Patents by Inventor Steven J. Benda

Steven J. Benda 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: 5823023
    Abstract: An air regulator valve has a knob which is slidable between a locked position in which it engages teeth on the end of a valve bushing and an unlocked position in which it can be rotated about the valve bushing to rotate the valve shaft. A lock tab is fastened to the end of the shaft and extends through an opening in the knob. The knob is locked in the down position by passing a padlock shackle through an opening in the lock tab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Brady USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven J. Benda
  • Patent number: 5500495
    Abstract: A device particularly suited for blocking access and locking out a circuit breaker or other switch of the type having a solid stem without holes, which includes a base having an opening for positioning on the switch base and receiving the switch stem, a clamping member, and a thumb screw for operation with the clamping member to clamp the device onto the switch stem to immobilize it. The device further includes a cover which is pivoted over a structure forming an aperture for receiving a lock shackle, the cover blocking operation of the thumb screw when the lock shackle is positioned and secured in said aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1996
    Assignee: Brady USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven J. Benda, John P. Pearson
  • Patent number: 5415017
    Abstract: A valve lock has a body and a moveable jaw for releasably gripping a lever handle of the valve against the body. The jaw has a threaded shaft that extends through a hole in the body, and a locking cleat is slidable on the threaded shaft. An arm is attached to the shaft between the body and the locking cleat, and is rotatable about the shaft to abut either the valve or a pipe connected to the valve. A hand wheel is threaded onto the shaft and can be tightened against the locking cleat which then forces the arm against the body to inhibit rotation of the arm about the shaft. The locking cleat has an aperture for receiving the shackle of a padlock, and the hand wheel has a plurality of notches in an exterior surface with one of the notches receiving the shackle to restrict movement of the wheel along the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1995
    Assignee: Brady USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven J. Benda, John P. Pearson, Daniel A. Page
  • Patent number: 5353472
    Abstract: A main member of soft plastic material and a second member of hard plastic material, chemically compatible and thermally bonded together. The second member is partially slitted having a ring element embedded in the main member, and segments distributed circumferentially around the ring. The segments can be swung radially to facilitate insertion into a hole, and they spring outwardly to grip the panel in which the grommet is mounted. In one form the second member is entirely slitted, and thereby made up of separate segments or fingers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1994
    Inventors: Steven J. Benda, James H. Benda, Gary Thompson
  • Patent number: 5322980
    Abstract: A single, molded one-piece member, having a bottom recess for receiving the levers of a plurality of switches, on which a tie bar is mounted. The member is flexed to spread the walls of the recess, and when it is released, a locking lug moves under the tie bar, holding the lock out in place. A tie wrap is placed under the tie bar and around the adjacent elements of the member locking the member in place. A first form has two such recesses, of different sizes. An alternate form has a single recess, and a cover which is closed down over the base, enclosing the tie wrap. An auxiliary lock can be used for locking the cover. A supplementary locking element may be selectively placed in the recess for accommodating switch levers of different sizes. Another form includes a thumb screw adjustment means for positively holding the locking lug under the tie bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1994
    Inventor: Steven J. Benda
  • Patent number: 5300740
    Abstract: Separate parts slidably fitted together, that have opposed and interfacing cavity surfaces forming a cavity therebetween. The device is fitted to ganged switches, with the switch levers, and tie bar, positioned in the cavity. a screw draws the parts together, with the cavity surfaces that form the cavity, gripping the switch levers and bar therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1994
    Inventor: Steven J. Benda
  • Patent number: 5260528
    Abstract: A single, one-piece molded plastic article that includes a base and cover on opposite sides of hinge means, for a wall switch, and for a wall socket, both of the kind having a cover plate held on by a screw. The base is secured to the cover plate of the switch by the same screw holding the cover plate itself. The device includes three forms. a) A first form has a hole in the base and in the cover, the cover closing down on the base, with the actuating lever of the switch extending through those holes, and the actuating lever is thereby held against movement. b) The base has apertured lugs with locking holes therethrough, that are extended through the holes in the base and cover; supplementary locking means is positioned in those apertures. c) For use with a wall socket, the base has insulating prongs extended into the socket, and the base and cover have locking lugs for cooperating with supplementary locking means when the cover is in closing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1993
    Inventor: Steven J. Benda
  • Patent number: 5256838
    Abstract: A slide element has legs springable toward and from each other, the legs having pins on their mutually opposed inner surfaces insertable into a hole in the switch actuating lever. The slide element extends longitudinally of the lever, and therebeyond. A blocking element fits over the slide element, and locks it in place, on the lever, and holds it immovably within the blocking element. The blocking element reacts with elements of the switch to hold itself in place, and thus hold the switch lever in position. One form of the device includes a locking lever for mechanically forcing the blocking element down against the switch into blocking position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1993
    Inventor: Steven J. Benda
  • Patent number: 5207315
    Abstract: A one-piece integral molded plastic article, includes a pair of main parts hinged together, which enclose the actuating element of the circuit breaker and holds it against movement. One form is for push-pull type circuit breakers. Another form includes soft inserts which grip the actuating element and hold it. Another form includes a separate cap which is applied semi-permanently to the actuating members. Latching means latches the main parts together, which hold them in normally latched position, and a padlock locks them together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Inventor: Steven J. Benda
  • Patent number: 5207590
    Abstract: A blocking member and a clamp as separate members, each a single, one-piece article. The blocking member has a canister form blocking element positionable in the clip which normally holds the fuse, and an arm extending therefrom. The blocking member also has fingers extending longitudinally of the canister to engage with the fuse clip, thus preventing vertical movement of the blocking member out of the fuse clip. The clamp is slidably fitted on the arm and moved to a locking position in which it prevents horizontal movement of the blocking element from the fuse clip. The arm and the clamp have holes that are aligned when the clamp is in locking position, for receiving an external locking means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Inventor: Steven J. Benda
  • Patent number: 5122624
    Abstract: A one-piece molded plastic item, having an original and unfolded condition, and foldable into the double condition, and having ribs and channels on one surface in the unfolded condition which interface in the folded condition and form recesses for receiving the actuating lever of a switch. It has locking pins entering into holes in the switch lever. The recess is at an angle corresponding to that of the switch lever, and a binding effect is produced between the recess and switch lever. The folded halves of the item produce a self-locking effect. A second form can be applied to a plurality of side-by-side switches, but is not folded but receives the switch levers in recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Inventor: Steven J. Benda
  • Patent number: 4669794
    Abstract: A single integral molded red plastic article, of star shape, having a central body portion with radiating arms at the ends of which are blocking elements of cylindrical shape. The blocking elements are of different sizes. In use, a selected one the blocking elements is pushed into one of the pair of fuse clips, after the fuse is removed. The selected blocking element is so selected according to the size of the fuse clip. The remaining blocking elements extend outwardly and serve as a grip for handling the article, and as a visual signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1987
    Inventor: Steven J. Benda
  • Patent number: 4552345
    Abstract: Wood clamp apparatus for preventing the bowing of wood stock during the process of joining a plurality of wood strips including an underlying support for supporting a plurality of longitudinally extending strips of wood which are supported thereon, a pair of clamping blocks, and mechanism mounting one of the clamping blocks for movement toward and away from the other of the clamping blocks to exert edgewise pressure on the strips and clamp the plurality of board strips therebetween, and anti-bowing mechanism for precluding the upward bowing of the strips out of the plane of the strips, when the clamping blocks are in the clamping position, including laterally extending hold-down mechanism spanning the upper surfaces of the strips, and mechanism coupled to the clamps for vertically moving the hold-down mechanism between a raised position for vertically moving the clamping mechanism between a raised inoperative position and a lowered strip-clamping position, for exerting downward pressure on the strips to clamp
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1985
    Inventors: Steven J. Benda, George M. Kivisto, Paul M. Kivisto