Re: Donald McCormick patent

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Dick Fischbeck

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Apr 27, 2023, 6:31:14 PM4/27/23
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Repeat. Make a sphere with this half-edge element. I think Paul posted about this method recently.


Donald M. Mccormick


On Sat, Nov 27, 2021 at 5:52 PM Paul Robinson <pa...@wangerflange.com> wrote:
Hi Dick,
Thanks for taking the time to send me this information it is very interesting to look at other inventions I this field.
OK I studied the patent carefully and think at first glance the idea of having a bracket with holes at 90° may look similar but in practice they work in totally different way.
For example a typical singe hole L bracket has the same hole configuration and Mr McCormick doesn’t mention them as prior art.

Other differences would be
  • Holes centres are in line (McCormick invention) WangerFlange has one hole lifted.
  • McCormick invention has fixings in centre of a face and on one edge, WangerFlange work exclusively as a hub fixing.
  • WangerFlange is designed to fix onto the end of a strut material to form a space frame, the McCormick design seems to be stand alone without being fixed to other material.
  • An illustration shows a stack of three McCormick brackets and potentially more depending on the polyhedron, WangerFlanges are never stacked more than two.

I’m slightly surprised that Mr McCormick managed to get a patent as a quick search on google brought up an exact match for Model T fender brackets (see attached image)
I suppose it’s how the invention is being used rather than it’s shape, again this isn’t used in any similar way to my invention so I’m not concerned about any infringement on my part.

Thanks again for bringing this to my attention I shall add it to my files, it’s very useful to have material that can support my claim to a unique invention.
I only have registered deign on my product so I guess anyone is free to improve or reinvent as long as it doesn’t look exactly the same, I have people send me there versions which is also very interesting.

All the best,
Paul




On 26 Nov 2021, at 16:05, Dick Fischbeck <dick.fi...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Paul

I watched some of your videos today.

You will be interested in knowing about this patent because he uses the same precessional, 90 degree hub principle.


Let me know if I am correct!

Cheers
Dick Fischbeck
Freedom, Maine

RC

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Apr 27, 2023, 7:20:08 PM4/27/23
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Patent US4686800 already expired back on August 23, 1995.  So, what's the point?

Dick Fischbeck

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Apr 28, 2023, 3:58:15 PM4/28/23
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Hi Robert- Paul's Wanger flanges are two at-ninety-degrees brackets, similar to Donald structures. I find it is a nifty way to build space frames.
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