Patents by Inventor Donald A. Riggs

Donald A. Riggs 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: 6804870
    Abstract: The modular turret cage is used with a capping machine adapted to apply closures to containers, such as beverage, food, or water containers. The capping machine includes a stationary cap. The modular turret cage has a top end and a bottom end. The top end of the turret cage is rotatably received in the stationary cap. The turret cage includes a top mounting plate at the top end of the turret cage and a base mounting plate at the bottom end of the turret cage. A plurality of panel sections extends between and connects the top mounting plate and the base mounting plate. The panel sections are fixedly connected to the top mounting plate and the base mounting plate and are separately removable from the top mounting plate and the base mounting plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Alcoa Closure Systems International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald A. Riggs, Jr., Angela M. Comstock, Randy Uebler, Darwin Ellis
  • Publication number: 20040006951
    Abstract: An anti-rotation method (50, 52, 53, 55), used to hold containers (10) such as beverage bottles, usually after they are filled and while being capped, involves providing a container with a neck portion having an optional lip, where there is a series of interior or exterior notches (22, 30, 40) around the lip (20) or neck portion (16) of the container; contacting the neck portion of the container with a locking plate (24) that has protrusions (26, 40) or indentations (32) that are insertable into or fit around corresponding notches in the container neck or lip, and the plate (24) fits around the container and is connected to a capping machine; and locking the plate such that a releasable anti-rotation clamping action is applied to the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2002
    Publication date: January 15, 2004
    Inventors: Donald A. Riggs, Bernard A. Winters, Larry W. Ellis
  • Publication number: 20040006859
    Abstract: The modular turret cage is used with a capping machine adapted to apply closures to containers, such as beverage, food, or water containers. The capping machine includes a stationary cap. The modular turret cage has a top end and a bottom end. The top end of the turret cage is rotatably received in the stationary cap. The turret cage includes a top mounting plate at the top end of the turret cage and a base mounting plate at the bottom end of the turret cage. A plurality of panel sections extends between and connects the top mounting plate and the base mounting plate. The panel sections are fixedly connected to the top mounting plate and the base mounting plate and are separately removable from the top mounting plate and the base mounting plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2003
    Publication date: January 15, 2004
    Inventors: Donald A. Riggs, Angela M. Comstock, Randy Uebler, Darwin Ellis
  • Patent number: 6662526
    Abstract: The modular turret cage is used with a capping machine adapted to apply closures to containers, such as beverage, food, or water containers. The capping machine includes a stationary cap. The modular turret cage has a top end and a bottom end. The top end of the turret cage is rotatably received in the stationary cap. The turret cage includes a top mounting plate at the top end of the turret cage and a base mounting plate at the bottom end of the turret cage. A plurality of panel sections extends between and connects the top mounting plate and the base mounting plate. The panel sections are fixedly connected to the top mounting plate and the base mounting plate and are separately removable from the top mounting plate and the base mounting plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Alcoa Closure Systems International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald A Riggs, Jr., Angela M. Comstock, Randy Uebler, Darwin Ellis
  • Publication number: 20030097816
    Abstract: The modular turret cage is used with a capping machine adapted to apply closures to containers, such as beverage, food, or water containers. The capping machine includes a stationary cap. The modular turret cage has a top end and a bottom end. The top end of the turret cage is rotatably received in the stationary cap. The turret cage includes a top mounting plate at the top end of the turret cage and a base mounting plate at the bottom end of the turret cage. A plurality of panel sections extends between and connects the top mounting plate and the base mounting plate. The panel sections are fixedly connected to the top mounting plate and the base mounting plate and are separately removable from the top mounting plate and the base mounting plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2002
    Publication date: May 29, 2003
    Inventors: Donald A. Riggs, Angela M. Comstock, Randy Uebler, Darwin Ellis