Patents Represented by Attorney Peter J. Murphy
  • Patent number: 4476750
    Abstract: A convertible retaining ring pliers includes a pair of jaws and a pair of handles all rotatable independently about a common pivot. Each jaw includes a transverse bore spaced from and parallel to the pivot axis for receiving an elongated cylindrical latching pin. Each handle has an associated end plate disposed on one side of the jaws, the end plates having holes to selectively receive an end of a latching pin to selectively latch a jaw to a respective handle. The latching pin bores have elongated grooves and the latching pins have associated friction springs with projecting tabs coacting with those grooves to retain the pins within the assembled pliers. Elongated retaining ring tips have hexagonal shanks received in multi-sided jaw recesses to retain the tips against rotation and to enable selected rotational orientation of the tips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 16, 1984
    Inventor: James W. Murphy
  • Patent number: 4473180
    Abstract: A stick hopper box has a floor and dividers mounted on the floor defining vertical guide channels for stacks of single rows of wieners. A plunger assembly includes individual plungers for expelling the lowermost wiener from the several guide channels into aligned clamps of a wiener clamping mechanism. A stick hopper for round sticks includes a box and transversely spaced dividers defining vertical guide channels for stacks of single sticks, the stick hopper guide channels being aligned with the wiener hopper guide channels and wiener clamps. A push rod mechanism, including individual push rods for each stick hopper guide channel, expels the sticks from the channel and inserts the sticks into wieners clamped in the wiener clamping mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1982
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1984
    Assignee: Thomas F. Lowrance
    Inventors: Thomas F. Lowrance, James B. Sharp
  • Patent number: 4453155
    Abstract: The water dispensing system includes sprinkler heads mounted on risers extending through the roof surface and supplied by PVC pipe suspended beneath the roof surface. Alternatively, porous hose may be mounted along the ridges. Water is supplied through an electrically motorized valve and electric motor driven booster pumps. The control circuit includes one or more flame sensor circuits each consisting of an electric current conductor disposed in selectively spaced runs and connected to the coil of a signal relay. Smoke detector sensor circuits include relay switches and operating coils, which coils are activated in response to a selected smoke level. The relay switches are connected by the control circuit to energize the motorized valve and the pump motor. The water flow is initiated either when flame overtakes a run of a flame sensor conductor or when a smoke detector detects the selected smoke level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1984
    Assignee: Raincloud, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary D. Cooper
  • Patent number: 4445485
    Abstract: A heat exchanger consists of an exhaust flow conduit mounted on and connected to the exhaust manifold. A partially enclosing housing or jacket defines a vaporizing chamber. A conduit communicates the vaporizing chamber with the inlet air throat for the intake manifold. A blending device mounted on the heat exchanger housing includes a mixing chamber for receiving an inert gas such as exhaust gas and one or more liquid fuel components. The mixing chamber may include a venturi whereby the flow of exhaust gas under pressure will draw liquid fuel and effect the mixing, vaporization and flow of that fuel mixture to the intake throat. The flow of the inert gas may be controlled in relation to the flow of inlet air. In another version the fuels are supplied to the blending device under pressure and under volume control related to the flow of inlet air, with the flow of pressurized exhaust gas effecting the flow of the vaporized fuel mixture through the heat exchanger to the inlet throat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1984
    Inventor: Addison B. Chamness, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4446085
    Abstract: Seal rings are molded from an injection moldable elastomeric material, with the rings being designed to have an axially thick body, a rib at the outer periphery for mounting engagement within the outer race ring groove, and a flexible sealing lip at the inner periphery for engagement with the inner race ring. To provide a rigid support body for the ring, particles are dispersed within the moldable material to be injected into the molds, the filler particles having a minimum dimension substantially larger than the maximum dimension of the sealing lip so that, during molding, the filler particles are excluded from the lip but are embedded in the body portion to make that portion more rigid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1984
    Inventor: Melvin L. Earsley
  • Patent number: 4425927
    Abstract: Apparatus for sorting and counting coins includes at least one tray and a pair of associated scoops. The tray includes a plurality of troughs for receiving and storing stacked coins, consisting of one or more troughs for accommodating quarters or alternatively nickels, and one or more troughs for accommodating pennies or alternatively dimes. The troughs are deep enough to fully receive a stack of associated coins, and dimensioned slightly larger than the larger of the coins to enable use of a scoop to retrieve the coins from the troughs. Each trough has a base end wall, and two indicia lines, spaced from that end wall, to identify stacks of the two denominations of coins for which the trough is designed. The scoops are elongated cylindrical members including a cylindrical handle and a tubular sheath projecting from one end of the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1984
    Inventor: William J. Smith
  • Patent number: 4419828
    Abstract: A simulator in the form of a tubular pantograph mechanism is adjustable in diameter, and has circumferentially spaced elongated rods mounted on the inner wall in parallel relation with the axis. These rods define the inner diameter of the simulator and when the simultor is compressed on a lateral, define the outer diameter of the lateral. These rods are movable axially with frictional restraint. A guide includes a base to be placed on the surface of the main in alignment with the axis of the main, and a linear guide arm pivotally mounted on the base in a manner to be clamped in a selected position aligned with the projected axis of the lateral to be joined to the main. The simulator includes coacting support brackets to mount the simulator on the guide arm; and the simulator rods are then moved axially into engagement with the surface of the main. The points of engagement of the rod ends define the contour of the joint opening to be cut in the main.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1983
    Inventor: David L. Farris
  • Patent number: 4412601
    Abstract: An elevator storage unit, supporting or containing the articles to be stored, is normally disposed in an above-ceiling enclosure defined by a ceiling opening and overlying enclosure structure. The base platform for the elevator unit defines the closure for the above-ceiling enclosure, in the upper limit position of the unit. The elevator unit is lowered and raised by means of an electric motor powered hoist mechanism, under control of a keyed switch. The elevator unit is lowered for access, and is raised to the above-ceiling position for convenient storage and/or security storage. The elevator unit includes an upper support member from which the base platform is suspended by cables. The support member is suspended by hoist mechanism cables. The elevator unit may function as utility unit for supporting a TV set or a beverage bar in a use condition suspended from the ceiling, but normally stored within the above-ceiling compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1983
    Inventor: Gary D. Cooper
  • Patent number: 4402343
    Abstract: A valve body has a larger bore and a smaller bore defining a transverse valve seat; and a plug closes the larger bore, the inner end confronting the valve seat and defining a radially enlarged valve chamber. The valve closure member comprises an enlarged head seating on the valve seat and an integral stem projecting from the discharge end of the valve. The plug has an axial recess opening toward the valve seat; and a control member comprises an enlarged head and an integral stem. A helical biasing spring is received over the control member stem; and the stem and spring are received within the plug recess to permit free axial movement over the valve closure member and free compression and expansion of the spring. The control member, which engages the closure member head to seat the closure member, has small lateral clearance with associated parts to severely restrict lateral movement of the control member and of the spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1982
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1983
    Assignee: Earl Clayton Thompson
    Inventors: Earl C. Thompson, Morris C. Keller, Francis Rustin
  • Patent number: 4402166
    Abstract: An elongated stabilizer is coupled to a generally vertical pole or stake, and disposed transverse to the pole or stake, extending in opposite directions therefrom, for engagement with the ground surface. The stabilizer may tilt relative to the post to accommodate inclined terrain. The stabilizer is provided with means defining four guide paths for four separate anchor rods, the rods being elongated linear members with heads at one end. All of the guide paths are disposed in planes generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stabilizer with two such guide paths being provided at each end of the stabilizer on opposite sides of the post. The two guide paths at each end of the stabilizer are provided to guide the rods at angles relative to a plane common to the pole or stake and the stabilizer, with the paths being inclined at opposite angles relative to that plane so that the anchor rods are driven into the ground at opposite angles relative to that plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1983
    Inventor: Robert R. Wortham, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4399813
    Abstract: A drill assembly includes a handle carrying a mount for a pneumatic drill motor, and an elongated tubular support enclosing an extended motor shaft which carries a drill bit chuck projecting from the end of that support. The drill assembly coacts with a drill guide assembly including an elongated tubular guide for receiving the tubular support in sliding relation, and having a rotary bearing at its lower end for rotationally supporting the drill bit. The lower end face is concave to enable seating on the prosthesis tip to be drilled. The drill guide assembly includes an offset handle and a stop clamp and depth gauge for coaction with the drill assembly handle to control the depth of drilling. An extractor assembly, for coaction with an undercut drilled hole in the prosthesis, includes an extractor having an externally threaded body and a tubular internally threaded T handle for that body. The body includes an axial shaft to be received in the hole with a lateral toe at the distal end defining a ledge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1983
    Inventor: Forest C. Barber
  • Patent number: 4395187
    Abstract: A cargo elevator, designed particularly for attachment to the rear end of a truck or trailer having a cargo bed, includes a mounting frame secured at the rear end of the cargo bed and disposed downwardly and forwardly with the forward end secured to the vehicle frame. The mounting frame includes aligned and axially spaced bearing sleeves for rotatably supporting a torque shaft and the mounting frame supports an hydraulic power cylinder, acting on a radial arm of the torque shaft between the sleeves to oscillate the torque shaft. Elevator platform lift arms are nonrotatably fixed to the ends of the torque shaft, and parallel arms are pivotally mounted on the mounting frame; and these are pivotally attached to a base platform of the elevator platform, to maintain it generally horizontal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1983
    Inventor: Quentin D. Corley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4390075
    Abstract: A loader includes a lift arm assembly, raised by hydraulic lift cylinders and carrying a load bucket. Alignment members mounted respectively on the loader frame and lift arm assembly, and visible to the loader operator, identify the weigh position of the lift arm assembly. A pressure to voltage transducer is mounted on one lift cylinder, and is connected in a bridge circuit producing a DC voltage output. The bridge circuit output signal, proportional to the bucket load, is fed to an amplifier, whose output is passed to an analog-to-frequency converter producing pulses at a frequency proportional to the bucket load. An electronic clock allows the converter output pulses to pass through an AND gate to a bucket counter which displays the bucket load, and is automatically reset to zero. The converter pulses are passed to an accumulator counter through a second AND gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1983
    Inventor: Edwin deS. Snead
  • Patent number: 4388970
    Abstract: A tubular member, to be a segment of the casing string, is provided with a polished bore at its upper end and a locking profile at its lower end. The locking profile includes a bearing shoulder and internal left hand threads for coaction with a latching mechanism. Another tubular member, to be a segment of the production tubing, has groups of circumferentially separated flutes to (1) maintain concentricity of the tubing segment, (2) provide axial flow passages between the segments, and (3) provide support for components of the tubing segment. A tubular packing mandrel, mounted on flutes, carries external annular packing for sealing engagement with the polished bore. The lower end of the packing mandrel defines an annular valve seat; and a tubular valve closure member, mounted in sliding, sealing relation on the tubing segment, has a coacting upward facing valve seat. A valve spring urges closure of the valve closure member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1983
    Assignee: Otis Engineering Corporation
    Inventor: John R. Setterberg, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4371038
    Abstract: An injection assembly includes a packer set in the casing adjacent to the producing zone, having a bore sized to receive production tubing. A portion of the assembly suspended from the string of production tubing includes a side pocket mandrel, a twin flow head, an extensible telescoping housing, and coacting joint means on the extensible housing and the packer for axial joining of these members. The side pocket mandrel, twin flow head, and twin flow converter provide a first passage joined to the production tubing; and a length of inner tubing joined to the twin flow converter extends this passage down into the bore of the packer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 1, 1983
    Assignees: Otis Engineering Corporation, Exxon Production Research Company
    Inventors: William L. Abernathy, Billy B. Bertram, Anthony D. Davis, Richard M. Ward
  • Patent number: 4341182
    Abstract: A parallel array of a lower elongated plastic water pipe, an intermediate elongated compression member, and an upper tensioned cable is supported at the ends by rigid end support members. Animal operated drinker valves, mounted within upward opening cups, are disposed in longitudinally spaced relation on the upper face of the water pipe. The entire apparatus is suspended from an overhead support by the end supports. Intermediate spacer brackets maintain the spaced relation of the pipe, compression member, and tensioned cable. Where the cable functions as an anti-roost cable for poultry, additional cable supports are mounted on the compression member and secured to the cable to maintain the spacing of these two members. In alternative form an elongated support bar of V-shaped cross-section is maintained in contiguous relation with the pipe by spaced clamps, to serve as an additional anti-sag support for the watering unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1982
    Inventors: Francis Rustin, Morris C. Keller
  • Patent number: 4323044
    Abstract: A fuel charging device includes a housing having two transverse bores, one defining a mixing chamber and one defining a vaporizing chamber. A section of exhaust bypass conduit passes through the vaporizing chamber bore to provide an annular chamber. A plurality of fuel flow channels consist essentially of transverse bores intersecting the vaporizing chamber and mixing chamber bores. These fuel flow channels include a valve chamber, a feed chamber communicating the valve chamber and the vaporizing chamber, and passages communicating the vaporizing chamber and the mixing chamber. Metering valves include valve orifices disposed between the valve chamber and the feed chamber, and needle valves at the end of valve actuator stems which extend through the valve chamber and beyond the housing. Liquid fuel inlet passages communicate with the valve chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1980
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1982
    Inventors: William L. Erwin, Addison B. Chamness, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4299294
    Abstract: The tool includes an elongated body, rectangular in cross-section and having a switch housing mounted on one side face, to enable the mounting of an array of such tools in close side-by-side relation. A hydraulic motor, rotary drive spindle, and extensible quill are mounted relative to the housing about a common rotary and extension axis. The drive spindle has an external spline at its rear end, for engagement with an internally splined drive coupling which is secured to the motor drive shaft by means of a special key arrangement to prevent axial movement of the drive coupling. The quill is extended by a fluid operated cylinder-piston structure; and the front end of the drive shaft is supported within the front end of the quill by means of a uniquely mounted bearing. The bearing is mounted at the squared front end of the quill for precise axial and squared alignment; and is also confined between the spindle drive shaft and spindle end for precise axial and squared alignment relative to the spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1980
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1981
    Assignee: AAA Products International, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert C. Womack
  • Patent number: 4294403
    Abstract: Air flows to the conditioned space through a cool air duct and a warm air duct which feed a common delivery duct. The inlet of the cool air duct is connected to a cool air supply duct of a parent system; and inlet of the warm air duct communicates with the return air plenum. Flow control components are air actuated and are controlled by actuators responding to a varying air pressure control signal, which is the output of a thermostat in the conditioned space producing a varying signal pressure signal related to varying temperatures. Dampers in the cool air duct and warm air duct provide for alternative air flow from either of these ducts to the delivery duct. The volume of air flow in the cool air duct is controlled by a modulating damper which responds to a selected signal pressure range. The air flow in the warm air duct is controlled by a fan and dampers, controlled through change of the signal pressure in either direction relative to a selected signal level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1981
    Inventors: Staron E. Ammons, Edwin L. Paschall, Morris G. Carter
  • Patent number: 4289294
    Abstract: The device includes a main flow control valve and associated packings designed for effective operation under extreme conditions associated with the pumping of high viscosity asphaltic crude wherein the formation includes toxic gases, and where the formation is produced using steam flooding techniques. The main valve seat and the associated valve closure, consisting of a reciprocating ram and packing plug, are coaxial with the pump polished rod. The valve seat includes tapered walls defining a shoulder which partially confronts the ram plug; and the ram plug is formed of a compressible material formed to the shape of the valve seat. The packing plug is retained on the end of the ram by axial tie rods and a retaining ring, which ring may engage the valve seat shoulder to effect axial compression of the packing plug between the retaining ring and ram face, and consequent radial expansion into sealing engagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1981
    Assignee: Double-E, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas K. McLean