Patents by Inventor Thomas A. Mefferd

Thomas A. Mefferd 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: 8869335
    Abstract: A gangway comprises at least one component formed from a continuous piece of metal. The at least one component formed from the continuous piece of metal may be a support structure or an underbody, a platform, a ramp, a step, or other support surface. A method for manufacturing such a gangway comprises forming the at least one component from the continuous piece of metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Safe Rack LLC
    Inventors: Robert W. Honeycutt, Thomas A. Mefferd
  • Patent number: 8782838
    Abstract: Uprights and lateral or connecting posts to be used in conjunction with a gangway or other fall restraint equipment where the uprights and posts are created by cutting portions of integral, continuous pieces of tubular metal rather than welding smaller pieces of stock material together. Sidepost assemblies or handrails are created by connecting the uprights and posts together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Safe Rack, LLC
    Inventors: Robert W. Honeycutt, Thomas A. Mefferd
  • Patent number: 8261393
    Abstract: A post to be used in conjunction with a gangway or other fall restraint equipment where the post defines an aperture having an upper portion and a lower portion such that the upper portion is configured to allow a link of a chain to pass there through while the lower portion allows the link to pass through in one orientation but prevents the link from passing through in a second orientation traverse to the first orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Saferack, LLC
    Inventors: Robert W. Honeycutt, Thomas A. Mefferd
  • Publication number: 20110225794
    Abstract: A gangway comprises at least one component formed from a continuous piece of metal. The at least one component formed from the continuous piece of metal may be a support structure or an underbody, a platform, a ramp, a step, or other support surface. A method for manufacturing such a gangway comprises forming the at least one component from the continuous piece of metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: SAFE RACK LLC
    Inventors: Robert W. Honeycutt, Thomas A. Mefferd
  • Patent number: 7950095
    Abstract: A gangway comprises at least one component formed from a continuous piece of metal. The at least one component formed from the continuous piece of metal may be a support structure or an underbody, a platform, a ramp, a step, or other support surface. A method for manufacturing such a gangway comprises forming the at least one component from the continuous piece of metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Safe Rack LLC
    Inventors: Robert W. Honeycutt, Thomas A. Mefferd
  • Publication number: 20100031456
    Abstract: A post to be used in conjunction with a gangway or other fall restraint equipment where the post defines an aperture having an upper portion and a lower portion such that the upper portion is configured to allow a link of a chain to pass there through while the lower portion allows the link to pass through in one orientation but prevents the link from passing through in a second orientation traverse to the first orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Inventors: Robert W. Honeycutt, Thomas A. Mefferd
  • Publication number: 20100031455
    Abstract: Uprights and lateral or connecting posts to be used in conjunction with a gangway or other fall restraint equipment where the uprights and posts are created by cutting portions of integral, continuous pieces of tubular metal rather than welding smaller pieces of stock material together. Sidepost assemblies or handrails are created by connecting the uprights and posts together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Inventors: Robert W. Honeycutt, Thomas A. Mefferd
  • Publication number: 20090144916
    Abstract: A gangway comprises at least one component formed from a continuous piece of metal. The at least one component formed from the continuous piece of metal may be a support structure or an underbody, a platform, a ramp, a step, or other support surface. A method for manufacturing such a gangway comprises forming the at least one component from the continuous piece of metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: SAFERACK, LLC
    Inventors: Robert W. Honeycutt, Thomas A. Mefferd
  • Patent number: 5556077
    Abstract: An air lifting and balancing unit including a cylinder, a piston in the cylinder, a ball screw affixed to the piston, a ball nut mounted for rotation on the ball screw, a drum mounted on the ball nut, a chain driven by the drum, and centrifugally actuated brakes mounted on the drum for stopping rotation of the drum when the drum exceeds a predetermined acceleration either due to a loss of load or to a loss of air pressure applied to the piston, and a pneumatic circuit in communication with the cylinder for providing air pressure thereto which applies a force on the piston which is at a substantially constant incremental value in opposition to the force exerted by the load applied to the piston through the chain and the drum and the ball screw regardless of variations in said air pressure to thereby cause the speed of the chain to remain substantially constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: Columbus McKinnon Corporation
    Inventors: Robert O. Braesch, Peter L. Hong, Thomas A. Mefferd, Michael D. Olson
  • Patent number: 5520368
    Abstract: An air lifting and balancing unit including a cylinder, a piston in the cylinder, a ball screw affixed to the piston, a ball nut mounted for rotation on the ball screw, a drum mounted on the ball nut, a chain driven by the drum, and centrifugally actuated brakes mounted on the drum for stopping rotation of the drum when the drum exceeds a predetermined acceleration either due to a loss of load or to a loss of air pressure applied to the piston, and a pneumatic circuit in communication with the cylinder for providing air pressure thereto which applies a force on the piston which is at a substantially constant incremental value in opposition to the force exerted by the load applied to the piston through the chain and the drum and the ball screw regardless of variations in said air pressure to thereby cause the speed of the chain to remain substantially constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1996
    Assignee: Columbus McKinnon Corporation
    Inventors: Robert O. Braesch, Thomas A. Mefferd, Michael D. Olson
  • Patent number: 5517821
    Abstract: An air lifting and balancing unit including a cylinder, a piston in the cylinder, a ball screw affixed to the piston, a ball nut mounted for rotation on the ball screw, a drum mounted on the ball nut, a chain driven by the drum, and centrifugally actuated brakes mounted on the drum for stopping rotation of the drum when the drum exceeds a predetermined acceleration either due to a loss of load or to a loss of air pressure applied to the piston, and a pneumatic circuit in communication with the cylinder for providing air pressure thereto which applies a force on the piston which is at a substantially constant incremental value in opposition to the force exerted by the load applied to the piston through the chain and the drum and the ball screw regardless of variations in said air pressure to thereby cause the speed of the chain to remain substantially constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1996
    Assignee: Columbus McKinnon Corporation
    Inventors: Robert O. Braesch, Peter L. Hong, Thomas A. Mefferd, Michael D. Olson
  • Patent number: 5479787
    Abstract: An air-conditioned booth for accommodating a small number of people. The air-conditioned booth includes a transparent wall structure extending from a base to a top and enclosing an interior space. The booth includes a duct system and connected air conditioner for cooling air and directing the cooled air into the interior space of the booth. A damper system is operatively connected with the duct system and is positionable to place the booth in a non-cooling mode and a cooling mode. Air cooled by the air conditioner is directed to the ambient air surrounding the booth by the damper system when the booth is in the non-cooling mode and air cooled by the air conditioner is directed into the interior space of the booth when the booth is in the cooling mode. A vending unit is operatively connected to the damper system and controls the damper system to place the booth from the non-cooling mode to the cooling mode in response to the input of currency into the vending unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1996
    Assignee: Steven B. Carter
    Inventors: Steven B. Carter, Thomas A. Mefferd
  • Patent number: 5439200
    Abstract: An air lifting and balancing unit including a cylinder, a piston in the cylinder, a ball screw affixed to the piston, a ball nut mounted for rotation on the ball screw, a drum mounted on the ball nut, a chain driven by the drum, and centrifugally actuated brakes mounted on the drum for stopping rotation of the drum when the drum exceeds a predetermined acceleration either due to a loss of load or to a loss of air pressure applied to the piston, and a pneumatic circuit in communication with the cylinder for providing air pressure thereto which applies a force on the piston which is at a substantially constant incremental value in opposition to the force exerted by the load applied to the piston through the chain and the drum and the ball screw regardless of variations in said air pressure to thereby cause the speed of the chain to remain substantially constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1995
    Assignee: Columbus McKinnon Corporation
    Inventors: Robert O. Braesch, Peter L. Hong, Thomas A. Mefferd, Michael D. Olson
  • Patent number: D254608
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1980
    Assignee: Mefferd Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul S. Mefferd, Thomas A. Mefferd