Patents by Inventor Richard E. Miller

Richard E. Miller 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: 4610071
    Abstract: A game ball for playing baseball or softball, and the method for making the ball. The ball is formed of a hollow plastic shell filled with an expanded plastic material, and a cover completes the ball. The weight of the ball is provided by the weight of the shell, the expanded plastic filling the shell, and the cover. The COR, sound, and feel off the bat are provided almost entirely by the plastic shell. The material of the shell is an ionomer or a polyolefin, and the preferred material is an ethylene acid copolymer, the material for the shell being selected to have a hardness in the range of Shore D 30 to 65. The expanded plastic filling the shell may be any self-initiating material. The method for forming the ball is to mold two hemispheres, place a liquid mix for forming the expanded plastic into the lower hemisphere, weld the upper hemisphere to the lower hemisphere, the upper hemisphere having a vent hole at the top, and let the shell rest while the material expands to fill the shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1986
    Inventor: Richard E. Miller
  • Patent number: 4603605
    Abstract: A unitary, one-piece device for gripping threaded objects without damage to the threads. The device can be utilized for a number of functions including grippingly engaging and securing a threaded member for performing various operations on it. The device is also adaptable for use as a thread chaser to clean and/or rehabilitate damaged threads on a bolt or stud. Additionally, the device of the present invention is utilizable as a stud remover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1986
    Inventor: Richard E. Miller
  • Patent number: 4568083
    Abstract: A baseball or softball having a size, weight, sound and rebound in accordance with standards set for the game. The ball is formed of a spherical plastic shell covered with a conventional sewn cover. The plastic shell is a thermoplastic consisting of a mixture of "Surlyn" ionomer with about 50% ethylene vinyl acetate. The proportions are variable to achieve the desired characteristics, the "Surlyn" providing strength and sound while the EVA provides softness and ease of thermo-welding. The shell is made by injection molding hemispheres and thermally welding two hemispheres together. As an alternative, the shell can be formed with a hole, and liquid components of an expanded plastic placed into the shell and expanded to fill the shell. The shell still provides all characteristics desired, and the expanded plastic is for weight only.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1986
    Inventor: Richard E. Miller
  • Patent number: 4529200
    Abstract: A game ball and method for making the ball. The game ball is for use as a conventional, standard baseball or softball having the desired size, rebound and sound when hit. The ball includes a conventional preformed core of cork or the like, and a plastic shell covering the preformed core in lieu of the conventional windings. The conventional leather cover is received over the shell to complete the ball. The shell may be molded of 100% ionomer resin, or ethylene vinyl acetate may be added up to 25% to reduce the rebound, the ionomer resin and EVA being mixed together before molding the shell. The thickness of the shell is at least one-sixteenth inch to provide the desired rebound, and the shell is spherical with a diameter such that the covered ball will have the standard diameter. A liquid anti-bonding agent may cover the preformed core between the core and the shell, the anti-bonding agent being sodium oleate, silicone or urethane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1985
    Inventors: Richard E. Miller, James L. Muhlfelder
  • Patent number: 4483223
    Abstract: A portable lathe is disclosed which has a compact arrangement of an automatic tool feed mechanism which facilitates the use of the lathe to machine an internal surface of a workpiece. An automatic cutting bit feed is located diametrically opposite the cutting bit holder and is connected to it by one or more rigid connecting bars. The bars transmit the feeding movement from a feed slide to the cutting bit holder across the face of the rotating cutting head. A feed screw is attached to an overrunning clutch which is advanced through contact with an actuating arm during each revolution of the cutting head. A clutch nut is provided on the feed screw to release the feed slide and the cutting bit holder from the feed screw to facilitate manual manipulation of these elements. The rate of feed may be adjusted by adjusting the stroke of a cam and overrunning clutch associated with the feed screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1983
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1984
    Assignee: Tri Tool Inc.
    Inventors: Lawson H. Nall, Richard E. Miller
  • Patent number: 4483522
    Abstract: A mandrel for fixedly supporting a tubular workpiece during a machine tool cutting operation on the end area of the workpiece includes a pivotally mounted shaft that engages the workpiece and is mounted so as to be angularly adjustable relative to the central body of the mandrel. The angular adjustment of the shaft permits cutting operations to be performed on the end of the tubular workpiece in planes that are offset from a plane that is perpendicular to the centerline of the workpiece. The shaft is constrained to move solely within a single plane about a pivot center located adjacent the end of the workpiece on which a cutting operation is to be performed. The mandrel assembly is geometrically proportioned so that the pivot center of the mandrel shaft can be located in the cutting plane of a machine tool with which the mandrel is intended to cooperate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1984
    Assignee: Tri Tool Inc.
    Inventors: Lawson H. Nall, Richard E. Miller
  • Patent number: 4470734
    Abstract: A portable tube end preparation tool includes a right angle drive motor (44) for rotating the cutter head (16) and a right angle cutter feed nut drive shaft (78), both motor and feed nut drive shaft capable of being positioned in the same general plane to provide a narrow and short tool profile for enabling the tool to be used in very confined areas. The drive motor and feed nut drive system are mounted in separate sub-assemblies for enabling simple repair and inspection of the tool without complete or substantial disassembly of the tool, and to permit the feed nut drive to be rotated to different radial positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1982
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1984
    Assignee: Tri Tool, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard E. Miller
  • Patent number: 4041999
    Abstract: A vehicle protector utilizes a plurality of plastic sheets each having one surface thereof covered with a soft resilient material. The soft side of the sheets are disposed covering the outermost surface of the front fenders, the front door panels and the remaining side panels of a motor vehicle. The sheets are cut so as to have their marginal edges substantially conform to the marginal edges of the portions of the vehicle which they are adapted to cover. A pair of elastic bands straddle the front grille portion of the vehicle and are secured to the leading marginal edges of the pair of sheets covering the front fenders. Another pair of elastic members join the pair of sheets covering the front fenders, residing on the hood of the vehicle. Snap fasteners secure the trailing edge of the front fender cover sheets to the body of the vehicle adjacent the leading edge of the front doors. Another pair of sheets cover the front doors and are adapted with openings accommodating door handles and sideview mirrors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1977
    Inventor: Richard E. Miller