Patents by Inventor Raymond J. Gradecki

Raymond J. Gradecki 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: 11753255
    Abstract: The present invention provides a new motorized bulk, dry foods dispensing apparatus and system for commercial, retail and home use designed to dispense a predetermined volume of dry bulk food into a bowl or other receptacle without crushing or breaking the food. The bulk food dispenser includes a hopper, a feed house including two or more openings, and a feed wheel located within the feed house, where the feed wheel further includes a plurality of protrusions for directing a solid material out of the hopper when the feed wheel is rotated mechanically via a motor, where at least one of the two or more openings receive the solid material directed by a baffle, and where at least one of the two or more openings dispense the solid material out of the feed house.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: CHICAGO SHOW, INC.
    Inventors: James M. Snediker, Raymond J. Gradecki
  • Publication number: 20210347583
    Abstract: The present invention provides a new motorized bulk, dry foods dispensing apparatus and system for commercial, retail and home use designed to dispense a predetermined volume of dry bulk food into a bowl or other receptacle without crushing or breaking the food. The bulk food dispenser includes a hopper, a feed house including two or more openings, and a feed wheel located within the feed house, where the feed wheel further includes a plurality of protrusions for directing a solid material out of the hopper when the feed wheel is rotated mechanically via a motor, where at least one of the two or more openings receive the solid material directed by a baffle, and where at least one of the two or more openings dispense the solid material out of the feed house.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Inventors: Robert R. Snediker, Raymond J. Gradecki
  • Patent number: 11089894
    Abstract: The present invention provides a new bulk, dry foods dispensing apparatus and system for commercial, retail and home use designed to dispense a predetermined volume of dry bulk food into a bowl or other receptacle without crushing or breaking the food. The bulk food dispenser includes a hopper, a dispensing chamber including two or more openings, a baffle located above the dispensing chamber for directing the solid bulk material to be dispensed from the hopper to the dispensing chamber, and a paddle wheel located within the dispensing chamber, where the paddle wheel further includes a plurality of protrusions for directing a solid material out of the dispensing chamber when the paddle wheel is rotated, where at least one of the two or more openings receive the solid material directed by the baffle, and where at least one of the two or more openings dispense the solid material out of the dispensing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Chicago Show, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert R. Snediker, Raymond J. Gradecki
  • Publication number: 20200275791
    Abstract: The present invention provides a new bulk, dry foods dispensing apparatus and system for commercial, retail and home use designed to dispense a predetermined volume of dry bulk food into a bowl or other receptacle without crushing or breaking the food. The bulk food dispenser includes a hopper, a dispensing chamber including two or more openings, a baffle located above the dispensing chamber for directing the solid bulk material to be dispensed from the hopper to the dispensing chamber, and a paddle wheel located within the dispensing chamber, where the paddle wheel further includes a plurality of protrusions for directing a solid material out of the dispensing chamber when the paddle wheel is rotated, where at least one of the two or more openings receive the solid material directed by the baffle, and where at least one of the two or more openings dispense the solid material out of the dispensing chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Inventors: Robert R. Snediker, Raymond J. Gradecki
  • Patent number: 5467903
    Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing a measured amount of granular product, such as powdered flavoring for milk, is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a container having an open end and a dispenser secured thereto. The container open end is upwardly oriented when the container is in an upward position and the open end is downwardly oriented when the container is in an inverted position. The dispenser covers the container open end and includes a first chamber, a second chamber and a spout. Product moves from the container to the first chamber when the container is rotated from the upward position to the inverted position. Product moves from the first chamber to the second chamber when the container is subsequently rotated from the inverted position to the upward position. Product moves from the second chamber to exit the dispenser through the spout when the container is subsequently rotated from the upward position to the inverted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1995
    Assignee: NCM International, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald R. Sorensen, Raymond J. Gradecki
  • Patent number: 5181464
    Abstract: A unitary paper impression device (10) that is small, light and safe and that can emboss impressions into paper (12) with ease and minimal effort is disclosed. The device (10) includes a male embossing section (20) which has a contacting face surface (22) and an opposite back surface (27), the face surface (22) being a face plane (28) and at least one outwardly extending projection (23) therefrom. The device (10) also includes a female embossing section (30) which has a contacting face surface (32) and an opposite back surface (37), the face surface (32) being a face plane (38) and at least one complimentary inwardly extending trough (33) therein for receiving each projection (23) of the male embossing section (20). An interconnecting, bendable web (40) contiguous with the back surfaces (27,37) is further provided for hingedly connecting the sections (20,30) so that their respective faces (22,32) can mate to impress an image in a piece of paper (12) disposed therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1993
    Assignee: NCM International, Inc.
    Inventors: Marvin G. Kuhlman, Daniel J. Finkiewicz, Raymond J. Gradecki
  • Patent number: 5085611
    Abstract: An amusement device for a bicycle wheel is disclosed. According to the present invention, the amusement device comprises a whistle, and a means for attaching the whistle to the wheel such that when the wheel rotates, wind passes through the whistle and produces a sound audible to a human ear. The present whistle 10 is a reversible whistle because it will produce a noise when air flows into the whistle from two different directions. The present invention is a double whistle because it funnels air from one direction into two separate whistle elements. The whistle 10 is also a double reversible whistle 10 because it can funnel air into two different whistle elements with air flowing in two different directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1992
    Assignee: NCM International, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald R. Sorensen, Raymond J. Gradecki, Daniel J. E. Finkiewicz
  • Patent number: 5054389
    Abstract: A unitary paper impression device (10) that is small, light and safe and that ca emboss impressions into paper (12) with ease and minimal effort is disclosed. The device (10) includes a male embossing section (20) which has a contacting face surface (22) and an opposite back surface (27), the face surface (22) being a face plane (28) and at least one outwardly extending projection (23) therefrom. The device (10) also includes a female embossing section (30) which has a contacting face surface (32) and an opposite back surface (37), the face surface (32) being a face plane (38) and at least one complimentary inwardly extending trough (33) therein for receiving each projection (23) of the male embossing section (20). An interconnecting bendable web (40) contiguous with the back surfaces (27,37) is further provided for hingedly connecting the sections (20,30) so that their respective faces (22,32) can mate to impress an image in a piece of paper (12) disposed therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1991
    Assignee: NCM International Inc.
    Inventors: Marvin G. Kuhlman, Daniel J. Finkiewicz, Raymond J. Gradecki
  • Patent number: 5038944
    Abstract: A display rack for displaying and dispensing windshield wipers contained in elongated individual containers having a mounting hole at one end is disclosed. The display rack is configured as a one-piece element having a wall-mounting back portion and a top shelf extending forwardly from the top of the back portion. Forwardly extending L-shaped hangers for hanging the containers are supported by insertion into apertures in a pair of horizontal rails extending laterally along a lower portion of the back portion. Alignment of the individual hangers into a parallel forwardly extending array is provided by alignment extensions disposed on the upper rail which nestingly aligningly receive portions of the forwardly extending hangers. Suitable integral extension webs joining the back portion and the rails add strength to the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1991
    Assignee: NCM International, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald R. Sorensen, Raymond J. Gradecki, Joseph A. Brhel
  • Patent number: 4999465
    Abstract: A switch plate cover for a wall switch having a switch actuator is disclosed. The cover comprises a generally elongated panel folded substantially about a transverse fold line to form an outer member and an adjacent, inner member. The outer member includes a graphic representation having an aperture extending through the outer member. The cover further comprises a slot disposed along the fold line. A slide is disposed between the outer and inner members and extends through the slot. The slide includes a tongue extending outwardly through the slot. The tongue includes an opening for receiving the switch actuator. The slide moves between first and second positions in response to actuation of the switch between respective on and off switch positions. The slide further includes a first graphic indicia aligned with the aperture when the slide is in one of the first or second positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1991
    Inventors: Marvin G. Kuhlman, Gerald R. Sorensen, Raymond J. Gradecki
  • Patent number: 4697710
    Abstract: The carpet display stand of the present invention generally comprises a support assembly having at least four legs. The support assembly carries a basket deferred by vertical and horizontal framing pieces. The basket further includes a multitude of horizontal wires which have at least one depressed or U-shaped section connected with the vertical basket framing wires. A basket support wire joins the depressed section of the formed horizontal wires. The basket also includes a unique friction clip device formed from a plurality of eveny-spaced, integrally-formed loop-shaped strutures. Adjacent clip devices define a slot between which corners of the carpet samples are downwardly inserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1987
    Assignee: NCM International, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond J. Gradecki, James M. McLaughlin, Gerald R. Sorensen
  • Patent number: D310624
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1990
    Assignee: National Creative Merchandising Corp.
    Inventors: Raymond J. Gradecki, Gerald R. Sorensen, Daniel J. Finkiewicz
  • Mug
    Patent number: D333591
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1993
    Assignee: NCM International, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond J. Gradecki, Gerald R. Sorensen, Steven Holt
  • Patent number: D370832
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1996
    Assignee: NCM International, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald R. Sorensen, Raymond J. Gradecki