Patents Examined by Alexandra K. Pechhold
  • Patent number: 6467998
    Abstract: A self-regulating tilting weir comprises a tiltable weir gate over which the water flows, the weir gate being hinged at its lower edge (3) to the base of a support frame (1) and counterbalanced by floats (4) located upstream of the weir gate so that the level of water is raised in response to a fall in the water level upstream of the weir gate and is lowered in response to an increase in the water level upstream of the weir gate, the weir gate being connected to the floats (4) by chains or cables (5) which pass over pulley wheels (6), and devices (7, 8) being provided for effecting vertical movement of the pulley wheels (6) relative to the support frame (1). A self-regulating fishway (FIGS. 9 to 11) is provided alongside the weir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Inventor: Cyril Anthony Timms
  • Patent number: 6467996
    Abstract: A loose fill lightweight plastic aggregate for a preassembled drainage line unit. The bead comprises a central portion, at least three legs extending from each of the top and bottom of said central portion, a plurality of channels each defined by adjacent ones of said legs, the width of said legs being greater than the width of said channels. A rib protrides laterally from each of the sides of the central portion. In the drainage unit, the beads maintain a substantial void space for flow of waste water and also provide maximum surface area for bacterial breakdown of sewage wastes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: Rapac, Inc.
    Inventor: Wavern L. Garner
  • Patent number: 6468004
    Abstract: A facing element for a reinforced soil structure has first and second adjoining chamber. A polymeric strip to be secured to the facing element is circumflected about a non-metallic member, and the member and a portion of the circumflected strip are inserted into the first chamber and moved laterally into the second chamber where they are retained in wedged-engagement. The first chamber is sealed to prevent removal of the rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Inventor: Derrick Ian Peter Price
  • Patent number: 6464430
    Abstract: A soil decontamination apparatus includes a pug mill with twin, side-by-side augers or shafts with paddles moving the soil along a treatment path. A roof over the pug mill includes burners directing flames toward the soil as it is moved through the device. The burners are preferably staggered from one side of the roof to the other and are directed at an angle into the mixing chamber. Conveyors carry the soil into the decontamination apparatus and away from it, and a screening device separates rocks and the like from the soil prior to treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Inventor: Tom L. Maleck
  • Patent number: 6463628
    Abstract: A laminated-glass door handle assembly includes a first handle and a second handle oppositely fastened to a glass door at both sides by at least one coupling device. Moreover, the first handle and the second handle both made of laminated glass and formed as a sandwich of 2 sheets of glass bonded to a tinted interlayer have excellent strength to resist impact and can be made with different colors and patterns in the tinted interlayer to meet a whole design of different buildings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Inventor: Hua-Tung Yeh
  • Patent number: 6460222
    Abstract: A hinge structure of back door constructed to reduce the sizes of parts comprising hinges of a back door for enabling to obtain an accommodation space, wherein, in a door hinge having a first hinge unit and a second hinge unit rotatively coupled to an inner panel of a door and to a recess of a body, each connected to a rotary axle, the hinge structure for back door comprises a guide member formed at a bottom surface thereof with a coupling hole through which to secure the first hinge unit via a bolt and a nut and formed at both left and right tip ends thereof with a bent piece having a guide hole, a bracket formed at a bottom surface thereof with a coupling hole and formed at both left and left sides thereof with bent pieces formed at one side thereof with a connecting hole, first and second rods having both ends externally expanded for being respectively inserted into the guide hole of the guide member and the connecting hole of the bracket while central units thereof ware made in “⊂” shape,
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Jun-Ho Je
  • Patent number: 6457912
    Abstract: A foundation and a method for constructing the foundation are provided using recycled automotive tires. A portion of the respective side walls of the tires are formed into flat annular members. The annular members are laid out on the ground in an overlapping arrangement to form a continuous substrate layer. The substrate layer is covered with an aggregate material for forming the foundation. The substrate layer prevents the aggregate material from penetrating into the soil while permitting drainage therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Inventor: Ashley Leibl
  • Patent number: 6454490
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of using the apparatus for creating rumble strips in a surface such as asphalt or concrete, including a vehicle with an attachment coupled thereto. The attachment includes a cutter wheel having teeth thereon and a flywheel coupled with the cutter wheel. A hydraulic motor is coupled with the cutter wheel for rotating the cutter wheel and the flywheel. Eccentric cams are provided for moving the cutter wheel vertically with respect to the surface being cut, and a gear box is coupled with the eccentric cams for rotating the eccentric cams. The eccentric cams do not contact the surface being cut. The apparatus further includes a sliding assembly coupled with the cutter wheel. The sliding assembly is both horizontally and vertically movable with respect to the surface being cut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Dustrol, Inc.
    Inventor: Tim L. Murphy
  • Patent number: 6450730
    Abstract: The curb forming and extruding machine forms continuous concrete edging while reducing and/or substantially eliminating voids, flat spots or weak areas caused by smoothed sections in the packed concrete. Also, concrete bridging in the hopper, and the associated problems, are reduced and/or eliminated. The curb forming machine includes a plunger which is driven along a path of travel including a forward position to force the curb forming material from the lower hopper section into and through the curb extrusion mold, an upward position so that the plunger extends into the upper hopper section, and a rearward position away from the curb mold and in the lower hopper section. The plunger extending into the upper section of the hopper eliminates concrete bridging and also scores the concrete as it packs it into the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: The Concrete Edge Company
    Inventors: Robert D. Matthias, James E. Kirkland
  • Patent number: 6450733
    Abstract: A mobile anti-flood protection device comprising flexible tubes (1) placed on top of each other with closed ends and at least one water connection. The ends of the tubes (1) are detachably fixed to holding devices (2). The holding devices are removably secured to a base plate (3a) which is fastened to a substructure (3) to be included in the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Inventors: Hans-Joachim Krill, Klaus Heringhaus
  • Patent number: 6446292
    Abstract: A lightweight mobile bridge has upper belts and/or lower belts made of composite fiber materials. The belts provide for longitudinal tensile support for vertically extending side walls formed with shear ribs made of metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Dornier GmbH
    Inventors: Reinhold Fuessinger, Friedrich Graf
  • Patent number: 6447209
    Abstract: A device for use with a pier installation apparatus of the type employed in lifting and supporting a foundation is provided. A mounting beam assembly for mounting hydraulic power cylinders in a straddling position around a pier to be driven into the ground by the installation apparatus. The beam assembly is a planar member having a central opening for receiving the pier therethrough. It is comprised of opposing plate members beneath which the hydraulic cylinders are mounted. The plate members each have an opening which allows passage of the piston rod through the hydraulic cylinder. Alternatively, the beam assembly may be comprised of a unitary plate member having a lateral opening at a side edge. The mounting beam assembly allows for lateral placement around a pier in the installation apparatus, and may be completely disassembled for quick and efficient installation and removal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Richard D. Ruiz, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Dean Ruiz, Troy Dean Ruiz, Scott Allen Ruiz
  • Patent number: 6443666
    Abstract: A reinforced concrete panel is formed by embedding a stretched steel chain link mesh unit within concrete. The panel can be used to form a building or a flood dyke, or an earth reinforcing wall. The earth reinforcing wall is formed by digging a trench in the soil. Vertical posts are positioned in the trench, the posts spaced apart by a distance corresponding to a width of a panel. The panels are lowered between adjacent pairs of posts, and the edges of each panel slide within grooves formed in the posts. Finally, the trench is filled with concrete to encase the panels and posts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Inventor: William H. Smith
  • Patent number: 6439805
    Abstract: A method of stabilizing the ground underlying roadways. Cement is mixed thoroughly with a microfill agent, and optionally a water reducing agent, to obtain a highly reactive and dry cement mixture. The dry cement mixture is blended with at least one of the materials soil, clay, or stone, and sufficient water so that after compaction the blend will have a compressive strength of at least 5 MPa after 28 days. The blend is spread on the ground to a thickness of at least 15 to 30 centimeters and a roadbed is laid over the blend after the blend has cured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Inventor: Vladimir Ronin
  • Patent number: 6439803
    Abstract: A very low-profile snowplowable pavement marker mounted in an elongated groove formed in a highway pavement, the groove extending longitudinally of the highway and exposing the reflective highway marker to the headlights of oncoming motor vehicles when their approach distance from the reflective highway marker is adequate for highway guidance purposes. The reflective highway marker is a metal casting with a reflector mounted in a pocket formed in the casting. The casting is adhesively installed in a deepened section of the groove. The protective rails of the casting are situated slightly above the pavement surface, but are significantly lower than rails of prior art snowplowable castings. The leading edge of the reflector support is below pavement level and allows light from oncoming headlights to enter the reflector without the shadowing effect prevalent in conventional low-profile marker castings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Inventor: Harry E. Lowe
  • Patent number: 6435764
    Abstract: An assembly for adjusting the elevation of a structure such as a manhole or a catch basin to be surrounded by pavement. A one-piece is formed to be inserted between a base rim and a cover of the structure. A lower member of the adapter is received in the base rim to be supported on an internal shoulder. An upper member extends outwardly of the lower member to receive the cover and upwardly to engage the upper end of the base rim and form an upward extension of the rim. The elevation of the structure may be increased by inserting the adapter between the base rim shoulder and the cover and decreased by removing the adapter from between the base rim shoulder and the cover. Additional adapters of identical construction may be inserted to further increase the elevation of the structure, all the adapters being nestable within one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Inventor: P. Dennis McNeely
  • Patent number: 6431797
    Abstract: A masonry retaining wall is constructed using a footer placed at or beneath a lower grade level with vertically extending post-tensioning rods extending therefrom. The post-tensioning rods are provided with upset ends and flange members close to a right angle bend to provide appropriate anchoring in the footer and to increase the pull out strength of the rod. A plurality of courses of masonry block are positioned on the footer with the vertically extending post-tensioning rods threaded through voids in the block. Flange members are positioned on the ends of the respective post-tensioning rods and nuts are used on the threaded ends thereof to apply a predetermined tensioning force to each of the post-tensioning rods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Pyramid Retaining Walls, LLC
    Inventor: Harold H. Greenberg
  • Patent number: 6422784
    Abstract: A plate support device for use during road repairs for creating a smooth transition from the road to the plate member. The plate support device for use during road repairs includes a support member having a bottom wall and a plurality of tapered side walls with each side wall having an outer top surface, an outer lower surface, and an outer intermediate surface which is slanted at an angle relative to the top surface and lower surface thus forming a ramp portion. The bottom wall has a plurality of holes therein, which include a first set of holes and a second set of holes which is larger than the first set of holes for fastening the support member and plate member to the road.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Inventors: Richard Pellegrino, Melvin Reynolds
  • Patent number: 6422783
    Abstract: A slip base support system for tubular posts. The post supporting a highway sign or other highway roadside device is held in a casting that has a triangular, multi-directional base plate. The base plate mates with a similar shaped ground plate, and the two plates are held together with bolts oriented in notches in the apexes of each triangle. Upon impact by a vehicle, the post and support casting break away from the ground plate by ejecting one or more of the bolts laterally from the notches. The post is held within the casting after impact by an internal locking pin, which is retained within the post by grommets, thus minimizing the projectile missiles after impact. To facilitate breakaway, two sheets of galvanized steel having a low coefficient of friction are positioned between the base plate and ground plate. After impact, nearly all parts of the system, including the post, casting, ground plate and bolts, are able to be re-used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Northwest Pipe Company
    Inventor: Horace M. Jordan
  • Patent number: 6416249
    Abstract: A blending apparatus which forms part of an asphalt pavement resurfacing machine has first and second stages. The first stage receives milled material through an inlet and blends the milled material with a rejuvenating fluid. The first stage has a transversely extending shaft from which paddles extend radially to blend the milled material with the rejuvenating fluid and direct it toward a first stage outlet. The second stage receives the blended material from the first stage outlet. The second stage has a respective shaft with mixing paddles extending radially therefrom to further blend the material and direct it toward a second stage outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Inventor: Francesco A. Crupi