Patents by Inventor John F. Mayer

John F. Mayer 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: 5452889
    Abstract: A device for striking a ball, such as a soft foam rubber ball, includes a ball striking element including a clear transparent shell portion which is formed in a configuration similar to a device such as a golf club or a baseball bat and a colored liquid in an inner cavity in the shell portion. The colored liquid only partially fills the inner cavity in the shell portion so that it not only acts to transfer weight in the device during a ball striking exercise but to also provide a unique splashing visual effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1995
    Assignee: Tonka Corporation
    Inventors: David P. Lewinski, John F. Mayer, Carol L. Guthrie
  • Patent number: 5156684
    Abstract: An air brush set including an air brush handle having a nozzle, a tank in communication with the handle, a pump in communication with the tank which is capable of increasing the pressure of gas within the tank and an ink source having a felt tip adapted to act in communication with the air brush nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1992
    Assignee: Tonka Corporation, Kenner Division
    Inventors: John F. Mayer, Paul J. Van Risseghem
  • Patent number: 4895548
    Abstract: A collapsible construction set comprises a plurality of parts, each of which includes at least one integrally formed connector. A plurality of connector designs are provided. A first design includes a tapered receptacle and a stabilizing pin at the center of the receptacle. A second design includes a tapered end which fits in the receptacle and a hole which receives the stabilizing pin. A third design includes a ledge which forms a recess, and a fourth design includes a hook which engages the ledge and extends into the recess. The ledge of the third design is preferably formed adjacent the receptacle of the first design, and the second design preferably also includes at least one flange which overlies and holds a hook of the fourth design. To dismember the parts of a structure, a tapered end is moved out of the tapered receptacle until the stabilizing pin disengages from the hole, and then all of the parts of the structure topple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1990
    Assignee: Tonka Corporation, Kenner Division
    Inventors: Andrew M. Holland, Dan B. Young, James J. Wright, Timothy M. Sullivan, Hampton Woodhouse, John F. Mayer, Michael A. Katauskas
  • Patent number: 4601672
    Abstract: The toy action figures includes upper and lower hollow torso portions. An actuating mechanism is contained in the upper torso and acts through a helical gear mechanism to rotate the lower torso portion and the legs attached thereto about a longitudinal axis when one of the figure's arms is swung from a diverging relation toward one side of the figure. A spring is used to return the actuating mechanism and the limbs associated therewith back to their normal or unactuated positions. Another spring releases or disconnects the lower torso portion from the actuating mechanism should the child attempt to twist the two torso portions relative to each other by using too much force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1986
    Assignee: CPG Products Corp.
    Inventors: Stuart A. Cook, John F. Mayer, David W. Tucker, William N. Smith
  • Patent number: 4579542
    Abstract: The action figure includes two pivotally mounted arms and one leg that can be rocked about a perpendicular axis. In one embodiment, the arms are mounted for pivotal movement about a common horizontal axis, whereas in a second embodiment the arms are mounted for pivotal movement about inclined axes. In either event, an actuating mechanism transmits motion from the leg that is rocked to either or both arms, doing so via either a single or double rotatable cam arrangement. The cam or cams have spiral ribs thereon by which a laterally moved follower converts its lateral movement into rotary movement for either or both arms. Where the arm axes are inclined, a cog arrangement is used which engages in a cruciformly-shaped recess on the arm mounting units so that rotation of the cam about a horizontal axis is transmitted to the arms along their inclined axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1986
    Assignee: CPG Products Corp.
    Inventors: John F. Mayer, Nick H. Langdon, Stuart A. Cook, Harvey G. Springer, Raymond J. Drake, John R. Belcher
  • Patent number: 4578045
    Abstract: The action figure includes two arms mounted to the figure's torso for rocking movement toward the torso about laterally spaced axes, the action figure also including two legs that are mounted for pivotal movement to the torso in a scissors-like fashion. Integral with the rockable mounting means for each arm is an inwardly extending shank, the shanks projecting into end portions of a coil spring. When either arm is moved laterally toward the side of the torso, the spring is flexed into a V-shaped configuration. A link extends downwardly from the center of the spring so that the flexing action imparted to the spring causes the link to move downwardly or upwardly. Each unit for pivotally mounting the legs includes a crank pin that is receivable in forwardly and rearwardly located slots at the lower end of the link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1986
    Assignee: CPG Products Corp.
    Inventors: John F. Mayer, Nick H. Langdon, Stuart A. Cook, L. Todd Nicholson, John R. Belcher
  • Patent number: 4571206
    Abstract: The toy action figure includes a torso having a pair of pivotally mounted wings and a pair of legs, the legs being mounted to the torso for both pivotal and rocking movement. A pair of actuating mechanisms within the torso convert the rocking movement to a pivotal movement so that the wings are moved in a flapping manner. A spring returns the legs and wings to their normal or unactuated positions whenever the child stops pressing the legs together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1986
    Assignee: CPG Products Corp.
    Inventors: John F. Mayer, Stuart A. Cook, Harvey G. Springer, Earl M. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4459056
    Abstract: A disposable lead pencil, eraser and sharpener combination in which there is an eraser mounted upon one end of the housing and an abrasive sharpener structure contained within an enclosed and sealed chamber at the opposite end of the pencil housing. Sharpening of the lead is effected by reciprocating a pusher plate mounted upon the side of the housing back and forth to move the lead back and forth relative to the abrasive sharpener. At the end of each reciprocal stroke of the lead, an indexing mechanism automatically rotates the lead relative to the abrasive element so that a different section of lead is presented to the sharpener during each stroke. The sharpener containing chamber of the pencil housing is sealed so that all lead filings are retained within the pencil's housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1979
    Date of Patent: July 10, 1984
    Assignees: Homer E. Gemmer, John F. Mayer, William F. Getgey, Jack A. Wishard, John D. Henry, Robert B. Raines
    Inventors: William F. Getgey, John F. Mayer
  • Patent number: D243784
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1975
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1977
    Assignee: General Mills Fun Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Cordrey, Donald E. England, George P. Giordano, Alan E. Hoeweler, John F. Mayer
  • Patent number: D243785
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1975
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1977
    Assignee: General Mills Fun Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Cordrey, Donald E. England, George P. Giordano, Alan E. Hoeweler, John F. Mayer
  • Patent number: D245737
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1977
    Inventor: John F. Mayer
  • Patent number: D286308
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1986
    Assignee: CPG Products Corp.
    Inventors: John F. Mayer, John J. Norton