Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm George H. Spencer
  • Patent number: 6424671
    Abstract: A process for making steel in an electric arc furnace includes providing a molten charge which is a melt composed of a high carbon ferrous metal in the electric arc furnace by one of preparing the melt in the furnace or introducing the melt into the furnace, the high carbon ferrous metal being composed of less than 3% carbon, less than 0.2% silicon, and less than 0.2% manganese, and the melt having a temperature of at least 1375° C.; adding to the molten charge provided in the furnace a solid metallic charge composed of least one material selected from the group consisting of scrap steel, hot briquetted iron, direct reduced iron, and iron ore to provide a charge mixture; refining the charge mixture by melting in the absence of gaseous oxygen to provide a molten steel; and superheating, finishing and tapping the molten steel into a ladle for subsequent casting thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: National Research Development Corporation
    Inventor: Shilowbhadra Banerjee
  • Patent number: 6397663
    Abstract: A conveyor for testing successive plain or filter cigarettes or other rod-shaped smokers' products having non-circular (such as oval) cross-sectional outlines employs a rotary drum-shaped conveyor for sidewise transport of smokers' products toward, through and beyond a station where the products are tested by streams of a gaseous fluid entering the products at one axial end and issuing from satisfactory products at the other axial end. The end portions of the products are sealingly received in complementary sockets of elastically deformable sealing sleeves which are connected to their tubular fluid-conveying carriers in a manner to ensure that each sleeve remains in a selected position for optimum testing of the products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Decouflé s.a.r.l.
    Inventor: Jacquest Chatelet
  • Patent number: 6396017
    Abstract: Successive packets of cigarettes or the like are monitored to ascertain the integrity or absence of integrity of their outer envelopes by conveying them across at least one curtain of radiation so that a packet having an improperly glued flap or tuck or label or an analogous defect affecting the acceptability of its outline intercepts a greater amount of radiation than a packet having an outline matching that of a prototype. First signals denoting the amount of radiation intercepted by successive packets are compared with a reference signal denoting the amount of radiation intercepted by the prototype and, when the difference between a first signal and the reference signal is outside of a permissible range, the corresponding packet is segregated from other packets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Topack Verpackungstechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Robert Knickrehm
  • Patent number: 6391132
    Abstract: A device and method for labeling flat mail items applies labels to the items by compressed air. The thickness and length of each items is determined in the time for initiating blowing of a respective label is determined as a function of the lengthened thickness of the items and the desired position of the label on the item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Georg Kinnemann, Christel Gehl
  • Patent number: 6386859
    Abstract: A mold-clamping unit accommodates an injection mold. The mold clamping unit includes a mold clamping chamber and a clamping mechanism. A crank element with a crank guide defines a guide path curved away from the clamping axis and has a longitudinal extension substantially parallel to the clamping axis. A drive unit moves the extractor along the crank guide and has a driving movement substantially parallel to the clamping axis. A guide unit is connected to the drive unit and the extractor and is guided at two locations on the crank guide. The first end of the drive unit is pivotably attached to the crank element and the second end of the drive unit is attached with hinges to the guide unit. The driving movement moves the guide unit along the guide path for moving the extraction mechanism in and out of the injection mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Inventor: Karl Hehl
  • Patent number: 6383448
    Abstract: A nickel-based superalloy includes from 1.4 to 4.4 wt. % of Cr, from 3 to 8 wt. % of Co, from 5 to 7.5 wt. % of W, from 4.8 to 7.5 wt. % of Re, from 6 to 9 wt. % of Ta, from 4.8 to 6 wt. % of Al, from 0.1 to 0.5 wt. % of Nb, from 0.8 to 1.8 wt. % of Hf, from 0.05 to 0.1 wt. % of C, from 0.01 to 0.05 wt. % of Y, from 0.005 to 0.15 wt. % of B, and balance Ni.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: The Chief Controller, Research & Development Organization
    Inventor: Niranjan Das
  • Patent number: 6379594
    Abstract: A process for producing a work piece includes providing raw material which is cellulose-containing and fibrous, which is not any part of a tree, and which is selected from the group consisting of, crude plant fibers, pure cellulose, waste paper, and waste cardboard; adding water to the raw material; finely chopping the raw material in a machine by continuously grinding the raw material with a total energy expenditure of at least 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Zellform Gesellschaft m.B.H.
    Inventors: Horst Döpfner, Martin Ernegg, Robert Bramsteidl
  • Patent number: 6380299
    Abstract: A method for preparing a paper sizing agent which has improved retention on paper and which is an aqueous dispersion stabilized with a polymer, including the steps of (a) dispersing a resin which is one of a colophonium resin or a compound derived from a colophonium resin in water containing a synthetic emulsifier present in an amount which is a minimal amount effective to prepare a metastable dispersion of the resin so that impairment of sizing action by the synthetic emulsifier is minimized; (b) immediately cooling the metastable dispersion to a cooled temperature; and (c) reacting the metastable dispersion while at a cooled temperature with a polymer which is one of a polymer solution or a polymer dispersion to form a stable dispersion, wherein direct dispersion of the polymer with the resin is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Krems Chemis Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Kurt Fischer, Marcel Sychra, Johannes Fallmann
  • Patent number: 6374579
    Abstract: The design comprising bag (36) formed with deep side gussets (42, 44). It has a body portion and a neck. The front face, rear face and gussets are heat welded together at the base of the bag. At the neck (56) the front face is welded to the front sheets of the gussets and the rear face is welded to the rear sheets of the gussets so that the gusset can open at these parts. At the free ends of the neck (66) the front face, rear face and gussets are heat welded together to be held together when the bag is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Inventor: Lance John Muller
  • Patent number: 6371125
    Abstract: Apparatus for transporting rod-shaped tobacco smoke filters which contain and/or carry particles of charcoal and/or other solid particulate tobacco smoke filtering and/or flavoring material. A sender directs a series of successive filters lengthwise into a pneumatic conduit wherein the filters advance toward a receiving station. A section of the conduit has an arcuate shape and advances successive filters from a lower level to a higher level. The underside of the section has an elongated arcuate opening which is overlapped by a cover in such a way that any solid particles which became separated from the filters can be expelled into a neighboring chamber due to fluid pressure in the section as well as under the action of gravity and/or centrifugal force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Hauni Maschinenbau AG
    Inventor: Hans-Herbert Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6368610
    Abstract: A disinfecting composition which is bactericidal and effective to kill yeast includes (a) at least one a monocarboxylic acid of formula R—COOH, in which R a saturated or unsaturated, straight- or branched-chain alkyl radical comprising from 6 to 12 carbon atoms; (b) a strong inorganic acid; (c) at least one organic acid of formula R′CH2—CO2H, in which R′ is H or OH; (d) at least one anionic surfactant; (e) at least one solubilizing agent consisting of a compound of formula R″O(CH2CH2O)x—H, in which R″ represents a C2 to C6 alkyl radical, x represents an integer from 1 to 3; and (f) water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: SOPURA S.A.
    Inventors: Nicolas Velings, Ferdinand Herman, Paul-Eric Loncin
  • Patent number: 6368509
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for dialysis, desalting, purification or concentration of proteins. The device includes an upper hollow chamber, a middle detachable air-tight seal and a lower semipermeable membrane sac. The upper and lower parts are connected to each other by one or more apertures situated in the detachable air-tight seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: National Research Development Corporation
    Inventors: Parikshit Bansal, Krishan Lal Bhatia
  • Patent number: 6364312
    Abstract: A method and arrangement are provided for removing air inclusions between sheets in a stack when forming the stack from sheets fed successively by a sheet feeder to the stack to be formed and deposited thereon in a sheet feeding region. Air out is suction out of the spaces between the sheets in the sheet-feeding region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: E. C. H. Will GmbH
    Inventor: Bernd Ramcke
  • Patent number: 6357505
    Abstract: Apparatus for delivering successive lowermost strip- or sheet-shaped commodities, such as labels, from a stack of commodities to a conveyor employs a rotary and reciprocable transfer member which pneumatically removes successive lowermost commodities from the stack, pneumatically attracts the commodities during transfer from the stack, and ceases to attract the commodities upon arrival at a station where the commodities are taken over by the pneumatically operated conveyor, such as an indexible or continuously driven rotary drum-shaped conveyor. The transfer member is reciprocated between the magazine and the conveyor by a reciprocable carriage which further serves to reciprocate a fluid flow regulating member acting as a valve to establish and interrupt the flow of air from one or more inlets of the transfer member to a suction generating device. The movements of various mobile constituents of the apparatus are synchronized, and such constituents can receive motion from a common prime mover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Topack Verpackungstechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Eric Jürgens
  • Patent number: 6357738
    Abstract: A feeder has a mechanism for individually and cyclically depositing sheets from a stack on a conveying device. A gear mechanism has a powered wheel and a power take-off wheel, and connected with the depositing mechanism. For adjusting the deposit cycle, the two wheels are rotatable in respect to each other by an adjusting device. The power take-off wheel is arranged on a hollow shaft, and this hollow shaft receives a further shaft on which the other wheel is arranged. The invention allows a rapid and exact matching of the cycle of the feeder to that of the conveying device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Grapha-Holding AG
    Inventor: Christoph Sägesser
  • Patent number: 6354272
    Abstract: A high pressure pumping device having a body provided with a cylindrical seat and a piston mounted in an axially sliding manner in the seat in order to form a variable volume pumping chamber; the chamber being in communication with an intake duct, via which it is supplied with a fluid, and with a delivery duct along which there is disposed a one-way non-return valve in order to allow the fluid to flow from the pumping chamber along this delivery duct; the pumping device further comprising an electrovalve whose opening and closing is controlled, disposed along the intake duct in order to enable the fluid to flow from and to the pumping chamber, and a control unit adapted to control the opening of the electrovalve in order to cause a controlled quantity of fluid to flow back from the chamber to the intake duct, enabling the regulation of the quantity of fluid pumped, at high pressure, along the delivery duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli S.p.A.
    Inventors: Marcello Cristiani, Massimo Lolli
  • Patent number: 6354300
    Abstract: A pusher/cutter drum arrangement for use in the tobacco-processing industry for longitudinal-axial positioning and cutting of rod-shaped objects includes a rotating trough drum containing receiving troughs for receiving, respectively, the rod-shaped objects in a staggered formation. Alignment contacts extend in the receiving troughs and are adapted for aligning the rod-shaped objects with one another in a transverse direction. A rotating cutting means extends through the receiving troughs for making a transverse cut of the aligned rod-shaped objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Hauni Maschinenbau AG
    Inventor: Siegfried Schlisio
  • Patent number: 6354659
    Abstract: A vehicle seat comprises an inner framework, the inner framework defining a first portion (11, 12, 13, 14) to be received within the squab of the seat and the second portion (15, 16, 17) to be received within the back of the seat. The second portion (15, 16, 17) is mounted on the first portion (11, 12, 13, 14) for rearward pivotal movement about a predetermined pivotal axis (19). Connected between an element (20) which moves in response to movement of the second portion of the framework (15, 16, 17) and the first portion of the framework (11, 12, 13, 14) is an element that provides a mechanical advantage, in the form of a lever arm (27) and a damper in the form of a gas springs (32). The mechanical advantage provided by the lever arm element (27) changes as the second portion of the framework (15, 16, 17) pivots rearwardly about the pivot axis (19). Thus, in a rear impact, an occupant of the seat is given a gradual acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Tommy Andersson, Timothy Barnett
  • Patent number: 6352587
    Abstract: A process for coloring an unglazed ceramic with an aqueous colorant solution containing a chromium (III) coordination compound which is at least partially neutralized and stable, including (a) dissolving a carboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, an organic dicarboxylic acid having a general formula (COOH)—(CH2)n—(COOH), where n ranges from 0 to 10, and an unsaturated, organic dicarboxylic acid in water at a temperature ranging from 40 to 60° C. to provide an aqueous solution of a carboxylic acid; (b) adding a chromium (III) compound to the aqueous solution of a carboxylic acid while stirring for a time and at a temperature effective for reaction to form an aqueous solution containing a chromium (III) coordination compound; (c) filtering the aqueous solution containing the chromium (III) coordination compound to provide a filtered aqueous solution; and (d) adjusting pH of the filtered aqueous solution to a pH ranging from 3 to 6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: BK Giulini Chemie GmbH & Co. OHG
    Inventors: Thomas Staffel, Jürgen Straub, Thomas Klein
  • Patent number: 6340206
    Abstract: A vehicle seat, the seat comprises a squab and a back. The back is mounted for pivotal movement, relative to the squab, about a predetermined pivotal axis (19). The back is provided with a frame (42) supporting a head-rest, the said frame is movable between a lower position and an upper position. The head-rest carried by the frame (42) is located a greater distance from the top of the back of the seat when the frame (42) is in the elevated position. Means are provided to move the frame (42) from the lower position to the upper position in response to said rearward pivotal movement of the back of the seat about the predetermined pivotal axis (19).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2002
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Tommy Andersson, Timothy Barnett