Patents Examined by Christopher R. Ellis
  • Patent number: 7204509
    Abstract: The bar cart is composed of individual components to be assembled and readily disassembled in a knock-down manner. A body frame is made of four individual skeletal rectangular frames which are interconnected in spaced apart relation. Spacers between the individual frames of the body frame fit into slots in vertical plates on the leg frames to provide for a rigid connection between the body frame and the two leg frames. A table top fits onto outstanding arms of the leg frames and interlocks with the arms to provide a rigid structure. Guides are provided in the body frame to define compartments for receiving bottles and containers as well as to define a recess for receiving a cooler. The bar cart is transportable via wheels and is disassembled without tools into a compact condition for storage in a minimum of space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Telescope Casual Furniture Company
    Inventor: William M. Vanderminden
  • Patent number: 6953199
    Abstract: A container assembly designed for the collection, temporary storage and transport of refuse, waste material or other objects including a housing having a hollow interior in which the refuse is collected and stored and further including a supplementary support structure movably mounted on the housing and selectively positionable between an operative position and a stored position. The supplementary support structure is at least partially defined by a support platform which, when in the operative position, extends outwardly from a sidewall or other exterior surface portion of the housing and is structured to support and have mounted thereon one or more objects or containers of additional refuse material, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Inventor: John Cyril Malloy, III
  • Patent number: 6945545
    Abstract: A multi-function hand truck is convertible to allow lifting of a load at a spaced distance from the truck and/or is convertible for use as a wheelbarrow. A pair of lifting arms co-operate with the frame of the hand truck to extend outwardly therefrom and allow the frame of the hand truck to provide a mechanical advantage for lifting. The wheels of the truck are moveable rearwardly for conversion to a wheelbarrow mode. An open top container is positioned within the frame of the hand truck for receiving material. The multi-function hand truck is efficiently stored in a vertical orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Inventor: Giuliano Celli
  • Patent number: 6886651
    Abstract: A material transportation system includes one or more material transportation vehicles, each having magnetic wheels coupled to a magnetically attractive surface that can include a ceiling, a wall, a floor, and/or a transition region. The material transportation vehicles are adapted to carry material from place to place. Each material transportation vehicle has sensors and motor controls that reduce swing motion of the material transportation vehicle and the material coupled thereto. A collision avoidance and traffic control system prevents collisions between the one or more material transportation vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Alexander H. Slocum, Shorya Awtar, Anastasios John Hart
  • Patent number: 6439367
    Abstract: A sorting and conveying system has a longitudinally extending conveyor having at least one tilt tray, but preferably a plurality, on the conveyor for diverting selected articles from the conveyor. There is at least one hanger for holding a plurality of bags. A chute extends between the tilt tray and the hanger. A movable bowl diverter has an entrance opening near the top adjacent the chute and an exit opening near the bottom, so that articles diverted from the conveyor will be delivered to the exit opening. Means are provided for moving the bowl diverter so that the exit opening is positioned to deliver a selected article into a selected bag on said hanger. There are a plurality of tilt trays along the conveyor and a plurality of hangers so that a selected article on the conveyor may be delivered from a selected tilt tray to a selected bag. Means are provided for mounting the bowl diverter for rotational movement, and there is a drive for rotating the bowl diverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Lockhead Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew G. Taylor, Richard B. Rigling
  • Patent number: 6182861
    Abstract: An electronically actuated bulk vending machine with a merchandise storage globe seated on a base for electronically actuated distribution of the merchandise via a rotatable merchandise wheel nested in the base and under the storage globe where the machine includes an electric motor for rotating a gear where the gear extends from the motor to engage the merchandise wheel along the peripheral gearing thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Parkway Machine Corporation
    Inventors: Steven A. Kovens, Michael T. Gootee, Robert H. Tegtmeier, Ronald F. Deuel
  • Patent number: 6169936
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method of controlling the input station in a letter-sorting installation, the input station having a scanning and reading device and a mechanical letter-storage path in which letters are conveyed after being scanned by the scanner, the position x at which the address of each letter is read along the storage path being controlled so that x remains between specified values x0 and xmax. The invention calls for the number y of uncoded letters along the storage path to be determined in an auxiliary control circuit and the value of y used to generate the control signal u for control of the input station by a control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs-GmbH
    Inventor: Boris Lohmann
  • Patent number: 6152441
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus for moving gripper bars for the advance of sheet material in a sheet-processing machine with processing stations having upper portions and lower portions, the gripper bars are cyclically advanced in an advance plane which extends between the upper and lower portions of the processing stations. The gripper bars are then returned in the same cycle in the opposite direction to the advance direction in a return plane which is displaced in respect of height with respect to the advance plane. The gripper bars are returned between the upper portions and the lower portions of the processing stations. The advance plane is not connected to the return plane. After termination of the advance movement the gripper bars are set from the advance plane to the return plane and after termination of the return movement they are set from the return plane to the advance plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Inventor: Manfred Vossen
  • Patent number: 5409080
    Abstract: A shiftable control console for an agricultural tractor is disclosed wherein the console is movable independently of the operator's seat to position the operative controls at the convenience of the operator. The console is mounted on pivoted linkages that are oriented to rotate the console clockwise as it is moved rearwardly to mimic the rotation of the operator's seat to an implement operating position. Fore-and-aft movement of the console is effected by an electric actuator controlled through a switch mounted on the console.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1995
    Assignee: Ford New Holland, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Templeton, Russell W. Strong, Richard E. Jennings