Patents by Inventor William R. Mentzer

William R. Mentzer 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: 4664272
    Abstract: A power actuator on the base section of a multisection telescoping crane boom can bridge at least one intermediate boom section to operate a biased locking pin retract mechanism employed in a system for remotely controlling the operation of a manual fly section of the telescoping boom. To enable the crane operator to know with certainty that the biased locking pin is in a fully engaged position, a visual indicator on the boom readily viewable from the crane operator's cab is directly mechanically linked to the biased locking pin and moves to the indicating position only when the locking pin is fully engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1987
    Assignee: Kidde, Inc.
    Inventor: William R. Mentzer
  • Patent number: 4635805
    Abstract: A power actuator on the base section of a multi-section telescoping crane boom can bridge at least one intermediate boom section to operate a biased locking pin retract mechanism employed in a system for remotely controlling the operation of a manual fly section of the telescoping boom. To enable the crane operator to know with certainty that the biased locking pin is in a fully engaged position, a visual indicator on the boom readily viewable from the crane operator's cab is directly mechanically linked to the biased locking pin and moves to the indicating position only when the locking pin is fully engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1987
    Assignee: Kidde, Inc.
    Inventor: William R. Mentzer
  • Patent number: 4512482
    Abstract: A crane boom extension or jib is held on the nose of the boom by a single fixed length self-adjusting cable loop which extends around an arcuate guide attachable at several different locations to an inclined plane mounting bracket on the jib near its outer end. The mere repositioning of the guide on the inclined plane mounting bracket allows the jib to assume several different angularly offset positions relative to the axis of the boom without other adjustments. The inclined plane mounting bracket establishes the plane in which the cable loop lies in all adjusted positions of the jib. The arrangement is convenient, safe and simplified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1985
    Assignee: Kidde, Inc.
    Inventor: William R. Mentzer
  • Patent number: 4490951
    Abstract: A multi-section hydraulically operated telescoping crane boom includes a manual fly section (23) which may be safely extended and retracted, securely latched in the extended position and pin locked by remote operation of a biased hydraulically powered latching plunger (33) and a biased cooperative hydraulically powered locking pin (52) both embodied in a static hydraulic circuit which includes in one form a pressure fluid circuit safety interlock portion (FIG. 4) with a pressure-responsive indicator (123) to indicate when the latching plunger (33) is engaged (48), and in another form an electrical switch circuit safety interlock portion (FIG. 7) controlling the hydraulic circuit, with an electric switch (131) operated indicator (159) to indicate when the latching plunger (33) is engaged (48). The safety interlock portions of both circuits for the cooperative latching plunger (33) and locking pin (52) prevent their operation in improper sequence so one is engaged at all times before the other is disengaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1985
    Assignee: Kidde, Inc.
    Inventors: William R. Mentzer, Vincent Bernabe, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4484686
    Abstract: A side stowable swing-around boom extension is pinned on the nose of a telescoping crane boom in a first use position nearly coaxial with the center line of the boom but tilted or offset therefrom at a small angle. Two larger angularly offset use positions of the boom extension are obtained with convenience and with complete safety while the crane boom and boom extension are at a near ground level position. Two slotted tension links are connected between the upper side of the boom extension and the boom nose and are allowed to support the boom extension in either of two major offset use positions automatically as the crane boom is elevated from the near ground level position. In such operation, the boom extension is allowed to rotate around the axis of its lower side pivotal connection with the boom nose while its upper side connection with the nose is released. The lower side connection is biased toward a position corresponding to the nearly coaxial use position of the boom extension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1984
    Assignee: Kidde, Inc.
    Inventor: William R. Mentzer
  • Patent number: 4433515
    Abstract: A multi-section hydraulically operated telescoping crane boom includes a manual fly section which may be safely extended and retracted, securely latched in the extended position and pin locked by remote operation of a biased hydraulically powered latching plunger and a biased cooperative hydraulically powered locking pin both embodied in a static pressure hydraulic circuit which includes a pressure-responsive indicator to indicate when the latching plunger is engaged. The circuit also includes safety interlocks for the cooperative latching plunger and locking pin preventing their operation in improper sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1984
    Assignee: Kidde, Inc.
    Inventors: William R. Mentzer, Vincent Bernabe, Jr.