Patents Represented by Attorney Charles E. Cates
  • Patent number: 4639007
    Abstract: An exercise vehicle is provided where foot actuated pedals caused the vehicle to move forward by means of a one-way clutch and hand operated pulling motions may be utilized likewise by means of a one-way clutch to move the vehicle forward, the hand operated mechanism being part of an extensible steering column so that as the operator leans forward and moves back and extends or retracts his arms the steering column will lengthen or shorten as required. Irrespective of the position of the hand operated bar the front wheels may be rotated by rotating the hand operating bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1987
    Assignee: Fred W. Wagenhals
    Inventor: Donald R. Lawrence
  • Patent number: 4636047
    Abstract: In order to provide a high quality mirror readily at hand for the emergency use of a contact lens wearer, an accessory mirror comprising a thin wafer having a mirrored outer surface is affixed to the back of a wrist watch. The presently preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a steel wafer shaped approximately to conform with the shape of the watch back. The steel wafer has a first surface which is mirror finished and chromium plated and a second surface coated with an adhesive layer which is itself overlayed by a paper wafer. Thus, the paper wafer is removable to permit affixing the steel wafer to the wrist watch back. A process for preparing the preferred embodiment of the product is disclosed. In addition, variants utilizing a plastic film sold under the trademark "Mylar" and coated with metal and incorporating a protective cover for the mirror surface are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1987
    Inventor: Ronald N. Green
  • Patent number: 4634637
    Abstract: To a sheet of oriented polyethylene terephthalate a layer of nickel chrome alloy with an optical density of approximately 60% is applied by conventional vacuum deposition. To this sheet a subsequent stripe layer of stainless steel at 35% is applied by vacuum deposition down the center portion of the web which yields a combined optical density of approximately 21% over the center area. This first sheet is then laminated with a suitable optically clear adhesive to a second sheet of oriented polyethylene terephthalate incorporating a center portion which includes a nickel chrome stripe with an optical density of approximately 35% applied by conventional vacuum deposition. The resulting composite exhibits a vignette pattern of dark (optical density 7 to 12%) to light optical density 50 to 70% (from center to edge). A suitable optically clear mounting adhesive is then applied. When desired, the finished laminate contains a layer of clear PET which has been coated with a hard coat, i.e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1987
    Assignee: Gila River Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Dell B. Oliver, Peter Jahoda
  • Patent number: 4615255
    Abstract: In order to increase the efficiency and reliablility of shotgun shell reloader apparatus of the type in which an empty shell is entered and removed at a single entrance/exit station and the shell is transferred in a circular path from station to station at which the several reloading operations are performed sequentially, an accessory ejection spring is employed to automatically eject a completed shell as it enters the entrance/exit station (thus eliminating the necessity for manually handling a completed shell at the entrance/exit station) and a spring pad including a magnetic member is employed at the priming station to positively receive and emplace a new primer just prior to the repriming operation (thus eliminating instances of incorrect orientation of the new primer with respect to the deprimed shell into which it is to be seated during the priming operation).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1986
    Assignees: J. L. Rice, H. D. Warner
    Inventor: Jack O. Carter
  • Patent number: 4607875
    Abstract: In order to provide a readily detachable sunscreen for any window, including the windshield, of a vehicle such as an airplane, car, or truck, a sheet of perforated mylar, preferably having a reflective coating on its outwardly facing surface, is integrated with a plurality of suction cup assemblies which are employed to attach the sunscreen to the interior surface of the window such that the mylar sheet is disposed closely spaced from and generally parallel to the surface. The suction cup assemblies include integral means for quickly and easily relieving the interior vacuum of the suction cups to permit easy removal of the sunscreen. The short edges of the sunscreen are reinforced with rigid strips to facilitate rolling the removed sunscreen into a convenient generally cylindrical package for temporary storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1986
    Inventor: Kermit L. McGirr
  • Patent number: 4600926
    Abstract: An omni-directional antenna having two circular conductors of about 163/4 inches in diameter, concentrically disposed in planes about 4 inches apart is disclosed. The adjacent ends of the two circles of wire are each connected together. The connected ends are insulated from each other and are connected to a lead in transmission line of 300 ohms impedance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1986
    Inventor: Stanley L. Powell
  • Patent number: 4592379
    Abstract: A fluid distributing valve has the supply opening or conduit and the outlet openings or conduits disposed on the same side of the valve and oriented in the same direction. Accordingly the need for having couplings or unions to connect the supply pipe to the valve are eliminated. The valve includes a flow chamber or compartment and a control chamber or compartment so that the fluid passing through the valve does not flow past the operating members. By-passes are provided which may be finely screened to provide control water from the flow chamber to the control chamber. The valves are diaphragm operated, close, and remain closed against the flow pressure and are thus normally closed. They are open by a rotating operating cam whose operating surface moves cylindrical balls out of the way so that pressure in the control compartment can be exerted against the upper operating surface of the diaphragm operating members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1986
    Assignee: George J. Ghiz
    Inventor: John M. Goettl
  • Patent number: 4591351
    Abstract: In a variable radius pulley drive system wherein a flat drive belt engages the central shanks of drive elements supported by the side pulley sheaves and the radial location of the drive elements is determined by the intersection of logarithmic spiral grooves in the pulley disks of the pulley sheaves whereof the stresses on the bearing members of the drive elements can be substantially reduced by disposing the belt element driving line toward or on the center line or axis of the bearing members of the drive elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1986
    Inventor: Emerson L. Kumm
  • Patent number: 4571189
    Abstract: A manipulative system is disclosed which is adapted to teach basic relationships between coins and bills of different denominations and basic change-making skills to students with limited learning capacity. A board overlayed with the images of one hundred coins of the smallest denomination disposed in a five by twenty array is used in conjunction with first and second series of overlays, each having several subsets. The overlays have various quantities of images of the smallest denomination coin imprinted thereon. Some overlays in a first series have a tab carrying the image of a coin equivalent in value to the summation of the coins of the lowest denomination imprinted on a given overlay. The two overlay series have distinctly different background colors to facilitate an understanding of the changemaking process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1986
    Inventor: Spencer L. Shank
  • Patent number: 4570803
    Abstract: A balcony accessory is disclosed which is adapted to be suspended from a balcony rail or the like to provide comfortable support for a person observing the view from the balcony and also to provide storage for paraphernalia which the user may wish to have at hand. A generally horizontal elongated structure is cantileveredly supported from the balcony rail by a bracket assembly proximate each end. The bracket assemblies have downwardly opening channels adapted to engage the upper portion of balcony rail (or partial wall). An upright back edge, end walls and one edge of an elongated pad define a horizontal tray-like storage area having a horizontal bottom piece serving as the tray-like area floor. The elongated pad extends upwardly and is disposed with its outer edge generally aligned with the outer edge of the horizontal bottom piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1986
    Inventor: Earl H. Peterson
  • Patent number: 4539106
    Abstract: A water softening system and apparatus utilizes two tanks, one for service and one for regeneration, and a control system operated by soft water flow controls the operation of all valves and the sequences of regeneration. The control system utilizes parallel plate valves for switching from one tank to the next, parallel plate valves energizing the piston moving the switching valves, and a parallel plate valve structure for distributing the regeneration water, as to amount of flow, direction and timing. A two-way to one-way cam structure initiates the operation of a control cylinder which supplies soft water to the metering valve and the regeneration valve as and where needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1985
    Assignee: Charles E. Cates
    Inventor: Arthur G. Schwartz
  • Patent number: 4538999
    Abstract: A spinning toy having a hollow housing, a detachable cover, a cargo carrier in the housing, means responsive to attachment of the cover to engage first detent means, means for rotating the toy, means for retaining the cover on the housing as the toy is rotated, means responsive to centrifugal force for transferring the engagement to second detent means, and means responsive to a decrease in centrifugal force for disengaging the second detent means and means for ejecting the cover and cargo upon release of the second detent means; and a launcher that serves as means for retaining the cover on the housing during the transition from first to second detent means, the launcher having means for disengaging the toy and moving it away to spin freely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1985
    Assignee: Fun-Tech Products Company
    Inventor: Gerald J. Orlowski
  • Patent number: 4519711
    Abstract: The productive capacity of a drum heater and mixer for asphalt paving composition intended for processing recycled materials can be increased substantially by spraying a curtain of water vertically into the pathway of the raw material as it falls into the drum intake and before any substantial contacts with heated gases or flame and by spraying a curtain of water into the pathway of the heated gases and flame for controlling the temperature profile across the interior of the drum. The latter curtain of water is disposed at about thirty-five degrees to a plane perpendicular to the drum axis. Additional sprays of water downstream from the angular curtain of water may be supplied if necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1985
    Assignee: The Tanner Companies
    Inventors: Orval D. Gillen, John G. Healey, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4508059
    Abstract: A herringbone feeding and milking stall is disclosed wherein a vertical feedbowl framework for each cow is rotatable between ingress, milking and egress positions and in so doing the ingress aisle is made wider in the ingress position, is made narrower in the milking position and urges the cow into the milking position and is made on intermediate width in the egress position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1985
    Assignee: Nielsen Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Bernard O. Anderson
  • Patent number: 4391549
    Abstract: The continuously extruding curb forming machine for roads, for example, may be equipped with a downwardly moving sharpened blade for use in the insertion of an expansion joint piece at appropriate intervals into the curb without stopping the operation of the machine while the expansion joint piece is inserted. The expansion joint piece may be well known felt material for this purpose and the inserting blade has a template attached thereto the surface of which conforms to the surface of the curb and thus to the surface of the expansion joint piece. As the blade moves into the partially cured concrete, the template forces the joint piece into the same concrete.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1983
    Assignee: The Tanner Companies
    Inventor: Jesse L. Murray
  • Patent number: 4378790
    Abstract: A demountable solar oven includes a principal base upon which is mounted a secondary supporting base collar which contains the essential operating parts and which supports two removable arms at their base whose upper end form diametrically opposed pivots for receiving the appropriately disposed pivots of the cooking chamber. The food basket provided with similarly diametrically opposed pivots is disposed interiorly of the cooking chamber and by virtue of a weight disposed at the bottom thereof the wire basket always maintains a horizontal position irrespective of the angle of the oven itself. A transparent hemispherical cover including a shadow box indicator is disposed over the oven in the direction of the sun and a series of individual plate reflectors are hinged together by means of pins, a certain number of which pins are utilized to attach the reflectors to the oven rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1981
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1983
    Inventor: Samuel F. Erwin
  • Patent number: 4371994
    Abstract: A rotational indexing nozzle arrangement has been devised wherein positive and consistent indexing action takes place under the influence of the application of fluid pressure and its relief by the action of an indexing or biased spring which becomes relaxed during the first stage (outward) movement of the indexing of the rotational nozzle head and which bites in and holds thereby causing the nozzle head to rotate during the second stage (inward) movement of the discharge head. The extent of the incremental indexing is determined by the length and angle of the biasing spring, or member. For improved operation a bearing of the ball or roller type may be disposed at the inward end of the nozzle arrangement whereby the resistance of the closing spring to rotation of the nozzle head is lessened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1983
    Assignees: Lester R. Mathews, Lucien Warner, Water Circulation Patents, Inc.
    Inventor: Lester R. Mathews
  • Patent number: D268980
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1983
    Inventor: Samuel F. Erwin
  • Patent number: D273517
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1979
    Date of Patent: April 17, 1984
    Assignee: Aurora Soto
    Inventors: William F. Medlin, Aurora Soto
  • Patent number: D287771
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1984
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1987
    Inventor: David K. Kimble