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:
Jan. 31, 2006
Filed:
Jul. 24, 2002
Harold G. Leclare, Lenexa, KS (US);
Kevin E. Welch, Overland Park, KS (US);
Kevin L. Egbert, Lenexa, KS (US);
Andrew R. Elliott, Shawnee, KS (US);
James P. Morris, Kansas City, MO (US);
Gary R. Hannah, Shawnee, KS (US);
Harold G. LeClare, Lenexa, KS (US);
Kevin E. Welch, Overland Park, KS (US);
Kevin L. Egbert, Lenexa, KS (US);
Andrew R. Elliott, Shawnee, KS (US);
James P. Morris, Kansas City, MO (US);
Gary R. Hannah, Shawnee, KS (US);
BE Intellectual Property, Inc., Wellington, FL (US);
Abstract
A pleating machine () is provided which allows extremely rapid, uniform pleating of flexible, tubular bodies (), thereby eliminating the arduous and time-consuming task of manual pleating. The machine () includes an upper, stationary, female tubular jaw () and a lower, reciprocal, male tubular pleating jaw () which are oriented in superposed, substantially axial alignment, along with a drive assembly () serving to vertically reciprocate lower jaw (). An elongated rod-type body support () extends downwardly through the upper jaw () and presents a pleating surface (), so that upon reciprocation of lower jaw (), the jaw lugs () successively engage the body () to form pleats (). The pleats () are retained by keeper structure including inwardly extending female jaw segments () and weighted slide () mounted on support ().