Patents by Inventor Paul L. Propst

Paul L. Propst 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: 4567919
    Abstract: The invention comprises a turret type container-filling machine in which the containers are advanced to and from filling position by a continuous belt and in which the containers are metered into filling position by a pair of parallel screws shaped to engage and hold the container while the filling spout of the filling machine is being lowered to the container mouth. The containers are exited along a curved portion of the track which is canted toward the center of its curvature at an angle such that gravity neutralizes the centrifugal force engendered by the containers traveling that curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1983
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1986
    Assignee: Fogg Filler Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Fogg, Paul L. Propst
  • Patent number: 4443986
    Abstract: The specification discloses an office landscaping system comprising a plurality of wall panels supported on a support structure. The support structure comprises a plurality of frames each including a plurality of gussets extending outwardly therefrom, the gussets in turn each defining an upwardly opening slot. Also provided are clamping means for clamping together adjacent gussets on adjacent frames to secure the frame together. Mounting studs extend from each panel into the gusset slots to releasably suspend the panels on the support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1982
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1984
    Assignee: Stow/Davis Furniture Company
    Inventors: Paul L. Propst, Larry P. Gzym, Ralph Murrel, Donald A. Richardson, Carl B. Hinrichs
  • Patent number: 4407101
    Abstract: A wall panel support base for a wall panel support structure is disclosed having leveling apparatus, a floating seal, and a covered wire enclosure. The floating seal includes a floor seal engaging the floor and an outer seal slidably engaging the floor seal so that the outer seal engages the floor seal regardless of the adjustment of the leveling aparatus. The wire enclosure is located between the outer seal and the wall panel support structure and is covered by hinged covers extending between the outer seal and the wall panel support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1983
    Assignee: Stow/Davis Furniture Company
    Inventors: Paul L. Propst, Donald A. Richardson, Carl B. Hinrichs
  • Patent number: 4372629
    Abstract: A wire enclosure is disclosed having a wire raceway, a slot communicating with the raceway, and a cover for covering the slot. In one embodiment, the cover is hingedly mounted to one side of the slot and has a flexible seal to seal the cover against the other side of the slot when the cover is closed. Electrical outlets are mounted on the underside of the hinged cover so that the outlets are hidden when the cover is closed and easily accessible when the cover is open. In an alternative embodiment, the cover is a brush, mounted on one side of the slot, extending towards and engaging the other side of the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1983
    Assignee: Stow/Davis Furniture Company
    Inventors: Paul L. Propst, Donald A. Richardson, Carl B. Hinrichs
  • Patent number: 4354611
    Abstract: A trash collection, management and disposal system for an office area including covered trash collector containers positioned at heights substantially equivalent to the height of a standard desk top and adapted to receive trash generated in the area. Some of the trash collector containers are mounted on wheels and are equipped with tongue-and-hitch assemblies enabling a plurality of these trash collector containers to be coupled together in a train for towing to a dump site. Dump mechanisms at the dump site pick the trash collector containers up and invert them to empty the trash contained therein. The cover on each collector container is pivotally mounted by a hinge assembly enabling the cover member to be moved to an over center position when it is opened to inhibit its return movement to the closed position. Also, the hinge assembly operates to maintain the cover in an upright position when it is opened, allowing the cover to serve as a backstop for deflecting thrown trash into the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1982
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Propst, Paul L. Propst
  • Patent number: 4285624
    Abstract: A trash collection, management and disposal system for an office area including covered trash collector containers positioned at heights substantially equivalent to the height of a standard desk top and adapted to receive trash generated in the area. Some of the trash collector containers are mounted on wheels and are equipped with tongue-and-hitch assemblies enabling a plurality of these trash collector containers to be coupled together in a train for towing to a dump site. Dump mechanisms at the dump site pick the trash collector containers up and invert them to empty the trash contained therein. The cover on each collector container is pivotally mounted by a hinge assembly enabling the cover member to be moved to an over center position when it is opened to inhibit its return movement to the closed position. Also, the hinge assembly operates to maintain the cover in an upright position when it is opened, allowing the cover to serve as a backstop for deflecting thrown trash into the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1979
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1981
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Propst, Paul L. Propst
  • Patent number: 4277079
    Abstract: A material handling system comprising a plurality of material-transporting lorries adapted to be pivotally connected end-to-end and a towing vehicle adapted to pull a train of connected lorries. Each of the lorries has a load-carrying body portion, end portions extending transversely of the body, and ground-engaging wheels arranged in substantially spaced pairs supported on the end portions. The towing vehicle has a low-profile rear section which can be moved under one of the end portions of the lorries between the wheels to releasably connect the towing vehicle and the first lorry. A projection extends upwardly from the rear section of the towing vehicle, into a recess formed in the front side of the lorry end portion and is maintained therein by a spring actuated abutment member which engages the back side of the lorry end portion. The projection and the abutment member thus cooperate to restrict relative horizontal movement of the towing vehicle and the lorry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1979
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1981
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Propst, Paul L. Propst
  • Patent number: 4196493
    Abstract: A caster consisting of a caster body having lateral body portions on which flexible roller belts of closed loop shape are slidably supported. The lateral body portions are configured so that the portions of the belts in engagement with the under sides of the lateral body portions are in close proximity to each other while the portions of the tracks in engagement with the upper sides of the lateral body portions are spaced apart to accommodate an upright pintle for attaching the caster to an article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1980
    Inventors: Robert L. Propst, Paul L. Propst
  • Patent number: 4184227
    Abstract: A caster adapted for use in hygienic environments consisting of a caster body rotatably supporting a caster wheel and having an upright bore which receives a spindle member to provide for the rotation of the caster body with respect to the spindle member. A spindle-locking mechanism is positioned within the bore and is movable between a release position enabling rotation of the caster body with respect to the spindle member and a lock position in which the caster body is maintained in a fixed position relative to the spindle member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1980
    Inventors: Robert L. Propst, Paul L. Propst
  • Patent number: 4161803
    Abstract: A caster including a pair of diametrically opposed rollers having axes of rotation which are angled with respect to the supporting surface on which the caster travels. During movement of the caster, the rollers exert opposing transversely-directed forces on the caster thereby enabling the caster to be moved in its directed path without the creation of forces on the caster by the rollers which would tend to deflect the caster from its path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1979
    Inventors: Robert L. Propst, Paul L. Propst
  • Patent number: 4120422
    Abstract: A system for storing and transporting flat board-like elements of predetermined thickness, such as printed circuit boards, comprising a rack for storing and transporting the boards and apparatus for feeding boards to and removing boards from the rack. The rack comprises a plurality of upright partition members mounted on a frame in a uniformly spaced relation so as to define a plurality of side-by-side stalls each of a width adequate to accommodate a board-like element in an upright storage position. Supports associated with the partitions support a plurality of board-like elements in the stalls so that the rack can be moved without the board-like elements falling off. The elements are edgewise accessible in the stalls and a pivoted body member is on the rack in a novel manner which enables it to function as a ratcheting apparatus movable successively from stall to stall for the purpose of moving the elements therein in directions to facilitate removal thereof from the stall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1976
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1978
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Propst, Paul L. Propst
  • Patent number: D272113
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1984
    Assignee: Stow Davis Furniture Company
    Inventors: Robert L. Russell, Paul L. Propst, Donald A. Richardson, Carl B. Hinrichs