Patents by Inventor Thomas J. Repplinger

Thomas J. Repplinger 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: 4403764
    Abstract: An improved method for precision control of a wide variety of work material liquids and an improved pinch valve incorporating that method is disclosed. The method involves constricting a discrete site on a resilient tube having liquids flowing therethrough to pinch off flow, then moving the constriction upstream to maintain flow stoppage and create a partial vacuum to cause positive suck back, the distance the constriction is moved being selectively determinable to selectively adjust suck back. An apparatus for practicing the method comprises an external roller shutoff member which is movable in a direction to intersect with and then move counter to work material flow within a resilient tube to compress the tube against a ramp and gives positive repeatable shutoff of the flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1983
    Assignee: Otto Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas J. Repplinger
  • Patent number: 4215257
    Abstract: A toggle switch includes a double-pivoting actuator for alternately actuating at least a pair of switches and a pivotable toggle lever having detents for maintaining the toggle lever in one or more positions. The toggle lever includes a spherically shaped pivot portion which is provided with a pair of flat surfaces for preventing rotation of the toggle lever about its longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1980
    Assignee: Otto Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas J. Repplinger
  • Patent number: 4145590
    Abstract: An electrical switch apparatus includes at least a pair of electrical switches and an actuating mechanism for sequentially actuating the switches. Each of the switches includes a push button which is movable between first and second positions, and the actuating mechanism includes an actuator which is movable between a first position, at least one intermediate position, and a third position. The actuator includes a cam for each of the push buttons. One of the cams is engageable with one of the push buttons to move the push button to its second position as the actuator moves to an intermediate position, and the other cam is engageable with the other push button to move the push button to its second position as the actuator moves to its third position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1979
    Assignee: Otto Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas J. Repplinger
  • Patent number: 3995365
    Abstract: A method of forming an electrical contact in an electrical component includes the steps of punching an opening in the electrical component, moving a strip of contact material over the electrical component, shearing a piece of contact material from the strip and inserting it into the opening, and forming the piece into a contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1975
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1976
    Assignee: Otto Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas J. Repplinger