Patents by Inventor Franco Ferrari

Franco Ferrari 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: 5617612
    Abstract: A furniture hinge (10) comprises a first cup-shaped element (11) and a second arm-shaped element (12) pivoted together to rotate reciprocally from an open position to a closed position. The arm-shaped element (12) is made of sheet metal with one end (20) bent to wind round a hinge pin (21) supported in the cup (11). The bent end of the arm-shaped element (12) also defines bearing surfaces (22) for a double twist pressure spring (23) which pushes the first and second element towards the closed position starting from a position close to the latter. A U-bolt forms the hinge pin (21) and a pin (26) supporting the spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1997
    Assignee: Franco Ferrari
    Inventors: Franco Ferrari, Carlo Migli
  • Patent number: 5586364
    Abstract: A fastening element for fastening hardware elements (31) to parts of furniture units (14) comprises an expansion plug (11) having an axial through housing (17) which can receive an expanded pin (23), which can rotate between a position in which the plug is not expanded, to enable it to be inserted in a hole (16) in the furniture unit (14), and a position in which the plug is expanded to anchor it in the hole. The walls of the axial housing (17) and of the pin (23) have reciprocal contacting surfaces in the expanded position which diverge in the direction of insertion of the plug. A cam plate (32) provided centrally with a polygonal hole (33) for coupling with a protrusion (30) of the pin (23) and peripherally with a raised edge (34) for guiding fingers (22, 22') of the plug (11) for reversibly guiding the expansion of the plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1996
    Assignee: Franco Ferrari
    Inventors: Franco Ferrari, Carlo Migli
  • Patent number: 5535504
    Abstract: A machine for fitting metal runners on a drawer comprises an actuator (44) for mechanically operating at least one hammer (24) for clinching gripping tabs against a side panel (16) of the drawer. The gripping tabs are laterally disposed along a longitudinally extending U-shaped groove formed in the runner (12) and extending from a longitudinal edge of the runner towards the hammer, prior to clinching. The hammer (24) and the corresponding anvil counter plate (22) extend in a longitudinal direction to the runner to simultaneously clinch all the gripping tabs. Advantageously, the machine comprises two clinching assemblies (20) to clinch both runners to a drawer in a single operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Franco Ferrari
    Inventors: Franco Ferrari, Carlo Migli
  • Patent number: 5514581
    Abstract: Novel polymers are provided which are produced by recombinant techniques. The polymers are characterized by having a small repeating sequence which provides for strands capable of associating, resulting in useful structural characteristics, where the strands are joined by turns or loops which are flexible and available for interaction with the environment. Specifically, repeating groups of naturally occurring proteins such as silk are modified by introduction of an amino-acid sequence at a site which provides for a turn between strands to provide for readily available oligopeptides capable of interacting with molecules in the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1996
    Assignee: Protein Polymer Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Franco A. Ferrari, Joseph Cappello
  • Patent number: 5496712
    Abstract: Collagen-like polymers having repetitive triads are produced having reduced proline content, where glycine is the initial amino acid and the subsequent amino acids are varied, while retaining at least a minimum percentage of prolines. The resulting polymers have collagen-like properties, but are capable of being produced in unicellular microorganisms at high molecular weights and in high efficiency. The polymers while retaining collagen-like characteristics, include various novel sequences which impart new characteristics, finding wide use in photographic, medical, structural and fiber applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: Protein Polymer
    Inventors: Joseph Cappello, Franco A. Ferrari
  • Patent number: 5468109
    Abstract: A removable fastener (10, 110) for a part (25, 28, 122) such as a furniture accessory with a hole in a surface (24, 120) comprises a dowel anchor (11, 11', 111) with ribbing thereon (23, 112) for lateral engagement in the surface hole. The dowel anchor comprises a seat (13, 113) in which is received the end of an element (12, 12', 114) in turn constrained to the part and there being between the element and the seat a form of separable mutual constraint. The element is provided in the form of a dowel or pin (12, 12', 114) constrained to the part to be axially insertable in the seat (13, 113) in the dowel anchor and the constraint comprises elastically yielding elements (14, 15, 40, 41, 117) projecting toward the axis of the seat (13, 113) to engage the side wall of the dowel (12, 12', 114) upon its insertion in the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1995
    Assignee: Franco Ferrari
    Inventors: Franco Ferrari, Carlo Migli
  • Patent number: 5460443
    Abstract: A device (10) for fastening and adjusting the front panel (12) of a drawer with respect to the side panel (11) comprises a sliding element (26) which is made to slide by shifting means (19, 21) in the direction of the length of the side panel. The sliding element (26) comprises a hook-shaped end (28) which engages with complementary hooking means (32) fitted on the front panel, so as to support the front panel and draw the hooking means close to the device upon operation of the shifting means (19, 21), thereby blocking the movement of the front panel with respect to the side panels of the drawer. The sliding element (26) can be raised by means of an adjusting screw (30) to provide adjustment of the vertical position of the front panel. The shifting means and the adjusting screws are provided with respective control ends protruding from the lower side of the device and extending along a lower edge of the side panel containing the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignee: Franco Ferrari
    Inventors: Franco Ferrari, Carlo Migli
  • Patent number: 5450655
    Abstract: A hinge (10) comprises a first (13) and a second (24) fastening element connected to each other by means of a kinematic articulated chain comprising at least two elements (18, 26) articulated to each other and defining space (28) between two of their opposing edges which varies in width upon rotation of the hinge. A further element (31) is secured to at least one of said two elements so as to be pushed by the rotating movement of the hinge to come to rest in correspondence with said space (28). In this way, the space is at least partially obstructed in order to prevent the transversal introduction of slender objects such as fingers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: Franco Ferrari
    Inventors: Franco Ferrari, Carlo Migli
  • Patent number: 5373609
    Abstract: A four-bar linkage hinge comprises two fastening elements (11, 12) with a first (14) and a second link (13) pivoted by their ends, respectively, to each fastening element (11, 12). The first link (14) has an extension (20) which rests on a free arm (25) of a spring (21) which reacts with its other end (24) on one of the two fastening elements, and which exerts pressure on said extension (20) in order to rotate the link to shift the hinge from a nearly closed to a closed position. The arm (25) bears a cam surface with a raised area (28) which is traversed by said extension (20) when the hinge is in the nearly open position, to permit the release of the spring (21) on continuation of the opening movement and push the hinge open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1994
    Assignee: Franco Ferrari
    Inventors: Franco Ferrari, Carlo Migli
  • Patent number: 5345654
    Abstract: A furniture hinge comprises a cup (12) which is flush-mounted in a door (17). The cup (12) comprises lateral protrusions (13, 14) having slots (15, 16) into which are inserted a shank with a button-shaped end (21, 22) protruding from the surface of the door (17) on either side of the housing (18) of the cup. The cup (12) is rotatable in the housing (18) from a first position in which the button-shaped ends fit into the slots (15, 16) to an operative or locking position with the wing (11) generically perpendicular to the edge of the door (17) and the button-shaped end locked in the slots (15, 16). A base (34) is provided for securing an articulated wing (11) of the hinge to the piece of furniture. Said base (34) comprises slots (47, 48) into which are inserted a shank (49, 58) of a button-shaped end (63, 64) protruding from the surface of the furniture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: Franco Ferrari
    Inventors: Franco Ferrari, Carlo Migli
  • Patent number: 5330288
    Abstract: Underground storage tank consisting of an internal metal structure (1), of a static external facing (2) and of a filler (4) such a hot blown bitumen located between the metal structure (1) and the static facing (2), the outer surface of the metal structure (1) presenting welded structural shapes (7) properly spaced and cross connected to increase the bond between the metal structure (1) and the filler (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: Inq. Nino Ferrari USA Inc.
    Inventor: Franco Ferrari
  • Patent number: 5243038
    Abstract: Methods are provided for the production of large polypeptides containing repeating sequences of amino acids utilizing biochemical techniques, specifically DNA sequences coding for the expression of the large polypeptides. Systems utilizing exogenous transcriptional and translational regions to control the production of the large polypeptides are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1993
    Assignee: Protein Polymer Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Franco A. Ferrari, Charles Richardson, James Chambers, Stuart C. Causey, Thomas J. Pollock, Joseph Capello, John W. Crissman
  • Patent number: 5235041
    Abstract: Recombinant structural and functional polymers are purified by lysing of the cellular host, separation of the solid materials, washing and extraction of contaminants using a detergent solution at elevated temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1993
    Assignee: Protein Polymer Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Cappello, Franco A. Ferrari, Tina L. Buerkle, Garret Textor
  • Patent number: 5142737
    Abstract: A base (10) comprises a first plate type element (11) to be secured to the piece of furniture and a second element (12) shaped to fit onto a hinge wing (13). The plate element (11) is generically shaped in the form of a cross with countersunk holes (14, 15) for screwing it onto the piece of furniture. Disposed between the holes is a seat (17) into which the second element (12) is screwed. The lower part of the second element (12) has a housing (19) into which the first element (11) fits with uniform transverse clearance, thereby advantageously enabling adjustment of the transversal position of the second element (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1992
    Assignee: Franco Ferrari
    Inventors: Franco Ferrari, Carlo Migli
  • Patent number: 5025530
    Abstract: A hinge, in particular for furniture doors, of the type in which a wing is designed to be fitted to a base secured to the piece of furniture, comprises an intermediate element for connecting the wing to the base having a substantially U-shaped transverse configuration to determine two rigid sides which laterally embrace the base.The intermediate element is provided with fastening means for securing it to the wing, and unfastenable means connecting it to the base comprising members yieldingly fitted onto the intermediate element in two portions spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the wing. The yielding members are elastically biased to move into a position in which they engage with complementary housings in the base in order to couple the intermediate element to the latter, the movement of approach between the base and the wing for the coupling being amply indeterminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1991
    Assignee: Franco Ferrari
    Inventors: Franco Ferrari, Carlo Migli
  • Patent number: 4915545
    Abstract: The large-sized underground storage tank is consisting of a metal shell (1), a static facing in reinforced or unreinforced concrete (2) and filling material (4) packed in the hollow space between the two above mentioned surfaces; this filling is consisting of blown bitumen having plasticity properties which provide a stress resisting interaction between the tank shell and its static facing, thus greatly improving the stability of the overall tank structure; hence the possibility to reduce the design strength parameters and to cut the cost of the final product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1990
    Assignee: Nino Ferrari USA Inc.
    Inventor: Franco Ferrari
  • Patent number: 4212092
    Abstract: A castor wheel assembly for chairs and the like is disclosed in which the wheel axle and hub are permitted a limited vertical stroke in a slot, a vertically arranged spring being active against the peripheral surface of the axle so that, when the chair is unloaded, the springs of the wheels urge the latter down so that the hubs may engage a friction surface. When the user seats on the chair, the springs are compressed and the rotation of the wheels is unhindered. The total force of the springs in a chair shall overcome the chair's own weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1980
    Assignee: Agostino Ferrari & C. S.n.C
    Inventor: Franco Ferrari
  • Patent number: D299616
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1989
    Assignee: Agostino Ferrari & C.S.R.1.
    Inventor: Franco Ferrari
  • Patent number: D348201
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1994
    Inventor: Franco Ferrari