Patents Examined by Alexandra Pechhold
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Patent number: 7001103Abstract: Disclosed is a stamp for forming a tactile-detectable warning surface in moldable concrete or asphalt and method for employing same. The stamp consists of a mold member having truncated dome shaped indentations distributed therein in a warning pattern, each indentation optionally having an air hole located centrally therein, and, form rails distributed between indentations on the lower surface of the mold member and projecting downward there from, so as to force an even and consistent distribution of the moldable material into the indentations when the form rails are worked downward into the surface of the moldable material to form truncated domes. The stamp may further comprise one or more handles and upper rails distributed on the upper surface of the mold member.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2004Date of Patent: February 21, 2006Assignee: Meta Dome, L.L.C.Inventor: Duane Frederick Sippola
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Patent number: 6997640Abstract: A backer rod adapted for insertion into a construction joint having a polymeric foam body of closed-cell construction and a foraminous skin with both open and closed cells. The backer rod, when compressively inserted into a construction joint, is impervious to hot and cold sealants alike and maintains the seal integrity during the extremes of expansion and contraction. The backer rod is usable over the temperature range of ?70 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. The backer rod hereof is a continuously extruded closed-cell foam body that is degassed by a secondary extrusion. The skin portion is formed by heat treating the exterior of the polymeric foam body so as to create microperforations therein.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2005Date of Patent: February 14, 2006Assignee: Hohmann & Barnard, Inc.Inventor: Ronald P. Hohmann, Jr.
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Patent number: 6997639Abstract: An apparatus for adjusting the height and inclination of roadway and greenway appurtenances includes a rigid annular support ring mountable onto a rigid annular spacer ring sized so as to be mountable onto a manhole and a manhole frame mountable onto the support ring. The manhole frame is substantially frusto-conically shaped. A rigid annular base flange may be mounted around a base end of the manhole frame. A plurality of threaded bores are formed in spaced array around the base flange. Rigid elongate threaded members are threadably mountable into the threaded bores so as to be selectively threadably adjustable in the threaded bores and so as to protrude downwardly from the base flange into engagement, beneath the manhole frame, with a top surface of the support ring when the manhole frame is mounted on the support ring. The threaded members are threadably adjustable in the threaded bores to elevate or to tilt the manhole frame relative to the support ring.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2004Date of Patent: February 14, 2006Inventor: Wayne John Nadasde
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Patent number: 6997637Abstract: Roadway barrier system and method are disclosed for decelerating a moving vehicle in a controlled manner and for retaining the decelerated vehicle. A net or mesh of the roadway barrier system receives and captures the moving vehicle. The net or mesh is secured to anchors by energy absorbing straps. The energy absorbing straps deploy under a tensional load to decelerate the moving vehicle, the straps providing a controlled resistance to the tensional load over a predefined displacement or stroke to bring the moving vehicle to rest. Additional features include a sacrificial panel or sheet in front of the net that holds up the net or mesh while deflecting vehicles that collide only tangentially with the roadway barrier system.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2001Date of Patent: February 14, 2006Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationInventors: William C. Schneider, P. James Locke
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Patent number: 6997641Abstract: A road milling machine has a driver's cab equipped with a floor plate and a steering gear mounted on the chassis of the road milling machine. The steering gear includes a console, on which a steering wheel is positioned. One end the console is fastened laterally to the chassis, while the other end of the console is not attached to anything. The console extends over the floor plate, forming an opening between the floor plate and the console on a side. Since this opening is below the console, it is possible for the operator to observe the road surface without having to lean to the side, as is necessary with conventional road milling machines, in which the side of the chassis on which the console is positioned blocks the view.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2004Date of Patent: February 14, 2006Assignee: Wirtgen GmbHInventors: Olaf Gaertner, Dieter Bungarten, Roland Lull
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Patent number: 6993802Abstract: An elongate covered passageway formed of modular pultruded sections adapted for use in the construction of aircraft boarding bridges is disclosed. The passageway includes a four principal structural elements, namely a floor element, two upright, spacedly positioned wall elements and a ceiling element positioned atop the two wall elements. Each of the structural elements is formed of one or more pultruded panels, each panel defining one or more compartments therein. The compartment type construction of the panels provides channels for the installation of wiring, ducting and insulation for servicing the passageway construction.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2000Date of Patent: February 7, 2006Assignee: FMC Technologies, Inc.Inventor: George Dean Hone
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Patent number: 6991401Abstract: Landfill compactor vehicles having wheels equipped with wedge shaped cleats tend to accumulate about the vehicle's axle trash such as cable, wire, rope and the like debris requiring daily removal to permit unobstructed axle rotation. The wheel construction of this invention provides compaction cleats of two types, contour and traction, in rows positioned across the width of the wheel with substantially no cleat free zone adjacent the wheel edges but with a row of contour teeth arranged adjacent the wheel's inner edge thus affording trash exclusion properties to the compactor wheel.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2005Date of Patent: January 31, 2006Assignee: Caron Compactor CompanyInventor: James Oliver Caron
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Patent number: 6988561Abstract: A hand tool having a flat, planar blade parallel to a surface and a variable length handle allows efficient and effective grading or leveling of a surface. The device allows for effective grading without undue stress on the body of the operator. The ergonomic design of the device, as well as the functional design, allow for effective and efficient grading of surfaces next to and surrounding sensitive structures.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2003Date of Patent: January 24, 2006Inventor: Justin Campbell
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Patent number: 6988849Abstract: A pothole repair machine utilizes hot mix asphalt material to fill the pothole being repaired. The machine includes a heating apparatus for raising the temperature of the surface of the road surrounding the pothole to soften the material for bonding with the material to be inserted into the pothole. A hot tack spray is then placed onto the surface of the pothole before hot mix material is deposited into the pothole cavity. Before depositing the hot mix material, a sensing mechanism determines the depth of the pothole and causes an adjustment of the height of screening doors to effect the uncompressed height of the filling material at a predetermined percentage of overfill before a vibrating roller compresses the filling material to the level of the surrounding roadway. A plurality of screening doors extends along the transverse width of the machine, each door being adjustably controlled by a depth sensor member.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2004Date of Patent: January 24, 2006Inventor: Harold M. Zimmerman
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Patent number: 6988848Abstract: A drip berm for mounting onto a drip mat includes one or more inner berm members and one or more cooperating outer berm members. Each inner berm member is mountable contiguously around the circumferential edges of the drip mat. Each outer berm member is mountable along an inner edge of the outer berm member contiguously along or around an outer edge of, or perimeter of a frame formed by the inner berm member or members. Each inner berm member includes at least one clamp member for mounting onto the circumferential edges of the drip mat. Each clamp member includes a pair of jaws for mounting inwardly of the circumferential edges of the drip mat. The jaws are pivotable about a clam-shell hinge so as to, in a closed position, engage and clamp the circumferential edges of the drip mat between the pair of jaws, and so as to, in an open position, release the circumferential edges of the drip mat from between the pair of jaws.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2004Date of Patent: January 24, 2006Assignee: Roadstead Technologies Inc.Inventors: Kirk J. Arsenault, Michael Howard Boudreau
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Patent number: 6988560Abstract: A system for quickly coupling a mounted implement and a towed implement to a tractor frame or chassis includes a hitching bracket with two hooks and two eyes that are fixed to the frame of the tractor and a plate that is fixed to the hooks and eyes to provide a mounting surface for the implement. The plate also includes a slot for inserting a drawbar that can be attached to a towed vehicle. The drawbar is positioned underneath the implement.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2003Date of Patent: January 24, 2006Assignee: CNH America LLCInventor: Tod A. Bay
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Patent number: 6986621Abstract: A trench drain filtration system having a filter body dimensioned to fit within a trench drain forming a trough or reservoir obstructing at least a portion of the trench drain. The filter body is supported by a filter body support dimensioned to cooperatively engage with the trench drain and with the filter body to substantially maintain said filter body in a pre-selected position within the inlet. One or more connectors removably connect the filter body to the filter body support.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2002Date of Patent: January 17, 2006Assignee: Kristar Enterprises, Inc.Inventor: Douglas Paul Allard
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Patent number: 6986393Abstract: An aerator plug-core cleaning system for ground surface collection of turf cores extracted from a turf core-aerating apparatus. The core-cleaning system comprises a core-cleaner that primarily attaches to either a walk-behind or tractor pulled aerator machine. The core-cleaner entraps and pushes the extracted cores along behind the core-aeration machine until being lifted in about a vertical manner by secondary attachment to a rear raise-able portion of the core-aeration machine at which point the cores are left in a pile for disposal.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2004Date of Patent: January 17, 2006Inventors: Donald F. Johnston, Jr., Andrew Johnston, Ian Johnston
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Patent number: 6976803Abstract: A stationary board adapted to be set up in a medial strip between traffic lanes to block lights of oncoming vehicles in the medial strip and facilitate identification of the medial strip in nighttime driving or riding. This stationary board comprises a pair of plate members each composed of a molded component made of a transparent plastic material, and the plate members are coupled with one another at the respective marginal edges thereof to form an integrated assembly having a hollow space therein. Each of the plate members is formed with irregularities in its inner surface facing the hollow space of the assembly. A top member molded of a plastic material is attached to the top portion of the assembly in a fitting manner. The plastic material of the top member contains a luminous pigment capable of absorbing, storing and emitting light.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2004Date of Patent: December 20, 2005Assignee: Kyowa Electric and Chemical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kashichi Hirota, Junji Fukuda
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Patent number: 6976808Abstract: A catch basin filtration system is disclosed. A filter body is dimensioned to fit within an drain inlet forming a trough obstructing at least a portion of the inlet. The filter body is supported by a filter body support dimensioned to cooperatively engage with the interior walls of the inlet and with the filter body to substantially maintain said filter body in a pre-selected shape and position within the inlet. One or more connectors removably connect the filter body to the filter body support.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2002Date of Patent: December 20, 2005Assignee: Kristar Enterprises, Inc.Inventor: Douglas Paul Allard
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Patent number: 6971818Abstract: A tactile warning surface structure having underfoot detectability is formed in place by a method wherein the shank portions of a plurality pins are inserted into and bonded to a plurality of holes formed in an upper surface of a concrete slab of a walkway. The holes are located within a defined area of the upper surface of the concrete slab and are spaced from each other in a predetermined pattern so that, when the shank portions of the pins are inserted into and bonded to the holes in the concrete slab with the upper end head portions of the pins projecting upward beyond the upper surface of the concrete slab at least a minimum distance, the pins in the defined area of the upper surface of the concrete slab form a tactile warning surface having underfoot detectability.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2004Date of Patent: December 6, 2005Inventor: Nolan D. Schabacker
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Patent number: 6969213Abstract: A roadway upon which a vehicle travels is provided in which the vehicle is decelerated. The roadway includes: a movable surface extending in a direction of the vehicle's travel; and a potential energy storage mechanism operatively connected to the movable surface for converting a kinetic energy of the vehicle into potential energy upon movement of the movable surface thereby slowing the vehicle. Also provided is a roadway upon which a wheeled vehicle travels in which the vehicle is accelerated. The roadway includes: a movable surface extending in a direction of the vehicle's travel; and a potential energy transfer mechanism operatively connected to the movable surface for transferring a stored potential energy associated with the movable surface into kinetic energy upon movement of the movable surface thereby propelling the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2003Date of Patent: November 29, 2005Assignee: Omnitek Partners, LLCInventors: Jahangir S. Rastegar, Qiaode Jeffrey Ge
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Patent number: 6969214Abstract: A process and apparatus for forming a coherent refractory mass on the surface of a road wherein one or more non-combustible materials are mixed with one or more metallic combustible powders and an oxidizer, igniting the mixture so that the combustible metallic particles react in an exothermic manner with the oxidizer and release sufficient heat to form a coherent mass under the action of the heat of combustion and projecting this mass against the surface of the road so that the mass adheres durably to the surface of the road.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2004Date of Patent: November 29, 2005Inventor: George Jay Lichtblau
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Patent number: 6966723Abstract: A road repair kit and/or bridge joint repair kit is comprised of an outer container, a measured amount of binder material and a separate and distinct measured amount of aggregate material. In one preferred embodiment of this invention, the binder material is in a first consumable container (meltable bag) and the aggregate material is, likewise, in a second consumable container (meltable bag) inside the first consumable container. In another preferred embodiment, both the binder and the aggregate are contained in the same consumable container (meltable bag).Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2003Date of Patent: November 22, 2005Inventor: Robert K. Zentner
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Patent number: 6966724Abstract: Method of replacing a blind flange manhole cover of the type including a bolted on blind flange mounted on a bolting flange of a negative pressure storage tank manway with a manhole cover having a hinged door assembly includes the step of removing the blind flange manhole cover from the bolting flange of a tank-installed manway. The manhole cover may be attached to the bolting flange of the existing manway. A seal may be provided for creating a leakproof joint between the cover and a cover receiving surface when the hingedly attached manhole cover is in a closed position. A manway having a hingedly attached manhole cover may be provided with a hinge frame. A locking assembly may be provided adjacent the cover that includes a locking and sealing element for engaging the cover with a seal for locking and sealing the manway.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2003Date of Patent: November 22, 2005Assignee: The Stebbins Engineering and Manufacturing CompanyInventor: Mark D. Robinson