Patents Examined by Randolph S. Herrick
  • Patent number: 5540270
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for treatment of bulk materials which are loaded with impurities and pollutants. Preferably the process treats bulk material from the category of clay-bonded used foundry sand. Depending on the provenance of the sand, composition of the sand, and the type of binders employed, this sand is subjected to a regeneration process including dry mechanical pretreatment and wet attrition treatment to produce regenerated sand and fine grain-containing waste water. The fine grain-containing waste water is subjected to a multiple-stage waste water treatment based on agglomeration processes after adjustment of the pH level of the waste water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Assignee: Noell Abfall-Und Energietechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Grote, Ulrich Thiem, Terry D. Skidmore
  • Patent number: 5538070
    Abstract: A granular mould flux for use in the continuous casting of steel comprises refractory metal oxide, one or more fluxing agents, a binder and 0.1% to 3% by weight based on the weight of the flux of an expanding agent such as expandable perlite, expandable vermiculite or expandable graphite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Foseco International Limited
    Inventors: Royston J. Phillips, Spencer C. Diehl
  • Patent number: 5537775
    Abstract: An improved weighted jig is disclosed having a fishhook with an elongated shank having first and second ends; a U-shaped hook secured to the first shank end. A shoulder is attached to the shank second end and extends generally perpendicularly from the shank. The shoulder is formed by a member having two ends and connected at one of the ends to the shank second end and folded back on itself. An eyelet for connection of a fishing line, is formed at the point of folding of the member back upon itself. A locking device is secured to the shoulder, the locking device being movable between a locking position and a release position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Inventor: Douglas L. Crumrine
  • Patent number: 5535540
    Abstract: An improved weighted jigging system for use with a malleable lure body and a fishhook has a sinker body with front and rear portions and a bore for slidably receiving a fishing line. A hook locking device is adapted to be received and releasably secured within the bore, which locking device comprises a fishhook connection member for releasably engaging the fishhook eyelet such that the fishhook is releasably retained to the sinker body. The fishing line is adapted to be fastened to the fishhook eyelet such that upon engagement of the fishhook eyelet by the fishhook connection member of the fishhook locking device, a substantially unitary fishhook sinker apparatus is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Inventor: Douglas L. Crumrine
  • Patent number: 5535810
    Abstract: A method of forming a cast orthopaedic implant having a porous surface layer is disclosed. The method includes placing a porous layer on a wax replica of the implant such that a portion of the pores of the layer are filled with the wax material. The wax replica and porous surface layer are coated by a ceramic material consistent with investment casting technology. The ceramic material fills the remainder of the pores of the porous layer. After the ceramic material is solidified, the wax material is melted away leaving a cavity within the ceramic material. The pores once filled by wax are now exposed and extend into the cavity. A molten metal is poured into the cavity and partially melts the exposed porous layer to form a melt bond with the molten metal. When the metal is cooled, the ceramic material is stripped away exposing the portion of the porous layer previously filled with the ceramic medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Zimmer, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. Compton, Leslie N. Gibertson
  • Patent number: 5533563
    Abstract: A mold and method for making castings having variable hardness is disclosed. The mold assembly includes a cope and drag captured between a pair of carrier plates. Chill members depend from the carrier plates and are received in appropriate apertures formed in the cope and drag. The chill members are inserted into the cope and drag after formation thereof and are removed therefrom prior to shake-out of the molded article. The chill members are used to control the cooling of the molded article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1996
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Lee, Sr.
  • Patent number: 5531659
    Abstract: A roll caster shell for use in a continuous sheet casting machine which is made of an alloy which consists essentially of, in weight %,:C: 0.35-0.55%, Si: 0.10-0.50%, Mn: 0.20-0.70%,P: 0.03% or less, S: 0.02% or less, Ni: 0.60% or less,Cr: 0.80-1.50%, Mo: 0.80-1.50%, V: 0.30-0.60%,Co: 0.30-1.00%,Fe and incidental impurities: balancewith the total amount of elements other than Fe and C not exceeding 5.0 atomic %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1996
    Assignee: Kanto Special Steel Works, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tamotsu Fusada
  • Patent number: 5526868
    Abstract: A casting process with a forced and controlled vortex at sprue intake comprising imposing rotating motion to molten metal in a pouring basin on a casting mold to create a vortex of molten metal while introducing the molten metal into a cavity, and causing the vortex of molten metal to flow into a sprue along an inner wall thereof so as to create a central vortex core in the molten metal in the sprue while the molten metal is being poured into the sprue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1996
    Assignees: John Campbell, NKK Corporation
    Inventors: John Campbell, Tomoo Isawa
  • Patent number: 5524703
    Abstract: A device for shooting foundry cores with molding materials (1), comprising a shooting head (4) with an inlet side (2) and an outlet side (3), a shooting plate (6) located at the outlet side of the shooting head (4) and accommodating at least one shooting nozzle (5), and a clamping head (7) associated to the shooting head (4) on its inlet side and having at least one air supply (8) for a leakproof application of compressed air to the shooting head (4), the clamping head being preferably vertically movable by means of a cylinder-piston arrangement (9), is designed and constructed for purposes of avoiding local air currents or making the air flow more uniform during core shooting in such a manner that a device (10) for swirling or uniformly distributing the compressed air that flows from the air supply (8) into the shooting head (4) is arranged between the shooting head (4) and the clamping head (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: Adolf Hottinger Maschinenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Landua, Jurgen Muller
  • Patent number: 5524698
    Abstract: A one-body hollow precision cast metal golf club head is fabricated by casting metal about a head core to form a shell, and melting and flowing out the head core. The head core is made of low melting point alloys having a melting point lower than that of the metal used for casting the shell and is coated with an aqueous solution prior to the casting process of the shell. The aqueous solution is a composition including inorganic powders, binders and solvent. The ratio of components should be inorganic powder:binder:solvent=(40-80):(1-10):(10-59) based on weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Chun-Mu Chen, Chih-Chao Yang
  • Patent number: 5524700
    Abstract: A supply vessel containing a molten bath has a discharge opening which is controlled by a valve. The discharge opening is located in a vertical plane and has a horizontal axis. The valve includes a set of valve plates having through openings for the passage of molten material. The valve plates are rotatable relative to one another in order to bring the through openings into and out of register and thus open and close the valve. One of the valve plates sits adjacent the discharge opening and is stationary while another of the valve plates is remote from the discharge opening and is freely rotatable. A mold having an inlet, a casting cavity and feeders between the inlet and casting cavity is brought into engagement with the freely rotatable valve plate. The mold is positioned with the casting cavity below the upper surface of the molten bath and with the feeders below the casting cavity. The valve is opened and the casting cavity filled with molten material via the mold inlet and the feeders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: EB Bruhl Aluminiumtechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Rolf Gosch
  • Patent number: 5524696
    Abstract: A "lost foam" method of making a casting having a preform embedded at a selective location therein including the steps of: engulfing a porous preform in a fugitive pattern; embedding the pattern in a loose sand mold in a vessel; pouring molten metal into the mold cavity via a sprue and runner system formed in the sand bed so as to destroy the pattern and fill the mold cavity with metal; pressurizing the vessel to force molten metal from the cavity into the porous preform; replacing metal lost from the cavity with make-up metal from the sprue and runner system; allowing the casting to solidify; and removing the casting from the sand bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Richard J. Osborne, Gregory Sanders, Lori J. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 5520241
    Abstract: The machine for removing burrs from slabs (1) issuing from a continuous casting installation and cut to the desired length by oxygen cutting, is of the type comprising a rotor (10) carrying on its periphery self-retractable hammers (11). The rotor (10) comprises a hub (12) on which are fixed, at each end, an end flange (13) in the form of a circular collar and, between these two end flanges (13), pairs (14) of semi-flanges (15) which are in the form of semi-circular collars and are adjacent and opposed. Each pair (14) of semi-flanges (15) is evenly spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the hub (12) and one of the semi-flanges (15) of each pair (14) is offset in this longitudinal direction relative to the other of the semi-flanges (15) of this pair (14). The invention also provides a rotor employed in this type of burr-removing machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1996
    Assignee: Sollac
    Inventors: Jacques Meunier, Francis Coppin, Dominique Duval
  • Patent number: 5515904
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a mold for aluminothermic welding without preheating of two metal parts, said mold being composed of two mold parts and two sets of cores and having internally employed a mold cavity and two mold channels with cross-sections of elongated shape, extending from underneath the base portion of said mold cavity to the upper side of said mold, said mold channels and the extremities of said base portion being connected together through two connecting ducts with cross-sections of elongated shape on the vertical, the rising channels being employed from recesses of mold channels or cores and complementary channel portions determined by positions of said cores inserted into said mold channels onto positioning means, said mold in which closing gates connecting the upper side of rising channels directly to the atmosphere or to the upper side of head portion of said mold cavity, the invention further relating to a process in which a liquid bath of constant height is created in the welding cavity,
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1996
    Inventor: Stefan R. Radulescu
  • Patent number: 5507336
    Abstract: A method of constructing a fully dense metal part or a metal mold half for mating with another mold half to form a mold for casting multiple parts. Steps include placing a pattern in a tubular mold base, casting a ceramic member onto critical surfaces of the pattern, removing the pattern from the mold base, covering the critical surfaces transferred to the ceramic member with a powdered metal having a melting temperature greater than that of an infiltration metal, placing a quantity of an infiltration metal over the powdered metal, placing the tubular mold base in a furnace at a temperature sufficient to melt the infiltration metal without melting the powdered metal, and removing the ceramic member from the first open end of the tubular mold base to expose the critical surfaces. The quantity of the infiltration metal is sufficient to fill voids between the particles of the powdered metal when the infiltration metal is melted, thereby generating a fully dense metal part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1996
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: James R. Tobin
  • Patent number: 5503218
    Abstract: A method of making a ceramic shell mould for casting includes making a pattern having an internal cavity in two parts from a disposable material, glueing the two parts together to complete the hollow pattern, filling the internal cavity with a ceramic material, and simultaneously or subsequently forming a shell of a ceramic material around the filled pattern. The pattern can then be eliminated to obtain a casting mould with an inner core made in situ.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1996
    Assignee: Societe Nationale D'Etude et de Moteurs D'Aviation "Snecma"
    Inventors: Isabelle M. M. Campion, Christian Marty
  • Patent number: 5477908
    Abstract: An apparatus for removing burrs in confined spaces of molds or cores is disclosed. The apparatus includes a retaining body; and at least one deburring element resiliently mounted in an unloaded state on an outer circumference of the retaining body. The at least one deburring element has a ring containing a separating point. The separating point is inclined to a longitudinal axis of the retaining body at an angle of 45.degree.. Alternatively, in accordance with the invention, at least one deburring element is resiliently mounted in an unloaded state on an outer circumference of the retaining body. Each deburring element has a deburring portion projecting radially outward from a remainder of the deburring element for removing the burrs and is retained in the outer circumference to be axially displaceable with the retaining body in a first axial direction and in a second axial direction opposite to the first axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignee: Adolf Hottinger Maschinenbau GmbH
    Inventor: Werner Landua
  • Patent number: 5476134
    Abstract: Steel tooling for die-casting low iron content aluminum alloys is surface treated with a layer of CrN applied to a thickness of at least 4 microns, and preferably 5-10 microns, by physical vapor deposition (PVD), and preferably a steered are evaporation PVD process. The CrN protects the steel tooling from dissolution and erosion by the highly active molten aluminum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1995
    Assignee: Aluminum Company of America
    Inventors: Neville Whittle, Joseph P. Harenski, Norman J. Panseri
  • Patent number: 5465778
    Abstract: The unitary cylinder liner incorporating a water jacket is vertically cast as a one piece unit. The water jacket is draftless, allowing water to circulate therethrough more efficiently, increasing cooling capabilities. Such vertical one piece casting is made possible by the novel two piece core which eliminates the need for welding of metal bands onto an outer surface of the liner to produce the water jacket thereof. A novel method of vertical casting is also provided by use of the two piece core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1995
    Assignee: Clark Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Clark, Richard K. Clark, Dennis E. Clark
  • Patent number: 5458181
    Abstract: A fiber-organic composition includes from about 5% to 50% by volume of uniformly dispersed, non-planar or three dimensionally random oriented inorganic fibers or whiskers, and a thermoplastic material such as paraffin wax. The composition also includes surfactants to promote wetting and dispersion of the inorganic fibers or whiskers. These materials are subjected to high shear mixing to form a uniform randomly oriented three-dimensional dispersion of the inorganic fibers or whiskers. After molding the mixture in such a manner so as not to disrupt the uniform, three-dimensional orientation of the fibers or whiskers, a majority of the thermoplastic material is removed leaving a shaped body or preform having sufficient strength for handling. The shaped body or preform can then be infiltrated with molten metal or the like to form a metal matrix composite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1995
    Assignee: Technical Ceramics Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Corbett, Marvin C. Lunde, Peter T. B. Shaffer