Patents Represented by Attorney Jonathan Bay
  • Patent number: 8276683
    Abstract: A post driver for driving hollow posts, especially plastic posts, has an elongated central guide shaft and a hollow outer sleeve. The guide shaft has a length and diameter sized to pass fairly freely through but generally fill the post's hollow core to protect against the post buckling during pounding strokes. The outer sleeve annularly surrounds a substantial upper portion of the post for similar reasons. The outer sleeve transmits pounding strikes to a stop formation that rests stationary on the post's top end. That way, a user manually applying pounding strokes to the stop formation's upper surface transmits force to not only the post's top end but also the guide shaft's bottom end. Optionally, the guide shaft's bottom end is tipped and sticks out a little in order to pierce a pilot hole in the ground, and clear a path, for the post to follow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Inventor: Christopher H. W. Roy
  • Patent number: 8225577
    Abstract: A method of using liner-like cores or core assemblies for creating in-ground concrete spas or swim pools. For larger projects, that is for enlarged scale spas or swim pools, the inventive liner-like core comprises an assembly of sections. The cores or core assemblies are re-usable at least for several projects if reasonably maintained and cleaned. The core assembly comprises two long walls and two short wall defining the perimeter around a split level bottom with a shallow end, a deep end, and an intermediate transition slope. The liner-like core is constructed from a suitable rigid material like fiberglass for stiffening purposes and is an assembly of sections and also comprises: leveling blocks, transverse support beams, and hangers that attach to the walls of the core assembly and stiffens the long walls against being warped inward during the concrete pour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Inventor: Douglas L. Fender
  • Patent number: 8135682
    Abstract: A system for administrating over changes to a record shared by a plurality of users authorized to do so is provided with a resource to officiate over an official version of the record and to communicate with the plurality of users over a medium for non-persistent communications. Typically, this medium is the Internet. In response to a request of a given user, the resource replies with a communication sending a copy of the official version. In consequence of a return by the given user of a request to effect given changes, the resource compares a saved original edition of the sent copy to the official version so if in case of a match the resource effects the given changes to the official version, or else not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Inventor: David A. Crockett
  • Patent number: 8096259
    Abstract: Apparatus for coating food products with breading material has an excess breading-material circulation/re-circulation system, which itself has a main, central product-intake conveyor scraping across an up-sloping bottom panel flanked by left and right elevators that course through up-sloping gutters astride the central conveyor's bottom panel. The central conveyor is relatively broad but shallow for only carrying a relatively light load that becomes a bottom bed of breading material for conveyance of food product thereon. In contrast, the elevators are relatively deep but thin in order to carry relatively-substantial streams of breading material, and disproportionate to their thin width, which are ultimately elevated to a topcoat-applicator and becomes a top-coating of breading material. One or more plows are arranged in the overhead space above the central conveyor to divert a main stream of excess breading material into one or more diverted streams aimed at the flanking elevators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Inventors: Robert G. Nothum, Jr., Robert M. Nothum
  • Patent number: 8087337
    Abstract: A recoil compensator and climb arrester has an axially-elongated hollow sidewall having an inner surface. Three apertured baffles with central apertures are fixed inside the sidewall spaced apart from one another to define three longitudinally-distributed gas-expansion chambers. Each baffle has a convex rear surface which meets the sidewall in a circular crease. Each chamber has one top port through the sidewall as well as a pair of opposite side ports. Each port has a one edge, a sill, which is closest to the crease. The distance between the sill and the crease defining a knee wall. Wherein, the expansion of the gases of a muzzle blast in the expansion chambers deflect in part off convex rear surfaces of the baffles and get checked in part by the knee-wall portions of each port ensuing the exhausting of the gases through ports across the sills thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Inventor: William R. Cary
  • Patent number: 8052386
    Abstract: A mixed flow fan wheel has a convex hub, an axially-spaced away concave annular shroud, and a plurality of angularly distributed blades extending between and interconnecting the hub and shroud, all which cooperatively define a plurality of inter-blade flow channels. Each has a pressure surface and spaced suction surface extending not only between spaced inlet and discharge edges but also, crosswise thereto, spaced hub-side and shroud-side edges. Each discharge edge is convex relative a center of geometry of the blade therefor. Each inter-blade flow channel originates in a generally rectangular shape between flanking inlet edges and terminates in another generally rectangular shape between flanking discharge edges, with a procession of gradations of generally rectangular shapes forming a progressive transition therebetween. Moreover, each inter-blade flow channel twists or corkscrews from inlet thereof to the discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Loren Cook Company
    Inventors: Erich R. Fitzpatrick, Rickey W. Jennings, Robert A. Valbracht
  • Patent number: 7975425
    Abstract: Measures for controlling nuisance-carp populations include a harvest apparatus for harvesting not sub-surface fish but fish that leap out of the water proximate the harvest apparatus. Detectors detect when subsurface fish are within proximity of the effective range of the harvest apparatus and, when such are detected, a stimulus is applied which causes target fish like nuisance carp but not desirable fish to leap out of the water. When that happens, the harvest apparatus takes its toll on the leaping fish, harmlessly to the desirable fish which do not leap, and instead might flee from the stimulus by diving deeper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Inventors: Kirby VanBurch, Bambi Sue VanBurch
  • Patent number: 7972719
    Abstract: A battery assembly (10) has a series of rectangular cells (20) and a square-U shaped tray (14) to support the cells (20) in series, with bottoms (24) coplanar and adjacent sides parallel. The tray (14) has spaced arms (43) for opposing the endmost ones of the series of cells (12) interconnected by a rigid web (41) that provides a generally flat seating surface for the cell bottoms (24). The web (41) has longitudinal tracks (49) which raise above the seating surface of the wen (41) and which extend beneath all the cell bottoms (24). The cell bottoms (24) have counterpart longitudinal channels (52) for self-assembling with the tracks (49) of the web (41) and provide properly aligned seating of the cell bottoms (24) by disallowing lateral displacement but allowing longitudinal sliding order to form as dense as a single-file line-up (12) as possible. The tracks (49) also serve to stiffen the web (41) against sagging or twisting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: EH Europe GmbH
    Inventor: Rolf Prange
  • Patent number: 7886657
    Abstract: A cellularly-integrated food process line (30) is a combination of several diverse cells (32, 24, 36, 38), which are diverse because each performs non-identical operations. Such cells (32, 24, 36, 38) are configured to perform at least one sub-process as marinade, form, cook, dust coat, batter coat, crumb coat, fry, sear, grill mark or freeze, as well as any two or several of those sub-processes in combination. The cells (32, 24, 36, 38) are also configured to stack vertically in interchangeable combinations, as desired, to form a tower. Changing the combination or sequence of such cells (32, 24, 36, 38) correspondingly changes the end result on food product (41) processed by such combination. Each cell has its own conveying apparatus (56, 60, 68) for motivating food product (41) along a pathway, which may collectively be driven by a common drive system (40, 50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Inventor: Robert G. Nothum, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7878339
    Abstract: A merchandise display hook for fishing rods has an elongated shaft originating in a hanger fixture for hanging or arranging on a vertical support surface and extends from there to a terminal end formed or affixed with hook formation for carrying a fore section of rod handle. The display hook includes a retainer attached to the shaft in between the hanger fixture and hook formation for retaining a section of the rod handle that is in between the fore section and the rod's butt end. The shaft is arranged to project from the hanger fixture generally horizontally. The hook formation and retainer are cooperatively arranged to cantilever the fishing rod in a suspended projecting disposition. Preferably the hook is hung about head high or higher. A row of such display hooks carrying a procession of fishing rods forms sort of a picket canopy in a retail setting over aisles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Inventors: Skip Steffens, Beverly Ann Steffens
  • Patent number: 7817029
    Abstract: A method of alarm data communication involves protecting a premise with an alarm sensor, sensing an exception, text messaging a responsible user's text-messaging device a text message indicative of such exception and, in the absence of an effective cancel instruction, propagating a signal to a central alarm monitoring station indicative of such exception or otherwise expediting dispatch of authorities to the premise in response to such exception. Another aspect of this method involves that, notwithstanding the absence of an effective cancel instruction, there instead might be the issuance of an effective verify instruction, which propagates to the central alarm monitoring station as indicative of not only the exception but also that such exception is verified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Inventors: Mark A. Hillenburg, Rick A. Britton, Kyle Heironimus
  • Patent number: 7775952
    Abstract: A balance trainer has a board with a notional nose and tail, a rolling fulcrum for the board to perch on, and at least one hold-down link extending between one end anchored to ground and another end secured to the notional tail of the board. The board as perched on the rolling fulcrum would—in the absence constraint—afford free tipping tilt along at least one axis. However, the hold-down link supplies constraint such that free leash is given to the to the notional tail of the board so long as the hold-down link is slack. But when the nose of the board dives furthest against the hold-down link, the board either deadens in a fixed pitch angle against the tautened hold-down link, or else can be swung laterally a bit, in sort of a monkey-swing fashion in inverse, giving a training experience like riding on a long surf board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Balance 360, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin P. Curran, Robert D. Curran, Jr., legal representative
  • Patent number: 7772971
    Abstract: Apparatus for alarm data communication with a central alarm-monitoring station having a central station receiver linked to a communications medium involves a remote, premise-protecting alarm system. It has a central processing unit (CPU), at least one sensor reporting to the CPU, an interface for communications with the central station receiver across the communications medium, and at least one user interface for a user to enter inputs to the CPU. The alarm system furthermore has a pro-active verify utility configured to allow a user, after the alarm system has automatically propagated a message to the central station receiver comprising a report of an exception sensed by the sensor, to enter an input through the user interface that causes the alarm system to propagate a later message comprising the user's verification. Preferably the user interface is a keypad, and the pro-active verify utility is actuated by minimal key strokes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Inventors: Mark A. Hillenburg, Rick A. Britton
  • Patent number: 7707973
    Abstract: A handheld, hatchling holder not only simplifies manual examinations but also better protects the hatchling's welfare. The welfare concerns include not only bruising but also yolk-sac rupture. The handheld, hatchling holder has a cupped seat portion for cupping the ventral-end of a hatchling. The cupped seat portion is apertured, as with an opening. The hatchling is seated on the handheld, hatchling holder such that the cupped seat portion provides support to portions of the hatchling's perineal area that surrounds the alimentary vent (cloaca) as the alimentary vent is situated for exposure by the opening. The holder and opening facilitates not only welfare-friendly discharge of the meconium in the hatchling's alimentary vent through the opening but also welfare-friendly examination of the distended innards of the vent for markers of gender. The quality of the meconium discharge (or absence thereof) also facilitates determining whether the hatchling exceeds a hydration standard or not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Ultra-Hatch, Inc.
    Inventor: L. Taizo Toelken
  • Patent number: 7708041
    Abstract: A component mill for producing wooden construction components has a pair of input rollers spaced from a pair of output rollers, wherein each comprises a pair of vertically-stacked pinch rollers. The mill has an overhead X- and Y-axis track system for scrolling a high speed router bit dangling underneath a high speed motor in X- and Y-directions as the input and/or output rollers pass a board for trimming by the spinning, and perhaps scrolling and not stationed still, router bit. A control system controls the input and output rollers, and X- and Y-axis track system in concert to form a selected design of a wooden construction component output from an inputted board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Inventor: Kevin M. Troesser
  • Patent number: 7708072
    Abstract: Withdrawing a hollow stem auger string from a well includes a retractor having C-shaped inter-coil insertions and a hoist having tong-arms, one which terminates in an inwardly disposed pin. The retractor connects to a drilling rig's hydraulic cylinder vertical drive system, the hoist to a winch system thereof. The retractor engages the string by the C-shaped inter-coil insertion disposed between one coil of the helical flight of the topmost section of the string. The hoist engaged the top collar of the topmost section by the at least one pin inserting into a pin hole thereof. The string is lifted about the height of one section by the retractor, which is promptly disengaged. The topmost section is detached, and carried by the hoist to elsewhere to be dropped. The method repeats by re-engaging the retractor and hoist and then returning to the activity of lifting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Inventor: David G. Hunziker
  • Patent number: 7699207
    Abstract: An internal ring assembly for welding backup against internal hoops of pipes or tanks has a chain assembly of diverse cells. A majority of the cells include a tile of conductive metal for abutting inside walls across a seam of two sections of pipe or tank to be welded, as well as a cell of a roller chain assembly comprising either both a pin-link and roller-link construction or alternatively a pair of mosaic-link constructions. In either case, one of such link constructions is anchored to the tile and the other extends free of the tile for linking with another cell of the chain assembly. In contrast, a minority of the cells are arranged to produce an expansion force on the chain assembly as a whole in order that the chain assembly expansively forces itself tightly against the inside seam of the pipe or tank sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Inventor: Howard S. Owensby
  • Patent number: 7690430
    Abstract: A tool for extracting well pipe casings resembles an enlarged pipe-thread tap. The tool is designed to be suspended under and driven by the traveling rotary table and hydraulic vertical drive system of a conventional drilling rig. By this means, well pipe casings are withdrawn from wells by engaging the tops of such well pipe casings, and unlike the prior art, which grapples well pipe casings at their very bottom, and at the end of a cable. Unlike withdrawing casing by a cable pull, wherein cables stretch and unstuck casings might launch like projectiles, the extractor tool manages to withdraw well pipe casing in a recoilless manner, which is more controlled, and safer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Inventor: David G. Hunziker
  • Patent number: D616159
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Fan's Best Friend. Inc.
    Inventor: Steven N. Zagar
  • Patent number: D636908
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Inventors: Bobby Wayne Webb, Jill Ann Webb