Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Dorn, McEachran, Jambor & Keating
  • Patent number: 5806771
    Abstract: A spray device for use as an alternate water discharge to a faucet has a body with a handle and a spray head. The spray head has a first central water discharge in the form of a localized stream and a second peripheral spray type water discharge. There is a trigger which is movable on the body between an inoperable position, a first operable position, and a second operable position. In the first operable position water passes through the spray head central discharge and in the second operable position water passes through the peripheral spray. There is a chamber within the body which communicates with the first and second water discharges and there is a water passage in the handle communicating with the chamber. A piston is movable within the chamber and there is a water passage within the piston which may connect to the handle water passage. A stem is positioned within the chamber and is connected to and movable with the piston. The stem has a seal for closing the piston water passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Moen Incorporated
    Inventors: Todd C. Loschelder, Witold Bauer, Eduardo E. Milrud, Lonnie F. Cool, Thomas J. Overberg
  • Patent number: 5802628
    Abstract: A pressure flush system for use within a toilet tank includes a pressure flush tank which has an air inlet and a water inlet. Water is maintained with the pressure flush tank under air pressure. There is a water discharge for said tank to direct water to a toilet bowl. The tank contains a flushing valve system, which, when operated, will direct water under air pressure through said water discharge opening. The water discharge includes a housing which is attached to the bottom of the pressure flush tank and there is a one way check valve in the water discharge housing and located outside of the pressure flush tank. The one way check valve prevents water passing therethrough when the pressure flush tank is discharged and it permits the draining of water outside of the pressure flush tank and within the toilet tank through the water discharge opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: Sloan Valve Company
    Inventors: Carl Spoeth, Joseph M. Bosman, Dan Orlowski, Ming Ge
  • Patent number: 5785078
    Abstract: A safety vent for a railroad tank car has a housing mounted about an opening on the top of the car. The housing body defines a cavity which contains a surge protector and a rupture disk. The rupture disk is designed to open at a known pressure and allow controlled venting of the pressure in the car. A securement cap threaded into the cavity centers the rupture disk in a seat formed in the surge protector. Removal of the securement cap provides quick, easy access to the rupture disk and surge protector for inspection and replacement without removing the housing body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1998
    Assignees: Salco Products, Inc., Gatx Corporation
    Inventors: William F. Burian, Erling Mowatt-Larssen
  • Patent number: 5785358
    Abstract: A quick connector coupling for a fluid line includes a hollow female connector body defining an interior radial bearing surface. A male member has a radially enlarged upset and is insertable into the connector body to a first position and withdrawable from the first position to a second position within the connector body. A retainer is disposed in the connector body and has retention beams extending between the upset and the bearing surface to secure the retainer and the male member in the connector body. A ring-shaped indicator member is detachably secured to one end of the connector body. Withdrawal of the male member from the first position to the second position causes detachment of the indicator member from the connector body and signals a proper coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1998
    Assignee: Bundy Corporation
    Inventors: Rick A. Kujawski, Stephen H. Gunderson
  • Patent number: 5784530
    Abstract: An electrical heating system for enhancing production from an oil well, particularly an oil well of the kind commonly known as a horizontal well, the well including an initial well bore extending downwardly from the surface of the earth through one or more overburden formations and communicating with a producing well bore extending from the initial well bore into at least one oil producing formation. The producing well bore may or may not be truly horizontal The heating system includes an electrode array comprising a plurality of at least three tubular, electrically conductive heating electrodes extending through the producing well bore. Each electrode has a given length, usually two to three meters, and a smaller diameter D. The sum of the electrode lengths is substantially less than the length of the producing well bore. The electrodes are spaced from each other by isolation sections; the length of an isolation section is much greater than the electrode diameter D.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Assignee: EOR International, Inc.
    Inventor: Jack E. Bridges
  • Patent number: 5783285
    Abstract: A method for obtaining a tight, secure connection between two relatively non-deformable members and the connection resulting therefrom. The method includes the steps of forming a recess in a first of said members, forming a second member with a portion that seats in the recess of the first member, molding a liner of thermoplastic to one of the members, which thermoplastic is deformable but not more than slightly compressible, and seating the portion of the second member in the recess of the first member with one of the members engaging the liner to displace a portion of the liner into a void space in one of the members to thus form a tightly gripping connection between the members. A composite knob and its connection to shaft made in accordance with this method are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Assignee: The Grigoleit Company
    Inventor: Robert K. Howie, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5779066
    Abstract: A rack for supporting small articles or aligning wires. The rack may either be hung on a vertical surface or seated on a horizontal surface. The rack includes an elongated housing with an elongated entrance slot formed in its front wall. A multiplicity of retainer loops are supported side-by-side on the elongated housing with their bight portions in front of the housing to receive and support the small articles and to align the wires. The retainer loops are formed with tails which hold them in the elongated housing and have slots which fit over a rib in the housing to prevent twisting of the loops. The end of the rib may be enlarged to be received in complementary shaped slots in the loops to increase pull out resistance of the retainer loops. When small articles or wires are inserted between pairs of retainer loops, the tails of the loops will slide along the rib to accommodate articles of varying cross sections while maintaining essentially uniform pressure against the articles being held.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Transilwrap Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Herbert M. Drower, Dean S. Paris
  • Patent number: 5775520
    Abstract: An elongated storage rack for supporting small articles and things. The storage rack includes an elongated support having a bracket receiving channel adapted to receive a number of brackets. An elongated bracket has arms located at opposite ends of and extending outwardly of the bracket. A pair of support loops are held in each bracket between the outwardly extending arms. Each pair of support loops is formed as a plastic strip having a pair of legs connected by a bight portion. One leg of each support loop is positioned contiguously relative to a similar leg of the other support loop of the pair. The other leg of a pair of support loops is positioned remotely of the similar leg of the other support loop of the pair. The remotely positioned legs of a pair of loops each have base portions attachable to the bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: Transilwrap Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Herbert M. Drower
  • Patent number: 5774617
    Abstract: A manifold for breaking out optical fibers from a multifiber bundle has at least one input channel and several output channels. The channels are initially laterally open so that fibers can be laid in the channels without having to thread a fiber end through an aperture, and can then be closed once the fiber has been laid in, to retain fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Miniflex Limited
    Inventors: Anthony John Stockman, Simon Charles Tristan Benton, Matthew John Polaine
  • Patent number: 5762881
    Abstract: An apparatus for multiple, simultaneous synthesis of compounds. The apparatus includes a reaction block having a heating layer, a cooling layer, each of which may perform both functions, and a collection sump. A plurality of reaction tubes are supported in the reaction block in a matrix. Each reaction tube has a top outlet, a bottom outlet and a filter above the bottom outlet. Spool valves are located to control the bottom outlets of the reaction tubes. Obturators are provided to close the top outlets of the reaction tubes and to provide venting for the reaction tubes. The collection sump alternately may be equipped with individual collection tubes for each reaction tube. Each reaction tube is formed with a restrictive waist and protrusions arranged in a pattern between the waist and its bottom outlet to improve the mixing of the resinous solid supports by creating turbulence. The restrictive waist limits the height of the vortex of solution during mixing and reaction to facilitate heating and refluxing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Bohdan Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Harness, Larry W. Markus, Tadeusz J. Wozny, Albert T. Grzybowski, Andrew J. Grzybowski, Richard D. Kanowske, Thomas Drehobl, Rudy H. Haidle, Kenneth R. Kaufhold
  • Patent number: 5759677
    Abstract: An article of manufacture having at least in part the surface appearance of brass includes a ceramic barrier coating applied to a base layer of Cu/Ni/Cr. The ceramic barrier coating includes an initial layer of ZrCn and an additional layer which is a nitrite, carbide or oxide of Zr, Ti, Si, Al or Hf.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Moec Incorporated
    Inventor: Klaus Fink
  • Patent number: 5755253
    Abstract: A diaphragm-type of flush valve for use with toilet devices such as urinals and water closets has a body with an inlet and an outlet. There is a valve seat between the inlet and the outlet and a valve member is movable to a closing position on the valve seat to stop flow through the flush valve. The valve member includes a diaphragm which is peripherally attached to the body and there is a pressure chamber above the diaphragm for holding the valve member on the valve seat. A bypass orifice connects the inlet and the pressure chamber. The diaphragm has a vent passage connecting the pressure chamber and the outlet. There is an auxiliary valve closing the vent passage, with the auxiliary valve including an auxiliary valve head and a stem extending downwardly therefrom. The auxiliary valve head has a bore with a lower open end. The bore has a first portion with a first diameter and a second portion with a larger diameter. The second portion of larger diameter is adjacent the lower open end of the bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: Sloan Valve Company
    Inventor: Jerry P. Gronwick
  • Patent number: 5755262
    Abstract: A faucet in which water is discharged by electrical actuation only and water temperature is controlled manually comprises a housing for connection to a water supply and a discharge spout. At least two inlets are formed in the housing for connection to hot and cold water supplies, and at least one outlet is formed in the housing for connection to the discharge spout. A single flow control valve mechanism is movable in a first direction to establish a flow path between the inlets and outlets or to block flow between the inlets and outlets, and in a second direction to expose the flow path to a desirable mix of hot and cold water from the hot and cold water supplies. An electrical actuation mechanism moves the valve mechanism in the first direction and a manual temperature control mechanism moves the valve mechanism in a second direction. The electrical actuation and manual temperature control mechanisms operate the valve mechanism independently of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Inventor: Joseph J. Pilolla
  • Patent number: 5758196
    Abstract: An outdoor studio for moderating the effects of direct sunlight to be utilized in camera work comprising a screening apparatus, including at least one panel of a scrim material, a self-supporting frame including a plurality of interconnected frame sections for providing support to the screening apparatus, a means for stabilizing the frame and a means for attaching the edges of the scrim material panel to the frame. One embodiment of the inventive outdoor studio further comprises a platform, which may include interconnected modular platform sections, for supporting and mounting the frame. The frame itself may comprise a boxlike rectangularly shaped frame, an overarching quonset hut like structure, or any other appropriate frame structure. The scrim material which may he hung over and clamped onto and over the frame, or may be rolled out vertically and horizontally between uprights and eaves of the frame, can also be attached to the frame by strings or snaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Inventor: Ruth F. Laing
  • Patent number: 5753055
    Abstract: A process for austempering ductile iron includes austenitizing a ductile iron casting of low alloy content followed by quenching the workpiece for a controlled period of time in a quench medium such as water, an aqueous polymer solution or a medium speed quench oil. The workpiece is then austempered in an air tempering furnace, resulting in a ausferrite microstructure essentially free of pearlite and martensite, and with mechanical properties meeting ASTM designation A897-90 "Standard Specification for Austempered Ductile Iron Castings." The process eliminates the need for a molten salt bath for quenching and tempering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1998
    Assignee: Standard Car Truck Company
    Inventor: Xiaojun Liu
  • Patent number: 5752607
    Abstract: A process to distinguish plumbing parts, either individually or as combined into a plumbing product, in which one of two types of coatings have been applied to the parts, with the parts being visually indistinguishable by the type of coating. The parts are illuminated with a non-visible light operating at a frequency which will be absorbed by only one type of coating. The parts may be coated with an essentially organic coating or an essentially inorganic coating. Only one of these coatings will absorb the non-visible light and such absorption will be displayed so as to distinguish between parts having the different types of coatings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1998
    Assignee: Moen Incorporated
    Inventor: Klaus Fink
  • Patent number: D395433
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Assignee: Hanig & Company
    Inventor: Wong Kam Kee
  • Patent number: D396090
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Arichell Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Martin E. Marcichow, Joel S. Novak, Natan E. Parsons
  • Patent number: D396268
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Assignee: Sloan Valve Company
    Inventor: Jonathan W. Snyder
  • Patent number: D398038
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: Moen Incorporated
    Inventors: Mark E. Donahue, Carolyn J. Duffield, Vance M. Johnson, James J. McElroy, Nagib Nasr