Patents Examined by Robert L. Spruill
  • Patent number: 5054271
    Abstract: Packaging apparatus for production of display packages in which an item is packaged on a card sealed under a transparent film, the cards each having a window being carried through the apparatus on jigs which are indexed around in an endless path travelling from a card-applying station to a film-applying station, a packing station, a heat-sealing station, a package ejection station and back to the card-applying station, with automatic application of a card to each jig at the card-applying station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1991
    Assignee: Barnhart Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Irvin S. DeWoskin
  • Patent number: 5054303
    Abstract: In an extrusion press the void space between a pressure pad (4), a billet container (5), an extrusion die (6) and the billet (12) to be extruded is evacuated by suction through the pressure pad (4) and a hollow extrusion stem (3) before the commencement of extrusion. The extrusion ram (2) is hollow and contains a vacuum reservoir (7) connected to the hollow stem by a vacuum line (8) and valve (9). The vacuum line may have a compressed air line (10) and valve (11) connected to it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1991
    Assignee: Indalex Limited
    Inventor: Michael J. Newman
  • Patent number: 5054161
    Abstract: A dispenser actuator handle including a body member, a first protrusion projecting from the body member, a second protrusion projecting from the body member and disposed below the first protrusion, and a reinforcement rib extending between the protrusions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1991
    Assignee: James River Corporation
    Inventors: Dean H. Heili, James A. Diring
  • Patent number: 5054275
    Abstract: Apparatus for supplying valved sacks or bags to filling nozzles is disclosed, including a first conveyor for transporting a sack to a waiting position spaced from the filling nozzle a distance at least equal to the width of the sack, and a second conveyor for transporting the sack in a suspended valve-open condition to the filling nozzle. A releasable gripping device associated with the second conveyor engages the sack adjacent the bottom of the valve means, thereby to open the same, which gripping device includes a pair of spaced opposed sheet metal plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1991
    Assignee: Firma Haver & Boecker
    Inventor: Hubert Brormann
  • Patent number: 5054830
    Abstract: A shovel includes an elongated cylindrical shaft having a shovel blade removably secured by a pin and socket connection at a first end, and a first D-shaped hand grip at a second opposite end. A split cylindrical clamping collar includes a clamping screw for securing the collar at a selected position around the shaft. A lateral extension member is pivotally mounted to the clamping collar for movement about an axis which extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of the shaft. A second D-shaped hand grip is secured on a free end portion of the extension member. In use, an individual grasps one of the hand grips in each hand and rotates the first hand grip while holding the second hand grip secured to the lateral extension member stationary, to dump the contents of the shovel blade. The shovel handle construction is particularly adapted for use on snow shovels, and allows an individual to work with a minimum of effort and back strain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1991
    Inventor: Philip Nisenbaum
  • Patent number: 5054163
    Abstract: A four piece bottom pivot assembly for undersupporting the lower end of a pivotally mounted door panel in a bi-fold door assembly in which a bottom pivot pin is non-rotatably locked into a tubular sleeve extending into a socket formed in the bottom end of the door panel. The pivot pin is formed with a threaded shank having a guide portion at its upper end which slidingly cooperates with guideways in the sleeve to prevent rotation of the pivot pin. An adjustment wheel is threaded onto the threaded shank of the pivot pin and is rotatably coupled to the bottom end of the sleeve such that rotation of the wheel threadingly actuates the pivot pin coaxially of the sleeve to adjust door height. A detent system removably holds the wheel in selected rotational positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1991
    Assignee: John Sterling Corporation
    Inventors: John R. Sterling, Richard G. Kluge
  • Patent number: 5052076
    Abstract: A seat back hinge for a seat on a fishing boat in which the hinge pivot has a generally circular outer pivot wall on one section of the hinge and a generally circular inner pivot wall on the other portion or section of the hinge. The inner wall is of a size that allows it to fit closely inside the outer wall. The inner wall is provided with ears that project at right angles to the top of the inner wall and the outer wall is provided with relieved sections or bays that allow the ears to pass through the outer wall in only one orientation of the two sections of the hinge. Once the seat has been assembled the movement of the two sections of the hinge are limited in such a way so that it is impossible for the ears on the inner wall to be removed back through the relieved sections of the outer wall. Concentric shield portions keep fingers out of the hinge. Integral stops limit movement and an integral leaf spring catches a detent to lock the hinge in one position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1991
    Assignee: Estran Corporation
    Inventor: Kenneth A. Spaeth
  • Patent number: 5052077
    Abstract: The invention relates to a carcase-related part of a cabinet hinge, which is an elongated, channel-shaped supporting arm, releasably fastened on the mounting plate by a catch mechanism. The catch mechanism has at the outer end of the mounting plate and supporting arm, a hanger device enabling the supporting arm to tilt relative to the mounting plate. At the inner end of the supporting arm where it straddles the mounting plate, two tongues are provided which can be flexed resiliently parallel to the cabinet wall surface. Each tongue bears a latch section which can be engaged in an associated catch in the mounting plate. The hanger coupling of the supporting arm and mounting plate has an at least partially spherical holding head which is introduced into a slot conforming approximately to the shape of the holding head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1991
    Assignee: Karl Lautenschlager GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Karl Lautenschlager, Horst Lautenschlager, Gerhard Lautenschlager
  • Patent number: 5052075
    Abstract: An apparatus for securing a caster to an object having a hole with interior walls has a tubular body with upper and lower ends, the lower end being adapted to connect to a caster and the upper end being split and defining at least two upwardly extending friction grip arms, the upper end of each arm defining an outwardly extending friction grip portion and the outer dimension defined by all of the friction grip portions being slightly larger than the minimum corresponding dimension of the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1991
    Assignee: Babcock Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Charles A. Harris
  • Patent number: 5052079
    Abstract: A pivoted fitting or turn-and-tilt fitting for windows, doors or the like comprises a bottom turn-and-tilt bearing and a top pivot bearing, both bearings being in each case constructed with two links in order to shift the pivot axis during pivoted opening of the leaf frame. In order to relieve the links of the weight of the leaf, it is suggested that the leaf frame be supported on the fixed frame via an arrangement which is independent of the links of the two pivot bearings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1991
    Assignee: Aug. Winkhaus GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Alfred Vosskotter
  • Patent number: 5048265
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for applying covers to seat cushions and the like includes means to maintain the cushioning material under compression within the cover as the cushioning material is moved into the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Assignee: Machine Design Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David Mintz, Pierre Tremblay
  • Patent number: 5048151
    Abstract: Herein disclosed is a continuous speed change type door check for closing a door, which comprises: a pivot pin made rotatable; a slider adapted to be linearly moved by the rotations of the pivot pin and to rotate the pivot pin when it returns; a coil spring for biasing the slider to return; a gear train for speeding up the rotations of the pivot pin; a brake connected to the gear train; and a one-way transmission clutch for operating the brake in a direction to close the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Assignee: K.K. Sankyo Seiki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Makoto Orii, Katsuhiko Hayashi, Teruaki Imai
  • Patent number: 5048270
    Abstract: A spreader device for the lower end of a forming and filling tube of a form, fill and seal machine has an operator located on the outside of the upper end of the tube. The operator may effect oscillations causing the finger to swing into and out of spreading position, or the operator may cause the finger to reciprocate into and out of spreading position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Assignee: Zip-Pak Incorporated
    Inventor: Michael J. McMahon
  • Patent number: 5048153
    Abstract: A lift mechanism (15) for the cover (13) of a portable spa or hot tub (11) comprising a pair of compressible struts (21) and upper and lower hinge mechanisms (24 and 23) is disclosed. The preferred lower hinge mechanism (23) includes a torque tube (25) rotatably mounted through bushings (31) housed in plates (27). The plates (27) are located at a pair of adjacent lower corners of the spa or hot tub (11) and held down by the weight of the spa or hot tub (11). The struts (21) are attached to the ends of the torque tube (25). The other ends of the struts are attached to opposite sides of the spa cover by the upper hinge mechanisms (24), which preferably include brackets (33) that are fixed to the cover and pivot nuts (71) that rotatably attach the brackets (33) to the struts (21). When the cover is in its closed position, the struts (21) incline upwardly toward the center of the spa or hot tub (11). When the cover (13) is in its open position, the struts (21) lie substantially vertical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Assignee: Starlite Leisure Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Wall, James W. Campbell
  • Patent number: 5048225
    Abstract: An insect feeding station have a central poison area, guide and baffle walls leading from the periphery of the station to the central poison area and a cover, optionally having transparent means to view said poison area. When the cover is transparent, or a portion or sections, thereof is transparent, the poison compartment may have a contrasting a luminous color under the poison to make removal of poison easily detectable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Assignee: The Clorox Company
    Inventor: Eugene Brandli
  • Patent number: 5048154
    Abstract: A hinge for removably securing the rear portion of a hood to a powered vehicle. A rod fixed with the hood is pivotally received by a hooked portion of a mounting member fixed to the vehicle. A protruding member fixed to the hood is positioned beneath a finger portion of the mounting member for preventing the rear portion of the hood from shifting vertically during operation on irregular or bumpy ground conditions. When opened, a limiting member abuts the lower portion of the mounting member. The hood is removed from the vehicle when the hood is partially opened by shifting the rod through an opening in the hooked portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: James A. Swartzendruber
  • Patent number: 5046637
    Abstract: Apparatus for forming a reinforced pressure resistant can end shell from sheet material comprises a cutting ring (11), a cutting punch shell (13) enterable into the ring (11) to blank out a disc of material therebetween, an annular draw ring (14) axially aligned with the cutting punch shell (13) to support a peripheral margin of the disc held against it by the cutting punch shell, a die center ring (15) arranged coaxially and slidably within the draw ring (14) and having an end face profiled to define a surface of a seaming panel of the can end shell, an ejector pressure ring (19) arranged coaxially and slidably within the punch shell and axially aligned with the die center ring so that when in use peripheral material of the blank is restrained between the die center ring and the ejector pressure ring, a draw punch center (16) arranged coaxially and slidably within the ejector pressure ring and reform pad (20) arranged coaxially and slidably within the die center ring to engage the central panel of the blank
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1991
    Assignee: CMB Foodcan plc
    Inventor: Mark C. Kysh
  • Patent number: 5044140
    Abstract: A packaging machine for forming a web of packaging material into a vertical tube, filling contents into the tube, dividing the tube into lengths each corresponding to one container and forming each length into a baglike container. The machine comprises a filling device for filling a liquid into the tube to a specified level with the lower end of the tube closed, and a cleaning device for cleaning a required portion of the filling device. The filling device has a vertical filling pipe to be covered with the tube. The cleaning device has a vertical tubular jacket having a top wall and covering the upper portion of the filling pipe, a bottomed tubular cleaner removably connectable to the jacket for covering the lower portion of the filling pipe, and a cleaning liquid collecting duct removably connectable to the jacket. A cleaning liquid is supplied to the filling pipe with the duct connected to the jacket to clean the pipe and is thereafter collected through the duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1991
    Assignees: Shikoku Kakoki Co., Ltd., Jujo Paper Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumiyuki Iwano, Kazuo Sasaki
  • Patent number: 5044499
    Abstract: This process is outstanding in that paper in the form of a roll (B) double the width of the bag (S) to be obtained is used, the unrolled strip is separated into two equal widths (B1) (B2), the two half-widths of paper are independently fed to the point where the folded swabs are brought, the stacked swabs are fed between the two half-widths of paper and brought into superimposition, then the two superimposed half-widths of paper are cold sealed and the bags obtained are transversally cut, continuously and automatically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1991
    Inventor: Louis Marion
  • Patent number: 5042225
    Abstract: Apparatus for wrapping a load with wrapping material includes a frame, a platform pivotally connected to the frame about a horizontal axis to permit the platform to be tilted between a generally horizontal position and an inclined position. A load support including a pair of rollers is turnably mounted to the platform to permit the load support to be turned about a turning axis perpendicular to the platform, the rollers permitting the load to be rotated about a rotating axis transverse to the turning axis. A wrapping material dispenser is selectively positionable with respect to the frame for dispensing a strip of wrapping material to wrap said load as the load is rotated by the load rotating means and as the load support is turend with respect to the platform. A load support arresting mechanism for arresting the turning of the load support at a preselected position with respect to the platform includes a lever having a first end pivoted to the platform and a second end adapted to contact the load support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1991
    Assignee: Wrap-A-Round Limited
    Inventors: David J. Drury, Norman Drury