Patents by Inventor Ralph C. Robinson

Ralph C. Robinson 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: 4453359
    Abstract: A building wall panel (20) adapted for mounting on a building frame includes an exterior facing formed from a plurality of thin stone panels (22) of for instance granite or marble, backed and interconnected by a layer (28) of glass fiber-strengthened concrete underlying the panels and covering and engaging anchor clips (24) secured to the backs of the stone panels (22). The backing layer (28) is bonded to a metal support frame (30) by additional amounts of glass fiber-reinforced concrete (29) overlaying portions of anchor members (36) carried by the support frame and adjacent portions of the backing layer (28). A method of forming the building wall panel (20) involves placing granite or marble panels (20) face down in a form (48), mounting anchor clips (24) or pins (61) in the backs of the stone panels, and spraying a layer of slurry (55) formed from a mixture of concrete and chopped glass fiber strands, over both the panels (22) and the anchor clips (24 ) or pins (61).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1984
    Assignee: Olympian Stone Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Ralph C. Robinson
  • Patent number: 4404158
    Abstract: A method for making a panel adapted for mounting on a building, the panel being formed from a plurality of thin panels of a selected stone facing material, such as granite or marble, backed and interconnected by fiberglass-strengthened concrete underlaying the plurality of thin panels and covering and engaging anchor means mounted in the backs of the stone panels. The method of forming the building panel involves placing the granite or marble panels face down in a form, mounting anchor means in the backs thereof, and overlaying both the plurality of thin panels and the anchor means with a fiberglass-strengthened concrete mixture, and curing the mixture both within and without a support form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1983
    Assignee: Olympian Stone Company
    Inventor: Ralph C. Robinson
  • Patent number: 4308435
    Abstract: One or more switch apparatus for controlling a digital display of a changing function each include stationary and movable contacts and an actuator having a rest position and movable longitudinally in opposite directions to second and third positions. Cam structure is supported on each actuator to interact with a follower carried by each movable contact whereby different conditions of switch operation may be indicated by the position of the actuator relative to the movable contact. Biasing structure intercooperates between each actuator and a support for biasing the actuator toward the rest position from at least one of the second and third positions. A latch, also, intercooperates with each actuator to latch the actuator in one of the last-mentioned positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1981
    Assignee: General Time Corporation
    Inventors: David Morrison, Ralph C. Robinson
  • Patent number: 4223502
    Abstract: A panel adapted for mounting on a building, the panel being formed from a plurality of thin panels of a selected stone facing material, such as granite or marble, backed and interconnected by fiberglass-strengthened concrete underlaying the plurality of thin panels and covering and engaging anchor means mounted in the backs of the stone panels. The method of forming the building panel involves placing the granite or marble panels face down in a form, mounting anchor means in the backs thereof, and overlaying both the plurality of thin panels and the anchor means with a fiberglass-strengthened concrete mixture, and curing the mixture both within and without a support form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1980
    Assignee: Olympian Stone Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Ralph C. Robinson
  • Patent number: 4192136
    Abstract: A digital readout apparatus includes a housing, a plurality of members providing, respectively, a presentation of units-of-minutes, tens-of-minutes, and hours, a shaft for supporting the members within the housing for movement in rotation imparted either by a timed or manual setting input to the member of lowest order. The digital readout apparatus also includes an endshake element received on the shaft between the hours member and the housing. The endshake element includes cam structure on a side surface which cooperates with cam structure similarly contoured on the housing thereby through selective rotational adjustment of the endshake element relative to the shaft, both the hours and tens-of-minutes members are moved axially along the shaft relative to the units-of-minutes member which is fixed to the shaft for varying clearance between the members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1980
    Assignee: General Time Corporation
    Inventor: Ralph C. Robinson
  • Patent number: 4185437
    Abstract: A building wall panel having an exterior facing formed from a glass fiber reinforced concrete bonded to a metal wall panel support frame formed from a plurality of vertical members having a plurality of flanges thereon by a layer of glass fiber reinforced concrete overlaying both a portion of the rear surface of the exterior facing and the flange abutting the exterior facing at intervals along the length of each vertical member. A method of forming the building wall panel involves spraying a first layer of slurry, formed from a mixture of concrete and chopped glass fiber strands, on a flat smooth surface between elongate members secured thereto and interconnected to form building wall panel mold. A metal wall panel support frame formed from a plurality of vertical members is placed over the first layer of slurry such that a flange disposed on each vertical member abuts the first layer of slurry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1980
    Assignee: Olympian Stone Company
    Inventor: Ralph C. Robinson
  • Patent number: 4083673
    Abstract: A portable heating apparatus includes a catalytic bed, a fuel for the catalyst and an electrical circuit operative at a preset time and throughout a predetermined duration of time for igniting the fuel. The circuit includes a transducer in the form of a resistive heating element connected to a source of power and a pair of switches, all arranged in series with the power source. One switch comprises a motor driven time indicator and the other switch comprises a timer which is manually latched closed and automatically unlatched upon closure of the time indicator. The duration of time during which the latter switch remains closed after unlatching may be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1976
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1978
    Assignee: General Time Corporation
    Inventor: Ralph C. Robinson
  • Patent number: 4031363
    Abstract: Apparatus capable normally of presentation of time in hours and minutes and upon command of other functions, such as miles before service is required and days before service is required. The apparatus includes at least one logic integrated circuit for providing required frequency division of various inputs, a storage for accumulating information received from the integrated circuit and for retaining the information over a period of time even though power to the circuit is interrupted, a power supply and a display for displaying information on demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1976
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1977
    Assignee: General Time Corporation
    Inventors: John D. Freeman, Ralph C. Robinson, Kenneth D. Swonger