Patents by Inventor Glenn R. McCall

Glenn R. McCall 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: 9527671
    Abstract: A platform member for a knuckle-linked conveyor belt includes a stabilizer for pushing a conveyed product towards a side rail to stabilize the product during conveyance. The platform member may include an upper portion forming a conveying surface and a lower portion stepped down from the upper port for receiving the forward end of an adjacent platform member. A connector on the lower portion connects the platform member to a corresponding body member in the conveyor belt. The upper portion overlies and protrudes forward from the front of the lower portion. Shaped side rails on the platform member are configured to allow overlapping between adjacent side rails to minimize gaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Angela L. Marshall, Nicholas J. Judice, R. Scott Dailey, John F. Landrum, Jorge E. Nagel, Gilbert J. MacLachlan, Glenn R. McCall, Jr., Dennis K. Scates
  • Patent number: 9108801
    Abstract: A conveyor belt and a belt module having multiple roller sets, each roller set including a bottom roller in contact with an axially elongated top roller. Driving the bottom roller in a first direction causes rotation of the top roller in an opposite angular direction. The bottom rollers in first longitudinal lanes are arranged to rotate obliquely toward one side of the belt, and the bottom rollers in second lanes are arranged to rotate toward the other side of the belt. Either the first lanes of roller sets or the second lanes can be selectively actuated to direct articles conveyed atop the top rollers rearward and toward one side of the belt or the other or to receive articles fed onto the belt from either side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Mark Constanzo, Dennis K. Scates, David H. Myers, Glenn R. McCall, Jr., Matthew L. Fourney
  • Publication number: 20150183584
    Abstract: A platform member for a knuckle-linked conveyor belt includes a stabilizer for pushing a conveyed product towards a side rail to stabilize the product during conveyance. The platform member may include an upper portion forming a conveying surface and a lower portion stepped down from the upper port for receiving the forward end of an adjacent platform member. A connector on the lower portion connects the platform member to a corresponding body member in the conveyor belt. The upper portion overlies and protrudes forward from the front of the lower portion. Shaped side rails on the platform member are configured to allow overlapping between adjacent side rails to minimize gaps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Angela L. Marshall, Nicholas J. Judice, R. Scott Dailey, John F. Landrum, Jorge E. Nagel, Gilbert J. MacLachlan, Glenn R. McCall, JR., Dennis K. Scates
  • Patent number: 8905228
    Abstract: A self-supporting platform is formed of a plurality of hingedly connected modules. Adjacent modules may bend inwards against each other but resist flexing in the opposite direction. Each module includes a slotted module connector extending below the module body. The slotted module connector engages a peg to allow one-way bending of the modules relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jorge E. Nagel, Glenn R. McCall, Jr., Stephen T. Ferrell
  • Patent number: 8839948
    Abstract: A conveyor having a conveyor belt with magnetic properties that allow the belt's position to be controlled by externally generated magnetic fields and methods for controlling such a conveyor belt. Sensors sense an operating condition of the belt, such as belt speed, belt tension, belt loading, belt lateral, or radial, position, or belt elevation, and send those measurements to a controller. Electromagnets in the conveyor frame generate magnetic fields that interact with the magnetic properties of the belt to apply selected forces to position the belt in the conveyor. The controller adjusts the strength and direction of the magnetic fields generated by the electromagnets to control the operating conditions of the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventors: John F. Landrum, Glenn R. McCall
  • Publication number: 20140216900
    Abstract: A self-supporting platform is formed of a plurality of hingedly connected modules. Adjacent modules may bend inwards against each other but resist flexing in the opposite direction. Each module includes a slotted module connector extending below the module body. The slotted module connector engages a peg to allow one-way bending of the modules relative to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: LAITRAM, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jorge E. Nagel, Glenn R. McCall, Jr., Stephen T. Ferrell
  • Publication number: 20140090961
    Abstract: A conveyor belt and a belt module having multiple roller sets, each roller set including a bottom roller in contact with an axially elongated top roller. Driving the bottom roller in a first direction causes rotation of the top roller in an opposite angular direction. The bottom rollers in first longitudinal lanes are arranged to rotate obliquely toward one side of the belt, and the bottom rollers in second lanes are arranged to rotate toward the other side of the belt. Either the first lanes of roller sets or the second lanes can be selectively actuated to direct articles conveyed atop the top rollers rearward and toward one side of the belt or the other or to receive articles fed onto the belt from either side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Mark Costanzo, Dennis K. Scates, David H. Myers, Glenn R. McCall, Jr., Matthew L. Fourney
  • Publication number: 20130264175
    Abstract: A conveyor having a conveyor belt with magnetic properties that allow the belt's position to be controlled by externally generated magnetic fields and methods for controlling such a conveyor belt. Sensors sense an operating condition of the belt, such as belt speed, belt tension, belt loading, belt lateral, or radial, position, or belt elevation, and send those measurements to a controller. Electromagnets in the conveyor frame generate magnetic fields that interact with the magnetic properties of the belt to apply selected forces to position the belt in the conveyor. The controller adjusts the strength and direction of the magnetic fields generated by the electromagnets to control the operating conditions of the belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: LAITRAM, L.L.C.
    Inventors: John F. Landrum, Glenn R. McCall
  • Patent number: 8210341
    Abstract: A conveyor transfer system and a transfer platform for transferring articles from an upstream conveyor to a downstream conveyor across a gap. The transfer platform fits in the gap between two conveyors arranged end to end. At least one of the conveyors includes a conveyor belt that reverses direction around a reversing element at the gap. The transfer platform floats in the gap supported by the conveyor belt or its reversing element without a direct connection to the conveyor frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Angela L. Marshall, Ross Doyle, Glenn R. McCall, Ed J. Pointer, Brien G. Rau, Dennis K. Scates
  • Publication number: 20110132725
    Abstract: A conveyor transfer system and a transfer platform for transferring articles from an upstream conveyor to a downstream conveyor across a gap. The transfer platform fits in the gap between two conveyors arranged end to end. At least one of the conveyors includes a conveyor belt that reverses direction around a reversing element at the gap. The transfer platform floats in the gap supported by the conveyor belt or its reversing element without a direct connection to the conveyor frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Angela L. Marshall, Ross Doyle, Glenn R. McCall, Ed J. Pointer, Brien G. Rau, Dennis K. Scates