Patents Represented by Law Firm Schuyler, Birch, Swindler, McKie & Beckett
  • Patent number: 4179735
    Abstract: An arrangement is disclosed which enables the variation of the working environment of a computer comprising a working memory, a central processor unit and a plurality of peripheral units including an external memory. The arrangement comprises a switch having a plurality of positions associated with respective working environments and a logic control device responsive to the switch to introduce a group of microprograms, programs forming the operative system and at least one application program associated with the selected position of the switch from the external memory into the working memory. The programs and microprograms introduced into the working memory then are used to control the peripheral units in such a manner to establish different groups of functions, each group specializing the computer for the selected environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1979
    Assignee: Ing. C. Olivetti & C., S.p.A.
    Inventor: Franco Lodi
  • Patent number: 4169683
    Abstract: A high-speed wire printing device wherein the wires are slidably mounted on a carriage movable in front of a recording medium and individually actuated by controlling electromagnets to print alphanumeric characters and graphic symbols on the medium in accordance with a dot matrix formed of lines and columns. The printing extremities of the wires are aligned on two side-by-side columns. At each actuation cycle of the electromagnets, the carriage is shifted at a constant speed in front of the medium by a distance that is substantially equal to twice the distance between two columns of the matrix. An electronic circuit for the actuation of the electromagnets actuates both selectively and alternately the wires arranged in two side-by-side columns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1977
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1979
    Assignee: Ing. C. Olivetti & C., S.p.A.
    Inventors: Francesco Bernardis, Dario Bisone
  • Patent number: 4168847
    Abstract: A gooseneck trailer hitch to couple a trailer torque to a towing ball mounted on a towing vehicle to be used in pulling a trailer has a tow member which is to be secured to the trailer tongue to extend generally horizontally forward of the trailer. This tow member has at its outer end a connector which pivotally mounts an arm for the arm to be swingable from an outwardly extending position into a vertical position with the outer end of such arm having a socket suitable to cooperate with the towing ball on the vehicle used to pull the trailer and locking means is provided to retain the arm in its vertical position. A jack stand is utilized adjacent the forward end of the trailer and tow member to hold the trailer and tow member generally horizontal incident coupling and uncoupling the trailer relative to the towing vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1979
    Assignees: Thomas R. Williams, William V. Healey
    Inventor: Larry J. Westphal
  • Patent number: 4168657
    Abstract: A bland protein product having a texture and mouth feel simulating animal meat is prepared by forming an aqueous slurry containing 40 to 50% of a protein material having a protein content of at least 70% on a solids basis, injecting steam into the slurry to propel it through a cooking tube, passing the protein material through a back pressure valve at the discharge end of the cooking tube, and recovering the textured product in a collection zone. The injection steam pressure is chosen to maintain a product temperature of 310.degree. to 350.degree. F. and a back pressure of about 60 to 80 psi in the cooking tube. Between the back pressure valve and the collection zone the protein material is subjected to an agglomeration and stretching treatment accomplished by passing the protein and steam mixture through a restriction means, or by injecting a stream of cold water at right angles into the cooked protein and steam mixture, or by both of these steps. Apparatus for performing this process is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1977
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1979
    Assignee: Campbell Soup Company
    Inventor: William M. Hildebolt
  • Patent number: 4168978
    Abstract: Composite foils for producing colored advertising indicia comprise a colored, tacky layer between two release foils, the colored layer being sensitive to light either as being solubilized in exposed areas, these areas being washed away to leave the indicia, or as being insolubilized by exposure, the unexposed areas being washed away.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1977
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1979
    Assignee: Claus Koenig K.G.
    Inventor: Claus Koenig
  • Patent number: 4164271
    Abstract: A system for indicating the stop levels for an elevator car in a hoist shaft so as to transmit signals to the elevator machinery when a selected stop level is approached. Vertically aligned pins are provided projecting from the wall of the hoist shaft; at least one pin being provided for each stop level. The pins extend into the path of the arms of the a cross, fixed to one end of a shaft journaled in a box which is attached to the outside wall of the elevator car and cause the cross and shaft to rotate a quarter turn each time one of the arms of the cross engages one of the pins. The other end of the shaft carries a pinion gear which engages a movable rack connected to a linearly movable slide mounted on the elevator car. One end of the slide ends in a stairstep-like configuration, each step serving to actuate one microswitch in a transverse row of microswitches as the slide moves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1977
    Date of Patent: August 14, 1979
    Assignee: Linden-Alimak AB
    Inventor: Gunnar Bergstrom
  • Patent number: 4162804
    Abstract: A lifting clamp for articles such as steel plates has a movable arcuate gripping jaw, a pivotally mounted arcuate cam jaw, an enlarged recessed opening to receive the article to be lifted, a shackle, a linkage connecting the shackle to the gripping jaw and a locking mechanism engageable with the linkage to lock the gripping jaw in either open or closed position. The locking mechanism has a handle located outside of the clamp body, an integral connection between the handle and an interior portion of the locking mechanism and an auxiliary spring biased locking pin for holding the locking mechanism in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1979
    Assignee: J. C. Renfroe and Sons, Inc.
    Inventor: William Davies
  • Patent number: 4162375
    Abstract: A TDM/PCM switching network comprising a plurality of time and spatial switching circuits associated with different groups of TDM lines. The present invention is primarily concerned with the manner in which these time and spatial switching circuits are arranged to transmit PCM words from a particular origin route to a given destination route. The spatial switching circuits each include intermediate storage means having a plurality of individual storage positions which are individually assigned to a predetermined destination route in the switching network. Time slots on the TDM lines are divided into a plurality of time intervals each associated with a particular TDM line of the group of TDM lines connected to the time circuit. Time slots are transmitted to the spatial switching circuit which includes a holding storage for allocating the PCM signal contained in the time intervals of a particular time slot to an intermediate storage according to the time slot or time channel itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1979
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Max Schlichte
  • Patent number: 4162431
    Abstract: Apparatus and process for reducing the rate of erosion of electrodes between which an arc is sustained by the provision of a field coil around the electrode which is supplied with direct current and the oscillation of that direct current supply at a frequency in the range 5.times.10.sup.-1 to 1.times.10.sup.-4 Hz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1979
    Assignee: Tioxide Group Limited
    Inventors: Allen P. George, Harold Homer, Christopher J. Richardson
  • Patent number: 4160430
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine is disclosed having a cylinder and a reciprocating piston which, together with the cylinder head, define the boundaries of a combustion chamber. A movable septum is supported by the cylinder head adjacent the combustion chamber for selectively dividing the combustion chamber into a first and second combustion chamber. The movable septum may be formed by a cylindrical plate or by a flat or curved plate which makes nominal contact with the walls of the cylinder and the face of the reciprocating piston to divide the combustion chamber. The fuel supply system provides a rich-fuel mixture through a rich mixture intake valve to the first combustion chamber, and a lean-fuel mixture through a lean mixture intake valve to the second combustion chamber. The movable septum tracks the movement of the reciprocating piston during the compression stroke to maintain the division between the first and second combustion chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 10, 1979
    Inventor: John L. Bell
  • Patent number: 4159630
    Abstract: An assembly such as for a tile chute tool for laying tile, plastic pipe or the like or for a crumbing tool either of which tools is adapted to be connected to the digging boom and mobile chassis of a ditching or trenching machine by a four-bar linkage. The linkage is connected to the boom by extensible arm means which can be fixed at one length to maintain the boom and tile chute tool in operable relation to each other for digging and tile laying or other tool function, or released to be telescopically extendible for the digging boom to proceed with digging with the tile chute tool remaining at ground level. A control member tiltable relative to the pivot axis of the digging boom connects to the linkage to alter the position of the tile chute tool bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1979
    Assignee: The Charles Machine Works, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth W. Schuermann
  • Patent number: 4159097
    Abstract: A tapered tie for use in concrete form tying apparatus comprising a threaded steel rod having a longitudinally tapering protective plastic sleeve placed over the central portion thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1976
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1979
    Assignee: Strickland Systems Inc.
    Inventor: James K. Strickland
  • Patent number: 4158123
    Abstract: An improved multiphase series reactor consisting of a number of interconnected coils, each coil being formed from sub-coil wherein the sub-coils consist of a number of laterally-spaced single-plane spirals, each spiral being formed from hollow electrical-conducting material. Each sub-coil is wound in such a manner that electrical power supplied to the coils passes through the constituent spirals of the sub-coils in the same direction. Coolant introduced into the interior of the hollow-electrical conducting material passes through the spirals of the sub-coils before being withdrawn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1976
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1979
    Assignee: Tioxide Group Limited
    Inventor: George W. New
  • Patent number: 4156572
    Abstract: A cartridge for the inked ribbon of a calculating or other office machine, of the type comprising a platen, a plurality of printing styli disposed in front of the platen at a short distance therefrom, a motive shaft, two fixed stops for transverse positioning of the cartridge with respect to the platen and a longitudinal positioning block. The cartridge comprises a container of substantially parallelepipedal form having a larger side provided with a recess defining two lateral arms. An inked ribbon closed in a loop is disposed inside the container and extends therein between an inking roller and a ribbon tensioning element. The ribbon has a substantially rectilinear portion which emerges from the said lateral arms and spans the recess, parallel to the larger side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1979
    Assignee: Ing. C. Olivetti & C., S.p.A.
    Inventor: Ugo Carena
  • Patent number: 4155595
    Abstract: A continuous miner is employed in conjunction with a flume that removes the mined product from the working face. The discharge from mobile continuous miner is deposited in a sloping trough supported by the miner which is in cooperative and relatively movable engagement with the flume and the product is washed down the trough with water which forms a slurry that is transported down the flume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1979
    Assignee: Kaiser Resources, Ltd.
    Inventor: Arthur W. T. Grimley
  • Patent number: 4155724
    Abstract: Drilling mud degasification apparatus comprises a degassing chamber located below the level of gas-laden mud in a tank. A propeller pump causes the mud in the tank to flow through a plurality of restricted orifices in the degassing chamber at a rate faster than that at which the mud would normally flow through such orifices to liberate the gas bubbles therefrom. A cyclone separator finally separates the so-liberated gas from the mud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1979
    Inventor: Gerald E. Burnham, Sr.
  • Patent number: 4156290
    Abstract: A memory addressing device for a memory divided in a plurality of elements each storing a plurality of information words. Each address for the memory comprises a first part which controls addressing means which address all the words of the memory elements stored in the address identified by said first part. All the addressed words are stored in corresponding output registers of the memory elements. The second part of the address enables the selection of the output register associated therewith. Consequently the reading operation for a block of information requires only one memory access time plus the read time of the output registers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1979
    Assignee: Ing. C. Olivetti & C., S.p.A.
    Inventor: Lucio Lanza
  • Patent number: 4154220
    Abstract: This invention relates to a more cost effective construction of an air type flat-plate solar collector. More particularly the invention has reference to replacing the usual combination of insulation backing and a good thermally conducting metal black absorber surface by a single, specially grooved and blackened, foam insulation type absorber surface. The airstream flows mainly inside the grooves to minimize its contact with the transparent cover. This new configuration saves weight, materials and cost, and shows little or no loss in performance during steady state efficiency tests. Due to the low thermal capacity of the foam absorber surface the collector warms up very quickly and often the internal thermal switch will actuate the fan motor within five minutes after exposure to solar radiation. This low time lag allows it to collect more heat during a day with intermittent sunshine than a collector with identical efficiency but with a metal absorber of greater thermal capacity which takes longer to warm up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1979
    Inventor: John L. Loth
  • Patent number: 4153123
    Abstract: The hoisting device has means for weighing the load and is particularly compact, simple and reliable. For this purpose a pivotal arm to which a hook is connected is adapted in such manner as to define a cylinder, a piston and a chamber filled with an incompressible fluid. This chamber is connected to a pressure gauge which displays information representing the pressure prevailing in the chamber, which pressure is proportional to the load suspended from the hook.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1979
    Assignee: Etablissements DEBOR
    Inventor: Daniel Bereyziat
  • Patent number: 4151565
    Abstract: A circuit for the decoding during reading of data prerecorded on a magnetic medium comprising a circuit for recognition of the recording code of the data recorded on the support by the recognition of the frequency of an input signal generated during the reading of the support and a frequency generating circuit controlled by the recognition circuit for generating a signal of predetermined frequency for the conversion of the recording code recognized into a binary code. A read-only memory comprising two zones is responsive to the recognition means for generating correcting words applied to a counter for controlling the position of a decoding window generated by a phase locked loop oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1979
    Assignee: Ing. C. Olivetti & C., S.p.A.
    Inventor: Mario Mazzola