Patents by Inventor Rocky E. Neeley

Rocky E. Neeley 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: 6382001
    Abstract: A locking device for use in connection with an energy controlling apparatus, such as a valve, or regulator, to prevent unauthorized persons from changing the position of a rotatable shaft of the apparatus that controls the amount of energy that flows through the apparatus. The locking device includes a handle used to manually set the position of the shaft. It also includes a gear that is rotatably mounted in the handle and is fixed to the shaft of the apparatus. A first locking mechanism carried by the handle mechanically and selectively couples the handle and the gear through a key access to the lock. A spring-biased ratchet mechanism may be provided to permit rotation of the shaft in one direction only. A personal locking mechanism with only a single key is selectively lockable to the handle so that in the locked position it prevents access to the first locking mechanism. An alternative locking mechanism selectively couples the handle and the gear through a keyless access to the lock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Neelchine Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Rocky E. Neeley, James N. Lane
  • Patent number: 6324877
    Abstract: A locking device for use in connection with an energy controlling apparatus, such as a valve, or regulator, to prevent unauthorized persons from changing the position of a rotatable shaft of the apparatus that controls the amount of energy that flows through the apparatus. The locking device includes a handle used to manually set the position of the shaft. It also includes a gear that is rotatably mounted in the handle and is fixed to the shaft of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Neelchine Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Rocky E. Neeley
  • Publication number: 20010027666
    Abstract: A locking device for use in connection with an energy controlling apparatus, such as a valve, or regulator, to prevent unauthorized persons from changing the position of a rotatable shaft of the apparatus that controls the amount of energy that flows through the apparatus. The locking device includes a handle used to manually set the position of the shaft. It also includes a gear that is rotatably mounted in the handle and is fixed to the shaft of the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2001
    Publication date: October 11, 2001
    Inventor: Rocky E. Neeley
  • Patent number: 6209365
    Abstract: A lockout device to prevent tampering with the manually set position of a valve or regulator or other device having a rotatable shaft for adjusting, for example, the flow of fluid through the device, from a position intially set to some other position. The lockout device is usable with a wide range of standard valves and regulators which have a drive stem and includes a drive gear that engages the drive stem and a key locking device mounted in a generally cylindrical handle of the lockout device and being selectively movable from a first position in which the handle free-wheels relative to the drive stem of the valve so as to prevent unauthorized moving of the rotational position of the valve stem by any person not having a key to an engaging position in which the handle is locked to the drive stem to permit ordinary rotational movement and setting of the valve stem position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Neelchine Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Rocky E. Neeley
  • Patent number: 6205826
    Abstract: A lockout device to prevent tampering with the manually set position of a valve or regulator or other device having a rotatable shaft for adjusting, for example, the flow of fluid through the device, from a position initially set to some other position. The lockout device is usable with a wide range of standard valves and regulators which have a drive stem and includes a drive gear that engages the drive stem and includes a drive gear that engages the drive stem and a key locking device mounted in a generally cylindrical handle of the lockout device and being selectively movable from a first position in which the handle free-wheels relative to the drive stem of the valve so as to prevent unauthorized moving of the rotational position of the valve stem by any person not having a key to an engaging position in which the handle is locked to the drive stem to permit ordinary rotational movement and setting of the valve stem position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Neelchine Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Rocky E. Neeley
  • Patent number: 6070442
    Abstract: A locking device for use in connection with an energy controlling apparatus, such as a valve, or regulator, to prevent unauthorized persons from changing the position of a rotatable shaft of the apparatus that controls the amount of energy that flows through the apparatus. The locking device includes a handle used to manually set the position of the shaft. It also includes a gear that is rotatably mounted in the handle and is fixed to the shaft of the apparatus. A first locking mechanism carried by the handle mechanically and selectively couples the handle and the gear through a key access to the lock. A spring-biased ratchet mechanism may be provided to permit rotation of the shaft in one direction only. A personal locking mechanism with only a single key is selectively lockable to the handle so that in the locked position it prevents access to the first locking mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Neelchine Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Rocky E. Neeley, James N. Lane
  • Patent number: 6038893
    Abstract: A locking device for use in connection with an energy controlling apparatus, such as a valve, or regulator, to prevent unauthorized persons from changing the position of a rotatable shaft of the apparatus that controls the amount of energy that flows through the apparatus. The locking device includes a handle used to manually set the position of the shaft. It also includes a gear that is rotatably mounted in the handle and is fixed to the shaft of the apparatus. A first locking mechanism carried by the handle mechanically and selectively couples the handle and the gear through a key access to the lock. A spring-biased ratchet mechanism may be provided to permit rotation of the shaft in one direction only. A personal locking mechanism with only a single key is selectively lockable to the handle so that in the locked position it prevents access to the first locking mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: Neelchine Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Rocky E. Neeley, James N. Lane
  • Patent number: 5950462
    Abstract: A lockout device to prevent tampering with the manually set position of a valve or regulator or other device having a rotatable shaft for adjusting, for example, the flow of fluid through the device, from a position initially set to some other position. The lockout device is usable with a wide range of standard valves and regulators which have a drive stem and includes a drive gear that engages the drive stem and a key locking device mounted in a generally cylindrical handle of the lockout device and being selectively movable from a first position in which the handle free-wheels relative to the drive stem of the valve so as to prevent unauthorized moving of the rotational position of the valve stem by any person not having a key to an engaging position in which the handle is locked to the drive stem to permit ordinary rotational movement and setting of the valve stem position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: Neelchine Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Rocky E. Neeley
  • Patent number: 5664447
    Abstract: A lockout device to prevent tampering with the manually set position of a valve or regulator or other device having a rotatable shaft for adjusting, for example, the flow of fluid through the device, from a position initially set to some other position. The lockout device is usable with a wide range of standard valves and regulators which have a drive stem and includes a drive gear that engages the drive stem and a key locking device mounted in a generally cylindrical handle of the lockout device and being selectively movable from a first position in which the handle free-wheels relative to the drive stem of the valve so as to prevent unauthorized moving of the rotational position of the valve stem by any person not having a key to an engaging position in which the handle is locked to the drive stem to permit ordinary rotational movement and setting of the valve stem position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Inventor: Rocky E. Neeley