Patents Represented by Attorney Robert E. Massa
  • Patent number: 5022428
    Abstract: An apparatus for injecting a chemical additive into a fluid flow stream. In one embodiment, liquid petroleum fuel is being pumped from a storage unit into a tank of a tank truck and a controlled amount of a fuel additive is injected into the flow stream of the petroleum fuel. Preferably, the petroleum fuel is pumped through a line from the storage which is quick-connected to a loading line attached to the tank truck. The chemical additive is pumped from a supply container on the tank truck into the loading line by means of air pressure supplied to the additive container from the tank truck's own air pressure supply system. The fuel additive is pumped at a controllable rate and at a higher pressure than the pressure of the fuel stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1991
    Assignee: Aviation Petroleum Inc.
    Inventor: Edward J. Vilines
  • Patent number: 5022595
    Abstract: A device and method for tensioning a strip of material, such as tape, traveling from a material source, such as a tape spool, to a material user, such as a pipe or similar conduit. The device includes a first roller, a second roller, and an interconnection assembly. The first roller is positioned for non-slidingly contacting a portion of the strip of material so that the portion of the strip of material contacting the first roller travels at the same velocity as the tangential velocity of the outside surface of the first roller. The second roller is positioned for non-slidingly contacting a portion of the strip of material in the path of travel of the strip of material between the first roller and the material user so that the portion of the strip of material contacting the second roller travels at the same velocity as the tangential velocity of the outside surface of the second roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1991
    Inventor: R. G. Goekler
  • Patent number: 5012604
    Abstract: A trigger assembly for a gun comprises a trigger, a hammer mounted adjacent the trigger, a spring-biased member urging the hammer into a firing position, a sear on the trigger to hold the hammer in a cocked position, an auxiliary sear mounted on the trigger to engage the hammer in event the hammer is urged into a cocked position before the trigger is released, an adjustable spring-biased member attached to the auxiliary sear to permit adjustment of the auxiliary sear, and an adjustable elongated spring-biased component positioned longitudinally adjacent a lower portion of the trigger assembly and having one end impinging a front lower face of the trigger to permit fine adjustment of trigger movement. The adjustable spring-biased member attached to the auxiliary sear includes a hook member removably positioned upon the auxiliary sear, a threaded adapter positioned in the lower portion of the trigger assembly, and a spring connecting the hook member to the threaded adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1991
    Inventor: Laurence B. Rogers
  • Patent number: 4993243
    Abstract: A portable fleshing tool has a thin, circular blade mounted on a drive shaft of a motor. A front and a rear guard substantially protect the blade, with the rear guard removably attachable to the housing of the motor and the front guard removably attachable to the rear guard. The front guard is slightly vertically adjustable to permit slight adjustment of the depth of a fleshing cut because the fleshing blade is being operated in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the pelt or hide being fleshed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1991
    Inventor: Dale E. Guinn
  • Patent number: 4993497
    Abstract: A fire fighting device having a funnel shaped jacket that attaches to a rib framing system that is strapped around a bulk storage tank, the ribs attached to a relief channel located at the base of the tank, the jacket is held away from the tank shell by the ribs, the void created between the funnel jacket and tank shell is the waterway, fire stream cooling water is collected at the top of the tank by the funnel, the water is then gravity fed through the waterway, the flow rate of the water is controlled by the size of the relief ports located in the relief channel. As the water travels across the face of the tank within the waterway, it absorbs the heat radiated into the tank by an outside heat source. The heat transferred water enters the relief channel through inlet ports. The heated water is then released outside the waterway system through relief ports. Cool fire stream water enters at the top of the funnel; heat transferred water exits the system at the base of the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1991
    Inventor: Oscar R. Majors
  • Patent number: 4879869
    Abstract: A wheeled attachment for a grass trimmer includes a mounting bar having a wheel at each end, detachably mountable to the grass trimmer to provide easy control and easy support for the grass trimmer. The detachable bar may be securable by a nut and bolt combination either to a housing or protective cover mounted on the grass cutting head immediately above the grass cutting element, or to an adjustable bar component which is detachably securable to the elongated shaft of the grass trimmer. For easy mounting upon the housing of a grass trimmer, the detachable bar includes adjustment slots for the nut and bolt fasteners so that the fasteners may be easily and quickly adjusted to the size of the housing component. For easy mounting upon the elongated shaft of the grass trimmer, the adjustable bar component includes two or more vertically extending bar members which are adjustably attachable to permit forward or rearward adjustment of the wheeled attachment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1989
    Inventor: Rudy R. Buckendorf, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4858977
    Abstract: A self-attaching linking device comprises a U-shaped loop member having a first and a second end, each connected respectively to a first and a second end of a base member, and the base member includes means for closing the linking device securably and easily releasably. One embodiment encompasses a flat base member having a central portion adapted to hold swivelably a cooperating hook member or further securing device. The ends of the base member are integral with the loop member. In another embodiment, the flat base member is swivelably attached to the first end of the loop member and releasably cooperating with the second end of the loop member in securably closing the linking device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1989
    Inventor: Glen E. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 4801773
    Abstract: A protective cover for a dish being heated in a microwave oven is formed of moisture-absorbent, microwave transparent material forming a top member and an encircling wall member depending downwardly from the periphery of the top member to completely cover the dish to protect the interior of the oven from any possible spattering of food particles during the heating. The cover is formed of absorbent material so that any escaping fluids and food particles may be captured or absorbed by the cover. The wall member is fluted to give the cover self-supporting rigidity, and an upper edge of each fluted portion coincides with a scalloped portion of the top member. The cover may be treated with a microwave safe resin to increase the rigidity of the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1989
    Inventor: Ronnie Hanlon
  • Patent number: 4754869
    Abstract: An apparatus for providing uniform distribution of aggregate material has a rotatable hopper mounted on a support frame to receive aggregate material from an apparatus supplying aggregate material. Attached to the rotatable hopper, and in communication with a discharge opening of the hopper, is a chute extending downwardly and angularly outwardly from the axis of rotation of the hopper. The chute includes a baffle which responds to the gravitational force applied by the flow of aggregate down the chute to cause rotation of the hopper and thereby provide for uniform spreading of aggregate beneath the hopper. A modified version includes a first hopper pivotally mounted on the support frame in a manner to receive aggregate from the supply apparatus and a second hopper rotatably mounted beneath the first hopper with the chute attached to the rotatable hopper to receive aggregate from the rotatable hopper and cause rotation of the rotatable hopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1988
    Inventors: Donald S. Hutchison, Thomas D. P. Kiser, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4746152
    Abstract: A bolt mountable on adjacent members, such as a door and a door frame, to hold the members lockably secure, comprises a bolt assembly on a first member and a keeper assembly on the second member. The bolt assembly includes a flat, elongated slide bolt slidably therein. The slide bolt has a locking pin opening at one end to receive and hold securely a locking pin of the keeper assembly, and a control stem at the other end extending through a slot in the bolt to the exterior. A pair of shoulders at the end of the slide bolt define a narrow passageway communicating with the locking pin opening. A narrow stem is connected axially to the locking pin and extends through an opening in the keeper assembly cover to the exterior of the bolt. A coil spring below the locking pin urges the locking pin toward the exterior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1988
    Inventor: Robert L. Willcox
  • Patent number: 4694750
    Abstract: An antismear transfer cylinder controls movement of a freshly inked sheet through an offset printing press while protecting the sheet from smearing. The antismear cylinder is mountable adjacent an impression cylinder of the printing press and comprises a cylindrical portion of resilient material mounted on a support wheel. The cylindrical portion includes a pair of axially oriented flanges to provide means for securing the cylindrical portion to the support wheel. The cylindrical portion also includes a circumferential granular surface. An elastic member is attachable to each flange and is stretchably positionable around the circumferential granular surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1987
    Inventor: Joe A. Greene
  • Patent number: 4651777
    Abstract: A water supply system control (10) includes a microphonic circuit (34) which responds to audio signals and converts those signals into electrical signals which may be timed as chosen in order to control a solenoid-driven water valve assembly (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1987
    Inventor: Raymond H. Hardman
  • Patent number: 4613135
    Abstract: A quick change device for a basketball goal comprises a receptable member securable to a basketball backboard and a goal-mounting member for slidable mounting on the receptacle member. The receptacle member includes a back plate upon which a pair of guide members are positioned to form a vertical guide channel. The goal-mounting member includes a tongue adaptable to fit slidably into the guide channel. The tongue includes a longitudinal slot extending inwardly from a lower end to receive a bolt secured to the receptacle member so that a wing nut can be secured on the bolt to hold the goal-mounting member securely in place. A larger than standard size goal ring is attached to the goal-mounting member. In this manner, when desired, a larger than standard size basketball goal ring may be interchangeable with a conventional goal ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1986
    Inventor: Richard R. Rush
  • Patent number: 4569146
    Abstract: A submersible fishing aid, for use in a body of water, having a floatable fishing buoy with means to attach one or more fishing lines therefrom, a retrievable capsule detachably supported to the fishing buoy, the retrievable capsule being also secured to the fishing buoy by means of a line, a weight detachably affixed to the fishing buoy having a line extending from the weight to the fishing buoy, a mechanism for detaching the weight when the fishing buoy is placed in the water so that the weight settles to the bottom of the body of water to float the fishing buoy at a height above the water bottom selected by the length of the line extending from the weight to the fishing buoy and a mechanism operable by a selected event such as, at a selected time, a sonar signal or a fish pulling on one of the hooks attached to the fishing buoy, to cause a detachment of the retrievable capsule from the fishing buoy which floats to the surface permitting the fishing aid to be retrieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1986
    Inventors: Arlen J. Lowrance, Constance A. Lowrance
  • Patent number: 4561206
    Abstract: A fishing capsule has a hinge and a fixed arm on each side. A separate portion of fishing line is wrapped around each hinge and arm. A guide member within the capsule is attached to a pair of release arms. Each release arm cooperates with a hinge to hold that hinge in a set position. A trigger on the capsule holds the guide in a set position until struck. Release of the trigger allows the hinges to relax so that both portions of line may float free. A weight is attached to one line and a float to the other line. A timing component may be included to cooperate with the guide to permit timed release of the lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1985
    Inventors: Arlen J. Lowrance, Constance A. Lowrance
  • Patent number: 4378817
    Abstract: A slide valve for high temperature, high pressure use provides for easy access to internal components for replacement or repair, and also provides for easy and secure adjustment of the valve components from the exterior of the valve even while the valve is in position in its process line. The slide valve includes a body having a throat providing for fluid passage through the body, a shoulder within the body including passage means communicating with the throat, a side portion extending transversely from the body and having an interior space communicating with the throat, a valve seat removably positionable upon the shoulder, a guide member removably positionable within the body adjacent the shoulder and extending into the side portion, a closure member positionable slidably upon the guide member for opening and closing the passage means, and a wedge member positionable adjustably between the shoulder and the guide member. The wedge member is adjustable exteriorly of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1981
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1983
    Assignee: Superior Valve Corporation
    Inventor: James L. Houston
  • Patent number: D275312
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1984
    Inventor: Louis M. Ohls
  • Patent number: D276816
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1984
    Inventor: Barry G. Merrill
  • Patent number: D280914
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1985
    Inventors: Bobby L. Willis, Noemi R. Willis
  • Patent number: D303484
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1989
    Inventor: William H. Stanart