Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Michael R. Swartz
  • Patent number: 6241450
    Abstract: A load supporting assembly for a trailer includes an elongated frame, a platform subassembly having a middle fixed platform section, a pair of front and rear pivotal platform sections being pivotally mounted to the middle fixed platform section and a pair of linkages movably interconnecting the front and rear pivotal platform sections such that the front and rear pivotal platform sections can pivot independently of and automatically relative to one another and to the middle fixed platform section and the frame without the need for any substantial operator intervention and in response to an operator driving a vehicle onto or from the platform assembly. The vehicle in being loaded onto the platform subassembly can push the front pivotal platform section down from the respective raised to lower position thereof without any corresponding movement of the rear pivotal platform section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: MGS, Inc.
    Inventor: Roland P. Gehman
  • Patent number: 6220888
    Abstract: A quick disconnect cable connector device includes an elongated body made of a rigid molded material and having opposite first and second ends, and a strain relief structure integrally connected to the first end of the body and made of the same molded material. The body can have a conical-shaped configuration tapering from the second to the first end. The body defines an interior chamber extending between and open at the first and second ends and receiving an end of a cable therethrough from the first to the second end such that the body provides an overmold encasing the end of the cable and supporting at the second end of the body a contact termination on the end of the cable. The strain relief structure includes a framework having an annular shape and forming a passage extending along a longitudinal axis of the framework and aligned with the first end of the body. The framework surrounds and receives through its passage a portion of the cable extending from the first end of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventor: Juan L. Correa
  • Patent number: 6215082
    Abstract: A load break interrupter includes a case, an arc-suppressing tube mounted on and projecting outwardly from the case, a shunt circuit rod slidably supported in the tube with the rod and tube having electrical contacts mounted thereto and convertible between make and break conditions upon sliding of the rod into and from the tube, and a shunt circuit break actuating mechanism disposed in the case and coupled with a leading end of the rod extending into the case such that upon tripping of the actuating mechanism from a shunt circuit-defining position to a shunt circuit-breaking position the rod is pulled partially into the case from the tube thereby breaking the shunt circuit through the rod and between the electrical contacts such that any arcing that occurs upon breaking of the shunt circuit is confined and suppressed inside the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventor: Brad W. Davis
  • Patent number: 6206736
    Abstract: An electrical conductor splicing assembly includes a tubular shell, and a pair of tubular gripping members and a spring disposed within an interior chamber of the shell. The shell and gripping members are electrically conductive. Each gripping member defines a longitudinal passageway and a cavity within an inner portion in communication with the passageway. The shell and gripping members receive an end of an electrical conductor through each opposite end portion of the shell and within each gripping member. The spring is disposed between the gripping members and has a main portion, a pair of opposite end portions and a pair of reduced diameter portions interconnecting the main portion to the opposite end portions. The opposite end portions of the spring are captured within the cavities of the gripping members. The reduced diameter portions of the spring are disposed adjacent to and extend away from the cavities of the gripping members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert V. DeFrance, Carl B. Nordstrom
  • Patent number: 6206737
    Abstract: An enhanced terminal screw for use in an electrical receptacle includes a shank, a head and a plurality of impeller wire gripping elements. The shank has opposite ends. The head is mounted to one of the opposite ends of the shank. The head has an underside surface defining a plurality of spaced apart grooves. The impeller wire gripping elements are defined by a plurality of lands formed between the spaced apart grooves on the underside surface of the head which grip a wire partially surrounding the shank and wrap the wire radially inwardly toward the shank as the screw is tightened relative to the wire. Each land has opposite edges providing a gripping surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: Nelson Bonilla, Stephen R. Ewer
  • Patent number: 6207919
    Abstract: A load break interrupter includes a case, an arc-suppressing tube mounted on and projecting outwardly from the case, a shunt circuit rod slidably supported in the tube with the rod and tube having electrical contacts mounted thereto and convertible between make and break conditions upon sliding of the rod into and from the tube, and a shunt circuit break actuating mechanism disposed in the case and coupled with a leading end of the rod extending into the case such that upon tripping of the actuating mechanism from a shunt circuit-defining position to a shunt circuit-breaking position the rod is pulled partially into the case from the tube thereby breaking the shunt circuit through the rod and between the electrical contacts such that any arcing that occurs upon breaking of the shunt circuit is confined and suppressed inside the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventor: Brad W. Davis
  • Patent number: 6204449
    Abstract: An electrical receptacle includes a receptacle body, test and reset switches and a pair of projections. The body has electrical elements disposed therein for making electrical contact with an electrical plug of various diameter sizes. The body has a face with a set of apertures for receiving prongs of the electrical plug for mating of the plug with the receptacle. The switches are mounted to the face of the body adjacent to the set of apertures and are actuatable to affect operation of the electrical elements. The projections are made of a substantially rigid material and mounted to the face of the body adjacent to the test switch and the set of apertures and protrude from the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: John J. Putorti, Carol A. Howard, Christopher J. Clark
  • Patent number: 6203130
    Abstract: An enhanced telecommunications cabinet assembly for enclosing wiring interconnections includes a chassis defining an interior cavity, a movable interconnect management adapter tray positioned in the interior cavity of the chassis, a plurality of modular interconnect panels mounted on the movable adapter tray, and front and top covers on the chassis. The chassis has a bottom wall and a pair of opposite sidewalls extending upward therefrom so as to define the interior cavity between the sidewalls and above the bottom wall. The chassis further has a pair of lower guide members positioning the movable adapter tray in the interior cavity of the chassis for movement relative thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: Rudolph A. Montgelas, Dale D. Martin, William G. Sobieski, Robert C. Brown, Alan C. Miller
  • Patent number: 6199258
    Abstract: A fixture for installing a flexible wire mesh grip over an elongated cable includes a base having spaced opposite ends and an internal cavity extending longitudinally therebetween. The spaced opposite ends define respective first and second passages opening into the internal cavity. The internal cavity has a cross-sectional size larger than that of a tubular body of the grip in a compressed non-gripping condition to accommodate the presence of the tubular body in the compressed non-gripping condition and of an annular collar secured on one end thereof within the internal cavity. The internal cavity and first and second passages of the base have respective cross-sectional sizes larger than that of the cable to permit insertion of the cable therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventor: Robert J. Simon
  • Patent number: 6181489
    Abstract: A housing assembly includes a combination lens and window retainer, an inner optical lens, an outer optical window and a front cover. The retainer includes a middle body structure, a pair of side wing structures, an inner seat and an outer seat. The middle body structure has opposite lateral sides, interior portions and exterior portions. The side wing structures are attached to and extend in opposite lateral directions from the opposite lateral sides of the middle body structure. Each side wing structure has exterior portions. The inner seat is defined on the interior portions of the middle body structure. The outer seat is defined forwardly of the inner seat on the exterior portions of the middle body structure and of the side wing structures. The inner optical lens is mounted to the inner seat of the retainer. The middle body structure and side wing structures together define an opening aligned with the inner optical lens and provides an unobstructed forward panoramic field of view through the retainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: Chris A. Carbone, John R. Baldwin
  • Patent number: 6168090
    Abstract: A flame spray system employs splatter blocking and automated rod delivery apparatuses. The splatter blocking apparatus includes a barrier member and an actuation mechanism. The barrier member is adapted to be moved between a blocking position in which the barrier member is extended across a spray path from a flame spray gun of a flame spray system preventing travel of particles of fusible material from the flame spray gun to a product being coated and an unblocking position in which the barrier member is displaced from the spray path of the flame spray gun permitting travel of particles fusible material from the flame spray gun to the product being coated. The actuation mechanism is connected to the barrier member and adapted to be selectively actuated to move the barrier member between the blocking and unblocking positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Inventor: Edgar C. Baker
  • Patent number: 6161947
    Abstract: A light fixture assembly includes a mounting plate, a ballast housing, and an adapter ring for attaching the ballast housing to the mounting plate. The adapter ring includes an annular body having opposite upper and lower annular portions and opposite exterior and interior sides. The upper annular portion has a continuous upper annular surface located between the opposite exterior and interior sides and adapted for sealably engaging the mounting plate. The lower annular portion has a continuous lower annular surface located between the opposite exterior and interior sides and adapted for sealably engaging the ballast housing. Upper and lower exterior fastening arrangements are provided on the adapter ring for removably securing the ballast housing to the mounting plate. The upper fastening arrangement is disposed on the upper annular portion of the annular body at the exterior side thereof and spaced outwardly from the continuous upper annular surface of the annular body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael J. Schinsky, Darrell F. Conrad, James J. Wojcicki
  • Patent number: 6135613
    Abstract: A lighting fixture assembly includes a lighting fixture having a mounting member, a pair of end plates, an elongated lamp and an elongated lens, and a pair of dust covers fittable over opposite ends of the lighting fixture. Each end plate is mounted to one of the opposite end of the mounting member and is substantially comprised of a first material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion. The lamp is mounted adjacent to the mounting member and extends between the end plates and has opposite ends disposed adjacent to the end plates. The lens is mounted adjacent to the mounting member and extends between the end plates and has opposite ends disposed adjacent to the end plates. The lens together with the mounting member and end plates substantially encloses the lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven W. Bodell, Stephen M. Stafford
  • Patent number: 6132141
    Abstract: A pipeline buoyancy control assembly includes a pair of anchor rods, a pair of tie-down attachment members, a pair of termination members, and a flexible endless strap having an endless loop configuration. The anchor rods are driven partially into the ground along opposite lateral sides of the pipeline. The tie-down attachment members are disposed on and mounted to upper end portions of the anchor rods with each tie-down attachment member having a tubular mounting body defining an axial passageway through which the upper end portion of one anchor rod extends and a retainer body disposed in an oblique relation and attached to the tubular mounting body. Each termination member is mounted to the upper end portion of one of the anchor rods. The endless strap has opposite portions secured to the tie-down attachment members and main portions laid over a top of and disposed in a substantially transverse relation to the pipeline and extending between and attached to the opposite portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventor: William D. Kirk
  • Patent number: 6132227
    Abstract: A receptacle assembly having a body and a hinged cover is provided to accept a plug with a threaded ring connector. The body has an open end, an exterior surface and a ridge formed on the exterior surface adjacent to the open end adapted to receive the threaded ring of the plug. The ridge of the body has at least one interruption and defines threads for engagement with the threaded ring on the plug. The hinged cover has an interior periphery and at least one protrusion formed on the interior periphery and alignable with the one interruption of the ridge and movable through the interruption and into an underlying position relative to the ridge such that the cover is securely fitted over the open end of and onto the body when the assembly is not in use by moving the cover toward the body followed by rotating the cover relative to the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: William C. Boteler, Michael W. Miller
  • Patent number: 6109937
    Abstract: A four-sided ground contact assembly for use in an electrical receptacle includes a first contact element and a second contact element. Each of the first and second contact elements is mounted to a mounting bridge of the electrical receptacle. The first contact element has a pair of opposing contact leg portions and a base portion. The second contact element has a pair of opposing contact leg portions and a base portion The leg portions of the first and second contact elements are circumferentially spaced from one another and provide four points of contact on four sides of a ground pin of an electrical plug. The base portion of the first contact element is integral with the mounting bridge and the base portion of the second contact element is disposed above and fastened to the base portion of the first contact element and thus to the mounting bridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: Nelson Bonilla, Stephen R. Ewer
  • Patent number: 6102173
    Abstract: A rotary coupling apparatus includes a stationary housing defining a chamber, an elongated hollow shaft extending through the chamber of the housing and rotatable relative thereto, a drum supported about the shaft and rotatable therewith, and an elongated coupling cable for carrying communications elements being disposed in the chamber and interconnecting the stationary housing with the rotatable drum. The stationary housing has a pair of spaced end walls and a circumferential side wall disposed therebetween. The end walls define the chamber therebetween and the circumferential side wall defines an outer periphery of the chamber. The shaft extends through the chamber between the end walls and is mounted to undergo rotation relative to the end walls. The circumferential side wall is radially spaced outwardly from and extends about the rotatable shaft and drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventor: Roger Tuttlebee
  • Patent number: 6100485
    Abstract: A rotary disconnect switch device includes a housing, a handle mounted to the housing to undergo rotatable movement between on and off positions, and a rotary disconnect assembly supported in the housing below the handle. The rotary disconnect assembly includes pairs of electrical contact terminals each having respective contact elements movably and stationarily mounted on a main base for undergoing relative movement along a longitudinal axis of rotation of the handle so as to switch their respective contact elements between closed and opened conditions. The main cam follower is movably supported on the main base for undergoing reciprocable linear movement along the longitudinal axis toward and away from the movable contact terminals so as to produce movement thereof relative to the stationary contact terminals such that the respective contact elements are switched between the closed and opened conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: Sorin I. Mortun, Jeffrey L. Winterstein
  • Patent number: 6094902
    Abstract: An elongated carrier for holding and protecting lengths of cable and hose includes a plurality of substantially identical links pivotally interconnected to one another in an end-to-end arrangement. Each link includes a pair of sidewalls and a pair of crossbars. The sidewalls has opposite upper and lower portions extending between opposite end portions and a pair of protrusions being cross-sectionally T-shaped and attached to and projecting toward one another from one of the opposite upper and lower portions of the sidewalls. Each protrusion has spaced apart opposite outer and inner portions, spaced apart opposite side portions extending between and forming outer and inner pairs of corners with the opposite outer and inner portions, and recesses defined respectively at the inner pairs of corners adjacent to the inner portion of the protrusion to provide the cross-sectional T-shape of the protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven R. Drews, Kevin I. Pea
  • Patent number: 6089888
    Abstract: A receptacle assembly includes a body adapted to receive a plug at one end, a cover having a top wall and a hinge having opposite upper and lower ends pivotally mounting the cover to the body for undergoing movement between an open condition and a closed condition relative to the body. The upper end of the hinge is in the form of a cap mounting the top wall of the cover such that the cover is rotatable relative to the hinge. The cover in the closed condition is rotatable between unlocked and locked positions relative to the body. The assembly further includes separate location and position indicator elements respectively in the form of a stationary arrowhead on the hinge cap and a pair of indicia in the form of words on the cover top wall being separately alignable with the stationary arrowhead upon rotation of the cover between the locked and unlocked positions. A first of the indicia on the cover is the word "open" referring to the unlocked position of the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventor: Michael W. Miller