Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Vickers, Daniels & Young
  • Patent number: 6408869
    Abstract: A liquid level responsive shut-off valve for filling a tank, such as a liquid propane tank, comprises a valve housing having an inlet passageway for connection to a source of liquid under pressure, an outlet passageway opening into the tank, and a diaphragm actuated valve element having open and closed positions respectively opening and closing. the inlet passageway to the flow of liquid therethrough to the outlet passageway and tank. A float operated valve element controls operation of the diaphragm actuated valve element and has a closed position when the tank is initially filled which precludes the flow of liquid into the tank thereafter, even when the tank becomes empty, until the liquid supply pressure is reduced to atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: GAAP Gas Control Inc.
    Inventors: Josef A. Bartos, Harsharan Grewal
  • Patent number: 6409609
    Abstract: A novelty golf ball ejector for ejecting a golf ball from a golf course cup with a cylindrical side wall, a top opening and a bottom portion with a centered hole. The golf ball ejector comprising a base plate having a top surface for guiding the golf ball onto an ejector plate, the ejector plate being pivotally interengaged with the base plate for ejecting the golf ball out of the top opening of the cup when the golf ball is in a ejection position on the ejector plate. The golf ball ejector further including an activator for actuating the ejector plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: McDivot Novelties, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard F. Brezic
  • Patent number: 6407364
    Abstract: A method and system of depositing molten metal from an advancing welding wire to form a root pass of weld metal in the bottom of a gap between first and second metal members having generally flat base elements joined by a metal backing plate extending between said base elements, which method and system includes passing welding current between the welding wire and the metal members from a power supply to create a heat generating welding arc, moving the welding wire in a given direction along selected path over the backing plate, sensing a blow through of the backing plate by the welding arc, reversing said given direction of said welding wire for a short distance when a blow through has been sensed and then, resuming movement of said welding wire in said given direction along the selected path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Lincoln Global, Inc.
    Inventor: James W. Mumaw
  • Patent number: 6405812
    Abstract: A drilling tool for drilling bore holes into the ground and for removing the drilled material using an air-lifting process. The drilling tool has a drilling head equipped at its lower surface with curing elements, whose upper surface is connected to hollow drilling rods having an inner conveying channel and from whose lower surface boring material mixed with a rinsing liquid is removed via the conveying channel. At the lower surface of the drilling tool head, inside a radial channel connected to the conveying channel, a cross-flow of the rinsing liquid, flowing radially inwards and having a high flow velocity, is produced for the purpose of carrying along the boring material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Wirth Maschinen-und Bohrgerate-Fabrik GmbH
    Inventor: Fritz Tibussek
  • Patent number: 6406341
    Abstract: A shallow draft sports boat for use in in-shore fishing has a tunnel in its bottom allowing one to place an outboard motor higher with respect to the hull of the boat than is conventional. The tunnel is relatively short with respect to the overall length of the boat, has a small volume and is provided with a recess at its leading end and a vent communicating between the recess and the port in the transom above the water line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Hell's Bay Boat Works Co.
    Inventor: Christopher S. Morejohn
  • Patent number: 6402822
    Abstract: A furnace filter system or kit for installation on an existing furnace duct includes upper and lower supply roll supports respectively mountable on the top and bottom walls of the duct adjacent one side wall of the duct for removably receiving a supply roll of filter media therebetween, and upper and lower take-up roll supports respectively mounted on the top and bottom walls of the duct adjacent the other side thereof for removably receiving a filter media take-up roll therebetween. Slots are provided in the side walls of the duct inwardly adjacent the corresponding one of the supply roll and take-up roll and between the top and bottom walls of the duct, and a filter media supporting frame assembly is received in the duct and has opposite sides provided with guide slots therein aligned with the duct slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: HMI Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph L. Najm
  • Patent number: 6398137
    Abstract: A truck having a material spreader and a control mechanism to regulate the velocity of materials ejected from the material spreader. The material spreader includes a material guider to guide the trajectory of substantially all the materials in a direction substantially opposite the direction of forward movement of the truck. The control mechanism includes a velocity sensor adapted to detect the velocity of the truck and to send a signal indicative of the truck velocity to a velocity controller. The velocity controller sends a signal to the material spreader which is dependent on the truck velocity to control the velocity of the materials ejected from the material spreader. The material spreader is mounted to the truck to allow the material spreader to be moved between a non-operational and operational position. The material spreader is also mounted to allow for lateral and/or upward movement upon encountering a predetermined force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: The Louis Berkman Company
    Inventors: Kenneth P. Manon, Roland L. Hagemeyer, Melvin L. Wilton
  • Patent number: 6393893
    Abstract: This invention relates to a measuring apparatus for measuring the gas loading of a liquid, comprising a measuring device which substantially consists of a piston pump, by means of which a sample quantity of the liquid is subjected to a reduced pressure in a measuring cylinder chamber and the dissolved amount of gas is thereby desorbed and can be determined via the gas law by changing the conditions of pressure and/or temperature in the cylinder chamber. The measuring apparatus is of particularly compact construction and for this purpose is provided with a servomotor as an actuating drive for the piston pump, which servomotor not only enables the reduced pressure to be generated in the measuring chamber but also ensures the return of the measured test sample from the measuring cylinder chamber after the measuring operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: EDF Polymer Applikation Maschinenfabrik GmbH
    Inventors: Dietmar Fetz, Hannes Hausbichler
  • Patent number: 6393700
    Abstract: A tube cutter for cutting a circular tube having a central tube axis, the cutter comprising: a housing with first and second parallel rollers defining a cradle for receiving a tube cut with the tube axis generally parallel to the axes of the rollers, a cutter head reciprocally mounted on the housing for sliding linearly in a direction toward and away from the rollers, the cutter head having a base and an upstanding arm supporting a cutter wheel rotatable about an axis generally parallel to the axes of the rollers and facing the tube in the cradle, a spring element biasing the cutter wheel in the stated direction and toward the rollers, and a threaded shaft between the housing and cutter head, and rotatable to move the cutter head linearly toward the housing, whereby the cutter wheel engages the tube and the spring element creates a cutting force pushing the cutter wheel against the tube for cutting the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventor: Larry F. Babb
  • Patent number: 6395058
    Abstract: A treatment agent and method to introduce magnesium into ferrous material. The treatment agent includes a mixture of high melting temperature particles and magnesium particles. The content of high melting temperature particles in the particle mixture is present in an effective amount to inhibit the complete conversion of the magnesium particles into molten magnesium prior to the magnesium particles entering the ferrous material. The method describes the efficient treatment of molten ferrous material with these particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Rossborough Manufacturing Co. L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas H. Bieniosek, Jerome P. Fahey
  • Patent number: 6391376
    Abstract: A cold process bake fruit paste including a fruit concentrate, water, a corn syrup sweetener, and a stabilizer system comprising a blend of first instant granular modified corn starch hydratable into a highly viscous free standing mass when exposed to free water and a second instant granular natural corn starch hydratable by free water to form a resilient, colloidal gel structure with the first and second starches hydrated after being fully dispersed in fruit paste.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: The J.M. Smucker Company
    Inventors: John P. Hansen, Jonathan D. Rock
  • Patent number: 6389989
    Abstract: A pallet formed of a pair of thermoplastic sheets molded and fused together. The sheets have configurations that impart high stiffness and high strength, and the ability to be stacked on full pallets or nested on empty pallets. In particular, the molded configurations enable the sheets to be fused at a plurality of planes including mutually perpendicular planes for high strength union of the sheets. The pallet is especially suited for use with generally cubic milk crates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: PL Eagle, LLC
    Inventor: James P. Hagerty
  • Patent number: 6385870
    Abstract: A control system and method of using a control system for a thumb on an excavator allows the thumb to follow a workpiece held in a bucket when the bucket moves. The thumb control circuit is activated by the press of a button and thereafter maintains a constant reduced close fluid pressure of the extend port of the thumb cylinder until the open control is actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: NPK Construction Equipment, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger A. Webel, Salvatore L. Zingales, Sr.
  • Patent number: 6388232
    Abstract: A DC TIG welder operable at a set low current level under about 5 amperes in a welding circuit including an electrode separated from a workpiece by a gap, the welder having an output welding current adjustable above the low current and driven by a constant current power supply with a first rectifier having an output current controlled by the firing phase of SCRs in an SCR network, a second rectifier settable at the low current and a sensor for sensing arc voltage. The welder further comprises: a circuit to deactivate the SCRs when the output welding current is equal to or less than the set low current and an arc starting device to cause the first rectifier to output a high pulse by operation of the SCRs of the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Lincoln Global, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralph M. Samodell, Trang D. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 6381798
    Abstract: A belt driven drum-type drain cleaning machine in which the drive motor is spring biased to tension the drive belt is provided with a spring arrangement by which slippage between the drive belt and drive pulley is intentionally achieved in response to the imposition of a predetermined torque on the drain cleaning cable during use of the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: Michael J. Rutkowski, Larry F. Babb
  • Patent number: 6383249
    Abstract: A method and composition for removing sulfur from molten ferrous material, particularly molten pig iron. The desulfurization agent includes a magnesium particle coated with a heat absorbing compound. The heat absorbing compound absorbs heat around the magnesium particle to reduce the rate the magnesium particle vaporizes in the molten iron. The particle size of the magnesium particle is at least about twice the particle size of the heat absorbing compound. A bonding agent can be used to bond the particles of the heat absorbing compound to the particle of magnesium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Rossborough Manufacturing Co. LP
    Inventors: Thomas H. Bieniosek, Gerald R. Zebrowski
  • Patent number: 6378246
    Abstract: Apparatus for growing vined produce such as tomatoes comprises a container rotatable about a horizontal axis and supported above an underlying surface, which container has an interior filled with rooting media, a plant opening, radially through the container wall for the vine of a tomato plant rooted therein to extend outwardly of the container. As the vine continues to grow outwardly of the container, tomatoes on the vine are harvested therefrom and the container is periodically rotated to wind the vine thereabout throughout the life of the plant. The container also includes feeding openings into the rooting media, and the container can be mounted on a stand provided with a nutrient reservoir and pump and a grow light which are periodically turned on and off by a control timer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Inventor: Terril R. DeFoor
  • Patent number: 6372014
    Abstract: A treatment agent and method to introduce magnesium into ferrous material. The treatment agent includes a mixture of high melting temperature particles and magnesium particles. The content of high melting temperature particles in the particle mixture is present in an effective amount to inhibit the complete conversion of the magnesium particles into molten magnesium prior to the magnesium particles entering the ferrous material. The method describes the efficient treatment of molten ferrous material with these particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Rossborough Manufacturing Co. L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas H. Bieniosek, Jerome P. Fahey
  • Patent number: D455531
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: HMI Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark A. Cartellone
  • Patent number: D457888
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Decorative Veneer, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael F. Knoblauch