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Manufacturers Index - Kurt Manufacturing Co.

Kurt Manufacturing Co.
Minneapolis, MN, U.S.A.
Company Website: https://www.kurt.com/
Manufacturer Class: Metal Working Machinery

Patents
This page contains information on patents issued to this manufacturer.

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Key to Links for Patent Information

USPTO = U.S. Patent Office . Images of the actual patent can be viewed on the U.S. Patent Office web site but a special TIFF viewer must be installed with your browser in order properly work. More information on how to configure your computer to view these patents can be found at TIFF image Viewers for Patent Images.
DATAMP = Directory of American Tool And Machinery Patents . A sister site to VintageMachinery.org with information on patents related to machinery and tools. A much easier user interface than the USPTO's for finding information on machinery patents.

Patent Number Date Title Name City Description
3,397,880 Aug. 20, 1968 Vise clamp William G. Kuban Minneapolis, MN
3,935,811 Feb. 03, 1976 Bolster table device for punch press Ingo E. Wolfe Minneapolis, MN
    Bolster table device for punch press John O. Lenz Coon Rapids, MN  
4,223,879 Sep. 23, 1980 Machine tool vise Ingo E. Wolfe Brooklyn Park, MN This invention captures the basic idea that led to the now-ubiquitous Kurt vise with movable jaw that pulls slightly downward as it is tightened, which in turn pulls the workpiece down against the vise bed. The inspiration for the idea reportedly came from the now-forgotten Muggli vise of patent 2,880,638.
    Machine tool vise William G. Kuban Minneapolis, MN  
4,259,815 Apr. 07, 1981 Blade sharpener William G. Kuban Columbia Heights, MN
4,265,282 May. 05, 1981 Tubular rotating cutter John O. Lenz Coon Rapids, MN
4,288,185 Sep. 08, 1981 Outboard tracing station for carving machine John O. Lenz Coon Rapids, MN
4,299,377 Nov. 10, 1981 Manually operated clamp effort intensifier for vise John O. Lenz Coon Rapids, MN
4,315,373 Feb. 16, 1982 Machine vise protractor John O. Lenz Coon Rapids, MN
4,364,695 Dec. 21, 1982 Carving machine with auxiliary frame John O. Lenz Coon Rapids, MN
4,413,818 Nov. 08, 1983 Combination vise John O. Lenz Coon Rapids, MN This machinist vise has a box frame with sides machined square so that it can be oriented conventionally (jaws up), or on either side.
4,413,819 Nov. 08, 1983 Vise clamp and swivel base vise using such clamp John O. Lenz Coon Rapids, MN This vise has integral t-slot clamps and can include a swivel base.
4,481,569 Nov. 06, 1984 Feedback system for robot controller Samir A. Hoodbhoy Brooklyn Park, MN
4,496,139 Jan. 29, 1985 Vise clamp and swivel base vise using such clamp John O. Lenz Coon Rapids, MN The application for this patent was split off from that for patent 4,413,819.
4,555,853 Dec. 03, 1985 Drive for position controlled linearly movable carriage John O. Lenz Coon Rapids, MN The invention is a mechanism to permit rapid and precise horizontal linear movement. The traditional method is to use a ball screw but the shaft is prone to whipping when rotated at high speed. This mechanism uses guide rails and friction drive rollers. An encoder provides position feedback.
4,606,695 Aug. 19, 1986 Multiple axis robot arm John O. Lenz Coon Rapids, MN "A robot assembly includes a support for mounting at least two arm portions and a wrist portion about an upright axis. The wrist has three axes of movement...controlled by a singled motor... Additionally, gear drives are used for other movements on the robot arm to permit movement about seven independent axes in the arrangement shown with only two drive motors."
4,621,430 Nov. 11, 1986 Drive for position controlled linearly movable carriage John O. Lenz Coon Rapids, MN This patent's application was divided from that for patent 4,555,853.
4,734,000 Mar. 29, 1988 Power drawbar wrench John O. Lenz Coon Rapids, MN Pneumatic wrench integrated into the drawbar mechanism of a machine tool.
4,934,674 Jun. 19, 1990 Two station, single action vise Leon M. Bernstein Minneapolis, MN This patent is the earliest we have found of the now-famous Kurt vise mechanism using a hemispherical ball to transmit the clamping force to the movable jaw.
4,949,943 Aug. 21, 1990 Multiple air cylinder clamp for vise Leon M. Bernstein Minneapolis, MN
335,907 Jan. 08, 1992 Low velocity energized gas particle bearing David C. Abbe El Cajon, CA This European patent provides a design for air bearings for a disk-drive spindle. The innovations are aimed at achieving a full air-bearing gap in less than one revolution at startup, which is achieved by surface flatness and finish, and helical grooves with carefully designed lead-in profile. The counter-intuitive physics of this process is explained, and a good review of the prior art is provided.
5,098,073 Mar. 24, 1992 Two-station vise with double-threaded screw John O. Lenz Coon Rapids, MN
5,163,662 Nov. 17, 1992 Multi-purpose machine vise Leon M. Bernstein Minneapolis, MN
422,048 Jan. 13, 1993 Multi-purpose machine vise Leon M. Bernstein Minnetonka, MN This European patent is equivalent to US patent 5,163,662, and provides improvements to patents 4,413,818, 4,688,779 and 4,223,879.
5,242,159 Sep. 07, 1993 Hydraulic double lock vise Leon M. Bernstein Minneapolis, MN
5,265,990 Nov. 30, 1993 Short toolholder system William Kuban Columbia Heights, MN
5,310,299 May. 10, 1994 Sliding clamp Leon M. Bernstein Minnetonka, MN
5,374,041 Dec. 20, 1994 Vise Leon M. Bernstein Minnetonka, MN
5,417,555 May. 23, 1995 Rotary vane machine having end seal plates David J. Luoma Andover, MN This "rotary vane machine" is a pump for compressible fluid such as air. It references patents 5,087,183 and 5,160,252, both granted to Thomas C. Edwards and not assigned.
    Rotary vane machine having end seal plates Ingo E. Wolfe Brooklyn Park, MN  
    Rotary vane machine having end seal plates William G. Kuban Columbia Heights, MN  
5,421,072 Jun. 06, 1995 Machining carousel William G. Kuban Minneapolis, MN
5,425,532 Jun. 20, 1995 Stationary vise jaw Ingo E. Wolfe Brooklyn Park, MN This patent number was seen on a Kurt 8-inch vise, model D810. The patent covers the method of mounting the stationary jaw, which is held in place by bolts that are on the holding-surface side of the center-line of the jaw.
5,641,257 Jun. 24, 1997 Sliding clamp Leon M. Bernstein Minnetonka, MN
5,718,420 Feb. 17, 1998 Workholding wedge clamp Leon M. Bernstein Minnetonka, MN
835,725 Apr. 15, 1998 Vice with workpiece hold down force Ingo E. Wolfe Brooklyn Park, MN This European patent is an improvement on the Kurt Anglock vise of, e.g., patent 2,880,638. "The present invention is to improve the initial hold down force on a workpiece tending to urge the workpiece against the guideway forming a workpiece support surface on the vise bed."
890,419 Apr. 21, 1999 Work stop system and jaw plate for holding the same Ingo E. Wolfe Brooklyn Park, MN This European patent provides a work-stop accessory for a machine vise.
5,921,536 Jul. 13, 1999 Reversible two face jaw plate for vise or clamp Leon M. Bernstein Minnetonka, MN
5,971,681 Oct. 26, 1999 Drawbar guide ring with drive keys Roger J. Schroeder Coon Rapids, MN
    Drawbar guide ring with drive keys Ingo E. Wolfe Brooklyn Park, MN  
D417,599 Dec. 14, 1999 Machine vise Ingo E. Wolfe Brooklyn Park, MN
    Machine vise Leon M. Bernstein Minnetonka, MN  
6,012,712 Jan. 11, 2000 Double vise with self-setting clamping with the same or different size workpieces Leon M. Bernstein Minnetonka, MN
6,019,358 Feb. 01, 2000 Workholding wedge block with chip shield Leon M. Bernstein Minnetonka, MN
6,032,940 Mar. 07, 2000 Indexable jaw universal vise Ingo E. Wolfe Brooklyn Park, MN
6,361,034 Mar. 26, 2002 Magnetic insert in jaw plate for holding vise parallels Ingo E. Wolfe Brooklyn Park, MN
6,375,209 Apr. 23, 2002 Powered wheelchair Phillip E. Schlangen Minneapolis, MN Theradyne Healthcare Products, a Division of Kurt Mfg. Co., manufactured wheelchairs from about 1990 until 2004. They also manufactured exercise machinery, including treadmills, a business they also exited in 2004. Kurt/Theradyne treadmills were known for their excellent construction quality while lagging on features, especially software-driven features.
6,551,220 Apr. 22, 2003 Exercise resistance device with magnets Duane G. Schroeder New Hope, MN The patented device adapts a bicycle for stationary riding. It "includes a rotatable shaft and an impeller rotatable within a fluid filled sealed chamber. A rotating member is joined, for rotation with the sealed shaft. The rotating member is external to the sealed chamber and is magnetically coupled to the impeller.
6,929,275 Aug. 16, 2005 Person transport wheelchair Phillip E. Schlangen Minneapolis, MN
6,945,916 Sep. 20, 2005 Exercise resistance device with magnets Duane G. Schroeder New Hope, MN This patent's application was a division of that for patent 6,551,220.
6,948,424 Sep. 27, 2005 Material compaction apparatus Raymond J. Koski Andover, MN This compaction apparatus is used to separate a liquid used in manufacturing briquettes from the end product, and is intended to produce a reasonably pure liquid that can be reused in the manufacturing process.
    Material compaction apparatus Duane G. Schroeder New Hope, MN  
7,163,201 Jan. 16, 2007 Two station vise Leon M. Bernstein Minnetonka, MN
7,481,748 Jan. 27, 2009 Locking mechanism for a bicycle trainer Duane G. Schroeder New Hope, MN
7,998,032 Aug. 16, 2011 Bicycle trainer Duane G. Schroeder New Hope, MN
7,998,033 Aug. 16, 2011 Locking mechanism for a bicycle trainer Duane G. Schroeder New Hope, MN
8,720,874 May. 13, 2014 Ball actuated lock pin David L. Schmidt Zimmerman, MN
    Ball actuated lock pin Steven J. Tschida Harris, MN  
9,004,472 Apr. 14, 2015 Five axis machine vise David L. Schmidt Zimmerman, MN
9,004,476 Apr. 14, 2015 Machine vise parallel with angled edges David L. Schmidt Zimmerman, MN
9,095,958 Aug. 04, 2015 Self centering dual direction clamping vise David L. Schmidt Zimmerman, MN
9,193,040 Nov. 24, 2015 Machine vise attachment David L. Schmidt Zimmerman, MN Auxiliary vise for holding a workpiece vertically on a milling machine to machine the end of the piece. The main vise jaws remain unobstructed so they can be used to hold another workpiece.
9,259,633 Feb. 16, 2016 Roller assembly having internal resistance components Bradd R. Meyers Brooklyn Park, MN
9,610,474 Apr. 04, 2017 Bicycle trainer with roller speed sensor Paul Carlsen Lino Lakes, MN
9,656,719 May. 23, 2017 Axle arrangement for a rear hub of a bicycle Bradd R. Meyers Brooklyn Park, MN