Patents Represented by Attorney Gary K. Price, Esq.
  • Patent number: 7462768
    Abstract: An improved guitar pick or plectrum for use with a stringed musical instrument. The improved pick has a substantially planar central gripping portion and at least one and not more than four substantially planar picking wing portions peripherally extending, one each in a respective different longitudinal direction from the central gripping portion. In application, only one of the wing portions may be used at any one time. The wing portions can include an end surface having a different jagged or serrated picking edge formed of at least two and not more than four peak members adapted for strumming or plucking the strings of a stringed instrument so that each of the peak members strike the string in rapid sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Inventor: Josiah T. Newmaster
  • Patent number: 7448444
    Abstract: A tubing rotator assembly that attaches to a casing head to suspend and rotate a tubing string in an oil well. The tubing assembly includes a rotation surface, such as a bearing, in which a tubing mandrel rests and allows one to rotate the tubing manually above the wellhead, and a mandrel bowl that rests inside the casing head. A tubing mandrel is partially contained within the mandrel bowl with one end exiting the bowl and attached to the tubing string, and the opposite end exiting the top of the bowl. A ledge of the tubing mandrel is supported on the bearing, which bearing rests on the interior ledge of the mandrel bowl. The assembly provides a low profile reducing the distance between the casing head and the pumping tee to eliminate the need to raise the pumping unit to fit on the rotator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Inventors: Michael A. Thomson, Philip E. Hart
  • Patent number: 7445704
    Abstract: An above ground oil and water separator including a pump to draw potentially contaminated water from a containment area, and to supply a flow of water to an enclosure. An enclosure inlet pipe takes water from the diaphragm pump into the enclosure. A first sub-enclosure is formed within the enclosure by a wall containing a plurality of coalescing spheres. The coalescing spheres are bagged within the first wall and can be removed through an external lid during cleaning and removal of coalesced oil. A heat source contained within an electrical panel heats water and supplies the heated water to the enclosure to prevent freezing within the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Inventor: Roy W. Jorgensen
  • Patent number: 7389785
    Abstract: A frame tent system having a plurality of upright columns, a plurality of eave members, and a plurality of rafters. The plurality of members are inter-connected by a system of novel eave weldments. The eave weldment is preferably a four-way connector unit interconnecting the frame members of the tent system at major points of connection to form the frame tent system. The eave weldment is formed of a weldment plate and an insert tube disposed perpendicular to the weldment plate. The frame members of the tent system each include a channel for releasably receiving ends of the eave weldment. In particular, the channel disposed in the rafter receives a first end of the weldment plate; the channel disposed in the upright column receives a second end of the weldment plate; the channel disposed in the eave members receive an end of the insert tube thereby forming the frame tent system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Inventors: William A. Loudermilk, Richard D. Cook
  • Patent number: 7390402
    Abstract: A skimmer-diverter assembly that cooperates with a conventional water circulating and filtration system of a swimming pool, the skimmer-diverter assembly comprising a diverter releasably attached to a mounting bracket that is removably attached to a skimmer inlet opening of the swimming pool filtration system. The diverter including upper and lower diverter housings each diverter housing having an upwardly extending pin. The mounting bracket including upper and lower bracket housings each of the housings having a bore sized to receive the pin of the diverter housings. The diverter further including a handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Inventor: Gregory E. Rhoades, Sr.
  • Patent number: 7343834
    Abstract: A combination beverage holder and container opener having a tubular body that includes an open upper end sized for receipt of a beverage container, a lower end, and a wall that defines an inner receptacle and a lower inner surface for receiving the beverage container. The lower end includes an orifice designed to receive and remove a twist open bottle cap. A bottom surface of the lower end includes first and second sections. The first section includes a cavity member designed to engage and remove a conventional bottle cap from a beverage bottle. The second section includes a tab member designed to slip between the pull tab and top surface of a beverage container and releasably open the container's pull tab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Inventors: Marc K. Howlett, Todd S. Avery
  • Patent number: 7336082
    Abstract: A vehicle circuit tester for electrically testing the circuit system of a trailer. The tester can connect to a variety of types of trailers for the purpose of analyzing or monitoring the trailer's circuit system. The tester includes indicators that indicate continuity of the various circuits, thus confirming operability of the trailer lamps. The tester includes wiring connectors in a variety of dimensions and plug configurations, most of which are standardized and widely adopted. As such, the vehicle circuit tester is provided with a plurality of wiring connectors conventionally provided on different sizes and types of trailers. The tester includes probe and ground wires that can be wound up on a reel inside the tester.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Inventor: Marvin Mofield
  • Patent number: 7293840
    Abstract: A swimming pool furniture having a vented assembly that can be submerged in an upright, stationary position on the bottom surface of the swimming pool allowing the user to access the furniture with his or her body partially submerged in the pool. The assembly includes a frame having a plurality of tubular elements including an upper cross member, front and rear lower cross members. The cross members are disposed between a pair of side members of the frame. The frame further includes water inlets in fluid communication with a cavity of the frame. The rear lower cross member includes a vertical member having a water inlet in fluid communication with the cavity of the frame. The frame can further include a seat that attaches to the upper cross member of the frame. As the furniture is submerged into the swimming pool, the water inlets receive water from the swimming pool into the cavity of the frame until the frame is full of water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Inventor: Larry Schu
  • Patent number: 7255179
    Abstract: A cultivator sweep assembly having a sweep adapted for releasable attachment to a shank of a mobile agricultural apparatus. The sweep assembly includes a sweep having a more narrow profile, and a coupling attached to a tapered end portion of the shank and disposed between the sweep and the supporting shank. The sweep includes a stem portion that defines a housing configured to frictionally receive and engage the tapered end portion of the shank. The end portion of the shank having the coupling attached thereto is slidably received within the housing until a projection of the coupling is received through a top opening of the housing. The projection received through the top opening indicating that the end portion of the shank is sufficiently received within the housing of the sweep, and that the sweep is mounted to the shank with sufficient force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Inventor: Lorne R. Pollard
  • Patent number: 7241195
    Abstract: A game call striker for frictionally interacting with a prior art game call. The game call striker includes a striker member that outwardly extends from a body portion. The body portion comprising first and second sound chambers, the first sound chamber including an insert sized to frictionally receive a base end of the striker member. In particular, the base end is fixedly secured within the insert with adhesive means such as glue. The striker member extends from the insert, through the first sound chamber, and outwardly extends from the body portion without the outer surface of the striker member touching the side walls of the first sound chamber. As a result, it is as though the striker member is “floating” within the first sound chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Inventor: John E. Bauer
  • Patent number: 7174993
    Abstract: A vertically adjustable safety railing system for obtaining safety railing access to the tops of mobile equipment of various heights such as tank trucks. The safety railing apparatus generally includes a plurality of posts, a railing, and activating means in communication with an actuating means. The safety railing having a collapsed condition and a vertically upright condition. The posts are pivotally mounted to mounting plates as well as connected to the railing so that when the posts are rotated to a vertically upright condition, the railing is elevated providing a railing to assist a person walking on top of the tank of a truck. The activating means is engaged by a cover plate hinged to a ladder disposed at the rear of the tank truck. Opening the cover plate to access the ladder places the activating means in a passing condition and actuates the actuating means to pivot the railing system to its upright condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Inventor: Thomas M. Lantz
  • Patent number: 7175170
    Abstract: An engine mounting stand for small engines, and particularly adapted for motorcycle engines. The engine mounting stand includes an upright and a journal bearing, the upright is attached to a base, a rotating bracket assembly is attached to the journal bearing of the upright, the bracket assembly designed to attach to the engine mount holes of the engine, and is operative for rotatably positioning the engine so that the mechanic can access all areas of the engine. The engine mounting stand can further include an outrigger support attached to the rotating bracket assembly, and an outrigger secured to the outrigger support. The outrigger attaches to the engine and outrigger end aperture can provide further attachment support to the bracket assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Inventor: Michael C. Kincaid
  • Patent number: 7167624
    Abstract: A fiber optic splice closure designed to prevent undesired bending of optical fiber cables within the closure. The closure is generally formed of a lower base section and an upper body section that form a tight, water-resistant seal along their interface. The cross-section shape of the closure of the present invention is generally round. The lower base section includes an interior having a surface wall and an interior wall that define a slack storage area. As such, the slack storage area defined within the closure likewise has a round configuration to thereby avoid excessive bending or kinking of the un-spliced fiber positioned within the slack storage area. The fiber optic splice closure further includes a fastening means centrally disposed through the lower base and upper body sections that form a tight, water-resistant seal therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Inventor: Michael W. Allerellie
  • Patent number: 7147896
    Abstract: An electroless nickel plating method for the preparation of zirconia ceramic material. The surface of the zirconia ceramic material is first cleaned of contaminants. This is followed by an etching step where the surface of the material is etched by an acid. Then, activating the surface of the material is achieved by first applying a tin sensitizer, and then a palladium activator. Following the palladium activator step, applying an electroless nickel to the surface of the post activated material. After the electroless nickel bath, the zirconial ceramic material can then be further electroless or electrolytically plated with a variety of finishes. Applying the method of the present invention provides a suitable, commercially practicable method for the preparation of zirconia ceramic material for electroless nickel plating, so that the electroless nickel chemistry is distributed evenly on the material's surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Inventor: Mark D. Rine
  • Patent number: 7131157
    Abstract: A bag/bed assembly comprising a first layer, which first layer receives and stores a second layer, and a third layer housed entirely within the second layer. Said first layer, when storing said second layer, serves as a seating apparatus. When you remove the second layer from the first layer, the second layer, is spaced out in a fully open position, having a substantially rectangular configuration that serves as a portable bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Inventor: Byron Young
  • Patent number: D533116
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Inventors: Darren Sroufe, Eric D. Spencer
  • Patent number: D543064
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Inventor: Nancy K. Hale
  • Patent number: D563496
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Inventor: Charles Hawkins
  • Patent number: D575866
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Inventor: A. Colleen Schmidt
  • Patent number: D593180
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Inventors: Terry A. Ebert, John L. Verkamp