Patents by Inventor Christopher Todd KIDDER

Christopher Todd KIDDER has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11459639
    Abstract: Graphite-containing brass alloy billets having less than 0.25 wt. % lead and a method of manufacturing relating thereto are provided. The method includes forming a brass powder and mixing the brass powder with graphite and one or more binders. The brass powder contains copper and zinc and may be formed using water atomization. The brass-powder mixture is compacted to form an initial billet. The initial billet may be subjected to one or more heating treatments. A first heating treatment may be used to remove the one or more binders. An optional second heating treatment may be used to deoxidize the binder-free billet. An optional third heating treatment that includes applying a pressure may be used to densify the binder-free billet. A third heating treatment may sinter the compact to form the workable graphite-containing brass alloy billet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Mueller Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Todd Kidder, Barry George Munce, Steffen Sigloch
  • Patent number: 11440094
    Abstract: Graphite-containing brass alloy billets having less than 0.25 wt. % lead and a method of manufacturing relating thereto are provided. The method includes forming a brass powder and mixing the brass powder with graphite and one or more binders. The brass powder contains copper and zinc and may be formed using water atomization. The brass-powder mixture is compacted to form an initial billet. The initial billet may be subjected to one or more heating treatments. A first heating treatment may be used to remove the one or more binders. An optional second heating treatment may be used to deoxidize the binder-free billet. A third heating treatment may sinter the compact to form the workable graphite-containing brass alloy billet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Mueller Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Barry George Munce, Christopher Todd Kidder, Steffen Sigloch
  • Publication number: 20200157656
    Abstract: Graphite-containing brass alloy billets having less than 0.25 wt. % lead and a method of manufacturing relating thereto are provided. The method includes forming a brass powder and mixing the brass powder with graphite and one or more binders. The brass powder contains copper and zinc and may be formed using water atomization. The brass-powder mixture is compacted to form an initial billet. The initial billet may be subjected to one or more heating treatments. A first heating treatment may be used to remove the one or more binders. An optional second heating treatment may be used to deoxidize the binder-free billet. An optional third heating treatment that includes applying a pressure may be used to densify the binder-free billet. A third heating treatment may sinter the compact to form the workable graphite-containing brass alloy billet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Applicant: Mueller Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Todd KIDDER, Barry George MUNCE, Steffen SIGLOCH
  • Publication number: 20190283132
    Abstract: Graphite-containing brass alloy billets having less than 0.25 wt. % lead and a method of manufacturing relating thereto are provided. The method includes forming a brass powder and mixing the brass powder with graphite and one or more binders. The brass powder contains copper and zinc and may be formed using water atomization. The brass-powder mixture is compacted to form an initial billet. The initial billet may be subjected to one or more heating treatments. A first heating treatment may be used to remove the one or more binders. An optional second heating treatment may be used to deoxidize the binder-free billet. A third heating treatment may sinter the compact to form the workable graphite-containing brass alloy billet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Applicant: Mueller Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Barry George MUNCE, Christopher Todd KIDDER, Steffen SIGLOCH