Patents by Inventor David L. Richardson

David L. Richardson 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: 4966746
    Abstract: In operation, the device is lowered with paired lines attached to both housing lugs but suspended under tension only from one line to one lug so that the streamline housing is vertically disposed. With the housing vertically disposed during lowering, obstacles can be avoided such as the guide rod for the steam separator and dryer as well as the feedwater and core spray spargers. When lowered to the vicinity of the ledge and cover plate to be inspected, the slack line is fished around any obstacle and thereafter placed under tension. The streamline housing is then lowered using both lines in a horizontal position so as to expose downwardly the pedestal and rubber foot. Lowering is completed with remote camera assistance. Sample sweeps with the ultrasound transducer of spaced apart sections of the cover plate weld are used for precise centering of the pedestal and rubber base with respect to the center of the cover plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 30, 1990
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David L. Richardson, Jack P. Clark, Balasubramanian S. Kowdley, Peter M. Patterson, Richard W. Perry, Thurman D. Smith
  • Patent number: 4826650
    Abstract: In a boiling water reactor, an apparatus and process for ultrasound inspection of the top guide is disclosed. The top guide constitutes a lattice of stainless steel bars overlying the core plate and being assembled at confronting grooves with the lattice mounted at the side edges to the reactor pressure vessel. This lattice braces the upper ends of the vertically supported fuel assemblies in their requisite orientation and spaced apart relation to enable among other things the required spatial interval to be maintained for control rod moderation of the reaction. Because of the proximity of the top guide to the fuel assemblies, the individual bars making up the lattice need to be checked for cracking, especially that cracking produced by irradiation assisted stress crack corrosion. With a defined cell in the lattice emptied of its contained and adjoining fuel assemblies, there is disclosed an ultrasound test for cracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David L. Richardson, Jack P. Clark, Peter M. Patterson, Richard W. Perry
  • Patent number: 4818470
    Abstract: An apparatus for the remote examination of peripheral shroud hold down bolts on steam separators used in boiling water reactors is disclosed. The testing apparatus is used while the steam separator is in a holding pool. The testing apparatus includes a depending pole having attached at the bottom thereof an aluminum shoe. The shoe has a flat, upwardly exposed bottom and opens to one side at gathering surfaces to receive the lower ends of the shroud bolts. The upwardly exposed bottom of the shoe defines an aperture through which an upwardly exposed piezoelectric device is exposed for direct contact with the bottom of the bolt. An overlying clamp member is provided to clamp the lug onto the bottom of the shoe for testing. The clamp member defines a receiving slot to receive the shaft of the bolt immediately overlying the rectangular lug. The clamp member slides over the shaft at the slot into contact with the top of the lug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David L. Richardson, Jack P. Clark, Thurman D. Smith, Richard W. Perry
  • Patent number: 4548785
    Abstract: Apparatus for remotely controlled examination of the control rod drive penetration stub tubes in the wall of a nuclear reactor pressure vessel including a rotatable carriage on which is mounted a reciprocable shaft to which is attached an inspection instrument for scanning the stub tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1985
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David L. Richardson, Peter M. Patterson, Jack P. Clark, Scott R. Stanton, Richard W. Perry
  • Patent number: 4529534
    Abstract: Surface active peroxyacid bleaches (e.g., perlauric acid) are protected against decomposition caused by presence of magnesium ions in aqueous solutions of said bleaches, by the presence of certain aminophosphonic acid and aminocarboxylic acid chelating agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1985
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: David L. Richardson
  • Patent number: 4454543
    Abstract: A means for coding and decoding video signals by the application of one of a plurality of available scrambling signals includes means for comparing the brightness level during a predetermined time period of the video signal with the brightness level of the video signal over the succeeding predetermined time period. There are means for changing from one scrambling signal to another if the difference between brightness levels in successive predetermined time periods exceeds a given value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1984
    Assignee: Oak Industries Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Lund, David L. Richardson, Graham S. Stubbs
  • Patent number: 4394345
    Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer apparatus and method for examining nuclear reactor jet pump beams for cracking. Examination is conducted in situ. An operator lowers a carriage portion of the apparatus into the reactor vessel with a pole. Ultrasonic signals are transmitted through suitable wiring from an external source to the transducer apparatus, which may employ a pitch-catch or pulse-echo mode of ultrasonic examination to test the beams. The carriage holds oppositely disposed pairs of ultrasonic transducers and positions them suitably near the beam to be examined in a proper orientation thereto. The mode of examination is selected by a switching mechanism. The apparatus includes a signal generator, receiver, and visual display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1983
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John G. De Briere, Mary M. Lemanowicz, David L. Richardson, Willem Vanderputten
  • Patent number: 4268738
    Abstract: A microwave moderator for partially attenuating and/or modifying microwave energy to achieve, for instance, more uniform cooking of comestible articles in microwave ovens. Packages, bags, and wraps are disclosed which comprise such microwave moderators and which enable microwave cooking of frozen foods at relatively high microwave oven power levels without requiring precooking, defrosting or oven power level changes. Such a moderator may comprise an array of alternately disposed or spaced areas of microwave reflective material, and complemental-shape, substantially microwave transparent zones. One species of such moderators is exemplified by a wrap which comprises a perforate sheet of microwave reflective material; for instance, aluminum foil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1981
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Thomas J. Flautt, Jr., Edward J. Maguire, Jr., David L. Richardson
  • Patent number: 4115292
    Abstract: A detergent article, particularly for use in an automatic dishwasher, comprising an enzyme enclosed in an inner water-soluble film carrier, combined with detergent and enclosed in an outer, water-soluble film packet, is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1977
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1978
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: David L. Richardson, Frank J. Mueller
  • Patent number: 4102823
    Abstract: Low- and no-phosphate granular spray-dried detergent compositions containing a mixed anionic/nonionic surfactant system, particular essential organic and/or inorganic salts, and a critical amount of moisture. Such compositions provide detergency and sudsing performance, physical characteristics and processability comparing favorably with conventional anionic surfactant-containing, fully-built detergent compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1974
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1978
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: J. Neal Matheson, David L. Richardson