Patents Represented by Attorney Robert B. Chickering
  • Patent number: 4635674
    Abstract: A diverter valve for a swimming pool/spa system is disclosed which has a lubricated seal assembly for the diverter portion of the valve. Valve lubrication is accomplished without valve disassembly. A method for minimizing the diameter of a valve body for a valve having a selected one of three, five, six or seven ports while still permitting the valve to be used with standard plumbing fittings is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1987
    Inventor: Peter Bajka
  • Patent number: 4634964
    Abstract: A system for measuring the capacitance of an electric signal conductor, with particular interest on telephone cables. A waveform generator produces a test signal which is coupled to the conductor. The resultant signal emerging from the conductor is delivered to a receiver, and then to an integrator, to produce an output signal which is a direct digital measure of the conductor's capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1984
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1987
    Assignee: DCM Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Leo M. Chattler
  • Patent number: 4628755
    Abstract: A mouse (X-Y position controller) having axially-inclined transducer assemblies--preferably almost perpendicular to the surface on which the mouse is operated--for a compact, greatly simplified structure. The drive wheel of such an assembly can then be small relative to the transducer disk of that assembly, with considerably reduced precision requirements for location of indicia on the disk. Moreover, by use of a pair of spaced ring magnets urging the drive wheel toward the operational surface for the mouse, significant contact force against the operating surface is provided while eliminating substantially all of the friction attendant upon use of even a so-called antifriction thrust bearing. Due to the magnitude of the available contact force, the drive wheel can be of a hard and durable material rather than an elastomer and still provide improved tractional characteristics even on such a difficult operating surface as, for example, oiled teflon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1986
    Inventor: Jack S. Hawley
  • Patent number: 4627240
    Abstract: A wave powered engine including a float that rises and falls by wave action and which is guided by rails attached to the sea bed to restrict the motion of the float to vertical motion. The float having variable buoyancy and a depending skirt to increase the thrust of the float on upward and downward power strokes, and means on a framework fixed to the ocean bed that cooperates with means fixed to the movement of a shaft as a result of the reciprocating movement of the float.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 9, 1986
    Inventor: William A. Holmes
  • Patent number: 4621621
    Abstract: Disclosed is an inventive valve assembly (24) for coupling a respirator jacket (26) to a household vacuum cleaner (28). The respirator jacket is used to assist a human user (22) in breathing. One embodiment includes a fixed first conduit (48) and an oscillating second conduit (44) which moves on a rocker arm (62) into and out of fluid communicating position with the first conduit. A cam assembly (72) having two arcuate cam surfaces (A1, B1) is adjustable to vary the duration during which the conduits are in fluid communication. Also adjustable is the frequency of oscillation of the second conduit. The duration and frequency are independently adjustable. Reference numerals used in this Abstract highlight the Detailed Description and Drawings, and do not limit the scope of the invention, which is much more broadly defined by the claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1986
    Inventor: John P. Marsalis
  • Patent number: 4621747
    Abstract: An apparatus for charge-wise dosing a metered volume quantity of liquid medium to be supplied continuously under delivery pressure, comprising a pair of serially connected cylinder-and-piston assemblies of different diameters the cylinder blocks being arranged axially relatively to each other, forming a composite housing; a supply conduit for the flowing medium connected to the smaller diameter cylinder block and a filling nozzle connected to the larger diameter cylinder block and containing a discharge opening; a tube operating as a piston member for reciprocation in the composite housing, which tube is in direct communication with the smaller diameter cylinder block and connected to the larger diameter cylinder block via a passage provided in the larger diameter piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1986
    Assignee: Tebel Machinefabrieken B.V.
    Inventors: Ype Y. van der Velde, Athanasius A. Bootsma
  • Patent number: 4618066
    Abstract: Disclosed is an inventive apparatus which is interchangeably useful as a container or a megaphone. The apparatus includes a rigid, hollow, double-walled body open at its bottom through an outlet and opened at its top through a port. The apparatus is designed to be hand-held. A removable and reinsertable cap and base are designed to fit respectively into the port and outlet. When inserted, the cap and base make the body useful as a temperature maintaining potable liquid container. When removed, the cap and base open the body for use as a megaphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1986
    Assignee: Mug-A-Phone, Inc.
    Inventor: John G. Vail
  • Patent number: 4612914
    Abstract: This invention relates to a portable, high performance solar powered oven, distiller, heater and light directing survival apparatus which is fabricated of light weight, flexible materials that can be easily collapsed for convenient mobility.The invention is formed by concentrating incident solar radiation by means of a funnel shaped reflector into a transparent container which concentrically surrounds a solar heat exchanger. The reflector, transparent container and heat exchanger are constructed in such a way as to permit the heating of food, water, air or desalination reactants to temperatures in excess of 400.degree. F., yet when collapsed, can all fit within the small portable transparent container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1986
    Inventor: Kent A. Dogey
  • Patent number: 4613131
    Abstract: A solid, rigid foam device having a continuous outer skin, a flat, circular upper surface that merges smoothly into a symmetric, oblated spherical surface, the upper surface having four, spaced, shallow indentations around its periphery and a number of anchor points that do not extend above the flat surface, the anchor points typically being nuts embedded in the foam plastic body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1986
    Inventor: Erma N. Anderson
  • Patent number: 4607998
    Abstract: A powered, electromechanical manipulator assembly is disclosed which includes an electrically powered input device coupled by a hydraulic circuit to a mechanical manipulator. The hydraulic circuit is a fixed-volume, closed circuit in which a master piston-cylinder assembly is driven by a D.C. motor and is hydraulically coupled for direct and proportional displacement of a slave piston-cylinder assembly to enable smooth, accurate and easily connected displacement of a manipulator arm. The manipulator arm is formed of a plurality of modules each having a fixed-volume, closed, hydraulic circuit and a slave cylinder. Both the slave and master cylinders includes ambient pressure surfaces which are exposed to the water pressure at the operating depth of the assembly so that variation in depth does not materially affect the response or dexterity of the remote manipulator apparatus. An improved terminal module or jaw assembly is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1986
    Assignee: Deep Ocean Engineering Incorporated
    Inventor: Graham S. Hawkes
  • Patent number: 4605386
    Abstract: A compact, variable speed pulley assembly is disclosed in which pulley faces are mounted to a pulley shaft for rotation with respect thereto and for relative axial displacement along the shaft. A torsion spring is connected to transmit a torque force from the shaft to at least one of the pulley faces. The pulley assembly further includes a motion damping brake which applies a sliding friction force resisting relative angular displacement between the pulley faces and the pulley shaft. This friction force damps out over-correction by the torsion spring for speed variations induced by changes in the V-belt width, machine dynamic imbalance and workpiece characteristics. Fatigue of the torsion spring is eliminated without increasing the pulley assembly bulk by providing a second compression spring or providing a conical torsion spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1986
    Inventor: Gerald R. Harris
  • Patent number: 4604949
    Abstract: A meat press including a first frame and a second frame which are moveable with respect to each other, the first frame having support trays to hold meat while cooking and the second frame having pressing trays to exert force on the meat while it is being cooked, and a spring assembly between the first frame and the second frame, the spring assembly including a device to vary the spring force when meat is held between and in contact with the support trays and the pressing trays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1986
    Assignee: Mepaco, Inc.
    Inventor: John D. Giese
  • Patent number: 4605827
    Abstract: An auxiliary test system for use with a long transmission line such as one having a telephone at an end thereof whereby from a remote central test station a line may be tested for a short between wires, an open, an abnormal load condition or reversed connections and the relative location of such a fault condition determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1986
    Assignee: DCM Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Leo M. Chattler
  • Patent number: 4604559
    Abstract: The user of a remotely controlled, powered manipulator is provided with audible feedback signals which provide useful information relating to the force and speed of the motor. An audio tone is generated and is frequency modulated by a signal which corresponds to motor speed. The tone is amplitude modulated by a signal corresponding to motor force thus providing the user with an intuitively interpretable feedback signal having a speed-proportional pitch and force-proportional volume. In the case of an electric motor, voltage and current can be monitored to provide speed and force signals respectively. Additional modulation means are disclosed for introducing a force-proportional warble component to said tone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1986
    Assignee: Deep Ocean Engineering Incorporated
    Inventors: Graham S. Hawkes, Walter I. Glz
  • Patent number: 4603719
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a counterbore and a bore in a workpiece for toe fastening of the piece to a second member is disclosed. The apparatus includes a router mounted with its cutting bit transverse to the workpiece so that the bit may be progressively urged into the workpiece surface to produce a shallow counterbore. Additionally, a drillbit is mounted so that it can be urged from the edge of the workpiece in an opposite direction toward the counterbore to produce a fastener receiving bore which communicates with the counterbore. The router and drill are mounted on a common carriage, and in one embodiment the carriage is pivoted, while in another it is slid, in opposite directions to produce the counterbore and bore. A method of forming the bore and counterbore is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1986
    Inventor: Max W. Durney
  • Patent number: 4602496
    Abstract: A tool for reforming a male, externally threaded, gardenhose fitting is disclosed. The plier-like tool includes pivoted lever arms which carry transversely extending swaging lobes that can be inserted inside a deformed hose fitting. The lobes are notched to receive an inwardly extending annular end flange commonly present on such fittings, and expansion of the lobes and relative rotation of the fitting and the lobes swages and reforms, not only the length of the fitting, but the end flange. The tool also includes recesses that can be used to initially open the fitting and to finish-up the reforming process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1986
    Inventor: J. Parry Wagener
  • Patent number: 4601155
    Abstract: An automatic mail banding apparatus is disclosed in which mail is positioned in a stack in a mail receiving tray and is clamped to a movable portion of the tray. A rubber band applying assembly receives a rubber band at a position along the side of the tray, expands the band while axially aligning the expanded band with the stack of mail, moves the band axially toward the stack to surround the stack with the expanded band, and then releases the band around the stack. The movable portion of the tray pivots to move the stack to a new orientation while the stack of mail remains clamped to the movable portion of the tray, and a second band is applied to the stack by the band applying assembly in a transverse orientation to the first band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1986
    Assignees: Robert Alameda, Richard Cooper
    Inventor: Paul A. Lewis
  • Patent number: 4596106
    Abstract: A cushion assembly for cushioning obstacles to prevent injury to skiers. Inflated gas bladders are held upright against obstacles such as ski lift support columns. The materials used for fabrication are selected to be substantially water-impervious so that melted snow cannot refreeze and create an undesirably rigid cushion that will injure a skier who skis into it. The cushion assembly is adjustable to include as many bladders as necessary to cushion the obstacle against skier impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1986
    Inventor: Jan K. Kunczynski
  • Patent number: 4593516
    Abstract: An automatic bag tying apparatus for converting an open bag loosely holding a substance into a tight package. A first gripping assembly tightly grips the unsealed bag toward its mouth. A second gripping assembly loosely and slidably grips the unsealed bag to form a neck. A displacement assembly displaces the gripping means relative to each other to cause the gripping means to move apart until the substance stops against the second gripping means. Bag closure applying apparatus then applies a closure to the bag in close proximity to the substance to create the final, closed, tight package. The tying apparatus further includes a guide assembly, and the gripping assemblies open sufficiently wide to allow passage of the bag and product therethrough which enables gravity loading of the apparatus. Tightening of the bag about the product is also controlled by pressure sensing apparatus to prevent over-tensioning of the bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1986
    Assignees: Robert Alameda, Richard P. Cooper
    Inventors: Robert Alameda, Raymond Ash
  • Patent number: D286549
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1986
    Inventor: Ronald R. Erlendson