Patents Examined by Tuyet-Phuong Pham
  • Patent number: 5595076
    Abstract: A versatile operating mechanism for a two-point latch or lock includes a "front" module having a flush-mountable handle and housing assembly that can be connected by simple fasteners to a "rear" module having a mounting bracket that movably supports linkage including an operating arm A pair of latch assemblies are connected to and operated by the mounting-bracket-mounted linkage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1997
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventors: Lee S. Weinerman, Scott A. Arthurs
  • Patent number: 5592709
    Abstract: An apparatus for adjusting the attitude of a mattress includes base elements for engaging the ledge of the side rails of a bed frame. A support bar extends between the base elements for supporting a box spring. The attitude of the mattress may be adjusted by moving the apparatus along the side rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1997
    Inventors: John A. Watkins, deceased, Margaret C. Watkins, administrator
  • Patent number: 5586458
    Abstract: A slam-capable, flush-mountable, paddle handle operated rotary latch having a pan-shaped housing employs a single rotary jaw that is releasably retained in its latched position by a rotary pawl, with the latch having spaced first and second housing side plates that sandwich the rotary jaw, the rotary pawl and a torsion spring that biases the jaw toward an open position, with the side plates defining aligned first and second U-shaped notches that cooperate with a third U-shaped notch formed in the rotary jaw for concurrently receiving and latchingly retaining a suitably configured strike formation, with the first housing side plate being rigidly connected to the pan-shaped housing, and with the second housing side plate being rigidified in close proximity to its U-shaped notch by an integrally formed flange that extends transversely to bridge between the housing side plates. The pawl defines a release trigger which, when tripped, permits the jaw to be pivoted by the spring to an open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1996
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventors: Lee S. Weinerman, Scott A. Arthurs
  • Patent number: 5582049
    Abstract: A combination lock is disclosed having four dial buttons arranged in a lock box in a rectangular fashion with a handle driving a bolt which is controlled by the dial buttons. The bottom of the lock box has four bearing sleeves supporting four base plates provided with "n" number of teeth. Each base plate has, on its jacket surface, a radial groove. A cross-shaped scan lock is swivel-mounted between the base plates, with the scan lock having four scan pins, or burls, fitting into the radial grooves of each of the base plates, and a lock block immersing in the bolt. Catch disks are provided with "n" number of teeth and square-shaped holes, which are supported on the base plates. The dial buttons are provided with square shafts and have "n" numbers or symbols immersed in the catch disks. Each base plate also has a concentric bore and each bore has a coupling pin provided with conical ends. The pins engage conical bores of a switch plate and one of "n" bores of the catch disks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: Mauer GmbH
    Inventor: Gunter Mauer
  • Patent number: 5577403
    Abstract: An identification system utilizes a plastic housing which is appropriately sized to hold either a key or a coin as well as an information sheet on which the user may place selected indicia referring to the key or to himself. Each embodiment utilizes a living hinge closure attachment to secure the key or coin and information sheet within the housing. Utilizing the housing as the indicia for identifying the key minimizes the excess material and connections thereby simplifying the identification and storage problem, yet because the use of the housing with the key slightly increases the size of the key head, it provides a slightly greater moment arm for turning the key in a lock and gives a slightly larger gripping surface to be employed when so turning the key. These factors are significant when dealing with children and with elderly people who may not have the physical strength and dexterity required for some small headed keys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Inventor: Larry J. Steeley
  • Patent number: 5564295
    Abstract: A slam-capable rotary latch employs a single rotary jaw that is releasably retained in its latched position by a rotary pawl, with the latch having a pair of spaced housing side plates that sandwich the rotary jaw and the rotary pawl, with the side plates defining aligned first and second U-shaped notches that cooperate with a third U-shaped notch formed in the rotary jaw for concurrently receiving and latchingly retaining within the confines of the first, second and third U-shaped notches a suitably configured strike formation, with housing side plate portions that define a selected one of the first and second U-shaped notches being rigidified and strengthened by the close proximity presence to the selected U-shaped notch of a flange 1) that is formed integrally with the side plate portions that define the selected U-shaped notch, 2) that is connected by a tight radius bend to the side plate portions that define the selected U-shaped notch, and 3) that extends transversely so as to bridge between the pair of
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventors: Lee S. Weinerman, Arthur J. Kuminski, James L. Hollingsworth, Scott A. Arthurs
  • Patent number: 5564142
    Abstract: An air mattress includes a plurality of symbiotic sacs juxtapositionally transversely secured in a mattress envelope, having a plurality of primary and secondary symbiotic sacs alternatively pulsated in the envelope for continuously changing the pressurized areas of a bed-ridden patient for preventing pressure sores such as bed sore or decubitus ulcer, with each symbiotic sac consisting of an upper pulsating sac portion alternatively inflated and deflated and a lower static sac portion constantly inflated to maintain at least a partial fluid pressure in each symbiotic sac for continuously cushioning the patient even when a power failure is caused or bed transfer is required, and having a plurality of tertiary symbiotic sacs constantly inflated for cushioning a patient head portion, with each symbiotic sac independently secured in the mattress envelope whereby upon breaking of any one sac, only an individual broken sac should be replaced with a new one without abandoning the whole mattress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Inventor: Tsung-Hsi Liu
  • Patent number: 5561994
    Abstract: A lock for a sliding door has at least one locking bolt adapted in use to be moved between an open position and a locking position by activation of an operating member which rotates a pinion which engages a pair of drive racks to cause movement of the locking bolt generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bolt and in a direction parallel to a leading edge of a door in which the lock is mounted. The locking bolt is adapted when moved to its locking position to move into locking engagement with a staple-like keep mounted on a frame for the door when the door is in a closed position. A key operated deadlock facility prevents activation of the operating member. Preferably, the lock is also fitted with a safety mechanism so that it cannot be damaged if the door to which it is fitted is closed when the lock is in a locking position, and it is also possible to provide both an automatic latching and a panic feature on the lock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Assignee: Schlegel (UK) Holdings Limited
    Inventors: John C. Smith, Patrick E. Christmas
  • Patent number: 5560055
    Abstract: A collapsible playyard for an infant includes a frame subassembly including at least two frame members which are joined together in substantially perpendicular relation. Each of the frame members includes two frame member sections which are joined by a knuckle joint which only permits pivoting between the frame member sections thereof in a single direction. The knuckle joints are oriented so that collapsing one frame member rotates the adjacent frame member causing the knuckle joint thereof to be automatically moved to a collapsible position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Assignee: Hasbro, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott Ziegler
  • Patent number: 5556140
    Abstract: A door handle assembly has an emergency-unlocking function, so that even in a condition in which a latch bar 2 of the assembly is locked on a front side of a door 4, it is possible for a user to unlock the assembly from a rear side of the door 4 within fail. A socket member 8 is pivoted to a socket-member casing 6 through a vertical pivot 9, the casing 6 being fixedly mounted on a stationary frame element 7. In the rear side of the casing 6, a manually-operated pedal 12 is pivoted to a pedal casing 11 through a first horizontal pivot 13, the pedal casing 11 being fixedly mounted on the frame element 7. A base-end portion of a holding rod 14 is pivoted to one end portion of the pedal 12 through a second horizontal pivot 15 to have a front-end surface of the rod 14 abutted on a stop portion 19 of the socket member 8, the stop portion 19 being disposed behind the pivot 9. The rod 14 is urged forward by a spring 20 contacting the pedal 12.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: Takigen Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Kouichi Sakagami
  • Patent number: 5548984
    Abstract: A locking/unlocking state confirming device includes a drive magnet formed of at least a pair of permanent magnets and a key provided with a key bow. A magnet holding chamber is formed within the key bow. An indicator magnet within the chamber is magnetized in a direction at a right angle relative to a center axis thereof and has first and second outer peripheral surfaces painted different colors. A viewing window is open to the chamber at at least one side surface of the key bow. A holding plate is disposed within the key bow at a location rearwardly of the magnet holding chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Inventor: Takayoshi Miyatsu
  • Patent number: 5544509
    Abstract: A cylinder lock-key-combination, which comprises a lock body (5) having a lock cylinder (6) which is arranged to control a bolt element (4) connected thereto and which encloses a set of locking discs (7) provided with peripheral notches (13) and being symmetrical so that the cutting range of the peripheral notches (13) determining the opening combination of the lock is located on both sides of their axis of symmetry (A). A locking bar (9;10) which in its locked position is located partly in a groove (12) made in the inner surface of the lock body (5) and partly in a slot (17) in the lock cylinder (6) prevents turning of the lock cylinder (6) with regard to the lock body (5). The locking discs (7) can be turned by means of a key of the lock into a position in which the peripheral notches (13) thereof are located at the position of the locking bar (9;10) forming a uniform channel into which the locking bar (9;10) enters thereby releasing the lock cylinder (6) to turn with regard to the lock body (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: Abloy Security Ltd. Oy
    Inventor: Pekka Mielonen
  • Patent number: 5544506
    Abstract: An improved auxiliary lock for closing and fastening a movable part to a stationary part using a key is described. The device comprises a bolt assembly comprising an inner cylinder having a key hole and an outer cylinder encircling the inner cylinder, a first re-entrant engagement member to be fixed to the movable part and a second re-entrant engagement member to be fixed to the stationary part. The first and second re-entrant engagement members have holes made therein to be put in alignment when these re-entrant members are nested together with one projection of each engagement member inserted in the indentation of the counter engagement member. The bolt assembly is inserted in the through holes of these re-entrant engagement members when nested, thereby locking the movable part to the stationary part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: Sanpou Lock Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshio Nakano
  • Patent number: 5542274
    Abstract: A cylinder lock (1) comprises a lock cylinder (2) and a key-operated cylinder plug (3). A latching element (10) is located in the region of the boundary surface between the lock cylinder and the plug and is activated by an electrically actuable blocking element (11) which is movable between a release position and a blocking position. The plug cannot be turned by means of the key when the blocking element is in its blocking position. The latching element (10) has a length which is slightly shorter than the axial length of the plug (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1996
    Assignee: ASSA AB
    Inventors: Bo M. Thordmark, Lars Wallden
  • Patent number: 5540065
    Abstract: A locking device which may be used in locking one or more objects together, includes a rod having a key-like male portion at its tip and a combination locking means forming an enlarged head which locks over the rod's forward shackle. The locking head also includes a resettable combination inner assembly allowing for the setting of any combination by its user for convenient locking or removal without the need for additional tools or keys. The locking device further has on its exterior a series of outer projections allowing for its locking and unlocking without the benefit of visual confirmation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Inventor: Philip W. Wyers
  • Patent number: 5538300
    Abstract: In a cable lock and seal device a roller is rotatable about a single axis normal to the axis of an inextensible member and with respect to a ramp which, in turn, is inclined with respect to the axis of the inextensible member. The roller is moveable up and down the ramp between a retracted position in which the member can be drawn through a passage in which the device and a locking position in which the roller rolls up the ramp to clamp the member against movement in the opposite direction with the member trapped between the roller and the opposite face of the passage. A spring acts on the roller to urge it up the ramp at all times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Blair Security Products Limited
    Inventor: Clive A. Brown
  • Patent number: 5529355
    Abstract: A vehicle door lock apparatus includes a body for being fixed to a mounting portion of a door, a latch mechanism disposed in the body, a case for being disposed between the mounting portion of the door and the body, and an actuating mechanism surrounded by the body and the case. The case is joined with a fixed side of the body which faces and is opposite to the mounting portion of the door so that seepage of water into the body and damage to the actuating mechanism does not occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1996
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryoichi Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 5527074
    Abstract: Disclosed is a door lock for locking a double-swinging type fire protection door. The door lock has a safety device controlled by a melting heat sensitive element to lock the spring bolt of the lock bolt in the locked position when the ambient temperature is sharply increased due to a fire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1996
    Inventor: Wen Tien Yeh
  • Patent number: 5526660
    Abstract: A locking rotary latch assembly has a shank bearing about the shank on the exterior side of a latch housing, and an interior load bearing bushing about the shank on the interior side of the latch housing which also intersects and guides a sliding locking arm. A latching arm is mounted on the end of the shank against the load bearing bushing which includes a portion that is in contact with the housing adjacent the exterior shank bearing so that forces applied to the shank are resisted by the combination of the load bearing bushing, and the exterior shank bearing against the portion of the load bearing bushing in contact with the housing. The exterior shank bearing prevents passage of the shank from the exterior to the interior side of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1996
    Assignee: Cleveland Hardware & Forging
    Inventors: Cameron L. Bennett, Donald J. McFarland
  • Patent number: 5524943
    Abstract: The invention relates to a security device for doors or windows for foiling unwanted entry into a secured facility comprising a limited rotational vertical rod having a plurality of parallel horizontal rods extending from said vertical rod. The parallel horizontal rods are positioned into a locked position against the interior door, into a partially open position by holding the edge of the door with curved ends and into an unlocked position away from the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Inventor: Peter Bottaro