Patents by Inventor Ray Carl Minor

Ray Carl Minor 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: 7871186
    Abstract: A highway lighting apparatus includes a lighting fixture, and a vibration damper. The vibration damper includes a housing having a ball chamber, the chamber being of square shape. One or two vibration damping balls are mounted in the chamber for independent free rolling movement therein. If two balls are used, the ball diameter is shorter than one-half of each of the four chamber sides. If the damper is used on a pole having a side-mounted light fixture, the housing would include a downwardly open socket receiving the top end of the pole, with a center axis of the pole coinciding with respective center axes of the chamber and the socket. In the case where the damper is used on a pole having a top-mounted light fixture, the damper would be mounted below the light fixture on a side of the pole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Kearney-National, Inc.
    Inventor: Ray Carl Minor
  • Patent number: 7690613
    Abstract: A breakaway transformer base for a lighting pole includes four upstanding corner members (preferably formed of aluminum castings), and four side sheets. Each side sheet is attached to two of the corner members, e.g., by welds or fasteners, thereby interconnecting the corner members. Each corner member forms bolt holes for enabling the base to be bolted to a lighting standard and to an anchored foundation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Kearney-National Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph M. Bowman, Ray Carl Minor
  • Publication number: 20080239733
    Abstract: A highway lighting apparatus includes a lighting fixture, and a vibration damper. The vibration damper includes a housing having a ball chamber, the chamber being of square shape. One or two vibration damping balls are mounted in the chamber for independent free rolling movement therein. If two balls are used, the ball diameter is shorter than one-half of each of the four chamber sides. If the damper is used on a pole having a side-mounted light fixture, the housing would include a downwardly open socket receiving the top end of the pole, with a center axis of the pole coinciding with respective center axes of the chamber and the socket. In the case where the damper is used on a pole having a top-mounted light fixture, the damper would be mounted below the light fixture on a side of the pole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: HAPCO ALUMINUM POLE PRODUCTS
    Inventor: Ray Carl Minor
  • Patent number: 7157642
    Abstract: A frame for reinforcing a handhole of a round metallic utility pole, includes a generally elliptical body defining a major axis and a minor axis and forming a generally elliptical outer periphery, and a generally elliptical inner periphery bordering an opening extending through front and back sides of the body, the opening defining a center axis of the frame. A flange is formed integrally with the body and projects forwardly therefrom at a location spaced inwardly from the outer periphery, wherein the flange is separated from the outer periphery by a forwardly facing shoulder surface of the body. The flange includes an outer flank facing outwardly and intersecting the shoulder surface, wherein the flange outer flank forms an oblique angle with the center axis as seen in a sectional view taken along the major axis, and lies substantially parallel to the center axis as seen in a sectional view taken along the minor axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Hapco Aluminum Pole Products
    Inventors: Joseph Manuel Bowman, Ray Carl Minor