Patents Examined by Hwel-Slu Payer
  • Patent number: 6427342
    Abstract: A guide bar for a chain saw is provided having an elongate substantially planar main body portion made from a first material and having an opening extending therethrough. An elongate insert made from a second material is configured to fit closely in the opening in the main body portion. The main body portion has a holding mechanism for retaining an end portion of the insert to inhibit release of the end portion of the insert laterally of the main body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Blount, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert H. Breitbarth, David Scott Penrose
  • Patent number: 6405441
    Abstract: A wick trimmer and capture device for trimming, to a predetermined length, a wick of a candle formed with a primary and a secondary wick well. The trimmer device includes an elongated, actuatable handle assembly that has a grip assembly at a proximate end and having first and second prongs at a distal end. Projecting distally from the first prong, a gauging anvil is also included that is formed with a well edge that is configured with a lateral dimension small enough to fit within the primary well and sufficient in width to span a secondary well diameter. An adjustable trim plate is slidably mounted from the second prong and is formed to have a trim blade, which is arranged in a confronting relationship with the gauging anvil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Inventor: Julia Rucker
  • Patent number: 6385852
    Abstract: A tree pruner includes a fixation seat, a cutter, a link rod, and an auxiliary rod member which is formed of a support rod and an expandable push rod. The support rod is pivoted at one end with the link rod, and at the other end with a locating hole of the cutter. The expandable push rod is pivoted at one end with the link rod, and at the other end with the support rod. The auxiliary rod member serves as an auxiliary application arm between the link rod and the cutter, so as to improve the operational efficiency of the tree pruner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Ho Cheng Garden Tools Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yao-Chung Huang
  • Patent number: 6378217
    Abstract: A portable hand-held apparatus for punching light gauge steel framing studs used in building construction to form holes of sufficient size to allow building wiring and piping to extend therethrough includes a control circuit connected to a limit switch and a main switch, and an output connected to a driving mechanism. The control circuit is configured to selectively operate the driving mechanism in response to assertion of the main switch by the user to drive the punch and die assembly from the deactuated position, over the working cycle, through the actuated position to form the punched hole, and continue to drive the punch and die assembly to the deactuated position to complete the cycle and assert the limit switch. The control circuit halts operation of the driving mechanism in response to assertion of the limit switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: One World Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Akio Takamura, Jack Barney Sing, Peter Jon Shigo, Colin Poon, George Michael Hornick
  • Patent number: 6298562
    Abstract: An apparatus for marking and cutting of construction material, wherein the apparatus is adapted for use with a flexible measuring tape. The apparatus utilizes a main body in which a measuring tape is slideably engaged into a retaining slot. A protruding cutting wheel or marking material is set at a desired dimension and guided against a construction material in order to mark or cut the material at a uniform width. Movement of the apparatus along the work piece is easily accomplished since the angled tip or leader of a flexible measuring tape is used as a fence capable of sliding along the work piece with movement of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Inventor: David M Duquette
  • Patent number: 6286216
    Abstract: A hand tool for forming circular cutouts of sheet material secures the material so that no generally central penetration in the form of a pilot hole or the like, is required. The resulting cutout is useful in the construction of an article assembled from a series of such blanks or cutouts, such as a quilt assembled from a large number of blanks with the blanks being sewn together at points of mutual contact about their circumferences. The tool comprises a relatively stationary base hub with a shaft extending upwardly therefrom, and a hand pressure knob mounted on the shaft opposite the base hub. A rotary disc with a radial channel having a cutting arm and rotary cutting blade therein, is sandwiched between the base hub and pressure knob. The tool is placed upon the sheet material and pressure is applied to the pressure knob, with the cutting arm and rotary disc being rotated about the hub and knob to drive the cutting blade in a circular path about the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Inventor: Elaine A. Braun
  • Patent number: 6272755
    Abstract: A tool for performing lopping, pruning and similar operations includes a housing assembly formed of a pair of telescoping tubular sections. The tool also includes a tool head, a head line and an actuating line. The tool head, which is connected to one end of a tubular section, preferably includes a spring-biased blade coupled to the head line which is connected to a slidable block. The actuating line, while engaging the slidable block so that tensioning the actuating line causes movement of the blade, is also slidable relative to the block upon relative movement of the tubular sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Alterra Holdings Corporation
    Inventors: Vern Mittlesteadt, Mark D. Schaefer, Brian W. Hubbard
  • Patent number: 6266888
    Abstract: A reaching razor is provided having a head portion, a handle and an elongated, flexible neck having a head attachment end opposite a handle attachment end, In this manner the head portion is affixed to the head attachment end and the handle is attached to the handle attachment end such as to as allow the user the ability to articulate the head attachment end in relation to the handle attachment end fully about the lateral centerline of the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Inventor: Thomas E. Zowaski
  • Patent number: 6249980
    Abstract: A can opener has a blade-carrying member pivotably connected to a housing and a hooked connection between the blade-carrying member and the housing that permits the blade-carrying member to be disconnected from the pivotal connection when an actuator of the can opener is moved to a release position. The can opener may be provided with a stop to prevent the disconnection and removal of the blade-carrying member unless the actuator is in the release position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: Mitchell & Cooper Limited
    Inventor: John Anthony Edwards
  • Patent number: 6205667
    Abstract: A handheld knife having a non-rotating retractable blade which reversibly travels between a position of storage within the knife handle and an extended position of use in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the knife handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Spyderco, Inc.
    Inventor: Louis S. Glesser
  • Patent number: 6173500
    Abstract: A power tool has a housing that is surrounded in part by a rubber boot. The housing has an opening through which a fastener connects the housing a component of the housing. The boot has a plug portion formed on the inner surface that fits within the opening to seal the housing. The plug portion can have a seal lip followed by recesses to allow for pressure release.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: S-B Power Tool Company
    Inventor: Martin Feldmann
  • Patent number: 6167626
    Abstract: A dust collection port for a circular saw is formed on the upper rear end of a blade guard. A spring biased door pivotally moved between a closed position and an open position is provided over the port. The guard includes exit ribs and return ribs in the region of the port where the ribs direct the flow of the dust formed by the saw blade. The door includes ribs on the underside surface to secure a hose in the port when the door is in the open position. When the door is in the open position, dust flows through cavity formed by the guard into the exit ribs and into a hose inserted into the port. In the closed position, the dust flows through the exit ribs and into the return ribs to exit through the open lower end of the guard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: S-B Power Tool Company
    Inventors: Robert Doumani, Dennis Powell
  • Patent number: 6145204
    Abstract: An eating implement comprising an elongate element defining a first length and opposing ends, a handle extending from one of the opposing ends in a first direction and at a right angle relative to the elongate element, the handle defining a second length equal substantially to the first length, and a head for engaging and accommodating food, the head extending from the other one of the opposing ends in a second direction and at a right angle relative to the elongate element, the second direction being opposite to the first direction defined by the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Inventor: Diane M. Cash
  • Patent number: 6145203
    Abstract: Shears for making angular cuts in curved metal trim, comprising a pair of opposed griping handles, upper and lower pivotally interconnected scissor action shearing jaws having curved cutting edges and attached to the handles for operation thereby, and at least one miter guide attached to one of the shearing jaws and having a straight edge angularly disposed with respect to the plane occupied by the shearing jaws.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Inventor: Michael P. Appleman
  • Patent number: 6112420
    Abstract: A blade clamp assembly has a housing and a clamping lever to hold a blade for a reciprocating saw. The clamping lever rotates about a pin within a cavity formed in the housing. The clamping lever includes a body portion having a cam face and a handle portion integrally formed with the body portion and extending from the trailing portion of the cam face. As assembled, the handle portion extends slightly out from the edge of the housing. A plate is provided between the cam face of the clamping lever and the floor of the cavity. A torsion spring is provided to bias the cam face against the plate to hold a blade by the assembly. The handle portion is used to overcome the torsion spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: S-B Power Tool Company
    Inventor: Jason Schickerling
  • Patent number: 6058807
    Abstract: A method for producing cutting tools incorporated in the present invention is carried out as follows: a shank portion and a drill portion are formed separately such that the inner diameter of a hole made in the shank portion is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the drill portion. The rear of the drill portion is forcibly inserted into the hole of the shank portion at normal temperature which is room temperature. The diameter of the inner wall of the hole is thereby enlarged, resulting in a tight fitting. After the insertion of the drill portion in the shank portion, the drill portion may be ground to form a drill edge. Before the insertion of the drill portion in the shank portion, the shank portion may be quenched under vacuum or the like, or the surface of the shank portion may be hardened by nitriding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuyoshi Fujii, Seiji Matsuura, Kazuhiro Kaneko
  • Patent number: 6018874
    Abstract: A sleeve for surrounding a power cord, in whole or in part, for apparatuses such as hedge trimmers. The sleeve, preferably composed of a lightweight polymeric material in expanded, corrugated or similar form, has relatively large radial dimensions compared to the cord and therefore resists the insertion of the sleeve and the cord into apparatuses (such as a hedge trimmer's cutting blades) thereby preventing damage to the sleeve and the cord and preventing other undesired results. In addition, the relatively large size of the sleeve tends to increase the user's awareness of the sleeve and cord. Also the sleeve's increased rigidity compared to the cord aids in preventing the cord from being entangled in the apparatus and assists in managing and manipulating the cord. The sleeve is also lightweight and flexible enough so as not to constrain the intended function of the cord.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Inventor: William M. Todd