Patents by Inventor James Kost

James Kost 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: 6715703
    Abstract: A spreader assembly is adapted to be mounted on a vehicle having a tailgate and a bumper. The spreader includes a hopper having an upper section and a bottom section, the bottom section having a lower material discharge chamber terminating in a lower discharge opening; a broadcast spreader positioned beneath said discharge opening; and a spill plate to at least partially regulate the flow of particulate material through the discharge opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: The Louis Berkman Company
    Inventors: James A. Kost, Josh Vyrostek
  • Patent number: 6618964
    Abstract: A snowplow blade mount assembly mountable on a vehicle that includes a frame mount assembly which is affixed to a frame of the vehicle and a support assembly that connects to the frame mount assembly. The support assembly is designed to connect to a lift mount assembly and a blade mount assembly. The support assembly enables the blade mount assembly and/or lift mount assembly to be conveniently connected and disconnected from the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: The Louis Berkman Company
    Inventors: James A. Kost, Robert L. Potak
  • Publication number: 20030168522
    Abstract: An improved spreader assembly adapted to be mounted on a vehicle having a tailgate and a bumper. The improved spreader assembly includes a hopper and a retaining arrangement. The hopper has an upper section and a bottom section. The bottom section has a base surface adapted to at least partially rest on a top surface of the bumper. The retaining arrangement includes a band that fits at least about a portion of a front face of the upper section of the hopper. One end of the band is adapted to connect to the vehicle to maintain at least a portion of a back face of the upper section at least closely adjacent to the tailgate of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Applicant: The Louis Berkman Company, an Ohio corporation
    Inventors: James A. Kost, Josh Vyrostek
  • Publication number: 20030168536
    Abstract: An improved spreader assembly adapted to be mounted on a vehicle having a tailgate and a bumper. The improved spreader assembly includes a hopper and a retaining arrangement. The hopper has an upper section and a bottom section. The bottom section has a base surface adapted to at least partially rest on a top surface of the bumper. The retaining arrangement includes a band that fits at least about a portion of a front face of the upper section of the hopper. One end of the band is adapted to connect to the vehicle to maintain at least a portion of a back face of the upper section at least closely adjacent to the tailgate of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Applicant: The Louis Berkman Company, an Ohio corporation
    Inventors: James A. Kost, Josh Vyrostek
  • Patent number: 6594923
    Abstract: A snowplow blade mount assembly mountable on a vehicle that includes a blade mount assembly which connects a snowplow blade to a vehicle. The blade mount assembly enables the snowplow blade to pivot in several planes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: The Louis Berkman Company
    Inventors: James A. Kost, Robert L. Potak
  • Publication number: 20030110666
    Abstract: A snowplow blade mount assembly mountable on a vehicle that includes a frame mount assembly which is affixed to a frame of the vehicle and a support assembly that connects to the frame mount assembly. The support assembly is designed to connect to a lift mount assembly and a blade mount assembly. The support assembly enables the blade mount assembly and/or lift mount assembly to be conveniently connected and disconnected from the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2003
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Applicant: The Louis Berkman Company, an Ohio corporation
    Inventors: James A. Kost, Robert L. Potak
  • Publication number: 20020117562
    Abstract: A shield for a vehicle mounted spreader device having a hopper and a rotating spreader element beneath the hopper to broadcast particulate material flowing from the hopper onto the spreader element comprises a top wall having an opening for material flowing from the hopper and a side wall extending downwardly from the top wall and circumferentially thereabout between opposite ends spaced apart to provide a discharge opening, and the side wall is arcuate between the opposite ends thereof and eccentric with respect to the opening in the top wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2002
    Publication date: August 29, 2002
    Applicant: The Louis Berkman Company, a corporation of Ohio
    Inventor: James A. Kost
  • Publication number: 20020078604
    Abstract: A snowplow blade mount assembly mountable on a vehicle that includes a frame mount assembly which is affixed to a frame of the vehicle and a support assembly that connects to the frame mount assembly. The support assembly is designed to connect to a lift mount assembly and a blade mount assembly. The support assembly enables the blade mount assembly and/or lift mount assembly to be conveniently connected and disconnected from the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Publication date: June 27, 2002
    Applicant: The Louis Berkman Company
    Inventors: James A. Kost, Robert L. Potak
  • Patent number: 6354024
    Abstract: A snowplow blade mount assembly mountable on a vehicle that includes a frame mount assembly which is affixed to a frame of the vehicle and a support assembly that connects to the frame mount assembly. The support assembly is designed to connect to a lift mount assembly and a blade mount assembly. The support assembly enables the blade mount assembly and/or lift mount assembly to be conveniently connected and disconnected from the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: The Louis Berkman Company
    Inventors: James A. Kost, Robert L. Potak
  • Patent number: 6318975
    Abstract: A motor mount assembly for use with a hydraulic system of a snowplow. A motor mount has a mounting surface for receiving a motor and a recessed surface from which interengaging components protrude. A motor has a suitable mounting surface for mating with the motor mount and a pilot surface from which interengaging components are recessed. The proper alignment of the interengaging recesses of the motor with the complementary interengaging protrusions of the motor mount allow the mounting surfaces to abut such that the motor can be securely attached to the motor mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: The Louis Berkman Company
    Inventor: James A. Kost
  • Patent number: 6276075
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for mounting a snowplow blade onto a vehicle-mounted supporting frame. The mounting apparatus includes an I-beam support member pivotally attached to the blade and removably mountable on the vehicle-mounted supporting frame. Connections are provided on the support member for controlling the angle of the support member with regard to the supporting frame, and for installing springs between the support member and the blade for dampening the impact of obstructions encountered by the blade. A caster or skid system is provided, having cost effective, low maintenance vertical adjustment using reconfigurable spacers to support a snowplow blade a certain vertical distance above the road surface, and easy adjustment of the vertical distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: The Louis Berkman Company
    Inventors: James A. Kost, Robert L. Potak
  • Patent number: 6256909
    Abstract: An external electrical connector for connecting one or more components of a snowplow blade unit. The electrical connector includes two housing components that are securable together. Each housing component includes an interface end and a coupling end. The coupling ends of the two housing components are designed to be connect together to form an electrical connection. At least one of the interface ends includes at least one electrical connection interface that is designed to form an electrical connection with at least one external snowplow blade component. One of the housings components is secured to a component of said snowplow blade unit. Protection caps and housing holders are used to protect the parts of the housings when the housings are disconnected from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: The Louis Berkman Company
    Inventors: James A. Kost, Tim K. Howell
  • Patent number: 6138388
    Abstract: An external electrical connector for connecting one or more components of a snowplow blade unit. The electrical connector includes two housing components that are securable together. Each housing component includes an interface end and a coupling end. The coupling ends of the two housing components are designed to be connect together to form an electrical connection. Each of the interface ends includes at least one electrical connection interface that is designed to form an electrical connection with at least one external snowplow blade component. The number of electrical connection interfaces on the interface side of the two housing components is greater than the number of electrical connection interfaces on the coupling end of the two housing components. One of the housings components is secured to a component of said snowplow blade unit. Protection caps and housing holders are used to protect the parts of the housings when the housings are disconnected from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: The Louis Berkman Company
    Inventors: James A. Kost, Tim K. Howell
  • Patent number: 5988534
    Abstract: An improved spreader assembly adapted to be mounted on a the rear end of a cargo bed of a vehicle. The spreader assembly includes a spreader gate, a gate connector adapted to pivotably move the spreader gate about a substantially vertical axis enabling the gate to be swung away from said cargo bed, to expose an opening between the sidewalls of the cargo bed, and a spreader mount connected to the gate and extending rearwardly therefrom. The spreader gate includes a two gate sections positionable with respect to one another to provide a variable longitudinal length of the gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: The Louis Berkman Company
    Inventors: James A. Kost, Elias J. Georgakopoulos