Patents by Inventor Frank N. Williams

Frank N. Williams 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: 4232407
    Abstract: A basket strainer and stopper assembly for a sink includes a strainer basket, a stopper positioned below the basket strainer for sealing the sink drain opening and an axial stem. The stem has an upper portion which serves as a handle and a lower forked portion which has tines or legs which both support the strainer-stopper assembly in the open drain position and retain it securely in the closed drain position. The legs of the forked portion of the stem are resilient and arcuate and they rest upon a plate extending across the drain opening to support the assembly in the open position. The drain is closed by exerting sufficient downward force on the handle portion of the stem to spring the resilient legs toward each other so they pass through and are retained in a detent opening in the plate. The drain is reopened by pulling upward on the handle with sufficient force to raise the entire assembly and to once again spring the legs toward each other so that they will pass through the detent opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1980
    Assignee: Bradley Corporation
    Inventor: Frank N. Williams
  • Patent number: 4192026
    Abstract: A pop-up drain valve assembly for a sink includes a drain plug and control means for raising and lowering the plug to open and close the drain. The control means includes a manually operable plunger rod and a unitary, one piece, plastic ball lever that pivots to translate the downward force applied to the plunger rod into an upward force for lifting the drain plug to open the drain. The inner end of the ball lever is positioned beneath the drain plug and the outer end extends through and is retained in an opening in the plunger rod. The ball lever also includes an integral stop which prevents the rod from riding up and binding on the lever and retaining means which prevents the outer end of the lever from sliding out of the opening in the rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1980
    Assignee: Bradley Corporation
    Inventor: Frank N. Williams
  • Patent number: 4088302
    Abstract: A seal member for a noncompression-type faucet valve comprises a cylindrical member having an open top and an open bottom, both of which are partially closed by inwardly directing flanges. The member is further provided intermediate its length with an external outwardly directed circumferential ridge. The seal member is intended for use in a faucet valve which has a rotatable valve stem having an inlet passage offset from the axis of rotation positioned within the bore of a valve housing that has an inlet port which is offset from the axis of the bore. Flow through an outlet tube leading from the bore is controlled by rotating the stem to move the inlet passage into and out of registry with the inlet port in the bore.The seal member is comprised of a resilient material such as butane rubber and it is friction fit into a seal-receiving recess about the inlet port in the bottom of the valve housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1978
    Assignee: Bradley Corporation
    Inventor: Frank N. Williams