Patents by Inventor Donald A. Hoffend, Jr.

Donald A. Hoffend, Jr. 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).

  • Patent number: 5021954
    Abstract: A method and system is provided for moving passengers in and out of an amusement ride of the type having a passenger cabin capable of movement in multiple degrees of freedom within an enclosure. The cabin includes ingrees doors on one side of the cabin and egress doors on the other side to admit and discharge passengers from seats within the cabin. Another set of ingress and egress doors are provided on opposite sides of the enclosure in respective alignment with the ingress and egress doors of the cabin when the cabin is at rest in a loading position. A plurality of ingress and egress platforms, located outside the operating envelope of the cabin when the cabin is in motion, are adapted to be moved to a deployed position when the cabin is in the loading position to connect the ingress and egress doors of the enclosure with the ingress and egress doors of the cabin. In this way, movement of passengers in and out of the cabin, which is spaced from the enclosure, is provided in a rapid and orderly fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Assignee: The Walt Disney Company
    Inventors: Richard J. Fox, Maurice G. Leasure, Gregory S. Kadorian, Douglas R. LeBlanc, David L. Harbaugh, James E. Poole, Donald A. Hoffend, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4303237
    Abstract: Theatrical equipment including riggings sets, light fixtures and the like are supported from a batten which is elevated and lowered relative to a stage floor by a plurality of ropes. The ropes are coupled to the batten and depend from a rectilinear array of rotary bodies mounted aloft. A mechanical coupling device intercouples the rotary bodies for providing simultaneous rotation of the bodies. An electrically energized drive device is also mounted aloft and is coupled to the array for causing rotation of the bodies. A locking device is mounted aloft and engages the coupling device for selectively enabling and inhibiting rotation. The ropes are coupled to the rotary bodies for causing ropes of different bodies to travel in laterally opposite directions for offsetting potential lateral movement of the batten. A plurality of rectilinear arrays of rotary bodies is provided which extends between a proscenium wall and a rear stage wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1981
    Inventors: Donald A. Hoffend, Jr., Nicholas G. Cristy