Patents Examined by W. Morris Worth
  • Patent number: 5038703
    Abstract: A training and communicating device for domestic animals which is mountable to a doorknob or other mounting element on or near a door. An elongated leather strip is provided with an aperture for removably suspending the strip from a doorknob. The strip also has a plurality of pairs of holes for securing through each pair of holes a sleigh bell onto the strip with vinyl lacing. The strip, with bells attached and suspended on or near the door within reach of an animal, produces sound when struck by the animal that may be heard throughout an average-sized home.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1991
    Inventor: Roberta K. Frush
  • Patent number: 5036791
    Abstract: A stackable road delineator includes an upright conical portion with a detachable weighted base. The top conical end has a handle graspable by the fingers of a human hand. Also, this end has a conical hollow interior so that when it is stacked on top of another similar delineator, the handle will freely fit within this hollow interior to thus provide stackable delineators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1991
    Inventor: Kurt W. Thurston
  • Patent number: 5035140
    Abstract: A method of detecting an effluent level in an aircraft lavatory holding tank and a device for practicing the method. The device uses electrodynamic forces of different values generated by an electro-impulse solenoid to determine whether a detector is contaminated, to dislodge contaminants, and to measure the fluid level in the holding tank when the detector is clean enough to produce an accurate reading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1991
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: James W. Daniels, Karl A. Hansen
  • Patent number: 5033402
    Abstract: Instruments are readable in either feet or meters by printing a metric altitude scale on the inner surface of a rotating protective crystal that shields the English altitude scale and the indicating needle. The metric altitude scale covers 1,000 meters and extends 33.7.degree. beyond a full circle. A series of kilometer index marks is formed at intervals of 33.7.degree. on the face of a bezel which surrounds the English scale. To use the metric scale, the user holds the bezel to align the index arrow line with the appropriate kilometer index mark, according to the user's elevation. Subsequently, if the needle moves beyond either limit of the metric scale, it is only necessary to rotate the crystal 33.7.degree. in the appropriate direction, thereby aligning the "0" meter line with the adjacent index mark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1991
    Assignee: Peet Bros. Company, Inc.
    Inventor: William J. Peet, II
  • Patent number: 5029550
    Abstract: Apparatus to enable selective securement to various fire type hydrants is present to provide visual indication of flow characteristics of an associated hydrant wherein the tag structure is color coded and permits ease of securement to an associated hydrant conduit. The invention is formeed of a plate like member utilizing a flexible securement loop mounted to an upper end of the structure with the member including a concave recess to accommodate a hydrant therewithin. Modifications of the invention may include a cabinet type structure formed with a rear and forward container mounting a selective tag within the forward container and various writing implements for use with the organization in the rear container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1991
    Inventors: Richard L. Hopper, Sr., Eli A. Mikos
  • Patent number: 5027740
    Abstract: A tire pressure indicator for visual observation of tire pressure including a screw-on cartridge containing a spring-biased piston with a movable shield which covers a central indicator pilot when tire pressure is up to requirements. When pressure is below what it should be, the piston retracts to allow the shield to expose the indicator pilot to the view of an observer, thus serving as a warning that inflation is required. The cartridge is composed of three elements: a screw on base, intermediate element and a transparent sealed top cap. A cup-shaped vessel is movable in the intermediate and top cap sections in response to a subjacent diaphragm and pressure in the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1991
    Inventors: Robert Kramer, Henry C. Hart, III
  • Patent number: 5027741
    Abstract: A device which provides an escape route from a fire. In a first aspect, the present invention provides a directional fire hose which enables a person a person, even in a dark and smoke-filled environment caused by a fire, to follow the fire hose in a direction away from the fire and toward safety. In a second aspect, the invention provides a directional carpet which enables a person, even in a dark and smoke-filled environment, to escape from a burning house or building. The invention is particularly useful for volunteer fire-fighters, inexperienced fire-fighters, and crewmen on a seagoing vessel or platform at sea.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1991
    Inventors: John R. Smith, David M. Bradley, III
  • Patent number: 5024179
    Abstract: A self-storing flag and flag assembly is described for sub-surface mounting to a support surface. The assembly will facilitate extension of a telescoping flag standard from a below surface stowed position to an upright extended operative position, displaying a flag body. The flag assembly is also retractable to a shortened inoperative position within a sleeve below the support surface. The standard is formed of interfitting telescoping sections that are loosely received within an axial tubular connector member releasably mounted at the top end of the standard. The flag includes a lanyard mounted at one end to the flag body and at a remaining end to a spring clip attached to the top section of the telescoping standard sections. The clip pulls the lanyard into the connector member as the standard is retracted, and thereby gathers the bottom edge of the flag to the connector to minimize the vertical flag dimension to be received within the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1991
    Inventor: Harold P. Leffel
  • Patent number: 5022342
    Abstract: A bookmark includes a plurality of strings; two moveable place markers on each string; at least one moveable reference marker bead on each string; and anchor means interconnected with the strings for securing the strings to the book. The anchor means may comprise either a spring clamp for grasping the spine of a book or VELCRO-type hook and loop fastener material for adhering to the book spine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1991
    Inventor: Alton B. Davis
  • Patent number: 5022341
    Abstract: A vehicle air horn is disclosed which is provided with heating cartridges and a temperature sensing switch. The temperature sensing switch automatically turns the heating cartridges on and off at predetermined temperatures. This automatic heating facility enables the horn to remain operational at low temperatures in inclement weather when other unheated horns would be expected to fail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1991
    Inventors: Stanley J. Eveanowsky, Jr., Mark J. Whitley
  • Patent number: 5020468
    Abstract: The device comprises two circular discs each having indicia and an arrow on each outer surface and on each inner surface having a c-shaped wall with an opening and a central body having front and back faces, each face provided with an arrow located centrally of and adjacent to an opening of a c-shaped wall extending from each face of the body. The c-shaped wall of each disc is designed to be inserted into each c-shaped wall on the central body, also each c-shaped wall of each disc is provided with a frictional element to hold the assembled device together when the discs are rotatably mounted to the body, this frictional element also serves as a locking element after manual rotation of the discs for the alignment of any selected indicia or arrow on the outer surface of each disc with the arrow on the central body. Once the device is assembled two coinholders exist, one on the front face of the body and the other on the back face of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Inventor: Joseph M. Ciminelli
  • Patent number: 5020467
    Abstract: A balloon signalling system includes a hollow, generally cylindrical casing having a container section with an upper open end and a bottom closed end, and a cap placeable on the upper end of the container section to form an enclosure. Also included is a spool on which a string may be wound, with the spool being disposed in the container section near the bottom end thereof to rotate about a transverse axis. A cartridge containing lighter-than-air gas under pressure is disposed in the container section above the spool so that a nozzle end of the cartridge protrudes from the container section when the cap is removed. A valve is disposed in the nozzle end of the cartridge and is manually operable from a closed position to an open position to allow gas to escape from the cartridge out the nozzle end and into a balloon which is mounted on the nozzle end. The balloon is dimensioned to fit in the cap when deflated and includes a mouth which may be placed over the nozzle and to secure the balloon to the cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Inventors: Norman Van Patten, Blaine Van Patten
  • Patent number: 5020466
    Abstract: A breakdown signal device comprises a plurality of at least approximately triangular signal panels (1) hingedly connected to one another by connecting edges (1', 1") so that when not in use they are congruently superimposed and when in use they are deployed in a zigzag manner to form a fence-like barrier. This enables the breakdown signal device to be used in the same way as a breakdown triangle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Inventor: Jorg Matzener
  • Patent number: 5018476
    Abstract: The slidable member of a control device for an automobile heating and/or air conditioning installation extends through a linear opening of a control panel, this opening being obturated by a deformable tape which is fixed at both ends in such a way as to form two terminal loops extending from either end of a central portion of the tape. This central portion is movable longitudinally along the linear opening in the panel, and has a hole through which the slidable member extends, so that when the latter is slid along the opening, the central portion of the tape is moved with it so as to expand one of the loops and contract the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1991
    Assignee: Valeo
    Inventor: Fabrice Chrisologue
  • Patent number: 5016468
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the moisture in materials is provided. The apparatus allows the accurate determination of moisture in a sample as small as 1 mg with a sensitivity of less than 1 microgram of moisture. The apparatus includes a vacuum chamber which can be cooled to below -150.degree. C. or heated to about 100.degree. C. The vacuum chamber is connected in series with a moisture trap which can be cooled to below -150.degree. C. The moisture trap is connected in series with a combination of mechanical and diffusion vacuum pumps capable of reducing the pressure in the apparatus to below 1.times.10.sup.-5 Torr. A sample is placed in the vacuum chamber, cooled to below -150.degree. C., the apparatus is evacuated to a pressure of below 1.times.10.sup.-5 Torr by the vacuum pumps. Thereafter, the moisture trap is cooled to below -150.degree. C. while the sample is heated to about 100.degree. C. to transfer moisture from the sample to the trap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1991
    Assignee: T. A. Jennings Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas A. Jennings
  • Patent number: 5016559
    Abstract: The combination bookmark and writing instrument holder includes a generally planar marking strip and an integrally molded retaining clip at one end of the marking strip. In the preferred embodiment, the retaining clip includes a pair of generally symmetrical, outwardly jaws that together present a writing instrument retaining channel. The channel includes a writing instrument retaining portion, and an outwardly flared mouth portion for guiding the writing instrument into the retaining portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1991
    Assignees: Vada J. Larson, Roger L. Larson
    Inventors: Vada J. Larson, Roger L. Larson, Walter I. Bieger
  • Patent number: 5014642
    Abstract: A transmission operator lever mechanism is used to establish the desired operating condition in a transmission. An indicator mechanism with a pointer and indicia is provided to show the selected operating condition. The operator lever is connected with the indicator pointer through an adjustable mechanism comprising a clip and a cable. A tool engaging structure is formed on a portion of the lever mechanism. A tool is engageable in the clip and in the tool engaging structure to permit manipulation of the clip relative to the lever whereby the desired operating condition and the selected condition represented by the indicia and pointer will be in agreement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1991
    Assignee: Delco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Marvin L. Owen, Frederick D. Jacobs
  • Patent number: 5014641
    Abstract: A body portion is supported in upright position by a support stem and has wind propelling blades arranged to rotatably drive the body portion when subjected to air currents. The body portion has front and rear surfaces one of which may support a rear view mirror and the other of which may support a reflector. The body portion has a lock nut for holding it stationary on the stem, for allowing rotation thereof when released. The body portion has forward and rearward as well as lateral adjustable positioning on the stem, and the stem has lateral positioning on a bracket that mounts it on a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1991
    Inventor: William M. Johnson
  • Patent number: 5014643
    Abstract: A tire pressure indicator includes a hollow cylindrical casing mounted to an inflating valve of a tire, a transparent cap member, a piston member and a biasing spring for the piston member. The piston member is movably confined inside the hollow cylindrical casing and moves in response to the pressure in the tire. The piston member has a vertical pole which is divided into several parts, each part having a color representing a tire pressure state. The tire pressure is indicated by the color(s) that can be seen through the cap member. A hole is provided along the wall of the hollow cylindrical casing and serves as an outlet for excess air in the tire. The hole is blocked by the piston member when air pressure in the tire is deemed acceptable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1991
    Inventor: Tien-Tsai Huang
  • Patent number: 5012757
    Abstract: Automatic horn warning signal apparatus for use on boats is compact, unitary, self-contained, lightweight, drycell-battery-energized, is manually selectably actuated for automatically sounding any of nine predetermined patterns of warning horn signal sequences applicable to specified, recognized navigational procedures for marine craft. A small motor operates through a first speed-reducing, torque-increasing transmission for rotating a main cam shaft containing nine lobed cams each having a different configuration corresponding to the desired warning signal pattern to be sounded. A control lever is engageable with any of the nine cams for selecting the desired automatically sounded horn signal sequence. A second speed-reducing, torque-increasing transmission rotates a latching cam shaft at one-tenth the rate of the main cam shaft for operating a latch for enabling a pivot bar to serve as fulcrum for the control lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1991
    Inventor: James E. Williams