Patents by Inventor James W. McElderry

James W. McElderry 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: 5622464
    Abstract: A screw for use with a washer as a sealing fastener having formations near the head of the screw to increase driving resistance when the portion having the formations reaches a surface into which the screw is being drilled. The screw includes a shank with a tip end and a head end. A head at the head end may be driven by a driving tool such as a pneumatic or electric drill. To facilitate retention of the washer the head has a flange that forms a recess. The shank has an enlarged portion near the head adjacent to the recess and the enlarged portion has ridges. The enlarged portion, including the ridges, increases the driving resistance of the screw. This increase in resistance gives notice to an operator of the driving tool that an appropriate driving depth and torque have been achieved. Preferably, the washer has an inner diameter surface with fully radiused projections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1997
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Michael C. Dill, James W. McElderry, Juergen O. Rathgeber
  • Patent number: 5605018
    Abstract: A flexible end cap includes at least one flexible membrane, such as a rubber sheet, for covering the end of the roof rib, having a top peripheral portion and a bottom peripheral portion. At least one frame member is attached to at least a portion of the top peripheral portion of the flexible membrane for supporting the membrane in a sealing relationship with the roof rib. At least a portion of the bottom peripheral portion, such as the portion for covering a ridge profile, includes at least two sealing ribs wherein a cross-sectional height of one rib is larger than a cross-sectional height of the other rib. The sealing ribs with the larger cross-sectional height allow the end cap to accommodate varying designs of roof rib profiles formed by adjacent sheets of roof panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1997
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Work Inc.
    Inventors: James W. McElderry, Michael C. Dill, Juergen O. Rathgeber, John A. Wand, John F. Fox
  • Patent number: 5558479
    Abstract: A wall anchor uses splines on an interior surface of a cylindrical body to accommodate fasteners having different thread diameters. The splines are configured in types. A first type includes at least one spline protruding centrally at a narrow angle, while a second type also includes at least one spline protruding centrally at a wider angle. When a fastener, such as a #6 or #8 sheet metal screw (SMS), is inserted into the wall anchor, the first type of spline will primarily engage the #6 SMS, while the second type of splines are only partially implemented. When a #8 SMS, which has a larger thread diameter than a #6 SMS, is inserted into the wall anchor, both the first and second types of splines are engaged to facilitate retention of the SMS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: James W. McElderry