Patents by Inventor William E. Launius

William E. Launius 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: 7243582
    Abstract: Wheels of model cars rotate upon axles and their rims contact a track. The present invention is a palm size hand powered lathe for rounding and truing a wheel upon a spindle. The lathe has a bracket that admits a blade to contact the outer edge of the wheel. The blade advances into the wheel by the turning of a threaded rod contained within a housing. The housing limits the inward and outward movement of the blade. The threaded rod has a handle upon one end and a rounded head upon the other end that engages a slot in the blade. A clip provides a rigid connection of the threaded rod to the bracket. The housing has a shape comfortable in the hand. And the invention provides a child the ability to remove wheel material within thousandths of an inch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Inventor: William E. Launius
  • Publication number: 20040072511
    Abstract: The hub conditioning and alignment tool for a wooden car has a cylindrical handle with two opposed faces. A first shaft extends perpendicular to the first face and a second shaft extends perpendicular to the second face. The shafts terminate in tips with depressions. In use, a child squares the hub on the first face and cones the hub on the second face with sandpaper. A child twists the first tip into the axle hole of the wheel for reaming. The steel tool reduces friction between a hub and a car and aligns a wheel with the track to increase the speed of a car.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Inventor: William E. Launius
  • Publication number: 20040050135
    Abstract: Wheels of model cars rotate upon axles. The axle straightening press has a female jaw and a male jaw each with a rectangular shape, a mating surface, and a transverse half channel. The dowels of the male jaw fit into holes in the female jaw upon a diagonal line on the mating surface. Alternately, the press has two identical jaws, inverted, and closed upon each other. An alternate jaw has a generally rectangular shape with a mating surface, a dowel, a transverse half channel, and a hole. In both embodiments, a child places an axle in the channel between the jaws and strikes the press with a hammer. Removing the axle from the press, the child places a wheel on the axle, and installs the axle upon a model car.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Inventor: William E. Launius