Patents Examined by Wynn E. Wood
  • Patent number: 5655344
    Abstract: A framework for partitioning walls for rooms of houses, comprising in cross-section U-shaped floor, ceiling and wall profiles (1) which are designed to be fastened to the room's floor, ceiling and walls, together with upright profiles (15), the bottom (9) of the ceiling and floor profiles having an engagement section which projects from this, midway between the flanges (8), and which is designed to engage the respective end sections of uprights (15), thereby preventing movement of these perpendicular to the partitioning wall plane. According to the invention, the floor, ceiling and wall profiles (1, 2 and 3) are the same in cross-section, and the contact sections are composed of points or tongues (7) which are provided evenly spaced in the profiles' longitudinal direction. The uprights' (15) flanges (19) are designed to grip the pins and prevent mutual movement of the ceiling and floor profiles and the uprights in the ceiling and floor profiles' longitudinal direction during assembly of the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: Starka A/S
    Inventors: Egil Moen, Arnfinn J. Str.o slashed.mmen, Knut Arnhjell
  • Patent number: 5655347
    Abstract: A biarch consists of two coplanar arches, curved in the same direction and radially spaced with cross ties having shear rigidity in planes perpendicular to the cross section areal center curve of the arch pair. End ties resist relative tangential arch displacements. Biarch framing members are strong, stiff, durable and economical structural members for framing aesthetically pleasing, clear span arched structures capable of withstanding hurricane winds and mountain snows. The most efficient materials for constructing biarch framing members are hardwoods, aluminum and steel. Biarch frames spanning up to fifty feet can be assembled or disassembled by one or two persons using common hand tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Inventor: William Ray Mahieu
  • Patent number: 5655558
    Abstract: A tent structure capable of being configured into a variety of distinct shapes for different recreational purposes is disclosed. The tent structure may be comprised of a plurality of stringers pivotally interconnected to form geometric subsegments and a shaped skin attachable to the stringers, or may be constructed from a plurality of geometric-shaped plates flexibly interconnected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Inventor: David L. Child
  • Patent number: 5655348
    Abstract: A door clip for mounting a door rail to a door stile has a base and pair of rail support arms extending perpendicularly from the base. Each arm defines a generally planar surface portion which contacts the interior surfaces of the side walls of the door rail. Fasteners extend through bores in the base and secure to a mounting plate positioned in the door stile. Each rail support arm defines a longitudinally oriented channel. Rail mounting fasteners extend through the door rail and into the channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: The Stanley Works
    Inventor: Bruce D. Paradise
  • Patent number: 5655741
    Abstract: A pivotal apparatus for supporting instruments beneath a patient during certain diagnostic procedures. The apparatus is adapted for pivotal locking engagement in a support member having at least one extensible and retractable mounting pin and includes an elongated shaft, a tray supported by the shaft, a latch mounted on one end of the shaft and a slide release disposed about and axially translatable along the shaft toward the latch. The mounting pin extends in a partial circumferential slot between the latch and the slide release when the apparatus is engaged in the support member whereby the apparatus pivots through a predetermined degree of rotation relative to the support member as the mounting pin travels in the slot. The apparatus is disengaged from the support member by axially translating the slide release toward the latch to urge upon and retract the mounting pin from the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: Liebel-Flarsheim Company
    Inventor: Marvin C. Watkins
  • Patent number: 5655336
    Abstract: A formwork board is disclosed for use in the placement of concrete slabs, sidewalks, driveways, and footings. It includes a first element and a second element. The first element is adapted to telescopically receive the second element to provide a board of variable lengths. The elements of the board are advantageously fabricated from a light metal, or a light metal alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Inventor: Tony Azar
  • Patent number: 5655559
    Abstract: A shelter has two hinge assemblies on opposite sides and a series of hoops radiating from the hinge assemblies to support a canopy. The shelter may be opened from either end. Each hinge assembly includes two arms that support respective halves of the support hoops. The arms pivot about a lateral pivot axis so that when the shelter is opened, one of the arms will pivot upwardly so that the hoops carried by it will lie flat on top of the hoops attached to the other hinge arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: Allen J. Zembik
    Inventors: Allen J. Zembik, Ronald R. Lefebvre, Glen Lefebvre
  • Patent number: 5653067
    Abstract: A roofing system for industrial buildings is based on a plurality of self-supporting tiles (10), prefabricated from reinforced concrete, having a generally "V"-shaped cross-section, wherein the wings (11) of the "V"-shaped cross-section extend from a longitudinal channel (14) designed to collect rain water, and in which the tile (10) ends, at its opposite ends, with respective closure heads (12) each of which is provided with a support block (15), which is designed to rest on a supporting carrier beam (16). The support block (15) is furthermore provided with protruding parts (18) designed to support the corresponding block (15) of a superimposed identical tile (10), with between pairs of tiles (10) skylight-roofing beam members and shed-roofing beam members being intercalated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: DLC S.r.l.
    Inventor: Alberto Dal Lago
  • Patent number: 5653078
    Abstract: In steel reinforced concrete structures, a hanging system uses an embeddment anchor with a head or washer positioned behind the second layer of reinforcing from the load being supported. An adjustable length tubular opening or shank extends from the head or washer to the form which forms the surface from which the load is to be supported. In the tubular embodiment, two sealed tube sections telescope with respect to each other for adjustment to the required distance and are held to the head or washer by a removable plastic threaded fastener. After the concrete is poured, the fastener is removed and a threaded stud such as a rod is threaded into the head or washer through the tube. The tube is then sealed. In another embodiment, an internally threaded sleeve is adjusted on a threaded shank to obtain the variable distance from the washer or head to the form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: Erico International Corporation
    Inventors: Antonius M. Kies, Hendrikus Cornelis van den Nieuwelaar
  • Patent number: 5653069
    Abstract: A socket drive adapter for retrofitting to a solid hub earth anchor to convert the solid hub earth anchor into a socket drive earth anchor. The socket drive adapter is formed from a trapezoidally shaped steel plate by a series of 90.degree. bends. The bends create square, bore-defining adapter that can be welded to the top surface of the helical blade around the solid hub. A drive wrench fits in the socket drive adapter and engages both the socket drive adapter and the solid hub to enhance the torque strength of the anchor while retaining the better ground penetrating aspects of the solid hub design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: Dixie Electrical Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Edward Dziedzic
  • Patent number: 5653072
    Abstract: A tray for protecting exterior portions of a sill of a window. The inventive device includes a planar member positionable over the sill. A flange depends from a front edge of the planar member to tray the front face of the sill. Frangible grid areas extend along laterally opposed sides of the planar member for permitting a selective removal of portions of the lateral sides to customize the device to a particular window. The tray is removable for easy cleaning and can be inserted and removed from inside the associated house or building.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Inventors: Lisa Seelandt-Stasek, Joseph Stasek, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5651228
    Abstract: In a family of collapsible structures, each collapsible structure has a collapsible beam. For each collapsible structure of the family of collapsible structures, the collapsible beam includes a plurality of curved strut pairs of the same length as the curved strut pairs as in every other collapsible structure of the family of collapsible strut pairs. The struts of each curved strut pair are pivotally connected to each other at points closer to the one end of the struts than the other end of the struts. Different collapsible structures of the family of collapsible structures have a different number of curved strut pairs than any other collapsible structure of the family of collapsible strut pairs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1997
    Assignee: World Shelters, Inc.
    Inventor: Theodore R. Zeigler
  • Patent number: 5651230
    Abstract: A building and method and apparatus for making a building at a job-site location is disclosed. The roof, side walls and end walls are made of similar skin and frame panels that are roll-formed on the job site, cut to length, have holes formed therein and are crimped to form bends in the roof and side wall panels to form interfitting portions at the corner of the roof and side walls. The panels are placed on a framing jig and seamed at connecting flanges and gussets are secured at inside corners to form a roof and side wall building section. These building sections may be a single skin panel and frame panel or multiples thereof. A multiple of two is shown. A roof truss may be fastened to the roof section for wider buildings. The framing jig is adjustable in size and shape to form buildings of different heights and widths. The framing jig shown is lifted by actuating hydraulic cylinders and a formed building section is seamed to a previously raised building section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1997
    Inventor: Gary A. Knudson
  • Patent number: 5651227
    Abstract: Siding panels for covering the exterior wall of buildings mutually define a tongue and groove interfit which facilitates installation by placing the weight of an upper panel on an underlying lower panel instead of requiring an installer to hold the panel in place against gravity. Mounting nails are used in combination with the tongue and groove interfit to positively lock the tongue of one panel into the groove of the underlying panel. Nail placement is controlled by the relative placement of nail slots and hammer abutment surfaces formed on each panel. Because the panels must be pivoted in place and held in place by the overhanging siding nails, it is virtually impossible for the installer to make a mistake that results in an upper siding panel coming loose from the siding panel below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1997
    Inventor: Carl E. Anderson
  • Patent number: 5649400
    Abstract: A support structure including a foamable material located in a cavity of a hollow structural member for blocking the cavity of the hollow structural member when it is foamed and expanded by external heating, and at least one sucking disk provided on at least one side of the foamable material. The sucking disk sticking to an inner surface of the hollow structural member so that the foamable material is fixed in the cavity of the hollow structural member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1997
    Assignee: Neo-Ex Lab, Inc.
    Inventor: Norimichi Miwa
  • Patent number: 5649403
    Abstract: A truss structure utilizing three open channeled rigid members or chords which are preferably made of metallic material. A web constructed of at least two spanning members that are angularly attached to one another, are connected to the first, second, and third channel members. First and second open channel members are each connected to one another at one end and to the third rigid open channel member at the other end to form a triangular structure with the web portion in between. Structural elements are connected to the web and are capable of lying within the open channel members to permit interlinkage between the web and the chords to complete the truss structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1997
    Inventor: Douglas C. Haisch
  • Patent number: 5649397
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of reducing labor and finishing costs in construction of a garage. A colored, pre-finished, elongate trim support member is attached to the garage frame by pre-finished screws fitting into and through pre-drilled holes in the trim support. A rear elongate recess or channel of the trim support interfits with the edge of adjoining drywall boards thereby hiding any irregularities of the drywall edge. Alternatively, a colored, pre-finished, thermoplastic elongate trim support wrap conceals a construction grade flatway member. The trim support wrap includes a drywall channel into which an irregular drywall edge may be inserted and concealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1997
    Inventor: Mark L. Sauder
  • Patent number: 5649402
    Abstract: An electrical powered transmission tower is modified to also support a telecommunications antenna. The tower has a plurality of legs interconnected by lattice braces. A support column is erected within the enclosure of the tower. The support column has a base anchored in the ground on a concrete foundation. The column extends upward through the tower and protrudes through the top. The antenna is mounted to the upper end of the column. Fasteners secure the column to the tower for lateral support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1997
    Assignee: FWT, Inc.
    Inventor: Roy J. Moore
  • Patent number: 5649391
    Abstract: A embeddable mounting device and method for permanently affixing a fixture to a concrete block wall. The embeddable mounting device comprises a first rectangular metal plate member; a second rectangular metal plate member having dimensions equal to the first metal plate; and a pair of vertical spacer members secured between the first inner surface and the second inner surface in a manner to create at least one reinforcing bar and cement receiving cavity between the first and second metal plate members, and in a manner to hold the first and second metal plate members in parallel relationship with each other such that when said first and second metal plate members simultaneously contact a planar surface the first and second metal plate members are both perpendicularly oriented to the planar surface. A method of installing a fixture utilizing the mounting device is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1997
    Inventor: Harry R. Layne
  • Patent number: 5644879
    Abstract: A seismic expansion joint cover includes a floor bridge panel having mutually perpendicular elongated U-shaped bearing receiver guideways adjacent its opposite ends slidably supported by linear bearings affixed to the floor portions on opposite sides of the gap. The receiver guideways are open vertically to allow the floor bridge cover to displace vertically. A cover plate frame defines the boundaries of a floor recess that receives portions of the floor bridge panel in all relative positions of the floor portions as the width of the gap changes. The portion of the floor bridge panel that overlies the gap is covered by a first floor cover plate, and the recess and the remaining portion of the floor bridge plate are covered by a second floor cover plate, which is supported by the cover plate frame and by the portion of the floor bridge panel that it overlies. The second cover plate is resiliently attached to the cover plate frame so that it can lift up and ride over the first cover plate when the gap narrows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1997
    Assignee: Construction Specialties, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas A. Shreiner, Roger W. Barr, Howard Williams