Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Dick & Harris
  • Patent number: 5921391
    Abstract: A container for the transportation and/or temporary storage of filament like materials, such as wire, cord, rope and cable, fabricated preferably from corrugated paperboard material and comprising a cylindrical outer tube having a bottom wall at one end with a further cylindrical insert within the outer tube, defining an annular space therebetween. Portions of the bottom of the container apparatus are advantageously configured for facilitating handling of a filled one of the apparatus with fork lifts, hand operated floor jacks and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: Stone Container Corporation
    Inventors: Norman Ortiz, James C. Greenlee
  • Patent number: 5918546
    Abstract: A steerable truck apparatus for railroad cars for providing for the controlled and uniform yawing of the axles of the truck. The truck apparatus provides for a yawing response which is linear substantially throughout the range of movement of the axles. The truck is further configured with pivotably supported pedestals for equalized load distribution. An improved axle bearing construction accommodates pivoting of at least one of the axle ends. A damping apparatus provides stiffness in the steering response toward reducing hunting of the wheels during straight line travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: Transportation Investors Service Corporation
    Inventor: Paul S. Wike
  • Patent number: 5920581
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses an audio channel field for use in transmitting digital audio in a communication system. The audio channel field includes two or more nibbles of the digital audio, wherein a first nibble contains the most significant portion of the data and each of the nibbles are arranged most significant bit to least significant bit. The audio channel field further includes a channel check field calculated from one or more bits from each of the two or more nibbles selected from the most significant bit to least significant bit but in no event more than a portion of each of the nibbles. As disclosed, the channel check field can be calculated from two bits from each of the nibbles and may represent even or odd parity. The present disclosure also includes an error detection apparatus for detecting errors in a digital audio data transmitted from a sending station to a receiving station, utilizing the disclosed audio field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: VTech Communications, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ralph Uwe Lang
  • Patent number: 5894933
    Abstract: A container apparatus for the packaging, storage and transportation of articles, in which the apparatus may be articulated from a substantially enclosed container configuration to a stackable point-of-purchase display configuration. When in the display configuration the cover of the apparatus acts to present the articles within the container at repeatedly stackable, acute angle--respective to a level surface, for the viewing of the articles. Additionally, when in the display configuration, the container apparatus may be vertically or horizontally stacked on another similarly configured container apparatus with stability and without entirely obscuring the presentation of the articles contained therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Inventors: Mitchell S. Crews, Michael M. Lloyd
  • Patent number: 5893681
    Abstract: A flexible supply line to connect media transporting underground supply lines includes a metal corrugated bellows, a connection member at each end of the metal bellows and a flexible wrap wrapped along the metal bellows and the connection members. The invention also includes a method for attaching the wrap to the metal bellows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1999
    Assignee: Senior Engineering Investments AG
    Inventors: Kurt Boden, Stefan Burger
  • Patent number: 5890420
    Abstract: An apparatus for the discontinuous preparation of farinaceous products such as spaghetti with a portioning apparatus for receiving the farinaceous products, a cooking chamber and a drainage chamber, with the inlet zone and the outlet zone of the cooking chamber and the drainage chamber each being closeable by valves which are arranged as flaps, with a single flap which is rotatable about a rotational axle being provided between the cooking chamber and the drainage chamber, and with the flaps in the inlet zone of the cooking chamber and the outlet zone of the drainage chamber being movable transversally to the inlet zone or the outlet zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Inventor: Hans-Ulrich Stein
  • Patent number: 5876677
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing sulfur from gas streams, utilizing liquid redox, including an improved method for preventing build-up of elemental sulfur in a sulfur absorber. Ultrasonic irradiation of one or more portions of the structure of the absorber prevents sulfur build-up. In combination with monitoring of the pressure across the absorber, the freeing of sulfur from surfaces in an absorber can be automatically actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Inventors: Michael C. Mensinger, Amirali G. Rehmat, Dennis Leppin
  • Patent number: 5873544
    Abstract: Disclosed is a slidable duct assembly for conducting air from a fixed component to a component that is movable with respect to the fixed component by conducting air from a fixed supply of air, associated with the fixed component, to an air delivery member, movable along with the movable component. The duct assembly contains at least two metallic telescoping, tubular conduit sections for rotatably interconnecting the air supply to the air delivery member, and a pair of electrically-conductible, spaced-apart slide bearings positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface of each adjacent conduit section to electrically bond the duct assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1999
    Assignee: Senior Flexonics, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter E. Pike, Jan C. Shafer
  • Patent number: 5872341
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a noise screen adapted to keep down the sound from one side which is characteristic in that the vertical cross section of the noise screen (1) is zigzag-shaped, alternating between absorbing faces (2) and reflecting faces (3), and that the absorbing faces (2) are arranged on the faces tilting upwards towards the sound side. The reflecting faces (3) are preferably transparent for providing an esthetic appearance of the noise screen, but may also be non-transparent for excluding road-users from viewing inhabited areas behind the noise screen (1). The reflecting faces (3) may also in the height as well as the length of the noise screen (1) alternate between being transparent and non-transparent. The noise screen (1) is built up in modules which are placed on posts (8) which seen in cross section may be compressed respectively extended telescopically in the longitudinal direction of the noise screen (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1999
    Assignee: Erik Plinius
    Inventor: Claus Nielsen
  • Patent number: 5869934
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a barricade light control switch apparatus for operating a battery powered barricade light unit. The apparatus comprises a light unit housing, light source, battery, and circuit means for controlling operation of the light source, and a reed switch. A magnet retained by a magnet carrier is positionable in either of two positions and controls operation of the reed switch. When the magnet carrier is in a first position the magnet is positioned in proximity to and closes the reed switch. When the magnet carrier is in a second position the magnet is positioned away from and opens the reed switch. Retention means preclude unintended movement of the magnet carrier. A method for controlling a barricade light unit is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: WLI Industries Inc.
    Inventor: LeRoy L. Goff
  • Patent number: 5865400
    Abstract: Disclosed is a pressurized, slidable duct assembly for conducting compressed air from a fixed component to a component that is movable with respect to the fixed component. The duct assembly has at least three metallic, telescoping, tubular conduit sections rotatably interconnecting an air supply duct to an air delivery duct. An upstream slide bearing and a spaced-apart downstream slide bearing are disposed between each pair of opposing inner and outer conduit section surfaces. Disposed between each set of upstream and downstream slide bearings is a seal to substantially prevent the escape of air from the duct assembly. A stop located between each seal and downstream slide bearing axially positions the conduit sections when the duct assembly is fully extended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Senior Flexonics Inc. Stainless Steel Products Division
    Inventors: Walter E. Pike, Jan C. Shafer
  • Patent number: 5863378
    Abstract: An apparatus for heat sealing two pieces of plastic strapping together. The apparatus includes a heating element, upper and lower pressure elements, a rotation actuation member and a sealing actuation assembly. The heating element is movable between an engaged heating position --which orients the heat element between the pieces of plastic strapping --and a retracted position. The lower pressure element exerts pressure upon at least the bottom piece of plastic strapping during the heating of same by the heating element, and, in cooperation with the upper pressure element, upon both pieces of plastic strapping again during direct attachment of the melted portions of the plastic strapping after the heating element is relocated to its retracted position. The lower pressure element further releases pressure while facilitating the placement and removal of the pieces of plastic strapping between the upper and lower pressure elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Midwest Industrial Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Srichand Sitaldas Panjwani, Timothy H. Nelson
  • Patent number: 5860646
    Abstract: An apparatus for rotating substantially flat articles being transported along a production line is provided. The apparatus is configured so as to rotate the articles, about an axis extending substantially perpendicular to the direction of transport of the articles, through a desired number of degrees of rotation, while permitting the articles to be transported along the production line in a substantially uninterrupted and unimpeded manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Stone Container Corporation
    Inventors: Maxie Joe Fowler, William Belmont Osteen
  • Patent number: 5858164
    Abstract: An apparatus for heat sealing two pieces of plastic strapping together. The apparatus includes a heating element, upper and lower pressure elements, a rotation actuation member and a sealing actuation assembly. The heating element is movable between an engaged heating position--which orients the heat element between the pieces of plastic strapping--and a retracted position. The lower pressure element exerts pressure upon at least the bottom piece of plastic strapping during the heating of same by the heating element, and, in cooperation with the upper pressure element, upon both pieces of plastic strapping again during direct attachment of the melted portions of the plastic strapping after the heating element is relocated to its retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Midwest Industrial Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Srichland Sitaldas Panjwani, Timothy H. Nelson
  • Patent number: D404776
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Fertig-Stubenfoll Design Group, L.L.C.
    Inventor: John K. Fertig
  • Patent number: D407283
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: Phillip Schwab
    Inventor: Phillip Schwab
  • Patent number: D407748
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: VTech Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Frederick L. T. Tsang, Ivy W. M. Yiu
  • Patent number: D408405
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: Vtech Communications, Ltd.
    Inventor: Joseph Chan
  • Patent number: D409603
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: Vtech Communications Ltd.
    Inventors: Ka Hunt (Joseph) Chan, Chi-Kong Pang
  • Patent number: D411500
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: Cobbs Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Thomas R. Steinhagen