Patents Examined by S. Castellano
  • Patent number: 5305901
    Abstract: A large-scale container, preferably transportable and closable by a fireproof sliding door composed of several leaves, includes a fireproof bulkhead which is mounted parallel to the leaves along the ceiling of the large-scale container. The bulkhead extends over the entire width of the sliding door and projects in a gap defined by the spaced arrangement of the leaves, with the bulkhead and the leaves being provided along their facing sides in the overlapping areas with a fireproof intumescent coating. In this manner, a direct penetration of flames in this area into the interior is prevented and the space defined between the leaves and the bulkhead is closed by a fireproof intumescent coating to attain a hermetic seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1994
    Assignee: P & D Systemtechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Helmut Dennig
  • Patent number: 5303840
    Abstract: A method of making a storage tank system comprises forming a series of outer wall sections over a cylindrical-shaped inner storage tank. Each outer wall section is bonded to the inner tank at a distance of less than about 1/2 inch in height from the inner tank. The inner storage tank is strengthened by the wall sections. Partial secondary containment is provided by the outer wall sections. A monitored storage tank system with partial secondary containment is provided by the use of a leak detection system to monitor the closed spaces defined by the outer wall sections and the inner storage tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1994
    Inventor: Bruce R. Sharp
  • Patent number: 5301829
    Abstract: A fuel can is provided which includes a receptacle for receiving fuel or other liquid therein and a tray for holding other items, the tray being complementally configured with the bottom of the receptacle whereby the tray and receptacle may be releasably coupled in mating engagement. The tray and receptacle are provided with coupling structure which includes a pair of bosses on one component and a pair of latch members on the other component, the bosses and latch members being preferably integrally formed with the tray and receptacle. The latch member is resilient and yieldable during engagement of the tray and receptacle whereby a hook on the latch member engages a respective boss and spreads the latch members apart and then resiliently snaps into position on the to hold the tray and receptacle in coupled relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1994
    Assignee: Blitz U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventor: Larry L. Chrisco
  • Patent number: 5301826
    Abstract: An expansion ring for expanding the size of an oven is disclosed. The expansion ring has a plurality of expansion ring segments which are connected together by one or more clips. The expansion ring segments have end portions which, when two segments are placed in end-to-end relation, form an engagement portion having first and second stops. The clip has a channel which engages the engagement portion so as to hold the expansion ring segments together and a finger projecting into the channel. According to this arrangement, the clip is slidable between a first position where the finger engages the first stop and a second position where the finger engages the second stop. In the first position, the expansion ring segments are locked together. In the second position, the segments may be separated, but the clip remains attached to one of the segments so that it will not be lost. An oven incorporating the expansion rings and clips of the present invention is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1994
    Assignee: Alternative Pioneering Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey Sandahl
  • Patent number: 5299690
    Abstract: A stackable tray system used, for example, as an organizer tray system in offices, includes two or more trays spaced vertically from one another. Support elements are provided for separating the trays and for supporting the upper tray in each tray pair. Furthermore, the support elements, in combination with the upper tray in a pair and a slide retainer, permit the upper tray to be moved horizontally with respect to the lower tray to provide a cascading appearance. With the upper tray displaced horizontally from the lower tray, access to the lower tray is facilitated, both to add material thereto or to remove contents of the tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1994
    Assignee: Sterling Plastics Co.
    Inventors: John W. Mund, Cari Burns, Robert Chieda, Leon C. Clouser, Jr., Robert A. O'Neil
  • Patent number: 5299689
    Abstract: A blow-molded toothpaste tube being rectangular-oval in configuration for display without a carton, and having a bottom and top narrow, flat, parallel panels and wider front and rear panels for brand identification and indicia. The tubes are stackable horizontally on one of the narrow panels to a selected vertical height on a shelf.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1994
    Inventor: William Ledewitz
  • Patent number: 5297690
    Abstract: An electrical service box is shown as having a main body formed of longitudinally extending body portions which are formed of one or more generally flat outer surfaces whereby the main body is capable of being slidably received in a mounting hole having a periphery which at least closely approaches the cross-sectional configuration of such outer surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1994
    Inventor: George A. Bardaville
  • Patent number: 5295607
    Abstract: A trash tank includes a tank body having an open top, a closed bottom, a horizontally extending slot, and a receiving space. A hollow casing is connected detachably to the tank body adjacent to the horizontally extending slot of the tank body. The hollow casing may receive a rolled-up strip of garbage sacks and has a slit which is communicated with the horizontally extending slot of the tank body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1994
    Assignee: Chin-Chiao Chou
    Inventor: Der-Feng Chang
  • Patent number: 5294017
    Abstract: A recycle and trash container with continuous supply of bags comprises a refuse container, trash bag housings and a base. The trash bag housing can hold the trash bags in a roll and is placed inside the base. Said refuse container can be placed on top of the base. In the center of the refuse container there are two slots which are designed for the insertion of two dividing plates, thus dividing the refuse container into two containers which can hold different types of trash. Each of the divided container has a reverse V-shaped projecting board on its bottom. At the top of each of the projecting boards is an elongated gaps from which the trash bags can be pulled through and hung on the container. When the refuse container is filled up, the trash bag can be pulled up and removed. An empty trash bag will also come through the elongated gap and may be placed on the refuse container for use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1994
    Inventor: Kuo - Chuan Li
  • Patent number: 5289934
    Abstract: An adjustable mounting assembly for an electrical outlet box wherein a bracket is secured to a wall stud. One face of the bracket has a tongue having an axially extending threaded bore. A side wall of the outlet box has a longitudinally extending groove which receives the bracket tongue so that the box is slidably mounted on the bracket for movement forwardly and rearwardly relative to the wall stud. An adjustment bolt extends longitudinally of the groove and into a threaded bore in the tongue whereby an unlimited adjustment of the electrical box is obtainable so that the front of the box will be flush with the subsequently applied plaster or dry wall and paneling. The bolt not only functions during the adjustment of the box but also, once the desired adjusted position is obtained, it functions as a stop member to hold the box at the adjusted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1994
    Inventors: Benjamin H. Smith, Scott P. Pimley
  • Patent number: 5289937
    Abstract: The container comprises a relatively stiff, form-retaining supporting frame and a flexible shell member. The supporting frame comprises a polygonal bottom member and a corresponding cover member. Each angular point of the bottom member is connected with an angular point of the cover member by means of a rod-shaped element. The flexible shell member is connected with each rod-shaped element by means of a flexible loop member. Each loop member starts from a point of attachment to the shell member and passes around a rod-shaped element to a second point of attachment. The arrangement is such that the loop members keep the shell member within the outer boundaries of the supporting frame at all times, at least if the shell member contains goods to be packaged. According to the invention, a strip-shaped member made from a flexible material is connected with the shell member at the points of attachment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1994
    Inventor: Gerardus A. M. Boots
  • Patent number: 5289941
    Abstract: A reconfigurable article storage container includes a plurality of identical panels, each including at least two slots formed by connector webs integrally formed with and extending between adjacent panel sections forming each panel. Certain panels are invertible 180.degree. and oriented perpendicular to adjacent panels such that interconnecting slots formed by the connector webs between adjacent panel sections of each panel can be slidably engaged to form any polygonal or irregular shaped storage container having any number and size of individual storage compartments formed therein between certain of the interconnected panels. Edge connectors interconnect the ends of two panels in a co-linear arrangement to increase the length of any wall of the storage container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1994
    Assignee: The American Team
    Inventors: Karl Blankenburg, Mitchell M. Marchi
  • Patent number: 5287966
    Abstract: A slide-on multi-level basket useful for storing and transporting baked goods is provided which includes a floor and a pair of upstanding side walls configured for stacking identical baskets at three different levels and presenting structure enabling other, identical baskets to slide thereon into stacked or nested orientations. A multi-level basket hereof includes a slideway or rail extending along each of the side walls, the side walls being divided into inner and outer panels. Each basket includes a thin web and a wide web spaced apart and respectively proximate a front end wall and a rear end wall. The thick and thin webs are complimentarily configured with a relieved portion and a slot in each of the side walls whereby the webs can slide along the rail of a next lower, identical basket enabling the upper basket to drop into either a nested or stacked relationship according to the relative orientation of the two baskets, when superposed over the next lower, identical basket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 22, 1994
    Assignee: Piper Industries of Texas, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward L. Stahl
  • Patent number: 5287990
    Abstract: A plastic container includes a plastic bail-type handle. The ends of the handle include an improved bayonet-type connection. The connection has a solid cross section permitting it to withstand greater forces imposed on the handle. An elongated shoulder is also embodied in the connection for abutting engagement with an associated bail ear provided on the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 22, 1994
    Assignee: Cardinal Packaging, Inc.
    Inventor: Jerry L. Knox
  • Patent number: 5284268
    Abstract: A compartmented waste receptacle for segregating unrecyclable trash and recyclable paper. The receptacle has a main body and a secondary body releasably fixed to the main body. A spacing between the bottom walls of the secondary body and the main body defines a volume in which the recyclable paper is stored. A spacing between the secondary body and main body front walls define a chute leading to the recyclable paper storage volume. The main body and secondary body are adapted to be emptied independently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1994
    Inventors: Normand Marsan, Robert Cossette
  • Patent number: 5284269
    Abstract: The space saving double seal uses a lower shoe, an upper shoe and a pair of vapor barriers joining them to a conventional outer rim plate on a floating roof. The secondary vapor barrier extends from the outer rim plate to the top of the upper shoe. A pair of pusher springs maintain the shoes against the tank's inner wall. The invention provides for liquid storage to the full height which the floating roof allows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1994
    Inventors: Jack G. Petrie, John R. Mulkey
  • Patent number: 5282547
    Abstract: A splashguard device for a dishwasher includes an angular sector of a circular plate. A sector angle of the angular sector has an angle of from about 100 to 130 degrees. The radius of the circular plate substantially equals the radial length of a dishwasher door determined from the hinge axis of the dishwasher door. A plurality of fastening devices permanently secures the angular sector at a radially extending edge to a radially directed side face of the dishwasher door. Spacer devices are provided for spacing the angular sector at a distance of approximately 0.5 inch from the radially extending side face of the dishwasher door in a vertical plane parallel to an outer face of a dishwasher outside wall. A guide is attached to the dishwasher outside wall to ensure a free movement of the splashguard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 1, 1994
    Inventor: Joseph A. Murray
  • Patent number: 5279438
    Abstract: The box includes a sheet of moulded plastics material with a central portion constituting the base of the box and four foldable flaps which are hinged to the central portion form the side walls of the box. The foldable flaps are interconnected by corner uprights each of which includes a central rib and two rows of segments which constitute the opposed walls of a pair of channels for housing the side edges of the flaps. The segments in each row are separated by spaces the heights of which, along the longitudinal axis of the rib, are equal to or greater than the heights of the segments in the opposite row, along the same axis. The segments in each row face the spaces between the segments in the opposite row.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 18, 1994
    Inventor: Franco Cesano
  • Patent number: 5275301
    Abstract: A freight container of the flatrack type is designed to have an end wall structure 22 plus inboard from the end wall structure a gate 23 which is pivotally or collapsibly mounted thereon. The gate 23 includes a load bearing post having a freight container-securing fitment 26 of conventional type, these fitments 26 being positioned at the standard positions for such fitments in a standard freight container but the platform 21 being extended beyond these positions to carry additional load. Diagonal bracing 29 and diagonal top links 37 triangulate and rigidify the gate structure against longitudinal, lateral and vertical forces in both tension and compression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1994
    Inventor: Martin Clive-Smith
  • Patent number: 5275300
    Abstract: A grape or fruit box includes a pair of laterally spaced, rigid ends, to which is secured a wrap assembly of paper overlay laminated veneer, extending substantially about the sides and bottom of the box. The ends are each formed with a groove extending from the right to left side of the end, and relatively closely adjacent the upper edge of the end. The groove extends parallel to the upper side of the end, and the lower edge of the groove is chamfered or bevelled along its entire length. The box lid or cover pad comprises a relatively thin and flexible sheet of laminated veneer or heavyweight paper. To secure the cover pad to the box, one end of the lid may be inserted in one groove of one end, and the lid then bowed upwardly in its center area, so that the opposite end of the lid may be located below the groove in the opposite end. By then pulling upwardly on that opposite pad end, the latter will snap into the groove, facilitated by the lower, chamfered edge of the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1994
    Assignee: Anderson & Middleton Company
    Inventor: Larry R. Johnson