JOHN MICHAEL HECKETHORN
Pilots at Troy Ave, Dyersburg, TN

4602811, Jul 29, 1986

Nov 28, 1984

6/675570

John E. Heckethorn - Dyersburg TN
Danny J. Whittle - Newbern TN

Heckethorn Manufacturing Company - Dyersburg TN

F16L 1314

2853822

A new open end pipe or tube clamp assembly having an exceptionally high strength-to-size ratio which utilizes a U-bolt and a novel saddle member. The saddle is formed by a progressive die of a single piece with no welding and has a top web surface which is severely formed to define a pair of spaced rounded ridges and a depressed central portion achieving high strength and the ridges also serve as nut seats and reduce galling. The side walls of the saddle are centrally depressed to provide narrow contact with the tubing. When the clamp is tightened about a pipe joint high tension stresses force the side members toward each other.

4365392, Dec 28, 1982

Nov 13, 1978

5/960036

John E. Heckethorn - Dyersburg TN

Heckethorn Manufacturing Company - Dyersburg TN

A44B 2100, F16L 2500

24256

A ring clamp capable of forming a gas-tight 360. degree. indentation in a tubing slip-joint, the structure comprises a circular cross-section which is discontinuous over a minor portion of its circumference and has a threaded bolt leg extending from a first end thereof. A tightening lug member comprised of a cylindrical tubular housing and having a planar web extending from one side thereof fits within the discontinuity in the ring, the bolt leg extending freely into the tubular housing and the other end of the ring being welded to the planar web. An inner edge of the web is arcuately formed to continue the circular arc of the ring within the discontinuity, the arcuate surface thus formed being continued by arcuately edged flared portions of the tubular housing located at the entry end of said housing where the bolt leg extends into said housing. The inner perimetric surface of the ring at said entry end lies effectively at the same point on the inner circular arc defined by the ring clamp as the innermost distal corner edge portions of the flared portions, the bolt leg being supported against outward radial movement at this locus within the tubular housing. A nut fitting on the threaded end of the bolt leg and torqued against the exit end of the housing reduces the inner circumference of the ring clamp to impress a bead in a tubing slip-joint over which the ring clamp has been fitted, the bead being formed by the pressure of the ring, the inner arcuate surfaces of the web, and the flared portions of the tubular housing, thereby to form the gas-tight joint and to secure the tubing portions together.

4665378, May 12, 1987

Jun 10, 1985

6/742788

John E. Heckethorn - Dyersburg TN

3900 Corp. - Baltimore MD

G08G 114

340 51

A signal light is projected in a concentrated beam downwardly when a garage door is fully opened to provide a light spot on the garage floor where no vehicle obstructs it and on the vehicle, such as on the dashboard thereof, when a vehicle is at a properly parked position in the garage. This provides signals both that the door is fully open, indicating that it is safe to exit or enter the garage as well as that the vehicle is in the proper position for parking. In addition, the light source itself may be arranged to glow visibly to an operator outside the garage as a further indication that it is safe to enter. Adjustable bracket means enables the location of the signaling lamp and signal-like spots to be adjusted. The light source is controlled by the position of the garage door, so as to only be illuminated when the door is fully opened. The signal lamp may be controlled by a separate normally open switch closed by the garage door when in the fully opened position thereof or may be tied into and controlled by the circuitry of the garage door operator and by the conventional limit switches, which may be modified, if necessary, to provide a normally-open contact pair for full open position of the door.

4958419, Sep 25, 1990

Feb 14, 1986

7/829224

John E. Heckethorn - Dyersburg TN
Danny J. Whittle - Newbern TN

3900 Corp. - Baltimore MD

A44B 104

24283

A lightweight very low-profile hose clamp formed from only three pieces: an elongated wire bent to form a pair of loops which are in spaced side-by-side arrangement and joined at the top by an integral nut section formed by one and one-half tight convolutions of the wire; a heavy gage steel actuating plate having three holes therein, the ends of the wire being bent rearwardly toward the nut section and passing through the end holes of the plate; and an actuating screw threadedly received in the nut section and having a pilot tip received in the central hole of the plate.

4372017, Feb 8, 1983

Sep 17, 1980

6/188262

John E. Heckethorn - Dyersburg TN

Heckethorn Manufacturing Co. - Dyersburg TN

B01J 600

24277

A U-bolt saddle clamp is disclosed having a double saddle design, wherein the primary saddle web is centered on the U-bolt axis to provide a substantially complete circular indentation on the coupled pipes to which it is applied in cooperation with the U-bolt. The spaced secondary saddle web functions as a fulcrum for the actuating or primary web and is cut out higher as it does not indent the pipe.

4393559, Jul 19, 1983

Jul 14, 1981

6/283237

John E. Heckethorn - Dyersburg TN
Danny J. Whittle - Newbern TN

Heckethorn Manufacturing Company - Dyersburg TN

B65D 6300

24277

A new saddle construction for a U-bolt pipe clamp assembly formed from a single blank of sheet steel without welding and including a tubular cross reinforcement rib of preferably triangular cross section spanning the top of the saddle completely between the two bolt receiving housings. The saddle is formed in a progressive die and is adapted in conjunction with its mating U-bolt to indent a circumferential bead in the pipe sections being joined.

3955250, May 11, 1976

Nov 19, 1974

5/525225

John E. Heckethorn - Dyersburg TN

Heckethorn Manufacturing Co. - Dyersburg TN

B65D 6300

24277

A saddle for a U-bolt clamp is constituted of a pair of tubular housings arranged to receive and slide axially upon the legs of a U-bolt having a semicircular bight, with the housings connected by a web portion consisting of a pair of parallel planar sections of sheet steel welded together in full face contact and extending transversely between the housings integral therewith. The upper (bight facing) edge of each planar section is curved as a semicircular recess curved on the radius of the U-bolt bight. The lower portion of each planar web section is, for the major portion of its length between the tubular housings, doubled back upon itself in flat face contact with the outer face of its associated planar web section, thus providing a double thickness for each web section throughout the area covered by the double back portion and materially reinforcing the entire web portion of the saddle both horizontally and vertically with four thicknesses of the sheet steel from which the saddle is made. The upper edge of the doubled back reinforcement is spaced distally below the bottom of the semicircular recess of its associated web section and is formed with an outturned lateral flange over its full length, which flange lies in a plane normal to the longitudinal axes of the tubular housings and additionally reinforces its web section against horizontal distortion when securing nuts threaded on the ends of the U-bolt legs are drawn up against the lower end faces of the tubular housings to tighten the clamp.

4147384, Apr 3, 1979

Jan 12, 1978

5/868798

John E. Heckethorn - Dyersburg TN

Heckethorn Manufacturing Co. - Dyersburg TN

F16L 1314

2853822

A clamp for securing together in locked relationship a pair of telescoped pipes or tubes. The clamp consists of a novel U-bolt having a swaged flat rim on the inner portion of its bight which reduces the radius of the bight portion, and a novel saddle member having a semicircular cut-out and being further chamfered adjacent the ends of the semicircular cut-out to define a greater diameter. The assembly when in its loading position will accept a pipe joint of greater outside diameter than the inner diameter of the tightened clamp; and wherein tightening of the clamp initially deforms the pipe joint into an ovaled configuration and subsequently returns it to a circular configuration and impresses a bead thereabout for 360. degree.

4249759, Feb 10, 1981

Jan 8, 1979

6/001738

John E. Heckethorn - Dyersburg TN

Heckethorn Manufacturing Company - Dyersburg TN

F16L 1314

2853822

A clamp for securing together in locked relationship a pair of telescoped pipes or tubes. The clamp consists of a novel U-bolt having a small radius portion, two outwardly diverging tapered sections and two parallel threaded arms, and a novel saddle member having a semicircular cut-out and being further chamfered adjacent the ends of the semicircular cut-out to define a greater diameter. The assembly when in its loading position will accept a pipe joint of greater outside diameter than the inner diameter of the tightened clamp; and wherein tightening of the clamp initially deforms the pipe joint into an ovaled configuration and impresses a bead thereabout for 360. degree.

4722561, Feb 2, 1988

Jul 29, 1987

7/078973

John E. Heckethorn - Dyersburg TN
Danny J. Whittle - Newbern TN

3900 Corp - Baltimore MD

F16L 2106

285411

A stamped and welded clamp for pipe or tube joints having a plurality of arcuate segments pivotally attached to each other and separable at one location so as to facilitate wrapping about the joint. Each segment forms a Vee shaped recess on its inside face and each is formed from similar pieces projection welded together and having top and lateral reinforcing flanges. A special T-bolt serves to secure and tighten the assembly and employ a T-shaped bolt and which fits slidably into a mating housing having a stepped end-face to serve to restrain the bolt from turning during tightening.