparatus includes a chassis having a longitudinal axis and a frame carried by the chassis. The frame includes an upper support member having an axis of elongation substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the chassis. A post magazine is indexingly supported by the frame and, a post driving assembly is suspended from a portion of the upper support member for reversible travel therealong so as to laterally position the post driving assembly from the chassis. The post driving assembly includes a post driver adapted to retain a post supplied from the post magazine, the post driver adapted to continuously drive such post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Inventor: Timothy P. Herrmann
  • Patent number: 6588179
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for folding an inflatable air bag cushion within an air bag module cover. An open end of the air bag cushion is attached at a moveable holding fixture and a ram cylinder is extended through an opening in the holding fixture and into the air bag cushion. A moveable containment tunnel is passed in substantially surrounding relation over at least a portion of the air bag cushion and the holding fixture and ram cylinder are conveyed through the moveable containment tunnel and towards a base portion of the cover such that the air bag cushion is pressed together irregularly within a region bounded by a wall portion of the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John W Haley, David Lee Anspach, Mike P Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 6585630
    Abstract: A container manufacturing method and device. The container manufacturing method includes steps of mixing, board-making, molding, guiding/crimping and demolding. Lower protruding guide bodies are arranged along the circumference of the mold cavity of the lower mold seat of the container manufacturing device at intervals. Upper protruding guide bodies are arranged on the press board and aimed at the intervals between the adjacent lower guide bodies. In the step of guiding/crimping, when the press board is pressed down by an oil pressure cylinder, the interlaced upper and lower guide bodies clamp and press the circumference of the board body to form regular crimps thereon. Therefore, when the upper mold block presses the board body into the mold cavity, the material can be evenly distributed and flowed so that the wall of the molded container can have uniform thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Inventor: Wen-Long Dai
  • Patent number: 6585143
    Abstract: An anchor setting device for setting a concrete anchor into concrete and leaving a desired length exposed. The anchor setting device includes a body having a bore extending through the body. The body has a first end and a second end. The bore of the body is threaded for releasably receiving a threaded end of a concrete anchor. The body has a slot extending through a side of the body facilitating insertion of the threaded end of the concrete anchor a desired length into the bore. The first end of the body is designed for being struck by an impact device for driving the concrete anchor into a hole in an anchoring surface when the first end of the body is struck by the impact device. The second end of said body is designed for abutting against the anchoring surface when the concrete anchor is driven into the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Inventor: John M. Schultz
  • Patent number: 6572519
    Abstract: The invention is a creasing device for creasing paper or card before it is folded. The device consists of a drum-shaped male component (2) featuring grooves (8, 10, 12) of various widths and depths to hold rubber O-rings (24, 26, 28). A female component (4) is almost identical to the male component (2) but has receiving grooves (14, 16, 18) that are slightly wider and deeper. When fixed to top and bottom shafts with one O-ring (24, 26, 28) in a groove (8, 10, 12) on the male component (2) aligned with a receiving groove (14, 16, 18) of the female component (4), a sheet of paper fed between the drums will be creased by the pressure of the O-ring (24, 26, 28) forcing the paper into the receiving groove (14, 16, 18). The invention allows the device to be quickly and easily set up to form creases of various widths and depths, while the resilient O-rings minimize damage to the paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Inventor: Graham Harris
  • Patent number: 6571885
    Abstract: A device for placing survey flags, and similar devices having stems, is operated so that the stem is locked or otherwise held to an elongated shaft or similar aligning device. Pressure on the shaft or aligning device forces a portion of the flag stem into the soil or other sound substrate. Then, an operator can carry out an operation to separate the placing device from the stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Landris Thomas Lee, Jr., Philip Garcin Malone
  • Patent number: 6571533
    Abstract: A bottle handling device for assisting in inserting a number of similar sized bottles into a secondary container, such as a partitionless beer carton. The device comprises a frame which, when inserted into the empty carton, provides a number of similar sized cells or compartments equal to the number of bottles which would completely fill the carton. The frame is maintained by support means above the shoulders of the bottles when located in the carton. Each bottle is inserted into, and its main body passes through, the frame until the bottle sits on the carton floor, the walls of each cell preventing a bottle in that cell from toppling over and hindering the insertion of further bottles and completion of filling of the carton. Upon completion and filling of the carton, the device is readily removed for reuse and the bottles are maintained in their upright condition by contacting adjacent bottles and the carton walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Labatt Brewing Company Limited
    Inventors: Bradley John Mahood, Edward Stanley James Miziolek, Robert G. Dickie, Bernard Beasley