Patents by Inventor James Lawrence Spivack

James Lawrence Spivack 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: 6995294
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method for producing and using catalysts in the production of bisphenols, and in particular to a method for producing catalysts which contain poly-sulfur mercaptan promoters, and using these catalysts in the production of bisphenol-A and its derivatives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jimmy Lynn Webb, James Lawrence Spivack
  • Patent number: 6992228
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method for producing and using catalysts in the production of bisphenols, and in particular to a method for producing catalysts which contain poly-sulfur mercaptan promoters, and using these catalysts in the production of bisphenol-A and its derivatives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jimmy Lynn Webb, James Lawrence Spivack
  • Patent number: 6884894
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method for producing and using catalysts in the production of bisphenols, and in particular to a method for producing catalysts which contain poly-sulfur mercaptan promoters, and using these catalysts in the production of bisphenol-A and its derivatives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jimmy Lynn Webb, James Lawrence Spivack
  • Patent number: 6872860
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method for producing and using catalysts in the production of bisphenols, and in particular to a method for producing catalysts which contain poly-sulfur mercaptan promoters, and using these catalysts in the production of bisphenol-A and its derivatives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jimmy Lynn Webb, James Lawrence Spivack
  • Patent number: 6710212
    Abstract: A method of producing a chemical reaction is provided. In the practice of one embodiment of the invention, the method includes the steps of providing a reaction vessel and reactants; placing at least one of the reactants in the reaction vessel; and allowing the reaction to proceed for a time interval. A volume increment of at least one of the reactants is withdrawn from the reaction vessel, and a volume increment of at least one of the reactants is added to the reaction vessel. The volume increment withdrawal/addition is repeated after successive time intervals until the reaction reaches a substantially steady state. In various alternative embodiments, the volume increment withdrawal can take place before, after, or contemporaneously with the volume increment addition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Patrick Flanagan, Cheryl Lynn Sabourin, James Lawrence Spivack
  • Patent number: 6693220
    Abstract: Method for producing multiple chemical reactions and for rapid screening of chemicals, catalysts, process conditions and the like is disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing an array of reactor vessels and reactants; loading each reactor vessel with at least one reactant; and allowing the reactions to proceed for a predetermined time interval. A volume increment is withdrawn from each reactor vessel and a volume increment of at least one reactant is added to each reactor vessel in the array. The steps of volume increment withdrawal and addition are repeated after successive time intervals until the reactions reach a substantially steady state. The loading, withdrawal, and addition steps are performed by liquid or solid handling robots. In one embodiment, the volume increment withdrawal occurs before, after, or contemporaneously with the volume increment addition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Patrick Flanagan, James Lawrence Spivack, Cheryl Lynn Sabourin
  • Publication number: 20040019242
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method for producing and using catalysts in the production of bisphenols, and in particular to a method for producing catalysts which contain poly-sulfur mercaptan promoters, and using these catalysts in the production of bisphenol-A and its derivatives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Publication date: January 29, 2004
    Inventors: Jimmy Lynn Webb, James Lawrence Spivack
  • Patent number: 6620939
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method for producing and using catalysts in the production of bisphenols, and in particular to a method for producing catalysts which contain poly-sulfur mercaptan promoters, and using these catalysts in the production of bisphenol-A and its derivatives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jimmy Lynn Webb, James Lawrence Spivack
  • Patent number: 6566299
    Abstract: A catalyst system for economically producing aromatic carbonates from aromatic hydroxy compounds. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a carbonylation catalyst system that includes a catalytic amount of an inorganic co-catalyst containing ytterbium. In various alternative embodiments, the carbonylation catalyst system can include an effective amount of a palladium source and an effective amount of a halide composition. Further alternative embodiments can include catalytic amounts of various inorganic co-catalyst combinations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Lawrence Spivack, Donald Wayne Whisenhunt, Jr., James Norman Cawse, Grigorii Lev Soloveichik
  • Publication number: 20030088130
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method for producing and using catalysts in the production of bisphenols, and in particular to a method for producing catalysts which contain poly-sulfur mercaptan promoters, and using these catalysts in the production of bisphenol-A and its derivatives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Applicant: General Electric Company.
    Inventors: Jimmy Lynn Webb, James Lawrence Spivack
  • Publication number: 20030055295
    Abstract: Method for producing multiple chemical reactions and for rapid screening of chemicals, catalysts, process conditions and the like is disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing an array of reactor vessels and reactants; loading each reactor vessel with at least one reactant; and allowing the reactions to proceed for a predetermined time interval. A volume increment is withdrawn from each reactor vessel and a volume increment of at least one reactant is added to each reactor vessel in the array. The steps of volume increment withdrawal and addition are repeated after successive time intervals until the reactions reach a substantially steady state. The loading, withdrawal, and addition steps are performed by liquid or solid handling robots. In one embodiment, the volume increment withdrawal occurs before, after, or contemporaneously with the volume increment addition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2002
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Patrick Flanagan, James Lawrence Spivack, Cheryl Lynn Sabourin
  • Patent number: 6534432
    Abstract: A method and catalyst system for economically producing aromatic carbonates from aromatic hydroxy compounds. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method of carbonylating aromatic hydroxy compounds by contacting at least one aromatic hydroxy compound with oxygen and carbon monoxide in the presence of a carbonylation catalyst system that includes a catalytic amount of an inorganic co-catalyst containing zinc. In various alternative embodiments, the carbonylation catalyst system can include an effective amount of a palladium source and an effective amount of a halide composition. Further alternative embodiments can include catalytic amounts of various inorganic co-catalyst combinations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Lawrence Spivack, Donald Wayne Whisenhunt, Jr., James Norman Cawse, Bruce Fletcher Johnson
  • Patent number: 6534686
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method for producing and using catalysts in the production of bisphenols, and in particular to a method for producing catalysts which contain attached mercaptan promoters, and using these catalysts in the production of bisphenol-A and its derivatives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jimmy Lynn Webb, James Lawrence Spivack
  • Publication number: 20030045758
    Abstract: A method of producing a chemical reaction is provided. In the practice of one embodiment of the invention, the method includes the steps of providing a reaction vessel and reactants; placing at least one of the reactants in the reaction vessel; and allowing the reaction to proceed for a time interval. A volume increment of at least one of the reactants is withdrawn from the reaction vessel, and a volume increment of at least one of the reactants is added to the reaction vessel. The volume increment withdrawal/addition is repeated after successive time intervals until the reaction reaches a substantially steady state. In various alternative embodiments, the volume increment withdrawal can take place before, after, or contemporaneously with the volume increment addition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2002
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Patrick Flanagan, Cheryl Lynn Sabourin, James Lawrence Spivack
  • Patent number: 6514900
    Abstract: A method and catalyst system for economically producing aromatic carbonates from aromatic hydroxy compounds. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method of carbonylating aromatic hydroxy compounds by contacting at least one aromatic hydroxy compound with oxygen and carbon monoxide in the presence of a carbonylation catalyst system that includes a catalytic amount of an inorganic co-catalyst containing titanium. In various alternative embodiments, the carbonylation catalyst system can include an effective amount of a palladium source and an effective amount of a halide composition. Further alternative embodiments can include catalytic amounts of various inorganic co-catalyst combinations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Lawrence Spivack, James Norman Cawse, Donald Wayne Whisenhunt, Jr., Bruce Fletcher Johnson, Grigorii Lev Soloveichik
  • Publication number: 20020182128
    Abstract: The present invention includes an array of flow-through, temperature-controlled reactor tubes containing reagents or catalysts that are prepared using combinatorial techniques. Reactant gases are passed through the reactor tubes at a controlled rate and the effluent reaction products are collected for analysis using a variety of analytical techniques. Analysis may be done in real-time, or at a later time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2001
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Inventors: James Claude Carnahan, James Lawrence Spivack, Linda Leigh McCracken
  • Patent number: 6486364
    Abstract: The acid catalyzed condensation of phenol with acetone in the presence of a thiol promoter to produce bisphenol A is found to occur with greater overall selectivity when the catalyst employed is an amine modified acidic resin catalyst. Amine modified acidic resin catalysts are prepared from acidic resins such as sulfonated polystyrene by neutralization of a portion of the acidic functional groups present with an amine such as pyridine. Where the thiol promoter is itself an amine the use of an amine such as pyridine as the modifying agent reduces the amount of thiol promoter required to achieve high selectivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: James Lawrence Spivack
  • Publication number: 20020168292
    Abstract: Computerized systems and methods for planning, preparing, tracking, and analyzing a plurality of chemical reactions including a planner for planning how much of each of a plurality of materials is to be delivered to each of a plurality of reaction vessels; a delivery device for delivering a predetermined amount of each of the plurality of materials to each of the plurality of reaction vessels; a reaction device for reacting the plurality of materials disposed within each of the plurality of reaction vessels; a measuring device for testing and measuring the reacted contents of each of the plurality of reaction vessels; and an analyzer for analyzing the reacted contents of each of the plurality of reaction vessels to determine the amount of at least one component present in the reacted contents and to determine the relative performance of the materials disposed within each of the plurality of reaction vessels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2001
    Publication date: November 14, 2002
    Inventors: Donald Wayne Whisenhunt, James Norman Cawse, Bruce Fletcher Johnson, Tracey Marie Jordan, Ralph Joseph May, Eric Douglas Williams, Kirill Vladimirovich Shalyaev, Michael Jarlath Brennan, Carl Matthew Laurence Sundling, James Lawrence Spivack
  • Publication number: 20020147363
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method of producing a homogeneous chemical reaction utilizing multiphase starting materials. The method includes the steps of providing a first reactant system embodied in a liquid and contacting the liquid with a second reactant system embodied in a gas. The liquid is arrayed in a form having dimensions such that the reaction rate of the homogeneous chemical reaction is essentially independent of the mass transport rate of the second reactant system into the liquid. The present invention further provides a method of performing simultaneous homogeneous chemical reactions utilizing multiphase reactant systems. The present invention is also directed to vessels for accommodating homogeneous chemical reactions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Publication date: October 10, 2002
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Lawrence Spivack, Bruce Fletcher Johnson, John Yaw Ofori, Eric Douglas Williams
  • Publication number: 20020123656
    Abstract: The acid catalyzed condensation of phenol with acetone in the presence of a thiol promoter to produce bisphenol A is found to occur with greater overall selectivity when the catalyst employed is an amine modified acidic resin catalyst. Amine modified acidic resin catalysts are prepared from acidic resins such as sulfonated polystyrene by neutralization of a portion of the acidic functional groups present with an amine such as pyridine. Where the thiol promoter is itself an amine the use of an amine such as pyridine as the modifying agent reduces the amount of thiol promoter required to achieve high selectivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2000
    Publication date: September 5, 2002
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventor: James Lawrence Spivack