Patents by Inventor Steven C. Gates

Steven C. Gates 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: 20100270313
    Abstract: An open-topped paint tray includes an upwardly-opening paint-retaining cavity defined by a pair of sidewalls, a pair of end walls, and an imperforate bottom wall. The cavity includes a main cavity with an arcuate bottom wall and a secondary cavity having a straight, downwardly inclined bottom wall. A hollow stiffening rib having a gradual ā€œSā€ shape is formed integrally with the paint tray bottom wall and enables a user to hold the paint tray in one hand. A roller cover wash shield releasably engages the paint tray and defines a downwardly-opening cavity that together with the upwardly-opening paint retaining cavity provides a primary cavity for cleaning a paint roller cover. A flap formed in the roller cover wash shield admits a wand having a nozzle that spins and cleans a paint roller cover, positioned within the primary cavity, with water under pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Inventors: Steven C. Gates, Brian Santos
  • Patent number: 6386411
    Abstract: A boat support apparatus includes a hitch member adapted to be secured in cantilevered relation to a trailer hitch of a vehicle. A center bar extends longitudinally from the hitch member and provides the base for the apparatus. A pair of transversely opposed front vertical supports and a pair of transversely opposed rear vertical supports are mounted in longitudinally spaced apart relation relative to one another on a pair of longitudinally extending, transversely spaced apart support beams. The support beams are connected in parallel relation to the center bar by transversely disposed cross supports that are supported at their respective mid-points by the center bar. The forward vertical supports have upper ends disposed at a higher elevation than upper ends of the rear vertical supports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Inventors: Steven C. Gates, Richard H. Gates
  • Patent number: 5797410
    Abstract: A new clear view wash shield for washing a paint roller and permitting viewing of the washing operation. The inventive device includes first and second transparent shield halves, with each half having a generally flat portion and a semi-cylindrical raised portion within each flat portion. The raised portions form a cylindrical housing for a paint roller when the shield halves are connected together. One of the semi-cylindrical raised portions includes a flexible water inlet flap thereon through which water from a spray nozzle is introduced into the cylindrical housing. The shield halves include interfitting projections and grooves for connecting the shield halves together, and each shield half includes a semi-cylindrical handle portion. The handle portions form a handle housing for enclosing the handle of the paint roller when the shield halves are connected together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1998
    Inventor: Steven C. Gates
  • Patent number: D643221
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Crystal Ball Productions, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven C. Gates, Brian Santos
  • Patent number: D644030
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Crystal Ball Productions, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven C. Gates, Brian Santos