Patents by Inventor Ned W. Mizelle

Ned W. Mizelle 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: 4559654
    Abstract: A bedding unit utilizes formed wire springs for supporting a wire grid on a frame. A spring has an upper portion which has two transverse bars, a longitudinal center bar located between and spaced from the transverse bars, and connecting sections which connect the opposite ends of the center bar to the ends of the transverse bars. Under compression, the upper portion of the spring or a grid wire attached thereto contacts a torsion bar in the spring. Some embodiments have a continuous and uninterrupted lower portion and an upper portion with two sections which terminate in the ends of the spring wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1985
    Inventor: Ned W. Mizelle
  • Patent number: 4470584
    Abstract: A box spring assembly which includes a generally rectangular frame, a welded wire grid disposed above and aligned with the frame, a plurality of upwardly extending limited deflection wire springs which are mounted at their lower ends on the frame and at their upper ends are secured to the welded wire grid, and corner springs which are yieldable and are supported on the corners of the frame so as to support the corners of the grid. Each of the limited deflection springs is formed at its upper end with an attaching portion that is readily secured to the grid by conventional clips and includes wire sections which provide additional spaced supports for the grid. Improved cross rails in the frame support the springs and improved corner springs support the corners of the grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1982
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1984
    Assignee: Hoover Universal, Inc.
    Inventor: Ned W. Mizelle
  • Patent number: 4447950
    Abstract: A combined pocket knife and money clip has a casing formed of two disc like pieces of injection molded plastic which have a cavity therebetween, a grommet which extends through the casing, a blade pivotally supported on the grommet within the cavity, a spring clip which is retained on the casing by the grommet and cooperates with the casing as a money clip, and a linear spring wire within the casing. The spring wire acts on a cam portion of the blade to bias the blade to an interior position in the cavity and to an exterior position where its cutting edge is located outside the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1984
    Inventor: Ned W. Mizelle
  • Patent number: 4437701
    Abstract: The present invention provides a rocker-blocking mechanism for a platform rocking chair which when activated, typically in conjunction with thrusting of a legrest which lifts the user's feet away from the reassurance of floor contact. The rocker-blocking mechanism includes a forwardly presented, vertically elongated slot mounted in a medially disposed linkage between the chair rocker cam unit and legrest operating mechanism. A rearwardly presented, forward-to-rear tapering wedge element is disposed through the slot, in a linkage between the chair base and the chair rocker cam unit. When the legrest is in a retracted condition, the wedge is so located that there is plenty of space above and below the wedge within the slot to permit free rocking. As the legrest is thrust, the slot is quickly moved relatively forwards along the wedge to a position where the wedge vertically fills the slot, thus blocking rocking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1984
    Assignee: The Lane Company
    Inventor: Ned W. Mizelle
  • Patent number: 4408796
    Abstract: The legrest projecting/retracting linkages of a recliner chair mechanism are designed to progressively provide pivotability for the legrest as the legrest nears its fully projected condition, i.e. is about three-quarters or more of the way out, and to progressively inhibit that pivotability in the initial stage of retraction of the legrest from its fully projected condition, i.e. in the first-quarter of its retraction. This may be accomplished without reworking the remainder of most existing recliner chair mechanisms. A number of ways that the legrest projecting/retracting linkages can be configured to achieve this objective are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1983
    Assignee: The Lane Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Ned W. Mizelle
  • Patent number: 4398705
    Abstract: A box spring assembly which includes a generally rectangular frame, a welded wire grid disposed above and aligned with the frame, a plurality of upwardly extending limited deflection wire springs which are mounted at their lower ends on the frame and at their upper ends are interlocked with the welded wire grid, and corner springs which are yieldable and are supported on the corners of the frame so as to support the corners of the grid. Each of the limited deflection springs is formed at its upper end with an attaching portion that is connected to the grid merely by moving it from an initial assembly position to an interlocked position, without the requirement of any notches in the grid. This structure enables assembly of the grid and the springs without the requirement for the usual attaching clips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1983
    Assignee: Hoover Universal, Inc.
    Inventor: Ned W. Mizelle
  • Patent number: 4365837
    Abstract: An inertial lock mechanism for limiting movement of a first object along a constrained path with respect to an adjacent second object. The mechanism includes a lock pin having a flat surface which is pivotally mountable to the first object and is biased toward a position in which the flat surface is parallel to the contrained path. A frame member mountable to the second object engages the flat surface so as to stop relative movement of the pin and rotate the pin against the biasing means at one end of the constrained path. A second stop surface on the frame member is sufficiently spaced apart from the angular surface to permit the biasing means to overcome inertia and pivot the lock pin out of engageable relationship with the second stop surface except when a predetermined amount of relative acceleration of the two objects occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1982
    Assignee: Hoover Universal, Inc.
    Inventor: Ned W. Mizelle
  • Patent number: 4339834
    Abstract: A box spring assembly which includes a generally rectangular frame, a plurality of upwardly extending wire springs mounted on the frame, and a wire grid supported on the upper ends of the springs so that the grid and springs cooperate to yieldably resist downwardly directed bedding loads. Each of the springs is formed at its upper end with an attaching portion that is structured so that it can be connected to the grid merely by moving it from an initial position to an interlocked position. This structure enables assembly of the grid and the springs without the requirement for the usual attaching clips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1982
    Assignee: Hoover Universal, Inc.
    Inventor: Ned W. Mizelle
  • Patent number: 4332417
    Abstract: A recliner chair having a chair frame with side frame portions defining armrests, a seat structure consisting of a seat and backrest, a linkage mechanism supporting the seat structure between the side frame portions for movement between an upright seating position and a reclining position, and a reclining actuator assembly connected to the seat structure and to the chair frame operable when actuated to move the seat structure between the seating and reclining positions. The actuator assembly includes a handle positioned between one side of the seat and the side frame portion adjacent to that side of the seat for movement between a generally concealed inoperative position in which the handle is located substantially below the top surface of the seat and an operative position to move the seat structure from the seating position to the reclining position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1982
    Assignee: Hoover Universal, Inc.
    Inventor: Ned W. Mizelle
  • Patent number: 4291914
    Abstract: An adjustable hinge for an automotive vehicle seat assembly having a backrest member and a seat member and actuatable to incline the backrest member and a seat member about a pivot axis to any of a plurality of adjusted positions. The hinge comprises a pair of substantially coaxial and relatively rotatable members in which non-parallel slots are formed. A control member is mounted for movement axially of the coaxial members and has a projecting pin member extending into the non-parallel slots. Axial movement of the control member causes the pin member to move through the slots to pivot the coaxial members about a pivot axis to tilt the backrest member to an adjusted position relative to the seat member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1981
    Assignee: Hoover Universal, Inc.
    Inventor: Ned W. Mizelle
  • Patent number: 4253208
    Abstract: A box spring assembly which includes a generally rectangular frame and a wire spring assemblage mounted on the top side of the frame; the assemblage including a large number of straight wires arranged criss-cross fashion and arcuate springs that support and connect the straight wires at some of the points of intersection. A basic wire grid is formed with downwardly extending hook portions that snap over some of the spring wires to secure the grid to the assemblage so as to bridge the spaces between the straight wires. The "spring back" capability of the spring wires allows them to spring into the hook portions so as to retain the grid in position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1981
    Assignee: Hoover Universal, Inc.
    Inventors: William L. Hancock, John P. Kitchen, Ned W. Mizelle
  • Patent number: 4238861
    Abstract: A box spring assembly which includes a generally rectangular frame and a plurality of wire springs mounted on the frame and connected to each other so as to yieldably resist downwardly directed bedding loads. Each of the springs has an elongated body portion arranged above the frame and downwardly extending end portions, each of the end portions having a lower column section consisting of a straight length of spring wire and an upper section consisting of a plurality of substantially horizontal torsion bars and a plurality of angularly arranged connecting bars connected to and extending between the torsion bars so that in response to a downwardly directed bedding load, the upper section will yieldably collapse to accommodate the load and impart a feeling of soft support to the bedding user. Subsequently, the straight wire column carries the bedding load and imparts a feeling of firm support to the bedding user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1980
    Assignee: Hoover Universal, Inc.
    Inventor: Ned W. Mizelle
  • Patent number: 4236752
    Abstract: A rocker swivel assembly for mounting a chair on a lower support for both rocking and swiveling movement of the chair. The assembly includes a one-piece plastic torsion bar unit having a center section and a pair of end sections. The end sections are secured to the underside of the chair and the center section is rotatably mounted on the chair support and restrained against twisting. When the chair is rocked, the end portions of the torsion bar are twisted and the direct seating load of the chair is at all times transmitted directly to the supported center section of the torsion bar by a load bearig member secured to the underside of the chair and slidably engaged with the top side of the center section of the torsion bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1980
    Assignee: Hoover Universal, Inc.
    Inventor: Ned W. Mizelle
  • Patent number: 4236260
    Abstract: A polypropylene fabric for a sofa sleeper mechanism which includes a conventional foldable frame having a plurality of relatively movable sections that are movable between side-by-side, bed-forming positions and vertically stacked seat-forming positions. The polypropylene fabric is mounted on the frame so as to form a yieldable support surface for a mattress or the like in the bed-forming position of the frame and also has the capability of functioning as the direct support for the usual sofa seat cushions in the seat-forming position of the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1980
    Assignee: Hoover Universal, Inc.
    Inventor: Ned W. Mizelle
  • Patent number: 4222135
    Abstract: One-piece tubular supporting legs for a bed-carrying frame having rectangular hollow side and end rails. Top and bottom openings in the end rails define upright passageways into which the supporting legs are inserted. Each supporting leg comprises an elongated body from which an integral flange portion radially extends at a position between the ends of the body. When fully inserted into an associated passageway, the end rail surrounding the bottom opening rests on the flange portion which thus transfers downwardly directed bedding loads to the body. The top of the body extends through the top opening and is deformed to form a head which engages the rail surrounding the top opening to cooperate with the flange portion in securing the leg to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1980
    Assignee: Hoover Universal, Inc.
    Inventor: Ned W. Mizelle
  • Patent number: 4218790
    Abstract: A box spring assembly which includes a generally rectangular frame, a plurality of wire springs mounted on the frame and connected to each other so as to yieldably resist downwardly directed bedding loads. Each of the springs has an elongated body portion arranged above the frame and downwardly extending end portions, each of the end portions having an upper section and a lower section which are located in planes that are upright and generally perpendicular to each other with each of the sections being comprised of integral legs arranged in a generally V-formation rotated about ninety degrees and with the included angle between the legs being less than ninety degrees. This construction enables the spring end portions to yieldably resist bedding loads with both bending and torsional stresses thereby enabling increased load-resisting capabilities in the spring end portions with a resulting efficient use of spring wire material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1979
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1980
    Assignee: Hoover Universal, Inc.
    Inventor: Ned W. Mizelle
  • Patent number: 4186960
    Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly having seat and back members pivotally connected to each other and movably mounted on a frame for movement between a seat-defining position in which the seat member is generally horizontal and the back member is upright and a bed-defining position in which the members are in general horizontal side-by-side positions. The seat member is slidably mounted on the frame by a pair of track portions that enable the horizontal reciprocal movement of the seat member between a rearward location in the seat defining position of the vehicle seat assembly and a forward location in the bed defining position of the vehicle seat assembly. A link member connects the rear member with the frame so that in response to forward movement of the seat member, the link member serves to pivot the back member rearwardly and downwardly to the horizontal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 5, 1980
    Assignee: Hoover Universal, Inc.
    Inventor: Ned W. Mizelle
  • Patent number: 4099775
    Abstract: A chair control comprising a frame structure adapted to be supported on a conventional chair base, a chair seat support pivotally mounted on the frame structure for fore and aft tilting movement relative to the frame structure, a biasing structure such as a torsion bar biasing the seat support to a position corresponding to a normal seating position of a chair seat, and rotatable blocking members mounted on the seat support for movement, in a tilted position of the seat support, to a position engaged with the frame structure so as to block return movement of the seat support to the normal position. The blocking members are operable by an actuating knob conveniently located close to the seat for operation by the seat occupant and are moveable to a plurality of positions corresponding to various tilted positions of the chair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1976
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1978
    Assignee: Hoover Ball and Bearing Company
    Inventor: Ned W. Mizelle
  • Patent number: 4098485
    Abstract: Swivel apparatus for a chair or the like comprising nonmetallic bearing members rotatably supporting a swivel plate. The bearing members are mounted in fixed positions on a support and each has a laterally disposed arcuate groove located in interfitting engagement with a circular projecting extension on the chair mounted swivel plate so as to rotatably support the swivel plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1976
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1978
    Assignee: Hoover Ball and Bearing Company
    Inventor: Ned W. Mizelle
  • Patent number: 3986218
    Abstract: A convertible settee-bed iss particularly designed for use in motor homes and other recreational vehicles, and especially as the forward settee of a motor home dinette unit which has two settees facing each other with both back rests arranged for about 275.degree. roll-over movement from facing settee positions to abutting horizontal bed positions coplanar with each other and with the seats. A locking arm pivoted on a fixed base and a spring loaded, digitally manipulable latch button on the back rest cooperate to lock the back rest either in a rearwardly facing dinette position or in a forwardly facing riding position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1975
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1976
    Assignee: Master Mfg. & Equip. Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Ned W. Mizelle