Other

Geno LLC

Advanced Marine Concepts, LLC

Uptodate, Inc.

Williams; Barbara J.

Roy L Chandler

Charles T Webb

Richard P McCullough

John T Cattanach

Genevieve S Baxter

J Thomas Farrow

Barbara J Williams

The drill device has a body with a front end and a rear end and which is connectable to the shaft of a drilling apparatus. A plurality of angularly spaced apart slots are formed in the exterior of the device which extend between the front and rear ends. Each slot has a lip extending from each of its front and rear ends respectively. A cutting member is provided for each of the slots with each cutting member having a connecting portion located in one of the slots and having a forward end and a rearward. Each connecting portion has a hook near its front and rear ends respectively for connection to the lips of the slot in which it is located.

Drill device for a drilling apparatus

The apparatus includes an annular cam rotatably located in a housing with a drill shaft extending through the cam and housing. The shaft can be rotated for drilling purposes and be moved longitudinally in the housing for shifting purposes. The cam has grooves in its outer surface for receiving a cam follower carried by the shaft which rotates the cam as the shaft is moved longitudinally for shifting purposes. The shaft may be moved longitudinally in one direction to a position to engage members of a clutch such that when the shaft rotates, it rotates the housing. The shaft is movable in an opposite direction to disengage the clutch members and then is movable to locate the cam follower in the groove at different positions to allow the operator to control the longitudinal position of the shaft for turning purposes or for drilling straight.

Directional drilling apparatus with shifting cam

The apparatus, in one embodiment has guide housing with a shaft extending through the guide housing with a drill bit coupled to its forward end. The shaft may be moved to a forward drilling position or to a rearward shifting position relative to the guide housing. A cam is located inside of the guide housing. A cam follower is coupled to the shaft. In the shifting mode, the cam follower is disengaged from the cam. A clutch is provided for coupling the cam to the shaft when the shaft is in the shifting position such that the cam follower may be rotated with the shaft relative to the cam to allow the cam follower to engage the cam when the shaft is moved to the forward drilling position. In the forward drilling position of the shaft, the clutch release the cam from the shaft and the cam follower engages the cam to allow straight drilling to occur or to cause the axis of said guide housing to shift relative to the axis of the shaft to cause the direction of drilling by the shaft and drill bit to change.

Directional drilling system and apparatus

The apparatus, in one embodiment has a front shaft support and a guide housing coupled together for longitudinal movement relative to each other. A shaft extends through the front shaft support and the guide housing and has a drill bit coupled to its forward end. The shaft and front shaft support may be moved to a forward drilling position or to a rearward shifting position relative to the guide housing. A plurality of cams are coupled to the inside of the guide housing at different angular positions around the shaft. A cam follower is coupled to a cam follower housing which surrounds the shaft. In the shifting mode, the cam follower is disengaged from the cams. A clutch is provided for coupling the cam follower housing to the shaft when the shaft is in the shifting position such that the cam follower housing and the cam follower may be rotated with the shaft relative to the cams to allowed the cam follower to engage a selected one of the cams when the shaft is moved to the forward drilling position. In the forward drilling position of the shaft, the clutch releases the cam follower housing from the shaft and the cam follower engages the selected cam to allow straight drilling to occur or to cause the axis of said guide housing to shift relative to the axis of the shaft to cause the direction of drilling by the shaft and drill bit to change.

Directional drilling system

An apparatus is adapted to prevent the theft of a wheeled vehicle having air brakes (e.g., large trucks and buses). A brake valve is selectively actuated by linear movement of an exposed knob that is located adjacent a supporting structure in the cab, and a valve housing is mounted behind the supporting structure. A new structural base is permanently connected to the valve housing in an exposed position in the vehicle's cab. The base is normally accessible to the driver at all times, but it is thin enough so that it will not interfere with normal push/pull movement of the valve's knob. A rigid and generally hollow cover is adapted to be selectively suspended over and in contact with the structural base. The cover is sufficiently deep as to envelop the valve's knob in order to conceal it and render it inaccessible when the cover is suspended over the base. The cover is selectively removable from the base so as to permit the driver to remove the cover and thereby have access to the knob. A locking device is provided for selectively locking the rigid cover in its suspended position over the structural base. In the preferred embodiment the cover is made of a double-wall box that is heat treated to resist tampering. The cover does not contact the valve stem or the knob, so any hammer blows on the cover by a thief will not be transferred to either the stem or the knob.

System for preventing the movement of vehicles having air brakes

An apparatus adapted for attachment to the frame of a truck, usually within a bed of a conventional pickup truck. A generally planar base is rigidly attached to the truck frame with bolts. A platform is rotatably connected to the base with a pair of four-bar linkages, one on the right side of the platform and one on the left. The platform has a low position close to the base, and a high position that is typically 15 or 20 inches higher. A double-acting hydraulic cylinder is anchored at one end to the base and connected at its other end to the platform. Pressurizing the cylinder one way causes the platform to be raised and translated backwardly with respect to the base. Pressurizing the cylinder the other way causes the platform to be moved toward the base in a relatively slow and deliberate manner. To improve the angles through which the hydraulic cylinder acts when the platform is being raised and lowered--especially when the platform is relatively close to the base, a bell crank mechanism is provided between the base and the barrel end of the hydraulic cylinder. As the hydraulic cylinder is pressurized for upward movement, the bell crank rotates and causes the platform to be lifted for a few inches. A low-friction device like a roller pushes against a lower surface of the platform, moving the platform upward until the pushing angle of the hydraulic cylinder is sufficient to cause more efficient lifting of the platform.

Apparatus for lifting a heavy load with respect to the bed of a truck

Cloth holder having utility in hemming garments

A locking apparatus that includes first and second structural elements that are adapted to be juxtaposed and positioned next to one another in a 'locked' mode, and physically separated from one another when 'unlocked.' When in its locked mode, the locking apparatus is restrained against separation until a manual force is simultaneously applied to appropriate levers, ends of which are accessible on the exterior of the apparatus. A plurality of levers are mounted on the first of the two structural elements for rocking movement about a pivotal axis carried by the first element. Each lever has a first end that protrudes externally of the apparatus, and a second end that is sized and shaped so that it may be engaged with a lip surrounding an associated aperture in the second structural element. A biasing device is provided for continuously biasing each of the levers to a centered rest position, where at least one of the levers will be in an overlapping or interfering position with respect to the adjacent lip of its associated aperture. In a preferred embodiment, there are two configurations for the locking levers; one is normally engaged and the other disengaged when they are in their centered rest positions. Knowing the correct combination to open the locking apparatus involves knowing which levers must be moved and which direction they must be moved. Removing finger pressure from the exposed ends of the levers allows the levers to automatically return to their centered positions.

Lever-actuated combination locking apparatus

An eyeglass construction characterized by having a conventional frame with a pair of rim supports for receiving and holding a pair of lenses. The rim supports have a plurality of fixed prongs distributed around the rims at points that are remote from a bridge that connects the tops of the two rim supports. Affixed to the frame, usually near the bridge, is a retaining mechanism that includes a housing having two open ends. A wire-like member is adapted to protrude out of each of the two open ends of the housing for a distance which is adequate to cooperate with the fixed prongs for firmly holding the lenses in the rim supports. Whenever it is desired (or necessary) to replace one or both of the lenses, the appropriate wire-like member is retracted into the housing, such that the adjacent lens may be manipulated--usually by slightly rotating it--in order to free it from the rim support. The wire-like retaining member is biased in its extended position by a bias member having the characteristics of a spring. In the preferred embodiment, the wire-like retaining member and the bias member are integrally formed from the same piece of wire. One end of such a combination member may also be configured to engage some irregularity in the housing (such as an aperture), so that it may function as a positive lock to preclude accidental movement of the wire-like member. With such a lock, a given lens will be removable from the frame only it is desired to replace it with another lens, which other lens may be a different color or shade, etc. The preferred design for the latching mechanism will only permit one lens to be removed at a time, so that a second lens does not accidentially fall to the ground and get scratched while the owner is concentrating his or her attention on replacing a first lens.

Retaining mechanism for eyeglasses having interchangeable lenses

An apparatus for dividing a pill into two portions (i.e., halves, quarters, etc.), such that one portion is immediately accessible and the second portion is captured for later use. The apparatus includes an anvil-like platform adapted to support a pill in a generally horizontal mode. A centering means is sized and oriented for positioning the pill on top of the platform in such a way that the pill is bisected by a cleavage plane, regardless of the size of the pill. The centering means preferably includes a pair of converging walls, with each wall lying in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the plane established by the platform. A gap between the convergent ends of the two walls lies in the cleavage plane, and the gap has a width which is just sufficient to receive a movable blade. The blade may be moved between two major positions, with one being a raised (or retracted) position and the other being a completely lowered position. The blade is mounted so that it will move in the cleavage plane, and any pill which is centered on top of the platform between the converging walls will inherently be divided in half when the blade is completely lowered. The blade is mounted on a spring-loaded handle in order that the blade will be retracted from its lowered position when pressure on the handle is released. A compartment-like structure is provided for conveniently capturing and storing half of any pill that has been split so as to prevent it from mixing with any portion of the remainder of the pill. Affixed to that side of the platform which is away from the compartment is a chute-like or scoop-like structure for dispensing the uncaptured or 'free' portion of the pill. The chute-like structure includes a tray having two guide walls, and the tray extends outwardly away from the side of the platform. The end of the tray which is farthest from the platform is open, so that the uncaptured pill portion may be easily dispensed into a person's hand, a glass, a storage bottle, etc. The apparatus includes a second handle for mounting the platform. Each of the first and second handles preferably has a length of about five inches to provide adequate leverage for comfort in cutting any number of pills.

Pill-dividing apparatus

A relatively small watercraft includes a pair of spaced and usually parallel pontoons. A personnel station extends generally between and above the two spaced pontoons. A structural frame of tubular members or bars supports the personnel station; the tubular members may be selectively connected to the pontoons, or the frame may be permanently connected to them. In one embodiment wherein the structural frame and the pontoons are only temporarily connected, a plurality of eye bolts and specially positioned slots are utilized so that the eye bolts need never be removed from the watercraft. (In this embodiment, there are no connecting pieces to ever get lost, even when the three main sub-assemblies of the watercraft are disassembled.) The eye bolts are aligned longitudinally with the slots for disassembly, and turned transversely to the slots to hold the tubular members to the pontoons. Dimples or recesses in the tubular members can be provided to inhibit unwanted rotation of an eye bolt. Special clips or slot-filling members may also be used to prevent unwanted rotation of the eye bolts.

Connection means for a knock-down boat

An assembly of at least two single-pole, double-throw slide switches, with one of the switches being mounted 90.degree. with respect to the other switch. A movable plate is positioned above the two SPDT switches, and the movable plate has apertures or the like which engage the projecting arms of the two SPDT switches, whereby translating movement of the movable plate causes action of one or both of the SPDT switches. Appropriate springs are provided to bias the movable plate to a centered, rest position at all times. Hence, movement of the movable plate as a result of some manual force may affirmatively generate any one of eight distinct signals. The centered rest position of the movable plate may also be considered as a signal-generation position, such that nine distinct bits of information may be communicated through the manual manipulation of a single knob that is connected to only two SPDT slide switches.

Electrical switch assembly

An apparatus for adjusting the inclination of a longitudinal bearing, comprising a fixed structure having at least two spaced walls which form a groove therebetween; the groove provides access for a rotatable member which may be mated with the bearing. An aperture of a size to snuggly fit the bearing is provided in a first one of the walls; a slot having a size larger than the aperture is provided in the second of the two walls, the slot being opposite the aperture in first wall and extending in a certain direction. A flange extends away from the second wall in a direction perpendicular to the opening of the groove, with said flange having an opening which lies in the plane defined by the aperture in the first wall and the slot in the second plane defined by the aperture in the first wall and the slot in the second wall. An L-shaped member has a cylindrical bearing surface along a first leg (which constitutes the longitudinal bearing) and an irregular surface along the second leg. The first leg is adapted to engage the aperture and also to span the gap between the aperture and the slot, and the second leg is adapted to extend from the slot through the flange opening. A fastening means is provided for firmly securing the L-shaped member to the flange, including means for engaging the irregular surface on the second leg when said leg is inserted into the flange opening. When the irregular surface constitutes simply threads, the fastening means may be two nuts that are engaged with the threads on opposite sides of the flange. The inclination of the first leg with respect to the groove is adjustable in accordance with which portion of the second leg's irregular surface is utilized in securing the L-shaped member to the flange.

Means for positioning a longitudinal bearing

A communications device to foster the correct steering of a vehicle by a driver who cannot see where the vehicle is moving with respect to its surroundings, including a control box which is handled by a remote observer, and an indicator panel having at least three lights thereon, with the control box and the indicator panel being connected by appropriate electrical conductors. The control box has one or more switches which generate nine basic signals to indicate to the vehicle driver what he should do, including such signals as turn his steering wheel to the left or to the right, or that he should either move forward, backward or stop the vehicle. The preferred embodiment includes a single control knob on the control box which is moved by the observer in the direction that the vehicle should move. The signal knob is biased to be in a centered position, and movement of the knob either forward or rearward, or to one side or the other, will cause an appropriate signal to be generated which is displayed in front of the driver on his indicator panel. When the device is activated, it has an initial rest position in which the signal displayed in front of the driver is 'stop'; all movement instructions from the observer must over-ride the stop signal. Hence, the unit is fail-safe in that any interruption of signals being generated by the observer's control box due to a malfunction will cause a stop signal to appear in front of the vehicle driver. The device can also be used to give instructions to a driver who is attempting to back a vehicle and trailer, by reversing the manner in which the indicator lights are activated.

Growing community of inventors

Arlington, TX, United States of America

Roy L Chandler