Patents Represented by Attorney Garvey, Smith, Nehrbass & North, L.L.C.
  • Patent number: 8161678
    Abstract: A bait and hook arrangement is coupled with a mechanism that alerts a fisherman when his or her bait article is no longer attached to the hook. When the bait is off the hook, (empty hook), the mechanism is triggered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Inventor: Thaddeus Anthony DeLucca
  • Patent number: 8161979
    Abstract: A finished tobacco product is formed by an inner shell and attached outer pre-rolled sheet where the inner shell has a means to open an interior volume to add selected tobacco filler material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Blunt Wrap U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel S. Sinclair, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8157018
    Abstract: An improved multi-bolt and nut torque wrench for installing and removing bolts or nuts from flanged joints or the like which includes a plurality of torque stations having a plurality of high torque wrenches for engaging the heads of the bolts or nuts during a high torque phase of removal or installation; a plurality of low-torque motors operatively engaged with the wrenches for rotating the bolts or nuts during the low torque phase of removal or installation; a source of hydraulic fluid for driving the low-torque motors during the low-torque phase, and driving the high-torque wrenches during the high torque phase; and a mechanism for switching between the two phases depending on the torque needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Francis Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Dale Francis, Nicholas Francis, William P. Bernard, Oswald J. Bernard, Lan Hiscox, Brian Compton, Arthur Jones
  • Patent number: 8146663
    Abstract: For use with a top drive power unit supported for connection with a well string in a well bore to selectively impart longitudinal and/or rotational movement to the well string, a feeder for supplying a pumpable substance such as cement and the like from an external supply source to the interior of the well string in the well bore without first discharging it through the top drive power unit including a mandrel extending through a sleeve which is sealably and rotatably supported thereon for relative rotation between the sleeve and mandrel. The mandrel and sleeve have flow passages for communicating the pumpable substance from an external source to discharge through the sleeve and mandrel and into the interior of the well string below the top drive power unit. The unit can include a packing injection system and novel seal configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Mako Rentals, Inc.
    Inventors: Kip M. Robichaux, Terry P. Robichaux, Kenneth G. Caillouet
  • Patent number: 8127757
    Abstract: An outdoor cooking apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus features a cabinet having a firebox that heats an oven interior within the cabinet. The firebox also cooks food items placed on a grill panel that is supported above the firebox with a grill support frame. The firebox and grill support frame can be removably attachable to the cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Inventor: Norman Bourgeois
  • Patent number: 8128316
    Abstract: A method of restoring a lake that has a high saline level is disclosed herein. In order to restore the lake, a series of concentric dikes or levees are provided that separate the lake into a plurality of smaller lake sections, each having a water surface. The smaller lake sections include an outer lake section which is next to the periphery of the lake and one or more inner lake sections. Each dike and each smaller lake section water surface have an elevation. Water is flowed from an influent source to the outer lake section and then to each of the inner lake sections. The outer lake section surface has a higher elevation. The inner lake section surfaces have cascading lower surface elevations. At a central area, a breathing brine area is provided that is surrounded by the smaller lake sections to provide an area that can be used to concentrate brine. The smaller lake sections can have differing salinity levels for sustaining diverse marine and plant life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: C. F. Bean L.L.C.
    Inventors: Pieter van Groen, Jorrit K. de Groot
  • Patent number: 8118534
    Abstract: A platform container transfer terminal (10) functions as an efficient hub port. Sea Point™ Transfer station modules (21, 22, 23) can be moved intact across oceans for rapid erection in remote or strategic locations to provide high speed loading and unloading of large container vessels (31, 32) to lighters or feeder vessels (41, 42, 43, 44, 45) and/or to facilities adjacent. A gantry crane (510) combined with one or more rotating boom cranes (11, 12, 17, 18) increases cargo productivity economically. There can be two luffing boom cranes attached to the gantry and two slewing boom cranes attached to the gantry. One can retrofit an existing gantry by attaching a boom crane and frame to a ship-to-shore gantry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Amoss Trading Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert S. Amoss, Matthew Amoss
  • Patent number: 8118102
    Abstract: What is provided is a method and apparatus wherein a swivel can be detachably connected to an annular blowout preventer thereby separating the drilling fluid or mud into upper and lower sections and allowing the fluid to be displaced in two stages, such as while the drill string is being rotated and/or reciprocated. In one embodiment the sleeve or housing can be rotatably and sealably connected to a mandrel. The swivel can be incorporated into a drill or well string and enabling string sections both above and below the sleeve to be rotated in relation to the sleeve. In one embodiment the drill or well string does not move in a longitudinal direction relative to the swivel. In one embodiment, the drill or well string does move longitudinally relative to the sleeve or housing of the swivel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Mako Rentals, Inc.
    Inventors: Kip M. Robichaux, Kenneth G. Caillouet, Terry P. Robichaux
  • Patent number: 8109693
    Abstract: A diamond wire saw and method provides a frame that includes a clamp that attaches to a target (e.g. piling, beam, tubular), an elongated toothed rack extending away from the mount and target, and a moving portion that carries the diamond wire and motor drives that advance the moving portion toward the target and along the toothed rack while driving the wire around roller guides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Tetra Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Galen R. Clark, II
  • Patent number: 8104501
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for handling fluids on an oil and gas well drilling platform utilizes detachable peripheral frames to reduce the per square foot load transferred to the platform when reservoirs on the apparatus are filled to (or near) capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Inventor: Daniel W. Ness
  • Patent number: 8104746
    Abstract: A cooling tower system, including a principal cooling tower; an auxiliary cooling tower for receiving a portion of the warm water flow into the main tower; a central shaft mounted vertically in the auxiliary tower; a turbine mounted on a portion of the shaft; a cooling blade mounted on the upper end of the shaft; a water jetting system delivering warm water under pressure from the main cooling tower into the auxiliary cooling tower to impart rotation to the turbine blades for imparting rotation to the cooling blade; a quantity of high efficiency film fill in that portion of the tower below the turbine for receiving the water coming off of the turbine blades; air flow produced by rotation of the cooling blade upward through the fill in order to cool the water before it is returned to the main cooling tower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Inventor: Vincent Wiltz
  • Patent number: 8096371
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for disposing of drill cuttings 500 from an oil and/or gas well drilling platform 510, comprising (a) transporting the drill cuttings 520 to a cuttings collection area 530 on the platform 510; (b) providing a barge 10, the barge 10 having at least one storage area 30, a cover 100 operably connected to the at least one storage area 30, and covering the at least one storage area 30; (c) placing the cover 100 in a first open state so that cuttings 500 can be placed in the at least one storage area 30; (d) transporting the drill cuttings 500 from the cuttings collection area 530 to the at least one storage area of the barge 10; (e) placing the cover 100 in a closed state so that the cuttings 520 in the storage area 30 of the barge 10 are contained; (f) transporting the barge 10 from the drilling platform 510 to a collection site 540; (g) placing the cover 100 in a second open state so that the cuttings 520 in the storage area 30 can be removed; and (h) removing the cuttings 520 from the sto
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Central Boat Rentals, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Patterson, Edward L. Shearer
  • Patent number: 8092484
    Abstract: A removable blood clot filter includes a number of locator members and anchor members, and a bio-resorbable structure that causes locator members and/or anchor members to deploy to an initial configuration which changes when the bio-resorbable structure is resorbed. The bio-resorbable structure causes the filter locator members and/or anchor members to press against the vessel wall sufficient to locate and anchor the filter upo delivery. After the bio-resorbable structure is resorbed, the locator members and/or anchor members change shape to apply less pressure against the vessel wall. The bio-resorbable structure may be activated by exposure to radiation so that actuation of the locator members and/or anchor members can be enabled or initiated by a clinician.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: C.R. Bard, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Germanovich Kashkarov, Andrzej J. Chanduszko
  • Patent number: 8092485
    Abstract: A recoverable embolus filter has a symmetrical design with two corollas with radially extending extensions that are mutually interconnected to permit them to slide with respect to each other. The corollas collapse by pulling them apart, and the collapsed filter can then be withdrawn by pulling one of the ends of the collapsed configuration into a recovery sheath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: C. R. Bard, Inc.
    Inventor: Inbal Sarah Lapid
  • Patent number: 8087869
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for spacing apart layers of cartons containing animal parts (such as chicken parts). In one embodiment is provided a vacuum assist lift device to transfer layers of cartons from a packed condition to a palletized spaced apart condition. In one embodiment is provided a method of simultaneously transferring a plurality of layers from a packed condition to a spaced apart condition. In one embodiment is provided a vacuum assist lift device which can be adjusted for a plurality of configurations of layers of cartons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Inventor: Wallace R. Binford
  • Patent number: 8082753
    Abstract: Provided in one embodiment is a decorative beaded necklace for ornamental decoration, comprising a plurality of decorative compartments, each of the compartments being fluidly connected to each other; a tube, the tube being fluidly connected to at least one of the plurality of compartments; and a fluid inlet, the fluid inlet allowing fluid to be added to the plurality of compartments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Inventors: Patrick D. Alvarez, Jr., Joel A Salvador, John Scott Phares
  • Patent number: 8079791
    Abstract: A bulk bag transport apparatus employs a receptacle that is divided into a plurality of bulk bag holding sectors. The receptacle provides a base that is constructed of a plurality of beams such as eye beams including peripheral beams and transverse beams. Each side wall is reinforced with a plurality of inclined beams that preferably join to the transverse bottom beams, one inclined beam attaching to a transverse bottom beam. A plurality of other beams are attached to the upper edge of the receptacle and each inclined beam is structurally joined to a peripheral beam. Lifting eyes are provided along each side of the receptacle, each lifting eye performs an acute angle with an inclined beam and is preferably mounted to an inclined beam. A lifting harness includes slings that can be connected to the lifting eyes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Inventor: Daniel W. Ness
  • Patent number: 8069861
    Abstract: A finished tobacco product is formed by a set of pre-rolled sheets. In one embodiment a form casing is used which includes at least two portions—a non-smokable portion along with a container portion which includes tobacco filler material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Inventor: Daniel S. Sinclair, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8066012
    Abstract: A tobacco product is formed by rolling moistened tobacco leaves about a cylindrical form casing and allowing the leaves to dry to form a shell. After the form casing is removed a consumer can fill the shell with crushed tobacco leaves of a favorite blend, thereby eliminating some steps in the making of a “roll-your-own” tobacco product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Blunt Wrap U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel S. Sinclair, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8067627
    Abstract: A method of providing zinc to a subject in need of treatment includes administering to the subject an effective amount of a zinc-cysteine complex. The zinc-cysteine complex is preferably a zinc-monocysteine complex. The complexes of zinc-cysteine of the present invention increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes catalase and glutathione peroxidase, and the antioxidant protein metallothionein. The complexes of zinc-cysteine of the present invention protect retinal pigment epithelial cells from increasing hydrogen peroxide concentrations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Inventors: David A. Newsome, David Tate