Patents by Inventor Ronald H. Ball

Ronald H. Ball 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: 7951254
    Abstract: A film bearing advertising can be applied to a moving handrail for a set period of time. The film bearing the advertising can include a first film layer and a first layer of adhesive on the underside of the first film layer, the film being generally elongated and having a width corresponding to a width of the moving handrail. The film can be aligned and adhered, continuously and progressively, to the handrail. The advertising can include a pattern repeated at regular intervals along the length of the film. The advertising can include at least one of text, images and logos. After the set period of time, the film can be removed. After removing the film, the surface of the handrail can be cleaned. A second film bearing second advertising can be applied for a second set period of time. First and second advertisers can be charged different advertising rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: EHC Canada, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald H. Ball, Jeno Eppel, John McLeod
  • Publication number: 20100088183
    Abstract: A film bearing advertising can be applied to a moving handrail for a set period of time. The film bearing the advertising can include a first film layer and a first layer of adhesive on the underside of the first film layer, the film being generally elongated and having a width corresponding to a width of the moving handrail. The film can be aligned and adhered, continuously and progressively, to the handrail. The advertising can include a pattern repeated at regular intervals along the length of the film. The advertising can include at least one of text, images and logos. After the set period of time, the film can be removed. After removing the film, the surface of the handrail can be cleaned. A second film bearing second advertising can be applied for a second set period of time. First and second advertisers can be charged different advertising rates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Inventors: Ronald H. Ball, Jeno Eppel, John McLeod
  • Patent number: 6237740
    Abstract: A moving handrail construction, for escalators, moving walkways and other transportation apparatus has a handrail having a generally C-shaped cross-section and defining an internal generally T-shaped slot. The handrail is formed by extrusion and comprises a first layer of thermoplastic material extending around the T-shaped slot. A second layer of thermoplastic material extends around the outside of the first layer and defines the exterior profile of the handrail. A slider layer lines the T-shaped slot and is bonded to the first layer. A stretch inhibitor extends within the first layer. The first layer is formed from a harder thermoplastic than the second layer, and this has been found to give improved properties to the lip and improved drive characteristics on linear drives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Inventors: Douglas J. Weatherall, Andrew O. Kenny, Ronald H. Ball, Stuart A. Caunce
  • Patent number: 6086806
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for forming a joint in an elongate article formed from a thermoplastic material, for example an escalator handrail or a conveyor belt, which also includes a plurality of reinforcing cables and a slider fabric. End parts of the article are held in a mold and heated to remelt the material. Portions adjacent the end parts are chilled, at ends of the mold, to prevent remelting. The molten end parts then fuse, and the molten joint is then cooled to resolidify the material and form the joint. With reinforcing cables being present, these can be cut into an interlace pattern, which advantageously is provided in just a layer of the article rather than extending through the full depth of the article. A top layer can then be replaced by a separate top cap of the material of the body of the article. Where a slider is present, to provide an effective interlacing effect, a bottom layer or portion of a handrail is cut at an inclined angle, to form an inclined joint in the slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Ronald H. Ball
    Inventors: Douglas J. Weatherall, Andrew O. Kenny, Ronald H. Ball, A. Stuart Caunce, David S. Ball
  • Patent number: 5255772
    Abstract: An improved handrail construction is provided. Normal handrail for use on escalators moving walkways and the like have a C-shaped cross-section with a stretch inhibitor extending longitudinally of the handrail to maintain dimensional stability of the handrail during use. Multiple plies of reinforcing fabric are also located in the handrail where both the stretch inhibitor and multiple plies are molded in a rubber composition to provide the completed handrail. The improvement which provides increased lateral stiffness, dimensional stability and greater lip strength, comprises two spaced apart plies of reinforcing woven fabric orientated to have stiff principal yarns extending perpendicular to the stretch inhibitor. The two spaced apart plies are interconnected by a rubber composition which has a higher strength in terms of stiffness, hardness and viscosity than the normal rubber composition used to encase the fabric plies and stretch inhibitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1993
    Assignee: Escalator Handrail Company
    Inventors: Ronald H. Ball, A. Stuart Caunce
  • Patent number: 4453910
    Abstract: The present invention discloses portable apparatus for heating and molding flexible elastomeric handrails having internal core conforming to the internal surface of the handrail and a flexible sheet which can be fitted over the handrail and conforming to the external surface. The device has electrical heating elements which raise the temperature to the necessary vulcanizing or molding temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1983
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1984
    Inventor: Ronald H. Ball