Patents Examined by Robert B. Reeves
  • Patent number: 4854791
    Abstract: A container door barricade system for use on railroad container cars having one or more freight decks adapted to carry cargo containers of different lengths. The door barricade system comprises a plurality of both fixed and pivotal barricade assemblies longitudinally arranged along the length of the freight deck where the pivotal assemblies are operable from ground level at either side of the container car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1989
    Assignee: Bethlehem Steel Corporation
    Inventor: James T. Brown
  • Patent number: 4854529
    Abstract: A vehicle control system in accordance with the present invention permits a vehicle to move only in the case where both of a device for detecting the content of a signal for directing the travelling speed of the vehicle transmitted from the trackside and a device for detecting the presence of the above signal perform detecting operations. The apparatus also comprises a device for detecting an abnormal operation of both the above mentioned devices, so that a runaway of the vehicle can be avoided. In addition, a voltage signal can be used for detecting the speed, and the vehicle can be controlled by means of a set of two signal lines, resulting in a reduction in the amount of equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1989
    Assignee: Tsubakimoto Chain Co.
    Inventors: Shuichi Osada, Satoru Hayashi, Masaru Goto, Kiyoshi Godo
  • Patent number: 4854453
    Abstract: A cop selecting and conveying apparatus for an automatic winder in which winding units are divided into a plurality of winding sections and different kinds of cops carried on carrying mediums are transferred on the conveying passage to each of the winding sections. A indicia is formed in either the carrying medium or the guide member at the side of the conveying passage and a device for discriminating or detecting the discrimination indicia is disposed at a position to corresponding to the indicia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1989
    Assignee: Murata Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Ueda, Masaharu Kiriake
  • Patent number: 4854650
    Abstract: A recoil and tensioning assembly for the track and idler of a self-laying track vehicle maintains a constant tensioning force on the endless track. The assembly provides recoiling of the idler wheel during shock loading of the idler wheel or during ingestion of foreign material between the track and the idler and drive wheels. The recoil and tensioning assembly includes a recoil member which telescopes into a cylinder and includes a first chamber filled with a compressible gas and a second chamber filled with a non-compressible oil. A floating piston separates the two chambers and serves to compress the gas during a recoil cycle. Conventional recoil systems for self-laying track-type vehicles utilize pre-compressed large diameter steel coil springs to resist recoiling during light loading of the idler wheel and to return the idler wheel to normal position after recoiling during heavy loading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1989
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Marvin G. Getz, Brian D. McFeeters, Robert J. Purcell
  • Patent number: 4854790
    Abstract: A support arm assembly for supporting vehicles by their wheels, upon, for example, vehicle transported vehicles includes a pair of support arms (2) each of which is pivotably movable between a retracted, inoperative position disposed parallel to a supporting profile (4) and an extended operative position disposed perpendicular to the profile (4). Each assembly includes a mounting bracket (3) which is lockingly engaged with an upper surface of the profile (4), and each arm (2) is pivotably mounted within the mounting bracket (3) by its shaft (15). The upper portion of the shaft (15) includes an integral stop member (16) which abuts oppositely disposed wing portions (22,23) of the mounting brackets (3) so as to define the retracted and extended positions of the support arms (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1989
    Assignee: Lohr Industrie
    Inventor: Jean-luc Andre
  • Patent number: 4855039
    Abstract: A vibrating screen which comprises a housing having screening surfaces, the surfaces forming an angle with respect to each other, and vibrators. The housing consists of separate sections having screening surfaces arranged, one underneath the other, inside of each section. Each section is suspended to a frame by means of flexible joints. Vibrators are mounted to each section. The screening surfaces of the separate sections are arranged at different inclinations and have different widths in the downward direction of motion of the material passing through the vibrating screen device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1989
    Assignee: Institute Po Tcherna Metalurgia
    Inventor: Ivan V. Genev
  • Patent number: 4854243
    Abstract: A mobile machine for continuously renewing a track by replacing the rails and ties of the existing track by new rails and ties has an elongated, two-part, bridge-like machine frame supported on the track by a front and a rear undercarriage. The facing ends of the machine frame parts are pivotally coupled together at lower ends thereof, and hydraulic pivoting and blocking drives interconnect these facing ends and are effective to spread the facing machine frame part ends apart at upper ends thereof in a horizontal direction whereby the lower ends of the facing machine frame part ends are raised in a vertical direction, and the raised facing machine frame part ends are blocked in their raised position. An intermediate undercarriage supports the facing machine frame part ends on the track and is raised off the track with the lower ends of the facing machine frame part ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1989
    Assignee: Franz Plasser Bahnbaumaschinen-Industriegesellschaft m.b.H.
    Inventor: Josef Theurer
  • Patent number: 4854792
    Abstract: A system and method for bracing and cushioning the impact of movable massive loads during sudden deceleration of a transport vehicle, such as created during humping of railway cars. Resilient elastomeric pads separate adjacent objects of the load with the thickness and density of the elastomeric material chosen to dampen typical impact forces without damage to the objects. The resilent pads are preferably formed with at least one face contoured to envelope the side of an object. Three types of resilient pads are disclosed for use in transporting massive sheet metal coils with one pad adapted for particular use at endwalls, another pad for use between coils, and yet another pad for use between mid-row coils and doorway dunnage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1989
    Assignee: Cougar Package Designers, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark A. Cottone
  • Patent number: 4854455
    Abstract: The machine according to the invention comprises a channel which is:constituted by two shaped panels giving it an open bottomed V-shaped section and which are associated with relative spacing adjustment members,provided with spraying conduits and overlapping plates closing off its top part,and associated with an endless conveyor comprising thrust bars brought successively by the conveyor in a transversal position in the channel passage section.The machine according to the invention finds an application in the sorting and grading of fish of the Salmonidae family.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1989
    Assignee: Societe a Responsabilite Limitee: Establissements Faivre
    Inventor: Claude Faivre
  • Patent number: 4854454
    Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for segregating desired articles of predetermined dimensions from a jumbled flow of such articles and unwanted pieces longer than the predetermined dimensions. The apparatus includes structure, tilted relative to the horizontal, that restricts the jumbled flow to a fixed-flow space whereby the jumbled flow is caused to flow along a flow path. The apparatus comprises a three-dimensional array of rotatable pickup fingers substantially filling the fixed-flow space and extending therebeyond. The apparatus includes a biasing element that co-acts with the rotatable pickup fingers to retain an unwanted piece removed from the jumbled flow by the pickup fingers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1989
    Assignee: S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
    Inventor: Larry C. Dahlby
  • Patent number: 4854635
    Abstract: A drive mechanism for the moving of an air guide arrangement provided at a motor vehicle from a retracted rest position into an extended operating position and vice versa which includes a toothed segment rotatably supported about an axis that is operatively connected with an adjusting lever of the air guide arrangement. In order to be able to compensate for error sources in the drive mechanism such as over-travel of the electric motor or out-of-adjustment limit switches, the toothed segment and the adjusting lever are supported separate from one another on the axis and are held in a predetermined position relative to one another by way of a spring element disposed therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1989
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Juergen Durm, Constantin Brin
  • Patent number: 4854244
    Abstract: A system for use with a rail for carrying a moving conveyance, the rail having a web portion, a base portion and an increased width top portion, the system serving to heat the rail top portion to decrease the accumulation of snow and ice thereon, including studs secured to the rail web portion, such as by spot welding, at spaced intervals along the length of the rail, a series of elongated carrier members each defined in cross-section normal the length thereof by an upper trough forming portion and a lower clamping portion, the clamping portion having openings spaced along the length thereof in register with and arranged to receive the studs affixed to the rail web portion and being positionable in a first position wherein the trough forming portion is exposed to receive a heating cable therein and in a second position wherein the heating cable is in close proximity to the top rail portion whereby heat supplied by the cable is readily transmitted to the rail top portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1989
    Assignee: General Signal Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas R. Rhodes, Thomas J. Brennan
  • Patent number: 4853112
    Abstract: Apparatus for separating heavy from light constituents in coarse comminuted municipal waste having a relatively small inlet duct connecting to a much larger air classifying chamber. A by-pass duct is disposed alongside the chamber, and connects thereto at its upstream and at its downstream end. Dameprs are provided to adjust the velocity of airflow through the chamber and by-pass duct depending upon the density of the light weight constituents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 1, 1989
    Inventor: Victor Brown
  • Patent number: 4852497
    Abstract: In a magnet-floating toy running inside a loop of vacuum-like state, a .perp. shape monorail is provided within a loop of air-tight, transparent round pipes, air within the loop is drawn by suction to make loop reach a vacuum-like state to reduce air resistance. In the two extended wings of the monorail and also underneath the surfaces of the car body, permanent magnets are installed and are arranged so that the magnet poles of the two magnets are the same to induce repulsion force and that when the car rides on the monorail, it may float. Power is supplied from source outside the loop to the conductive rail mounted in the top surface of the monorail and through the brush, then in turn, transmit to the motor. Thus motor will enable car to run within the loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 1, 1989
    Inventor: Yu-Ming Tsui
  • Patent number: 4852933
    Abstract: A reinforcing latching means for maintaining the integrity of the upper tailgate-sidewall joint closure in a refuse carrier with a vertically hinged tailgate assembly including a handle disposed along the bottom of the tailgate which mechanically rotates a vertically oriented control shaft and is operatively connected to at least one horizontally disposed latching rod means horizontally moveably along the tailgate for controlling the engaging and disengaging of said at least one latching rod means with a latching plate means disposed along the exterior lateral surface of the sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 1, 1989
    Assignee: Steco, Inc.
    Inventor: Saul R. Spector
  • Patent number: 4850627
    Abstract: A method of transferring a collation of flexible packages from a first location to a second location employs a loading head comprising an enclosure having an opening and a permeable barrier extending across the opening. The method comprises the steps of bringing the opening and the collation together at the first location, applying suction to the enclosure, thereby drawing air into the enclosure through the permeable barrier, drawing the packages against the barrier by the air drawn through the permeable barrier, and thus expanding upper regions of the packages towards one another by sub-atmospheric air pressure created by the suction. The packages tend to seal against one another and to prevent flow of air through the collation, so that the collation is held by suction against the barrier. The enclosure is transferred to the second location and the suction is removed to release the collation from the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1989
    Assignee: Bishopbarn Limited
    Inventor: Kenneth W. Franklin
  • Patent number: 4850281
    Abstract: A traction wheel turn for a power and free conveyor employs a single rotary unit to effect a complete, 180.degree. reversal of the course of the conveyor. A circular track component forms a part of the free track at the inside of the turn and is carried by the traction wheel and rotates therewith. The inside wheels of the free trollies transfer from a standard, straight track section to the circular component at the turn, are carried thereby through the turn, and are delivered to the next stationary track section at the end of the turn. The horizontal space occupied by the turn is therefore, no greater than the diameter of the traction wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1989
    Assignee: Automatic Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Raymond H. Kurek
  • Patent number: 4850769
    Abstract: A tie-down device is disclosed herein having a movable car slidably carried on a stationary track which includes a spring biased vertically movable latch on the car operable to be insertably received into a selected one of a plurality of openings on said track for releasably retaining the car in a critical location on the track. The car further includes an attachment arrangement such as a tongue-in-groove construction for mounting on the track and a securement loop universally carried on a car flange for attachment to a tie-down line or cord.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1989
    Assignees: James E. Irvin, Amy B. Irvin
    Inventor: James R. Matthews
  • Patent number: 4851110
    Abstract: A device and method for separating particles by mass is provided in which the particles are entrained in an airstream and are ejected into a collection zone where they will fall under the influence of gravity, but will separate longitudinally by mass with the most massive particles traveling the farthest. As an enhancement to the separation, an apparatus for forming at least one air curtain perpendicular to the ejection direction is provided which causes the falling particles to separate into discrete groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1989
    Assignee: T.D.J. Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Rolle, David J. Nebel, John L. Shulan, William P. Liljestrom
  • Patent number: 4848703
    Abstract: A method of transporting an elongated object with a grapple includes placing the object in a generally horizontal position on a surface. The grapple is opened and placed about the object. The grapple is then closed about the object with a force sufficient to hold the arms of the grapple against the object, but insufficient to squeeze the object tightly between the arms. The grapple is raised with the object, and the object is allowed to swing between the arms of the grapple to a generally vertical position. The grapple may include two arms having pivotally interconnected inner ends. The arms have outer portions at the outer ends with edges directed towards the inner ends. The grapple has a closed position wherein the edges of the outer portions are perpendicular to an axis symmetry extending between the arms of the grapple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1989
    Assignee: Coulson Forest Products Ltd.
    Inventors: Wayne C. S. Coulson, Philip S. Jarman, Gary E. Collinge