Patents Examined by Richard E. Moore
  • Patent number: 5301988
    Abstract: A pawl latch that provides an integral gripping feature to facilitate opening panels and a visual indication of latch closure. The front portion of the latch has two pieces. In the open position, the two pieces are positioned with respect to each other so that the top piece reveals a colored face of the bottom piece. The colored face of the bottom piece can be observed at great distances from the latch. In the closed position, the top piece totally covers the bottom piece so that no color is visible on the latch. Further, in the open position, the front piece is at right angles to the bottom piece, and the front piece is positioned away from the panel so that it can be easily grasped with two fingers to allow the opening of an attached panel. Also, the latch is designed to be attached to a surface of the panel that is not horizontal to a frame to which the panel is to be secured to by the latch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1994
    Assignee: AT&T Bell Laboratories
    Inventors: Douglas M. Davenport, Charles J. Sherman
  • Patent number: 5299855
    Abstract: A compact and uncomplicated apparatus for safely restraining a child in an adult seat which is used during transportation, such as an automobile seat. The apparatus comprises a planar seat member designed to sit directly on top of the seat portion of an adult seat, a pair of safety straps attached to one end of the planar seat member which are pushed through the space between the seat and back portions of an adult seat and further pulled up and over the back portion of the adult seat, and a buckle or other means for connecting the pair of safety straps to the top surface of the planar seat member. When a child is placed in the apparatus, the straps cross the child's upper torso and connect to the planar seat member between the child's legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1994
    Inventor: Michael J. Zubeck
  • Patent number: 5297828
    Abstract: A vehicle trunk lid securing apparatus includes an elongated flexible inelastic strap and first and second connectors connected to the strap. The first connector includes a base ring through which is looped a portion of the strap and a releasable snap hook being rotatably mounted to the base ring and adapted to releasably attach to a hook of a trunk lid locking mechanism. The second connector includes an elongated handle portion and a rigid wire loop insert portion attached to an end of the handle portion and being operable to attach to a latch of the trunk lid locking mechanism by gripping the handle portion and pulling on the strap toward the latch. The apparatus also includes a cam-type buckle mechanism operable for adjusting the effective length of the strap to establish a set distance between the first and second connectors which matches the distance between the hook and latch of the trunk lid locking mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1994
    Inventor: Thomas I. Chung
  • Patent number: 5295720
    Abstract: A motor vehicle lock for a motor vehicle closure member having a locking catch that is movable between an unlatched position and a latched position, a pawl for holding the locking catch in the latched position by latching engagement therewith, and a locking pin rotatably mounted on a carrier for rotation about an axis of rotation which is eccentric to a central axis thereof in which the locking pin is rotatable by a motor between a preliminary locking position and a main locking position and in which the pawl is disengageable from latching engagement with the locking catch by a dynamic effect derived from the rotation of locking pin from the main locking position in a direction toward the preliminary locking position, thereby releasing the locking catch. This dynamic effect is achieved, in accordance with preferred embodiments by a control flange on the locking pin which coacts with of the pawl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1994
    Assignee: BOMORO Bocklenberg & Motte GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Ulrich Budde
  • Patent number: 5294159
    Abstract: A base lock includes pivotal first and second legs that respectively are mounted to first and second pivot blocks. The first and second pivot blocks include respective third and fourth legs that are arranged for engagement between one another, with the first and second pivot blocks mounted between a sliding door frame and a sliding door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1994
    Inventor: Gavin J. Corrigan
  • Patent number: 5294160
    Abstract: A security device for securing first and second adjacent doors having first and second door knobs, respectively. Each door knob has a neck portion and a head portion. The security device comprises: (a) a rigid plate disposed substantially between two parallel planes; (b) first and second openings spaced apart from one another in a bottom wall of the plate; (c) first and second holes in first and second side walls of the plate, the holes extending through the plate into the openings; and (d) first and second locking pins slidably disposed within the first and second holes. The first and second locking pins extend below the respective neck portions of the door knobs when the locking pins are in their locking positions. The locking pins have protruding portions extending out of the side walls of the plate for gripping by a user of the security device. A ball can be provided near an inner end of each locking pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1994
    Inventor: Robert H. Arthur
  • Patent number: 5292159
    Abstract: A new latch mechanism for a vehicle glove box doors, or other locking requirements, wherein the door is to be held in flush position relative to an adjoining panel surface, said latch mechanism comprising, an injection molded plastic body, an injection molded plastic handle, an injection molded lock member or actuator member, with the previous parts being spring biased into their appropriate positions during operation of the latch mechanism, and with the actuator member being of sufficient width to provide a strong retaining force for the latch mechanism upon the event of a vehicle crash impact and also acting to provide a wide contact locking surface to thereby assist in preventing flex distortions between said door and panel surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1994
    Assignee: NYX, Inc.
    Inventors: Chain S. Sandhu, Lev Lilov
  • Patent number: 5288116
    Abstract: An adapter and method for retrofitting a round door knob with a lever attachment including a lever arm portion and a door knob receiving portion wherein the door knob receiving portion may be fitted to the door knob while the door knob remains in place on the door assembly. The door knob receiving portion of the lever attachment has first and second bores of different diameters which allows the door knob to be abuttingly received within the door knob receiving portion and fixed in place therein by securing elements which project through a plurality of bores provided in the door knob receiving portion of the lever attachment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 22, 1994
    Assignee: Leeverall, Inc.
    Inventor: Philip J. Donofrio
  • Patent number: 5288115
    Abstract: A vehicle door lock assembly having a housing to be secured to a vehicular door structure. The housing has a dent extending along an about up-and-down direction, a striker secured to the vehicular body, a latch rotating from its open position to its fully locked position through its half-latched position, a ratchet preventing the latch from reverse-rotating, a motor functioning when the latch rotates to the half-latched condition, and a lever driven by a motor in order to engage with the latch positioned at the half-latched position so as to rotate the latch to its fully latched position. The lever, latch and ratchet are operative arranged in the dent of the housing along an up-and-down direction and secured to the housing wall by three parallel shafts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 22, 1994
    Assignee: Mitsui Kinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jiro Inoue, Jiro Mitsui, Patrik J. Dowling
  • Patent number: 5286073
    Abstract: A device for fastening an ajar door of the operator's cab of a construction machine, which is small in size, presents a good appearance, and is easy to unfasten, has a plate support element (5) fixed to the outer surface of the operator's cab (2), a tubular support element (6) to hold the plate support element, a U-shaped striker (10) fixed to the plate support element, a lock (20) for holding the striker when the door is ajar, and a releasing lever (30) for releasing the lock from inside the operator's cab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1994
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Komatsu Seisakusho
    Inventor: Kunio Ui
  • Patent number: 5286075
    Abstract: An improved door security device is for a door having a doorknob which consists of an elongated leg brace. A base is located on a lower end of the leg brace for frictional engagement upon a floor. A structure is located on an upper end of the leg brace for engaging the doorknob on the door, so as to prevent an unauthorized opening of the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1994
    Inventor: Mathew Z. Monzingo
  • Patent number: 5286074
    Abstract: A handle lock having two handles to be symmetrically fixed on the inner and the outer bearing plate fixed on the inner and the outer side of a door, each handle assembled with a tubular shaft and a square shaft to retract a dead bolt to open the door, a locking rod combined in the inner bearing plate and being movable therein to permit the tubular shaft either to be rotated to open the door or to be prevented from being rotated by the handle either outer or inner, to lock the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1994
    Inventor: Jui-Chang Lin
  • Patent number: 5284370
    Abstract: A gate latch for selectively securing a pivoting gate to a stationary member and selectively retaining the gate in a closed position. The gate latch is formed of a hollow tube and is received on a vertical component of the gate. The hollow tube includes an elongate opening with a first width section and a second width section. The second width section is radially wider than the first width section. A horizontal component of the gate extends through the tube elongate opening and acts as a stop member for limiting both longitudinal and radial movement of the tube. A U-shaped bar is affixed to the hollow tube and forms two arms extending therefrom adapted for engaging the stationary member. The gate is retained closed by placing the stop member in the first width section and effectively preventing radial movement of the gate latch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1994
    Assignee: Vestil Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: James A. Dunn
  • Patent number: 5284373
    Abstract: A handle assembly is adapted for installation in a vehicle panel aperture from the outboard side of the panel. The assembly housing has an inboard projecting threaded stem supporting a one-piece L-shaped clip retained thereon in a pre-installation raised position a nut tightened on the stem. The clip comprises a vertically disposed head portion, having a vertical mounting slot receiving the stem, and a horizontally disposed body portion having a pair of fingers projecting toward the panel aperture. Upon the installer positioning the handle member in the panel aperture and loosening the nut, the clip descends in a predetermined manner wherein the fingers engage the aperture lower edge. Tightening the nut advances the clip outboard such that vertically disposed bearing edges thereon are urged into locking contact with the panel aperture flanged boarder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1994
    Assignee: Chrysler Corporation
    Inventor: Earl L. Watson
  • Patent number: 5284372
    Abstract: A latch bolt includes an outer knob and an inner knob, a tube rotatably engaged in the inner knob, a button having one end engaged in the tube and having the other end extendible outward of the inner knob, and a barrel rotatably received in the tube. The latch bolt is locked when the button is depressed inward of the inner knob and is unlocked when the inner knob is rotated. The latch is also unlocked when a key is inserted into the outer knob and when the outer knob is rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1994
    Inventor: Jui-Chang Lin
  • Patent number: 5284371
    Abstract: A sliding door lock having a latch plate, which slidably engages a channel in one leg of a corner piece. The corner piece is mounted in a door frame. A stud is attached to the slider plate so that a person may grasp the stud and slide the plate up and down. The stud has internal threads. A small screw is threaded into the internal threads of the stud. The sliding door lock is used by grasping the stud, which extends through an elongated slot in the door frame, and using the stud to move the latch plate upward so that it extends past the top of the door frame. The small screw is then used to hold the latch plate in an upward position. A tool is used to thread the small screw past the end of the stud so that the end of the small screw is in frictional contact with the corner piece, thus holding the latch plate in the upward position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1994
    Assignee: Anthony's Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Richardson, Charles E. Crown
  • Patent number: 5282656
    Abstract: The security bar system will physically prevent unwanted opening of a hinged door. The system comprises an elongate, rigid adjustable cylinder bar which is adapted to extend on the inside of a door between a pair of mounted brackets. The adjustable bar terminates at its opposite ends in rigid closed ended brackets. The adjustable bar is equipped with a locking pin that is restrained by the left bracket, when bar is in security (horizontal) position. Left bracket is equipped with an indentation that allows for snug fit of locking pin. Bar is restrained by and rotates from horizontal to storage (vertical) position within right bracket, in which self-contained hinge allow for easy rotation. When in storage position bar is held in vertical position by a catcher affixed to molding, above right bracket. Adjustable bar and brackets are coated with a decorative finish so as not to sacrifice the aesthetic integrity of the dwelling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 1, 1994
    Inventor: John Fizer
  • Patent number: 5282658
    Abstract: A door stop adapted for a mounting adjacent a lower edge of a door at a location remote from the hinge, such door stop functioning to prevent an intruder from pushing the door open. This door stop comprises a mounting device adapted to be secured in a fixed position adjacent the lower edge of the door, and an elongate, rigid member operatively associated with the mounting device. One end of the elongate, rigid member has an aperture, enabling it to be pivotally mounted to the mounting device, and the other end of the elongate, rigid member has a component adapted to move, at the behest of the user, into contact with the floor. The elongate member is selectively movable between a raised, substantially vertical storage position residing close to the door, and an active, downwardly angled position in which the other end is in firm contact with the floor. I advantageously utilize a spring bias arrangement serving to hold the other end of the elongate member in such position of firm contact with the floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 1, 1994
    Inventor: Lewis W. Reeves, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5280973
    Abstract: A hatch securing mechanisms has a base attached to a hatchway and a hasp ached to a hatch lid. The base has an apertured retainer and a pinway element, the hasp being held between the retainer and pinway element during closure of the lid. A latch pin translatable in the pinway element has an angled tip which slides against a bevelled surface of the hasp to force the hasp into tighter, locked engagement with the base. The latch pin has a helical groove segment about the pin's axis, and a stud fixed to the pinway element engages the groove segment. The interaction of the stud and groove segment effects translation of the latch pin when the pin is manually rotated. The action of the latch pin also compresses an elastically deformable seal between the door and door frame so that the seal is increasingly effective against explosive blast pressures. The invention includes a lock mechanism for keeping the latch pin in a hasp retaining position unless the pin is manually moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1994
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Robert K. Culling
  • Patent number: 5280974
    Abstract: A safety draw-latch which can be opened by normal adults but not by people with less coordination such as children or mental defectives. It differs from normal latches in that a complex set of actions must be carried out in one continous movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1994
    Inventor: Etienne L. Weintroub