Patents Examined by Martin P. Schwadron
  • Patent number: 5209256
    Abstract: A sealing arrangement in which a sealing member 25 seals against an annular sealing surface 20. The sealing member 25 has an annular sealing surface 29 the axis of which is offset relative to the rotational axis of the surface 20. Thus when the annular surface 20 rotates the area swept out by the sealing member surface is larger than the area of its sealing surface. The arrangement has application to seals for gate valve stems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Assignee: Cooper Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward T. Thornburrow
  • Patent number: 5209456
    Abstract: A valve insertable in a threaded opening in a tank for loading, unloading, or sealing the tank. The valve includes a threaded blocking plug threadable into the opening, and a threaded pipe connected to the top of the plug for threading into the opening. The pipe includes a port adjacent its lower end whereby the tank may be emptied or filled when the port is positioned in the tank and the tank is sealed when the plug is positioned in the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Inventor: Clyde H. Chronister
  • Patent number: 5209262
    Abstract: A breakaway hose coupling with an integrated swivel mechanism for releasably joining two fluid dispensing devices, and for selectively disengaging such dispensing devices in response to a disengaging force in excess of a preselected value being exerted on said coupling device. The coupling (10) comprises a first valve assembly (12) for being secured on a first dispensing device and for selectively terminating the flow of fluid from such dispensing device when the coupling (10) is uncoupled. The coupling (10) further comprises a second valve assembly (14) with an integrated swivel mechanism (80) for being secured on a second dispensing device and for selectively terminating the flow of fuel from the second dispensing device when the coupling (10) is uncoupled. Further, vapor conduits (114, 116 and 118) are provided to accommodate the flow of recaptured fuel vapor through the coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Inventors: Walter M. Carow, Alton Richards, Jerry L. Cox
  • Patent number: 5207409
    Abstract: An interchangeable pinch valve system (10) is provided with a valve body (20) having a longitudinal dimension which is substantially identical to standard longitudinal dimensions for ball, gate and the like type valves of similar flow path diameter. The reduced longitudinal dimension of pinch valve system (10), as compared to prior art systems, is achieved by a flexible-walled tubular sleeve (50) having a pair of transversely directed folds (60, 62) which provide sufficient sleeve material to enable the pinch closing of the flow passage (52) without substantially stretching the tubular sleeve wall (51). The valve body 20 is provided with a pair of recessed openings (22, 24) formed in the interior of valve body wall (21) in parallel spaced relation transverse to the fluid flow axis of the valve for receipt of the respective folds (62, 60), whereby the tubular sleeve (50) is in contiguous contact with the interior surface of valve body wall (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Inventor: Esko A. Riikonen
  • Patent number: 5207009
    Abstract: A dryer consists of a horizontal drum rotated about its horizontal axis, containing flighting around its periphery, and coupled with a heat source, all of which is well known in the prior art. The dryer is open at only one end and provides an inner tubular member, centrally mounted coaxially in the drum which member presents a preheating chamber. Material to be dried is first fed into the inner tubular member at one end of the drum and is moved through the tubular member by a plurality of curved flights thus preheating the material in preparation for drying. The material is moved through the preheating chamber to the opposite closed end of the drum where it is deposited into the primary drying chamber of the drum. Flighting in the drum moves the material back toward the inlet end of the drum as it continues to be heated and dried and is then passed into a hopper where it is moved by a conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Inventors: Stanley P. Thompson, Kenneth J. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 5201336
    Abstract: A fire safe valve which includes a body having an inlet, an outlet, a valve chamber communicating with the inlet and the outlet and having an opening, a bonnet secured to the body and having a bore therethrough with the opening of the bore communicating with the valve chamber opening and defining a back seat surrounding the bore, a valve member, a valve stem connected to the valve member and extending through the bonnet bore, a backseating shoulder on the valve stem, an actuator, the valve stem connecting to the actuator to move the valve member within the valve chamber to open and close flow through, the valve, a temperature sensitive material retaining the valve stem shoulder spaced from said bonnet bore seat during normal operations and allowing additional movement of the valve stem responsive to excessive temperatures to bring the valve stem shoulder into engagement with the bonnet bores seat to backseat and prevent flow of fluids within the valve from escaping therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Assignee: Cooper Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: William M. Taylor, Gerald S. Baker
  • Patent number: 5197203
    Abstract: A drying equipment comprised of a battery of radiant heaters, a suction hood and a blower hood. It is designed to dry a moving material, paper in particular, and is equipped with a fire prevention system integrated into its cowl. The fire prevention system comprises a spraying manifold supplying a flow of steam and then a steam and water mixture to reduce the temperature of the steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1993
    Assignee: Solaronics Vaneecke
    Inventor: Patrick Lenoir
  • Patent number: 5195718
    Abstract: A sprinkler valve suitable for flows from about one (1) to two (2) gallons per hour to thirty (30) to forty (40) gallons per minute. A double diaphragm utilizes a principle of differential areas to create force for any non-zero pressure through the valve. This feature, in conjunction with momentary fluid flow in the solenoid circuit, is responsible for complete regulation of the flow characteristics of the valve. The requirement for large shut-off springs and flow control adjustment screws has been eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1993
    Inventor: Gordon H. May
  • Patent number: 5193571
    Abstract: The invention is in the field of filling machines under sterile conditions. More precisely, the invention relates to a valve means for interrupting the feeding of the product to headers and product feeder valves, while preserving the sterile conditions of the product feeder conduit. The valve limits the parts of the machine that are subject to resterilization after maintenance to the headers, which can cause a loss of sterile conditions internally to the headers or the filler valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1993
    Assignee: Fenco S.P.A.
    Inventor: Ennio Levati
  • Patent number: 5193783
    Abstract: A valve arrangement for air regulation in driers for foodstuff products, more particularly pasta, suitable for fitting to an aperture made in a wall of a drier including an external support body within which is provided a moving closure component which is selectively displaced by means of a suitable actuator. The actuator has a tapered section which is reversed towards and partly or completely engages in a matching additional housing section in a hole in an outer body of a hollow support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1993
    Assignee: M.G. Braibanti S.p.A.
    Inventor: Andrea Capovilla
  • Patent number: 5190264
    Abstract: A fluid valve includes a packing element surrounding a valve stem extending through the valve body. A packing flange is adjustably supported on the valve body for moving a follower to compress the packing element. A set of disc springs is supported in a cavity internally of the follower between upper and lower parts to compensate for temperature variations causing volumetric changes in the packing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1993
    Assignee: Dresser Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Henry W. Boger
  • Patent number: 5188146
    Abstract: A hydraulic swivel 40 transfers pressurized hydraulic fluid from a stationary spool 50 to a housing 42 mounted for rotation relative to the spool 50. The swivel 40 also carries a drain line 64 placed in fluid communication with the spool/housing interface above and below the pressurized fluid passages so that any fluid leaking from the pressurized fluid passages will find its way to the drain and thus not to the outside of the swivel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1993
    Assignee: Marco Seattle, Inc.
    Inventors: Harold T. Cook, Jr., Donn B. Furlong, Robert A. Svendsen, Allan P. Rustad
  • Patent number: 5183078
    Abstract: A combination shut-off and test-injection valve has a valve body with an inlet end and an outlet end adapted for connection to a fluid line or conduit and a fluid flow passageway extending from end to end. A shut-off valve in the body is movable between an open position allowing fluid flow through the body and a closed position closing off fluid flow through the body. The combination valve has a test-injection valve in fluid communication with the fluid flow passageway adjacent the shut-off valve which is movable between a normally closed position preventing communication between the fluid flow passageway and the exterior of the body and an open position allowing fluid communication between the fluid flow passageway and the exterior of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1993
    Inventor: Harold E. Sorrell
  • Patent number: 5181689
    Abstract: The present invention provides a pipe joint apparatus comprising a front cylindrical member arranged on the side of a connecting section for connecting to a second joint member in a first joint means, and connected to the second joint member; a back cylindrical member arranged in the first joint member to be spaced from the front cylindrical member and to be opposite to the front cylindrical member, and connected to the pipe; and a sleeve having both end portions coupled to outer peripheral surfaces of both front and back cylindrical members through the respective spherical rotation portion, and forming a fluid passage enclosing the outer peripheral surfaces of the front and back cylindrical members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1993
    Assignee: Nitto Kohki Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Reichi Makishima
  • Patent number: 5179972
    Abstract: A hose reel includes a reel member rotatably mounted on a horizontal portion of an upsanding tube. The upstanding tube extends vertically from the horizontal portion and thence diagonally, to a lower vertical portion aligned generally under the center of the reel member. The lower end of the upstanding tube is rotatably mounted to one end of a support arm so that the reel and upstanding tube member combination will rotate around a vertical axis. The support arm extends a distance permitting complete rotation of the reel and upstanding tube, and has a short depending arm which is slidably mounted within a tubular support. A flexible hose is inserted through the upstanding tube, and has a swivel valve connected to the lower end thereof and a second swivel valve connected to the upper end thereof, to supply fluid to a hose on the reel while permitting full rotation of the reel member as well as rotation of the upstanding tube on the support arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1993
    Inventor: John H. Eley
  • Patent number: 5172724
    Abstract: An electromagnetic valve of the present invention includes a housing 11,13, a fluid passage 12 provided in the housing 11,13, a valve member 18,21 for opening and closing the fluid passage 12, and a one way valve 25 having a valve member 26 and a valve seat 19b. The one way valve 25 is provided at one end of the fluid passage 12. The one way valve 25 is installed integrally within the housing 11,13 to facilitate installation in a small space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1992
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki K.K.
    Inventors: Tetsuaki Tsuzuki, Michiharu Nishii, Masahiro Inden
  • Patent number: 5172723
    Abstract: A quick-connect coupling for connecting a gas line to a gas appliance. The coupling comprises a nipple and a socket member with a socket for receiving the nipple. A sleeve is slidable on the socket member from a retracted position in which the nipple may be inserted into the socket, to a locking position in which the nipple is held captive in the socket, and then back to the stated retracted position for disconnection of the nipple from the socket member. A first valve is biased toward a closed position and automatically opens upon insertion of the nipple into the socket. A second valve is manually movable by means of a lever on the socket member from a fully open position for permitting maximum flow of fluid through the flow passage, through a range of movement in which it is only partially open, to a fully closed position. A detent member movable conjointly with the lever is engageable by the sleeve to prevent it from being moved to its retracted position when the second valve is fully or partially open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1992
    Inventor: Malcolm B. Sturgis
  • Patent number: 5172718
    Abstract: One or more plastic funnel sheets, attachable to any type of ceiling structure, are positioned and attached beneath each drip location. The funnel sheets each have flexible tubing networked together and fed into a special receptacle for temporary storage of the collected fluids. The receptacle has a gauge which indicates fluid depth in the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1992
    Inventor: Robert P. Thornburgh
  • Patent number: 5167254
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the flow of fluid, comprising an 8-way switcg valve for directing an inlet stream of air to one of multiple adsorber beds and then to the crew compartment of an air-tight vehicle while simultaneously directing an outlet stream of air to another adsorber bed and then to the atmosphere, whereby the inlet stream may be purified by adsorption on one bed while the other bed is regenerated. The fluid is directed by passageways in rotatable valve spools axially colinearly aligned, connected together so as to rotate simultaneously, and having ports aligned with openings in a sealed valve housing which communicate with inlet and outlet piping and absorber bed piping. Rotating the valve spool aligns various configurations of passageways and piping so as to direct the streams to different beds. The valve spools may be contained in separate housings for safety, avoiding cross contamination during switching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1992
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Daniel C. Walter, Robert N. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 5165653
    Abstract: A system in which movement of a first member from a first position to a second position is translated through fluid in a fluid chamber to movement of a second member from a first position to a second position, the system having a pressure equalization line in communication with the fluid chamber allowing fluid to flow into the chamber when the second member is at its first position and out of the chamber when the second member nears the first position when returning from its second position towards its first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1992
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: J. Roger Weber