Patents by Inventor Michael T. Smith

Michael T. Smith 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: 5582216
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for installing wire fencing including a support frame drawn by a conveyance and supporting an upstanding wire unit support spindle. A plurality of wire fencing units which may include one or and a combination of one or more wire fencing balls or spools of stranded wire fencing or a roll of field fencing are placed coaxially about the upstanding support spindle. Separator plates are placed between the wire fencing units and then the free wire ends are attached to a fence posts. The conveyance moves along a line of fence posts and the wire fencing of each of the wire fencing units is simultaneously dispensed. A drag assembly applies a drag force against a portion of the support spindle to prevent uncontrolled pay-out of the wire fencing as the wire is dispensed. A clamp assembly, selectively engagable with portions of the payed-out is provided for isolating pulling tension form wire remaining supported on wire units as the fencing is stretched prior to attachment to the fence posts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Inventors: Michael T. Smith, Barry K. Cole
  • Patent number: 4843679
    Abstract: In a hinged structure in which two substantially cylindrical supports (1,2) are hinged together by means of one or more hinges so that they are parallel and closely adjacent, the or each hinge comprises at least two members (3,4) each made of resiliently flexible strip material, each member being S-shaped, passing partially around each support and together with one of the other members forming a letter "x" or figure "8" configuration as seen in a direction along the supports, the ends of the strips being crimped between plates (6,7,8,9) having opposed complementarily profiled surfaces, which plates are attached to the supports or extensions (14,15) of them whereby the strips are tensioned round the supports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1989
    Assignee: Frictionless Hinges & Joints Limited
    Inventors: Robert A. M. Maidment, Michael T. Smith
  • Patent number: 4821373
    Abstract: There is described a hinged structure comprising two supports and one or more hinges hinging the supports together so that they are parallel and closely adjacent, the or each hinge comprising two hinge members, each hinge member being made of resilient strip material, each hinge member being S-shaped, passing partially round each support and together with the other hinge member forming a letter .chi. or FIG. 8 configuration as seen in a direction along the supports, wherein a releasable catch is provided for holding the supports in a predetermined relative angular position, the catch comprising two cam members each associated with a respective suport and the two being resiliently urged into engagement and so shaped and arranged that rotation away from the said predetermined relative angular position of the supports urges the cam members apart against the resilient urging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1989
    Assignee: Courier Products Limited
    Inventors: Robert A. M. Maidment, Michael T. Smith
  • Patent number: 4619304
    Abstract: A hinged structure comprising two substantially cylindrical supports (13, 14) and one or more hinges (11, 12) hinging the supports together so that they are parallel and closely adjacent, wherein the hinge comprises two members (1, 2) each made of resiliently flexible strip material, each member being S-shaped, passing partially round each support and together with the other member forming a letter script letter X or figure 8 configuration as seen in a direction along the supports, respective means (5, 6; 9, 10) being provided fastening together the ends of the members alongside each support so that the members are tensioned round the supports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1986
    Assignee: Courier Display Systems Limited
    Inventor: Michael T. Smith
  • Patent number: 4467935
    Abstract: The seal consists of a hollow stud member which is welded to the enclosure to be secured and a cap member which holds the enclosure cover in place when secured to the stud. The cap member has a body section and a pin element extending from it. The pin element has an end portion that is shaped so as to be permanently secured once it enters a receiving element in the stud member. The cap member further has a random identity element, such as a randomly wound coil mounted in a cavity within the cap body. One end of the identity element is fixed to the cap member body section and the other end is fixed to the pin element end portion; such that the identity of the identity element is altered when the end portion is broken away from the pin element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1984
    Assignee: Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
    Inventors: Simon Backer, Michael T. Smith