Patents Examined by James G. Smith
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Patent number: 6622897Abstract: A hanger has a pinch-grip including a pair of vertically-extending components, a biasing spring, and a connector separate and distinct from the biasing spring. The connector pivotably secures together the upper ends of the components for movement, prior to application of the biasing spring to the components, between a substantially unfolded orientation, wherein the components lie in a common plane, and a substantially folded orientation, wherein the components are generally parallel. The connector is integrally molded with the components and configured and dimensioned to lie between the upper ends thereof when the components are in the folded orientation, without substantially inhibiting movement of the upper or lower ends between the closed and open positions.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2002Date of Patent: September 23, 2003Assignee: A&E Products Group LPInventors: David Bokmiller, Andrew M. Zuckerman
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Patent number: 6622595Abstract: A cork extractor tool for removing the cork from wine bottles has a cylindrical needle carrier with an attached axially directed hollow needle of sufficient length to penetrate through the cork. The needle carrier is slidably disposed within a tubular sleeve which closely fits within a handle. The handle and tubular sleeve are arranged to rotate the needle carrier and needle using a pair of helical grooves disposed through the tubular sleeve, with a pair of corresponding roller guides which extend radially inwardly from the handle through the respective helical groove and which are affixed to the needle carrier. A pair of radially oppositely disposed graspable positioning legs include lower arcuate bottle gripping portions which engage the bottle to facilitate placement of the cork extractor tool on the bottle.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2002Date of Patent: September 23, 2003Inventor: William Federighi
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Patent number: 6622329Abstract: A three-piece bicycle tool assembly consists of a first tool carrier, a second tool carrier, and an engagement member separate from and slidingly engaging the first tool carrier and the second tool carrier. The first tool carrier and the second tool carrier each have a number of tools pivotably engaged thereon. A chain repair tool on the engagement member is held between the first tool carrier and the second tool carrier so that it is not substantially exposed.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2001Date of Patent: September 23, 2003Assignee: Bicycle Tools IncorporatedInventors: Pierre Ostor, John Krawczyk
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Patent number: 6619362Abstract: An automatic device for mounting and removing a tire (6) onto and from the relative wheel rim (5), comprising, for supporting the wheel rim (5) complete with tire (6), rotary means associated with a frame (7) which supports an operating head (16), positionable in level and horizontally translatable, provided with at least one demounting tool (25) which can rotate about an axis perpendicular to the main axis of said operating head (16) to be positioned between a first position for seeking and gripping the bead of the tire (6), in which the tool (25) is orientated towards the center of the wheel rim, and a second position for extracting said bead of the tire (6) from the wheel rim, in which the tool (25) is perpendicular to the axis or is orientated in the opposite direction.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2001Date of Patent: September 16, 2003Assignee: Corghi S.p.A.Inventor: Remo Corghi
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Patent number: 6619159Abstract: A right angle nutrunner accessory having a drive spindle adapted to be coupled to the end of a socket wrench. A tubular sleeve encloses the coupling between the accessory housing and the wrench to protect the user's hand from an injury-producing pinch point.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2001Date of Patent: September 16, 2003Inventor: Donald E. Galat
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Patent number: 6613063Abstract: A trocar assembly is disclosed which includes a shank having a distal end and a proximal end, and a planar piercing blade having two substantially flat faces and a cutting contour, where the piercing blade is integrally attached to the distal end of the shank. The shank tapers inwardly towards said opposed flat faces of said piercing blade. A trocar tip protector may be disclosed that is housed within the shank and adapted to actuate between a retracted and an extended position where an actuator mechanism causes the tip protector to move to the extended position covering the blade when the tip of the trocar member has entered the patient's body cavity. A tip. protector indicator is also disclosed that provides a visual indication of whether the tip protector is in the retracted or extended position.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2000Date of Patent: September 2, 2003Inventor: Daniel Hunsberger
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Patent number: 6609640Abstract: A hanger has a pinch-grip including a pair of vertically-extending components, a biasing spring, and a connector separate and distinct from the biasing spring. The connector pivotably secures together the upper ends of the components for movement, prior to application of the biasing spring to the components, between a substantially unfolded orientation, wherein the components lie in a common plane, and a substantially folded orientation, wherein the components are generally parallel. The connector is integrally molded with the components and configured and dimensioned to lie between the upper ends thereof when the components are in the folded orientation, without substantially inhibiting movement of the upper or lower ends between the closed and open positions.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2002Date of Patent: August 26, 2003Assignee: A & E Products Group, LPInventor: David Bokmiller
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Patent number: 6609445Abstract: A socket designed for manually siding onto a valve adapted for use in a pipe line and enabling rotational movement of the valve and thereby connection to and disconnection from the pipe line. The socket has a square drive bore at a longitudinal end thereof to enable a square drive of a wrench to be inserted therein for rotation thereof. The recess of the socket is open box shaped and dimensioned to fit snugly around the outer surfaces of the valve for snug engagement of the valve to provide rotation of the valve via rotation of the socket. The socket also has semicircular openings at opposing lateral portions thereof to receive control and mounting structures of a ball valve structure therein and fit snugly therearound to provide more positive engagement of the valve. The inner walls of the socket are flat to fit snugly against corresponding flat surfaces of the valve to provide more positive engagement of the valve.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2001Date of Patent: August 26, 2003Inventor: Dennis Elmore
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Patent number: 6609443Abstract: An improved striking tool handle grip used with standard heads such as hammers, hatchets or axes, wherein the grip is tapered from a point closest to the head to the opposite end of the handle and is elliptical in shape. There is therefore no two points on the grip where the radii, measured from the centerline of the handle, is the same. The amount of taper is substantially five degrees.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2001Date of Patent: August 26, 2003Inventor: Michael John Murray
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Patent number: 6609262Abstract: A magnetic tool structure includes a body having a square end formed with a receiving seat, and a magnetic device mounted on the receiving seat of the body. The magnetic device includes an outer retractable rod secured and hidden in the receiving seat, an inner retractable rod retractably mounted on the outer retractable rod, and a magnetic body secured on the inner retractable rod to move therewith. In use, the magnetic body can be extended outward from the receiving seat of the body and fully inserted into the receiving seat of the body, so that when the magnetic device is retracted and shortened to a minimum length thereof, the magnetic device is fully hidden in the receiving seat of the body.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2001Date of Patent: August 26, 2003Inventor: Chin Shun Cheng
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Patent number: 6606925Abstract: A handle for hand tool, which handle includes an elongate handle body and at least two polygonal locating shanks provided on the handle body as to tool fasteners onto which commercially available inserts are fittable. The shanks include a first shank arranged on a first end face of the body coaxially with respect to a longitudinal axis of the handle body, and at least one further shank aligned at an angle and at a distance from the first shank in the longitudinal direction.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2000Date of Patent: August 19, 2003Inventor: Engelbert Gmeilbauer
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Patent number: 6604441Abstract: A connector includes a body provided with a polygonal drive end that may be driven by a tool, the drive end provided with an engaging portion, and an urging body secured on the drive end of the body, and provided with an engaging portion engaged with the engaging portion of the drive end of the body, so that the tool is urged and secured between the urging body and the drive end of the body. Thus, the body of the connector and the tool may be combined integrally, whereby the connector may be exactly secured on the tool, so that the tool may function as a ratchet wrench.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2001Date of Patent: August 12, 2003Inventor: Chorng-Jiang Lin
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Patent number: 6598769Abstract: A sock-holding dressing aid for a person to use in donning a sock having a cuff onto a foot of the person includes a U-shaped member for holding the cuff of the sock in an expanded position ahead of the foot of the user in order to facilitate insertion of the foot into the sock, the U-shaped member having a semicircularly shaped base portion and first and second side portions extending forwardly from the semicircularly shaped base portion. First and second straps are connected to respective ones of the first and second side portions of the U-shaped member to enable the person to pull the U-shaped member toward the person in order to pull the sock onto the foot of the person without the person having to bend over toward the foot. The first and second straps are composed of a flexible material such that the user can wind the straps around the U-shaped member into a storage configuration.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2002Date of Patent: July 29, 2003Inventor: Rito H. Franco
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Patent number: 6595091Abstract: A tool for removing and installing a golf spike, having a threaded stud and a cleat at one end of the stud, includes a tubular body that surrounds a cavity, pins projecting from an end wall at one end of the body, and an end cap closing the other end of the body. The pins are spaced and otherwise configured to fit into holes that are in the cleat, so that when a torque is applied to the body, it will be transferred to the spike. The cavity contains several replacement spikes. The end cap snaps onto the body, yet has the capacity to rotate on the body.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2001Date of Patent: July 22, 2003Assignee: Quick Point, Inc.Inventor: Richard J. Williams
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Patent number: 6591719Abstract: An adjustable pliers wrench including a fixture having a handle and an opposing stationary jaw, a co-acting jaw pivoted to the fixture and a lever pivoted to the co-acting jaw. A guide is attached proximate the handle and a locking element is arranged on the guide for reciprocal and canting movement. At least one attached biasing element urges the locking element toward the stationary jaw. An arm is pivoted to the lever and a cam is pivoted to the arm and to the locking element so as to be movable between a first condition permitting the locking element to reciprocate along the guide and a second condition bearing against the guide and canting the locking element into frictional engagement against the guide.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2001Date of Patent: July 15, 2003Assignee: Newell Rubbermaid, Inc.Inventors: Daniel L. Poole, Robert N. Poole
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Patent number: 6588040Abstract: A multipurpose hand tool with folding handles each including a central channel to receive pliers jaws or the like when the tool is folded, and including troughs holding outer blades alongside the central channel so that the outer blades can be opened without unfolding the tool. The troughs face opposite the direction of the central channels, and the bases of the outer troughs act as comfortable places to grip the handles when they are extended for use of the pliers. Blade locking mechanisms are incorporated in the walls of the central channels to lock each of the outer blades in an extended position.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2001Date of Patent: July 8, 2003Assignee: Leatherman Tool Group, Inc.Inventor: Benjamin C. Rivera
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Patent number: 6588478Abstract: The machine comprises a working station (P) and a fixed bed (10) disposed to the rear side of the working station (P). For rotating a wheel (20) there is provided a unit which is carried by a support bracket (30) connected to the fixed bed (10) in such a manner as to be able to swivel about a horizontal axis (A) passing through the working station (P), and comprises, for rigidly locking the wheel rim, a motorized mandrel (32) disposed with its axis (B) perpendicular to and cutting or nearly cutting the swivel axis (A), so that the tire of the wheel (20) carried by the mandrel (32) is traversed, in a virtually central position, by the swivel axis (A) of the support bracket (30). The machine also comprises means (12) for swivelling the support bracket (30) between two operative positions, in the first of which the axis of rotation (B) of the wheel is disposed in a horizontal position, and in the second of which the axis of rotation (B) of the wheel is disposed in a vertical position.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2001Date of Patent: July 8, 2003Assignee: Societa' Italiana Construzioni Elettromeccaniche-S.I.C.E.-S.p.A.Inventor: Giuliano Vignoli
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Patent number: 6588633Abstract: The invention relates to a device for holding socks or stockings in pairs. The inventive device consists of a holding body (1) and a hook (2), which are joined by a predetermined breaking point (3). A slit is arranged in the holding body (1) for receiving two socks or stockings. The slit is enclosed on all sides by the holding body (1). The device is produced easily and holding the socks or stockings securely and in a caring manner.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2002Date of Patent: July 8, 2003Inventor: Peter Ammann
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Patent number: 6584874Abstract: A ratcheting device comprising a driver head assembly which includes at least two 3-D sprag elements positioned within a first groove within the driver head assembly such that at least one of the 3-D sprag elements may lockingly engage the driver head assembly and a mating hub assembly to allow for rotation of the hub assembly in one direction with respect to the driver head assembly. This arrangement allows the ratcheting tool to impart torque in either the clockwise or counterclockwise direction without having to first rotate the ratcheting tool in the direction opposite the direction in which the torque is applied. This arrangement also allows the ratcheting tool to impart torque in either the clockwise or counterclockwise direction while in the neutral position.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 1996Date of Patent: July 1, 2003Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationInventors: Michael O. Wade, James W. Poland, Jr.
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Patent number: 6581809Abstract: The invention relates to an iron, press and/or steaming device for hats. In particular, it is directed at steaming or pressing baseball caps. The invention comprises two semi-spherical halves that are attached by a handle. The handle can be squeezed and made to collapse to make the two flat inner faces of the semi-spherical halves press together. Once pressed together, the two semi-spheres should look like a single sphere. Located on both the rounded outer surfaces and the flat inner surfaces of both semi-spheres are numerous steam vents. By squeezing the two halves together, the user can apply the flat inner surfaces of the semi-spheres as a steam press. This is particularly useful for pressing the bill/brim of a baseball cap or other hat. The spherical outer surface is useful for placing inside a hat for steaming. In a first embodiment the sphere in its fully expanded state is approximately half the diameter of an ordinary hat.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2001Date of Patent: June 24, 2003Inventor: Sarah McElhinney