Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Charles G. Lamb
  • Patent number: 6390154
    Abstract: A portable levee system includes a bag having a preselected geometric shape. The bag is continuous in that it has a length at least equal to its width, and is preferably many times as long. A top portion of the bag is open for receiving fill material. A preferred geometric shape is a trapezoid. The bag is removably mounted to a dispenser and the dispenser dispenses the bag from a rear portion of the dispenser. A preferred dispenser is towed behind a tractor or truck and the bag is filled within the dispenser and deposited onto the ground. A method of providing a portable levee is taught wherein a levee is created in a fraction of the time required to build an equivalently-sized levee utilizing current emergency levee construction systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Westwind Levee Systems, LLC
    Inventor: David K. Hall
  • Patent number: 6378440
    Abstract: An overhead conveyor includes a rotator system for rotating a work piece as it travels along a conveying track. A carrier movable along the track is propelled by an endless conveyor chain disposed within said track. The carrier is detachably connected to the chain and includes an uncoupling assembly for detaching the carrier from the chain. A support post extends upwardly from an upper surface of the carrier and an upper portion of the support post is attached to an upper arm of a C-shaped load arm. The C-shaped load arm is provided with a lower arm having a rotatable platter attached thereto. A camming pin is fixedly attached to said platter and a camming assembly is affixed to an underside of the track wherein the track is provided with flanges to receive said camming pin. Upon engagement of the camming pin with the flanges of the track, the platter is rotated a preselected amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Inventor: Arthur B. Rhodes
  • Patent number: 6369326
    Abstract: A recessed fixture housing in which the major components are designed with taper fits to allow the components to be pressed together in assembly to create an air-seal engagement construction. The fixture housing also provides a junction box accessible from either the room side or the attic side of a fixture, while maintaining a sealed fixture housing. Further, a recessed fixture frame for use with a housing of maximal size to be installed between building structural members with mounting bars having protruding tabs. Mounting bar brackets are inset from each frame side an amount sufficient to accommodate the tabs between the building structural member and the bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Genlyte Thomas Group LLC
    Inventors: Graham M. Rippel, Mark O. Jones, Robert J. Wedekind, Robert C. Ferzan
  • Patent number: 6363885
    Abstract: The invention provides a feed saving method of feeding livestock, as well as a feed saving feeder therefore. The animal must pass its mouth over an inwardly and downwardly sloping feed catching portion, then down through a separating portion before obtaining feed contained in a feed containing portion. Excess feed dropping from the animal's mouth onto the feed catching portion slides down into the feed containing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Inventors: Allan Akins, Joe Kuffner, Len Peters
  • Patent number: 6363691
    Abstract: A package is provided with a plastic overwrap having a tear tape treated with a corona discharge. The tear tape has a tear tab which overlaps a portion of the tear tape on the wrapped package. The corona treatment of the tear tape allows the tear tab to adhere to the tear tape at said overlap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation
    Inventor: Kenneth A. Flaherty
  • Patent number: 6360898
    Abstract: A filter and housing for waste water treatment includes a housing having a plurality of coaxially mounted vertically extending sections adaptable to receive a filter cartridge therein. An upper section is provided with an outlet consisting of at least two coaxially aligned rings of preselected diameters wherein the thickness of the rings and the spacing between the rings is sufficient to receive waste water treatment outlets of different diameters. The filter cartridge is comprised of a stacked arrangement of a plurality of disc-dam units wherein each disc-dam unit is provided with a serpentine configured first dam, the first dam extending upwardly from an upper surface of the disc-dam unit, the first dam having terminating ends spaced at outer terminating edges of the disc dam unit to define a cord segment therebetween. The terminating ends are connected by a second dam having a height less than the first dam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Inventors: Harry L. Nurse, Jr., John Christensen
  • Patent number: 6350047
    Abstract: A recessed downlight wall wash reflector assembly and method of installing the same. The reflector assembly is installable from below the plane of a ceiling into a standard mounting frame for a recessed downlight reflector having a similarly sized light exit aperture. In the preferred embodiment configured for use as a single wall washer, the reflector assembly has a downlight reflector, a window cutout in the wall of the downlight reflector and a resilient wall wash reflector attached to the reflector assembly such that it is positioned behind the window cutout. The resilient wall wash reflector has flexible sides which flex inward, allowing the reflector assembly to fit through the mounting frame opening during installation. Once the assembly has cleared the frame opening, the flexible sides return to their original shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: Genlyte Thomas Group LLC
    Inventors: Sherman Ng, Wayne Rogers, Brian Roberge
  • Patent number: 6340504
    Abstract: A coated plastic or high pressure laminated article and a process for making same includes coating a plastic or high pressure laminated substrate with a radiation curable top coat which may include ultraviolet inhibitors therein. The radiation curable top coat is subjected to a curing step which includes curing with either an electron beam, ultraviolet radiation or a combination thereof. The resulting article is a coated article which is comprised of a substrate coated with a radiation cured coating having an outer surface susceptible for receiving a sublimatable ink diffused therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2002
    Assignee: Universal Woods Incorporated
    Inventors: Paul Neumann, Donald P. Hart, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6338797
    Abstract: A two-piece filtering device for wastewater filtering systems is disclosed wherein the two-piece system is inserted into a tubular casing. The two-piece filtering system is comprised of an outer sleeve filter and an inner primary filter, the primary filter extending downwardly through an opening in the bottom portion of the sleeve filter and also having an opening formed in its end. After insertion into the tubular casing, the two-piece filtering system of the present invention forces effluent or other fluid to be treated upward through the interior of the primary filter, through slots formed in and subsequently through the sidewall of the sleeve filter. Thus, only treated effluent flows outward through the tubular casing outlet opening. The slots may be formed in both the sidewall of the primary filter and the sleeve filter. A seal may be provided between sidewall lower portion of the primary filter and may extend to the internal sidewall of the tubular casing to prevent untreated effluent therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2002
    Inventors: Harry L. Nurse, Jr., Theophilis B. Terry, III
  • Patent number: 6321417
    Abstract: The present invention provides an ergonomical handle for a power tool that reduces the risk of injury to an operator's wrist or forearm by redirecting torsional forces to the operator's upper arm and reducing the force provided by the tool operator necessary to resist the torque produced by the tool. The handle includes a concave channel and a means for attaching the handle to a tool adjacent to the barrel of the tool, such as an annular collar with a substantially elliptical outer diameter. In a preferred embodiment, the channel includes an inner side wall and an outer side wall that are curved in a nonparallel fashion so as to mirror the planar and dorsal sides of a hand. In use, a tool operator inserts a hand into the channel. The side walls of the channel frictionally engage the operator's hand so that the operator may operate the tool without gripping the barrel thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: Genlyte Thomas Group LLC
    Inventor: Yong Ming Zhang
  • Patent number: 6306299
    Abstract: A filter and housing for waste water treatment includes a housing having a plurality of coaxially mounted vertically extending sections adaptable to receive a filter cartridge therein. An upper section is provided with an outlet consisting of at least two coaxially aligned rings of preselected diameters wherein the thickness of the rings and the spacing between the rings is sufficient to receive waste water treatment outlets of different diameters. The filter cartridge is comprised of a stacked arrangement of a plurality of disc-dam units wherein each disc-dam unit is provided with a serpentine configured first dam, the first dam extending upwardly from an upper surface of the disc-dam unit, the first dam having terminating ends spaced at outer terminating edges of the disc dam unit to define a cord segment therebetween. The terminating ends are connected by a second dam having a height less than the first dam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Inventors: Harry L. Nurse, Jr., John Christensen
  • Patent number: 6286406
    Abstract: A cutting tool insert includes a cutting tip mounted into a first recess of an injection molded hard refractory compound insert having a second recess of preselected size and shape for locating the insert to a cutting tool. A preferred cutting tip is a diamond and a preferred hard refractory compound is a tungsten carbide with a cobalt binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: Credo Tool Company
    Inventors: Ramamurthy K. Viswanadham, Carl Shumaker, David Brutscher, Donald C. Pennington, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6284327
    Abstract: A coated cement board article capable of receiving a sublimatable ink and a process for making same includes coating a cement board substrate with a radiation curable top coat. The radiation curable top coat is subjected to a curing step which includes curing with either an electron beam, ultraviolet radiation or a combination thereof. A sublimatable ink may be transferred into the top coat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Universal Woods Incorporated
    Inventors: Paul Neumann, Donald P. Hart, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6279813
    Abstract: A cylindrical helical seamed metal tube wherein the seam thereof is at an angle of between 1 and 25 degrees with respect to the axis of the tube. A method of making the tube comprises the steps of continuously feeding the metal strip into a tubing former to form the metal strip into a helical tube with the leading and trailing edges juxtaposed, the feeding such that the strip longitudinal axis is at a substantially constant acute angle with respect to the tube longitudinal axis of between 1 and 25 degrees. After the tube is substantially formed, applying pressure on at least the leading edge, leading portion, trailing edge and trailing portion in the direction of the cylindrical wall such that same substantially conform to the cylindrical wall. The juxtaposed leading and trailing edges are fused together to form a fused seam, and maintained in a juxtaposed position until the seam cools sufficiently to maintain the juxtaposed position. An apparatus for making the tube is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Inventors: Edward A. Akins, George Harms
  • Patent number: 6253382
    Abstract: A batting glove includes a plurality of finger elements, a thumb element, a top portion, and a lower portion. The finger elements cover fingers, the thumb element covers a thumb, the top portion covers a back side of the hand, and the lower portion covers a palm of the hand. Preselected thicknesses of preselected materials are included in order to protect the bones, ligaments, pulleys, tendons, etc. of a wearer from direct shock, and to distribute stress along the hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Hillerich & Bradsby Co.
    Inventor: James Kleinert
  • Patent number: 6242055
    Abstract: A cured coated article and a process for making same includes coating a substrate, such as wood, plastic, high pressure laminates, ceramic or metal with a radiation curable top coat having UV protectable additives therein. The radiation curable top coat is subjected to a curing step which includes curing with either an electron beam, ultraviolet radiation or a combination thereof. A sublimatable ink may be transferred into the top coat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Universal Woods Incorporated
    Inventors: Paul Neumann, Donald P. Hart, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6234650
    Abstract: A five pointed star decorative article is made up of ten identical symmetrical trapezoidal-shaped elongated members. Each elongated member is provided with a first terminating end and an opposed second terminating end wherein the angles of the first and second ends to a common side of the elongated member is of a totality of 108°. Each of the first terminating ends of the elongated members are mateable with corresponding first terminating ends of other elongated members and each second terminating end of the elongated member is mateable with a second terminating end of other elongated members thereby connecting first terminating ends with first terminating ends and second terminating ends with second terminating ends which forms a five pointed star within a five pointed star shaped decorative article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Inventor: Christopher L. Kincade
  • Patent number: 6213134
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus for use in the interior of tank cars includes a dome plate assembly, and a base plate assembly disposed within an open manway of a tank car. A vertically extending main solution pipe assembly extends through the dome plate assembly and its lower end terminates with and is in flow communication with a base plate assembly in the tank car. A pair of base plate solution arms are provided on opposite sides of the main solution pipe assembly and are in flow communication therewith. Support chains attached along the main solution pipe assembly are provided to support the base plate solution arms in a horizontal position. These base plate solution arms are generally pivotally attached to extension solution arms which extend outwardly therefrom and each solution arm terminate with a rotatable nozzle assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Econo Clean, Incorporated
    Inventor: Richard Pike
  • Patent number: 6209488
    Abstract: A hay ring attachment device includes an enlongated vertically extending member having a top portion, a middle portion, and a lower portion, wherein an upper hay ring receiving assembly is fixedly secured to the top portion. A hay spear receiving assembly is adjustably positioned along the middle portion, and a lower hay ring receiving assembly is adjustably positioned along the lower portion. The hay ring attachment device enables an operator of the type of tractor commonly found on an agricultural farm to utilize a combination of both the three-point hydraulic hitch assembly and the hay spear of the type well known in the art to pick up, move, and lower a hay ring whether or not the hay ring is found to surround a hay bale when the pick-up process is initiated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Inventor: Leon Wright
  • Patent number: D441361
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Inventor: Phillip L. Sanders