Patents Examined by Steve Varner
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Patent number: 6606835Abstract: A cementations block for seating in adjacent and adjoining relation with a plurality of the cementations blocks to define a wall, with each block comprising a body having a top and an opposing bottom, opposing front and back faces, and a first and second opposing ends, with beveled edges along a bottom and side. The top defines a geometric protruding surface and the bottom defines a mating geometric surface, whereby two of the block stacked one on another matingly engage together. The first end defines a protrudence and the second end defines a recess conforming substantially in shape to the protrudence, whereby linearly adjacent blocks matingly engage for assembling a wall therewith, with the beveled surfaces simulating mortar joints between adjacent blocks.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2001Date of Patent: August 19, 2003Inventor: Augustin J. Bilka
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Patent number: 6604335Abstract: The invention is a “column guard” for vertical structural beams or columns (100). The column guard (10) is an annulet (20) that encircles the beam and is clamped thereto by means of a threaded fastener. The preferred method of attaching the column guard (10) includes positioning the device at a height of less than 30 inches, preferably about 18 inches above the floor.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2001Date of Patent: August 12, 2003Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber CompanyInventors: Douglas Stewart Henderson, Stephen Ambrose Doyle, Jamie Medeiros Pascoal
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Patent number: 6604333Abstract: A plastic window assembly is adapted to be mounted in an opening defined by a structure. The plastic window assembly is oval-shaped with a decorative plastic window muntin. A plastic frame supports parallel window panes. The window muntin is disposed between the parallel window panes. Flat surfaces of the window muntin have a first edge and a second edge and include a ridge disposed along each of the edges. Marring of the window panes is prevented because the ridge provides for line contact between the window muntin and the window panes. The window muntin may also be integrally molded to a plastic pane disposed between the parallel panes of glass. The plastic pane includes a surface texture that simulates frosted glass. The plastic window assembly includes a plurality of liner panels that extend through the opening from an interior of the structure. The window assembly includes a flange having aperture throughwhich fasteners are inserted to secure the window assembly to the structure.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2000Date of Patent: August 12, 2003Assignee: Tapco International CorporationInventors: Charles R. Schiedegger, Clyde G. Allen, John R. Tesluk
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Patent number: 6601351Abstract: A pipe flange system for facilitating replacement of flashing around an electrical service entrance pipe on a roof. The pipe flange system includes a lower flange assembly for engaging a service entrance pipe which includes a lower base portion designed for resting upon a slant roof and a lower conical portion for engaging a portion of a perimeter wall of the service entrance pipe; and an upper flange assembly for engaging the service entrance pipe which includes an upper base portion designed for resting upon a slant roof and an upper surface of the lower flange assembly and an upper conical portion for engaging a second portion of the perimeter wall of the service entrance pipe.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2002Date of Patent: August 5, 2003Inventor: Dee J. Zerfoss
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Patent number: 6598355Abstract: An anti-stacking system for an operable wall includes a guide rail mounted on or adjacent to the track so that the guide rail is engaged by panel orienting members attached to the trolley bolt. The guide rail may be mounted on the track or to the track suspending brackets. In a preferred embodiment, the guide rail is integral with the track. Panel orienting members that engage the guide rails are mounted to the bolts of the trolleys, which bolts in turn are fixed rotationally to the panels. At designated areas in the room, the track is free of the guide rail to allow stacking of the wall panels when not in use. In wall forming areas, the panel orienting members engage the guide rails so as to cause the trolley bolts, and thus the panels, to be properly rotated into a proper wall-forming arrangement and to remain in the wall forming arrangement until moved to a storage area.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2001Date of Patent: July 29, 2003Assignee: Modernfold, Inc.Inventor: N. Douglas Owens
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Patent number: 6594967Abstract: A sheetrock repair system including a plate having two adhesive surfaces disposed laterally out from a central opening. A rubber tie extends through the central opening and a retaining wire extends through a transverse aperture in the tie.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2002Date of Patent: July 22, 2003Inventor: Abbas Panahii
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Patent number: 6591788Abstract: A water heater adapted to be mounted on the rooftop of a building includes a substantially cylindrical tank having a horizontally-oriented longitudinal axis. A U-shaped flue tube has a burner end and an exhaust end, both ends being mounted in a head portion of the tank. The legs of the flue tube define a flue plane that is preferably angled 30°-60° with respect to vertical. An inlet tube and an outlet tube also extend through the head of the tank. The inlet tube is positioned at the bottom of the tank and has holes that open downwardly only; the outlet tube is positioned at the top of the tank and has holes that open upwardly only. The tank is weather-tightly enclosed by a cabinet. A base member of the cabinet is supported by a roof curb and supports the water tank. The base member includes a drain opening for draining water from the inside the cabinet to the sewage system of the building, and a water pipe opening through which extend a plurality of pipes communicating with the tank.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2000Date of Patent: July 15, 2003Assignee: AOS Holding CompanyInventors: Dennis R. Hughes, Marc W. Akkala, Kevin M. Field, Randy T. Meyer
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Patent number: 6591575Abstract: A tile edging strip comprising: a substrate engaging member, wherein the substrate engaging member is configured for engaging a primary substrate; a tile engaging member, wherein the tile engaging member is configured for engaging one or more tiles; a spacing support member, wherein the spacing support member is positioned between the substrate engaging member and the tile engaging member; and a transition member.Type: GrantFiled: January 2, 2001Date of Patent: July 15, 2003Inventor: Robert Benedettini
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Patent number: 6588165Abstract: An extrusion device for mounting a wall panel has an outer cap extending to an edge on at least one side which is positioned against an outer surface of a wall panel, having a pair of spaced-apart insertion fingers, and a receiver base having a planar mounting portion and a pair of angled receiver flanges projecting upwardly to receive the insertion fingers therein. The two-piece extrusion permits wall panels to be mounted or removed from the underlying wall structure in on-sequential order. The receiver base and cap can be provided on both sides to form an “H” type extrusion, or on only one side in a “J” type extrusion. Preferably, the outer cap is made of metal, and the tips of the insertion fingers are beveled at a slight angle of about 7° to 14° to allow easy insertion into the receiver flanges. The cap has compound water-shedding edges formed with a rounded rain-drip edge spaced in close proximity to a sharply inclined knife edge.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2000Date of Patent: July 8, 2003Inventor: John T. Wright
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Patent number: 6568132Abstract: Methods are provided for installation of a rain diversion system including formation of a deflector with a machine placed above a forming machine dedicated to formation of a trough. As trough is run from a first machine, end caps are installed where appropriate, outlet sites are punched and outlets installed for joinder with downspouts, miters are cut and a cavity structure of the hanger is brought into place to mate a containment lip of the hanger with the containment shelf of the trough. Corresponding deflector is run from a second machine and the deflector is placed on the trough as deflector attachment cavities of the hanger are used to retain deflector. In alternative methods, one cavity retains the deflector 40 for conveyance to the installation location on the structure. In either case, the entire assembly may then be transported to a location on a lower level such as ground, for example, corresponding to the eventual installation location on the structure.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2001Date of Patent: May 27, 2003Inventor: A. B. Walters
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Patent number: 6560941Abstract: A multi-component shutter assembly for the production of decorative shutters having a nearly infinite variety of different combinations of louvered sections and raised panel sections with a greatly reduced tooling cost. The shutter system includes a base shutter having a perimeter frame and transverse louvers along its length, and a set of elements which are attachable to the base shutter. The elements are manufactured in a wide variety of different sizes, styles, and colors, and any one or more of the elements can be attached to the base shutter at any desired location along its length to produce a shutter assembly of the desired appearance. The elements can be fastened to the front of the base shutter to cover the louvers at that location, or some or all of the louvers of the base shutter can be cut away and removed to form an aperture and the element fastened to the base shutter to cover the aperture.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2000Date of Patent: May 13, 2003Assignee: Pinckney Molded Plastics, Inc.Inventor: Nicholas A. French
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Patent number: 6557305Abstract: Apparatus in the form of a box unit or box assembly is disclosed for mounting in an opening in a wall wherein the apparatus is mounted from the front of the wall. A box body is positioned in the opening in the wall and anchored there to the wall by a flange located at least partly behind the wall and another flange in front of the wall. Embodiments of the present invention disclosed include electrical junction boxes.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2001Date of Patent: May 6, 2003Inventor: Clifford J. Hayes
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Patent number: 6553736Abstract: There is provided a metal chord member for use in a building system which chord member is formed of two or more interlocked generally U-shaped chord tubes. The chord tubes are interlocked by means of the provision of a plurality of equisized, equispaced, longitudinal ribs formed along the length of the depending side arms of the U-shaped chord tubes defining elongated recesses therebetween, the ribs on one of the chord tubes being adapted to interlock into and mate with the recesses defined between ribs on the adjacent chord tube and vice versa.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2000Date of Patent: April 29, 2003Inventors: Antonio Montanaro, Guiseppe Montanaro
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Patent number: 6550193Abstract: A split door jamb having a support frame and a trim frame utilize a unique mounting system. The support frame includes two vertical side frame members connected by a laterally-extending top member. Each side frame member includes a plurality of adjustable fasteners for mounting the side frame members to walls defining a door opening. One frame member has at least one hinge pad for carrying a door or similar object to cover the opening. The support frame carries outwardly-extending tongues and tongue fasteners adjacent to the tongues. The trim frame has two vertical side trim members connected by a laterally-extending top trim member. The trim frame carries a tongue receiving cavities that receive the tongues extending from the support frame. Each trim member also carries fasteners for complementary connection with the support frame fasteners to adjustably connect the trim frame and support frame together.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2001Date of Patent: April 22, 2003Inventor: Thomas Lee Potts
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Patent number: 6546681Abstract: A combination blade of aluminum hinges and shatter resistant transparent plastic web used to replace metal blades of accordion storm shutters used to protect glass windows and doors in homes, office buildings, and other walled structures from the destructive force of storm systems, such as hurricanes. The present combination blade assembly includes a flat sheet of shatter-resistant and transparent plastic material forming a web between a male and female aluminum hinge. The hinges and web are held together with urethane adhesive that also forms and hardens into a mechanical spline for additional joint strength due to the hinge shape. The hinges are shaped to be interchangeable with metal blades used to make accordion storm shutters. The metal blades can be replaced with combination blades using the same methods and hardware.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2000Date of Patent: April 15, 2003Inventor: Wayne Trundle
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Patent number: 6532706Abstract: A gridless drop ceiling assembly having ledger boards mounted on opposing longitudinal walls of a room and extending the length of the opposing longitudinal walls, the ledger boards being mounted proximate to the height of the desired drop ceiling and in parallel relationship, a plurality of mounting studs positioned on the ledger boards, the mounted studs extending outwardly from the surface of the ledger boards, the mounting studs on opposing ledger boards being in aligned relationship, a plurality of ceiling beams generally rectangular in cross section having parallel upper and lower surfaces and parallel side surfaces and parallel opposing end surfaces, the ceiling beams dimensioned to the distance between the ledger boards, the ceiling beams having formed in the opposing end surfaces thereof an L-shaped slot in communication with one surface of the ceiling beam, the L-shaped slot having a depth at least equal to the height of the mounting stud on the ledger board for the slidable positioning of and lockiType: GrantFiled: November 20, 2001Date of Patent: March 18, 2003Inventors: Joseph H. Scott, Ruth A. Scott
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Patent number: 6526702Abstract: A plurality of wheeled cabinets, including single-sided cabinets (20) and double-sided cabinets (21), is movably mounted upon fixed rail assemblies (90) and (90A). Each cabinet is fitted with an extendable privacy partition (80), an automatically deployed safety-spacer assembly (110), and is capable of accepting both factory-finished and custom-fabricated furniture and fixture infill packages (24) that provide the activity spaces (23) created in between the cabinets with all of the appurtenances necessary to particularize these spaces into functionally specific rooms. A continuous conductor rail (100) supplies power, telephone, and data to the residential program deck.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2001Date of Patent: March 4, 2003Inventor: Wesley C. Jones
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Patent number: 6519905Abstract: A roofing system (10) adapted to be supported on a support surface (18), the system including a plurality of panels (14) arranged in partially overlapping relation to form a roof, the panels each having first (42) and second (44) side edges, an upper (26) and lower (30) surfaces providing a series of barrels (46) and pans (50), a first side region (83) defining a portion of a barrel and a first cylindrical mating surface (82), and a second-side region (66) defining a portion of a pan and a second cylindrical mating surface, the panels being arranged in overlapping relation so that the first and second mating surfaces are sealingly engaged.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 1999Date of Patent: February 18, 2003Inventor: Ronald S. W. Knighton
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Patent number: 6516572Abstract: An improved roof and method wherein each course of slate is underlaid with an interlayment material layer such that the interlayment material acts as a base to the through joints, resulting in a reduction in the amount of slate used by approximately 40% to 50%. The slate meets side to side (the through joint), the underlaying interlayment material providing sufficient waterproofing to protect the roof as well as being of lighter weight and a more economical slate roof than the slate which it replaces.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2000Date of Patent: February 11, 2003Inventors: David C. Nowacek, James J. Nowacek
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Patent number: 6513298Abstract: A web connector, a building component connection and a method for connecting a first building component to a second building component. One embodiment of the web connector includes a rib member that is attachable to a web portion of the first building component and an attachment plate extending outward from the rib member. The rib member may be sized so that it is received on a leg portion that protrudes from the web portion of the first building component. The attachment plate is attachable to an attachment flange of the second building component. In another embodiment, the web connector includes two rib members and an attachment member that forms two plates for attaching two additional building components thereto.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2001Date of Patent: February 4, 2003Assignee: Aegis Metal Framing LLCInventor: Douglas A. Rassel