Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Emrich & Dithmar
  • Patent number: 6012534
    Abstract: An agricultural chisel plow row unit designed for minimum soil displacement has a pair of spring-biased firming wheels mounted to either side of and behind the plow shank to firm the surface of the berm formed by the breaking point without affecting the operating depth of the point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Case Corporation
    Inventors: Michael G. Kovach, William J. Dietrich, Sr.
  • Patent number: 6013172
    Abstract: A methodology provides for the extraction of local chemical kinetic model constants for use in a reacting flow computational fluid dynamics (CFD) computer code with chemical kinetic computations to optimize the operating conditions or design of the system, including retrofit design improvements to existing systems. The coupled CFD and kinetic computer code are used in combination with data obtained from a matrix of experimental tests to extract the kinetic constants. Local fluid dynamic effects are implicitly included in the extracted local kinetic constants for each particular application system to which the methodology is applied. The extracted local kinetic model constants work well over a fairly broad range of operating conditions for specific and complex reaction sets in specific and complex reactor systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: The University of Chicago
    Inventors: Shen-Lin Chang, Steven A. Lottes, Chenn Q. Zhou
  • Patent number: 6006959
    Abstract: A kettle is provided which includes a body defining a storage unit and including a spout coupled to the body and defining an opening. The kettle also includes a handle having first and second ends and coupled to the body for rotation about a second axis disposed between the first and second ends and engageably coupled to the spout lid, wherein the rotation of the handle in a first direction causes movement of the lid to its open position and rotation of the handle in a second direction causes movement of the lid to its closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: General Housewares Corp.
    Inventors: Mark Naden, Donald Strum
  • Patent number: 6003706
    Abstract: An expandable container is provided which includes first and second nestable modules respectively having first and second peripheral sidewalls. The first module has a first nesting surface portion on the first sidewall and the second member has a second nesting surface portion on the second sidewall nestable with the first nesting surface portion in a nested configuration. The first nesting surface portion has a recess and the second nesting surface portion has a projection interference fittable in the recess in the nested configuration to releasably retain the modules in the nested configuration. At least one of the first and second modules has a bottom wall connected to the associated peripheral sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Polyfoam Packers Corporation
    Inventor: Morton I. Rosen
  • Patent number: 6003411
    Abstract: A salvage tool for removing worn, damaged or seized threaded fasteners includes a socket body having formed therein a fastener-receiving recess with an axis of rotation, the recess having a plurality of substantially flat planar surfaces arranged in a polygonal configuration and substantially parallel to said axis, with each of said flat planar surfaces having projecting laterally inwardly therefrom a fastener-engaging surface with inner and outer ends spaced apart in use substantially axially, each fastener-engaging surface being arcuate in transverse cross-section perpendicular to said axis and sloping away from said axis from said inner end toward said outer end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Snap-on Tools Company
    Inventors: Robert L. Knox, James R. Wise
  • Patent number: 6000819
    Abstract: A wide area lamp for use in hazardous locations includes a metal halide lamp excited by a ballast. The lamp is mounted within an explosion-proof transparent globe and metal lamp guard secured to a metal vault. The vault is divided into two compartments. One compartment houses a ballast for the lamp. That compartment is filled with a potting compound to eliminate any arcing in the high voltage excitation circuit. The other compartment is enclosed, but accessible for making necessary electrical connectors to a power feed cord.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: Woodhead Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Warren S. Graber, Horacio A. Baggio
  • Patent number: 6000888
    Abstract: A pneumatic impact power tool has a tool body with a bit-receiving axial bore in its end surface. A cap is threaded on the end of the tool body and has an end wall spaced from the end surface to define a cavity and a lobed opening in the cavity matably receiving a like-lobed bit shank, the cavity being dimensioned to accommodate the lobes. Spring-biased balls project into the cavity from radial bores in the end cap to engage the shank lobes and bias them to a rotational position non-aligned with the opening lobes to inhibit removal. The cavity is dimensioned to afford a slight axial clearance to accommodate axial movement of the lobes. A cover on the end cap is recessed to receive the bias springs, retaining both the springs and the cover in place. The end cap has a annular channel communicating with an exhaust passage in the tool body and four exhaust ports in the end wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: Snap-on Tools Company
    Inventor: Robert L. Hartman
  • Patent number: 5996821
    Abstract: A magnetic holder is provided which includes a magnet and a flexible and resilient body coupled to the magnet. The body includes a slit therein defining first and second opposed lips normally resiliently biased to a closed condition. The body is responsive to compressive forces applied to predetermined locations thereon for moving the lips to an open condition spaced apart a greater distance than in the closed condition to form an opening in the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: General Housewares Corp.
    Inventors: John David Farber, Hugh William Biber
  • Patent number: 5992287
    Abstract: A cutter disk is removably mounted in equipment that cuts potatoes into helical strips. A knife blade extends radially outwardly from the axis of rotation of the disk and is axially displaced from the front surface of the disk. A plurality of slitter blades is integral and one piece with a slitter plate. The slitter blades extend from and are perpendicular to the front surface of the plate. The slitter blades respectively extend through spaced slots in the disk located at different distances from the axis of rotation. A backing plate removably secures the slitter plate to the disk so that the slitter plate can be readily removed for maintenance without removing the disk from the equipment. Two spaced-apart projections on the backing plate constrain the slitter plate therebetween to minimize lateral movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: McCain Foods Limited
    Inventor: Jocelyn A. Dube
  • Patent number: 5992309
    Abstract: A device for drying food includes a bowl having a bottom wall and a sidewall terminating in a top edge, a cover removably connected to the top edge of the bowl and a perforated basket disposed in the bowl and rotatable relative thereto coaxially therewith, and a drive assembly coupled to the basket for effecting rotation thereof. The drive assembly includes a linearly reciprocating handle structure with a screw shaft engageable with a nut coupled to the basket for converting the reciprocating movement of the handle structure to rotary motion of the basket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: General Housewares Corp.
    Inventors: Paul J. Mulhauser, Erika Elmuts, Elizabeth Erin O'Halloran, Mario M. Protano, Jonathan C. Roche, Clinton N. Tate
  • Patent number: 5992956
    Abstract: A tool cabinet has a plurality of vertically-oriented drawers, each slidably supported at its upper and lower ends by upper and lower drawer slide assemblies, wherein each slide assembly is coupled between facing support surfaces on the drawer and the cabinet frame, which surfaces are inclined to both the horizontal and vertical in use. The cabinet also includes horizontal drawers and an access door. Each vertical drawer has a pegboard-type panel on which associated tools or articles may be hung.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Snap-On Tools Company
    Inventor: George R. Slivon
  • Patent number: 5992690
    Abstract: A delivery system for chemical concentrates, each in a separate container, includes, for each concentrate, a quick-disconnect coupling for a hand-operated valve connected to a pressurized water supply line. The coupling is connected to an air gap inductor including a mixing chamber into which the concentrate is metered. The diluted concentrate is then supplied to a user vessel or directly to a machine reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Minuteman International, Inc.
    Inventor: James M. Tracy
  • Patent number: 5992540
    Abstract: An air ratchet hand tool has an elongated, generally cylindrical handle portion with an axial air inlet passage therethrough, and having an outer surface with two longitudinally extending channels formed therein, each communicating with the air motor. A thermoplastic grip jacket covers the handle portion and cooperates with the channels to form therebetween two exhaust air passages which exit at the distal end of the handle. Longitudinal ribs on the jacket project radially inwardly into engagement with longitudinal recesses in the handle portion to inhibit relative rotational movement, while a lug on the handle portion extends through an opening in the jacket to inhibit relative axial movement. A flexible and resilient trigger cover covers the valve trigger and the jacket opening through which it projects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Snap-on Tools Company
    Inventors: Gerald J. Smolinski, Dale R. Landree
  • Patent number: 5989511
    Abstract: An article and method of manufacture of a nanocrystalline diamond film. The nanocrystalline film is prepared by forming a carbonaceous vapor, providing an inert gas containing gas stream and combining the gas stream with the carbonaceous containing vapor. A plasma of the combined vapor and gas stream is formed in a chamber and fragmented carbon species are deposited onto a substrate to form the nanocrystalline diamond film having a root mean square flatness of about 50 nm deviation from flatness in the as deposited state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: The University of Chicago
    Inventors: Dieter M. Gruen, Alan R. Krauss, Ali Erdemir, Cuma Bindal, Christopher D. Zuiker
  • Patent number: 5990607
    Abstract: A shadow mask, or color selection electrode, in a color cathode ray tube (CRT) is in the form of a thin metal foil and includes a large number of apertures through which electron beams are directed onto the phosphorescent coating on the CRT's display screen for forming a video image. The apertured shadow mask is also used with a light source during CRT manufacture to form a large number of spaced phosphor elements in the phosphorescent coating. Ideally, all of the beam passing apertures and phosphor elements are circular in cross-section, but the shadow mask is stretched and maintained under high tension when mounted in the CRT causing some of the apertures, particularly those adjacent its four corners, to also become stretched and assume an oval shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Chunghwa Picture Tubes, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ching-Hsiang Tseng, Wen-Chi Chen, Kuo-Cheng Chen
  • Patent number: 5983757
    Abstract: A laminated ratchet tool includes a laminated ratchet head defining an internal gear and a pawl mechanism carried by the ratchet head and including two laminated pawls arranged for ratcheting engagement with the gear teeth. Each of the laminated parts includes a plurality of plates arranged in a congruent stack and fixedly secured together, as by brazing. Each plate is formed by stamping and has plural orienting structures stamped therein, each such structure being a displaced portion which forms a recess at one side of the plate and a projection extending from the other side of the plate, so that the projections on one plate mate in the recesses of an adjacent plate to facilitate alignment of the plates. The ratchet head includes toothed inner plates which define the internal gear and untoothed outer plates which define bearing surfaces for the pawl mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: Snap-on Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard G. Blise, Edward S. Wahoski
  • Patent number: 5979136
    Abstract: A structural member having an elongated front panel with lateral ends. Side panels extend generally perpendicularly from the front panel at the lateral ends. Each of the side panels has a generally Z-shaped portion therein with a flange at the end of each side panel having a portion thereof extending in the same direction and generally parallel to the front panel. Each of the flanges have another portion generally parallel to the adjacent side panel, so that adjacent cooperating structural members are nestable with each other at the Z-shaped portions thereof with the flanges of nested side panels cooperating to form an interlocking construction. Reinforcing members are provided at the top and bottom of a plurality of nested structural panels, along with top and bottom plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Inventor: Howard J. Marschak
  • Patent number: 5979532
    Abstract: A tire lever is adopted for use in removing a tire having a bead from a bicycle wheel rim having a plurality of spokes disposed thereon. The lever includes an elongated body having an axis, and including a tire engagement end for engaging the bead of the tire, a top surface, a bottom surface, a side surface connecting the top and bottom surfaces, and walls projecting from opposite side surfaces defining engagement surfaces for engaging one of the spokes. The engagement surfaces have axial lengths greater than the distance between the top and bottom surfaces and forms an acute angle with the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Snap-on Tools Company
    Inventor: Gerald A. Wridt
  • Patent number: RE36400
    Abstract: CLAIMThe ornamental design for a .[.pliers.]. .Iadd.pair of handles for a pliers.Iaddend., as shown and described.DESCRIPTIONFIG. 1 is a top plan view of a .[.pliers.]. .Iadd.pair of handles for a pliers .Iaddend.showing my new design with the tool jaws closed, the bottom plan view being a mirror image thereof.[.;.]..Iadd., the portion in phantom forming no portion of my design;.Iaddend.FIG. 2 is a front elevational view thereof, the rear elevational view being a mirror image thereof.Iadd., the portion in phantom forming no portion of my design.Iaddend.;FIG. 3 is a top plan view thereof with the tool jaws open, the bottom plan view being a mirror image thereof.Iadd., the portion in phantom forming no portion of my design.Iaddend.;FIG. 4 is a side elevational view thereof as viewed from the left-hand side of FIG. 2 .Iadd.the portion in phantom forming no portion of my design.Iaddend.; and,FIG. 5 is a side elevational view thereof, as viewed from the right-hand side of FIG. 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Snap-on Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Marshall G. Letson
  • Patent number: D417854
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Santa's Best
    Inventor: William L. Lehman