Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Dorn, McEachran, Jambor & Keating
  • Patent number: 6023213
    Abstract: A magnetically actuated switch has a carrier sheet with electrodes on one side thereof and an actuator knob on the other side. Magnets carried by the knob drag an armature around on the electrodes. A retainer for the knob permits physical or logical relocation of the knob with respect to the carrier sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Assignee: DuraSwitch Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Anthony J. Van Zeeland
  • Patent number: 6019131
    Abstract: A toilet room flush valve body is connected to a control stop body by means of a tail having a tapered outer surface. The larger end of the tail is connected to the control stop body and the smaller end of the tail is connectd to the flush valve body. The connection between the flush valve body and the tail is fixed, with the connection between the control stop body and the tail being adjustable. The connection between the control stop body and the tail includes a coupling nut threadedly connected to the stop body and having a flange which is inwardly directed toward the tail tapered outer surface. The stop body outlet has an end surface thereon which, with said control nut flange, define a chamber extending peripherally about the tail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Sloan Valve Company
    Inventor: David C. Hall
  • Patent number: 6018828
    Abstract: A dual position fastener for use in attaching a plumbing fitting having an exteriorly threaded conduit to sink decks of varying thickness has an elongated, generally cylindrical body with an interior bore. The bore is threaded. There is a radial extension at one end of the elongated body with the radial extension having oppositely facing generally parallel surfaces, which surfaces are essentially normal to the axis of the bore. One of the parallel surfaces is at the end of the fastener, with the other of the parallel surfaces being axially spaced from the one end. Each radial surface is adapted to abut the underside of a sink deck when the fastener is used in attaching a plumbing fitting. The one radial surface abuts the underside of a sink deck and the elongated body extends away from the sink deck in one position or use of the fastener, with the other radial surface abutting the underside of a sink deck and the elongated body extending toward the sink deck in a second position or use of the fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Moen Incorporated
    Inventor: Todd C. Loschelder
  • Patent number: 6019398
    Abstract: A tapping sleeve assembly for direct connection to a gate valve. The assembly includes a tapping sleeve attached to a main pipe. An outlet conduit formed integrally with and extend outwardly from the tapping sleeve terminates in a distal end outlet. A retaining ring is attached to the outer surface of the outlet conduit and is located between the tapping sleeve and the distal end outlet. Opposed, longitudinally facing annular surfaces are formed on the retaining ring with one of the annular surfaces facing the tapping sleeve and the other facing the distal end outlet. The annular surface facing the tapping sleeve is inclined. A gland telescopes over the outlet conduit. The gland has a collar with an annular surface engaged with an annular surface of the retaining ring. A gate valve has a socket facing the outlet conduit, a gasket is positioned in the socket and a mechanical joint flange surrounds the socket. Bolts and nuts attach the gland to the mechanical joint flange of the gate valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Pipeline Accessory Marketing, Ltd.
    Inventor: Edward J. Powers
  • Patent number: 6018844
    Abstract: A sweeping machine has a wheel supported body and a rotatable brush mounted transversely of the direction of machine movement. There is a debris hopper adjacent the brush and a dust collection chamber on the body. A vacuum fan draws dust laden air from the area about the brush, through the debris hopper, and into the dust collection chamber. The improvement comprises a dust control side skirt assembly mounted on each side of the body generally in alignment with the brush. Each such assembly includes a flexible inner skirt and a flexible outer skirt spaced from the inner skirt. A flexible spacer extends between and is attached to the inner and outer skirts, with the spacer and skirts defining a cavity which has an air opening at a lower portion of the side skirt assembly. The air opening is formed by a discontinuity in the spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Tennant Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Basham, Joseph F. D'Costa, Todd M. Engel, Thomas E. Johansson
  • Patent number: 6017015
    Abstract: In a magnetically operated drain valve of an electrohydraulic lifting mod comprising a closing element which in the closing direction is assigned to a main valve seat, a pilot valve which is actuable by the magnet and arranged in a control chamber of the closing element, a throttle arranged upstream of the control chamber, and a closing member of the pilot valve which is adjustable by the magnet against a spring, the closing member being actuable by the magnet against the spring acting either in the closing adjustment direction or in the opening adjustment direction, a spring with a steep characteristic curve is used as the spring, and the closing element and the main valve seat form a lift-dependent flow-quantity adjusting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: Heilmeier & Weinlein Fabrik fur Oel-Hydraulik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Martin Heusser
  • Patent number: 6012496
    Abstract: A multi-layer tubing for use in fluid transport applications. The tubing is suitable for conveying fluids containing hydrocarbons. The tubing comprising an extrudable adhesive layer coextruded around a permeation-resistant layer of fluoropolymer and a layer of polymer chemically dissimilar from fluoropolymer coextruded around the adhesive . The adhesive layer is formed of a polymer blend or alloy having a multi-phase morphology wherein one phase is miscible with the fluoropolymer for forming the inner permeation-resistant layer and another phase is miscible with the polymer chemically dissimilar from fluoropolymer.To achieve sufficient bonding, the adhesive layer comprises at least 25% volume fraction of the first phase which is miscible with the fluoropolymer for forming inner permeation-resistant layer and at least 25% volume fraction of the second phase which is miscible with the polymer chemically dissimilar from fluoropolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Hybritech Polymers
    Inventors: Henry S. Hsich, Dean T. Su
  • Patent number: 6007582
    Abstract: A prosthetic foot (10) comprising a movable heel mechanism (12), an energy storing device (14) acted on by to the movable heel mechanism (12) to store energy, and a control device (16) attached to the energy storage device (14) and to a release device which enables the stored energy to be released to provide a lift-off force in push-off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Ortho Europe Limited
    Inventor: Denis Ronald William May
  • Patent number: 6007069
    Abstract: A mechanical end face seal for sealing between a housing and a relatively rotating shaft which seal includes a pair of relatively rotating annular rings having seal faces in sealing contact with each other to define a seal interface, with one of the rings adapted to be secured to said shaft for rotation therewith, and the other fixed relative to the housing and one being axially movable toward the other. A generally annular flexible metal diaphragm secured between the axially movable ring and either the housing or shaft includes a generally radial disc-like central portion which defines a plurality of annular convolutions formed by protrusions extending in opposite axial directions. The diaphragm is pressed onto a cylindrical surface on the ring at about the center of mass of the ring. The surface includes a coating of a compound including PTFE, grit and a binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: John Crane Inc.
    Inventor: Richard P. Sadowski
  • Patent number: 6007290
    Abstract: A lift mechanism for mounting on the back of a motor vehicle having a trailer hitch. It includes a rearwardly extending tube mounted on the trailer hitch. A main hoist column is upstanding on the rearwardly extending tube. The main hoist column has an upper end which is attached to the back of the motor by a connection which allows both pivotal and back and forth movement of the upper end. First and second platforms are mounted by sleeves to move up and down on the main hoist column with the sleeves guided by rollers. Each platform can be swung between a horizontal position and a vertical position. An electric motor driven drum is provided for each platform with a cable wound around each drum having an end connected to its respective platform. A removable extension attaches to the rearwardly extending tube to provide a lower extension for the main hoist column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Inventors: Siegfried Schulz, Nathan P. S. Schulz
  • Patent number: 6004162
    Abstract: For a holding frame for holding plug connector modules and for installation in plug connector casings or for screwing onto wall surfaces, the plug connector modules being inserted in the holding frame and holding means on the plug connector modules interacting with recesses provided on opposite wall parts (side parts) of the holding frame, it is proposed that the holding frame be constructed from two halves connected to one another in an articulated manner and that the recesses for holding the plug connector modules be constructed, in the side parts of the holding frame, as openings which are closed all round. Under these circumstances, the holding frame is unfolded for the purpose of inserting the plug connector modules and is then closed, the plug connector modules then being held in a form-locking manner in the holding frame via the holding means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Harting KGaA
    Inventors: Dietmar Harting, Albert Ferderer, Andreas Ruter, Hartmut Schwettmann
  • Patent number: 6000963
    Abstract: For a contact element with a connection for stranded conductors, in particular a contact element for high currents, it is proposed that the connecting end of the contact element be provided with a transverse bore in which the stranded conductor can be inserted, that the contact element be further provided with an axial threaded bore which reaches as far as the transverse bore, and that a clamping screw provided with a conical point be screwed into the threaded bore, and thus into the stranded conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: Harting KGaA
    Inventors: Dietmar Harting, Klaus Olejarz
  • Patent number: 5996174
    Abstract: A vacuum trash collection vehicle includes a debris container and a source of vacuum, both mounted on the vehicle. There is a hose connected at one end to the debris container and the source of vacuum is applied thereto. The opposite end of the hose is open to form a collection nozzle. A boom supports the hose during use as a debris collection device. There is a driver accessible control for moving the hose and nozzle which includes an elongated tubular assembly, pivotally mounted at its upper end to the boom and movably mounted at its lower end to the collection nozzle. There is an operator's handle, having multiple hand-gripping areas, mounted on the tubular assembly and movable relative thereto during use of the debris collection hose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Tennant Company
    Inventors: Steven L. Boomgaarden, Thomas P. Mathews
  • Patent number: 5996172
    Abstract: A vacuum trash collection vehicle includes a debris container and a source of vacuum on the vehicle. There is a hose connected at one end to the debris container and has the source of vacuum applied thereto. The hose is open at its other end to form a debris collection nozzle. There is a boom for supporting the hose during use as a debris collection device. A vacuum pickup head is carried by the vehicle and there are operator controls for raising and lowering the pickup head. The pickup head has an opening of a size and shape to be connected to the hose nozzle. There is a driver accessible control for moving the hose and boom to utilize the hose nozzle as a debris collection device. The hose may be connected to the pickup head opening and thereby provide vacuum to the pickup head so that it functions as a debris collection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Tennant Company
    Inventors: Steven L. Boomgaarden, Michael L. Blehert, Gregory J. Engel
  • Patent number: 5996173
    Abstract: A vacuum trash collection vehicle includes a frame with facilities for debris collection mounted on the frame which include a debris canister. There is a cover for the canister and there is a vacuum fan in the cover. A debris collection hose is connected to the cover and is in communication with the vacuum fan whereby vacuum is applied to the hose. There is a boom for supporting the hose and a driver control for manipulating the hose for debris collection. The debris canister is pivotally mounted on the frame and there are side-by-side debris collection containers positioned within the canister. A deflector plate is mounted above the debris canister to direct debris passing from the hose and into the cover toward both of the side-by-side debris collection containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Tennant Company
    Inventors: Gregory J. Engel, Ronald W. Lehman
  • Patent number: D417808
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Creative Specialties, Inc.
    Inventors: James Edward Roth, Melinda Jane Shafran
  • Patent number: D417992
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Creative Specialties, Inc.
    Inventors: James Edward Roth, Melinda Jane Shafran
  • Patent number: D417994
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Creative Specialties, Inc.
    Inventors: James Edward Roth, Melinda Jane Shafran
  • Patent number: D418904
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Moen Incorporated
    Inventor: Eduardo Milrud
  • Patent number: D420106
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Moen Incorporated
    Inventor: Eric D. Green