Patents Represented by Law Firm Plante Strauss & Vanderburgh
  • Patent number: 4844595
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention a viewing device for flotation bodies is provided which comprises a body having an interior defined by its side walls and at least one transparent end wall. In one embodiment using two transparent end walls, the transparent end walls define spaced-apart viewing ports, one port being normally above the surface of the water and the opposite port being below the surface of the water. The interior of the body is adapted to be substantially condensation free by evacuating the interior of the body and sealing the body in the evacuated condition or, more preferably, filling the body with a fluid to the exclusion of air so that condensation and air bubbles are thereby avoided. In a preferred embodiment the viewing device consists of a single piece body having a single transparent end wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1989
    Inventor: Robert B. Nealy
  • Patent number: 4844131
    Abstract: A reed with removable dents consisting of a reed frame and a plurality of spaced apart dents removably carried by transverse members of the reed frame. Spacing between dents is maintained by open ended tubular shaped spacers which are also removably carried by the transverse frame members. Headers are provided on the ends of the transverse members for clamping the dents and spacers in position. The spacers consist of open ended tubular bodies having a portion of the wall removed to create a longitudinal opening extending from end to end which is or can be dimensioned to permit the spacer to be coaxially removably mounted on a transverse member of the reed frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1989
    Inventors: Barbara C. Anderson, Gerald P. Young
  • Patent number: 4845338
    Abstract: An inner shoe for a boot such as a ski boot includes a foot warmer mechanism having an air system that includes an air bag which surrounds its instep area and communicates to a sealed chamber between the soles of the shoe. The air bag can be pressured to maintain a sense of tightness or security to the ski boot. The air circulation system also augments heat transfer within the boot. The foot warmer mechanism is mounted entirely on an insert for the outer boot or shoe, and includes an electrical resistance heater, an electrical generator, a mechanical transducer to translate vertical movements of the wearer's heel into uni-directional rotational movement of a flywheel, and a gear box mechanically coupling the flywheel to the electrical generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1989
    Inventor: Nikola Lakic
  • Patent number: 4842332
    Abstract: There is disclosed a cushion covering for a bicycle saddle which is of a laminated construction that includes a relatively thick, cushioning elastomeric base layer, a tough fabric overlay adhesively bonded to the top surface of the elastomeric base layer, and a permanent, pressure-sensitive adhesive coating on the under surface of the elastomeric base layer to bond the cushion covering to the seat portion of the bicycle saddle. The cushion covering is applied to only the seat portion of the saddle, terminating short of its vertical side flanks. Preferably the cushion covering has bevelled edges coextensive with the vertical side flanks and, most preferably, coextensive about its entire periphery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1989
    Inventors: Donald W. Conner, Jr., Craig A. Munoz
  • Patent number: 4843213
    Abstract: A welding and/or cutting machine 1 is provided for use on a workpiece 2 formed by a pair of metal sheets 3 in face to face contact. The machine comprises a movable carriage 4 mounted on a pair of drive rollers 5 operable to grip the sheets 3 of the workpiece in the nip of the rollers. The axes of rotation 6 of the rollers 5 are disposed so that as the rollers rotate, forces are generated which cause the carriage 4 to be pulled on to the workpiece 2. The carriage 4 is capable of transporting welding means 7 as shown in FIG. 1, for lip-welding the sheets of the workpiece together, or, alternatively, transporting cutter means 10 for subsequent removal of weld material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1989
    Assignee: European Atomic Energy (EURATOM)
    Inventors: Tullio Raimondi, Pierre Presle, Leandro Galbiati, Stephane de Burbure
  • Patent number: 4836727
    Abstract: There is disclosed a torque limiting fastener system for forged or pressed metal nuts. The stamped metal fasteners have a central, cylindrical sleeve, an annular ledge which is dependent from one end of the sleeve, and a surrounding skirt, generally with hexagonal flats, which forms an annular well about the cylindrical sleeve. The torque limiting characteristic is imparted to these fasteners by a drive member which is of approximately the same dimensions as the stamped or pressed metal fastener and which has a plurality of prongs which are received in apertures or recesses in the stamped fastener. The apertures can open into the annular well about the central sleeve of the fastener or can be placed in an annular flat base which is formed on some of the stamped metal fasteners. The drive member is formed of a suitable plastic material having a precisely controlled shear strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1989
    Inventor: Josef F. Volkmann
  • Patent number: 4835559
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a box camera which comprises a rectangular body which is open at two opposite sides to define a housing which is formed of a completely dimensionally stable fiber reinforced thermosetting resin. A lens plate assembly including a lens mounting plate and lens mounting plate support frame is slidably carried by the housing. The lens mounting plate is supported about its periphery by the support frame and the camera lens and shutter assembly is carried by the lens plate thus providing a highly stable lens mount. The housing adjacent the opposite one side is adapted for removably receiving a back member which closes the opposite side of the housing. The back member comprises a film plate which carries film sheets for exposure or which may carry means for mounting a film cassette and may also comprise a viewing device by which one may view the images received by the camera for composing and framing pictures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1989
    Inventor: Mark Hattan
  • Patent number: 4833782
    Abstract: This invention comprises a focused light attachment for use with a portable power-driven hand saw, particularly a saber saw. The invention comprises a light source such as an electric lamp with a suitable electrical power source and a focusing mechanism for projecting a very narrow beam of light. The light source and focusing mechanism is mounted on the front of the hand saw and is positioned to project its narrow light beam a substantial distance in front of the saw blade so that it can be used to trace or follow a previously scribed saw line. The tracing light can be used in combination with a flood light that is mounted also on the front of the saw housing and positioned to flood the area surrounding the saw blade with illumination. Most preferably, the tracing light and its focusing mechanism are mounted permanently within the housing of a saber saw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1989
    Assignee: Robert E. Strauss
    Inventor: Lonnie W. Smith
  • Patent number: 4830281
    Abstract: There is disclosed a spray tip useful for high pressure, airless spraying which has an orifice tip holder that is reversible between spraying and cleaning positions and that is interchangeable with other holders supporting orifice tips of varied diameters and capacities. The invention particularly provides a turret member as the orifice tip holder which has a size that permits it to be used as an ejector pin or member for removal of the seal from the spray tip. The turret member is sealed in the assembly by a floating seal in which the liquid line pressure provides the force to maintain the seal against the cylindrical member. The forward end of the floating seal has a seal face formed of a very hard, preferably reinforced plastic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1989
    Assignee: ASM Corporation
    Inventor: Oliver J. Calder
  • Patent number: 4830164
    Abstract: A heat puck has a trapezoidal shape with a steel base plate and a thick layer of a high heat capacity material such as copper. The heat puck is attached to either or both the pressure plate and flywheel of an otherwise conventional automotive clutch assembly. Preferably a circular array of heat pucks are mounted on a respective plate or flywheel. The puck is mounted with a large diameter shoulder member that extends through an aperture in the puck and is received in an aligned receptacle in the surface of the plate or flywheel. A screw or rivet fastener extends through the shoulder member, puck and plate or flywheel to retain the assembly. The shoulder member provides the necessary torque resistance to the assembly, protection the fastener from stress failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1989
    Inventor: Bill J. Hays
  • Patent number: 4826402
    Abstract: A high capacity centrifugal pump for the transfer of liquids is presented. The pump comprises four major components held in rigid assembly by means of screws and pins: a drive unit which includes a drive shaft, a keyway and key, an end play control collar and an impeller mounting fixture; a one piece pump housing comprising mounting legs and a large internal diameter outlet port, a circular pump chamber cavity and a shaft hole containing a lip seal and a pair of flanged sleeve bearings; a one piece impeller of a width slightly less than its diameter; an end plate encompassing a large diameter inlet port. The drive shaft and attached impeller are mounted off center in the cylindrical pump chamber to permit liquid escaping from the impeller to enter a surrounding area which closely resembles the volute chambers common to conventional single stage centrifugal pumps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1989
    Inventor: Paul W. Nachtrieb
  • Patent number: 4823482
    Abstract: There is disclosed an inner shoe for a boot such as a ski boot which includes a foot warmer mechanism having a heat engine which includes a compressor, evaporator and condenser coils and interconnecting conduits for circulating a working refrigeration fluid. In a preferred embodiment, the cycle of the heat engine can be reversed, thereby cooling the inner shoe. The mechanism also includes an entirely sealed, remote latch to lock the heat engine out of operation. The inner shoe can have an air system that includes an air bag which surrounds its instep area and communicates to a sealed chamber between the soles of the shoe. The air bag can be pressured to maintain a sense of tightness or security to the ski boot. The air system also augments heat transfer within the boot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1989
    Inventor: Nikola Lakic
  • Patent number: 4821699
    Abstract: A pressure distributing device foe an engine valve cover is described which is adapted to fit around a valve cove and to act against the valve cover attachment flange to evenly distribute torquing pressure over the valve cover and the valve cover gasket. The device consists of an annular, substantially rigid body having a plan configuration which corresponds to the valve cover. The body fits over the valve cover body and acts against the valve cover attachement flange to distribute torquing pressure thereover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1989
    Inventor: Alan Mackin
  • Patent number: 4819906
    Abstract: A mold to manufacture an improved press-on bottle cap is disclosed. The cap has a top disk and a thin-walled outer skirt dependent therefrom with an annular tear score line on its inside wall and a laterally projecting tear tab which permit the cap to divide into a lower portion an upper reclosure cap. An annular lip is provided about the outside wall of the cap, approximately in the middle of the reclosure cap. The lip is discontinuous with an open sector above the tear tab. The mold has its parting line in the plane of the annular lip and the lower half of the mold has a lateral cavity to form the tear tab. In this manner, a laterally offset tear tab is provided without splitting the mold cavity along an axial plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1989
    Inventor: Benjamin A. Cochrane
  • Patent number: 4813680
    Abstract: This invention is a game and a head piece for the game. The game is played by any number of players who take alternate turns wearing the head piece which is a hat-like device, that supports a container of water. Positioned in the base of the container are a number of identical removable pegs. The removal of one particular peg will release the water down upon the wearer's head. All the pegs are identical so the wearer does not know just which peg will activate the water flow. The wearer is rewarded one point for each peg he has removed without getting wet. The game is played in a series of rounds wherein each player takes a turn wearing the hat-like device and a game is won after one player achieves a predetermined score. The game score is kept on a score mat upon which each player has a movable token.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1989
    Inventors: Elliot A. Rudell, George Foster
  • Patent number: 4804546
    Abstract: There is disclosed a stable thixotropic suspension of a fat in an aqueous liquid gel of a feed solution and a method for its preparation. The method comprises forming the liquid gel from a solution of sugar, protein or mixtures thereof, by incorporating ammonium phosphate in the solution in an amount sufficient to form the gel, adding water to reduce the concentration of the gel, and then adding fat. When fats with solidification temperatures above ambient temperature are added, the liquid gel is warmed to about the melting point of the fat and the fat is melted before mixing the fat with the liquid gel. Other water insoluble feed nutrients such as calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, etc., or drugs such as monisan can also be suspended in the resultant gel. Water soluble feed nutrients such as urea, sodium bicarbonate, etc., can also be added.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1989
    Assignee: Pacific Kenyon Corp.
    Inventor: J. Wallace Sawhill
  • Patent number: 4803085
    Abstract: The invention is a preservative coating for solid animal feed supplement and a method for its application. The solid feed supplement is produced as a viscous liquid that gels into a hard solid after it has been poured into molds which are usually the cartons for the final supplement packages. The preservative coating is a digestible film former which, optionally, contains an effective amount of mold inhibitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1989
    Assignee: Pacific Kenyon Corp.
    Inventor: John E. Findley
  • Patent number: 4800088
    Abstract: A method of making a free choice feed block solidified with calcium hydroxide, etc. which is improved by incorporating a 2 to 20% protein meal and 16-20% of a solid filler of brans, hulls and shells to produce a solid hardness of from 35-60. The presence of the protein meal and filler increases the hardness of the feed block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1989
    Assignee: Pacific Kenyon Corp.
    Inventor: J. Wallace Sawhill
  • Patent number: D300636
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1989
    Assignee: Creatuve Curb, Inc.
    Inventors: William H. Howard, Patrick W. Kincaid
  • Patent number: D301005
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1989
    Inventor: Dale E. Waters