Patents Represented by Law Firm Wheeler, Morsell, House & Fuller
  • Patent number: 4290341
    Abstract: A rotary engine employs one or more flap-type pistons which swing about a fixed pivot. Power is transmitted from the pistons to the output shaft by pins connected to the piston which ride in figure eight grooves in a pair of spaced discs connected to the output shaft. The discs are spring-loaded toward each other to provide side seals along the sides of the pistons. Ports in the discs register with a working chamber in the appropriate sequence for the intake and exhaust strokes. Hence conventional valving is not required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1981
    Inventor: Karl J. Scheibengraber
  • Patent number: 4271986
    Abstract: A drink dispenser spigot comprises a barrel, a valve plunger, a stem for the plunger, and a spout opening in the barrel. A splash deflector collar about the stem is movable therewith. As the spigot is opened by withdrawing the plunger so that it passes over the spout opening to dispense drink, the splash deflector at least partially blocks splashing of the drink through the spout opening and into the barrel. Some drink splash may enter the barrel but the splash deflector has a wiper flange which will wipe interior surfaces of the barrel as the plunger moves toward closed position and wipe drink splash from the inside of the barrel and out through the spout opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1981
    Assignee: Stoelting, Inc.
    Inventor: Earl M. Stecker
  • Patent number: 4262392
    Abstract: A device for splicing the free ends of a wire belt comprised of pivotally interlocked laterally extending zigzag-shaped and longitudinally spaced apart wires or strips. The zigzag shape of each wire or strip results in each end of the belt having longitudinally extending laterally spaced apart loops with laterally extending sections which are disposed in complementary relationship with the space between loops in the opposite belt end. The splicer is composed of a metal strip having a plurality of laterally spaced apart hook portions corresponding with the loops and projecting integrally from the edge in staggered relationship with similar hook portions at the other edge of the strip. The hook portions engage and form a pivotal connection with the laterally extending sections in the adjacent free ends of the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1979
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1981
    Assignee: Stoelting, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald W. White
  • Patent number: 4261548
    Abstract: A hydraulic jack provided for raising, leveling, and moving steel reinforced concrete. A hole is drilled vertically in the concrete to be lifted, and two wedges, a tapered and a straight wedge are lowered into the aperture in vertical contact. The tapered wedge is lowered into the hole first to protrude under the perifery of the round aperture and the straight wedge run down on the face opposite to the wedge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1981
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Kaderabek
  • Patent number: 4258657
    Abstract: A striper (10) has a spring-loaded striping head (30) which connects with a reservoir (16) only when the head (10) is depressed by contact with a workpiece, and which does not feed paint or other striping material at any other time. A long, closely fitted tube (31) minimizes leakage and has a side opening (32) to valve stripe material. The parts are readily disassembled but are firmly held when assembled, for ready cleaning and replacement of worn parts. The reservoir (16) is preferably separate for each head (30), and separately fed for any striper head (30) or group of striper heads (30) to produce the desired pattern of stripes. The striper heads 30 may be of interchangeable widths. A stop 13 is the only part retaining all heads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1981
    Assignee: Regal Ware, Inc.
    Inventor: DeWayne A. Fritz
  • Patent number: 4258506
    Abstract: A slag removing machine includes a conveyor movable generally vertically on a parallelogram linkage. The conveyor carries steel slabs below a fixed vertical sanding belt surfacing unit. The conveyor is supported on air bags.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1981
    Inventor: Charles E. Robinson
  • Patent number: 4257438
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for mixing a carrier gas with a foundry aggregate resin catalyst fluid in which the liquid catalyst fluid is vaporized to a gaseous state and is thereafter mixed with the carrier gas. A proper proportion between the two gases is established by the setting of variable valves which control the flow of the two gases. The setting of the variable valve for the carrier gas establishes a flow rate for that gas at a given load level. The variable valve for the other gas is then set to establish a flow rate for the other gas with the desired proportion between the flow rates of said gases at said given load level. When the gas mixture is drawn upon at said given load level or at reduced load levels, the valves retain their initial relative settings and maintain the desired proportion, regardless of load level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1981
    Inventor: Donald V. Miller
  • Patent number: 4241590
    Abstract: A comestible freezer has a freezing barrel with a cold wall, an input end and an output end and a feeder therewithin having a ribbon auger flight helix and a stationary blending bar within the helix. A portion of the ribbon auger flight helix has an outward twist or skew diverging from a radial plane through the axis of the helix and outwardly toward the barrel wall whereby to exert a component of thrust on the comestible toward the cold wall. A portion of the ribbon also has an inward twist or skew diverging from the radial plane and inwardly toward the blending bar whereby to exert a component of thrust on the comestible toward the bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1980
    Assignee: Stoelting, Inc.
    Inventor: Tom N. Martineau
  • Patent number: 4240764
    Abstract: A display structure having a vertical post and a horizontal rail. The post has a salient side wall with a socket opening therein. The rail has a notched end with a peg projecting therefrom and engaged through the socket opening, thus to support the rail from the post with the notched end of the rail embracing the salient side wall of the post and preventing the rail from twisting with respect to the post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1978
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1980
    Inventor: Dieter F. Wegner
  • Patent number: 4237010
    Abstract: An interconnector for filtration modules comprises inner and outer integrally bonded coaxial rubber sleeves. The inner sleeve comprises rubber of a lower indentation hardness than the outer sleeve and is relatively soft while the outer sleeve is relatively hard and has an indentation hardness higher than that of the inner sleeve. The outer sleeve has an inwardly projecting rib or washer of said relatively hard rubber against which proximate ends of filtration module tubes abut. The inner sleeve has a circumferential slot or gap through which the washer projects inwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1980
    Assignee: Ladish Co.
    Inventor: Robert D. Zimmerly
  • Patent number: 4232051
    Abstract: Liquid such as water or whey is removed from soft particulate food solids such as Cottage cheese curd utilizing a pressing belt for high speed gradual compression without significant damage to the food solids. This is accomplished by compressing the food solids in a variable cross-sectional area separation zone between a belt and a support surface such as a foraminous drum and regulating the cross-sectional area of the zone in response to changes in thickness of food solids in the zone to maintain substantially constant pressure of the belt on the food solids to avoid damaging pressure on the food solids. When the food is Cottage cheese curd, accelerated absorption of cream dressing can be obtained by adding the dressing to the curd after discharge from the separation zone before the curd completely expands from the compressed state so that the expanding curd sucks up the cream dressing as it expands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1980
    Assignee: Stoelting, Inc.
    Inventors: Horace Hinds, Jr., David P. Heimerman, Billy L. Born
  • Patent number: 4230926
    Abstract: An electric discharge machine has an electrode and mechanism for driving the electrode on an orbital path. The electrode is mounted on an electrode holder having an upstanding post. The electrode is driven on its orbital path by a rotor about the post. There are two resiliently loaded drive arms mounted on the rotor and engaged with the post at circumferentially spaced points so that the post is subject to the compound driving force of both drive arms. Centering mechanism is provided to restore the electrode to a centered position with respect to its orbit in the event of a short circuit between the electrode and the workpiece, thus to break the short circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1978
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1980
    Inventor: William J. Gaumond
  • Patent number: 4230213
    Abstract: A coin operated dispensing machine has a coin chute and an electrical coin mechanism which is subject to malfunction when exposed to liquid entering through the coin chute. The coin mechanism is protected from such liquid by providing the coin chute with a liquid reject mechanism including a liquid pervious gate extending across the chute and which separates the path of coins from the path of liquid. Coins are diverted laterally for delivery to the coin mechanism. Any liquid is discharged downwardly through the gate and into a liquid trough. A splash guard is mounted between the liquid trough and the coin mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1978
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1980
    Assignee: La Crosse Cooler Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Carl E. Spring
  • Patent number: 4226286
    Abstract: A pitless adapter for a well casing is provided with an O-ring seal surrounding the opening in the well casing for the outlet from the pitless adapter to the service pipe. A downwardly facing hook within the area sealed by the O-ring supports the pitless adapter on the lip of the opening in the well casing. A sector shaped locking member on the opposite side of the pitless adapter from the outlet rides in a sector-shaped slot in the pitless adapter and is engaged at the top end of the sector by a screw capable of forcing the sector against the wall of the well casing to force the pitless adapter securely against the wall of the well casing. The locking member is provided with an arcuate channel on its side in which a high friction device such as a rubber pellet is inserted to retain the sector against moderate displacing forces, particularly during insertion of the pitless adapter into the well casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1979
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1980
    Inventor: Harold E. Cramer
  • Patent number: 4223063
    Abstract: A process for differentially drawing films and non-woven fiberous webs for increased drapability and strength of webs including at least in part cold drawable polymeric materials or blends thereof including incompatible polymer blends and polymeric matrixes having inorganic fillers draws portions of the web and leaves other portions undrawn. The process involves the subjecting of the web to two or more pairs of meshing toothed rollers to produce a fabric having a pattern of spaced apart undrawn quadrilateral shaped islands bounded fully on each of their four sides by an axially drawn area. Each undrawn island is continguous at each of its four apices to a biaxially drawn area. The preferred tooth form for the rollers is involute or cycloidal. The processed film or web is larger in area than the original, has a lower basis weight, and has greatly enhanced strength, softness, bulk, texture and drapability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1980
    Inventor: Reinhardt N. Sabee
  • Patent number: 4222291
    Abstract: A fixture for indexing a work piece, a machine spindle, or the like permits indexing a single rotation of the work piece or other mechanism in any integral number of equal divisions. Stops for the divisions are made to suit the job by assembling a standard roller chain with as many pins and pin spaces as there are to be divisions and mounting the chain about a tapered body, preferably a cone. Fixtures hold the chain at the plane in which the periphery of the cone is the right diameter to receive the chain and other parts adjust the indexing stop to overlie the roller chain at that plane. Adjustments are provided to adjust the indexing stop peripherally of the cone a short distance in order to bring the indexing stop to the required rotational position. This adjustment may also be used to adjust the rotatable part a fraction of an indexing stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1980
    Inventor: Patrick J. Murphy, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4222157
    Abstract: A rope tightener for a rope under tension such as a tent rope formed from a single piece of plastic forming two pairs of parallel legs, the respective legs of each pair having opposed hooks formed at the end of the leg to cooperate in forming a hole through the pair of legs for a rope, the respective leg ends each being bevelled toward the face where the legs of a pair come nearly together to facilitate the introduction of a rope between the legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1980
    Assignees: David C. Fisher, Mary F. Fisher
    Inventor: Hugh M. Forman
  • Patent number: 4221117
    Abstract: A frozen comestible freezer has a freezing chamber, a receiving chamber, and a tank of liquid comestible which is fed to the receiving chamber through an aerator proportioner which provides the correct proportion of liquid comestible and air for the aerator. The aerator proportioner has a feed tube solely for liquid comestible and an air tube solely for air. The tubes are mounted on a multi-level plug in the passage between the tank and the receiving chamber. The plug has a high level portion and a low level portion. The air tube extends through the high level portion of the plug and the liquid comestible feeding tube extends downwardly from the low level portion of the plug. A finger grip is provided on the high level portion of the plug. The low level portion of the plug constitutes a liquid comestible sump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1980
    Assignee: Stoelting, Inc.
    Inventor: Tom N. Martineau
  • Patent number: D260948
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1981
    Assignee: Hartmann Luggage Company
    Inventors: Ira R. Katz, Robert P. Davis
  • Patent number: D281741
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1985
    Assignee: Hartmann Luggage Company
    Inventors: Ira R. Katz, Robert P. Davis