Patents by Inventor John R. Foster

John R. Foster 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: 9389004
    Abstract: Cylindrical interior and exterior drums, each drum has a cylindrical side wall with primary and secondary end caps. Fixed primary and secondary supports are provided. Each support has a primary shaft with an interior end fixedly supported by a primary end cap of an interior drum and an exterior end rotatably supported in a support plate. A drive disc is secured to the primary shaft for rotation therewith. The drive disc has an angled exterior surface. The primary end cap of the exterior drum has an angled interior surface. A plurality of cones are in contact with the interior and exterior surfaces whereby rotation of the drive disc and the primary shaft and the interior drum will translate into counter rotation of the exterior drum. A quantity of fluid is located between the drums for generating heat in response to the counter rotation of the drums.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Inventors: John R. Foster, Ronald Burton Manwell
  • Patent number: 7155791
    Abstract: A connecting rod cap separator system comprising a housing having a pair generally side components each with an inside face and an outside faces adapted to fit inside the circular aperture of a connecting rod; a pair of support screws; an activation shaft with a threading and a crank lever; and a pair displacing wedges each having a pair of sloped faces and apertures extending there through. The apertures are adapted to receive the activation shaft such that when the activation shaft is rotated by the crank lever in one direction, threading of a displacing wedge draw the wedges closer together thereby displacing the side components of the housing outwardly to an expanded state, and when the activation shaft is rotated by the crank lever in the opposite direction, threading of a displacing wedge expands the wedges away from each other thereby contracting the side components of the housing inwardly to the contracted state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Inventor: John R. Foster
  • Patent number: 6625925
    Abstract: A landscape edging includes a modular member with a closed front portion and an open rear portion, and a left or a right open end portion. The modular member further includes a first panel, and a second panel extending at an angle relative to the first panel. Each of the first and second panels includes a free edge portion. The free edge portion of the second panel is disposed closer to the rear portion of the modular member than the front portion thereof. The free edge portion of the second panel is vertically spaced from the free edge portion of the first panel. The first and second panels define a recess therebetween for retaining material, such as mulch, sand, dirt, wood chips, rocks etc. The modular member includes a connecting member for interlocking with the cooperating connecting member of an adjacent modular member. One of the first and second panels includes an anchor for immobilizing the modular member relative to the ground or a structure about the area to be landscaped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Inventor: John R. Foster
  • Patent number: 6427301
    Abstract: The piston ring compressor tool system comprises a compression skirt. The skirt has an interior surface and an exterior surface. It also has an upper edge and a lower edge. The tool system has a hollow, generally tapered, cylindrical tubular form and is further configured in a shape of an upper frustroconical funnel. The funnel forms a planar inlet within the interior of the upper edge. The funnel further forms a lower cylindrically shaped outlet within the interior of the lower edge. The outlet is parallel to the plane of the inlet and is for discharging the piston and ring assembly into a bore. The compression skirt has a generally outwardly curved upper horizontal portion. The lower horizontal portion is generally plumb to the plane of the opening of the lower edge. The middle horizontal area is a transition area between the radian outward curve of the upper horizontal portion and the generally plumb surface of the lower horizontal portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Inventor: John R. Foster
  • Patent number: 6421930
    Abstract: A piston ring locating system includes a resilient ring fabricated in a generally circular configuration having a short height and a length of between about 2 inches and 5 inches with overlapping free ends. One of the ends has a slight bend there adjacent for fitting inside the opposite end. The rings are outwardly biased resiliently to allow varying the circumference of the ring as a function of the cylinder in which it is to be placed. The ring thus forms an interior surface and an exterior surface positionable within the cylinder in which it is to be placed. The ring has a top edge and a bottom edge constituting an abutment surface. Projection means extends outwardly from the exterior surface to a short distance and is adapted to be located on the upper edge of the block of the cylinder with which it is to be utilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Inventor: John R. Foster
  • Publication number: 20020069499
    Abstract: The piston ring compressor tool system comprises a compression skirt. The skirt has an interior surface and an exterior surface. It also has an upper edge and a lower edge. The tool system has a hollow, generally tapered, cylindrical tubular form and is further configured in a shape of an upper frustroconical funnel. The funnel forms a planar inlet within the interior of the upper edge. The funnel further forms a lower cylindrically shaped outlet within the interior of the lower edge. The outlet is parallel to the plane of the inlet and is for discharging the piston and ring assembly into a bore. The compression skirt has a generally outwardly curved upper horizontal portion. The lower horizontal portion is generally plumb to the plane of the opening of the lower edge. The middle horizontal area is a transition area between the radian outward curve of the upper horizontal portion and the generally plumb surface of the lower horizontal portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2000
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Inventor: John R. Foster
  • Patent number: 5882250
    Abstract: A valve refacing tool comprising a hollow cylindrical column. The column has an upper end and a lower end and has a central bore throughout its entire length. The column has exterior threads at its upper end and an outwardly flared cylindrical support at its lower end. A crown is provided and has a central vertical bore with internal threads removably received by the threads at the upper end of the column. The crown has a lower surface with a radial interior edge adapted to be supported on the upper end of the column. The crown has a plurality of radially extending fins each with an enlarged height at its radially exterior edge and an upper surface at an angle with respect to the vertical. Each upper surface has a dove tail recess. A cylindrical bushing sleeve is positioned within the bore of the column. The bushing sleeve has an upper end located at an intermediate extent of the column and a lower end located beneath the lower end of the column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Inventor: John R. Foster
  • Patent number: 5749774
    Abstract: A valve refacing tool comprising a hollow cylindrical column. The column has an upper end and a lower end and has a central bore throughout its entire length. The column has exterior threads at its upper end and an outwardly flared cylindrical support at its lower end. A crown is provided and has a central vertical bore with internal threads removably received by the threads at the upper end of the column. The crown has a lower surface with a radial interior edge adapted to be supported on the upper end of the column. The crown has a plurality of radially extending fins each with an enlarged height at its radially exterior edge and an upper surface at an angle with respect to the vertical. Each upper surface has a dove tail recess. A cylindrical bushing sleeve is positioned within the bore of the column. The bushing sleeve has an upper end located at an intermediate extent of the column and a lower end located beneath the lower end of the column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Inventor: John R. Foster
  • Patent number: 4466643
    Abstract: The dogging device comprises a detented dogging hook, for engaging a latching and unlatching control rod of a panic exit latch and actuator assembly, or a like assembly, and comprises means for selectively changing the operator-implements thereof from one type to another. The method comprises the steps of forming such a changeable dogging device. The kit sets forth the components parts cooperative with a basic dogging device for adapting the latter for use with any one of a plurality of operator-implements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1984
    Assignee: Von Duprin, Inc.
    Inventors: Maksimilijan Godec, John R. Foster, Paul J. Straub, Allan K. Mahler
  • Patent number: 4427223
    Abstract: The device comprises a latching assembly enclosed within, and translatable relative to, a centercase housing; the housing is mounted on a chassis. The device is adapted for cooperative engagement with a locking cylinder, for actuating the latching assembly, and for operation of a thumbpiece lift, by an ancillary, external, trim linkage, for translating the latching assembly. The latching device has a master, locking cylinder cam or dowel, the latter having a removable screw, which (through a locking cylinder) either operates a night-latch cam plate, to translate the latching assembly or, upon removal of the screw, allows the cam or dowel to translate a tumbler which, in turn, frees a thumbpiece lift, for operation (then) of the latching assembly by the lift, instead of by the cam plate. Accordingly, with the drive screw in place, the external, operating trim linkage can not operate the device; it must be unlatched, externally, by a key in the locking cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1984
    Assignee: Von Duprin, Inc.
    Inventors: Maksimilijan Godec, John R. Foster, Paul J. Straub, Allan K. Mahler
  • Patent number: 4401330
    Abstract: In the preferred embodiment depicted, the invention comprises a limb, having a depending lug, fixed to a door. The lug makes a close clearance, near engagement with a socket-retainer fixed to a door-interfacing mullion. The upper end of the mullion is foreshortened, and addressed to a free space; it is slidably engaged with an internal socket. Accordingly, in the event of fire, the mullion may freely extend vertically, due to the heat. Such free extension causes the socket-retainer, and the depending lug, mutually to engage. By this arrangement, the door is secured closed, on the exposure to severe heat, even if the normal latching and/or locking device therefor comes loose or disengaged. The method comprehends fixing the mullion at one end, securing it against angular movement, exposing the other end to a free space, and mounting to the closure and mullion locking components which come into engagement only in response to thermal extension of the mullion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1983
    Assignee: Von Duprin, Inc.
    Inventors: John R. Foster, James E. Placke
  • Patent number: 4305612
    Abstract: An apparatus for operating a door-latching and -unlatching device includes a thumbturn, a barrel cam, a shaft for coupling the thumbturn to the barrel cam to cause rotation of the barrel cam in response to movement of the thumbturn, a follower for the barrel cam and apparatus attaching the follower to the latch bolt to cause the latch bolt to move in response to actuation of the barrel cam. The illustrative barrel cam includes two generally diametrically opposed cam lobes such that rotation of the thumbturn either clockwise or counter-clockwise retracts the latch bolt. The follower includes a bar which lies against the cam surface of the barrel cam, and the latch bolt moving apparatus includes an actuator arm which is pivotally mounted adjacent one of its ends, the follower pin being mounted intermediate the actuator arm ends, the follower pin being supported adjacent the barrel cam, and the actuator arm further including a roller retractor actuator adjacent its other end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1978
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1981
    Assignee: Von Duprin, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry R. Hunt, John R. Foster
  • Patent number: D455504
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Inventor: John R. Foster
  • Patent number: D463868
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Inventor: John R. Foster
  • Patent number: D472984
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Inventor: John R. Foster