Patents Represented by Attorney The Law Office of Randall T. Erickson, P.C.
  • Patent number: 6811064
    Abstract: An adjustable garment hanger comprises a hanger body having legs extending in a hanger widthwise direction. First and second leg extensions are each adjustably engaged to a leg of the hanger body to determine an overall width along the widthwise direction of the garment hanger. A collar support extends upwardly from the hanger body. The collar support comprises first and second posts, each extending at an angle to a respective one of the legs. The first and second posts are spaced apart by a distance approximating the widthwise dimension of a garment collar. A spacer extends on opposite sides of the hook-shaped member in a horizontal, profile direction that is perpendicular to the widthwise direction. The spacer has a thickness along the horizontal, profile direction approximately equal to an overall thickness of the leg extensions taken along the horizontal, profile direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Inventor: Charles L. Salem
  • Patent number: 6811398
    Abstract: An apparatus for rinsing a dental restoration after etching, includes a base component having an open top end and a tubular extension terminating in an open bottom end. A shield component includes an open bottom end which is sized to fit onto the base component and has a tapered profile to an open top end. Within the base and shield components is carried a platform having one or more holes therethrough to allow fluid to pass from the shield component to the base component. In operation, a dental restoration is placed within the shield component onto the platform. Suction is drawn on the bottom open end of the base component and rinsing fluid is sprayed into the top open end of the shield component onto the dental restoration. Fluid which passes through the platform is suctioned through the bottom open end of the base component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Inventor: Donald L. Bennett
  • Patent number: 6800025
    Abstract: A pressurized air cleaning system is provided for a harvesting apparatus having a grain tank for holding harvested crop. The cleaning system can include an air manifold and tubing network for receiving pressurized air and distributing the pressurized air to an outlet port near to the grain tank of the harvesting apparatus. The outlet port is located and configured for connecting a short portable air cleaning hose and wand to be wielded by an operator to clean the grain tank. The air manifold and tubing network can also include an outlet port near to the header, and/or next to the straw chopper, both accessible from grade level. The cleaning system can include air cleaning nozzles, fixed in position on the harvesting apparatus and connected to the network, the nozzles directing air streams onto hard-to-access areas of the harvesting apparatus. The nozzles can be located inside the grain compartment along the horizontal augers and in the unloader tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Deere & Co.
    Inventors: Glenn E. Pope, John P. Vandevoorde
  • Patent number: 6799936
    Abstract: A utility vehicle having a front loader bucket includes shaped towers and shaped boom arms connected to the towers, and a sloped hood and a shaped fuel tank which all increase the operator's view of the bucket, wheels; axle and ground for close control of the utility vehicle bucket with respect to external structures and surfaces. The towers extend substantially vertically from the utility vehicle chassis to a mid-location wherein the towers are offset inwardly to top ends thereof. The boom arms are connected to the top ends of the towers, extend forwardly, and are offset outwardly to a mid-location of the boom arms wherein the boom arms then extend forwardly to be connected to the bucket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: David Laverne Sprinkle
  • Patent number: 6773049
    Abstract: A seat assembly for an off-road vehicle includes a seat having a bottom surface, and a resilient seat suspension supporting the seat. The seat is supported at least in part by a first bumper element carried by the seat suspension. The first bumper element includes a protruding portion interposed between the seat bottom surface and the seat suspension, the protruding portion supporting a portion of the seat from the seat suspension. The seat suspension and the first bumper element are arranged to adjust a length of the protruding portion. The length of the protruding portion can be adjusted to set an elevation of the seat at the point of support by the first bumper element. The seat can also be adjustably connected to another part of the resilient seat suspension by use of a seat bracket with selectable holes to register with holes provided on the resilient seat suspension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Deere & Co.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Rupiper, David A. Westimayer
  • Patent number: 6769337
    Abstract: An improved orifice plate assembly for a loaf slicing machine, the orifice plate assembly located adjacent to a moving slicing blade includes a frame defining an opening and a first orifice-defining member and a second orifice-defining member slidably mounted together slidably on the frame. The first orifice-defining member and the second orifice-defining member, together define an orifice. An adjustment mechanism is operatively connected to the frame and to each of the first and second orifice-defining members, the adjustment mechanism when adjusted changes the orifice dimension between the first and second orifice-defining members without substantially changing a centerline location of the orifice. The adjustment mechanism includes a stud fixed to the first orifice-defining member, and two links pivotally mounted to the frame and engaged to two rods fixed to the second orifice-defining member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Formax, Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn Sandberg, Glen F. Pryor, Scott A. Lindee
  • Patent number: 6763748
    Abstract: A slicing and conveying system forms a three or more flavor-combined draft. A first slicing machine slices a succession of first and third slices in first and third shingled drafts. A second slicing machine slices a succession of second slices in second shingled drafts. A pass-through conveyor transfers the first draft to an output conveyor of the second slicing machine, wherein the second draft is added to the first draft to form a first combined draft. An overlap conveyor receives the first combined draft and merges the first combined draft with the third draft on the overlap conveyor to form an elongated combined draft. Optical sensors determine lengths of the first draft, the second draft, the third draft, and/or the elongated combined draft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Formax, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas C. Wolcott, Glenn Sandberg
  • Patent number: 6763750
    Abstract: A conveying surface for a slicing apparatus that can be moved in two orthogonal directions in a coordinated manner to allow a depositing of slices in a pattern on the conveying surface. The conveying surface can be an endless belt conveyor circulated in the longitudinal direction by a servo-motor via a telescopic drive shaft and shifted in the lateral direction by servo-motor driving a crank arm mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Formax, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott A. Lindee
  • Patent number: 6743093
    Abstract: An auxiliary rotary drive for at least one auger that in normal operation is rotatable to transport grain from a grain tank of a harvesting apparatus. The auxiliary rotary drive is configured to rotate the at least one auger during cleanout to assist air nozzles or other means to remove residual grain or residue from the harvesting apparatus. The auxiliary rotary drive can be arranged to transfer power to the auger via a clutch arrangement arranged between the auxiliary rotary drive and the auger. The auxiliary rotary drive turns the auger at a speed slower than a normal operating speed of the auger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Deere & Co.
    Inventors: Glenn E. Pope, John P. Vandevoorde, Ryan S. Herlyn
  • Patent number: 6725583
    Abstract: A rear-mounted implement mounting system includes semi-cylindrical seats open upwardly and mounted on a lower back portion of a utility vehicle chassis that receive bar members located on a facing lower part of the rear-mounted implement. The utility vehicle chassis further includes semi-cylindrical receivers open in a rearward direction and adjacent cylinder portions open laterally. The receivers guide cylindrical bosses, located on an upper portion of the rear-mounted implement, into alignment with the cylinder portions, when the rear-mounted implement is pivoted upwardly by extending the boom cylinder of the rear-mounted implement. Connecting pins can be slipped through the cylindrical bosses and cylinder portions to lock the rear-mounted implement to the utility vehicle chassis. An operator remaining in the vehicle cab or operator station can easily operate the mounting system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Deere & Co.
    Inventors: David Laverne Sprinkle, Daniel R. Fuzzen
  • Patent number: 6722112
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for engaging and disengaging the reverse operation of a feederhouse of a harvesting apparatus. The mechanism solves the problem of accurate engagement between the shift collar or driving element and the reverse gear, teeth or splines and the forward gear, teeth or splines of the feederhouse transmission. The mechanism comprises an actuator, electrically controlled, which loads or compresses a spring, wherein the spring exerts a shifting force on a shift shaft or shift fork of the gearbox which automatically moves the shift collar or driving element of the transmission into either a forward or reverse drive position when the gear, teeth of splines of the shift collar is aligned or meshed with the gear, teeth or splines of either the reverse or forward drive of the feederhouse transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Johann H. Pierce, Joseph A. Teijido, Dennis M. Roe