Patents by Inventor Floyd D. Niskanen

Floyd D. Niskanen 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: 5485963
    Abstract: A granular fertilizer spreader which may be attached to a lawn mower (1). The spreader includes a hopper (44) which is secured to the mower handle (3), the spreader including drive wheels (9,10) which frictionally engage the rear mower wheels (7,8). An impeller (99) is rotated by the drive wheels (9,10), thereby urging fertilizer or other granular material contained within hopper (44) to exit through a series of orifices (73-84) located along the bottom surface (54) of the hopper (44). A discharge chute (134) entrains the fertilizer as it exits the orifices (73-84) and guides the fertilizer along a series of open channels (138-149), each channel terminating with an outlet orifice (152-163 ) through which the fertilizer is ultimately deposited upon the ground behind the mower deck (2). The drive wheels (9,10) are urged into positive frictional contact with the mower wheels (7,8) by a spring (187) that is secured to the mower handle (3) at a user selected point by a clamp (196).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Assignee: The Toro Company
    Inventors: Joseph J. Walto, Nathan J. Friberg, Floyd D. Niskanen
  • Patent number: 5398431
    Abstract: A snowthrower (20) including an improved impeller (50) which has an "open center" configuration and which is substantially made from a single piece of plastic. Impeller (50) includes a pair of curved blades (60) which are supported, braced and stiffened by a plurality of "spiders" (62, 64, 66, 68, 72, 74, 76 and 78) which form recesses for receiving a shaft (42) which spans between the side walls (36) of the snowthrower housing (22). Curved blades (60) of impeller (50) extend transversely between a pair of somewhat circular plates (52, 54). Plates (52, 54) preferably include teeth (54b, 54c, 52b, 52c) which help to break up snow and ice and assist in propelling snowthrower (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1995
    Assignee: The Toro Company
    Inventors: Randall A. Beihoffer, Floyd D. Niskanen
  • Patent number: D305198
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1989
    Assignee: The Toro Company
    Inventors: John O. White, Floyd D. Niskanen