Patents by Inventor Albert R. Close

Albert R. Close has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 4411069
    Abstract: A spoolless string trimmer head having a housing formed by a cover and a base which contains a coiled supply of trimming line. The lower housing member has a central opening and a radial passage for the trimming line so that the trimming line can be fed from the storage coil through the central opening and the radial passage to project radially-outwardly from the head. Several types of convenient clamping arrangements are disclosed which clamp the trimming line during operation of the trimmer and release the trimming line for feeding of replacement portions of the trimming line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1983
    Assignee: McCulloch Corporation
    Inventors: Albert R. Close, Winton Oster
  • Patent number: 4335510
    Abstract: A string trimmer having a handle, frame, motor and head. The head includes a housing formed by a cover and a base which contains a coiled supply of trimming line. The lower housing member has a central opening and a radial passage for the trimming line so that the trimming line can be fed from the storage coil through the central opening and the radial passage to project radially-outwardly from the head. Several types of convenient clamping arrangements are disclosed which clamp the trimming line during operation of the trimmer and release the trimming line for feeding of replacement portions of the trimming line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1982
    Assignee: Black & Decker, Inc.
    Inventors: Albert R. Close, Winton Oster
  • Patent number: 4231591
    Abstract: A safety belt retractor is disclosed of the type adapted for mounting in the door of a vehicle and operated by movement of a high inertia mass to lock up only under the influence of high lateral forces such as imposed in an emergency condition. During periods of door opening a superceding fulcrum point about which the high inertia member must rotate to lock up the retractor is imposed whereby undesired lock-up of the retractor during rapid opening of the vehicle door is virtually eliminated. The inhibiting action is directly tied to the door locking mechanism whereby almost instantaneous inhibition is applied upon opening of the vehicle door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1980
    Assignee: American Safety Equipment Corporation
    Inventor: Albert R. Close
  • Patent number: 4220355
    Abstract: An improvement in automated passive vehicle restraint systems of the type having a power-driven upper torso restraining belt moving between stowed and wearing positions is disclosed. The upper end of the belt is attached to the driven cable by a fastener having a stiffener attached. The fastener is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the cable as the fastener moves between the stowed and wearing positions. As the fastener is rotated, the stiffener maneuvers the belt away from the head and face of an occupant in the seat with which the belt is associated and correctly positions the belt on the occupant's shoulder at the wearing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1980
    Assignee: American Safety Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Cyril Henderson, William Hollowell, Albert R. Close
  • Patent number: 4209186
    Abstract: A fail-safe lock-up inhibitor for a vehicle door-mounted passive safety belt retractor. The improved inhibitor is formed of a plurality of mutually overriding inhibiting structure such that when the vehicle door is open, each alone is capable of allowing lock-up of the safety-belt protraction mechanism during an emergency condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1980
    Assignee: American Safety Equipment Corporation
    Inventor: Albert R. Close
  • Patent number: 4088281
    Abstract: An emergency locking safety belt retractor having a safety belt wound upon a reel has a dual tension single spring retraction means including reduction gear means interposed between the reel and retractor spring which is selectively operated to reduce the force of the spring means upon the reel when the safety belt is protracted to a position of use and then slightly retracted for a limited amount of retraction movement during which the safety belt is in a "low tension zone" condition until the limited retraction movement allowed is exceeded and the full force of the spring is reapplied through the gear means to the reel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1978
    Assignee: American Safety Equipment Corporation
    Inventor: Albert R. Close
  • Patent number: 3981535
    Abstract: A safety belt system includes a continuous loop of webbing which is anchored at one end to the vehicle floor and anchored at the other end to the roof or upper part of the vehicle. A buckle is mounted on the other side of the seat from the first-mentioned floor anchor, and a connector which is positionable along the webbing includes a tongue plate which mates with the buckle. The system has been improved by the provision of the combination of including limiting means on the connector for allowing the webbing to pass only in a direction to shorten the portion between the floor anchor and the buckle over the lower torso of the user and to lengthen the portion of the webbing between the retractor and the connector over the upper torso. The retractor is more powerful than a normal retractor to pull the webbing through the limiting means. The retractor may further include a tensionless feature to relieve the force from the retractor on the webbing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1975
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1976
    Assignee: American Safety Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Cyril Henderson, Albert R. Close