Patents by Inventor Nancy C. Rittmann

Nancy C. Rittmann 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: 6079298
    Abstract: A palm driver has a rotatable drive member and an ergonomic handle body connected to the drive member through a ratchet mechanism and covered by a cushioning grip. The handle body is asymmetrically curved and is substantially continuously convex along portions engageable in use with the user's hand, having a generally flattened top surface opposite the drive member and receivable in the user's palm, and a peripheral side surface which has a plan outline which is continuously convex and has a generally flattened heel portion and an opposed, much smaller radius finger portion, respectively engageable with the heel and fingers of the user's hand in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Snap-on Tools Company
    Inventors: Nancy C. Rittmann Gasperi, Steven R. Wente
  • Patent number: 5788252
    Abstract: A wheeled, manually propelled vehicle with vertical support structure has an ergonomic handle attached to the support structure, the handle having a central section extending substantially horizontally in use and inclined sections which incline downwardly from the opposite ends of the central section and respectively terminate in curved end sections which curve toward the support structure and are integral for attachment plates for attachment to the support structure. The inclined sections facilitate grasping of the handle with an ergonomic arm position when a user is pushing the vehicle and facilitate maneuvering the vehicle around corners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Snap-on Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth C. Happ, David D. Curry, Nancy C. Rittmann Gasperi, Michael D. Schoenbeck, Gary S. Wollert, James R. Piehl
  • Patent number: 5248068
    Abstract: A caulk gun has a cartridge-carrying body with a fixed handle and a pivoting handle depending therefrom, the pivoting handle being coupled to a plunger for axial movement thereof to dispense material from the cartridge in response to movement of the pivoting handle toward the fixed handle. The pivoting handle has a proximal end portion which diverges from the fixed handle to an index finger engaging portion and a distal end portion which is curved toward the fixed handle in the normal rest configuration of the gun, such that the pivoting handle, at both its distal end portion and its index finger engaging portion is spaced from the fixed handle generally the same distance. The fixed handle has a widened portion intermediate the ends thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1993
    Assignee: Snap-on Tools Corporation
    Inventors: Richard S. Goergen, Nancy C. Rittmann Gasperi, Steven R. Wente
  • Patent number: 4982612
    Abstract: A torque measuring wrench includes a deflection beam provided with a socket head at one end and having a region of reduced cross-sectional area. Four strain gauges are mounted on the beam and connected in a measuring bridge, with one gauge disposed at the region of reduced cross-sectional area and the other gauges disposed closer to the ratchet head. A tubular handle is connected to the othe end of the beam and encloses battery-powered control circuit including indicating means. The torque wrench measurements are independent of the position along the handle at which the force is applied by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 8, 1991
    Assignee: Snap-on Tools Corporation
    Inventor: Nancy C. Rittmann
  • Patent number: 4934222
    Abstract: The tool is a pliers or cutters having two members that are pivotally joined. The portions of the members on one side of the joint define cutter jaws or plier jaws as the case may be. On the other side of the joint, the members define handles located on the same side of the jaw axis. The rear handle has a first section nearest its associated jaw extending away from the jaw axis at an acute angle, and a second section extending from the first section at an obtuse angle. The other handle also has two sections, the first section nearest the jaws having a slight curvature and the second section having a curvature which is convex outwardly and is more pronounced than that of the first section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1990
    Assignee: Snap-on Tools Corporation
    Inventors: Nancy C. Rittmann, Donald D. Grover
  • Patent number: 4718127
    Abstract: A locking hinge assembly for mounting a visor on a helmet includes a cylindrical body which is fixed in an opening in the helmet and is loosely received through an aligned opening in the visor. The body has an annular detent flange with detent recesses therein in which are received detent studs carried by the visor for accommodating movement of the visor among a plurality of discrete detent positions. The locking assembly includes a shaft extending through an axial bore in the body and having an enlarged cam head at the outer end thereof. A cam disk is disposed between the head and the visor and has cam studs which cammingly engage cam recesses in the head. A spring washer is disposed between the cam disk and the visor for urging the detent studs into the recesses to resiliently hold the visor in each detent position and for urging the cam disk against the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1988
    Assignee: Snap-on Tools Corporation
    Inventors: Nancy C. Rittmann, Richard S. Stever, Steven R. Wente
  • Patent number: RE36379
    Abstract: A tool chest includes a lidded base defining a storage compartment therein and a pegboard-type tool pallet adapted to carry tools on an obverse side thereof and shiftable between a first position overlying and covering the storage compartment with the obverse side up, and a second position upstanding from the rear end of the base with the obverse side forward and supported against the open lid for uncovering and providing access to the storage compartment. In one embodiment the pallet is pivotally connected to the base with a link arm and has handles for lifting the pallet between its first and second position. In a second embodiment the pallet is pivotally connected to the lid so that when the lid is opened it pulls the pallet up to its second position. The front end of the pallet has pins or rollers supported on guide rails for guiding movement between the first and second positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Snap-on Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: George R. Slivon, Nancy C. Rittmann Gasperi, Kenneth C. Happ, Erick E. Alfaro, Roman L. Bauer, Alex F. Burns, Jason Chak Chung Chan, Alois Kadlecek, George A. Niles