Patents Represented by Law Firm Arthur A. Gardner & Associates
  • Patent number: 5709155
    Abstract: A tray table assembly which can be positioned horizontally for use by a person in a chair. When not in use, the tray table can be folded against the side of the chair. A mount bracket is attached to the arm of the chair. Pin tracks are disposed in the mount bracket. A hinge bracket is attached to a tray table. Pin holes are disposed in the hinge bracket. The hinge bracket is pivotally engaged to the mount bracket by a clevis pin that extends through the pin holes and the pin tracks. The tray table can be moved from a first position where the tray table is maintained in a horizontal position, to a second position in which the tray table is free to rotate to the side of the chair. In the horizontal position, tabs on the hinge bracket engage slots in the mount bracket, thereby retaining the tray table in the horizontal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: MUL Acquisition Corp. II
    Inventor: James M. Terracciano
  • Patent number: 5632123
    Abstract: A decking plank for attachment to a support structure, such as wood deck joists, said decking plank comprising a unitary, elongated steel member including an upper panel, first and second generally upstanding walls for supporting the upper panel, and first and second mounting flanges for mounting the decking plank to the support structure, and wherein an outer surface of the upper panel is provided with a non-slip coating, and wherein the generally upstanding walls are spaced a selected distance from one another and the upper panel has a width exceeding the selected distance so as to create an overhang adjacent each generally upstanding wall for at least partly concealing the mounting flanges upon the installation of multiple ones of the decking plank in adjacent, side-by-side relationship. In another preferred form the invention comprises a method of manufacturing a steel decking plank for attachment to a support structure, such as to wood deck joists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1997
    Assignee: Erwin Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald D. Erwin
  • Patent number: 5626331
    Abstract: A spindle or baluster for use in a fence or deck railing which comprises a plastic outer shell having a first end section, a second end section opposite the first end section, and a middle section intermediate the first and second end sections. An elongate metal reinforcing element is positioned within the outer shell and extends from the first end section to the second end section. A rigid plastic foam is disposed within at least a portion of the first and second end sections and substantially surrounds portions of the metal reinforcing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1997
    Assignee: Erwin Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald D. Erwin
  • Patent number: 5617697
    Abstract: A composite deck post for use with a wood joist of a wood deck and for attachment thereto with at least one fastener. The composite deck post comprises an elongate, hollow extruded plastic shell which is rectangular in cross-section and has an upper end and a lower end. The shell has a rectangular notch formed therein adjacent the lower end for receiving a wood joist of a deck. An elongate tubular metal stiffening member is positioned within the plastic shell and is rigidly secured thereto generally adjacent the upper end of the plastic shell. The plastic shell and the metal stiffening member each have at least one mounting hole co-aligned with each other for mounting the composite deck post to the wood joist with a fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1997
    Assignee: Erwin Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald D. Erwin