Patents Examined by Allen Ostrager
  • Patent number: 6915736
    Abstract: A baler is described which has a collection chamber or duct and a baling chamber. Crop material enters the duct until a pre-determined level has been reached at which time a stuffer transfers the pre-compressed crop to the baling chamber. A control system is provided for calculating the ratio between the amount of crop material which should be formed into bales under optimal conditions and the rate of flow of crop material entering the duct. This ratio can be displayed and used to control the speed of the towing vehicle. The present invention uses the duct as a kind of measuring cylinder to determine the rate at which crop material is entering the baler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Dirk G. C. Leupe, Christiaan A. C. Lippens
  • Patent number: 6913049
    Abstract: The invention relates to a veneer slicing machine. The output of prior art veneer slicing machines is limited by virtue of the fact that the slideways quickly heat up at a maximum stroke rate. As a result, the maximum permissible temperature of 120° C. is quickly reached thereby making it necessary to shut down the machine in order to permit the slideways to cool. The inventive veneer slicing machine should be able to be used in continuous operation at a maximum stroke rate and thus function without resulting in a loss in quality. To this end, cooling means are arranged on the slideways (16) and are provided in said slideways (16) e.g. in the form of borings (21) through which the coolant circulates whereby enabling heat to be carried away in a well-directed manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Grenzebach-BSH GmbH
    Inventors: Jean Meyer, Heinrich Weppler, Armin Heiner
  • Patent number: 6910411
    Abstract: A drill cuttings slurry process system is disclosed for defluidizing earth drill cuttings, thereby extracting valuable drilling additives and returning them to the drilling system while producing a dense, drier material which may be discharged directly in the environment at or near the well being drilled or chemically treated for distillation and/or better dissolution into the environment, thereby reducing, cost in transportation and environmental treatment chemicals thus reducing environmental contamination. The system comprising a cuttings press having solids/fluids separation a dryer and/or a retort for flashing off any residual petroleum residue and moisture, a fines grinder and a chemical injection system. The retort including an analyzer system for weighing and determining rate of throughput and analyzing the cuttings for residual petroleum residue content prior to discharge to environment or further refinement prior to reinjection into the well or transport to environmental depository sites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Jeffrey Reddoch
  • Patent number: 6910360
    Abstract: An apparatus for making mattress and upholstery spring coils. The apparatus has a wire feeding device and a wire guide adapted to support first and second wires of different diameters. The wire guide is movable to first and second positions to align the first and second wires, respectively, with the wire feeding device. A spring coiling machine is positioned adjacent the wire feeding device. When the wire guide is in the first position, the spring coiling machine receives the first wire of one diameter from the wire feeding device; and the spring coiling machine bends the first wire into a spring coil of a desired diameter and pitch and having a first stiffness. When the wire guide is in the second position, the spring coiling machine receives the second wire of another diameter from the wire feeding device; and the spring coiling machine bends the second wire into a spring coil of the desired diameter and pitch but having a second stiffness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: L&P Property Management Company
    Inventors: Hresc Stjepan, Gecic Josip, Duras Branko
  • Patent number: 6901851
    Abstract: A mechanism for rotating an object having a flat bottom surface on a conveyor system is described. Four circular disk segments whose rotational axes lie on a plane and are offset 90 degrees from each other are pressed against the bottom surface by a linear drive and subsequently rotated. The top surface of each disk segment lies against the bottom surface in the direction of a tangent of a circle around the rotational axis of the object. The recessed segments do not touch the bottom surface of the object. As the circular disk segments rotate, their outer circumferences rest against the bottom surface and rotate the object. This rotating mechanism is used in strapping machines and provides a method of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Gerd Mosca AG
    Inventor: Dieter Baumann
  • Patent number: 6899152
    Abstract: A set of plates that interact to control the action of a router to direct it to shape interlocking components in sheet materials. The device is mainly applicable to dovetail joints but it can be applied to lettering and decoration. One of the plates supports the router over the workpiece. A second plate forms a shaped base for the router. Two further plates control the movement of the router plate and hence the router itself on the base plate. Another of the set of plates is indented with depressions that act as a template that controls the position of the cut of the router by means of an attached locating pin that can follow the template. The positioning of the router and the way it attacks the sheet material is unrestrained until checked by the plates. These plates together can form a set of dovetail jigs that cut both through and lapped dovetails using any dovetail cutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Inventor: Christopher Martin Valentine Godfrey
  • Patent number: 6899023
    Abstract: The invention relates to an extended-nip roll press for dewatering a fibrous web in a press nip which, on one side, is formed by a rotating mating roll and, on the other side, is formed by an extended-nip press roll, whose roll centers lie in a stack plane, and the extended-nip press roll has a stationary support and a flexible roll cover that can rotate about the support, the cover in the region of the press nip being supported on the support on a sliding surface which is formed on an upper part, defining an entry and exit, of a press shoe that can be displaced with respect to the support in a loading direction, it being possible for the press shoe to be displaced radially along a loading plane which intersects the stack plane at the center of the mating roll and at an acute angle to the exit direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Eduard Küsters Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Bernhard Brendel, Peter Hader
  • Patent number: 6896018
    Abstract: Vacuum flitch-retaining systems use vacuum valves having pressure-operated reciprocatable pistons capable of high valve closure forces to provide the reliable closure of their associated valve seats, notwithstanding the presence of resin, wood fibers, dirt and other debris that may be present in the valves and on the valve seats, to control the application of vacuum to vacuum cells formed in a flitch-retaining table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Capital Machine Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Bobby Deckard, Andrew J. Klotz
  • Patent number: 6895856
    Abstract: A method to provide a high pressure press with a replaceable wear liner. The wear liner is first inserted into the cylindrical pressure chamber of the press and the pre-stressed by the application of an excess pressure above the yield point. The excess pressure is sufficient to increase the diameter of the wear liner and produce a residual radial compressive stress that holds the wear liner in place. When the wear liner is removed from the press it is dismantled. The advantage of the invention is that the replaceable wear liner, and a high pressure press comprising it, may be relatively inexpensive to produce and the replaceable wear liner may be quickly and simply replaced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Flow Holdings GmbH (SAGL) Limited Liability Company
    Inventor: Nils-Gunnar Lönneborg
  • Patent number: 6896214
    Abstract: A fruit grating tool includes a tube-shaped housing, a cap releasably connected to the housing, a pressing member arranged under the cap and biased down by a spring, a rotary member having a knob arranged on top of the cap, and a grating base arranged under the pressing member and connected to the rotary member; the grating base has a grating surface on an upper side thereof, and many sharp edged tangential holes thereon; fruits are put on the grating base to be pressed against the grating surface by means of the pressing member, and are grated by means of the grating surface when the knob is operated to cause the grating base to rotate; the fruits will pass down via the sharp edged tangential holes of the grating base after having been grated into small pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Yienn Lih Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ming-Feng Wu
  • Patent number: 6896017
    Abstract: There is provided a rotatable cutting tool for supporting at least one knife in at least two alternate angular cutting configurations. The cutting tool includes a body that defines at least one cavity extending generally in a longitudinal direction of the body. Each cavity is defined by first and second knife support surfaces, which are provided in an opposing, non-parallel configuration. The first knife support surface is configured to support one of the knives that is urged against the first surface at a first hook angle, and the second knife support surface is configured to support one of the knives that is urged against the second surface at a second hook angle, which is different from the first hook angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Moulder Services, Inc.
    Inventor: David Daniel Rankin, Sr.
  • Patent number: 6896019
    Abstract: The log positioning and conveying apparatus is used for conveying a log from an upstream end to a downstream end, and for positioning a log according to a predetermined downstream position. The apparatus comprises an open frame and a number of powered conveying rollers arranged therein in a row. These rollers, in addition to being rotatable, are displaceable in two directions relative to the open frame, namely, in a vertical direction for correcting the position of the log vertically relative to the open frame, and in a horizontal direction transversal to the longitudinal axis of the conveying apparatus, for correcting the position of the log transversely relative to the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Sawquip International Inc.
    Inventors: René Achard, Robert Gauthier, Jean-Pierre Perreault, Eddy Ste-Croix
  • Patent number: 6896016
    Abstract: A plate joiner including a fence support, a drive, and a fence system. The fence support includes a cutter and a contact surface, which defines a cutter slot. The cutter is arranged and configured to protrude from fence support through cutter slot to make a plunge cut into a surface of a workpiece when the contact surface is pressed against the surface and the cutter is plunged into the workpiece by pushing on a rearward handle portion of the tool. The drive is arranged and configured to rotatably drive the cutter through a motor. A preferred fence system includes an angle adjustment system arranged and configured to position the fence at a wide range of fence angles and, at any selected distance from a top face of the workpiece to the fence, the distance from the top face of the workpiece to the cutter remains constant as the front fence angle is adjusted. A preferred fence system includes a trunnion which pivotally couples the front fence to the fence system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Porter-Cable Corporation
    Inventors: John C. Smith, Earl R. Clowers
  • Patent number: 6892632
    Abstract: A round baler for forming round bales of agricultural crop material includes a bale kicker mechanism for ensuring that the bale is clear of the path of movement of the baler tailgate after the bale has been discharged from the baler and before movement of the tailgate from its open position to its closed position. The bale kicker mechanism includes an inner section which is movably mounted to the baler for movement between a raised position and a lowered position, and an outer section which is pivotably mounted to the inner bale kicker section, to form a jointed bale kicker construction. The inner bale kicker section extends downwardly and rearwardly from the bale-forming chamber at a relatively sharp angle when in its lowered position, to facilitate discharge of the bale from the bale-forming chamber. The outer bale kicker section defines an outer end which engages the ground when the inner bale kicker section is in its lowered position, to provide a ramp for moving the bale onto the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Gehl Company
    Inventors: Kim P. Viesselmann, Anthony J. Glaszcz
  • Patent number: 6892631
    Abstract: Process for operating and calender with a roll stack having a plurality of rolls, including two end rolls arranged to form a press plane and middle rolls arranged between the end rolls. The plurality of rolls includes at least one elastic roll. The process includes displacing at least one roll relative to the press plane at periodic intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Voith Paper Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Eva Scheidler, Robert Wolf
  • Patent number: 6889604
    Abstract: A lid 14 for fitting to an open-topped refuse container 10 has a compacting mechanism comprising a compacting plate 36 mounted under the lid, a telescopically adjustable actuating rod 42 mounted over the lid, and means 40 slidably coupling the plate to the rod through an aperture in the lid such that the rod may be manoeuvred from a storage position wherein the rod lies across the lid and the plate is drawn up under the lid to an operative position wherein the rod stands upright over the aperture and may be pushed downwardly through the aperture (as seen in FIG. 4) to push the plate down into the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Inventor: Tibor Ernst
  • Patent number: 6890140
    Abstract: A seam adjuster for ensuring that a tight seam is formed between a can end and a can body. The seam tool (32) is mounted via bearing (34) on the seam lever (31), the centre of the bearing being eccentric to its outside diameter. The bearing has an-external thread (35) which mates with a complementary worm mechanism (36). By virtue of the eccentricity, rotation of the worm mechanism rotates the bearing and moves the seam tool radially for adjusting seam tightness. Seam tool height is set by a spacer (33) or shim which is readily interchangeable for varying the seam tool height without affecting seam tool tightness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Crown Cork & Seal Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Egerton, Miles Waterworth
  • Patent number: 6886454
    Abstract: Higher-gloss paper grades, in particular paper grades with a Hunter gloss % above 40, are produced in an arrangement having pairs of calendering units (1, 3) disposed in the machine direction one after the other and apart from one another, which pairs are each formed of separate and different calendering units (1, 3) and in each of which the nip load in the latter calendering unit (3) is higher than the nip load in the preceding calendering unit (1). Advantageously, the calendering unit (1) placed first in the machine direction is an on-line long-nip calendering unit (1) and the calendering unit (3) placed after that in the machine direction is an on-line or off-line supercalender.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Metso Paper, Inc.
    Inventors: Timo Torvi, Matti Lares
  • Patent number: 6886456
    Abstract: In an enclosed shoe press having a press blanket extending through an extended nip defined between a backing roll and a press shoe, an anchor device is disclosed for anchoring a peripheral edge of the press blanket. The anchor device includes a rotatable head which defines a conical peripheral surface for supporting the blanket. A ring defines a concave surface which cooperates with the conical surface of the rotatable head such that the peripheral edge of the blanket is anchored between the conical surface of the head and the concave surface of the ring. Also, a pin extends radially inwardly from the ring, the pin engaging a hole defined by the peripheral edge of the blanket. Additionally, a plurality of barbs extend away from the concave surface for assisting in anchoring the peripheral edge of the blanket against the conical surface of the rotatable head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: PMT Italia SpA
    Inventor: Fabrizio Tonello
  • Patent number: 6886614
    Abstract: A pencil sharpener having a sharpening sub-assembly for sharpening pencils, and first and second external shells having internal ribs defining surfaces for supporting the sharpening sub-assembly. Components of the sub-assembly are placed into corresponding portions defined by the internal ribs. The ribs ensure proper alignment of the components relative to the shell and each other, e.g. in the x- and y-directions. All components may be placed in the shell in a single direction, e.g. in a single axial direction (the z-direction). The components of the pencil sharpener are mounted in place upon fastening together of the first and second external shells. No internal or additional fasteners are required. The sharpening sub-assembly may include an electric motor, a gear assembly, and a cutter assembly including a cutter gear module having an annular ring gear, acting as a carrier support, and housing a pencil insertion switch and/or a receptacle presence switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Hunt Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas R. Ricono, Michael Lee Parrish, Sallie S. Daley, Phillip Bruce Daley, Jr.