Patents Represented by Law Firm Shefte, Pinckney & Sawyer
  • Patent number: 5442842
    Abstract: Tubular textile fabric is guided during longitudinal travel substantially without circumferential torque or twisting by a guide apparatus having a series of guide rings which open the tubular fabric into circular form, a drive ring affixed co-axially to the guide rings and mounted rotationally on the apparatus frame, and a drive motor connected to the drive ring through an endless drive belt for incremental reversible rotation of the drive ring and guide rings as a unit as necessary to counteract fabric torque or twisting. A linear guide stripe or line extends lengthwise along the tubular fabric and is monitored by a photo-optic sensor operable in conjunction with a microprocessor to control incremental and reversing operation of the drive motor as necessary to counteract detected non-linearities in the guide line which indicate the existence of fabric torque or twist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1995
    Assignee: _Guilford Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Arne Nielsen, Phillip D. McCartney, Donnie J. Thompson, Majid Moghaddassi
  • Patent number: 5443156
    Abstract: A protective cover, made of flexible and foldable material, for a golf bag and golf clubs contained in the bag. The golf bag cover may be expanded from a collapsed stowed disposition to an expanded cover disposition enclosing the golf bag and the clubs in the golf bag. The golf bag cover includes a cylindrical portion for containing substantially the lengthwise extent of the golf bag, and an end portion integral with the cylindrical portion, to cover the heads of the golf clubs contained in the golf bag. The golf bag cover has opposed edges which extend substantially the full length of the cover when in its covering disposition. The opposed edges may be releasably secured to each other so the edges may be joined in the covering disposition and released for collapsing into the stowed disposition. The cylindrical portion of the golf bag cover is secured to the golf bag along a lengthwise extent of the golf bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1995
    Inventor: Yoshihiko Shioda
  • Patent number: 5435607
    Abstract: A rotary coupler having two housing portions, one housing portion being rotatable with respect to the other housing portion includes two fluid channels including a water channel extending axially the length of the coupler and a slurry channel disposed radially outwardly of the water channel. A flow directing surface is disposed within the rotatable housing portion to direct a slurry of abrasive particles and air through the housing to the outlet in a continuous manner substantially without disruption of the compositional integrity of the slurry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: S. E. Huffman Corporation
    Inventor: James L. Everett
  • Patent number: 5433593
    Abstract: In a thermoplastic material extrusion line having a melt extruder, a gear pump, and a die aligned with one another, the gear pump is supported on a hinged articulable arm for swinging movement into and out of operative disposition in alignment with the extruder to simplify realignment of the gear pump with the extruder and the die whenever it becomes necessary to remove the gear pump from the line for maintenance or service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1995
    Assignee: LCI Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel E. Berger
  • Patent number: 5433116
    Abstract: The prevailing tension in an elongate strand, such as a textile yarn, is instantaneously measured, even at very low levels of tension and at fine incremental changes in tension, by a tension measuring apparatus utilizing a pair of fixed contact arms spaced from one another to define a strand contact line therebetween and an intermediate cantilevered sensing arm disposed at an equal spacing from each fixed contact arm and at a lateral spacing from the stand contact line. The fixed contact arms and the sensing arm are contacted with the strand simultaneously at the same common lateral side of the strand to cause the strand to deflect from the strand contact line at equivalent strand break angles between the respective strand contact points on the fixed contact arms and on the sensing arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1995
    Assignee: On Line, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin S. Ahlstrom, Thomas Bartlett
  • Patent number: 5425634
    Abstract: An apparatus for supporting and controlling fluid delivery to a dental handpiece includes a frame with a holder for receiving the handpiece, a compressed air actuating arrangement having a valve which is opened and closed by the insertion and removal of the handpiece into and from the holder, and fluid delivery tubing which extends to the handpiece and is affixed at spaced locations to the frame and to the actuating arrangement for folding of the tubing upon itself to close the tubing against fluid flow when the handpiece is mounted in its holder and for unfolding the tubing for open fluid flow when the handpiece is removed from the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1995
    Assignee: Knight Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles E. Brockway
  • Patent number: 5423493
    Abstract: A method of handling the tube and cop supporting pallets in a textile winder during batch changing operations, by which, at the end of a batch, the pallets are maintained in the transport system of the winder and are conveyed from the tube return path to the cop supply path. First, the winding operation is stopped, a selected winding station at one end of the distribution segment is evacuated to facilitate clearing therethrough of the distribution segment and, subsequently, the other winding stations are successively evacuated to release the pallets held in their respective unwinding and backup positions. Downstream along the tube return path, the cops or tubes are removed from all approaching pallets, regardless of whether they still carry any yarn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1995
    Assignee: W. Schlafhorst AG & Co.
    Inventors: Gregor Rueth, Michael Kery, Rolf Mayer, Helmuth Hensen
  • Patent number: 5423590
    Abstract: An improved transport trailer is configured for transporting generally cylindrical drum-like containers and includes spacer members which abut the containers in a region intermediate the annular projecting surfaces of the container. The spacer members include a smooth surface for prevention of damage to the container surface and are disposed within the trailer so that the container contact surface is spaced a distance away from the walls of the trailer that is greater than the projecting distance of the annular projecting members of the containers to prevent contact of the annular projecting surfaces with the walls of the trailer. The containers are arranged within the trailer in a staggered pattern to maximize the utilization of cargo space within the trailer and, in cooperation with the spacer members, to substantially prevent movement of the containers during transportation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1995
    Inventors: Jan J. Scullin, Nelson Johnson
  • Patent number: 5419111
    Abstract: In a rotor spinning machine, each spinning station's drawing-in roller is connected directly to its own individual drive supported by the cover of the spinning station housing, which provides a simplified and conveniently accessible alternative to the conventional worm gear driving of the drawing-in rollers of the machine's plural spinning stations from a common drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1995
    Assignee: W. Schlafhorst AG & Co.
    Inventors: Heinz-Georg Wassenhoven, Manfred Lassmann
  • Patent number: 5417794
    Abstract: An apparatus for simultaneously disposing tubular labels on a plurality of bottles or other containers includes an assembly for advancing the bottles or other containers along an endless travel path. The apparatus also includes a plurality of tubular label applying stations each operable to individually apply a tubular label onto a bottle or other container as the bottle or other container is advanced along the travel path. The advancing assembly is preferably in the form of a rotating plate supporting the bottles or other containers thereon at uniform angular spacings from one another and the tubular label applying stations are preferably also supported on the rotating plate. A cam and cam follower arrangement is utilized for controlling each tubular label applying station to perform its label applying operation in coordination with the advancing movement of its associate bottle or other container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: Venture Packaging, Inc.
    Inventor: Victor V. Menayan
  • Patent number: 5414868
    Abstract: An improved golf glove for assisting a golfer having a muscular impairment in maintaining the golfer's hand in proper gripping position about a golf club handle includes a pair of elongate straps fixed to the glove body at opposite sides of the thumb extension, each strap having a fastener portion along its outwardly extending length, and a mating fastener arrangement at the backhand side of the glove body, including selected locations on the finger and thumb extensions, for securement of the straps when the golfer grips the club handle, thereby to retain the golfer's thumb and fingers in proper gripping disposition during swinging of the club.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1995
    Inventor: Jerry G. Crawford
  • Patent number: 5414912
    Abstract: A shear roller lubricating apparatus for textile shearing machines having cylindrically oriented rotating shearing blades includes an oil delivery pad, an oil application pad, and an airflow-blocking plate sandwiched therebetween, the pads and the plate being mounted to an oil distribution header with the outer terminal ends of the pads projecting beyond the plate for end abutment of the pads. This assembly is mounted to the shearing machine with the outer end of the application pad arranged to tangentially contact the shearing blades. A microprocessor controlled metering pump supplies oil to the delivery pad and thereby to the application pad at selected time intervals and may be operated continuously to provide an increased supply of oil to the delivery and application pads after deactivation of the shear rollers for an extended period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1995
    Assignee: Guilford Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Arne Nielsen, Majid Moghaddassi, Boris Vishnepolsky
  • Patent number: 5413135
    Abstract: A food and beverage serving apparatus that comprises multiple separate serving stations and a connecting superstructure all prefabricated to facilitate installation in an existing building's food service area with the serving stations spaced apart in a predetermined arrangement forming separate serving locations and the superstructure providing a means of unobtrusively routing utility connections, e.g., electricity, natural gas, water, etc., from remote utility sources to the serving stations, thereby enabling demolition or structural modification of the building area to be minimized and installation of the apparatus to be simplified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Inventor: Barry S. Poole
  • Patent number: 5414607
    Abstract: An outdoor ground-supported light fixture having a non-conductive hollow staff and having a lower end for disposition in the ground and an upper end where electrical conductor elements are received by the lower end into the staff and where the electrical conductor elements exit the staff from the upper end is disclosed. The light fixture also includes a shade unit having a non-conductive wiring compartment integral therewith. The unit has a top end and a bottom end with the wiring compartment located at the bottom end of the unit. The bottom end of the unit is for connection with the upper end of the staff. The compartment has a base with an aperture therein for receiving the electrical conductor elements from the upper end of the staff through the aperture. The compartment has a lamp receiving device devised for connecting a lamp to the electrical conductor elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Assignee: W.F. Harris Lighting, Inc.
    Inventors: William F. Harris, Michael R. Helms
  • Patent number: 5410892
    Abstract: A horizontal package dyeing machine in which yarn packages are supported in carriers that have a base with tubular posts projecting therefrom for stacking yarn packages thereon and a wall secured to and extending upwardly from the periphery of the base to form an enclosure for confining treating liquid. The base is formed with two liquid distribution chambers, one being an upper chamber communicating with the interior of the posts and the other being a lower chamber communicating with the interior of the enclosure. The distribution chambers have open ends that can communicate with liquid supplying and withdrawing ducts of the machine for circulation of treating liquid within the carrier enclosure. The carriers are dimensioned for positioning two carriers in a vessel with the open ends of the distribution chambers in communication for flow of treating liquid therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1995
    Assignee: Gaston County Dyeing Machine Company
    Inventors: Robert L. Catoe, Matthew A. Meeker, James K. Turner, Thomas W. Van Scyoc
  • Patent number: 5407351
    Abstract: An apparatus for supporting and controlling fluid delivery to a dental handpiece includes a frame with a holder for receiving the handpiece, a support arm connected with the handpiece and pivoted to the frame, an actuating linkage operated by the support arm, and fluid delivery tubing which extends to the handpiece being affixed at spaced locations to the frame and to the actuating linkage for folding of the tubing upon itself to close the tubing against fluid flow when the handpiece is mounted in its holder and for unfolding the tubing for open fluid flow when the handpiece is removed from the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Assignee: Knight Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventor: Charles E. Brockway
  • Patent number: 5407722
    Abstract: A lightweight warp knitted textile fabric suitable for use as the loop component of a hook-and-loop fastener is formed of a set of ground yarns knitted in a relatively stretchable construction with a set of loop-forming yarns formed in a stitch pattern producing elongated underlap loops extending outwardly from the technical back of the fabric which can be readily interengaged with the hook elements of a mating hook component without any necessity for brushing, napping or mechanically raising the loops. In one embodiment, a second set of loop-forming yarns is formed in a stitch pattern producing elongated loops extending outwardly from the technical face of the fabric which can be adhered to a backing material such as a carpet backing. In another embodiment, filling yarn is inserted weftwise in every fabric course.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Assignee: Guilford Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: William L. Peake, III, Robert T. Spillane, Phillip D. McCartney, Paul R. Huebner
  • Patent number: 5402659
    Abstract: An apparatus for driving a lifter reel in a machine for wet processing of fabric in endless rope form having a jet for directing a flow of liquid to the fabric rope to cause circulation thereof is disclosed and contains a rotatable lifter reel upstream of the jet and over which the fabric rope travels to the jet. The apparatus includes a baffle wheel affixed coaxially to one end of the lifter reel out of the path of the fabric traveling over the lifter reel. The wheel has radially extending baffles against which a liquid flow nozzle directs a flow of liquid in a direction to drive the lifter reel in the direction of rope travel to the jet. The liquid flow nozzle is adjustable radially with respect to the baffle wheel to vary the driven rate of rotation of the lifter reel. The nozzle is commonly connected with the jet to a source of liquid under pressure for use of liquid from the same source by the jet and the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1995
    Assignee: Gaston County Dyeing Machine Company
    Inventors: James K. Turner, J. Alan Morgan
  • Patent number: 5402614
    Abstract: A foundation, a footing of a foundation, and a method of constructing a foundation for a light gauge steel building structure wherein the footing has a vertical post portion with a foot portion secured to its lower end and a connecting portion extending form its upper end. The connecting portion is in the form of a pair of spaced light gauge steel strips extending on opposite sides of a foundation sill plate and having a sufficient vertical extent to allow securement of the strips to the foundation sill plate member at variations in the relative vertical disposition of the footing and a horizontally leveled foundation sill plate member. This variation is also accommodated by using self-tapping, self-threading screws that are secured through the connecting portion strips at locations determined after setting of the footings in relation to the relative positioning of the footings and the foundation sill plate members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1995
    Inventor: Everett G. Jewell
  • Patent number: D360611
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Inventor: Lindon O. Alexander, Jr.