Patents Issued in January 31, 1995
  • Patent number: 5385326
    Abstract: The invention relates to stackable coasters utilizing a tab and groove mechanism on its lower outside and upper inside side portions, respectively. The tab may consist of protrusions, keys, detents, or the like on the bottom portions of the coasters and grooves consisting of depressions, indentations, keyways, notches or the like on the top portions of the coasters. The tab and groove mechanism guarantees that only one specific coaster may be stacked above or below another particular coaster. Moreover, the tabs and grooves further ensure that the sides of each stacked coaster are radially positioned identically each time relative to the sides of the coaster above and/or the coaster below it. This tab and groove feature, thereby, allows a particular image, design, or picture to be displayed from the sides of the set of coasters every time when each coaster is stacked in its proper angular position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Circle R Central, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher C. Bidwell
  • Patent number: 5385327
    Abstract: A document support stand (1) may be located at a computer workstation (24) and positioned to one side of a monitor (30) to support a projected document or document holder. The stand (1) combines a first support apparatus, support stand (2) and a second support apparatus document holder (4). Support stand (2) can support articles at various spatial locations without the use of mechanical balancing devices and includes a main support body (6), an arm (8) and a bracket (10) which can be adapted to function alone or in combination with a second support apparatus document holder (4). The viewing side (730) of document holder (4) can position a mounted document or document holder in rotation and inclination about three axes of rotation. The viewing side (730) is fitted with rotatable first and second sections (904, 906).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: David Hegarty
    Inventors: David Hegarty, Michael Terc
  • Patent number: 5385328
    Abstract: The present invention refers to a control valve provided with a valve closure member (5) for closing and opening a valve opening. The valve closure member (5) has attached thereto a piston (11), which is arranged such that it is movable within a housing (13), said piston (11) being adapted to be acted upon by the force of a spring (spring 27) in one direction and by a fluid pressure in the opposite direction. A property characterizing the present invention is that the length of the path of movement of the piston (11) can be adjusted with the aid of a positioning means (29, 73). In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the positioning means (29) consists of a rod (31), which is adapted to be axially moved in the direction of movement of the piston (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: MMM Munchener Medizin Mechanik GmbH
    Inventor: Ludwig Hofmann
  • Patent number: 5385329
    Abstract: A flow control valve having a piston and valve element connected together by a portion of a spring also connected to a pressure relief mechanism. Also disclosed is an alternative embodiment featuring a passage delivering metered flow from an input passage to a low pressure end of a piston and then through a pressure sensing means from the low pressure chamber to an output passage. A valving sub-assembly is movable to substantially suppress the flow rate ripple by bypassing a dominant portion of the flow rate ripple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Techco Corporation
    Inventor: Edward H. Phillips
  • Patent number: 5385330
    Abstract: A compression sill-cock flange has a pipe coupling (1) with a flange (8) extended radially outward from a seal end (5). The pipe coupling (1) is straight-threaded internally from an attachment end (3) to a tapered sealing wall (4). The tapered sealing wall (4) is extended inward conically at a select angle from an inside circumferential periphery of the straight threading (2) to a circumferential coupling base (6) that is positioned in sliding contact with an outside periphery of a pipe (12) to which the pipe coupling (1) is attachable. The circumferential coupling base (6) extends to a desired position relative to the seal end of the pipe coupling (5). A set-screw orifice (9) with appropriate threading in a set-screw boss (10) can be provided on the pipe coupling (1). Use means are provided for use in relation to a double-tapered washer (14) and a sill cock (17).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Inventor: Mickey W. Joseph
  • Patent number: 5385331
    Abstract: A valve assembly for use in the coupling of two members. The first member has an exterior surface and an interior surface. The interior surface defines a coupling sleeve and a valve sleeve. A fluid passageway is in communication between the coupling sleeve and the valve sleeve. A valve is positioned in the valve sleeve. The valve is biased toward the fluid passageway by a coiled spring. A valve pusher having a first end and a second end is positioned in the coupling sleeve and the fluid passageway. The assembly has a second member having an outer surface, an inner surface and a terminal portion. When the second member is inserted in the coupling sleeve, the terminal portion engages the first end of the valve pusher causing the second end of the pusher to engage the valve to unseat the valve to allow unrestricted fluid flow between the first member and the second member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Aeroquip Corporation
    Inventors: Alan R. Allread, Jon A. Jensen
  • Patent number: 5385332
    Abstract: Fluid pressure changes are imposed on selected interior surfaces of a plug passageway of a plug valve to create torque. In one embodiment perturbations are provided in selected flow surfaces of the valve plug to create turbulent boundary layer flow along such surfaces which generates a beneficial stabilizing torque tending to reduce or eliminate holding forces conventionally provided by mechanical parts such as detent mechanisms. In another embodiment, pilot holds between interior and exterior plug surfaces are used to alter the fluid pressure at diagonally opposite locations relative to the plug rotation axis to produce the stabilizing torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Johnston Pump/General Valve, Inc.
    Inventor: Gordon M. Smith
  • Patent number: 5385333
    Abstract: A butterfly valve disc has a circular cross-section bore for receiving the end of a drive shaft which engages with a member non-rotatably located in the bore. The member is polygonal and preferably formed with twelve sides and edges, the edges biting into the internal surface of the bore to prevent rotation. The member preferably is of harder alloy than the disc to resist wearing and is formed with a slot extending perpendicularly to the plane of the disc to receive a corresponding tongue formed at the end of the shaft. This arrangement allows a small degree of play so that if the disc is subjected to pressure on one side and therefore bends, the torque required to open the valve is not increased. Alternatively wherein the disc (or another component) is not subject to such pressure the member may be integrally formed with the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: BTR plc
    Inventors: Michael P. Morris, Phillip J. Haseley
  • Patent number: 5385334
    Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, in a fluid flow valve having a body and having a movable member with lower face, the movable member being movable between a position spaced from a sealing position in the body when the valve is in an open position and movable to the sealing position when the valve is in a closed position, the improvement including: an annular sealing member disposed in the outer periphery of the lower face of the movable member to sealingly engage a portion of the body when the valve is in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Carten Controls Inc.
    Inventors: Peter J. Greenwood, Benedict J. Aliano, Taeeon Lee, Martin M. Barolli
  • Patent number: 5385335
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for lifting modular furniture. The apparatus comprises a central shaft and housing slidably mounted on the shaft. Either the housing or the shaft is supported by a base support and the other of the housing and shaft is moveable. The apparatus further comprises a jig which is adapted to mate with the furniture to be lifted, and means for raising and lowering the jig to thereby raise and lower the furniture. The apparatus further includes a lateral stabilizer which stabilizes the furniture once it is raised off the floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Renovisions, Inc.
    Inventor: Kirk Wurdack
  • Patent number: 5385336
    Abstract: Torch apparatus (20) for working a material comprises a mixer (28) with a central body (32) placed inside the inner space (30) of the mixer, and a torch tip (22) with a combustion chamber (24) and a nozzle (26). Fuel and oxidizer components are delivered into the mixer, mix with each other into a propellant and interact with the central body which includes a spark plug (60) in one of embodiments. The central body acts to control thermodynamic parameters of the propellant mixture to be set to fire from a spark discharge and burnt under high pressure, forming a supersonic high temperature gaseous jet acting upon the material. Also disclosed is a method in which the apparatus is to be implemented and comprising steps of providing a fuel and an oxidizer, mixing the fuel with the oxidizer, burning the propellant mixture under high pressure and forming a supersonic high temperature nonoverwidened gaseous jet out of products of combustion to act upon the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Narwhal Ltd.
    Inventors: Alexander V. Gurinov, Vladimir N. Kostritsa, Igor' V. Petrov, Valeryi F. Sukhostavets
  • Patent number: 5385337
    Abstract: A control arrangement is disclosed for a conventional, atmosphere heat treating furnace which is operated at high temperature and fitted with a vacuum pump to draw rough or soft vacuum levels when heating the work to heat treat temperatures. The control arrangement utilizes a hydrogen--inert gas furnace atmosphere continuously metered into the furnace to produce a reducing gas mixture to prevent oxidation of the work. If oxidation conditions are sensed, the mass flow is automatically increased while vacuum levels are maintained constant. A unique oxygen probe mounting arrangement is disclosed which enables a conventional oxygen probe to give fairly accurate and consistent readings for fast, automatic process control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Gas Research Institute
    Inventor: Thomas J. Schultz
  • Patent number: 5385338
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for melting aluminum alloy scraps which comprises the steps of: giving a rotation force to molten metal reserved in a cylindrical chamber so that the molten metal is made swollen up along the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical chamber by a centrifugal force caused by the rotation force while the liquid-phase surface of the molten metal is kept so as to draw a parabola to thereby produce a vortex flow in the molten metal; and introducing aluminum alloy scraps into the vortex flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignees: Miyamoto Kogyosho Co., Ltd., Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Sato, Toshiharu Watanabe
  • Patent number: 5385339
    Abstract: A set-up jig for a truss table is disclosed. The jig comprises (a) a body portion having a recessed portion on its lower surface configured to receive and slide upon a rail and further including a securing apeture and (b) stop means for constraining the movement of truss planks. A truss table suitable for use with such jigs is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Tee-Lok Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas H. Williams
  • Patent number: 5385340
    Abstract: A sheet-postprocessing apparatus includes a sheet discharger which discharges sheets to a stacker, the stacker including a first tray adjacent to the discharger for supporting trailing portions of the sheets discharged by the discharger and a second tray for supporting leading portions of the sheets, the second tray being movable in a vertical direction and disposed downstream of the first tray with respect to a sheet discharge direction, the trays being inclined so that sheets stacked thereon slide by their own weight, such that a stack of sheets supported on both trays are stapled by a stapler, the stapled set of sheets then being pushed out of the first tray to be stacked entirely by the second tray. The sheet post-processing apparatus operates in two modes, a stapling mode and a non-stapling mode wherein sheets discharged by the discharger bypass the first tray and are supported entirely by the second downstream tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masakazu Hiroi, Mitsuhiro Mukasa, Nobutaka Uto, Masaaki Sato, Takeshi Honjo
  • Patent number: 5385341
    Abstract: An automatic document conveying device has a stack tray on which a plurality of documents are stacked; a feeder by which the documents stacked on the stack tray are separated and fed one by one; at least one pair of conveying rollers provided downstream of the feeder; a reading position for reading document information from said separated documents positioned downstream of the at least one pair of conveying rollers; a conveyor provided opposite to the reader for conveying separated documents to the reading position; a discharger positioned downstream of said reading position for discharging documents after said conveyor conveys the documents to the reading position, a conveyance path on which a plurality of documents are sequentially located between the feeder and the reading position; the conveyance path having predetermined stand-by positions provided on the conveyance path at which documents, subsequent to a document positioned at the reading position are stopped; a document detector provided between the a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Yasushi Yamada, Tetsuo Hirata, Tadashi Uematsu, Hiroyuki Hara
  • Patent number: 5385342
    Abstract: A sheet feeder, provided at a printing machine, has continuously conveying transport tapes to which transport rollers are engaged. The transport tapes and the transport rollers convey overlappingly fed sheets to a front guide, wherein the last transport rollers, provided upstream of the front guide, are adjustable with respect to the sheet format being processed. There are also additional driving rollers which may be pivoted into contact with the transport tapes in order to process minimum size sheet formats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Rudolf Leib
  • Patent number: 5385343
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for training a batter are disclosed which include a system with a stance trainer and a trainer bat. In one aspect the stance trainer has an elevation member for elevating a lead foot of the batter and a location apparatus for locating a trailing foot of the apparatus. Repetition of a particular stance is achieved by re-emplacing the lead foot back on the elevation member in the same location after a swing and by re-positioning the trailing foot with respect to the location apparatus. A stop member or members and/or position indicator(s) can be used on top of the elevation member for locating and positioning the lead foot on the elevation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Inventor: John M. Davis, Sr.
  • Patent number: 5385344
    Abstract: A system of remotely actuated novelty devices is disclosed having triggering and actuating components packaged in separate, interchangeable modules. The system includes several interchangeable trigger modules, each of which detects the occurrence of an activating event and in response generates a trigger signal of finite duration, and several interchangeable action modules, each of which performs a prank in response to a trigger signal. Each action module includes a battery that powers the action module and any trigger module connected to it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Mr. Fun Guy, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth C. Miller, J. Courtenay Heater
  • Patent number: 5385345
    Abstract: A multifaceted racquet for use in volleying type games such as racquetball, handball and the like, includes plural, spaced apart surfaces with a handle extending between the surfaces. The surfaces are preferably strung in a manner similar to a tennis racquet or the like, to provide greater resiliency. The plural surfaces may form a polyhedron, with the polyhedron having one side open for access to the handle within. Preferably, each of the surfaces is of the same size and shape and spaced equidistantly from the central handle, in order to reduce the number of variables involved in use. Each of the peripheries of the surfaces is preferably substantially circular in form, although other shapes may be provided as desired. The handle preferably passes through the geometric center of the device, in order to reduce or eliminate non-symmetrical forces when a projectile is struck squarely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Inventor: Joseph Azure
  • Patent number: 5385346
    Abstract: A golf club with adjustment capabilities comprising, in combination, a head formed of a support plate having a hosel at its upper end for receiving a shaft and having a horizontal aperture adjacent to the lower end for use in coupling with a face plate, and a face plate having a striking surface with an aperture parallel with the striking surface at the lower extent thereof positionable in axial alignment with the hole in the support plate and a bolt extending through the aperture and hole to couple the face plate at any one of the plurality of angles with respect to the support plate with means on the support plate adjacent to the adjacent edge of the face plate to indicate the angle of the face plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Inventors: Wilbert E. Carroll, Kathlyn A. Carroll
  • Patent number: 5385347
    Abstract: In a coin operated amusement device, an inclined track is provided to receive a rolling coin. A rotating wheel is positioned adjacent the lower end of the track. The wheel is rotated at a constant low speed and defines payoff positions distributed around the wheel. Payoffs to the player are provided when a coin passes by the wheel in the track opposite a payoff position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Benchamark L.C.
    Inventor: Ronald D. Halliburton
  • Patent number: 5385348
    Abstract: A method and system for providing custom designed golf clubs having replaceable swing weight inserts therein. The associated club head has a receiving area thereon for receiving an insert which is installed on the club. A set of clubs is designed to have a minimum swing weight and a plurality of inserts are supplied to alter the swing weight of individual clubs in the set. When two such inserts are placed on the toe and heel portions of the club head, the replaceable inserts can be altered to provide temporary cures for "slicing" and "hooking" problems associated with the golfer using the clubs. The replaceable inserts have their weights and characteristics varied by controlling the amounts and locations of a layer of weighty material attached thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Inventor: Elmer Wargo
  • Patent number: 5385349
    Abstract: Three known devices for teaching golfers how to hold their clubs are structurally modified and used together as a set. The three devices are a lie indicator, a shaft position indicator, and a loft indicator. A record member is provided to record the information provided by use of all three of the devices as a set. After the three devices have been used on all of the golfer's clubs and the information provided has been recorded on the record member, further correct holding of the clubs may be obtained without further use of all three devices. Instead, the golfer merely needs to attach the shaft position indicator to each club shaft and the loft indicator to each club face, and to hold each club in the manner recorded on the record member. Accordingly, the lie indicator need not be used repeatedly, and the golfer need not remember the information recorded on the record member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Inventor: Perry C. Marshall
  • Patent number: 5385350
    Abstract: A net arrangement for a court for playing a game resembling tennis or badminton comprising a pair of spaced apart parallel nets which are located transversely across the court thereby constituting two playing areas separated by a no-man's land, to make it more difficult for a strong or tall player to terminate a point prematurely by smashing the ball or shuttle directly downwardly over the net into the opposing playing area. The distance apart of the nets may be varied as well as their location longitudinally of the court, the latter affording handicap possibilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Inventor: Neville M. Norman
  • Patent number: 5385351
    Abstract: An improved shaft seal including a relatively uniformed diameter hole in a housing surrounding a relatively uniformed shaft, with a shoulder on the shaft passing axial loads through a thrust bearing and seal to a ring fixedly connected to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: White Hydraulics, Inc.
    Inventor: Hollis N. White
  • Patent number: 5385352
    Abstract: A sealing system is provided with a construction which permits easy mounting in a bearing assembly, and which provides improved sealing functions by enhancing the ability to engage in a groove in the bearing assembly. The sealing system comprises a sealing device including a supplemental metal ring having a portion folded-over into a U-shape and a marginal end portion extending from the folded-over portion also folded-over into a funnel shape. When the sealing device is mounted in the bearing assembly, the marginal end portion may be expanded deformably to a greater diameter, to thereby allow it to engage in the groove and secure the sealing device in position in the bearing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Uchiyama Manufacturing Corp.
    Inventor: Isao Kurose
  • Patent number: 5385353
    Abstract: A sealing arrangement for sealing a gap (11) between two concentric machine elements which can relatively move with respect to each other, the first machine element (3) having a smooth contact surface (5) and the second machine element (4) having a profiled section (6) which faces the contact surface (5) of the first machine element (3), accommodates a sealing ring (2). The profiled section (6) is bounded by a first flank (8) and a second flank (9). The sealing ring has a curved peripheral surface (7) and a radial surface (13), either of which may be completely exposed to the high pressure side. A sealing edge (10) of the sealing ring (2) is formed by the line of intersection of a conical surface (14) and the curved peripheral surface (7). The conical surface (14) merges into the radial surface (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Busak and Luyken GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Roy Edlund
  • Patent number: 5385354
    Abstract: The invention is directed to an arrangement for sealing a clearance between a cylinder head and a cylinder block of an engine with a metal gasket clamped therebetween. The metal gasket is formed of a metallic base plate which has a plurality of openings and beads formed therearound. The base plate may include annular shims welded on the base plate around the openings and a resilient sealing member deposited on the base plate surrounding the openings. The gasket may be disposed in such a manner as to place tip ends of the beads toward the cylinder block which causes a smaller displacement relative to the beads in comparison with the cylinder head. The resilient sealing member may be arranged to have a section of different dimension between a portion located at a side facing the beads and other portion at the opposite side thereof, or between a portion located at a junction where two of the beads meet and other portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignees: Taiho Kogyo Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Hagiwara, Osamu Jinno, Takeshi Kitamura, Akio Kuramoto, Yukio Kawai, Kenichi Yamaguchi, Hirotaka Kakuta
  • Patent number: 5385355
    Abstract: A travois assembly, comprises a load-carrying frame having a lower end and an upper end. A single wheel is rotatably mounted on said lower end of said load carrying frame. A user harness includes a single vertical frame member attached to a horizontal frame member at a lower end thereof, a back pad attached to the vertical frame member at an upper end thereof, a belt circumferentially attached to the horizontal frame member, a pair of shoulder straps each having a first end attached to the back pad and a second end attached to the horizontal frame member. The load carrying frame is attached to the user harness by a universal joint having a first end rigidly attached to the upper end of the load carrying frame and a second end attached to the vertical frame member of the user harness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: James V. Hoffman
    Inventor: James V. Hoffman
  • Patent number: 5385356
    Abstract: A supporting frame, particularly for aligned wheels of skates, which is shaped like a "U" on the wings of which there is a plurality of first and second holes having the same axis. These holes constitute seats for removable pivots for the wheels and are respectively partially closed and temporarily closeable at their opposite ends. A sliding bar, slideable in a groove, is used for blocking, at least temporarily, the pivots. The wheels are associable with the supporting frame without requiring screws and thus containing the assembly and general costs of the skate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Roces S.r.l.
    Inventor: Gino Conte
  • Patent number: 5385357
    Abstract: An over-the-counter shopping cart having an improved baby seat compartment wherein the backrest of the baby seat is hinged to collapse rearwardly towards the back wall of the cart whenever the main merchandise-carrying basket is hinged upwardly to nest the carts. Accordingly, each time a customer picks up a nested cart, the baby seat compartment is opened with the main merchandise compartment to increase the size of the basket. The backrest of the baby seat compartment is also provided with a protruding extension member along a top edge thereof to maintain the leg holes in the rear wall of the baby seat compartment obstructed so that merchandise placed in the cart does not fall through these leg holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Technibilt, Ltd.
    Inventor: Antoine Trubiano
  • Patent number: 5385358
    Abstract: A front gate for a shopping cart basket comprises two stanchions, each formed from a wire fixed to the front edge of a side panel of the basket, and a gate panel including horizontal wires defining upper hinge pintles and lower latch pintles. The wires forming the stanchions are bent to define vertical slots having front openings and permitting vertical movement of the gate panel between a lower position and an upper position when the hinge and latch pintles extend into the slots. The openings are disposed to permit the gate panel to swing on the hinge pintles and the latch pintles to exit the slots via the openings when the gate panel is raised from a lower position to an upper position whereupon the gate panel can be then dropped at the hinge pintles so as to open the front gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: UNR Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Adamson
  • Patent number: 5385359
    Abstract: A dual drive bicycle having a hand crank mechanism for applying driving power to the front wheel of the bicycle includes a stabilizer bar attached to a hand crank mechanism frame, the stabilizer bar including a chest saddle against which the rider positions the chest area of his upper body during operation of the front wheel hand crank mechanism. The force applied by the rider's upper body against the chest saddle acts to maintain forward alignment of the front wheel of the bicycle to thereby greatly improve the stability of the bicycle. In addition, the stabilizer bar and chest saddle combination provides a resistance against which the rider works while operating the front wheel hand crank mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Inventor: James J. Ehrbar
  • Patent number: 5385360
    Abstract: Locking the headset of a steering post of a bicycle is accomplished by this invention where the steering post or threaded body projects coaxially through a cylindrical journal mounted at the front end of the bicycle frame. Bearing cups are secured in each end of the journal to accommodate thrust bearings. Each thrust bearing in turn is engaged by a cone. The lower cone is mounted stationary on the fork-steering post of the bicycle while the upper cone is threaded engaged to the mounting post body and is drawn hand tight against the upper thrust bearing. The upper cone is locked against rotational movement by a lock nut threaded on the post body above the upper cone and spaced from the upper cone. The locking configuration is achieved by one or more screws extending through an opening in the lock nut and engaging the upper cone to jam the threaded connections between the lock nut, upper cone and steering post body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Thurston, Inc.
    Inventor: William B. Shook
  • Patent number: 5385361
    Abstract: The shock absorber device comprises a flexible absorber placed within the tube (1) which supports the sleeve holding the saddle. The rear fork is pivoted corresponding to its front extremities to the lower part of the front tubular structure (9) of the frame. The two arms of the fork, corresponding to their intermediate part, are pivoted to a pin fixed to the extremity of the shaft of the shock absorber. Two slits are formed in the tube (1) so that the pin may slide through the slits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Inventor: Claudio De Bei
  • Patent number: 5385362
    Abstract: A pontoon boat trailer having a wheeled main frame with a tongue and hitch unit at a front end, a subframe pivotally mounted on the main frame for supporting a pontoon boat, the subframe having an upstanding boat stop unit at the front end, and a winch assembly operably connected between the tongue and hitch unit and the front end of the subframe for pivotally raising and lowering the subframe, the improvement comprising a bracket unit mounted on the front end of the boat adapted for releasable locking engagement with the boat stop unit by utilizing the buoyancy of the boat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Inventor: Malcolm Sohm
  • Patent number: 5385363
    Abstract: A trailer hitch for securing a trailer to a towing vehicle includes a holding plate fixed to the end of a vertical column portion of the trailer hitch tongue. The holding plate possesses a first aperture dimensioned to receive a hitch ball. A latch plate mounted for pivotal movement in a horizontal plane underlies the holding plate and possesses a second aperture dimensioned to receive the hitch ball. In a locked position, the apertures of the holding plate and latch plate are misaligned to prevent movement of the hitch ball therethrough. In an unlocked position, the apertures in the holding plate and latch plate are aligned. A conical guide secured to a bottom face of the latch plate guides the hitch ball through the apertures in the latch and holding plates. A coil tension spring biases the latch plate to the locked position. The weight of the trailer, when lowered onto the hitch ball, forces the latch plate to the unlocked position against the bias of the tension spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Inventor: James A. Morey
  • Patent number: 5385364
    Abstract: A ski with a binding in which elevated sections, project out from the ski-boot support plate in front and/or behind the binding attachment area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Kastle Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Wolfgang Nussbaumer
  • Patent number: 5385365
    Abstract: A safety ski binding in which the bottom of the ski boot is held out of contact with the top of the ski to eliminate the influence of frictional forces on the safety release and in which the anti-friction roller of the toe support structure is mounted on the ski in such a manner that its vertical axis of rotation remains substantially constant during engagement and disengagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Inventor: James M. Edmund
  • Patent number: 5385366
    Abstract: According to the invention, a vehicle has an air bag module mounted beneath an opening in a vehicle panel. The module includes an inflatable air bag for deployment through the opening. A cover door closes the opening and is hingedly connected to the vehicle panel for movement away from the opening. An air bag deflection shield is underlying and separate from the cover door and overlying the air bag and module. The deflection shield has a forward edge hingedly connected to the module to enable the inflating air bag to pivot the deflection shield away from the module so that the deflection shield engages and moves the cover door away from the opening. A flexible strap limits the pivotal movement of the deflection shield to a predetermined position such that upon air bag deployment, the deflection shield directs the inflating air bag rearwardly and downwardly towards a vehicle occupant and shields the cover door from contact by the inflating air bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick W. Frank, Benjamin M. Herr, IV
  • Patent number: 5385367
    Abstract: An inflatable seatbelt system designed so that the thickness of the webbing, when maintained in a strap-like configuration, is minimized, and it is possible to eliminate the webbing folding process and to reduce the amount of base fabric used and yet possible to reliably inflate the webbing when an emergency situation occurs. A shoulder belt (2) is formed from a tubular webbing (17), a tube (16) inserted in the webbing (17), and a cover (15) covering the webbing (17). The tube (16) is made of an elastic material which can be formed relatively thin and which has heat resistance and relatively high strength, e.g., urethane rubber or silicone rubber. The cover (15) is made of a resin material, e.g., polyester. The webbing (17) is made of a knitted fabric formed into a tubular configuration by weft knitting. By the use of the knitted fabric, the webbing (17) is stretchable to a large extent in the lateral direction but does not practically stretch in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiko Tanaka, Tsuneo Chikaraishi
  • Patent number: 5385368
    Abstract: An airbag safety assembly adapted for independent use in vehicles which includes a jacket which in turn houses an inflatable airbag and means for inflating the airbag by relative elongation of an elastic connector disposed between the jacket and portions of a seat belt which are in turn adapted for connection to spaced mounting points in the vehicle such that the assembly can be utilized in vehicles with or without integral restraint systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Inventor: Herbert H. Bridge
  • Patent number: 5385369
    Abstract: A vehicle having a suspension fitting structure that includes a cross member which extends between left and right side frame members and supports the suspension device on each end thereof, and a plurality fitting brackets secured to the side frame member for fitting both of the cross member and a suspension arm to the side frame member. The fitting brackets are arranged in the lengthwise direction at appropriate separations in such a way that the fitting brackets are formed lower in structural rigidity in order front to rear and/or that a forward one of the fitting brackets is formed smaller in size than a rearward one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Mukai, Yoji Tokiwa, Seiji Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 5385370
    Abstract: An improved occupant restraint system for an automotive vehicle of the type including multiple longitudinally spaced seating positions in which seats are arranged in back-to-back relationship includes a guide ring assembly having two D-rings mounted on a common bolt on a vertical body pillar that is in longitudinal registration with the backs of a pair of back-to-back seats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Francis J. Wickenheiser, Timothy J. Sterling, Tom T. Ngo
  • Patent number: 5385371
    Abstract: Objects of the present invention is to provide a method for coding indications on a printed map which is an analog map, namely, the content and location of a certain position directly from the analog map, and more particularly, to provide a method for coding a map formed so that the data to be recorded as digital map data and to be read from digital map data stored in a storage device can be formed easily and quickly, coding the content in the map of the indication and further coding the position thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Inventor: Michio Izawa
  • Patent number: 5385372
    Abstract: A female luer connector comprises a tube having an open, outer end in a luer-tapered bore communicating with the outer end. The tube carries a side arm that from a positioned spaced longitudinally from the open, outer end, with the side arm extending both radially outwardly from the tube and in generally longitudinal relationship with the axis of the bore toward the open, outer end, to define a space between the tube and the side arm for receiving an outer, threaded sleeve of a male luer lock connector. A cap is connected to the side arm through a plastic hinge in a position permitting the cap to pivot between a closed position in which the cap closes the open, outer end, and an open position in which the cap is spaced from the open, outer end. The side arm defines an effectively rigid, fixed configuration to position the hinge and cap to naturally and spontaneously permit pivoting to the closed position to the open position, typically upon pressing with a single finger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Inventor: David S. Utterberg
  • Patent number: 5385373
    Abstract: A tamper-evident, self-locking cover for mechanical and electrical connections includes a unitary, molded plastic member including two generally semi-cylindrical pockets connected by a first living hinge and including snap-fit, self-locking, tamper-evident means of connection. Integrally therewith and extending from one pocket half are a pair of generally cylindrical receptacles arranged so as to provide three gripping fingers. Integrally therewith and extending from the other enclosing portion are a pair of stem members which are initially oriented in a non-engaging orientation and which are connected by means of a second living hinge. As the enclosing portions are flexed and closed around the object to be encased and protected, the stem members are flexed into a controlled engaging orientation so as to be brought into alignment with the female receptacles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Cummins Engine Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Vaughn R. Love
  • Patent number: 5385374
    Abstract: A cylindrical door lock set includes inner and outer knob supporting plates, a turning mechanism, an annular mounting plate and a latch unit. The outer knob supporting plate has a central hole and an inner side provided with a pair of posts on two sides of the central hole. The posts are hollow and are threaded internally. The turning mechanism is supported on the inner side of the outer knob supporting plate and is provided with a turn shaft. The annular mounting plate is secured on the inner side of the outer knob supporting plate and is formed with a pair of mounting shafts and a central hole to permit the turn shaft of the turning mechanism to extend therethrough. The latch unit is formed with a shaft engaging hole to permit the turn shaft to extend therethrough, and two side holes disposed on two sides of the shaft engaging hole in a lengthwise direction of the latch unit to receive respectively the mounting shafts. The latch unit is disposed between the posts of the outer knob supporting plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Tong-Lung Metal Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yaw-Shin Fann, San-Yi Lin, Rong-Faa Wu, Ching-Chuan Kuo, Lan-Kun Don
  • Patent number: 5385375
    Abstract: An impact beam includes front, rear, top and bottom side walls connected to form a closed cross section. A foam gusset is formed in place and secured inside the impact beam, preferably along the midpoint of the impact beam. The gusset spans the distance between the front and rear walls, as well as the distance between the side walls to provide increased resistance to deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Terry B. Morgan, Dean M. Bayer