The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 07, 1990
Filed:
Sep. 18, 1989
Applicant:
Inventor:
Edwin L Cutright, Powhatan, VA (US);
Assignee:
Philip Morris Incorporated, New York, NY (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B65G / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
4147451 ; 406153 ; 406194 ; 193 32 ; 198345 ; 198493 ; 131 841 ; 131 843 ; 493 44 ; 493 48 ;
Abstract
A tube is held or guided parallel to its length by providing a channel-like structure aligned with the tube and having sides which are spaced apart by a distance less than the diameter of the tube. Circumferentially spaced longitudinal portions of the outer surface of the tube bear respectively on the two sides of the channel. The channel is open to the outer surface of the tube between those longitudinal portions, and the bottom of the tube is spaced from the outer surface of the tube between those longitudinal portions. The tube is held against the channel-like structure by directing a stream of gas (e.g., air) along the channel.