Patents Examined by Keith Kupferschmid
  • Patent number: 4944434
    Abstract: An automobile portable hauler comprising means for transporting supplies and equipment by the use of a conventional automobile on the exterior of the vehicle by the uses of brackets that are collapsible, are space savers and are easily assembled and adapted to the vehicle. There are 2 U-shaped members that are adapted to fit over the door when the window of the vehicle is open and in a down position. The U-shaped members are connected to a horizontal main member. Fastened to the main member at each end thereto is a bracket having a means for extending the main member longitudinally, a perpendicular extension in the same plane as the main member and extending forward from the door of the vehicle, and an extension member of said vertical extension to said plane of said vertical extension and parallel to the vertical section of the U-shaped member, whereby a cradle is formed at both ends of the main member to support and carry lengths of lumber, pipes, girders and other such items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1990
    Inventor: Kenneth B. Hamilton
  • Patent number: 4942276
    Abstract: A clicked key board switch capable of minimizing an error or deviation between a position at which click feeling is produced and a position at which the switch is turned on while reducing the number of parts. In the switch, when a key stem slidably arranged in a frame is pushed down, a membrane switch is forcedly operated through a pressing element provided in the frame. The pressing element includes a base fixed at an upper end thereof on the side of the frame and provided thereon a projection engaged with the key stem when it is pushed down and a pressing section connected to the base so as to extend from the base to a position above the membrane switch and forcedly operating the membrane switch when the base is laterally forced by the key stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 17, 1990
    Assignee: Futaba Denshi Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideo Kato
  • Patent number: 4940175
    Abstract: A car-top carrier (1) with supporting elements (3) which can be connected to the top of a car and at least one supporting member (2) connected to the car top by the supporting elements, on which at least one holding member (6) for the objects to be transported is disposed, is designed in such a way that the influences of wind-resistance can be diminished in case no object is transported in the car-top carrier. A joint (8) is disposed between the supporting member (2) and the holding member (6), with a swiveling axis (10) of the joint extending transversely to the direction of travel (7), and the holding member (6) can be swiveled between a use position and nonuse position about the axis (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 10, 1990
    Inventor: Eberhard Tittel
  • Patent number: 4939324
    Abstract: A keyswitch operator includes a supporting bearing block and axially movable keytop and plunger. A cylindrical plunger is slidably guided between alternating flat and conical surfaces about a through bore in the bearing block. The flat surfaces provide constant bearing guides along multiple axial lines angularly spaced about the plunger. The conical surfaces provide draft to facilitate removal of a mold after forming of the through bore. Both "quiet tactile" and "click tactile" modes of operation are available when utilizing the keyswitch operator in conjunction with a yieldable dome overlying a membrane switch assembly. "Click tactile" operation requires the addition of a spring-biased piston to physically engage the underlying switch assembly when the plunger has been depressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1990
    Assignee: Key Tronic Corporation
    Inventors: George P. English, Stephen S. Damitio
  • Patent number: 4936499
    Abstract: A tool carrier has a frame formed from a closed wire loop which includes a tool insertion portion having spaced side rail members connected by an arcuate end bar. An attachment portion of the frame has spaced attachment rail members each connected by a ninety degree bend with one of said side rail members. A clip portion of the frame includes a pair of spaced clip members connected by an arcuate connecting bar, with each of clip members connected by a 180 degree bend with one of the attachment rail members to form a resilient frictional clip for securement to an article of apparel of an individual. A variety of different removable receptacles are disclosed for removable securement in the tool insertion portion of the frame. The various receptacles may be utilized to carry small articles, scissors, and a variety of other tools. The tool carrier frame is dimensioned to receive a conventional hammer with the receptacle removed from the tool insertion portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1990
    Inventor: James L. Gulley
  • Patent number: 4932087
    Abstract: A bathtub insert (10) comprises a seat plate (16) which can be raised and lowered by a lifting device (12). A back plate (18) is arranged on the seat plate (16) and a pair of side plates (22) are mounted at the side edges of the back plate (18) respectively by means of hinge arrangements (24) comprising snap-in locking devices. The hinge arrangements can be unlocked by lifting the side plates by a small amount. In the raised position each side plate (22) can be freely swung forwards or backwards and upon release is automatically locked again. Also the back plate (18) is mounted at the seat plate (16) by such a hinge arrangement (24) in order to lock the back plate in one of a plurality of positions of inclination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1990
    Inventor: Peter Schmidt
  • Patent number: 4931605
    Abstract: A multi-pole switch is provided which has a large air gap between contacts in the open state, and which requires medium to high actuating forces while providing tactile feedback to indicate that full actuation has occurred. The switch includes a pair of sheet metal shorting contacts (22, 24, FIG. 2) each extending in a largely rectangular loop, with one long side (26) and the opposite short sides (30, 32) forming a clamped outer region (34), and with the other long side forming a beam (28) that can be deflected down towards a pair of fixed switch contacts (50, 52). The outer region (34) is deflected so the beam (28) is upwardly bowed. The beam includes a main beam portion (36) and fingers (46, 48) extending from it, the fingers being deflected against the switch contacts when the main beam portion is deflected. Bowing can be facilitated by a third switch contact (70) lying under the other long side (26) of the shorting contact. An actuator (12, FIG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Assignee: ITT Corporation
    Inventor: Jon P. Zoller
  • Patent number: 4929808
    Abstract: A precision switch and a switch blade/contact formed from uniform thickness sheet stock bent into U-shaped form wherein the edge surfaces after bending become the movable contacts of the high performance rugged tiny subminiature switch. The switch per se utilizes a configuration of pivotal rigid legs of the U-shaped blade/contact arranged to be spaced apart to maximum extent to allow a large diameter long coil spring located between the legs to be used for giving the blade/contact means precision high contact force operating characteristics which will withstand high G forces and will carry relatively large currents given the absolute size of the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1990
    Assignee: Otto Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: John O. Roeser, Bruce L. Graham
  • Patent number: 4924536
    Abstract: A system of conserving water using non-electrically operated, readily available plumbing equipment. The water to be saved with the system is water once heated which has cooled due to heat loss in a hot water line. This normally wasted cold water in the hot water line is often directed down the drain prior to dispensing of the hot water from a fixture. The system is adapted to divert the normally wasted cold water in the hot water line to a remotely positioned storage tank. The diverting process begins upon manual activation of a by-pass valve positioned slightly upstream of the hot water valve of a typical hot water dispensing fixture. The cold water to be saved is diverted by the manual by-pass valve through by-pass piping leading into the storage tank. The storage tank is also plumbed with piping to the water input piping of each toilet tank reservoir of the building.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1990
    Inventor: Connie H. Houghton
  • Patent number: 4923103
    Abstract: A ladder rack device is provided for mounting to vertical structures such as vehicle bodies and includes a first support for receiving a first end of a ladder, the first support having a U-shaped bracket with vertical unaligned and offset spaced apart arms, a lower first shelf interconnects the arms and an upper flange transversely extends partially between the spaced arms leaving a top opening, the first shelf provides a floating slide surface for allowing a lower ladder rail to slide in the support upon loading and then exerts a retaining force upon an upper and lower rail of the loaded ladder, thereby securing said first end, and a second support distally spaced from the first support receives a second end of a ladder, the second support having a second shelf for supporting the weight of the ladder and a pivotal latching mechanism for engaging a rung of the ladder secures the ladder in a loaded position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1990
    Inventor: Charles J. Sauber
  • Patent number: 4922557
    Abstract: The waste material holding tank located within a portable, outdoor toilet cabana is vented to atmosphere by a vent pipe extending upwardly from the tank to the roof of the toilet cabana. A small, electrical blower fan is mounted upon the upper, open end of the vent pipe for sucking air from the holding tank and blowing the air to outside atmosphere. A solar energy panel is mounted upon the roof of the cabana near the fan and is electrically connected to the fan. The panel generates electrical energy in response to a predetermined level of sunlight for electrically energizing the fan. Thus, the fan circulates air through the holding tank during the items that the sun is shining upon the cabana, to reduce the solar heat build-up in the holding tank for reducing the generation of noxious odors caused by heat induced reactions in the waste material in the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1990
    Assignee: Poly-John Enterprises Corp.
    Inventors: George W. Harding, Rodney M. Mullett
  • Patent number: 4921153
    Abstract: A blade bag for carrying blades used with a circular saw in a pocket formed between its front wall member and its rear wall member. The rear wall member has a lower major portion formed with a fold line at its top edge. A rear wall flap member extends upwardly from this fold line. The front wall member also has a lower major portion that extends upwardly to its fold line. A front wall member extends upwardly from this fold line. The front and rear wall members are fastened to each other around a perimeter from the opposite ends of the fold line of the front wall member down around its bottom edge. When the blade bag is in its closed state, the front wall flap member is folded upwardly and it hides from view and access the saw blades removably positioned within the pocket of the blade bag. Also in this closed state, the rear wall flap member is folded downwardly about its fold line so that it covers the front surface of the front wall flap member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1990
    Inventor: Richard Smith
  • Patent number: 4920582
    Abstract: A universal bath waste and overflow drain assembly (10) comprises an overflow tube (12), drain pipe (14), t-connector (16), and an adapter (18) which can be interchanged and connected as desired in different drain configurations according to the requirements of the particular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1990
    Inventor: James R. Alker
  • Patent number: 4883205
    Abstract: An insulated bottle rack apparatus for bicycles having a rack or cage with a bottle receiving area and including a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, whereby the first and second sides tightly hold against a bottle disposed therein. A foam rubber sleeve extends around the exterior of the rack for insulating a bottle being held by the rack. Structure is also provided for connecting the bottle holding rack to a bicycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1989
    Inventors: William R. Saelens, Gary L. Osborne
  • Patent number: 4882795
    Abstract: A partition, more particularly for a corner shower, contains two door-elements mounted displaceably in an upper guide-rail. In the vicinity of the entrance, the upper guide-rail is curved like the edge of the tub and is connected to two lateral wall elements which are secured to the room and are flat. The purpose of the invention is to achieve reliable sealing and equally reliable guidance combined with a simple design. It is proposed that the guide-rail be curved over its entire length and comprise curved end-parts behind the flat wall-element. No lower guide-rail is provided. Instead, small narrow guide-elements are located outside the entrance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1989
    Inventor: Heinz G. Baus