Patents by Inventor Robert T. Ritchie

Robert T. Ritchie 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: 20180219361
    Abstract: The apparatus has a tube having an exterior tube surface, the exterior tube surface defining one or more grooves. The apparatus further has a portion occupying each of the one or more grooves and integrally formed with the tube. The portion is adapted to reflect light in the visible spectrum. The tube and the portion together define a guy guard. A method and system for forming the apparatus are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventors: Robert T. Ritchie, John Robert Davies
  • Patent number: 7530202
    Abstract: A guy guard assembly for use with a guy wire is disclosed. The assembly comprises a tubular guy guard and a clamp. The tube wall has an aperture. The clamp includes a bolt, a first plastic portion and a second plastic portion. The bolt has a head outside the tube and a threaded shaft extending from the head through the aperture. The first portion is inside the tube against the tube wall; has the bolt extending therethrough; and defines a first jaw. The second portion defines a second jaw and is threaded to the bolt. The portions have a first configuration, wherein the jaws are relatively distal to and spaced from one another to define a slot for said wire and, from the first configuration, are configurable by rotating the bolt to a second configuration, wherein the jaws are relatively proximal to one another to grip said wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Inventors: Robert T. Ritchie, John Robert Davies
  • Patent number: 4990967
    Abstract: An electrophotographic copying apparatus includes a multi-function document feeder for feeding original document sheets to a platen viewing station for copying. The document feeder selectively provides (1) semiautomatic document feeding (SADF), (2) automatic document feeding (ADF), (3) recirculating automatic document feeding (RADF), and (4) manual placement of a document on the platen. A multi-function output copy module is provided for holding copies produced by the copying apparatus. The output module proivdes (1) a collator section comprising a vertical stack of collator bins, the unobstructed top bin of which also comprises (2) an exit tray, and (3) a large capacity exit bin that is located under the bottom one of the collator bins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 5, 1991
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Donald F. Colglazier, James H. Hubbard, Michael L. Morris, Robert T. Ritchie
  • Patent number: 4266231
    Abstract: During the startup and/or shutdown cycle of an ink jet printer, a movable probe in the form of a thin hollow tube, is inserted into the flight path of the ink droplets. The tube is normally positioned relative to the droplets flight path. At the shutdown cycle, the charge electrode is removed from the vicinity of the jet streams. The undeflected droplets are caught by the hollow tube. The tube is then moved to a position next to the nozzle plate. The ink jet printer head may then be turned off and all ink is caught in the tube. At startup the sequence is reversed until the tube is back at its normal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1981
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corp.
    Inventors: Gary A. Drago, Arthur L. Mix, Jr., Robert T. Ritchie
  • Patent number: 4202542
    Abstract: A low inertia rotary drum supports sheets of paper of different sizes for transport and processing. The drum has a plurality of leading edge ports formed in its surface along the length of the drum. A vacuum is selectively applied to one or more of the ports in accordance with the dimension of the paper in the direction of the length of the drum. The drum has a plurality of sets of trailing edge ports formed in its surface with each of the sets being disposed a predetermined arcuate distance from the set of leading edge ports in accordance with the other dimension of the paper. Each set of trailing edge ports has the ports arranged longitudinally along the drum and parallel to the set of leading edge ports. Only one set of trailing edge ports extends for the same length as the set of the leading edge ports. One of the sets of the trailing edge ports has a vacuum applied thereto with the same number of ports of the trailing edge set having the vacuum applied thereto as the number of the leading edge ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1980
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald B. Lammers, Robert T. Ritchie