Patents by Inventor Harold J. McKinney

Harold J. McKinney 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: 8708309
    Abstract: A spring seat for self aligning a bias-open or bias-close spring is disposed within a tubular control element of a gas regulator and designed to reduce side loading of the spring, which can cause the spring to prematurely fail. The spring seat can comprise a spring seat adaptor and a seat ring. The spring seat adaptor is fixed inside of the tubular control element and the seat ring is movably mounted on the spring seat adaptor via a ball and socket type joint. The movable seat ring is engaged by the spring and adapted to be self-aligned through three-dimensional displacement relative to the spring seat adaptor via the ball and socket joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Emerson Process Management Regulator Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel G. Roper, Douglas J. Scheffler, Harold J. McKinney
  • Publication number: 20110108146
    Abstract: A control device includes a valve body, a seat ring, and an actuator. The valve body defines a flow-path for a fluid. The seat ring is disposed within the flow-path. The actuator is coupled to the valve body and includes a control member. The control member is adapted for displacement relative to the seat ring for regulating a flow of the fluid through the flow-path. The control member includes a sealing disk adapted to sealingly engage the seat ring and close the flow-path. The seat ring includes a plurality of orifices disposed within the flow-path such that the seat ring prevents at least a portion of the flow of the fluid from substantially perpendicularly impacting the sealing disk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Inventors: Thomas L. Weyer, JR., Daniel G. Roper, James L. Griffin, JR., Harold J. McKinney, Douglas J. Scheffler
  • Patent number: 7896028
    Abstract: A control device includes a valve body, a seat ring, and an actuator. The valve body defines a flow-path for a fluid. The seat ring is disposed within the flow-path. The actuator is coupled to the valve body and includes a control member. The control member is adapted for displacement relative to the seat ring for regulating a flow of the fluid through the flow-path. The control member includes a scaling disk adapted to sealingly engage the seat ring and close the flow-path. The seat ring includes an orifice disposed within the flow-path such that the seat ring prevents at least a portion of the flow of the fluid from substantially perpendicularly impacting the sealing disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Fisher Controls International LLC
    Inventors: Thomas L. Weyer, Jr., Daniel G. Roper, James L. Griffin, Jr., Harold J. McKinney, Douglas J. Scheffler
  • Publication number: 20100270490
    Abstract: A regulator having a valve body defining a flow-path for a fluid and having a valve seat, an actuator casing coupled to the valve body, a control member disposed within the actuator casing and adapted for displacement relative to the valve body and the valve seat for regulating a flow of the fluid through the flow-path by moving between an open position and a closed position wherein the control member engages the valve seat, and a spring operatively coupled to the control member and biasing the control member toward the open position. The control member includes a surface facing the valve seat that is recessed. The recessed surface may be a counter-bore, or may have a convex shape, conical shape, or other appropriate recessed surface. So configured, the regulator displaced improved stability in high inlet pressure, low output pressure, high flow rate implementations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: EMERSON PROCESS MANAGEMENT REGULATOR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel G. Roper, Harold J. McKinney, Douglas J. Scheffler
  • Publication number: 20100269925
    Abstract: A spring seat for self aligning a bias-open or bias-close spring is disposed within a tubular control element of a gas regulator and designed to reduce side loading of the spring, which can cause the spring to prematurely fail. The spring seat can comprise a spring seat adaptor and a seat ring. The spring seat adaptor is fixed inside of the tubular control element and the seat ring is movably mounted on the spring seat adaptor via a ball and socket type joint. The movable seat ring is engaged by the spring and adapted to be self-aligned through three-dimensional displacement relative to the spring seat adaptor via the ball and socket joint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: EMERSON PROCESS MANAGEMENT REGULATOR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel G. Roper, Douglas J. Scheffler, Harold J. McKinney
  • Publication number: 20080078460
    Abstract: A control assembly for converting a “fail-close” regulator to a “fail-open” regulator, or vice versa, without having to modify or reconfigure a casing of the regulator includes a control member, a central rod, and a spring disposed between first and second spring seats. A regulator including the control assembly includes a valve body and an actuator casing, the valve body defining a fluid flow-path. The control member is slidably disposed within the actuator casing and adapted for displacement relative to the valve body for controlling the flow of fluid through the flow-path. The spring and spring seats are disposed about the central rod, such that the spring biases the control member into a predetermined position relative to the regulator casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventors: Daniel G. Roper, Harold J. McKinney, Thomas L. Weyer
  • Publication number: 20080029171
    Abstract: A control device includes a valve body, a seat ring, and an actuator. The valve body defines a flow-path for a fluid. The seat ring is disposed within the flow-path. The actuator is coupled to the valve body and includes a control member. The control member is adapted for displacement relative to the seat ring for regulating a flow of the fluid through the flow-path. The control member includes a scaling disk adapted to sealingly engage the seat ring and close the flow-path. The seat ring includes an orifice disposed within the flow-path such that the seat ring prevents at least a portion of the flow of the fluid from substantially perpendicularly impacting the sealing disk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Inventors: Thomas L. Weyer, Daniel G. Roper, James L. Griffin, Harold J. McKinney, Douglas J. Scheffler