Patents by Inventor Frank E. Epperson

Frank E. Epperson 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: 8152763
    Abstract: A standard dental syringe is made up of an outer cylinder with a plunger at one end, and a carpule which contains liquid medication to be injected into a patient is replaceably positioned within the barrel and includes a needle slidably mounted at one end of the carpule in communication with the fluid medication which is contained in a fluid chamber sealed off at each end by a plug so that when the plunger is advanced into engagement with a first plug at one end of the carpule the liquid medication is delivered through the needle and upon completion of the plunger stroke, a barbed extension of the slidable first plug member will move into engagement with the needle-retaining second plug member so that upon retraction of the plunger the needle-retaining plug member will be retracted along with the slidable first plug member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Inventor: Frank E. Epperson
  • Publication number: 20110118665
    Abstract: A standard dental syringe is made up of an outer cylinder with a plunger at one end, and a carpule which contains liquid medication to be injected into a patient is replaceably positioned within the barrel and includes a needle slidably mounted at one end of the carpule in communication with the fluid medication which is contained in a fluid chamber sealed off at each end by a plug so that when the plunger is advanced into engagement with a first plug at one end of the carpule the liquid medication is delivered through the needle and upon completion of the plunger stroke, a barbed extension of the slidable first plug member will move into engagement with the needle-retaining second plug member so that upon retraction of the plunger the needle-retaining plug member will be retracted along with the slidable first plug member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Inventor: Frank E. Epperson
  • Patent number: 6248094
    Abstract: A syringe having a retractable needle includes a carpule fitted within a hollow interior portion of a housing. The carpule includes first and second open ends and a needle-retaining member and a fluid-expelling member within the first and second ends to define a fluid chamber therebetween. The needle-retaining member is positioned adjacent a front end of the housing to allow one end of a needle to be inserted through the needle-retaining member and into the fluid chamber. A plunger pushes the fluid-expelling member forwardly to force substantially all the fluid within the fluid chamber through the needle. An attachment member fixed to the fluid-expelling member securely engages the needle-retaining member as the fluid chamber is emptied and the fluid-expelling member contacts the needle-retaining member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Inventor: Frank E. Epperson
  • Patent number: 6032892
    Abstract: A fishing reel eliminates line twist as the fishing line is taken on or off of the spool by utilizing a non-rotating nose member and line pick-up member in combination with a rotational spool and a line-engaging control mechanism which at the beginning of the cast retracts the nose member against a forward end of the housing to capture the fishing line therebetween and, toward the end of the cast, a separate release mechanism manually releases the nose member to permit the fishing line to play freely off of the spool. The release mechanism may be a manual or automatic casting control mechanism which is mounted just forwardly of the handle portion of a fishing rod and is operable to return the nose member to an open position in response to a forward casting motion of the rod and reel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Inventor: Frank E. Epperson
  • Patent number: 5803384
    Abstract: A casting control mechanism for fishing reels includes a weighted member slidably mounted within the handle portion of the fishing rod and which in response to forward casting of the rod and reel will advance into engagement with a trip arm extending from the rod into the reel to release one or more line pick-up members utilized to control the advancement of a fishing line from the reel; and the weighted member is adjustably positioned within the handle portion by the fisherman to control the point of release of the fishing line in response to casting of the line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Inventor: Frank E. Epperson
  • Patent number: 5368246
    Abstract: A spincasting reel is made up of an outer housing, a shaft extending through the housing including a line spool and nose portion at one end of the shaft externally of the housing with the fishing line extending away from the spool in the gap formed between the nose portion and housing. A line pick-up member extends across the annular gap and reciprocates with the nose portion when the fishing line is reeled in by a manual crank; and in releasing the line from the spool during the casting stroke the line pick-up member and nose portion are both latched in positions out of the path of movement of the line. As a preliminary to casting, a temporary restraint member may be advanced into engagement with the nose to prevent line release from the spool, and a drag control mechanism is associated with the shaft to apply a predetermined resistance to rotation of the spool and tension on the line when it is released from the spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1994
    Inventor: Frank E. Epperson
  • Patent number: 5346158
    Abstract: An open-faced spin-casting reel utilizes a weighted member which in response to a casting motion will automatically release the line from the spool, and drag control mechanism is incorporated directly into the reeling mechanism off of the crankshaft to control the amount of drag on the line as it is reeled onto the spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: F.M.&G., Inc.
    Inventor: Frank E. Epperson
  • Patent number: 5259140
    Abstract: A telescoping fishing rod assembly includes an elongated tubular handle for compact storage of the telescoping rod sections with the line guides on the sections protruding from one end, and a removable cap member is placed over the line guides to protect against damage. The rod sections are removably connectable to either end of the handle so that the assembly can be interchangeably used as a fly rod or spin-casting rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1993
    Inventor: Frank E. Epperson
  • Patent number: 4725013
    Abstract: A fishing reel is comprised of a hollow casing, a shaft extending through the casing with a nose disposed at one end thereof and a rearwardly directed skirt in spaced facing relation to the casing defining an annular gap therebetween, an axially reciprocal line spool on the shaft with front and rear flanges, and a fishing line wound therebetween extending radially through the annular gap. A line pick-up includes a forwardly extending rod and gear mechanism for imparting rotational and axial movement thereto so as to advance the rod into the path of movement of the line for winding the line onto the line spool and for retracting the line pick-up member and rod away from the path of movement of the line. A drag control is mounted on the shaft to impart a selected adjustable amount of resistance to rotation of the line spool via guide rods between the nose and lure spool. A manually adjustable drag sleeve is mounted on the shaft and is axially movable into frictional engagement with the nose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1988
    Assignee: F.M. & G., Inc.
    Inventor: Frank E. Epperson
  • Patent number: D300452
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1989
    Assignee: F.M.&G., Inc.
    Inventors: Frank E. Epperson, Craig W. Smith, Randall E. Ohnemus
  • Patent number: D313265
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1990
    Assignee: FM&G, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank E. Epperson, Craig W. Smith, Randall E. Ohnemus