Patents by Inventor Laura Lynn McKinnon

Laura Lynn McKinnon 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: 6065665
    Abstract: The present invention provides a ball deck which reduces or eliminates the use of castings, which is self-fixturing for welding and can be manufactured and assembled relatively inexpensively and simply, which has drive means that is readily alignable with the drive motors, which incorporates a deck plate easily registerable with the associated driven balls regardless of the adjustment required to align the drive means, and which incorporates a means for attaching the deck plate so that the upper surface thereof is flat and uncluttered and is less susceptible to wear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: FMC Corporation
    Inventors: Laura Lynn McKinnon, Chunguang Yuan, Michael A. Leon
  • Patent number: 5890582
    Abstract: An improved ball deck having a plurality of driven balls arranged in rows, with each driven ball supported on a freely rotatable ball and a pair of drive wheels secured to parallel shafts positioned on either side of the driven balls in each row, and a tray for each row of driven balls having bearings in the end plates thereof. Chain drive sprockets attached to each of the shafts with adjustment means for adjusting the trays to control the tension in the chains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: FMC Corporation
    Inventors: Laura Lynn McKinnon, Chunguang Yuan, Michael A. Leon