Patents by Inventor George M. Rapata

George M. Rapata 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: 5207750
    Abstract: An insertable moldable ratchet rivet assembly of a unitary construction for securing a plurality of panels together includes a drive-pin insert of a unique construction to facilitate the pull-up operation with a reduced amount of force and to form slots in the shank of a rivet housing. The drive-pin insert includes a body portion having a plurality of segments which are spaced apart from each other to form recessed flattened surfaces therebetween. Each of the flattened surfaces is provided with a plurality of lengthwise-spaced horizontal teeth. The rivet housing includes a head flange and a shank. The rivet shank is formed of a plurality of shank wall portions extending substantially from the rear surface of the rivet head flange. The plurality of shank wall portions are spaced apart from each other to provide slots therebetween which are formed by the plurality of segments on the body portion of the drive-pin insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: George M. Rapata
  • Patent number: 4653968
    Abstract: A hood bumper assembly which may be used, for example, to adjustably align the hood of an automobile with the adjacent fenders as the hood is brought down into locked engagement over the engine compartment. The assembly includes a workpiece, which may be the framework of the engine compartment, having an aperture and a helical internal marginal portion defined around the aperture, and a member having an end with a spherical surface portion arranged to engage the hood when closed and a shank portion including a helical thread adapted to be threadingly received by the aperture. The assembly further includes detent means carried by the shank and the workpiece for releasably locking the shank within the aperture against rotation at predetermined rotational intervals. The spherical surface portion of the member end is arranged to coact with a stamped recess in the underside of the hood to prevent lateral vibration of the hood and to positively locate the hood in proper position when it is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1987
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works, Inc.
    Inventors: George M. Rapata, Jeffrey C. Albrecht
  • Patent number: 4534487
    Abstract: There is disclosed an assembly comprising a workpiece panel having an opening, a cover plate for the opening and blind securement means including resiliently interengageable elements on the panel and the cover plate constructed for enabling the cover plate to be assembled from the outside of the panel and to permit initial insertion through the opening without substantial interference between the interengageable elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1985
    Inventor: George M. Rapata
  • Patent number: 4126369
    Abstract: A compact electronic component and contact retainer device for use with electrical wiring terminal blocks having a plurality of adjacently positioned elongated terminal means disposed in aligned successive rows. The device includes a two-piece dielectric housing designed to accept an electronic component associated with spaced contacts adapted to accept a pair of spaced terminals in a row falling in a common plane. The housing, in its interior, specifically provides integral means for orienting and complementary retention of the contacts and electronic component means connected thereto while the component and the outside of the housing includes indicia means for proper orientation of the device relative to the terminals to thereby insure the proper polarity or direction of current flow through the electronic component means contained therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1977
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1978
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works
    Inventors: George M. Rapata, William E. Ruehl
  • Patent number: 4124320
    Abstract: A one-piece plastic quick-connect fastener for coupling a rod carrying abutment means to a work member having an aperture therein. The fastener includes a head and a shank with a slot passing through the head and shank and terminating short of the free nose end of the shank to form a resilient hinge which permits the symmetrical portions of the head and shank to flex toward and away from one another. The head includes a recess having complimentary means for engaging the abutment means on said rod to restrain axial movement of the rod relative to the recessed head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1977
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1978
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: George M. Rapata
  • Patent number: 4113340
    Abstract: A compact protective electrical device for use with electrical wiring terminal blocks having a plurality of adjacently positioned elongated terminal means. The device includes a two-piece dielectric body composed of substantially identical sections which is designed to accept an electrical component associated with spaced contacts adapted to accept a variety of predetermined spacings of the terminals through end ports in the body. The device can serve as a surge protector in telephonic circuits dependent upon the type of electrical component utilized and is readily installed by finger pressure while maintaining a low profile to prevent accidental dislodgment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1977
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1978
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: George M. Rapata
  • Patent number: 4020970
    Abstract: A one-piece plastic closure device for use in a filler hole, i.e. an oil filler cap or crankcase vent means, which seals the hole from the outside and can be applied with a fractional turn of the closure. The closure is adapted for use in a panel with an aperture having communicating lateral slots which telescopically accepts spring controlled retainer pads extending laterally from the closure body and that are moved to underlying relationship with the panel by rotation of the closure; the spring means acting on said retainer pads insuring continued sealing engagement of the closure with the panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1975
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1977
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. Koscik, George M. Rapata