Patents Represented by Law Firm Baldwin, Egan & Fetzer
  • Patent number: 5074199
    Abstract: A deep fat fryer having an elongated housing for holding a bath of hot fat through which an endless main conveyor carries a food product through the bath from the infeed end to a discharge end of the housing. Above the main conveyor is a submerger conveyor having a run moving from the infeed end to the discharge end of the housing and adapted in operative position to line close to the food portions on the main conveyor and hold them submerged in the hot fat bath. In operative cooking position of the conveyor apparatus, the submerger conveyor nests into the side rails of the main conveyor and an elongated hood encloses the hot bath housing at a zone above the submerger covneyor from one end of the housing to the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1991
    Assignee: Stein, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael E. Miller
  • Patent number: 5028474
    Abstract: A three-dimensional structure adapted for use for instance as a core in sandwich panel-type construction, and comprised of substantially continuous unbroken sheet material to which has been imparted an alternating sequence of ridges and valleys, creating spaced rows of adjacent inclined rectangular-shaped facets connected by intermediate rows of adjoining parallelogram-shaped facets. The core structure provides substantially gridlike bearing surfaces on two opposing parallel bearing planes thereof to which face sheets may be affixed, to form a sandwich panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1991
    Inventor: Ronald M. Czaplicki
  • Patent number: 5022045
    Abstract: The invention is directed to chemical compositions suitable for use in salt-solution transition temperature or hot mirror devices. It also provides methods of using these sensors (for the measurement of the humidity of gases) as well as the apparatus. The chemical composition which of itself senses the changes of water vapor pressure is birefringent at a first water vapor pressure and temperature, but non-birefringent at a second vapor pressure and temperature. The optical changes which accompany these phase changes may be amplified with polarizers. The means for heating the chemical composition can vary widely. Various thermometric devices can be used for temperature sensing. The accuracy required of the particular instrument model, the device's configuration, and the other components, selected for the particular system all affect the choice of thermometric device selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Inventor: Stanley B. Elliott
  • Patent number: 4991802
    Abstract: A suspension device for cable or the like, formed of nonmetallic flexible material woven or braided into elongated, tubular or sleeve-like form so that the cable or a like flexible linear body, can be passed through the central passageway of the suspension device and out an opening formed in the defining sidewall of the device and be frictionally gripped or held by the device against lengthwise movement relative to the suspension device, and wherein the latter can be formed at one end thereof into a self-retaining loop for securing the device and gripped cable or other linear body to an overhead support, thus transmitting any tensile load applied to the cable or other linear body to the support via the suspension device and thus preventing any tensile load being transmitted along the cable or other linear body to its connection point, such as, for instance, an electrical junction box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1991
    Inventor: Lawrence A. Deacon
  • Patent number: 4976359
    Abstract: A rotatable merchandise display unit comprising a base with a support projecting generally vertically upwardly from the base, and supporting a vertically elongated column-like structure is rotatable relation thereon, with the column being formed of hinged sides and having a plurality of generally vertical rows of merchandise receiving trays disposed along the plural sides of the column, in laterally spaced relation with respect to one another. Each tray of such rows of trays provides upwardly opening pockets for receiving therein merchandise for display. Cams on the inner surfaces of the column sides coact with the central support and provide for the pivotal movement of the column sides relative to one another and thus the pivotal movement or undulation of the merchandise receiving trays with respect to one another during rotation of the column about the central support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1990
    Assignee: American Greetings Corporation
    Inventor: Stephen N. Hardy
  • Patent number: 4975249
    Abstract: The invention provides novel chemical compositions for use in primary, optical/capacitance hygrometric devices. It also provides methods for using these compositions as sensors for the precise measurements of the humidity of gases as well as the apparatus. The chemical compositions, which of themselves sense the change in water vapor pressure, are birefringent, translucent, and anisotropic at a first water vapor pressure/temperature, but non-birefringent, optically clear, and isotropic at a second vapor pressure/temperature. Optical changes which accompany these phase changes may be amplified. Some compositions, exhibit abrupt and large increases in their dielectric constant coincident with the optical changes which occur at the phase shift point. Others show a large and precisely linear change in dielectric constant over many decades of relative humidity (RH), but the optical shift occurs at a precise point within the range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1990
    Inventor: Stanley B. Elliott
  • Patent number: 4949849
    Abstract: Adjustable greeting card display assembly. This assembly has a supporting structure and a display panel formed by a plurality of pocket forming central dividers and a pair of pocket forming end dividers. Each central divider includes a plurality of half pockets in step relationship, formed by a vertical sheet which forms a common side wall for the half pockets, and sheets extending laterally in both directions from the vertical sheet to form the fronts, backs and bottoms of the half pockets. The end dividers are like the central divider except that the sheets forming the fronts, backs and bottoms of the half pockets extend in only one direction from the vertical sheet. The supporting structure includes at least one transversely extending slotted support rail. Each of the dividers includes a transverse socket for the support rail, and a vertical web which engages a selected slot in the support rail. Each pair of adjacent dividers together form a series of whole pockets for cards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignee: American Greetings Corporation
    Inventor: Stephen N. Hardy
  • Patent number: 4947712
    Abstract: A wrench-type socket for removing bolts and the like whose head has become damaged or otherwise worn, thus prohibiting its removal by the use of a conventional socket. The present socket has an internal central cavity which is formed with at least one, but preferably a plurality, of elongated projections or shoulders which extend into said cavity, and which upon rotating the socket are intended to partially penetrate into the damaged bolt head and thus provide a driving connection therebetween to thereby provide torque to said bolt to thus cause its removal. If desired, the user may strike the means for rotating the socket to embed the projections or shoulders into the bolt head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 14, 1990
    Inventor: Robert C. Brosnan
  • Patent number: 4944550
    Abstract: An enclosure assembly enabling the selective covering of an area such as the bed of a pickup truck of the like. The assembly includes a plurality of extendable and collapsible cover sections interconnected by an actuating system. The actuating system enables the rear cover section of the assembly to be pivoted to a collapsed or extended position by a pivoting structure having unique cam and leverage characteristics. The entire assembly can be selectively power operated or locked into position using a clutch mechanism associated with the actuation system. The enclosure assembly affords simple and effective operation to provide for the convenient use of the truck bed or similar area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1990
    Assignee: Versa Cap, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald L. Drown, Richard O. Runge, Elmer L. Brumenshenkel
  • Patent number: 4941768
    Abstract: A transfer boom assembly for transferring workpieces in a workpiece manufacturing environment such as for example in an automobile manufacturing and assembly facility and which includes a quick disconnect device having nestable interfitting coupling parts for releasably connecting and/or disconnecting one or more workpiece transferring and/or fabricating units from its associated boom assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 17, 1990
    Assignee: K & A Tool Company
    Inventor: Timothy R. Arendt
  • Patent number: 4940040
    Abstract: An adjustable oven for mass cooking of food products comprising an essentially sealed enclosure having a conveyor received therethrough for conveying food through the oven. A heated gaseous cooking medium is applied to the food product during conveyance through the oven by impingement of the cooking medium at high velocity through spaced duct fingers disposed above and below the conveyor system. The gaseous cooking medium is heated and circulated through the oven at high velocity and subsequently recirculated for continuous cooking of food products in the oven. The cooking oven enables optimization of the cooking process by allowing at least certain of the duct fingers to be vertically adjustable relative to the food product so as to maximize heat transfer therefrom for any particular food product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 10, 1990
    Assignee: Stein, Inc.
    Inventors: James E. Randall, Ronald D. Lemke, Robert A. Mesteller
  • Patent number: 4936248
    Abstract: A breading machine incorporating the present invention for use with fresh or green bread crumbs for continuously coating a battered food product having a frame supporting an endless conveyor on which food product is disposed defining a food product conveyance path, and a rotatable drum type conveyor disposed adjacent to the path and operable to receive fresh bread crumbs and to convey the bread crumbs into a hopper for distribution to the food product conveyor for coating the food product carried thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1990
    Assignee: Stein, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael E. Miller
  • Patent number: 4937106
    Abstract: The invention relates to a collapsible decorative assembly and method for making the same, wherein a plurality of foldable elements are positioned adjacent one another such that they may be collapsed and opened in conjuction with one another. The elements have ornamental shaped portions and are folded so as to form inwardly folded regions which enable the elements to be positioned in an interconnected manner. Exterior surfaces formed in the elements by the folding are secured to one another in a predetermined manner to provide collapsible assembly which is opened for use as a decorative bow or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1990
    Assignee: American Greetings Corporation
    Inventor: Rebecca S. Eliason
  • Patent number: 4937131
    Abstract: A flexible, cushioning dunnage product producible on a converter mechanism from a roll of sheet-like stock material, such as biodegradable paper. As the stock material is pulled off the roll by the converter, the edges of the stock material are rolled inwardly to form pillow-like portions which are urged by the converter mechanism laterally inwardly with respect to one another into confronting abutting relation, with the pillow-like portions being then connected together along their engaged abutting sides by in the preferred embodiment, transversely extending coined sections extending transversely of the product and defining a generally central connecting portion running in a direction lengthwise of the product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1990
    Assignee: Ranpak Corp.
    Inventors: Bruno H. Baldacci, John E. Silvis
  • Patent number: 4934809
    Abstract: A lens positioning device for indirect biomicroscopy of a patient's eye and which is adapted to mount a condensing lens in readily adjustable relationship to the patient's eye, for evaluation of for instance the fundus of the eye with the biomicroscope, and with the device being adapted to be readily attached to one of the chin rest vertical bars of the slit lamp biomicroscope. The device comprises a plurality of movable arms for positioning of the lens relative to the eye, with adjustable fasteners for selectively tightening or loosening the tension thereof and thus the resistance to pivotal movement of the arms relative to one another, so as to be able to selectively increase or decrease the resistance to relative movement between the arms, to accommodate the particular desires of the examiner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1990
    Inventor: Donald A. Volk
  • Patent number: 4934403
    Abstract: An emergency valve assembly for a tank adapted to contain liquid such as for instance hazardous material, with the valve assembly including a valve head for closing the discharge port from the tank in an operative closed position of the valve head, and with a first operating unit coacting with the valve head for selectively opening the latter and a separate second operating unit coacting with the valve head for automatically closing the latter. The first operating unit has a portion adapted for accessibility from exteriorly of the tank and includes a fluid power connection to the first operating unit, for selectively supplying pressurized fluid to such operating unit; for causing opening of the valve head via such operating unit upon application of pressurized fluid thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1990
    Assignee: Betts Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Mooney, Frank H. Petersen
  • Patent number: 4913545
    Abstract: An adapter for a lens retaining ring and associated indirect ophthalmoscopy lens used by an examiner or practitioner during examination of a patient's eye fundus with a biomicroscope. The adapter includes a body portion for spacing the lens mounted in the retaining ring a predetermined distance from the eye of the patient when the adapter-retaining ring-lens combination is positioned against the eye of the patient under examination. The adapter is adapted to engage the eyelids of the eye under examination, and is so constructed so as to aid in maintaining such eyelids open, and openings are provided in the body of the adapter to aid in preventing fogging of the lens mounted in the lens retaining ring. The adapter may be selectively removable from the associated lens retaining ring (which may be a conventional or known lens retaining ring) or may be integrally formed with the retaining ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1990
    Inventor: Donald A. Volk
  • Patent number: D309463
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1990
    Assignee: Efco, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. McDannel, George M. Dudick
  • Patent number: D310456
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1990
    Assignee: American Greetings Corporation
    Inventors: Dale Hodgson, John Stram
  • Patent number: D328193
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1992
    Inventor: Jeff A. Gossett