Patents by Inventor Claude L. McFarlane
Claude L. McFarlane has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20020027168Abstract: A discharge apparatus is disclosed for discharging materials from a container onto an open area such as a field. The apparatus includes a power discharge device which is disposed adjacent to a discharge outlet defined by the container. The arrangement is such that when the apparatus is being used to spread the materials onto the open area such as the field, the materials move from the container through the outlet towards the power discharge device for discharging the materials at a location on the field. A power source is drivingly connected to the power discharge device for rotating the power discharge device. A power sensor is provided for sensing the power supplied by the power source which is approximately the power used by the power discharge device, the power sensor generating a first signal which is correlated to the spread rate of the materials discharged.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2001Publication date: March 7, 2002Inventor: Claude L. McFarlane
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Patent number: 6241451Abstract: A distributor apparatus is disclosed for spreading materials. The apparatus includes a container having a first and a second end and a first and a second side, the ends and the sides defining therebetween an opening for the reception therein of the materials. The container defines an outlet for the distributing therethrough of the materials. A distributing device is disposed in the vicinity of the outlet, the distributing device being pivotally secured to the container about a pivotal axis. The distributing device further includes a frame, a driven device rotatably secured to the frame for ejecting the materials from the container, a driving device for rotating the driven device such that the materials are moved from the container through the outlet by the driven device so that spreading of the materials from the container is permitted, a drive for driving the driving device and a guide for guiding the driving device between the driven device and the drive.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 1999Date of Patent: June 5, 2001Assignee: Knight Manufacturing Corp.Inventors: Christopher Albright, Claude L. McFarlane
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Patent number: 6206306Abstract: A discharge apparatus is disclosed for discharging materials from a container onto an open area such as a field. The apparatus includes a power discharge device which is disposed adjacent to a discharge outlet defined by the container. The arrangement is such that when the apparatus is being used to spread the materials onto the open area such as the field, the materials move from the container through the outlet towards the power discharge device for discharging the materials at a location on the field. A power source is drivingly connected to the power discharge device for rotating the power discharge device. A power sensor is provided for sensing the power supplied by the power source which is approximately the power used by the power discharge device, the power sensor generating a first signal which is correlated to the spread rate of the materials discharged.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 1999Date of Patent: March 27, 2001Assignee: Knight Manufacturing Corp.Inventor: Claude L. McFarlane
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Patent number: 6024305Abstract: A discharge apparatus for discharging materials from a container onto a field, the apparatus comprising a power discharge device disposed adjacent to a discharge outlet defined by the container, the arrangement being such that when the apparatus is being used to spread the materials onto the field, the materials move from the container through the outlet towards the discharge device. A motor is drivingly connected to the discharge device for rotating the discharge device. A power sensor senses the power used by the motor and a control controls the rate at which the materials are spread. A data storage device associated with the power sensor and the control regulates the control. The arrangement is such that the data storage device dependent on the power sensor regulates the control for controlling the rate at which the materials are discharged so that when the container is moved across the field, the materials are discharged onto the field at a varying rate in order to optimize usage of the materials.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 1997Date of Patent: February 15, 2000Assignee: Knight Manufacturing Corp.Inventor: Claude L. McFarlane
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Patent number: 6013880Abstract: A material supporting apparatus is disclosed for supporting and permitting delivery of the materials. The apparatus includes a chassis having a first and a second end. A container is mounted upon the chassis and a stabilizing device is interconnected between the container and the chassis. The stabilizing device is disposed between the container and the chassis for stabilizing the container relative to the chassis. A restraining mechanism extends between the chassis and the container for permitting limited vertical movement of the container relative to the chassis. Also, a weight sensing arrangement is disposed between the container and the chassis for sensing the weight of the container and the materials added thereto and for determining therefrom the weight of the materials within the container. Additionally, a coupling device is disposed between the chassis and the container and positioned remote from the stabilizing device for assisting the stabilizing of the container relative to the chassis.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 1997Date of Patent: January 11, 2000Assignee: Knight Manufacturing Corp.Inventors: Claude L. McFarlane, Daniel R. Brauer
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Patent number: 5398598Abstract: A food product processing transport system (300) includes an overhead transport rail (302) having first and second runs (356 and 358, 390 and 392), a food product carrier (310) suspended from the rail and defining a vertical plane, a drive mechanism (326) for advancing the carrier along the rail, and a turning arrangement (354, 394) between the first and second runs and changing the relative orientation between the vertical plane defined by the carrier and the direction of advancement of the carrier. The carrier includes a slider block (312) slidable along the rail.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 1993Date of Patent: March 21, 1995Assignee: DEC International, Inc.Inventors: Claude L. McFarlane, David E. Lukens, Dennis F. Conohan, Steve O. Schultz, Wendell J. Holl, Mark A. Persson
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Patent number: 5354230Abstract: A food processing system (10) includes a first conveyor (12) having sprocket driven chains (14 and 16) extending along a loading run (26) and a return run (28) at a loading station (80). A support bar (52) extends transversely between the chains (14 and 16), and has a first movable hook (62) and a second stationary hook (64) mounted thereto. A food stick (74) for supporting a food product (76), such as a string of hot dogs, has a leading end (72) engageable with the movable first hook (62) for manually pushing the first hook along the support bar, and a trailing end (82) engageable with the stationary second hook. A second conveyor (102) at a transfer station (114) has spaced parallel sprocket driven chains (104 and 48) for transporting the food stick (74) and food product (76) to a processing station for cooking, smoking, chilling, etc.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 1993Date of Patent: October 11, 1994Assignee: DEC InternationalInventors: Claude L. McFarlane, David E. Lukens
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Patent number: 5253569Abstract: A food processing system (100) includes a food processing chamber (102) for processing a food product, a serpentine conveyor (104) having a plurality of parallel flights connected at their ends by U-shaped bends, and a recirculation system for supplying a processing medium to the chamber and recirculating the processing medium along a closed-loop unidirectional recirculation path having a supply path portion (106) along and parallel to a first set of flights (108), and a return path portion (110) along and parallel to a second set of flights (112). A blower (114) has a high pressure supply side (116) supplying the processing medium to the supply path portion, and a low pressure return side (118) drawing the processing medium from the return path portion.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 1991Date of Patent: October 19, 1993Assignee: DEC International, Inc.Inventors: Claude L. McFarlane, Daniel J. Cody, George R. Millard, Jr.
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Patent number: 4817511Abstract: A food product press includes a vertically disposed array of interleaved pairs of product carrying shelves and compression shelves, between each pair of which food products, such as hams, may be compressed for processing. The product shelves are fixed and the compression shelves are movable as a group with respect thereto and may be set and held at any desired spacing or with any selected compression of the products. The press is manually operable by a single operator and is readily disassembleable for cleaning or modified use.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 1987Date of Patent: April 4, 1989Assignee: DEC International Inc.Inventors: Min N. Huang, Steven R. Lary, Claude L. McFarlane