Patents Examined by Thomas A Beach
  • Patent number: 8739901
    Abstract: A percussion adapter that is driven to generate a percussive axial motion on a wellbore structure. One percussion adapter includes a drive connection to mechanically convert rotational drive to axially directed percussive motion. Another percussion adapter employs a valve that creates back pressure causing axially directed percussive motion. A wellbore tubular connection transitions torque to resist back off when left hand or right hand torque is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Nov Worldwide C.V.
    Inventor: Bradley R. Cote
  • Patent number: 8727391
    Abstract: A safety lock for a door of a household appliance, preferably of a washing machine, includes a housing on one end of which there is a mechanical assembly of the door lock, on the other end there is an assembly of the electric switch used to reach closed or interrupted electric circuit, into which also a part of a programme selection switch is included, whereby the assembly of the door lock and the assembly of the electric switch are mutually linked by a slider, which is designed in a way that its lug engages with the hook of the appliance door, when the hook is in the guide, so that upon manual closing of the appliance door the hook pushes the slider towards the assembly when entering the guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: ITW METAFLEX, d.o.o. Tolmin
    Inventor: Bostjan Berginc
  • Patent number: 8657349
    Abstract: A latching system includes a striker defining an outer width and a latch assembly. The latch assembly includes a support structure including a first side plate, a second side plate spaced from the first side plate, and a top plate fixedly attached to and extending between the first side plate and the second side plate. The first side plate and the second side plate are spaced from each other a separation distance that is greater than the outer width of the striker such that the outer width of the striker is completely disposed between the first side plate and the second side plate when the latch assembly is in a lock position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Konchan, Steven Bauer
  • Patent number: 8641104
    Abstract: A latch device (14) includes a latch bolt (30) movable between a latching position and an unlatching position. A sleeve (775) is mounted to an outer side (13A) of a door (11) and operatively connected to an outer operational device (12). A clutch (575) is mounted to and jointly movable with the sleeve (775). An unlatching member (711) is operably connected to the latch bolt (30) and releasably engaged with the clutch (575). When the unlatching member (711) engages with the clutch (575), operation of a handle (502) of the outer operational device (12) retracts the latch bolt (30). When the unlatching member (711) disengages from the clutch (575), the latch bolt (30) remains in the latching position if the handle (502) is rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: I-Tek Metal MFG. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hung-Jen Tien
  • Patent number: 8585102
    Abstract: A compression latch comprises a latch housing with a driving end and a driven end and with a drive shaft which is rotatably supported between these ends and which has a driving device such as a socket wrench receptacle or gearing at the driving end of the latch housing. The latch housing, at the driven end, forms an annular surface around the axis of the drive shaft. According to the invention, the drive shaft has, at the driven end of the latch housing, a bearing journal whose axis has an angle of approximately 45 degrees relative to the axis of the drive shaft, and the base of a rotary latch is supported on the bearing journal, this base (30) forming an annular surface around the axis of the bearing journal, and two annular surfaces roll on one another by frictional engagement or positive engagement when the drive shaft is rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: DIRAK Dieter Ramsauer Konstruktionselemente GmbH
    Inventor: Reinhard Gottschling
  • Patent number: 8557904
    Abstract: The invention provides a sealing device in which adhesion of an elastic member used for the sealing device is controlled, and a coefficient of friction against a member sliding against the sealing device is reduced. A sealing device includes a first member 1, a second member 2 moving relative to the first member, and an elastic member 3 fixed to the first member 1 and sliding against the second member 2, and is characterized in that: the elastic member 3 is made of a rubber composition containing a metal soap, an organic acid amide and an oil-containing particle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignees: Jtekt Corporation, Koyo Sealing Techno Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Tabata, Michitoshi Mitsumaru, Daisuke Ozaki, Atsuhito Tada, Eiji Namira, Kasumi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8544903
    Abstract: A roseless trim for a mortise or tubular lock includes through bolts on a bolt circle of less than one inch (25.4 mm). Spindle hubs with a curved slot allow at least one of the through bolts to pass through the spindle hubs. A tubular lock embodiment uses arms with a cutout. The arms function as through bolts when screws attach the arms to mounting plates on opposite sides of the door. Each handle is attached to a corresponding handle base with a bushing. The handle base and small diameter bolt circle cooperate to provide the appearance that the handle extends directly into the door without a rose, escutcheon or any other attachment structure at the base of the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Sargent Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Donald T. Shamp, Scott B. Lowder, Gregory Oleksik, Thomas Courtemanche, Darren C. Eller
  • Patent number: 8517435
    Abstract: An espagnolette lock for a door or shutter. An actuating shaft can be rotatably mounted within the interior of a housing and can be coupled with a lock-actuator. The actuating shaft is monolithically formed with a tongue. A securement mechanism is configured for insertion into the housing parallel to the plane of a door panel or of the shutter for fixing the housing in position on the door panel or shutter. The securement mechanism is further configured for being supported against the door panel or shutter. When a mounting of the espagnolette lock is completed, the securement mechanism is configured to engage the actuating shaft to thereby secure and fix the actuating shaft in position in the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: EMKA Beschlagteile GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Friedhelm Runge
  • Patent number: 8511938
    Abstract: A flood flaps vent for sealing a building crawlspace includes: (a) a vent box portion including open opposite front and rear ends on either end of a vent passageway, the vent box including a top box portion with at least one flap slot adjacent a rear end portion of the vent box, and an opposite bottom box portion; (b) at least one flexible flood flap extending across the open rear end portion, with its upper edge seated in the flap slot, other side flap edges of the flood flap being unattached; and (c) a grate portion over the open front end portion of the vent box; the flood flap occluding the rear end portion of the vent box when it is in an at rest, home position. This simplified abstract is not intended to limit, and should not be interpreted as limiting, the scope of the claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Inventors: Christopher Kimpton Payne, Jothem Nevers Jayne, George Kimpton Payne, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8505987
    Abstract: A latch assembly includes a latch movable between released and restrained positions and a latch spring biasing toward the released position. A first lever is movable between open and closed positions, corresponding to the released and restrained positions, respectively. A first lever spring biases toward the closed position. A second lever is movable between unlocked and locked positions, corresponding to the first lever open and closed positions, respectively. A second lever spring biases toward the locked position. An active material based actuator selectively moves the second lever from the locked to unlocked position in response to an activation signal. A primary activation mechanism selectively produces the activation signal without a mechanical connection to the passenger compartment. An auxiliary activation mechanism does not rely on the vehicle power system. A key or portable energy storage device may cause the activation signal from the primary or auxiliary activation mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Dynalloy, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan L. Browne, Nancy L. Johnson, David M. Connor, James Holbrook Brown
  • Patent number: 8500129
    Abstract: A slide ring seal for high circumferential velocities for sealing liquids with little or no electrical conductivity, such as low-salt feed water for feed water pumps including a pair of slide rings, one of which is rotationally fixed and the other of which rotates with a rotating component. The slide rings have interacting sliding surfaces which form a region loaded with the liquid to be sealed relative to a sealing gap. One ring is formed of material with satisfactory electrical conductivity and the other of low conductivity material. The seal is arranged in a dead-end circuit of a rotating component to be sealed and is connected to a cooling system. A metering device is provided in the circuit for introducing a substance as a function of a slide ring seal leak to maintain the electrical conductivity of the liquid between 3 and 500 ?S/cm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: KSB Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Artur Spielvogel
  • Patent number: 8496277
    Abstract: A latching system includes a handle mechanism with a housing having a recessed channel, a handle base, and a handle member connected to the handle base. The handle base and handle member are configured to be selectably moveable relative to the housing to define an extended orientation, a first retracted orientation corresponding to an open state of the handle mechanism, and a second retracted orientation corresponding to a closed state of the handle mechanism. The handle base and handle member are further configured to be disposed in the recessed channel and extended in a first direction or a second direction. The handle member is operable for rotation about an axis of rotation to control transition between the open state and the closed state of the handle mechanism. The handle mechanism may include a panel having a lift-slide operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Sun Valley Bronze, Inc.
    Inventors: Josh Commons, Robert Commons
  • Patent number: 8491022
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a sliding door latch having a locked and unlocked position for a sliding door having an open and closed position. The sliding door latch includes a handle assembly with a handle and a locking mechanism. The handle is a first position, wherein the locking mechanism is engaged and the sliding door latch is locked, to a second position, wherein the locking mechanism is disengaged and the sliding door latch is unlocked The locking mechanism may prevent the handle from moving from the second position to the first position when the sliding door is open. The handle is pivotable between the first position and the second position only when the door is closed. Resistance forces may prevent the handle from moving from the second position to the first position when the sliding door is closed without an application of force by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Milgard Manufacturing Incorporated
    Inventors: Gordon H. Liebel, Michael A. Barton, Eric A. Baczuk
  • Patent number: 8491019
    Abstract: In a drive train between a door handle having a first axis of rotation and a rotary lock part carried on a door to have a second axis of rotation, the drive train accommodating to possible misalignment of those axes, the drive train including a carrier, a rack carried by the carrier, and movable in a first lateral direction in response to door handle rotation, a gear located to rotatably drive the rotary lock part in response to rack movement in the first lateral direction, relative to the carrier, and means to adjust the position of the rack in a second lateral direction, to compensate for mis-alignment of the first and second axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Adams Rite Manufacturing Co.
    Inventor: Alan K. Uyeda
  • Patent number: 8490981
    Abstract: A brush seal, brush seal segment, and brush seal backplate for use in a rotary device are provided. In one embodiment, the invention provides a brush seal for a rotary device, the brush seal comprising: a plurality of brush seal segments, each segment including: an arcuate fence; an arcuate backplate circumferentially coextensive with the arcuate fence, the arcuate backplate including: a plurality of circumferentially-oriented cavities; a first dam along a first end of the arcuate backplate, the first dam substantially closing an end of at least one of the plurality of circumferentially-oriented cavities; and a second dam along a second end of the arcuate backplate, the second dam substantially closing an end of at least one of the plurality of circumferentially-oriented cavities; a plurality of brush bristles between the arcuate backplate and the arcuate fence; and a static member to which at least one of the plurality of brush seal segments is affixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Xiaoqing Zheng, William Edward Adis, Michael Dennis Mack
  • Patent number: 8485566
    Abstract: A door for mission critical enclosures, for example, cabinets containing sensitive items, such as electronics that may be exposed to high stress environments, for example shock and vibration. The door structure described provides improved mounting and lock features that can allow easy access while maintaining rigid structural needs and integrity. A door assembly for a cabinet generally includes a door that can be fitted directly, or indirectly, to an enclosure through an adapter frame. Generally, the door has fitting structures that operate as interlocking, tight fitting key sets. The fittings provide suitable detent features. An actuatable lock mechanism respectively locks and unlocks the door. The actuatable lock mechanism includes a ramped locking bolt that can engage a ramped surface of the cabinet or adapter frame to facilitate locking and unlocking of the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Borning, Scott M. Ralston, David J. Shelander, Nathan E. Stremick, John A. Holst
  • Patent number: 8480138
    Abstract: A lock unit (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising at least a catch (2), a first pawl (3) having a pawl rotation axis (4), and a blocking lever (5), in which the catch (2) in a locked state of the lock unit (1) transfers a pivoting moment onto the first pawl (3) and in which the first pawl (3) is fixed by a blocking lever (5) and in which a second pawl (6) is provided that is mounted on the pawl rotation axis (4) and is engageable with the blocking lever (5) and the catch (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventors: Thorsten Bendel, Serkan Gülkan, Dirk Hanisch, Ulrich Weichsel, Karsten Barth, Klaus Töpfer, Hans Deischl, Stefan Ebersohn, Martin Lindmayer, Wolfgang Much
  • Patent number: 8474540
    Abstract: The connector comprises a male flange 15 and a female flange 14 allowing to assemble a main tube and auxiliary line tubes 11. A locking collar 17 and a locking ring 40 assemble the male flange and the female flange. Locking collar 17 is mounted mobile in rotation on the outer surface of the male flange while cooperating with the outer surfaces of the male and female flanges. Locking ring 40 is mounted mobile in rotation on the male element of the connector while cooperating with the inner surface of the female connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: IFP Energies Nouvelles
    Inventors: Jean Guesnon, Gérard Papon, Emmanuel Persent
  • Patent number: 8474537
    Abstract: A wellhead connector for connecting a riser or production tree to a wellhead of a subsea well utilizes a singular annular piston to lock the connector onto the wellhead. The wellhead connector includes a housing that contains dogs for engagement with the exterior of the wellhead housing. A cam ring is also included, which has an inner side for engaging the dogs and moving them inward into a locked position with the wellhead housing. The cam ring is of a reduced proportion relative to prior art. As such, the cam ring outer side is dimensioned to contact the inner side of the connector housing under load. Connecting rods connect the piston to the cam rings. As the piston moves downward, the cam ring also moves downward, forcing the dogs inward into a locked position. As the piston moves upward, the cam ring also moves upward, thereby unlocking the connector. A secondary annular piston is also provided to guarantee unlocking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Vetco Gray Inc.
    Inventors: Robert K. Voss, Perry J. Stokes, David W. Hughes, Joseph W. Pallini, Jr., Robert N. Rogers, William T. Higgins
  • Patent number: RE44520
    Abstract: A completion system for a subsea well includes a tree having a generally cylindrical wall forming an internal bore therethrough and a production port extending laterally through the wall in communication with the internal bore. The internal wall has a landing arranged to support a tubing hanger having seals for sealing the production port between the tubing hanger and the internal wall, the production port being arranged to communicate with a lateral production fluid outlet port in the tubing hanger. A workover port extends laterally from an opening in the internal wall below the production port and the production port seals and a tubing annulus seal sealing the workover port from the tubing annulus. A tubing annulus port extends from an opening in the tree below the tubing annulus seal and the tubing annulus port and workover port being arranged to be in fluid communication externally of the internal bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Cooper Cameron Corporation
    Inventor: Rhonda Hartmann