Patents by Inventor George J. Franks
George J. Franks 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: 6933442Abstract: A grounding connector having at least a first layer and a second layer. A conductor, such as a grounding wire, is secured between the first layer and the second layer. The first and second layers are made of a material with the same or similar galvanic potentials as the conductor such that galvanic corrosion between the conductor and the first and second layers is minimized.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2003Date of Patent: August 23, 2005Assignee: Senior Industries, Inc.Inventor: George J. Franks, Jr.
-
Patent number: 6877996Abstract: A grounding connector with an improved ground terminal that facilitates easy ground wire attachment. The grounding connector includes a base that locates the ground terminal so that the ground terminal can operate between a wire receiving position and a wire engaging position without interference from the structure to which the connector is attached. The ground terminal includes a bracket having at least one guide and an actuator to move the bracket between the wire receiving and wire engaging positions. The guide of the bracket is received by a guide aperture in the base to guide the movement of the bracket. The bracket also defines relatively large ground wire receiving apertures that are exposed for receiving a ground wire when the bracket is in the wire receiving position. Once a grounding wire is inserted into the apertures, the bracket is actuated to its wire engaging position, and the wire is clamped against the connector.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2003Date of Patent: April 12, 2005Assignee: Senior Industries, Inc.Inventor: George J. Franks, Jr.
-
Publication number: 20040251392Abstract: Methods and apparatus to mount a clip to a mounting surface are disclosed. An example clip assembly includes a clip defining a bore, a drive pin penetrating the bore, a first washer friction fit to the drive pin on a first side of the clip, and a second washer friction fit to the drive pin on a second side of the clip.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2003Publication date: December 16, 2004Inventor: George J. Franks
-
Publication number: 20040226734Abstract: A universal ground strap assembly including a strap having a series of uniformly sized and spaced apertures to facilitate the installation of the ground strap assembly onto a wide range of structures of various shaped and sized cross-sections is provided. A stud, through which the strap is secured, includes a terminal portion adapted to accommodate and have secured therein a ground wire. The stud includes a curved surface to engage the elongated strap with smooth transition. The stud may be captivated on the strap by at least one projection extending into the hole in the strap within which the stud is held. A curved sliding nut supported upon the strap and a curved surface of the stud are used to form a tight clamping action of the strap about the structure to be grounded, without subjecting the strap to localized stresses or tearing, but permitting the strap to tightly encircle the structure. The curved sliding nut is also captivated on the strap with stops and defines a hole to receive the stud.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2004Publication date: November 18, 2004Applicant: Senior Industries, Inc.Inventor: George J. Franks
-
Patent number: 6800812Abstract: A universal ground clamp having a clamping strap having a series of holes to facilitate the installation of the clamp onto a wide range of structures of various shaped and sized cross-sections. A metal stud, through which the clamping strap is secured, includes a terminal portion adapted to accommodate and have secured therein a ground wire. In one form, a pair of curved plates supported upon the stud are used to form a tight clamping action of the strap about the structure to be grounded, without subjecting the strap to localized stresses or tearing, but permitting the strap to tightly encircle the structure. One of the curved plates is captivated on the strap with stops. In another form, projections extend from the strap at the hole through which the stud is inserted in order to allow the stud to be readily inserted into the hole and prevent the stud from being inadvertently separated from the strap.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2003Date of Patent: October 5, 2004Assignee: Senior Industries, Inc.Inventor: George J. Franks, Jr.
-
Publication number: 20040177994Abstract: A universal ground strap assembly including a strap having a series of uniformly sized and spaced apertures to facilitate the installation of the ground strap assembly onto a wide range of structures of various shaped and sized cross-sections is provided. A stud, through which the strap is secured, includes a terminal portion adapted to accommodate and have secured therein a ground wire. The stud includes a curved surface to engage the elongated strap with smooth transition. The stud may be captivated on the strap by at least one projection extending into the hole in the strap within which the stud is held. A curved sliding nut supported upon the strap and a curved surface of the stud are used to form a tight clamping action of the strap about the structure to be grounded, without subjecting the strap to localized stresses or tearing, but permitting the strap to tightly encircle the structure. The curved sliding nut is also captivated on the strap with stops and defines a hole to receive the stud.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2004Publication date: September 16, 2004Applicant: Senior Industries, Inc.Inventor: George J. Franks
-
Publication number: 20040154818Abstract: A grounding connector having at least a first layer and a second layer. A conductor, such as a grounding wire, is secured between the first layer and the second layer. The first and second layers are made of a material with the same or similar galvanic potentials as the conductor such that galvanic corrosion between the conductor and the first and second layers is minimized.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2003Publication date: August 12, 2004Applicant: SENIOR INDUSTRIES, INC.Inventor: George J. Franks
-
Publication number: 20040129841Abstract: A clamp designed to accept and secure a cable with a securing wire. The clamp may include an insulating insert or insulator coating on at least a portion of the hanger portion of the clamp which electrically insulates the clamp at the attachment point to a structure. The insulator material has properties sufficient to withstand both the high weight loads and forces on the contact point between the drop wire clamp and the attachment point and the slight swinging or rubbing action between the drop wire clamp and the attachment point caused by the wind. The attachment structure, such as a hook or fastener, at the attachment point may also be provided with an insulator coating.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2003Publication date: July 8, 2004Applicant: SENIOR INDUSTRIES, INC.Inventor: George J. Franks
-
Patent number: 6732981Abstract: A clamp designed to accept and secure a cable with a securing wire. The clamp has a body portion that utilizes a plurality of slots designed and oriented to accept and guide the securing wire in a wrapping procedure. The permissible wrapping procedure allows the user to hold the clamp with one hand and wrap the support wire with the other, without alternating the clamp and wire between hands and without encircling the body portion.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2002Date of Patent: May 11, 2004Assignee: Senior Industries, Inc.Inventors: George J. Franks, Isaac Jack Sachs
-
Patent number: 6727430Abstract: Methods and apparatus to secure a ground strap assembly to an electrically conductive member are disclosed. In a disclosed example, a ground strap assembly includes a bendable ground strap, and a grounding clip having at least one flange located to substantially prevent rotation of the clip relative to the bendable strap. The example ground strap assembly also includes a fastener securing the grounding clip to the bendable strap. It is not necessary to remove the fastener from the bendable ground strap to secure the ground strap assembly to an electrically conductive member.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2003Date of Patent: April 27, 2004Assignee: Senior Industries, Inc.Inventor: George J. Franks, Jr.
-
Publication number: 20040040656Abstract: A two piece, metal and plastic, retaining ring used for chemical mechanical polishing of semiconductor substrates. In one embodiment, the plastic is selected from polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyethylene terephthalate, polyetheretherketone, polybutylene terephthalate, Ertalyte TX, PEEK, Torlon, Delrin, PET, Vespel, or Duratrol, and the plastic is assembled to a stainless steel ring with a urethane adhesive at room temperature. In another embodiment, the plastic is assembled to the metal portion with an acrylic adhesive at room temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2003Publication date: March 4, 2004Inventors: Raymond J. Hengel, George J. Frank
-
Publication number: 20040035984Abstract: A clamp designed to accept and secure a cable with a securing wire. The clamp has a body portion that utilizes a plurality of slots designed and oriented to accept and guide the securing wire in a wrapping procedure. The permissible wrapping procedure allows the user to hold the clamp with one hand and wrap the support wire with the other, without alternating the clamp and wire between hands and without encircling the body portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2002Publication date: February 26, 2004Applicant: SENIOR INDUSTRIES INC.Inventors: George J. Franks, Isaac Jack Sachs
-
Patent number: 6559387Abstract: A universal ground clamp having a clamping strap having a series of uniformly sized and spaced apertures to facilitate the installation of the clamp onto a wide range of structures of various shaped and sized cross-sections. A metal stud, through which the clamping strap is secured, includes a terminal portion adapted to accommodate and have secured therein a ground wire. A pair of curved plates supported upon the stud are used to form a tight clamping action of the strap about the structure to be grounded, without subjecting the strap to localized stresses or tearing, but permitting the strap to tightly encircle the structure. One of the curved plates is captivated on the strap with stops.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2000Date of Patent: May 6, 2003Assignee: Senior Industries, Inc.Inventor: George J. Franks
-
Patent number: 6491272Abstract: There is provided a pole step assembly with a removable step for hollow poles and the like. The step assembly includes a mounting subassembly with a mounting stud and a mounting plate with inter-engaging flat surfaces that limit relative rotational movement of the mounting stud and mounting plate about the axis of the subassembly. A clamp is provided to limit radial movement of the subassembly relative to the pole. The mounting stud of the subassembly also may include a handle portion that captivates the components of the subassembly and facilitates ease of installation of the subassembly. The handle also may break away and be removed after installation of the subassembly. The step is mounted to the subassembly and may include flat surfaces that inter-engage with further flat surfaces on the mounting plate to limit rotation of the step about its longitudinal axis.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2001Date of Patent: December 10, 2002Assignee: Senior Industries, Inc.Inventor: George J. Franks
-
Patent number: 6378822Abstract: A step assembly for securing a step to hollow poles and like. The step assembly includes a lock bushing and a mounting base that have cooperating flats to prevent relative rotational movement between the pole-like structure and the step. More particularly, the step includes a first end portion with an arm and a flat. The first end portion extends through a hole in the pole-like structure to position the arm in the pole-like structure. The lock bushing also includes a flat that defines, in part, an interior hole that receives the first end portion of the step so that the flat can engage the flat on the step. The lock bushing also includes an exterior flat and can be received by a hole defined by the base such that a flat surface or edge on the base engages the exterior flat on the lock bushing. The flats prevent relative rotational motion between the pole-like structure and the step.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2001Date of Patent: April 30, 2002Assignee: Senior Industries, Inc.Inventor: George J. Franks
-
Patent number: D501394Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2004Date of Patent: February 1, 2005Assignee: Senior Industries, Inc.Inventors: George J. Franks, Jr., Isaac Jack Sachs
-
Patent number: D508676Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2004Date of Patent: August 23, 2005Assignee: Senior Industries, Inc.Inventor: George J. Franks, Jr.
-
Patent number: D459976Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2001Date of Patent: July 9, 2002Assignee: Senior Industries, Inc.Inventor: George J. Franks
-
Patent number: D486791Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2003Date of Patent: February 17, 2004Assignee: Senior Industries, Inc.Inventor: George J. Franks, Jr.
-
Patent number: D487427Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2003Date of Patent: March 9, 2004Assignee: Senior Industries, Inc.Inventor: George J. Franks, Jr.