Patents Represented by Law Firm Boone, Schatzel, Hamrick & Knudsen
  • Patent number: 4030146
    Abstract: A toilet seat lifting apparatus comprising a base which is bolted to the base of a toilet, a foot pedal pivotally mounted to the base, a bowed member formed of a resilient material and interconnecting adjacent ends of the base and the foot pedal, a plate secured to the toilet seat and an arm connecting the foot pedal and the toilet seat, the bowed member being movable between a lowered position and a raised position when the foot pedal is depressed, and slightly biasing the toilet seat away from the toilet bowl so as to prevent the seat from slamming as the foot pedal is released. In the preferred embodiment the apparatus is formed from polypropylene material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1975
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1977
    Inventors: Ted S. Pilkington, Henry H. Castle
  • Patent number: 4030137
    Abstract: An improved magnetic read/write head-positioning apparatus including a cantilevered lead screw head carriage-driving mechanism and a damping assembly for damping any transverse motion of the unsupported end of the lead screw. The damping assembly includes a leaf spring having one end affixed to the supporting frame and the other end positioned opposite the unsupported end of the lead screw, and a slider button disposed between the leaf spring and the unsupported lead screw end and carried by the lead screw so as to frictionally engage the leaf spring and cause a force to be exerted on the unsupported lead screw end tending to resist any transverse motion thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1975
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1977
    Assignee: Shugart Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Warren L. Dalziel
  • Patent number: 4023686
    Abstract: A dolly for maneuvering, lifting and transporting removable wall modules in the erection and disassembly of a modular wall system comprises an upwardly extending A-frame pivotally secured to a triangularly shaped wheeled base frame and having a vertically extendable grip arm with a lip at its end engageable in a groove in the module ceiling channel for moving the latter into and out of operative position against the ceiling; the lower edge of the A-frame has a horizontal lift member engageable in a longitudinal groove of the modular floor channel for lifting and supporting the module in cooperation with the grip arm. The A-frame is pivotally supported on the base frame about two axes so that the module when gripped by the grip arm end plate and the lift member may be lifted off the floor and tilted rearwardly to make an acute angle with the base frame for convenience and stability in transporting the module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1974
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1977
    Assignee: Papsco, Inc.
    Inventors: William G. Papsco, Harry Cohn, Jr., Rufus C. Bean
  • Patent number: 4019458
    Abstract: A photoresist spraying apparatus for coating both sides of metal sheets with photoresist and including a spray gun for spraying photoresist upon a workpiece, a spray chamber having a filter and exhaust vent for containing any overspray; a rack rotatably mounted within the chamber for holding the workpiece to be sprayed; a spray guide disposed at the front of the chamber in front of the workpiece for guiding the spray gun across the workpiece, and a positioning mechanism for moving the spray gun along the guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1976
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1977
    Assignee: Koltron Corporation
    Inventor: Franz Kolterer
  • Patent number: 4016504
    Abstract: A multiple prism beam expander for use in dye lasers and the like comprising two or more prisms positioned relative to each other and between a dye cell and diffraction grating such that laser light from the dye cell is passed through first one of the prisms and then another with at least two of the prisms serving to magnify the incident light beam in the plane of refraction common to both prisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1976
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1977
    Assignee: Molectron Corporation
    Inventor: Gary K. Klauminzer
  • Patent number: 4016483
    Abstract: A microminiature terminal-adjustable integrated circuit impedance device comprising a substrate, a plurality of impedance elements formed on the substrate with each impedance element having an impedance, a first input terminal, an output terminal, a plurality of electrically permanently alterable contactless switching elements formed on the substrate, each of the switching elements being associated with one of the plurality of impedance elements and having initially a first switching state and being permanently alterable by application of electrical energy to an opposite switching state, an interconnecting means interconnecting the impedance elements and the switching elements in a first circuit configuration between the first input terminal and the output terminal such that the impedance between the first input terminal and the output terminal is of a first value, and a plurality of adjustment terminals each being connected to a different one of the plurality of switching elements for facilitating the applic
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1975
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1977
    Inventor: Marvin B. Rudin
  • Patent number: 4014050
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the quantity of water flowing through a water outlet in the tank of a toilet comprising a timer including a rotatable output shaft, the timer being responsive to the angular rotation of the shaft from an initial position and operative to return the shaft to the initial position after a time duration corresponding to the amount of angular rotation of the shaft, a crank coupled to the shaft and being capable of rotating the shaft through a predetermined angle when a force is applied to it, a mounting assembly for mounting the timer to the tank, and a mechanical linkage coupled between the shaft and a lift rod in the tank for moving the lift rod a dimension such that a valve is unseated when the shaft is not in the initial position, and the valve is seated when the shaft is in the initial position, whereby when a force applied to the crank rotates the crank and hence the shaft through the predetermined angle the linkage is moved a dimension sufficient to unseat the valve from the wat
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1976
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1977
    Inventor: Forrest C. Goldsworthy
  • Patent number: 4011604
    Abstract: An improved apparatus for controlling the quantity of water flowing through a water outlet in a toilet tank comprising a rotatable shaft having opposed first and second ends disposed through an opening in the front wall of the toilet tank, a crank mounted to the tank, connected to the first end and being capable of rotating the shaft through first and second angles when a force is applied to it, an arm connected to the second end, a box-like structure forming a chamber disposed in the tank and including first and second upwardly extending tubes forming first and second ports, respectively, an upwardly extending overflow tube, and a third port arranged to discharge water through the water outlet, the first tube having an axial dimension that is greater than the second tube, a first flapper valve hingedly connected to the overflow tube and being normally seated on the first port, the first valve being movable from a normally closed position to an open position, a second valve hingedly connected to the overflow
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1976
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1977
    Inventor: Forrest C. Goldsworthy
  • Patent number: 4012785
    Abstract: A playback circuit for use with a magnetic recording transducer, in a magnetic recording apparatus, the transducer developing an alternating current readback signal having alternating positive and negative peaks, the playback circuit comprising a differentiator responsive to the readback signal and operative to produce a differentiated signal having first and second polarities and having zero crossings in time coincidence with the positive and negative peaks, a bidirectional one-shot device responsive to the differentiated signal and operative to produce a first bistate signal having transitions in time coincidence with the zero crossings and to produce a second signal comprising a sequence of pulses having leading edges that correspond in time to the zero crossings and having trailing edges that lag the leading edges by a predetermined time interval, a latch for producing a third signal having transitions that correspond in time to the trailing edges and having a level that corresponds to the level of the fi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1976
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1977
    Assignee: Shugart Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: David L. MacDougall, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4011939
    Abstract: A closed loop conveyor system for transporting loads from one point to another and including a drive pulley and a return pulley, either or both pulleys having a plurality of cleat receiving annular grooves, and a conveyor belt having an exterior load carrying surface, and an interior surface with a plurality of longitudinal rows of cleats protruding therefrom, the belt being disposed around the drive and return pulleys and adapted to be driven by the drive pulley. The interaction between the pulley grooves and cleats provides superior drive force transmission from pulley to belt and provides positive belt alignment even under severe off-center or side load conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1975
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1977
    Assignee: Dynaloc Corporation
    Inventor: Rene A. Conrad
  • Patent number: 4011940
    Abstract: A storage container for storing an article comprising a first wall having opposed front and back edges, opposed side edges, and a first inner surface, a second wall having opposed front and back edges, opposed side edges, and a second inner surface, a side wall extending inwardly from the second inner surface proximate the opposed side edges and the front edge, the side wall including a ramp which terminates in a notch, a back wall including hinges connected to the respective back edges such that the first inner surface is capable of being moved into a facing relationship relative to the second inner surface, the hinges being formed of a resilient material and serving to normally bias the first and second walls apart, the first, second, back and side walls serving to form an enclosure for storing an article when the front edges are aligned, a rigid rib having a ramp-engaging surface, the rib being connected to the first inner surface in alignment with the notch when the walls are formed into the enclosure, wh
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1975
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1977
    Assignee: Amaray International Corporation
    Inventors: Lloyd D. Neal, Allan R. Northrup
  • Patent number: 4011722
    Abstract: A hydraulic pump apparatus including an outer housing having internal walls which are spherically configured, a hydraulically actuable variable position control ring which cooperates with the spherical housing walls to define the geometry of a hydraulic working cavity, and a rotor assembly having vanes which divide the working cavity into a plurality of working chambers and which follow the position of the control ring to vary the volume of the working chambers so as to move fluid into and out of inlet and outlet ports, respectively. The vanes are supported by a plurality of concentric rings which are attached in gimbal fashion to a rotor hub and pin assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1976
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1977
    Inventor: J. Howard Drake
  • Patent number: 4009784
    Abstract: Document hanging apparatus comprising an elongated strip of plastic material folded along a longitudinal foldline and having apertures provided in the side portions near the foldline, and adhesive document affixing means provided along one edge opposite the fold to engage a document and secure such document between the sides of the strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1975
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1977
    Inventors: Abram G. Elias, Peter G. Elias
  • Patent number: 4008501
    Abstract: A combination punching and binding machine for gang punching a stack of sheets and binding the sheets with a pre-curled plastic comb-binding element. The machine is electrically operated by energizing a reversible motor which, when operated in one mode actuates the punches, and when operated in a second mode, laterally moves a comb upon which the binding element is placed and then actuates a plurality of hook elements to uncurl the curled splines of the binding element for receiving the punched sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 22, 1977
    Assignee: NSC International Corporation
    Inventor: James W. Cutter
  • Patent number: 4009476
    Abstract: An apparatus for automatically controlling the operation of a door comprises a microwave transceiver responsive to detect the movement of a randomly moving object and operative to develop a Doppler signal representative of such movement, the Doppler signal being generally sinusoidal with a zero crossing in each cycle, a strobe generator responsive to the Doppler signal and operative to develop a timing pulse upon the occurrence of each such zero crossing, a pair of integrating circuits responsive to the Doppler signal and operative to develop first and second signals of unlike polarity in the absence of the movement and of like polarity in the presence of the movement, a pair of OR gates for detecting the respective polarities of the first and second signals, a sample and hold circuit responsive to the timing pulse and operative to develop a control signal when the first and the second signals are of like polarity, and a relay driver responsive to the control signal and operative to open the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1975
    Date of Patent: February 22, 1977
    Assignee: Solfan Security Systems
    Inventor: Erno B. Lutz
  • Patent number: 4007419
    Abstract: A combination speedometer/odometer apparatus for displaying either the speed of a vehicle or the distance a vehicle has traveled, and including a speed pick-up attached to the vehicle for developing a first voltage signal having voltage spikes occurring at a frequency proportional to the speed of the vehicle; a pulse generator which develops a voltage pulse in response to each spike, the pulses having a predetermined duration; a signal generator controlled by the voltage pulses which develops a speed signal and a distance signal both having bursts of high-frequency signal, the number of bursts in the speed signal being proportional to the speed of the vehicle and the number of bursts in the distance signal being proportional to the total distance the vehicle has traveled; a first counter for counting the cycles of the speed signal, the counter initiating its count in response to a reset signal; a synchronizer for developing the reset signal a predetermined period of time after the occurrence of one of the vol
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1975
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1977
    Inventor: Richard Jasmine
  • Patent number: 4003414
    Abstract: A DIP lead former including a cabinet housing an electric motor, a pair of lead forming rollers disposed in side-by-side spaced apart relationship and driveably coupled to the motor, an elongated forming rail located between the lead forming rollers for transporting DIPs into engagement with the rollers, an upper guide for guiding the DIPs along the forming rail, and a pair of adjustment knobs for varying the distance between the upper guide and the forming rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 18, 1977
    Inventor: Dewey D. Halligan
  • Patent number: 4000368
    Abstract: An electronic nonuniform clock generating apparatus including a modulo N counter for counting uniform clock pulses in a controlled manner to develop a series of clock pulses which are nonlinearly related to the rotation of a scanning device to form a nonuniform clock signal comprised of a series of different clock states each including one or more uniform clock pulses, a clock signal counter for counting the nonuniform clock signal pulses, a clock signal decoder which is preprogrammed to develop an increment signal each time the count developed by the clock signal counter reaches a number commensurate with the number of pulses in a particular state, a state counter for counting the number of increment signals developed by the clock signal decoder to develop a clock signal decoder, and a state decoder responsive to the clock state signal output of the state counter and operative to control the operation of the modulo N counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1975
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1976
    Assignee: Dacom, Inc.
    Inventor: James G. Tisue
  • Patent number: 3994454
    Abstract: A stunt kite comprising a first horizontal spar member, a second vertical spline member, third and fourth diagonal spar members, the members being formed into a fixed frame, a covering disposed on the frame and having a lateral dimension which is greater than its dimension corresponding to its longitudinal axis and being symmetrical in shape about the longitudinal axis, a bow string forming the first member into a bowed shape such that the covering is bowed into a generally convex configuration, a pair of bridles each symmetrically connected between the third and fourth members on opposed sides of the second member and extending outside the covering, the substantial midpoint of each bridle forming an attachment point which lies a predetermined distance above the center of gravity of the kite, and first and second tails connected to the bottom ends of the third and fourth members, respectively, for providing substantially equal stabilizing drag forces at the bottom corners of the covering, such that when lengt
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1975
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1976
    Inventor: Lynn M. Worsham
  • Patent number: 3995200
    Abstract: A ground monitor and circuit breaker actuating apparatus for monitoring the continuity of the ground and pilot conductors in a power distribution system and for deenergizing the power supply system when a true fault in the ground or pilot conductor occurs, including a DC power supply, an impedance bridge which passes a test signal whenever a bridge imbalance occurs in response to a fault logic signal or a fault in the pilot conductor or the ground conductor, an oscillator which generates a test signal for use by the bridge, a fault logic generator which generates a fault logic signal for causing intermittent unbalancing of the bridge and for use by a pulse rate discriminator, a filter which eliminates spurious signals passed by the bridge, a pulse former which converts the filtered signal into a pulsed fault signal, a threshold detector which passes the fault signal if the voltage level of the pulses exceed a predetermined threshold voltage level, a phase detector and a null output detector which compare the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1975
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1976
    Inventor: Larry G. Stolarczyk