Patents by Inventor Robert D. Needham

Robert D. Needham 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).

  • Publication number: 20240092468
    Abstract: A transportable outboard motor has a midsection and a tiller extending forwardly from the midsection. The tiller is pivotable about a lateral tilt axis into a downward tilt position in which the tiller is oriented transversely to the lateral and longitudinal directions. The tiller in the downward tilt position is configured to permit manual carrying of the transportable outboard motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Applicant: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Todd D. Dannenberg, Matthew Z. Seta, Scott G. Ahlswede, Gary D. Needham, Robert A. Podell, Andrew J. Przybyl, Matthew S. Dawes
  • Publication number: 20240092470
    Abstract: A transportable outboard motor has a tiller which is pivotable about a lateral tilt axis into a plurality of tilt positions and also pivotable about an axial yaw axis into a plurality of yaw positions. The tiller is pivotable about the axial yaw axis into a straight-ahead position, into a port yaw position which is oriented towards the port side relative to the straight-ahead position, and into a starboard yaw position which is oriented towards the starboard side relative to the straight-ahead position. The tiller is pivotable downwardly about the lateral tilt axis from the port yaw position, and downwardly about the lateral tilt axis from the starboard yaw position. Pivoting the tiller into the plurality of yaw positions creates space for a user to manually grasp a swivel tube and thereby lift the transportable outboard motor from a rear-laydown position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2022
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Applicant: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Todd D. Dannenberg, Matthew Z. Seta, Scott G. Ahlswede, Gary D. Needham, Robert A. Podell, Andrew J. Przybyl, Matthew S. Dawes
  • Patent number: 5560429
    Abstract: A collapsible fire fighting bucket assembly to be suspended from an aircraft for fighting wild fires, the bucket being made of pliable material and having an open upper end for filling from a body of water. A tubular extension extends from an opening in the bottom of the bucket and has a free end formed with a discharge port provided with resilient sealing lips which are brought into sealing engagement with each other to close the port to minimize water leakage from the tubular extension. A harness suspends the bucket from the aircraft and a releasable support releasably supports the free end of the tubular extension within the bucket body extending upwardly from the opening to close the discharge port. The releasable support cooperates with the openings to allow the tubular extension to be rapidly lowered so as to extend downwardly from the bottom to open the discharge port for dumping the water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Inventor: Robert D. Needham