Patents by Inventor Lonney J. Steinhoff

Lonney J. Steinhoff 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: 5063633
    Abstract: A vacuum bowling lane stripper is provided which has a carriage for movement along a bowling alley from a foul line to the pit. The carriage has a forward portion and a rear portion. A cleaning applicator is provided in the forward portion and a cleaner reservoir is provided in the rear portion. A conduit is provided for supplying cleaner from the reservoir to the applicator for applying cleaner to the bowling alley ahead of the carriage as the carriage is moved along the lane. A vacuum device is provided for removing cleaner and dirt from the surface of the lane, the vacuum device having a vacuum head extending transversely of the forward portion of the carriage and in an operative lane-engaging position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1991
    Assignee: Century International Corporation
    Inventors: Donald E. Ingermann, Ronald L. Smith, Stephen F. Caffrey, Lonney J. Steinhoff
  • Patent number: 4962565
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, an apparatus is provided wherein cleaner is applied to all or a portion of the lane and the cleaner, oil and other residue is picked up by a vacuum head trailing the cleaner applicator in one trip from the foul line to the pit leaving the lane clean and dry. The cleaner can be applied either by means of an applicator pad or by a sprayer. If desired, the cleaning operation can be limited to the last forty-five feet or so, since it is generally desirable to clean this portion of the lane more often than the front portion. On the return or reverse movement of the stripper, no cleaning operations are undertaken but cleaner may be permitted to flow from the cleaner storage tank to the applicator so that the applicator will have sufficient cleaner in it for the beginning of application on the next lane. A mechanism is provided for bowing the vacuum head so that the center is lower than the side edges so that it conforms generally to the concave shape of a bowling alley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 16, 1990
    Assignee: Century International Corporation
    Inventors: Donald E. Ingermann, Ronald L. Smith, Stephen F. Caffrey, Lonney J. Steinhoff
  • Patent number: 4959884
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a combination apparatus is provided wherein cleaner is applied to all or a portion of the lane and the cleaner, dressing and other residue is picked up by a vacuum head trailing the cleaner applicator followed by a buffer roller to apply new dressing to the lane. If desired, the cleaning operation can be limited to the last forty-five feet or so, since it is generally desirable to clean this portion of the lane more often than the front portion. On the return or reverse movement of the stripper, no cleaning operations are undertaken but cleaner may be permitted to flow from the cleaner storage tank to the applicator so that the applicator will have sufficient cleaner in it for the beginning of application on the next lane. In an alternative embodiment, the applicator may be in the form of a spray nozzle to spray cleaner onto the lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1990
    Assignee: Century International Corporation
    Inventors: Donald E. Ingermann, Ronald L. Smith, Stephen F. Caffrey, Lonney J. Steinhoff
  • Patent number: 4920604
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, an apparatus is provided wherein cleaner is applied to all or a portion of the lane and the cleaner, oil and other residue is picked up by a vacuum head trailing the cleaner applicator in one trip from the foul line to the pit leaving the lane clean and dry. If desired, the cleaning operation can be limited to the last forty-five feet or so, since it is generally desirable to clean this portion of the lane more often than the front portion. On the return or reverse movement of the stripper, no cleaning operations are undertaken but cleaner may be permitted to flow from the cleaner storage tank to the applicator so that the applicator will have sufficient cleaner in it for the beginning of application on the next lane. Means is provided for bowing the vacuum head so that the center is lower than the side edges so that it conforms generally to the concave shape of a bowling alley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1990
    Assignee: Century International Corporation
    Inventors: Donald E. Ingermann, Ronald L. Smith, Stephen F. Caffrey, Lonney J. Steinhoff
  • Patent number: 4757831
    Abstract: This invention relates to a golf club cleaning machine characterized by a compartmented carousel having an annular tray-forming basket suspended therebeneath which holds several clubs in side-by-side upstanding circular relation for rotation therewith one-at-a-time past one or more nozzles which spray a high-pressure jet of cleaning fluid at least against the hitting face and sole of each club as it passes. An internal baffle having a concave undersurface redirects any cleaning fluid directed or splashing upwardly thereagainst back down onto the exposed portions of the club shafts and the club heads before it can reach the handgrips or otherwise escape from the machine through the opening in the lid. This baffle has inwardly-extending radially-directed slots that divide same into a plurality of individual flaps which deflect as needed to pass the club heads as they are inserted and removed from the tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1988
    Assignee: Century International Corp.
    Inventors: Donald E. Ingermann, Lonney J. Steinhoff