Patents Examined by Robert C. Watson
  • Patent number: 7165763
    Abstract: A clamp pallet (2) as a reference member is fixed to a table (1) of a machining center. A tapered positioning hole (12) is opened in a lower surface of a work pallet (3) as a movable member. An annular central pillar (21) is projected upward from the clamp pallet (2), and an intermediate member (22) is arranged between the central pillar (21) and the positioning hole (12). The intermediate member (22) is composed of a shuttle member (23), which is diametrically expandable and contractible and supported on the central pillar (21) vertically movably, and a tapered cylinder (26), which is attached to an outer periphery of the shuttle member (23) and makes a tapering engagement with the positioning hole (12). The shuttle member (23) is urged upward by means of an elastic member (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Kosmek Ltd.
    Inventors: Keitaro Yonezawa, Tsutomu Shirakawa
  • Patent number: 7165762
    Abstract: An apparatus for holding and positioning a work piece in a desired position includes a hand-operated clamp for securing the apparatus to a fixed support, such as a table or workbench, a flexible, multi-segmented arm having one end secured to the hand-operated clamp and the opposite end pivotally secured to a vise. The vise includes a pair of jaws, a pair of essentially parallel tracks, and a screw mounted substantially parallel to said tracks. A small platform having resilient flanges snaps over and secures itself to the tracks. A number of configurations of the platform are possible depending upon the support structure of the electrical connectors or other assemblies which are being soldered or assembled. Work pieces of various shapes and sizes may be secured either to the platform or by the jaws of the vise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Inventor: Christopher B. Duzick
  • Patent number: 7163201
    Abstract: Two station vise for manual or hydraulic operation with a quick-change stationary that can be carvable, hard or reversible. the stationary jaw having two precision through holes is placed on expanding pins, located on the top longitudinal rails of the vise body, that precisely position and tighten the stationary block in place. Two movable jaws connected by a tubular drive form an axially adjustable floating assembly. A manually turned tubular drive has an external threaded screw to move simultaneously the first jaw/nut and an internal thread that moves the second jaw/nut, on the opposite side of the stationary. Hydraulically parts are clamped at the two stations with a piston located in the second jaw/nut and connected axially with the first jaw/nut by the tubular drive. A setup-block located at the front jaw/nut keeps both jaws at proper position for loading and unloading of parts. The setup-block also allows for pre-clamping or retention of the part in the rear station before clamping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Kurt Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Leon M. Bernstein
  • Patent number: 7159859
    Abstract: A clamp body is provided with a channel formed in the clamp body and a retainer is movably mounted in the clamp body. A jaw is mounted on the clamp body and an end cap blocking one end of the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Irwin Industrial Tool Company
    Inventor: Anthony B. Fuller
  • Patent number: 7156373
    Abstract: A line retrieval system comprises a line retriever adapted to magnetically couple to an object disposed within an enclosure through a wall of the enclosure such that the magnetic couple supports the line retriever adjacent the wall of the enclosure. The line retriever is adapted for movement relative to the enclosure in response to movement of the object within the enclosure toward an opening formed in the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Labor Saving Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Mark Turner
  • Patent number: 7155792
    Abstract: A hand ratchet quick release brake pad spreader tool that is a hand tool for spreading a disc brake pad connected to a piston in a caliper housing, thereby compressing the piston into the caliper housing. The hand tool consists of a shaft having a ram affixed onto a front end that slidably extends through a central aperture in a frame member and a central through bore in a backing plate that is mounted to a forward end of the frame member. A trigger handle is pivotally affixed to the frame member adjacent to a depending fixed handle on the frame member. A mechanism is for moving the shaft forwards when the trigger handle is squeezed towards the fixed handle by a hand of a person. A mechanism is for holding the shaft stationary thereby preventing the shaft from moving backwards when the trigger handle is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Inventor: Kelly Miller, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7152855
    Abstract: A vise jaw is provided which is configured to support a stop to provide precise and secure positioning of a work piece within a vise in both a primary horizontal direction and in a lateral horizontal direction. The jaw includes at least one slot, preferably in the form of a groove, intersecting with a face of the jaw. A stop is provided, such as in the form of a key, which includes a free portion and a captured portion. The captured portion is contoured to fit within the groove while the free portion extends out of the groove and beyond the face of the jaw. A bore in the key can be aligned with a threaded hole in the groove so that a threaded fastener can secure the key within the groove. The free portion abuts the work and resists lateral motion of the work.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Inventor: Michael R. Martens
  • Patent number: 7146699
    Abstract: A screw alignment tool. The tool includes a base, a cover and a plurality of extending elements. The base has a plurality of fasteners, fixing two work pieces. The cover is disposed on the base through a connecting means and has a plurality of holes corresponding to the screw holes on the work pieces. The extending elements are disposed on the cover by the holes facing the base. Each extending element has a chute communicating with the hole of the cover. When the cover is moved to a predetermined operating position, the chutes are aligned with the screw holes, to better align screw mounting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Quanta Computer Inc.
    Inventor: Wen-Chi Chen
  • Patent number: 7144002
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electric locking device which has a simple structure, with which an operating time can be saved, and which has a sufficient clamping force required for operation. To a camshaft coupled to an electric motor through a speed reducing mechanism, a first cam and a second cam conjugate with each other are coupled. The first cam drives an arm driving rod in a clamping direction and the second cam drives the arm driving rod in a returning direction. Rotational motions of the first and second cams are converted into linear motions in the same direction by first and second cam contacting members supported by the arm driving rod. The arm driving rod drives a clamping arm to cause the arm to carry out a clamping operation. A cam face is provided as to move the clamping arm at a high speed until the arm reaches a vicinity of an end and to move the arm at a lower speed after the arm has reached the vicinity of the end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Kai Zhao, Erick Rudaitis, David Ken Uchida, Jeffrey Gerald Kozlowski
  • Patent number: 7144005
    Abstract: A clamping device in which there is no need to carry out troublesome setting operation of a clamping position according to a size of a workpiece and wear of respective components and an operation efficiency can be further improved. A worm which is engaged with a worm wheel provided to a periphery of a rotating shaft of a clamping arm and which is connected to an electric motor can reciprocate in an axial direction. On the axis, a clamping force applying mechanism to be actuated in response to contact of the rotated clamping arm with the workpiece to apply an axial force in a direction of the axis to the worm is provided. The clamping arm is rotated by driving the worm for rotation by the electric motor and the clamping force applying mechanism applies a clamping force to the clamping arm which has come in contact with the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Sato, Akira Tadano
  • Patent number: 7140086
    Abstract: A support assembly useful in supporting a plumbing fixture in the course of effecting connections thereto includes a base provided with a vertical tube segment supporting a nut assembly threadably engaged to a rod partly received in the segment with the upper rod end supporting an adapter conformed to the supported fixture. An offset bar fixed to the rod exterior engages a lateral recess on the segment to fix the rod in rotation as the nut assembly is turned. The assembly may include rods of differing lengths and adapters of various forms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Inventor: Kenneth Heaton
  • Patent number: 7134643
    Abstract: A motorcycle lift strapping system for securing a motorcycle to a motorcycle lift assembly having a pair of elongated members includes a pair of elongated supports each of which is attached to and extends along one of elongated members. A first rod and a second rod each have first and second ends. Each of the first and second ends has a threaded aperture extending therein. A plurality of threaded securing members each has an end having a loop attached thereto. Each of the securing members is extended into one of the apertures. A plurality of couplers couples each of the first and second rods to one of the supports. The couplers are rotatable around a respective one of the rods. Straps are attached to the loops and wrapped around the motorcycle to. Rotating the rods so that the securing members extend outwardly of the rods tightens the straps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Inventors: Eric G. Williams, Frank Aceves, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7134652
    Abstract: A tail vise is disclosed. The novel tail vise includes a longitudinally extending guide secured to or integrated into a surface, which has an axially threaded bore to receive a threaded vise rod, a compression housing slideably surrounding said longitudinally extending guide, and a threaded vise rod connected to said compression housing, threaded through the axially threaded bore of said longitudinally extending guide. The compression housing is slideably attached to the guide and spinably secured to the threaded vise rod, and therein serves as the means of compression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Inventor: James D Smith
  • Patent number: 7127787
    Abstract: A tool for removal of a fuel line from a vehicle fuel module by engagement of and displacement of a locking member, said tool including first and second arms with semi-cylindrical sections at each end that may be used in combination to engage the locking member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Lisle Corporation
    Inventor: Michael L. Whitehead
  • Patent number: 7125009
    Abstract: A clamp holding an object such as a door. The clamp comprises a body shaped to define a recess for receiving a portion of the object, and a wedge which is movable within the recess in order to clamp the object, between the wedge and the body. The wedge and the body are coupled together by means of a coupling mechanism which allows the wedge to adopt a use state, in which the wedge may be moved through the recess, and a storage/transport state in which the wedge is generally co-planar with the body. In the preferred embodiment, the coupling mechanism comprises a guide member mated with an elongate aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Inventor: Gerald McCann
  • Patent number: 7125000
    Abstract: A winch-actuated post puller is disclosed which applies a substantially linear withdrawal force to a post to be removed from the ground. A post gripper is attached to a slider that rides on a vertical shaft. The slider is raised by means of a cable attached to a winch at or near the top of the vertical shaft. In one preferred embodiment, the winch is actuated by a reciprocating lever acting on a ratchet wheel via a pawl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Inventors: Daniel R. Saavedra, Nancy Fritts-Saavedra
  • Patent number: 7120980
    Abstract: A pipe disassembling tool includes a first arm and a second arm pivotally connected with each other by a pin. The first arm and the second arm respectively have a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion formed on a first end of each of the first arm and the second arm. A torsion spring is sleeved on the pin and has two opposite ends respectively abutting against the first arm and the second arm to make the first arm and the second arm abut each other when the tool is in an original condition. A first disassembling portion is formed on a second end of the first arm and a second disassembling portion is formed on a second end of the second arm for user to detach the pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Inventor: Hsueh Chin Chang
  • Patent number: 7120981
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a crank arm remover for a bicycle, which includes a screw bolt and a threaded sleeve. The screw bolt is provided at an end with a corner portion which is to be pushed by a grip handle, another end of the screw bolt is provided with an abutting block. The threaded sleeve is screwed on the screw bolt. The characteristics of this present invention are that the abutting block has more than one layer of abutting portion, and the respective layers of abutting portion have different sizes. By such arrangements, this crank arm remover will be operable to assemble and disassemble the crank arm of different sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Inventor: Hung-Chen Huang
  • Patent number: 7118093
    Abstract: A hand operated tool for extracting an embedded elongated object, including: a) an elongated, movable first handle member with a first, upper end portion divided into two matching legs separated by an opening; b) a corresponding second handle member with a first jaw member and a first, upper end extending through the leg opening, the second handle member being pivotally attached to the first leg and the second leg; c) a floating head portion pivotally attached to the first and second legs, the floating head portion including a second jaw member and an adjacent, upper curved edge; and d) two matching lever bars facing one another from opposite sides of the extraction tool, each being pivotally connected to the second handle member and to the floating head portion; and wherein the second jaw member is engaged against the first jaw member when the extraction tool is in a closed position, and disengaged from the first jaw member when the extraction tool is in an open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Inventor: Jefferson L. Wagner
  • Patent number: 7117573
    Abstract: A puller allowing easy and readily replacement of the jaws within a confined area is comprised of a threaded rod, a drive mechanism, an activation mechanism, and multiple jaws; provided with an auxiliary connecting arm and an auxiliary fixing arm respectively to a connecting base and a bolting base for a connecting arm extending from a connecting base and a bolting base; any jaw being retractable to be respectively connected to the auxiliary connecting arm and the auxiliary fixing arm; a winged nut being turned to draw the auxiliary connecting arm and its corresponding connecting arm, thus to grab a work piece by its circumference while a centering end of a threaded rod holding against the axis of the work piece to remove it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Inventor: Chih Kuo Hu