Patents Examined by Bruce A. Lev
  • Patent number: 6508295
    Abstract: In a spring-loaded curtain mount, the mount includes a pole interface at a proximal end, a compressive mechanism, and a head at a distal end. The pole interface is adapted to receive the end of a standard length adjustable pole or a painter's pole. The compression mechanism is disposed between the proximal end of the mount and the head. The mount includes a coupling device adapted to receive a portion of a curtain. During installation, the curtain mount is coupled to the end of an extension pole and the length of the pole is adjusted such that the combined length of the pole and mount is slightly longer than the distance between the floor and ceiling. At ground level, a portion of the curtain is attached to the head of the curtain mount. The curtain and mount are raised to the ceiling and the mount and pole are compressed between the floor and the ceiling. This compressive force operates to urge the head toward the ceiling, securing the mount in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: Zipwall, LLC
    Inventor: Jeffrey P. Whittemore
  • Patent number: 6505708
    Abstract: A ladder mounting mechanism is configured for mounting a ladder to a truck trailer. The truck trailer has at least one keeper member fixedly connected thereto. The ladder mounting mechanism includes a frame at least one moveable locking member moveably connected to the frame. The frame is adapted to be fixedly connected to the ladder. The moveable locking member is adapted for movement relative to the frame between a ladder-secured position and a ladder-unsecured position. In the ladder-secured position, the locking member engages the keeper member in a manner for securing the ladder to the truck trailer. In the ladder-unsecured position, the locking member is disengaged from the keeper member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Inventor: Richard LaBrash
  • Patent number: 6505820
    Abstract: To reduce the danger of bodily harm to occupants of vehicles that leave the roadway, a guardrail system includes a guardrail terminal and a guardrail. The guardrail terminal includes cutting members positioned to cut said guardrail as guardrail moves within said guardrail terminal and the guardrail terminal moves with respect to the guardrail to cut the guardrail when impacted by a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Kothmann Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean L. Sicking, Brian G. Pfeifer
  • Patent number: 6502663
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for temporarily anchoring a horizontal lifeline to existing rebar extending from concrete. Preferably, two triangular frames are temporarily secured to vertically extending rebar by eight sets of J-bolts and speed nuts. The frames are preferably made of tubular steel, and may be attached to the vertically extending rebar by one workman. Two or more rebar lifeline anchors may be used in combination to secure the ends of a horizontal lifeline. Three or more anchors can be used to secure two or more lifeline that are perpendicular to each other, such as along the outer, leading edges of a construction site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: Rose Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Timothy W. Ecker, Richard G. Reynolds, Scott Robbins
  • Patent number: 6502619
    Abstract: A safety and protection device for a raisable-curtain goods-handling door (1) has a flexible curtain including a single sheet fitted with at least one raising strap (10) disposed against the outside of the curtain, the device having an apron (7) placed against the curtain on the same face of the curtain as the straps, to cover the door from the vicinity of its bottom up to a height that is at least sufficient to provide the desired type of protection, and over a width that is at least sufficient to cover the straps, the apron being capable of being fixed to the curtain in such a manner as to avoid impeding the movements of the strap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: Nergeco S.A.
    Inventor: Bernard Kraeutler
  • Patent number: 6491085
    Abstract: A control system for a vertical vane covering for use in an architectural opening includes a headrail having an upwardly opening channel in which a plurality of carriers are disposed for sliding movement along the length of the headrail. The headrail is of a thin profile with only a minority portion of the carriers being positioned within the hollow interior of the headrail. The carriers are interconnected by a scissors-type linkage to effect uniform separation of the vanes when the covering is expanded across an architectural opening, and each carrier includes a rack and pinion system or a meshing gear system for rotating the vanes suspended thereby. Unique mountings for the endmost vanes allow the endmost vanes to cover the ends of the headrail. Rotation of a tilt wand or translation of a tilt cord results in rotation of a tilt rod via a pair of drive gears or a positive-grip pulley. Rotation of the tilt rod activates the rack and pinion system or the meshing gear system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.
    Inventors: James M. Anthony, Wendell B. Colson, David G. Mateer, Larry J. Delliman, Richard N. Anderson
  • Patent number: 6488071
    Abstract: A vertical blind (2) rail having an elongate channel (6) including a base wall (12) extending widthwise in a first direction between first and second base edges (14, 16), first and second side walls (18, 20) extending respectively from the first and second base edges to respectively first and second side edges (22, 24) in a second direction generally perpendicular to said first direction, first and second inturned flanges (26, 28) extending inwardly in generally said first direction from the first and second side edges respectively so as to define a slot (30) therebetween, wherein the vertical blind rail is formed by roll-forming a first elongate sheet into a cross-section partly conforming to the cross-section of an inner channel (10) of the blind rail, roll-forming a second elongate sheet into a cross-section partly conforming to the cross-section of an outer channel (8) of the blind rail, feeding the partly roll-formed first sheet for the inner channel into the partly roll-formed second sheet for the outer
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Hunter Douglas Industries BV
    Inventor: Konrad Welfonder
  • Patent number: 6487825
    Abstract: A holder for supporting insulation in a building has an elongated supporting section for the insulation to rest on. Two arms extend in parallel from the two ends of the supporting section, and each arm carries a U-shaped member which can be pushed onto a stud or beam by elastically spreading apart the legs of the U-shaped member. Each U-shaped member is provided with at least one hook-like portion which is elastically urged onto the respective stud or beam to anchor the holder thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Inventor: Francisco J. Sillik
  • Patent number: 6484891
    Abstract: A display rack comprises a frame, at least one dividing base unit and a track. The track supports a follower arrangement. The base unit comprises a partition wall and a support surface. The track is positioned on the support surface and is capable of lateral translation relative to the support surface. The base unit itself is laterally displaceable relative to the frame. The base unit reinforces the track unit against generally vertical bending forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Burke Display Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Paul Burke
  • Patent number: 6478111
    Abstract: A safety line system includes support assemblies which clamp to respective reinforcement bars protruding upward beyond the top surface of a concrete beam. The support assemblies include stanchion assemblies having respective posts that may be selectively pivoted relative to the beam. The support assemblies also preferably include end anchor assemblies that are connected to respective stanchion assemblies by respective chains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: D B Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne L. Olson, Scott C. Casebolt
  • Patent number: 6474393
    Abstract: A head rail for a vertical blind, the head rail being elongate and having a drive mechanism at one end for selectively tilting and retracting slats of the vertical blind along the length of the head rail, the drive mechanism including a rotatable tilt drive for tilting slats, a rotatable retract drive for retracting and deploying slats, and a transmission for rotating the tilt drive and the retract drive by means of a single rotatable source, wherein the transmission includes a clutch for rotating the tilt drive, the clutch incorporating a lost motion mechanism whereby, after a predetermined number of rotations in the same direction, transmission by the clutch to the tilt drive is disengaged and wherein the transmission includes a control gear which is located at a position along the length of the head rail so that it can be meshed with teeth of an external drive source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Hunter Douglas Industries BV
    Inventor: Konrad Welfonder
  • Patent number: 6471004
    Abstract: A self locking basket assembly has a basket extending from a base platform, and a gate system for releaseably securing a worker within the cage. The gate system includes a gate operatively mounted on a pivotable locking mechanism. The locking mechanism is opened by moving the gate in a rearward direction at an angle to a plane defined by the base platform and thereafter pivoting the gate about a hinge mechanism to an open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: bil-jax, inc.
    Inventors: Matthew D. Stringer, Jason C. Pickles
  • Patent number: 6471000
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, the improved safety ladder and harness assembly described herein incorporates a harness coupling designed to slide freely within the vertical member of a safety ladder so long as the forces exerted on the coupling are small. Any significant external force applied to the coupling, such as the application of a worker's weight, will result in a braking and holding action by the coupling until the external force or weight is removed. In one embodiment, the apparatus incorporates a substantially cylindrical coupling body having a braking lever extending from the front side, an upper braking nub extending from the upper portion of the coupling body in the same direction as the braking lever, and a lower braking nub extending from the lower portion of coupling body in the opposite direction as the braking lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Inventor: Albert A. Wolfe
  • Patent number: 6467577
    Abstract: An open tool box with a cover positionable over a portion of the box. The cover is adapted to hook onto the top of a step ladder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Inventor: Edward A. Charlebois, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6467574
    Abstract: A sliding member for use with a life-line comprises a mobile jaw delimiting with a fixed jaw a channel for guiding it on a cable. The jaw is held partly open in an intermediate configuration, opened to mount the sliding member on the cable, and closed completely if traction is exerted on a handle connected by a line to a harness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: Dalloz Fall Protection
    Inventor: Pascal Lara
  • Patent number: 6464037
    Abstract: A reconfigurable work platform for an aerial work platform system includes at least one outwardly tiltable portion on which an occupant of the work platform can lean so as to extend his or her lateral reach. This is useful when the work platform itself cannot be moved closer to a desired location. An aerial work platform system using such a reconfigurable work platform, and a method for reconfiguring a work platform are also contemplated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Delta Manlift S.A.S.
    Inventors: Jean-Luc Baldas, Jean-Claude Albert
  • Patent number: 6460593
    Abstract: An adjustable-width spring-operated roller shade that maintains proper orthogonal tracking at all available widths within the shade's range of width adjustment. The adjustable-width roller shade utilizes two overlapping window shades and a telescoping roller to provide a shade that is repeatedly width-adjustable within its original range of width adjustment. To keep the shade sufficiently perpendicular to the roller as the shade winds onto the roller, orthogonal tracking spacers, such as continuous, pliable strips constructed from the same material as the shades, are attached to non-overlapped portions of the shade material to compensate for the extra layers of material existing at the overlapped portion of the shades. Thus, the roller shade maintains proper orthogonal tracking of the shade at all available widths within the shade's range of width adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Inventor: James C. Floyd
  • Patent number: 6460652
    Abstract: A boom arrangement for a rock drilling apparatus includes at least one boom and an actuator, e.g., a passenger cage, arranged at a free end of the boom. The boom also includes at least two boom parts articulated pivotably with respect to each other. The first boom part is articulated by a first articulation pivotable substantially in a horizontal direction. The second boom part in turn is arranged at an end of the first boom part, and the second boom part can be turned both vertically and horizontally with respect to the first boom part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: Sandvik Tamrock OY
    Inventor: Juha Piipponen
  • Patent number: 6457559
    Abstract: A foldable ladder having two rails with several rungs pivotally mounted on each end to rail extensions. The rail extensions are fixed to the rails and extend towards each other. A pivot joint in each rail extension connects a common rung to allow the rung to be pivoted on two of its ends. To prevent the normally pivotally joined rungs from moving when the ladder is in an opened position, a bracket is slidably mounted on the top and bottom ladder rungs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Inventors: Mark R. Schlueter, Tami Lee Schlueter
  • Patent number: 6457556
    Abstract: A damping element for a catching carriage for damping the catching impact in the event of a fall of a user from a height includes a first end adapted to be connected to the carriage and a lug disposed at a second end adapted to be connected to a catching belt secured to the user. The damping element is releasably fixed in a non-rectilinear shape by at least one frangible link dimensioned for releasing the damping element from its non-rectilinear shape when a certain load is applied, so that it can damp the catching impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: Soll GmbH
    Inventors: Toralf Skade, Ronald Mickan