Patents Examined by Richard J. Johnson
  • Patent number: 4873969
    Abstract: Bone cement is removed from a bone cavity, such as the intramedullary canal, during a prosthetic revision. The bone cement is pre-molded by a thermal chisel which includes a shaft for extending into the bone cavity, a plasticizer chisel on a working end of the shaft, and a heat element carried by the shaft for heating the chisel to a temperature within a range of temperatures sufficient to plasticize the bone cement. This deforms and weakens the bone cement upon direct non-impact type contact between the heated tip of the chisel and the cement. The cement is removed by pre-molding it with the heated working end of the thermal chisel, preferably by molding a distally located circumferential furrow in the bone cement and then molding circumferentially spaced apart longitudinal furrows from the circumferential groove to the proximal end of the bone cement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1989
    Inventor: Donald L. Huebsch
  • Patent number: 4872462
    Abstract: A resilient thin membrane shield of substantially rectangular planform includes a peel plied adhesive strip along its upper edge and a tapered tubular segment at its center. The walls of the tubular segment are tapered in thickness and along the axis thereof, forming a feathered edge at the end opening. The membrane, furthermore, may include enlarged section ribs and edge beads for unfolding the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1989
    Inventors: Gilbert Salz, Mark Sullivan
  • Patent number: 4871030
    Abstract: The farm implement drawbar is provided with a transverse frame which is pivotally mounted at the rear of the drawbar for movement between a working position and a transport position. The ground engaging rollers are mounted on the frame while separate transport wheels are also fixed to the frame. When the hydraulic ram is actuated to pivot the frame between the work position and the transport position the transport wheels and the earth working wheels move with the frame as a unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1989
    Assignee: Brillion Iron Works, Inc.
    Inventor: Oliver M. Kruse
  • Patent number: 4871025
    Abstract: An improved ground levelling machine (10) for levelling small areas of ground comprising a main frame (11), a pivotal sub-frame (15) trailing said main frame (11) and pivotally connected thereto, a scraper blade (40) carried by the main frame (11), a hopper (27) carried on the main frame (11) for the supply of soil, sand or other filling material, a plurality of ground-engaging wheels (16) supporting the sub-frame (15), power means (22) to effect pivotal movement of the sub-frame (15) relative to the main frame (11) and to thereby raise and lower the main frame (11) relative to the ground, and control means (59) for controlling the operation of the power means (11) and to in turn control the elevation of the scraper blade (40) relative to a preselected reference plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1989
    Inventors: Trevor K. Mayfield, Lindsay F. Radcliffe
  • Patent number: 4871027
    Abstract: A vibratory plow including a cutter assembly which slices the ground covering and breaks the sod ahead of the cable-laying plow blade. The plow assembly includes a blade holder that is pivotally mounted to a vibrator frame. A mounting member attaches the cutting blade of the cutter assembly to the blade holder. The cutting blade is polygonal in shape and includes a plurality of mounting holes located in polygonal patterns. The mounting member includes a complementary set of mounting holes also arranged in a polygonal pattern. The present construction permits the cutting blade to be moved to a plurality of cutting positions rather than replacing the cutter after a cutting edge is worn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1989
    Assignee: J. I. Case Company
    Inventors: Edgar K. Lindstrom, Marvin L. Morris
  • Patent number: 4871031
    Abstract: A rotary hoe tool of the type wherein one or more of such rotary hoe tools are mounted for rotation on one or more axles supported by a frame assembly for cutting and digging into the ground as they are rotated. A plurality of elongated teeth or cutting tools are pivotally mounted for limited pivotal movement on a rotatable hub, so when each tooth or cutting tool begins to dig into the ground as the hub rotates it to that position, the tooth or cutting tool itself pivots rearwardly a permitted limited distance against the pressure and resistance of the ground. Such pivotal movement compresses a wedge shaped resilient and compressible member interposed between each pair of adjacent teeth or cutting tools, which limits the rearward pivotal movement of such tooth or cutting tool and which then propels it forward as the initial pressure or resistance dissipates and the compressible member expands back to its non-compressed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1989
    Inventor: Frederick J. Kestel
  • Patent number: 4871032
    Abstract: A deep tillage earth engaging implement having a frictional attachment to a tine of an agricultural machine in which the attachment portion incorporates a socket with a cross-section tapering toward the earth engaging portion. The foot of the tine is of complementary shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1989
    Assignee: Ralph McKay Limited
    Inventors: William G. McGuire, Hartley F. Young
  • Patent number: 4871029
    Abstract: A rake head attachment to be removably attached to a handle, such as the shaft of a golf club, and which is constructed so that it may easily and quickly be coupled to the shaft of the golf club. This is achieved by dropping the shaft between two spaced and parallel pieces mounted on the rake head, by turning the shaft into slots in the two pieces, and then by drawing the shaft through aligned holes at the inner ends of the slots until the hosel is firmly engaged by the pieces. The slots in the pieces are shaped and positioned such that the rake head is firmly held on the shaft of the golf club without any tendency for the rake head to turn or otherwise move with respect to the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1989
    Inventor: Stanley A. Rosin
  • Patent number: 4871026
    Abstract: A method of guiding farm equipment is provided. The method includes the steps of attaching a trench forming device to a tractor in front of the rear wheels of the tractor, traversing ground with the tractor equipped with the trench forming device set to a desired depth, forming a trench for guiding farm equipment in front of the rear wheels of the tractor as the tractor traverses the ground, engaging guide wheels attached to the farm equipment in the trench, and guiding the farm equipment by tracking a path provided by the trench. A trench forming device is also provided. The trench forming device includes a trench forming mechanism for forming a trench in ground traversed by a tractor equipped with the trench forming device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1989
    Assignee: Bernard-Hensch, Inc.
    Inventor: Emeric E. Bernard
  • Patent number: 4871028
    Abstract: A wide agricultural implement is provided with a pivoted swing hitch permitting endwise transport of the implement when supported on transport wheels which are raised and lowered by power means. A latch holding the hitch in its field working position is automatically released when the transport wheels are lowered to support the implement for endwise transport. The implement frame is made up of two subframes pivotally interconnected by the rock shaft on which the transport wheels are mounted and one of the latch parts is mounted on the rock shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1989
    Inventor: David L. Murray
  • Patent number: 4870781
    Abstract: A combination tree support and feeder stake is provided for use in groups to simultaneously support and nourish transplanted trees. Each said stake includes a tapered and reinforced body portion formed from plastic with an anchoring unit to be attached to a transplanted tree and a hollow core to receive fertilizer which escapes through holes providing communication between the hollow core and the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1989
    Inventor: Timothy D. Jones
  • Patent number: 4869327
    Abstract: A reversible one-way disk plow is described which includes a frame with transport wheels and an arcuate track secured to the frame. An elongated disk plow is pivotably supported under the frame, and a plurality of gauge wheels are carried by the frame. The plow can be selectively pivoted between first and second positions relative to the longtiudinal centerline of the frame. Hydraulic cylinders are used to pivot the disk plow, raise and lower the transport wheels, and raise and lower the gauge wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1989
    Inventor: Alfred W. Korf
  • Patent number: 4869018
    Abstract: Apparatus for forming an above ground bed in which plantlife may be grown and for irrigating the bed. The apparatus comprises a plurality of modular members arranged to be readily connected to one another to form a walled enclosure disposed on the ground. The enclosure is arranged to be filled with a plant growing medium, e.g., soil, to form the bed. Each of the members is an elongate hollow body having a pair of ends. At each end is a releasable connector portion which is arranged to releasably connect the members to one another at various angles to form enclosure of various shapes. Each of the members includes an inner wall having a plurality of small apertures which are in communication with the hollow interior of the member. At least one of the members includes a fitting for a hose to enable water to be introduced therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1989
    Assignee: HJS Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald F. Scales, Thomas R. Lambrix
  • Patent number: 4869115
    Abstract: The present invention entails an automatic soil sampling machine that is pulled through the field by a prime mover. A disk is utilized and is power driven by an internal combustion engine or other power source. About the outer circumference of the disk there is provided structure that effectively engages the soil as the disk is powered therethrough and flings the soil upwardly out of the ground into a rooster tail airborne configuration. A catching basket or container is mounted on the soil sampling machine and catches the soil particles being flung from the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1989
    Inventors: Robert D. Edwards, A. Earl Smith
  • Patent number: 4869328
    Abstract: A chisel plow point consisting of a unitary tip section, a tip extender portion extending in the direction opposite to that of the tip section and conforming to and adapted to overlie the end section of a moldboard to present a working surface that turns and throws the soil during the plowing operation, whereby the moldboard is protected against wearing engagement with the soil, a recess behind the extender portion shaped to receive an end section of the moldboard, and an adapter for attachment of the plow point to the plow frame. The tip extender is approximately equal in length to the length of the tip section, is thinner in cross-section than the tip section and has a generally concave configuration to conform with the plow moldboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1989
    Inventor: John M. Carroll
  • Patent number: 4869326
    Abstract: A box blade attachment for tractors and like vehicles comprises a box frame which supports, for pivotal movement, a pair of moldboards, horizontally spaced from each other for scraping a surface in either a forward or backward path. Each of the moldboards moves independently of the other between a first position depending vertically between the sidewalls of the frame, and a second position pivoted inwardly and upwardly to lie in a plane substantially parallel to the surface being scraped. Hydraulic moldboard controls in the preferred embodiment synchronize the movement such that the moldboards move, alternatively and relative to each other, between the first and second positions. Thus arranged the box blade can be used in a conventional manner when the vehicle is moving in either direction by raising the appropriate moldboard and lowering the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1989
    Assignees: David L. Hutchins, Lynn E. Mounce, John S. Martin
    Inventors: David L. Hutchins, Lynn E. Mounce
  • Patent number: 4867245
    Abstract: An agricultural implement with a main frame and inner and outer wing frames that include gravity actuated latching structure securing the wing frames in a folded position. The latching structure automatically locks the wing frames together as they are pivoted upwardly in the folded position toward a transport position and unlocks the wing frames as they are pivoted downwardly toward a transport position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1989
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Phillip E. Stevens
  • Patent number: 4866952
    Abstract: A container for medications and the like is formed of two interfitting halves which are held together in gas-tight relation by a resiliently flexible seal, the resiliently flexible seal permitting ready separation of the container halves by an incapacitated person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1989
    Inventors: Michael D. Hight, Margaret D. Waugh
  • Patent number: 4867244
    Abstract: A walk-behind turf aerating apparatus includes two pairs of tine arm assemblies, each assembly having a pair of vertically reciprocating tine arms for driving coring tines into the turf. A tine arm return mechanism includes a gear box for each pair of tine arms, the lower ends of the tine arms being connected to cranks extending from the gear box to reposition the tine arms prior to ground engagement. Stops are provided to limit the tine arm travel. A spring-loaded lifting mechanism permits manual shifting of the tine arm mechanism from a lowered ground-engaging position to a raised transport position. A belt drive with clutch and reduction drive for the wheels also drives the tine arm mechanism with automatic disengagement when the wheels are in the transport position. A handle assembly is connected to the apparatus frame through a pivotal connection including vibration damping elements for minimizing transmittal of vibrations, particularly in the vertical plane, to the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1989
    Assignee: Outboard Marine Corporation
    Inventors: Mark L. Cozine, David G. Ferguson, Loren F. Hansen, Mark E. Lamb
  • Patent number: 4867247
    Abstract: A bedding plow providing a plurality of disks as plowing members each independently supported by a rearwardly located bearing supported by a trailing arm, which is supported, in turn, by a pivotal connection perpendicular to a fore to aft alignment of the plow. There is further disclosed for each independently supported disk, a gas-filled shock absorber and the top of the plow has a planar horizontal surface intended to allow the plow to slide without damage if it is caused to be overturned while in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1989
    Inventor: David W. Heckendorf