Patents Examined by J. Russell McBee
  • Patent number: 5522162
    Abstract: A portable rotary snow blower shovel which is lightweight and maneuverable is disclosed. The device uses the drive mechanism from a rotary string trimmer. In place of the string and string guard, the snow blower utilizes an impeller and a substantially cylindrical enclosure. The enclosure includes a cutout opening in a lower portion of the periphery to allow snow to enter. Adjacent the opening is a flat plate which is secured to the inside of the enclosure at an angle in order to direct snow upward toward the impeller. The impeller, which is oriented substantially parallel to the surface being cleared, is circular in shape and has radially projecting blades attached to the upper and lower surfaces thereof. Once the snow is directed upward by the angled flat plate, the blades of the impeller, which are rotating at a high speed, force the snow out an exit conduit adjacent the top of the cylindrical enclosure by centrifugal force. The exit conduit directs the snow upward and away from the path being cleared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1996
    Inventor: Peter Allison
  • Patent number: 5375347
    Abstract: A bucket wheel has a conical supporting body constructed as an inner shell rotatably mounted on the bucket wheel axis and a device which co-operates with the supporting body to accommodate the buckets on the outer rim of the bucket wheel. The supporting body is prolonged radially by a prismatic-type outer shell arranged on the supporting body parallel to the device, which has cell-forming dividing walls on its radially outward peripheral region. The prismatic shell, viewed in the radial direction, is shaped from a plurality of approximately trapezoidal steel plates which are welded to one another, making a plurality of bends, to form a polygonal conical envelope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1994
    Assignee: O&K Orenstein & Koppel Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Wolfgang Fleischhaker
  • Patent number: 5375348
    Abstract: A stretchable arm of a deep excavator comprises top, middle and base arms wherein a bucket is suspended from the top arm and a working unit is fixed to the middle arm. Two hydraulic cylinders constituting the working unit are arranged in parallel with each other while cylinder rods thereof are oppositely directed, wherein the cylinder rod of one hydraulic cylinder is coupled to the base arm and the cylinder rod of the other hydraulic cylinder is coupled to the top arm. It is possible to extend and contract each arm of the stretchable arm synchronously with one another at higher speed compared with a conventional deep excavator having a single hydraulic cylinder. The oil under pressure which flows out from the discharge chamber of each hydraulic cylinder can be merged into the oil under pressure for extending each hydraulic cylinder so that the amount of oil to be supplied to the pressure chamber is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1994
    Assignee: Japanic Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsuhiro Kishi
  • Patent number: 5363574
    Abstract: An improved pipeline padding apparatus includes a separator for separating fine material out of spoil which is piled along side an excavation, an elevator for transporting spoil to the separator, and a pair of guide projections for guiding spoil into the elevator. A conveyor is provided to transport the separated fine portion of the spoil back into the excavation, thereby padding the pipeline. The separator, the elevator, the guide projections and the vehicle are all mounted on a tracked support vehicle. In one embodiment, the motor of the tracked support vehicle is mounted above and forward of the elevator, which helps reduce the amount of dust that the motor is exposed to during operation. According to another aspect of the invention, the guide projections may be configured to allow excess spoil to flow underneath in such a manner as to smooth out a path for the tracks of the support vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1994
    Inventor: Mark Osadchuk
  • Patent number: 5353530
    Abstract: Detachably connecting a snow plow assembly (20) to a vehicle (22). The snow plow assembly includes a vehicle mount frame (28) and a lift assembly (30). The mount frame is for connecting to a vehicle frame (26) behind a front bumper (24). The lift assembly includes an A-frame (42) and a lift frame (44) with the forward end (70) of the A-frame for supporting a snow blade (40). Means (75) is provided for pivotally connecting a rear end (74) of the A-frame to the lift frame so that the A-frame is free to rotate relative to the lift frame. Additional means (82) is provided for releasably connecting the lift frame to the mount frame whereby the lift assembly can be attached to or detached from the mount frame as a single unit while leaving the mount frame connected to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1994
    Assignee: Douglas Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventor: James C. Pieper
  • Patent number: 5354151
    Abstract: System for loading at sea comprising a submersible conveying structure and anchoring device for the conveying structure. The loading system includes a bottom or base structure disposed on a sea bed and a maneuvering arrangement for bringing the conveying structure into a receptacle provided in the bottom or base structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1994
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventor: Jean-Francois Giannesini
  • Patent number: 5350251
    Abstract: A system is provided for controlling the moisture content of a planted surface. The system includes a plurality of drain conduits located beneath the planted surface for collecting liquid from the planted surface. The system also includes a sealed collection tank coupled to the plurality of drain conduits. The collection tank is located beneath the planted surface to collect liquid passing through the plurality of drain conduits. The system also includes a vacuum pump coupled to the collection tank for removing air from the collection tank to provide a suction force in the collection tank and in the plurality of drain conduits to draw liquid from the planted surface through the plurality of drain conduits and into the collection tank. An elevated air tank is coupled between the vacuum pump and the collection tank. The elevated air tank is located at a remote location spaced apart from the collection tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1994
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventor: William H. Daniel
  • Patent number: 5349766
    Abstract: A boom support pendant pin retainer for an earth working machine having a retainer plate and a projection for preventing rotational, axial and coaxial movement of the pendant pin. The projection is constructed and arranged to mesh in the void between the pendant pin and an adjacent opening in the gantry structure. The projection prevents rotational movement of the pendant pin and the retainer is secured to each end of the pendant pin and adjacent to the gantry, structure to prevent axial and coaxial movement of the pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1994
    Assignee: Dresser Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Vance D. Dutton
  • Patent number: 5349765
    Abstract: An excavator for constructing an underground continuous wall includes an extensible guide post, an endless chain extending around a chain driving wheel provided at the upper portion of the guide post and a chain sprocket at the lower portion of the guide post, and a number of cutter bits and a number of agitator bars alternately arranged on the chain to form an endless chain cutter and a jet pipe provided in the guide post to be connectable to a fluid supply source and having a number of nozzles branched from the jet pipe. The endless chain cutter is detachably fixed to the end of the boom extending from a vehicle traveling on the ground. The endless chain cutter may be vertically movably mounted on the boom so as to be vertically driven by a driving device. The cutter bits are changeable with harder cutter bits according to obstacles in the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1994
    Assignee: Hokushin Kogyo Corporation
    Inventors: Katsumi Kitanaka, Takehiko Kitanaka
  • Patent number: 5348425
    Abstract: A method is described for protecting piston cylinder devices against corrosion by a pressure resistant thermoset or cured material coating. At least the outer and inner cylindrical surfaces, for example, of a mine prop, that cooperate with a sealing device, are coated with a three-dimensionally cross-linked, cured or thermoset material having a sufficient thickness on the one hand for providing the intended protection against corrosion and on the other hand to avoid excessive radially directed elastic deformations of the coating. An additive is included in the coating to improve the dry lubricating characteristics, and thus the cooperation between the coating and the sealing devices. The three-dimensionally interlinked thermoset material fills all surface irregularities so that gas and water pockets, for example, in a mine prop, are avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1994
    Inventor: Robert W. Heiliger
  • Patent number: 5347078
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided for disposing of a hypodermic syringe needle and associated tip and hub, the syringe having a tubular body to which the hub is removably attached. The method includes providing an upright, protective receptacle having a downward entrance, and providing a trap door at the entrance; inserting the needle and hub into the receptacle via the entrance and past the trap door; and allowing the trap door to thus block withdrawal of the hub and needle from the receptacle in response to the insertion. The received needle and hub are contained in the receptacle for disposal; and penetrable sealant is also provided in the receptacle in a position to seal off the inserted needle tip from external contamination. Corresponding apparatus is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Inventor: John F. Eckels
  • Patent number: 5343641
    Abstract: A spreader bar assembly has a middle spreader bar having a nose-shaped link at opposite ends to which is pivoted pivotal end pieces which comprise about half of the structural weight. The pivotal end pieces have a rounded tip portion which is pivotally connected to the nose-shaped link by pin members which are secured by keepers. The pivotal end pieces have upper and lower transverse openings for pins in order to connect the chains of a hoist which also connect an excavator bucket. Greatly increased life before failure results from the three-piece construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1994
    Inventor: George Gregory
  • Patent number: 5344256
    Abstract: A rock anchor is formed from a tendon composed of a plurality of strands. The tendon has at least one bulbous portion wherein all the strands in the bulbous portion are spaced apart from one another substantially around the periphery of each bulbous portion. An apparatus for manufacturing the rock anchor includes a series of opposed plates disposed on opposite sides of the tendon and controlled by respective hydraulic rams to clamp the tendon between the opposing plates. The clamps are sequentially displaced longitudinally by a dedicated hydraulic ram to form the bulbous portion between adjacent clamps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1994
    Assignee: Garford Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Neville A. Hedrick
  • Patent number: 5340234
    Abstract: A trench drain system for factory floors and the like having inherently-shaped partially-circumferenced homogeneous polymeric pipe members fused together to form a continuous integral pipe channel with a top opening having two edges, and support/anchor members secured along each of the edges to support the grate members and anchor the pipe members with respect to the floor. The system has integrity in form and is easily installed and adapted. A method for installing a trench drain system including fusing together inherently-shaped partially-circumferenced pipe members having two edges defining a top opening of desired width to form a continuous integral pipe channel, laying such pipe members in a trench in end-to-end fashion with said top openings up, and anchoring the pipe channel in the floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1994
    Inventors: Anthony P. Rossi, Daniel W. Rosenberg
  • Patent number: 5340237
    Abstract: This invention concerns a mechanism for the interchanging of guide-posts worked by remotely controlled vehicle which consists of guide-cones (6) provided in the side of base beam (2) that supports socket (4) of guide-post, which guide-cones are placed axially and enter all around the socket (4) of guide-post, to create an operating channel inside the socket (4) while guide-post (8) is provided with a channel all around its bottom (1) to house a locking-pin (12). Guide-post (8) is placed inside its respective socket (4) so that the operating channel created by the guide cones (6) inside socket (4) matches channel all round the bottom (10) of socket, exactly, so that locking of guide-post (8) takes place by means of turning the locking-pin (12) housed in channel all around (10) the guide-post (8) by means of a remotely operated vehicle or suitable tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1994
    Assignee: Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.
    Inventors: Ney Robinson S. d. Reis, Fabio K. P. Conti
  • Patent number: 5337495
    Abstract: A tooth assembly for mounting on the tooth horns of excavating or levelling apparatus buckets, shovels or alternative digging mechanisms. In a preferred embodiment the tooth assembly includes a wedge-shaped adapter for seating on a tooth horn, an insert removably seated in an insert cavity provided in each side of the adapter and a tooth point frontally engaging and bolted to the adapter by means of bolts threaded in the inserts, for engaging the material to be excavated. In another preferred embodiment top and bottom wear caps transversely slidably engage and bolt to the adapter adjacent to the tooth point for extending the life of the tooth assembly in the excavating or levelling operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Inventor: Sherlock K. Pippins
  • Patent number: 5336017
    Abstract: A conduit for dispersing or gathering liquids in the earth has an arch shape cross section and alternating peak and valley corrugations along its length, with cantilever legs extending from one end to interact with the mating portion of a like conduit. The legs, along with a shiplap joint having flange discontinuities for manufacturability, provide a superior rigid joint when the conduits are mated and buried beneath the earth and subjected to vertical loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1994
    Assignee: Infiltrator Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: James M. Nichols
  • Patent number: 5333399
    Abstract: A digging wheel assembly includes a supporting wheel having a peripheral zone and a plurality of receiving elements affixed to the supporting wheel in the peripheral zone in a spaced, circumferential distribution. Each receiving element has a receiving pocket and a receiving slot. Digging tool components are disposed along the peripheral zone of the supporting wheel in a circumferential distribution. Each digging tool component is disposed between two circumferentially adjoining receiving elements; one being a leading receiving element and one being a trailing receiving element as viewed in the rotary working direction of the assembly. Each digging tool component has a leading part extending from a front end of the digging tool component in the rotary working direction and being accommodated in the receiving pocket of the leading receiving element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Assignee: O&K Orenstein & Koppel AG
    Inventor: Joachim Mett
  • Patent number: 5333400
    Abstract: In order to quickly and easily provide a coupling of a drive fluid to a hydraulic cylinder of an accessory of an excavator, a part articulately connected with a dipper arm and a dipper ladle link of the excavator is also provided with one or more hydraulic couplings of a female type. The accessory to be coupled to the part is provided with the corresponding hydraulic couplings of a male type, so that on connection to the part the accessory after fixing, rotating and locking is also connected to a drive fluid. The hydraulic couplings are kept together by the accessory having been connected to the Joint means of the excavator. When the accessory is disconnected and removed, the hydraulic connections will also be interrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Inventor: John T. Sonerud
  • Patent number: 5329708
    Abstract: A hinged snow plow for an off-road vehicle is provided wherein a cowling is pivotally secured to the free end of an adapter. The adapter attaches to a tubular mounting means of a universal nature. The tubular mounting means which is modified, depending upon the off-road vehicle to which the snow plow is to be mounted. The combination of the adapter and tubular frame make the snow plow mountable to almost any off-road vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Inventors: Michael J. Segorski, Arnold R. Sirtola