Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm John C. Hunt
  • Patent number: 5535796
    Abstract: A flail chain connector is provided which may be applied to an existing wood debarking apparatus or machinery for cutting vegetation. The connector is provided with integral fasteners for removable attachment of a length of flail chain to a powered rotary shaft, The connector may be removably engaged with the flail chain by moving a rink in the flail chain and one integral fastener to a first relative position and thereafter moving the link and fastener into a second relative position. The connector may be disengaged from the flail chain by relative movement of the link and fastener from the second position to the first position, and finally to the disengaged position. The connector may be removably engaged to the shaft by a second fastener through relative movements to a first and second relative positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Columbus McKinnon Limited
    Inventors: Robert P. Line, Bryan Naylor
  • Patent number: 5505505
    Abstract: A device for securing a closure. An illustrated latching device is for releasably securing a closure such as a window. The device includes a base for mounting, typically to a pivotally mounted window frame. The base has an upstanding hollow threaded shaft. There is a handle having a downwardly depending threaded cylinder the threads mating with the threads of the shaft to permit rotation of the handle between lower and upper positions. The handle includes an abutment for abutting a surrounding window frame to preclude relative movement of the pivotal frame when the handle is in the lower position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: VanGuard Plastics (1971) Ltd.
    Inventor: James S. Follows
  • Patent number: 5435865
    Abstract: A process for manufacture of an automotive trim piece having a polymeric skin fastened to substrate. The polymer, for example, polyvinyl chloride has the property that upon cooling to a relatively rigid state the polymer shrinks. The process includes a step of molding the polymeric skin separately from the substrate such that the skin has a rear face for abutment with an obverse face of the substrate and a pair of lips extending from ends of the rear face. The lips are configured for engaging corresponding edges of the substrate. The skin is cooled to a relatively elastic state, and the skin and substrate are assembled while the skin is in the relatively elastic state. On further cooling, shrinkage forces of the skin and the skin lips in abutment with the corresponding edges of the substrate produce a snug fit from edge to edge of the skin to the substrate and the skin becomes relatively rigid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: Decoma International Inc.
    Inventors: Shueh-Mo Lee, Gerhard Hirmer, Earlby E. J. Wakefield
  • Patent number: 5382462
    Abstract: A carpet tape is disclosed with hooks projecting from the front side of a sheet for attachment to loops on the underside of the carpet and with an opposite adhesive side for attachment to the floor. Selected, non-contiguous areas of the sheet are removed to create holes to reduce the mount of material, to reduce seam telegraphing and to allow moisture to be released from beneath the tape. A covering provides integrity for the tape prior to installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Assignee: Tac-Fast Systems SA
    Inventor: Joseph R. Pacione
  • Patent number: 5338078
    Abstract: A lawn and garden tool for removal of plugs of earth from the ground. The tool has a plurality of blades rigidly affixed at the lower end of an elongate shaft, an earth-receiving channel being defined between inner surfaces of the blades. The inner surfaces of the blades are arcuate, generally being congruent with the curved surface of a circular cylinder aligned with the shaft. There are ledges defined around the periphery of the channel so that when the the blades are withdrawn from the ground, a plug of earth is held within the channel. In the disclosed embodiment, each ledge is defined along a lower edge of a lateral indentation of a blade. In each blade there is a pair of axially spaced indentations and a region of the blade between the indentations is directed radially inwardly of the circular cylinder to enhance the plug withdrawal capability of the tool. An upwardly biased plunger is included for ejection of a plug withdrawn from the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignee: Lawn Claw International Inc.
    Inventor: Charles Basek
  • Patent number: 5328374
    Abstract: A geometry board having pegs arranged on its top face for the demonstration of planar geometric figures by stretching of elastic bands about the pegs. The disclosed board is of clear injection-molded plastic and has a square face with the pegs arranged in a grid on the face including along edges of the board. Pegs along the edges are in the shape of semi-cylinders and the arrangement is such that a pair of boards may be located side-by-side so that the semi-cylinders are paired up so that each pair of semi-cylinders forms a single cylinder. Pegs located at the corners of the board are in the shape of quarter-cylinders so that when four corner pegs are located at the center of four boards laid side-by-side the four quarter-cylinders form a singe cylinder. When four boards are assembled together a Cartesian coordinate system is obtain with x- and y-axes along adjacent edges of the boards and point (0,0) located at the intersection of all four boards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1994
    Assignee: 158973 Canada Inc.
    Inventor: George R. Stevens
  • Patent number: 5324135
    Abstract: A lockable cover for a ground opening such as a manhole or catch basin. The cover has a lock including a reciprocating locking bolt mounted to its underside for engagement of a lip of a surrounding support. The bolt is accessible directly from above the cover through an aperture in the cover. In one disclosed embodiment, a cover is secured to its support by a pin which extends from the cover to under a lip of the support and a lock. In another embodiment, a catch basin cover is secured to its support through a hinge connection and a lock. In another embodiment, a manhole cover is secured to its support through a pair of locks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1994
    Inventor: Dennis Smith
  • Patent number: 5281180
    Abstract: A battery-powered doll which cries or laughs, depending upon how it has been stimulated. There is an optical sensor fixed in the mouth of the doll and connected to an integrated circuit located in the torso of the doll. When there is insufficient light striking the sensor, the doll cries through a speaker in the doll's torso. When the doll is subsequently brought into the light to sufficiently expose the sensor, the doll laughs for a short, but variable length of time. There is a first pressure actuated switch positioned in the doll's torso such that it may be actuated by a tickling type of pressure applied to the side of the torso. The doll laughs when this switch is actuated. There is a second pressure actuated switch in the doll's torso which may be activated by pressing the stomach area of the doll. The doll cries in response to actuation of this second switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1994
    Inventors: Wing F. Lam, Yu F. Lam
  • Patent number: 5259163
    Abstract: An anchor-board construction system suitable for incorporation into the interior of buildings and homes is disclosed for use as a cladding to replace conventional plaster based wall board similar to that known in the trade as GYPROCK, having one surface thereof incorporating a layer of protruding attachment hooks. These hooks can accept and retain decorative and functional surface finish units embodying a looped or other suitably "piled" posterior surface portion, for attachment to the hooks. For use, within a building as a wall system, the novel anchor boards are secured into position as an underlying wall layer, and a selected form of area finish embodying a complementary attachment surface is secured thereto simply by pressing into place. The area finish can be carpet tiles, wallpaper or fabric with looped backing or wood paneling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1993
    Assignee: Tac-Fast Systems SA
    Inventor: Joseph R. Pacione
  • Patent number: 5191692
    Abstract: When forming joins between carpet pieces in laying carpet, pile may be brushed into its proper orientation at the joins by pulling a brushing tape upwardly through the join between the carpet pieces. The brushing tape may be provided as a cover for adhesive carpet tape or for carpet tape having draft of a hook and loop fastening system. A pull string may also be provided for the brushing tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1993
    Assignee: Tac-Fast Systems SA
    Inventor: Joseph R. Pacione
  • Patent number: D346113
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1994
    Assignee: Scepter Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: John Ferguson, Max Suit