Patents by Inventor Paul J. Gepfert

Paul J. Gepfert 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).

  • Apparatus for stacking tube and related method
    Patent number: 5387072
    Abstract: The present invention is directed toward positioning tube (11) from a continuous supply of tube (11), into a preselected stacked configuration in a stack forming assembly (12) by movement of a fork member (22) positionable under selected of the tube (11). The invention includes moving the fork member (22) a preselected distance to position a preselected number of the tube (11) in the forming assembly (12) to form a row of preselected length, and then restraining the remainder of the supply of tube (11). The fork member (22) is then retracted a predetermined distance away from the forming assembly (12), and the forming assembly (12) is lowered so that additional tube (11) may be positioned on top of the tube (11) already positioned therein. The remainder of the tube (11) is then released while again moving the fork member (22) a preselected distance to position a preselected number of tube (11) on top of the tube (11) already positioned in the forming assembly (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1995
    Assignee: XTH Corporation
    Inventors: Paul J. Gepfert, Yukio Kusakabe
  • Apparatus for stacking tube and related method
    Patent number: 5222859
    Abstract: The present invention is directed toward positioning tube (11) from a continuous supply of tube (11), in a preselected stacked configuration in a stack forming assembly (12) by movement of a fork member (22) positionable under selected of the tube (11). The invention includes moving the fork member (22) a preselected distance to position a preselected number of the tube (11) in the forming assembly (12), and then restraining the remainder of the supply of tube (11). The fork member (22) is then retracted a predetermined distance away from the forming assembly (12), and the forming assembly (12) is lowered so that additional tube (11) may be positioned on top of the tube (11) already positioned therein. The remainder of the tube (11) is then released while again moving the fork member (22) a preselected distance to position a preselected number of tube (11) on top of the tube (11) already positioned in the forming assembly (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1993
    Inventors: Paul J. Gepfert, Yukio Kusakabe