US3621164A — Apparatus for discharging static electricity

Claim 1

Independent Claim 201 words

Apparatus for transferring an accumulated charge of static electricity between a person and an object comprising: first electrically conductive member connected to the object and mounted for rotation an an axis, a second electrically conductive member spaced from said first member and mounted for rotation on an axis coaxial therewith, the conductive portion of said second member being exposed for engagement with the person, means providing electrical insulation on one of said members and an airgap between said first and second members, contact means on said members and carried on at least one of said members and projecting toward the other of said members, said contact means including at least one surface carried by each of said members a spaced distance outwardly from said axis, said surfaces confronting one another and lying in a circle concentric with said axis and being normally disposed in circumferentially spaced relation, and means biasing said contact means on one member away from said other member to normally space said contact therefrom, whereby the spacing between the surfaces may be diminished when the second member is rotated relative to the first member and against said biasing means to thereby effect the transfer of static electricity therebetween.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 201 words

Apparatus for transferring an accumulated charge of static electricity between a person and an object comprising: first electrically conductive member connected to the object and mounted for rotation an an axis, a second electrically conductive member spaced from said first member and mounted for rotation on an axis coaxial therewith, the conductive portion of said second member being exposed for engagement with the person, means providing electrical insulation on one of said members and an airgap between said first and second members, contact means on said members and carried on at least one of said members and projecting toward the other of said members, said contact means including at least one surface carried by each of said members a spaced distance outwardly from said axis, said surfaces confronting one another and lying in a circle concentric with said axis and being normally disposed in circumferentially spaced relation, and means biasing said contact means on one member away from said other member to normally space said contact therefrom, whereby the spacing between the surfaces may be diminished when the second member is rotated relative to the first member and against said biasing means to thereby effect the transfer of static electricity therebetween.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 160 words

Apparatus according to claim 1 including a latching assembly connected to said first member and being operable upon rotation in selected clockwise and counterclockwise directions, means including a pair of said surfaces carried by each of said members to limit said relative rotation when said second member is rotated in a selected one of said directions, said biasing means connected to said members to normally space said confronting surfaces at substantially equal distances from one anotheR, so that when the second member is rotated in the clockwise direction, the spacing between the confronting surfaces decreases to transfer static electricity to the first member and interengagement of the surfaces causes the first member to rotate for operating the latching assembly, and when the second member is rotated in the counterclockwise direction the spacing between the surfaces decreases to transfer static electricity to the first member and interengagement of the surfaces causes the first member to rotate for operating the latching assembly.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 111 words

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first member includes a metallic doorknob, said second member includes a metallic element surrounding the periphery of said knob, said insulation means includes a resilient substance having an inwardly facing surface frictionally engaging the inner periphery of said element, and being elastically deformable to provide said biasing means, said contact means comprising at least one pin engaging the outer periphery of said knob and projecting radially outward therefrom and at least one inward projection in said metallic element and depending therefrom toward said pin alongside thereof, whereby the pin is engaged by said projection when the metallic element is rotated relative to the knob.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 147 words

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first member includes a metallic knob surrounding the terminal portion of said shank, said contact means comprising metallic studs secured to said shank diametrically with respect to said axis and extending axially toward said knob, and metallic studs secured to said knob and extending axially toward said shank, said studs normally being disposed in spaced side-by-side relation, said insulation means being secured to said shank and having a cylindrical outer periphery rotatably receiving said knob, said biasing means including a torsion spring having one arm engaging in said insulation means and another arm engaging in said knob, and including a threaded fastener threadedly engaging said insulation means on said axis and engaging said knob to rotatably mount said knob adjacent said shank, whereby the studs are operatively engaged upon rotation of the knob in either the clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 183 words

Apparatus for transferring an accumulated charge or static electricity between a person and an object comprising a first electrically conductive member connected to the object, a latching assembly connected to said first member and being operable upon rotation of said first member on an axis, a second electrically conductive member spaced from said first member, means slidably mounting said second member to said first member for displacement on said axis, means providing electrical insulation on one of said members and an airgap between said members, contact means on each of said members disposed in axially spaced confronting relation, means biasing said contact means on one member away from said other member to normally space said contact means from one another, means acting counter to said biasing means for limiting the spacing between said contact means and other means to limit relative angular displacement between said members, so that relative axial displacement between the members decreases the spacing between the contact means for transferring electrical energy and rotation of the second member on its axis causes said other means to actuate the latching assembly.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 183 words

Apparatus for transferring an accumulated charge or static electricity between a person and an object comprising a first electrically conductive member connected to the object, a latching assembly connected to said first member and being operable upon rotation of said first member on an axis, a second electrically conductive member spaced from said first member, means slidably mounting said second member to said first member for displacement on said axis, means providing electrical insulation on one of said members and an airgap between said members, contact means on each of said members disposed in axially spaced confronting relation, means biasing said contact means on one member away from said other member to normally space said contact means from one another, means acting counter to said biasing means for limiting the spacing between said contact means and other means to limit relative angular displacement between said members, so that relative axial displacement between the members decreases the spacing between the contact means for transferring electrical energy and rotation of the second member on its axis causes said other means to actuate the latching assembly.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 74 words

Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said other means includes at least one axially extending cavity spaced outwardly from said axis in one of said members, another axially extending cavity in registry with said one cavity in the other of said members, and a catch slidably received in said cavities, whereby the interengagement of the catch in the cavities operates to couple the members and prevent relative angular displacement therebetween while permitting axial displacement.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 96 words

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said first member includes a doorknob shank and saId second member includes a doorknob surrounding the terminal portion of said shank, said insulation means including an insulator mounted in the end of said shank, a stem on said knob slidable in said insulator, said stem having a through bore therein, and said spacing-limiting means including a bolt extending through said bore with its head engaging said knob and its tail carried by said insulator, whereby displacement of the knob axially of said bolt decreases the spacing of the contact means.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 90 words

Apparatus according to claim 7 including an outwardly projecting portion on said shank defining one arcuate surface and an inwardly projecting portion on said knob defining another arcuate surface confronting said shank portion, the arcuate surface on said knob portion having a tapered apex adjacent said shank portion and being engageable therewith upon axial displacement of said knob, said biasing means including a shoulder in said stem-bore and a compression spring surrounding said bolt and seated between said shoulder and said bolt-head to bias said knob axially toward said shank.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 57 words

Apparatus according to claim wherein said contact means includes confronting arcuate surfaces with one surface having a tapered portion terminating in an apex adjacent another arcuate surface, said biasing means including a compression spring mounted in one of the cavities to engage the catch and urge it outwardly thereof and bias said knob outwardly from said shank.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 136 words

Apparatus for transferring an accumulated charge of static electricity between a person and an object comprising: a first electrically conductive member connected to the object, said first member including a metallic plate, a plunger slidably mounted in said plate, a second member including a metallic cap mounted on and surrounding said plunger on the end thereof remote from said plate, insulation means interposed between said cap and said plunger, said cap having a surface spaced from and confronting said plate to provide contact means, means connected to said plunger to bias said plunger and hence said surface away from said plate, whereby the accumulated static electricity is transferred from the cap to the plate when the plunger is displaced toward the plate and the spacing between the surface on the cap and the plate is decreased.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 136 words

Apparatus for transferring an accumulated charge of static electricity between a person and an object comprising: a first electrically conductive member connected to the object, said first member including a metallic plate, a plunger slidably mounted in said plate, a second member including a metallic cap mounted on and surrounding said plunger on the end thereof remote from said plate, insulation means interposed between said cap and said plunger, said cap having a surface spaced from and confronting said plate to provide contact means, means connected to said plunger to bias said plunger and hence said surface away from said plate, whereby the accumulated static electricity is transferred from the cap to the plate when the plunger is displaced toward the plate and the spacing between the surface on the cap and the plate is decreased.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 196 words

Apparatus for transferring an accumulated charge of static electricity between a person and an object comprising: a first electrically conductive member connected to the object and a second electrically conductive member spaced from said first member, a cover disposed intermediate said first and second members and having an elongated slot, an operator protruding forwardly through said slot and operable from in front of said cover between alternate positions adjacent opposite ends of said slot, means adjacent said opposite ends of said slot providing electrical communication between said front of the cover and said first member located behind said cover, the second member including a metallic element having an elongated aperture in registry with said slot and being disposed inwardly of the outermost terminus of said operator, contact means including a tab on the back of said element normally spaced from said electrical communication means and operable upon rearward displacement to establish electrical connection with said electrical communication means, and means including biasing means to mount said element for rearward displacement whereby electrical energy is transferred from the element to the first member behind the cover when the element is displaced by the person actuating said operator.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 196 words

Apparatus for transferring an accumulated charge of static electricity between a person and an object comprising: a first electrically conductive member connected to the object and a second electrically conductive member spaced from said first member, a cover disposed intermediate said first and second members and having an elongated slot, an operator protruding forwardly through said slot and operable from in front of said cover between alternate positions adjacent opposite ends of said slot, means adjacent said opposite ends of said slot providing electrical communication between said front of the cover and said first member located behind said cover, the second member including a metallic element having an elongated aperture in registry with said slot and being disposed inwardly of the outermost terminus of said operator, contact means including a tab on the back of said element normally spaced from said electrical communication means and operable upon rearward displacement to establish electrical connection with said electrical communication means, and means including biasing means to mount said element for rearward displacement whereby electrical energy is transferred from the element to the first member behind the cover when the element is displaced by the person actuating said operator.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 121 words

Apparatus according to claim 11 and further including an additional tab on said element and wherein said electrical communication means includes metallic portions on said cover in electrical communication with said first member, said biasing means including a resilient inturned flange on said element adjacent opposite ends of said aperture, said element mounting means including an opening in each flange and a threaded fastener extending through each opening and threadedly received in said one member, and insulation means including nonconductive washers between the metallic portions of said cover and the flanges and nonconductive washers and between the heads of the threaded fasteners and the flanges, so that the tabs are normally spaced from the cover by the resiliency of the flanges.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 88 words

Apparatus according to claim 12 and further including an electrical mounting box and wherein said first member includes a strap mounting said box with said operator and confronting the back of the cover, said strap threadedly receiving said threaded fasteners, said element being metallic with said tabs being formed integrally therewith, and including electrically conductive washers disposed intermediate said cover and the strap around the threaded fasteners, so that rotation of the fasteners causes a clamping action to effect electrical communication between the cover and the mounting box.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1974-11-15	1975-05-17	1975-11-16	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1978-11-15	1979-05-17	1979-11-16	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1982-11-15	1983-05-17	1983-11-16	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Apparatus for discharging static electricity

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