Patents Examined by Alexander Niconovich
  • Laminated pocket slingshot with metal core
    Patent number: 8794223
    Abstract: A layered composite slingshot having a metallic center or core, with overlaying spacing and outer layers. The individual layers are laminated together beginning with the metallic center. Pins are strategically inserted through the slingshot frame penetrating each layer, thereby locking each layer to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Inventor: James E Harris
  • Universal archery bow press
    Patent number: 8789518
    Abstract: An archery bow press is disclosed including a frame having at least two arm members and being actuatable to move the at least two arm members relative to one another. The frame also includes at least one elongate member having a first end portion adapted for insertion into an opening of one of the at least two arm members and at least one gripper defining an opening therein for the reception of a second end portion of the at least one elongate member. The gripper is adapted to at least partially surround an archery bow limb and removably attach to the archery bow limb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Inventor: Georgios Gouramanis
  • Bow with adjustable limbs
    Patent number: 8776770
    Abstract: Archery bow adjustment systems that enable adjustment of both the draw weight and the brace height of the bow. The adjustment system includes a plate mounted on an end of a riser of the bow. The plate supports a limb of the bow and is adjustably positionable relative to the riser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Archery America, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Richard Batdorf
  • Shooting bow
    Patent number: 8770178
    Abstract: A trigger assembly for a crossbow or other weapon system. The trigger assembly includes a trigger arm coupled between a trigger and a sear. The trigger arm is not parallel to the line of fire, thereby allowing for increased mechanical advantage and a smoother, safer trigger pull. The trigger assembly incorporates various safety measures, including a dry fire mechanism which prevents the unintentional damaging and potentially dangerous release of the bowstring before an arrow is positioned on the rail of the crossbow. The trigger assembly allows for various adjustments to vary the trigger length and pull, while maintaining smoothness and preventing the unintentional or inadvertent release of the bowstring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Inventor: James J. Kempf
  • Crossbow setting device
    Patent number: 8763598
    Abstract: A crossbow setting device which assists with efficiently setting a crossbow into an armed position. The crossbow setting device generally includes a platform which includes a receiver aperture leading to a pathway extending inwardly from its front end. A locking member is slidably positioned within the receiver aperture so that it may traverse the pathway. A receiver opening comprised of a pair of slots is formed in an upper surface of the platform tangentially with respect to the pathway. By retracting the locking member, positioning the stirrup of a crossbow through the receiver opening and re-inserting the locking member, the crossbow may be locked into an upright position for use on-the-fly or to aid in setting the crossbow into an armed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Inventor: Russell D. MacLeod
  • Fall-away arrow rest
    Patent number: 8752536
    Abstract: Fall away arrow rests for archery bows. The rests have an arm with an arrow-supporting feature and an arm-associated axle which pivots the arm to displace the arrow-supporting feature between a first, arrow-loading position and a second, more elevated, arrow-launching position. The arrow support arm can be adjusted vertically, laterally, and in fore-and-aft directions relative to a riser or other rigid bow component on which the rest is mounted. One or more dampers can be advantageously attached to arrow rest structural members to reduce shock and vibrations, including noise, as the arrow support arm displaces the arrow-supporting feature between its first and second positions, especially as an arrow is launched from the bow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Inventors: Steven C. Sims, George Clark, Scott Eastman, Johnathan F. Sell, Greg Winters
  • Archery release finger
    Patent number: 8746221
    Abstract: A back-tension archery release finger includes a housing containing a chamber which is adapted to receive a soft rubber insert. The housing includes at least one opening in a side wall thereof which communicates with the chamber to provide access to the insert. The insert projects through the side wall opening to define a contact surface for the finger of an archer. The housing may be contoured to match multiple fingers of the archer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Inventor: Marc T. Rentz
  • Wind resistant practice cage with opening and alternative closures
    Patent number: 8747259
    Abstract: A batting or ball practice cage has one or more frame members with a net attached over the frame. Frame members may be assembled having springs or elbows at the corner. A pitching machine may be aligned with the cage at one end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Inventor: William Coleman Lay
  • Gaming machine chair
    Patent number: 8747225
    Abstract: A gaming chair for use with a gaming machine that conducts a wagering game, the chair includes a seat and a tactile device for providing tactile sensations via the seat according to at least one of events occurring in the wagering game, and player input through an input device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen A. Canterbury, Jacob C. Greenberg, Timothy C. Loose, Eric M. Pryzby, Norman R. Wurz
  • Cable take-up or let-out mechanism for a compound archery bow
    Patent number: 8739769
    Abstract: A compound archery bow comprises a riser, limbs, pulley members connected to the limbs, a draw cable, and a power cable. A first pulley member includes a draw cable journal, a power cable take-up mechanism, and coaxial axle segments extending from opposite sides of the pulley member. The effective lever arm of the power cable take-up mechanism decreases, during a latter portion of drawing the bow, from a distance that is greater than a radius of the axle segments to a minimum distance that is less than that radius. The first pulley member is further arranged so that, with the bow fully drawn, at least a portion of the power cable passes through at least a portion of a space between the first and second axle segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: BowTech, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas C. Obteshka, Craig T. Yehle
  • Toy hand grenade with timer mechanism
    Patent number: 8733334
    Abstract: A toy hand grenade has a plurality of bores which receive soft darts. A launcher is received in each bore and is spring loaded. An actuator retains the launchers in a spring-loaded, unactuated position. The actuator is displaceable relative to the body to release the launchers and substantially concurrently eject the darts from the hand grenade. A pin or a clip may be employed to lock the actuator in a locked position. A timer is employed to delay actuation of the actuator to release the launchers and eject the darts from the hand grenade. A sandbag ring is imposed to ensure proper orientation and stability of the hand grenade for the timer actuated feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Inventors: David E. Mroczka, Kevin Mroczka
  • Toy vehicle racetrack with paired obstacles
    Patent number: 8734201
    Abstract: A toy vehicle racetrack is provided with one or more obstacle pairs. The obstacle pairs may be arranged in a geometrical progression and each obstacle pair may determine the relative positions of two toy vehicles and impede the travel of the trailing vehicle. Impeding the travel of the trailing vehicle may be accomplished by ejecting the trailing toy vehicle from the track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Wayne Nuttall, Brendon Vetuskey
  • Dual stirrup crossbow
    Patent number: 8720424
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to the field of archery devices, specifically to devices known as crossbows. Historically. crossbows have had a single foot stirrup, centered at the front end of the crossbow, to assist the user in the cocking procedure. Though functional, a single stirrup does not allow the user to naturally center the crossbow with his body while cocking the crossbow, which may cause miss-alignment of the bow string, as well as possible loss of balance and fatigue. By placing a stirrup on both sides of the barrel of the crossbow, the user may use his left foot, right foot, or both feet to cock the crossbow, and the crossbow is automatically centered to the users body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Inventor: James Jay Kempf
  • Compound archery bow
    Patent number: 8714143
    Abstract: A compound archery bow that includes a handle, at least one limb mounted on the handle, a pulley mounted for rotation on the limb, and a bowstring lying in a bowstring groove around at least a portion of the periphery of the pulley. In one embodiment, the bowstring groove has a depth at least 10% greater than the diameter of the portion of the bowstring that lies in the groove. In another embodiment, the bowstring groove on the pulley is of non-uniform depth, having a greatest depth about midway through the portion of the power stroke that builds to peak force and then decreasing in both directions from that point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Inventor: Rex F. Darlington
  • Card game with fixed rules
    Patent number: 8715028
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a game of poker in which player actions are fixed by game rules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: CFPH, LLC
    Inventors: Howard W. Lutnick, Dean P. Alderucci, Geoffrey M. Gelman
  • Ballistic adjustment device for toy gun
    Patent number: 8714146
    Abstract: A ballistic adjustment device installed in a rear end of a gun barrel of a toy gun for adjustment of the ballistic range is disclosed to include a barrel bullet attached to the rear end of the gun barrel and having two inside protruding portions for holding a bullet in balance in the rear end of the gun barrel for firing, a positioning member press-fitted onto the bullet barrel and fastened to the rear end of the gun barrel, a pressure member fastened to the gun barrel and having a spring arm partially and downwardly projecting through an opening on the positioning member into tangent contact with the bullet to be fired, and a rotary control member rotatable to adjust the pressure between the spring arm and the bullet to be fired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Inventor: Shih-Che Hu
  • Rotary wheel for ball pitching machine
    Patent number: 8707942
    Abstract: A rotary wheel for a ball pitching machine includes a wheel body and a resilient member engaged on an outer periphery of the wheel body. A shaft hole is provided in the wheel body for receiving a shaft of a motor of the ball pitching machine. The wheel body includes a spring portion arranged between the shaft hole and the outer periphery of the wheel body in a radial direction and including first and second bending portions both of which protrude from two sides of the wheel body respectively. When the rotary wheel is driven to turn by the motor, a frictional force of contact of the resilient member with a ball makes the ball shot outwardly, and the rotary wheel is not broken or damaged due to the spring portion compressed in the radial direction to absorb the impact energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Inventor: Sheng-Hsiao Lu
  • Bow limb retaining system
    Patent number: 8701644
    Abstract: A bow limb retaining assembly comprises a limb and a retainer having a cavity for receiving the limb. The retainer comprises opposed lateral surfaces, a first abutting surface arranged to contact a compression surface of the limb and a second abutting surface arranged to contact a tension surface of the limb. A first length portion of the retainer includes the first abutting surface and excludes the second abutting surface, and a second length portion of the retainer includes the second abutting surface and excludes the first abutting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: MCP IP, LLC
    Inventor: Mathew A. McPherson
  • Photo-chromic and phosphorescent toys
    Patent number: 8684784
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, photo-chromic and phosphorescent toys are disclosed. A photo-chromic and phosphorescent toy includes both photo-chromic and phosphorescent materials applied to the toy such as through an ink, paint, plastic, or dye. The photo-chromic and phosphorescent materials may be supplied within a material of the toy or applied-to a surface of the toy at the factory. The photo-chromic and phosphorescent materials may be activated in various ways with various light activating devices that can generate an activating light with appropriate wavelengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Shoot The Moon Products II, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher B. Schmidt, William J. Hudson, Sunil W. Moothedah, David B. Small, Paul S. Rago, Brian D. Farley
  • Convertible flower doll
    Patent number: 8684782
    Abstract: A convertible flower doll has garment including a skirt with layers that may be raised or lowered to convert the doll between a figure resembling a flower and a figure resembling a character. In flower form, the doll sits within a container resembling a flower pot. The doll has legs that wrap together and attach at the ankles to resemble a flower stem. The skirt has features resembling flower petals, and elastic in the lowest layer of the skirt bunches up the skirt layers when raised to resemble a flower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Fiore Enterprises LLC
    Inventor: Jeanette Marie Fiore