Patents by Inventor Ernest L. Thornell

Ernest L. Thornell 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: 5356329
    Abstract: A ridable toy which is adapted to be rocked by a child has a body on which the child may sit to rock the toy, a translucent portion, and a centrifugally operated light display visible through the translucent portion. The light display is caused to spin and light up by an arcuate rack drive system which is responsive to the rocking motion induced in the toy by the child.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: Handi-Pac, Inc.
    Inventor: Ernest L. Thornell
  • Patent number: 4793611
    Abstract: Portable, lightweight-construction toy basketball set made of releasably interlocking plastic parts for ease of assembly and disassembly in which backboard structure and a base support are interconnected by an elongated upright standard. An elongated upright is provided which is divisible into separate columns which interfit telescopically and present helically-oriented interrupted threads for ease of selection of upright height and release for further adjustment or separation of the columns. A bracket interconnects a hoop flange to the backboard with the bracket and hoop flange having matching interfitting configurations for yieldably releasing the hoop for angular relative movement with respect to such backboard so as to prevent damage to interfitted parts during execution of a slam dunk play and to permit angular relative movement for manually returning such hoop to normal play position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1988
    Assignee: Spang & Company
    Inventor: Ernest L. Thornell
  • Patent number: 4321906
    Abstract: A sheet of resiliently bendable but relatively stiff material has a hole from which slits radiate to define a circular series of stiff but resiliently bendable tabs. When the sheet is pressed downwardly over a fairly hard ball the tabs are flexed to pass over the diameter of the ball and they then snap back to normal position projecting the ball upwardly by cam action on its lower hemisphere. In one form of the invention a flexible magazine is secured to one side of the projector permitting sequential forcing of balls through the projector in rapid fire fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1982
    Inventor: Ernest L. Thornell
  • Patent number: 4184275
    Abstract: A reusable badge is assembled by snapping a flanged concavo-convex lens of resilient sheet plastic material over the edge of a stiff but resilient backing plate with display material between them. The display material can be from a large sheet and sheared to size by the lens flange and backing plate as they are assembled. A press for assembling the components has an anvil with a centering boss that engages a hole in a clip secured to the backing plate. A hammer member presses the lens downwardly to snap its flange over the edge of the backing plate while flexing the edge of the backing plate slightly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1980
    Inventor: Ernest L. Thornell
  • Patent number: D274984
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1984
    Assignee: Spang Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Ernest L. Thornell
  • Patent number: D293699
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1988
    Assignee: Spang & Company
    Inventor: Ernest L. Thornell
  • Patent number: D299041
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1988
    Assignee: Spang & Company
    Inventor: Ernest L. Thornell
  • Patent number: D300757
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1989
    Assignee: Spang & Company
    Inventor: Ernest L. Thornell
  • Patent number: D319843
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1991
    Inventor: Ernest L. Thornell
  • Patent number: D349309
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Assignee: Handi-Pac, Inc.
    Inventor: Ernest L. Thornell
  • Patent number: D354777
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Assignee: Handi Pac, Inc.
    Inventor: Ernest L. Thornell