Patents Assigned to MERCEDES TEXTILES LTD.
  • Patent number: 10493306
    Abstract: A fire hose coupling, such as a quarter-turn Storz-style coupling, has a substantially annular body having a first end connected to a fluid-carrying conduit and a second end for connecting to another coupling. The fire hose coupling also includes at least one locking lever movable between an unlocked position and a locked position. The lever locks the annular body of the coupling to the other coupling. The locking lever has a light-reflecting surface to improve visibility of the lever. This facilitates assembly and disassembly of the couplings in conditions of poor visibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Mercedes Textiles Ltd.
    Inventor: Robert Richardson
  • Patent number: 10428988
    Abstract: A cam and groove coupling joint has a male coupling having a substantially tubular body that includes a pair of grooves in the body and a female coupling having a substantially tubular body that includes two pairs of lugs on the body and further includes pins that are supported by each pair of lugs. A pair of cam arms are pivotally mounted to the pins between the lugs. The cam arms are movable between an open position in which the male coupling is free to move relative to the female coupling and a closed position in which a cam of each cam arm engages the groove to lock the male coupling inside the female coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Mercedes Textiles Ltd.
    Inventors: Duane Leonhardt, Soroush Nobari
  • Patent number: 10350444
    Abstract: A fire hose coupling comprises a body having a first end connected to a fire hose and a second end having either male or female threads or, alternatively, a quarter-turn sexless coupler. The fire hose coupling comprises a recessed portion formed in an outer surface of the body. The recessed portion is shaped to define a visuotactile directional indicator such as an arrow. The recessed portion may include a light-reflecting surface to enhance visibility such as a super reflective metal film, a photo luminescent coating, or a phosfluorescent coating. The recessed directional indicator may be formed in female, male or sexless (Storz) couplings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: MERCEDES TEXTILES LTD.
    Inventor: Robert Richardson
  • Patent number: 10100953
    Abstract: A fire hose coupling includes a substantially annular body having a first end adapted to connect to a fire hose and a second end having male threads. The annular body has a central bore. The coupling includes circumferentially spaced-apart lugs extending radially outwardly from an outer surface of the first end of the body. The coupling further includes a protective shoulder extending radially outwardly from the body between the male threads and the lugs. The protective shoulder has an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the male threads to thereby protect the male threads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Mercedes Textiles Ltd.
    Inventor: Robert Richardson
  • Patent number: 10077182
    Abstract: A fuel can adapter is designed to be used with a fuel can having a neck that is internally and externally threaded. The fuel can adapter includes a plate having external threads for engaging internal threads of the neck, the plate including a hole. The adapter includes a sliding tube mounted to slide within the hole in the plate. The adapter includes an elbow mounted at an upper end of the tube, the elbow including an outlet. The adapter further includes a protrusion extending from the plate beside the hole. The elbow bears against the protrusion to exert a torque on the plate that threads or unthreads the plate from the neck of the fuel can.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Mercedes Textiles Ltd.
    Inventor: Duane Leonhardt
  • Patent number: 9958099
    Abstract: A cam and groove coupling joint has a male coupling and a female coupling that includes two pairs of lugs on the body and further includes pins supported by each pair of lugs. A pair of cam arms are pivotally mounted to the pins between the lugs. The cam arms are movable between an open position in which the male coupling is free to move relative to the female coupling and a closed position in which a cam of each cam arm engages the groove to lock the male coupling inside the female coupling. A rotatable wire clip secures the cam arms in the closed position, the wire clip being rotatably connected to each lug between a secured position in which the wire clip secures the cam arm to prevent opening of the cam arm and an unsecured position in which the cam arm is free to be opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Mercedes Textiles Ltd.
    Inventors: Duane Leonhardt, Soroush Nobari
  • Patent number: 9895562
    Abstract: A fire hose coupling, such as a quarter-turn Storz-style coupling, comprises a substantially annular body having a first end connected to a fire hose and a second end having internal engagement lugs for connecting to lugs on another coupling. The coupling includes at least one locking lever movable between an unlocked position and a locked position, the lever locking the annular body of the coupling to the other coupling. The one or more locking levers comprise a light-reflecting surface to improve visibility of the lever. This facilitates assembly and disassembly of the couplings in conditions of poor visibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Mercedes Textiles Ltd.
    Inventor: Robert Richardson
  • Patent number: 9750964
    Abstract: A fire hose coupling comprises a body having a first end connected to a fire hose and a second end having either male or female threads or, alternatively, a quarter-turn sexless coupler. The fire hose coupling comprises a recessed portion formed in an outer surface of the body. The recessed portion is shaped to define a visuotactile directional indicator such as an arrow. The recessed portion may include a light-reflecting surface to enhance visibility such as a super reflective metal film, a photo luminescent coating, or a phosfluorescent coating. The recessed directional indicator may be formed in female, male or sexless (Storz) couplings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Mercedes Textiles Ltd.
    Inventor: Robert Richardson
  • Patent number: 9752707
    Abstract: The present invention thus provides a double-jacketed lay-flat fire hose having an inner tube for conveying fluid, an inner jacket surrounding the inner tube and an outer jacket surrounding the inner jacket. The outer jacket is made of an abrasion-resistant woven fabric material that includes four longitudinal, spaced-apart and generally parallel stripes formed each of a bundle of longitudinally aligned filament yarns. This outer jacket is less prone to trapping air between the outer jacket and the inner jacket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Mercedes Textiles Ltd.
    Inventor: Robert Richardson
  • Patent number: 9539449
    Abstract: A fire hose coupling comprises a body having a first end connected to a fire hose and a second end having threads. The fire hose coupling comprises a recessed portion formed in an outer surface of the body. The recessed portion is shaped to define a visuotactile directional indicator such as an arrow. The recessed portion may include a light-reflecting surface to enhance visibility such as a super reflective metal film, a photo luminescent coating, or a phosfluorescent coating. The recessed directional indicator may be formed in either female or male couplings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Mercedes Textiles Ltd.
    Inventor: Robert Richardson
  • Patent number: 9505602
    Abstract: A fuel can adapter is designed to be used with a fuel can having a neck that is internally and externally threaded. The fuel can adapter includes a plate having external threads for engaging internal threads of the neck, the plate including a hole. The adapter includes a sliding tube mounted to slide within the hole in the plate. The adapter includes an elbow mounted at an upper end of the tube, the elbow including an outlet. The adapter further includes a protrusion extending from the plate beside the hole. The elbow bears against the protrusion to exert a torque on the plate that threads or unthreads the plate from the neck of the fuel can.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Mercedes Textiles Ltd.
    Inventor: Duane Leonhardt
  • Patent number: 9103474
    Abstract: A fire hose coupling includes a substantially annular body having a first end adapted to connect to a fire hose and a second end having male threads. The annular body has a central bore. The coupling includes circumferentially spaced-apart lugs extending radially outwardly from an outer surface of the first end of the body. The coupling further includes a protective shoulder extending radially outwardly from the body between the male threads and the lugs. The protective shoulder has an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the male threads to thereby protect the male threads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Mercedes Textiles Ltd.
    Inventor: Robert Richardson
  • Publication number: 20140084584
    Abstract: A fire hose coupling comprises a substantially annular body having a first end adapted to connect to a fire hose and a second end having male threads, the annular body having a central bore. The coupling includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart lugs extending radially outwardly from an outer surface of the first end of the body. The coupling further includes a protective shoulder extending radially outwardly from the body between the male threads and the lugs, the protective shoulder having an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the male threads to thereby protect the male threads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: MERCEDES TEXTILES LTD.
    Inventor: Robert RICHARDSON
  • Publication number: 20130048133
    Abstract: A fire hose coupling, such as a quarter-turn Storz-style coupling, comprises a substantially annular body having a first end connected to a fire hose and a second end having internal engagement lugs for connecting to lugs on another coupling. The coupling includes at least one locking lever movable between an unlocked position and a locked position, the lever locking the annular body of the coupling to the other coupling. The one or more locking levers comprise a light-reflecting surface to improve visibility of the lever. This facilitates assembly and disassembly of the couplings in conditions of poor visibility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: MERCEDES TEXTILES LTD.
    Inventor: Robert Richardson
  • Publication number: 20120211974
    Abstract: A fire hose coupling comprises a first coupler body having a first recessed portion that includes a first visual indication. The coupling also comprises a second coupler body adapted to be coupled to the first coupler body to form the coupling, the second coupler body having a second recessed portion that includes a second visual indication matching the first visual indication. Color-coded stickers or adhesive-backed high-visibility decals may be adhered to the recessed portions. The couplings may be recoded by adhering differently colored stickers. This technology enables firefighters to quickly and easily color-code their hoses for identification purposes. Because of the recesses, the color-coded stickers are substantially protected from abrasion or wear and tear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: Mercedes Textiles Ltd.
    Inventor: Robert RICHARDSON
  • Publication number: 20120006419
    Abstract: A fire hose coupling comprises a body having a first end connected to a fire hose and a second end having either male or female threads or, alternatively, a quarter-turn sexless coupler. The fire hose coupling comprises a recessed portion formed in an outer surface of the body. The recessed portion is shaped to define a visuotactile directional indicator such as an arrow. The recessed portion may include a light-reflecting surface to enhance visibility such as a super reflective metal film, a photo luminescent coating, or a phosfluorescent coating. The recessed directional indicator may be formed in female, male or sexless (Storz) couplings. Since the light-reflecting directional indicator is recessed, it will not cause the hose assembly to snag or catch when the hose is dragged through a burning structure, nor will the directional indicator abrade or wear over time. This coupling enables firefighters to readily determine the exit direction when operating in dark and smoky conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: MERCEDES TEXTILES LTD.
    Inventor: Robert Richardson