Patents by Inventor William E. Adams

William E. Adams 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: 6644836
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for hanging rope lights on a gutter. The light holder has a spiral that fits over the lip of a gutter and a hook at an opposite end sized to receive a rope light. The body is shaped so that the hook is opposite a curved portion of the front wall of the gutter, at the intersection of the front wall and the bottom of the gutter or below the bottom of the gutter. Curved sections may be provided on the body between the hook and the spiral to receive additional rope lights. A hook may be provided to mount rope lights above the top lip of the gutter or adjacent the flat portion at the top of the gutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Adams Mfg. Corp.
    Inventor: William E. Adams
  • Patent number: 6641895
    Abstract: A decorative magnet has a plastic body with at least one magnet heat staked to the back of the body. The body has at least one opening extending through the body from the front face to the back and a stake extending from the back of the body. An insert has a first portion within the at least one opening and a second portion extending from the first portion. The second portion rests against the back of the body and prevents the insert from completely passing through the opening. A portion of the magnet covers at least a portion of the insert thereby retaining the insert within the opening or openings in the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Adams Mfg. Corp.
    Inventor: William E. Adams
  • Publication number: 20030198054
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for hanging rope lights on a gutter. The light holder has a spiral that fits over the lip of a gutter and a hook at an opposite end sized to receive a rope light. The body is shaped so that the hook is opposite a curved portion of the front wall of the gutter, at the intersection of the front wall and the bottom of the gutter or below the bottom of the gutter. Curved sections may be provided on the body between the hook and the spiral to receive additional rope lights. A hook may be provided to mount rope lights above the top lip of the gutter or adjacent the flat portion at the top of the gutter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Publication date: October 23, 2003
    Inventor: William E. Adams
  • Publication number: 20030184132
    Abstract: A molded resin folding chair having a pair of uprights generally parallel to and spaced apart from each other being connected by at least one cross piece forming a backrest. At least a portion of each upright has a generally C-shaped channel. A seat has a rear portion and opposite sides thereof provided with a tab that is slidably engaged in the C-shaped channel of a respective upright. A pair of struts each have an upper end rotatably attached to the seat and a medial region rotatably attached to respective uprights. The folding chair is folded by sliding the rear of the seat upwards, causing the front portion to move downwards, via the tabs sliding in the C-shaped channels. The struts rotate about the rotatable attachments to the seat and uprights, such that the uprights, struts and the seat fold as flat as possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2002
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Inventors: William E. Adams, Matthew W. Goodworth
  • Publication number: 20030172854
    Abstract: A folding table including a base member and first and second table top portions that are pivotably connected to the base with two first and two second arm members. In one embodiment, the folding table may include at least one rod member connected to and extending between the two first arm members. It may also include at least one rib attached to the table top and sized to engage the rod member when the table is in its assembled position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Inventor: William E. Adams
  • Publication number: 20030081409
    Abstract: A decorative light holder has a decorative shape, is made of a translucent material and has at least three substantially parallel reflective surfaces. A portion of light striking each surface is reflected and another portion of that light passes through the light holder. This structure provides a pleasing appearance in which areas of one side of the light holder appear to be darker than other areas of the same side. The corresponding areas on the opposite side of the light holder also appear to be lighter and darker but the area that was lighter on one side is darker on the opposite side and the area that was darker on one side is lighter on the opposite side. When made of two injection molded pieces, each piece is made of a different color plastic, enhancing the pleasing appearance of the holder. Preferably the surfaces on at least one side are textured, such as with a prismatic structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Inventors: William E. Adams, Matthew H. French
  • Patent number: 6543905
    Abstract: A decorative light holder has a decorative shape, is made of a translucent material and has at least three substantially parallel reflective surfaces. A portion of light striking each surface is reflected and another portion of that light passes through the light holder. This structure provides a pleasing appearance in which areas of one side of the light holder appear to be darker than other areas of the same side. The corresponding areas on the opposite side of the light holder also appear to be lighter and darker but the area that was lighter on one side is darker on the opposite side and the area that was darker on one side is lighter on the opposite side. When made of two injection molded pieces, each piece is made of a different color plastic, enhancing the pleasing appearance of the holder. Preferably the surfaces on at least one side are textured, such as with a prismatic structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Adams Mfg. Corp.
    Inventors: William E. Adams, Matthew H. French
  • Patent number: 6497498
    Abstract: A kit for making decorative lawn ornaments has a set of rods and rod connectors that enable the rods to be connected together to form two dimensional shapes and three-dimensional structures. The rod connectors permit two rods to be connected end to end collinearly or to connect two or more rods together at a selected angle between pairs of connected rods. Light holders are also provided to enable strings of decorative lights to be attached to the rods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: Adams Mfg. Corp.
    Inventor: William E. Adams
  • Patent number: 6497396
    Abstract: A fastening device for supporting various objects on a brick wall, block wall, tile wall or a wall having grooves therein, wherein the fastening device may comprise a clip member and a mounting member, wherein the clip member has a first arm portion, a second arm portion, an intermediate portion and a biasing mechanism, and wherein the mounting member extends downward from the clip member and may take the form of an S-shaped hook member. Alternatively, the mounting member may include a cam member. The fastening device may also be provided with a plurality of tangs on the exterior of the clip member and a living hinge that connects the first and second arm portions of the clip member. To accommodate different sizes of mortar joints the clip member may include a notch that allows for the alteration of the clip member to fit within different sizes of mortar joints. Another embodiment may include a second mounting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: Adams Manufacturing Corp.
    Inventor: William E. Adams
  • Patent number: 6491271
    Abstract: A magnetic hook, jaw-type clip or spring clip has a rectangular housing containing magnets. A conventional hook or clip is attached to the housing. A finger tab extends from one edge or wall of the housing. When a user desires to remove the magnetic hook from a mounting surface he or she places a fingertip on a curved portion of the finger tab causing the upper edge of the magnetic hook to move away from the mounting surface. This results in a pivoting action forcing the magnetic hook away from the mounting surface with little or no sliding. A flexible fin may be adjacent the magnets and extend slightly beyond the housing. When the magnet is placed against a metal surface the flexible fin will bend to a smaller height and bear against the metal surface thereby improving the load carrying capacity of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Adams Mfg. Corp.
    Inventor: William E. Adams
  • Publication number: 20020178685
    Abstract: A construction element has at least one coupling device and the coupling device has at least two prongs. Each prong is comprised of two radially extending mating surfaces which frictionally engage the radially extending surfaces of a mating coupling device. The construction device may have a straight shaft or an angled shaft to accommodate the needs of the user and, furthermore, the prongs of a coupling device may be inserted within mateable apertures in the shaft of another construction element. Using a plurality of such construction elements, a lattice frame may be constructed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Inventor: William E. Adams
  • Publication number: 20020163806
    Abstract: A kit for making decorative lawn ornaments has a set of rods and rod connectors that enable the rods to be connected together to form two dimensional shapes and three-dimensional structures. The rod connectors permit two rods to be connected end to end collinearly or to connect two pr more rods together at a selected angle between pairs of connected rods. Light holders are also provided to enable strings of decorative lights to be attached to the rods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2001
    Publication date: November 7, 2002
    Inventor: William E. Adams
  • Patent number: 6443074
    Abstract: A table having a base including legs, first and second table top portions that form a table top surface when the table is in the assembled position, and pivotable connectors that connect the first and second table top portions to the base. The pivotable connectors allow for the first and second table top portions and the legs to collapse into a vertical position such that the table can be easily stored and carried. The table top is supported when it is in assembled position by a variety of devices such that the table top will not flex or deform. Pivotable connections are also provided between the legs allowing the legs to form a crisscross pattern when the table is in the assembled position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: Adams Manufacturing Corp.
    Inventors: William E. Adams, David M. Fountain, Theodore Bloom
  • Patent number: 6430891
    Abstract: A construction element has at least one coupling device and the coupling device has at least two prongs. Each prong is comprised of two radially extending mating surfaces which frictionally engage the radially extending surfaces of a mating coupling device. The construction device may have a straight shaft or an angled shaft to accommodate the needs of the user and, furthermore, the prongs of a coupling device may be inserted within mateable apertures in the shaft of another construction element. Using a plurality of such construction elements, a lattice frame may be constructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Adams Mfg. Corp.
    Inventor: William E. Adams
  • Publication number: 20020078864
    Abstract: A folding table having a first and second tabletop portions pivotably connected to first and second pairs of legs respectively. The folding table may comprise a pair of buttresses protruding from each of the first and second pair of legs, such that when the table is in the collapsed position, each pair of buttresses extend through openings in a corresponding table top portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2002
    Publication date: June 27, 2002
    Inventors: William E. Adams, David M. Fountain, Theodore Bloom
  • Patent number: D461968
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Adams Mfg. Corp.
    Inventors: William E. Adams, Matthew W. Goodworth, William Boehmer
  • Patent number: D477528
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Adams Mfg. Corp.
    Inventors: William E. Adams, Matthew H. French
  • Patent number: D477775
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Adams Mfg. Corp.
    Inventors: William E. Adams, Matthew H. French
  • Patent number: D477987
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Adams Mfg. Corp.
    Inventors: William E. Adams, Matthew H. French
  • Patent number: D477988
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Adams Mfg. Corp.
    Inventors: William E. Adams, Joy L. Cottrill