Patents by Inventor William J. Wichman
William J. Wichman 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: 5351843Abstract: A collapsible portable framework is expanded to an open position forming a long, narrow, column-like structure for a folding display frame, in which generally rectangular frame-like cubicles are aligned serially and are pivotally joined at common ends of the cubicles. Each cubicle has hubs at its corners pivotally joined to ends of rigid rods interconnected at pivot points forming a pair of scissor members along opposite sides of each cubicle. End braces releasably interlock as a rigid box frame to support the ends of the scissor members and the hubs at the corners of the cubicles in rigid spaced-apart positions. A diagonal cross-brace extends from a lower front corner to an upper rear corner of each cubicle, and another diagonal cross-brace extends from an upper front corner to a rear lower corner of each cubicle. Disconnection of the end brace members permits the frame to be collapsed by folding the scissor members so the cubicles are collapsed into a compact side-by-side form.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 1992Date of Patent: October 4, 1994Assignee: William J. WichmanInventors: William J. Wichman, David E. Robertson
-
Patent number: 5125205Abstract: A collapsible framework is constructed of rods pivotally joined at their ends to hubs to form a self-standing unit when expanded and to fold into a small set of nearly parallel rods when folded. In one embodiment in which the expanded frame forms an array of cubicles, the hubs are designed to pivotally join the ends of four rods, with the plane defined by the pivot axes of one pair of opposing rods being offset from the plane defined by the pivot axes of the other pair of opposed rods attached to the same hub. One pair of rods attached to each hub can pivot on one of several pivot points on extended hub flanges to thereby provide expanded frameworks of various arcuate configurations. A stab-connection latch locks two hubs together and secures the framework in the expanded position. Folding channel bars are attached to knobs on vertically aligned hubs by keyslots.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 1991Date of Patent: June 30, 1992Assignee: William John WichmanInventor: William J. Wichman
-
Patent number: 4986016Abstract: A collapsible framework is constructed of rods pivotally joined at their ends to hubs to form a self-standing unit when expanded and to fold into a small set of nearly parallel rods when folded. In one embodiment in which the expanded frame forms an array of cubicles, the hubs are designed to pivotally join the ends of four rods, with the plane defined by the pivot axes of one pair of opposing rods being offset from the plane defined by the pivot axes of the other pair of opposed rods attached to the same hub. One pair of rods attached to each hub can pivot on one of several pivot points on extended hub flanges to thereby provide expanded frameworks of various arcuate configurations. A stab-connection latch locks two hubs together and secures the framework in the expanded position. Folding channel bars are attached to knobs on vertically aligned hubs by keyslots.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 1989Date of Patent: January 22, 1991Inventor: William J. Wichman
-
Patent number: 4976530Abstract: Plastic sunglasses comprise a transparent lens piece, a pair of temple pieces attached to the ends of the lens piece, and an opaque visor which snap-locks onto the top of the lens piece. The visor has a long curved front face with L-shaped ends, an angular top face for projecting inwardly across the top of the lens piece, and separate hooks projecting inwardly from the inner ends of the visor behind corresponding L-shaped shoulders. A visor connector at the top of the lens piece includes a curved upright wall with generally L-shaped ends. The wall is recessed from a curved ridge with generally L-shaped ends extending across the front of the lens piece. The opposite ends of the visor connector include L-shaped slots in its bottom front face which interlock with the L-shaped shoulders on the bottom inside face of the visor.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 1989Date of Patent: December 11, 1990Assignee: William John WichmanInventors: Frederick G. Mackay, William J. Wichman
-
Patent number: 4809471Abstract: A folding display frame comprises a grid of horizontal and vertical rod members forming an array of three dimensional cubicles. The cubicles have eight corners with a separate hub at each corner of the cubicle. The framework forming each cubicle has a top frame section, a bottom frame section, and two side frame sections. Each frame section is formed by two rods intersecting and pivotally join to each other midway between their ends. The ends of the rods in each cubicle are pivotally attached to corresponding hubs located at each of the corners of the cubicle. Adjacent cubicles in the array share common rods and hubs. Separate diagonal stabilizing members are located within bottom cubicles of the display frame to prevent the cubicles from being distorted into a parallelogram shape when the frame is erected in its fixed position and weight is supported on the front of the frame.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 1988Date of Patent: March 7, 1989Assignee: William J. WichmanInventors: William J. Wichman, Max A. Graham
-
Patent number: 4713038Abstract: A marble race game includes a number of different, interconnected marble race toys so that a marble passes from the exit of one to the entrance of another, downstream race toy. All the toys keep the marble moving fast enough along their paths to be visually appealing and yet increase the time it takes to course the toy paths compared with conventional marble race toys. Several different marble race toys are used, including a funnel toy, a zig-zag toy, a J-loop toy, a paddle wheel toy, a serpentine toy and a pin deflect toy.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 1985Date of Patent: December 15, 1987Assignee: Discovery Toys, Inc.Inventors: William J. Wichman, Edward M. Troup, deceased
-
Patent number: 4527740Abstract: A hose-end sprayer includes a linearly actuated valve such as a poppet valve that is opened by means of pressure applied thereto from a pivoted lever. The lever and valve provide instant on and off action and one-handed control over the water flow. Pressurized water containing a mixed chemical is supplied to a spray defining nozzle in a closed system that maintains the water under full pressure until after it emerges from the nozzle. By preventing contact between the water and air until the spray pattern is formed, better definition of the pattern is obtained and nozzle drip is eliminated.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 1982Date of Patent: July 9, 1985Assignee: Chevron Research CompanyInventors: Rudolph M. Gunzel, Jr., William J. Wichman, Roy K. Fujitaki
-
Patent number: 4182494Abstract: For use with an impact drive sprinkler of the full or part circle type, an anti side splash drive arm is provided comprising a reaction member on the arm which includes a first curved portion for deflecting a stream of water ejected from a nozzle on the sprinkler through a first obtuse angle, and a second curved portion, spaced laterally from and behind the first curved portion, for deflecting the stream of water through a second obtuse angle approximately equal to the first whereby the deflected water stream emerges substantially parallel to the stream of water ejected from the nozzle.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 1978Date of Patent: January 8, 1980Assignee: Anthony Manufacturing Corp.Inventors: William J. Wichman, Robert W. Patterson
-
Patent number: 4177944Abstract: A rotary irrigation sprinkler of the impact drive type is provided wherein a stream deflector for driving the sprinkler is supported adjacent the outlet of the sprinkler at one end of an elongated spring, the other end of the spring being secured to the sprinkler body.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 1978Date of Patent: December 11, 1979Assignee: Rain Bird Sprinkler Mfg. Corp.Inventor: William J. Wichman
-
Patent number: 4161286Abstract: An improved water sprinkler of the arm driven type which has a reverse drive arm movable into the water stream emerging from a replaceable nozzle, to provide rapid reverse rotation of the sprinkler. The improvement lies in a novel nozzle structure which limits movement of the reverse drive arm by an amount dependent upon the nozzle size, thereby resulting in substantially the same reversing force regardless of nozzle size.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 1977Date of Patent: July 17, 1979Assignee: Rain Bird Sprinkler Manufacturing CorporationInventors: John D. Beamer, William J. Wichman
-
Patent number: 3954223Abstract: A trickle-flow irrigation valve of the type which is installable through the wall of a garden hose, and having a pressure chamber with an inlet passage from the hose and an outlet passage through a wall of the chamber in which are also formed a shallow channel and an outlet groove in the channel, communicating with the outlet passage. A flat, resilient valve element covers the outlet passage and a substantial portion of the groove and channel. The resilient valve element allows relatively high-volume, flushing flow when water is first received in the chamber, but deforms to the shape of the channel as supply pressure builds up, thus restricting flow to the outlet groove and providing a substantial pressure drop. A high supply pressure will force the valve element into the groove itself, to some degree, and a pressure regulating effect is thereby obtained.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 1975Date of Patent: May 4, 1976Assignee: Rain Bird Sprinkler Mfg., CorporationInventors: William J. Wichman, Richard A. Vander Ploeg
-
Patent number: D278920Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 1982Date of Patent: May 21, 1985Assignee: Discovery ToysInventor: William J. Wichman
-
Patent number: D290026Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 1985Date of Patent: May 26, 1987Assignee: Discovery Toys, Inc.Inventor: William J. Wichman
-
Patent number: D290028Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 1985Date of Patent: May 26, 1987Assignee: Discovery Toys, Inc.Inventor: William J. Wichman
-
Patent number: D290143Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 1985Date of Patent: June 2, 1987Assignee: Discovery Toys, Inc.Inventor: William J. Wichman
-
Patent number: D290145Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 1985Date of Patent: June 2, 1987Assignee: Discovery Toys, Inc.Inventor: William J. Wichman
-
Patent number: D293696Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 1985Date of Patent: January 12, 1988Assignee: Discovery Toys, Inc.Inventor: William J. Wichman
-
Patent number: D294044Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 1985Date of Patent: February 2, 1988Assignee: Discovery Toys, Inc.Inventor: William J. Wichman
-
Patent number: D294959Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 1985Date of Patent: March 29, 1988Assignee: Discovery Toys, Inc.Inventor: William J. Wichman