Patents by Inventor John P. Whitney
John P. Whitney 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).
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Patent number: 9314934Abstract: An arm assembly for use in a robot to provide gravity counterbalancing of the robot arms. The arm assembly includes an arm and a drive assembly. The arm assembly includes a differential interconnecting the drive assembly with the arm link. The differential is attached to a torso-side or upper end of the arm link, and the differential is adapted to provide gravity counterbalancing for the predefined mass of the arm link. A pair of half counterweights are provided and arranged to each move in one degree of freedom and to provide two equal counterweights to the differential's two inputs such as input gears, pulleys, or the like. The drive assembly includes two motors that are grounded. In some embodiments, both the motors and the counterweights are spaced apart from the robot's shoulder, i.e., spaced apart from the differential near the robot's pelvis or low in the torso.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2014Date of Patent: April 19, 2016Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.Inventor: John P. Whitney
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Publication number: 20150239133Abstract: An arm assembly for use in a robot to provide gravity counterbalancing of the robot arms. The arm assembly includes an arm and a drive assembly. The arm assembly includes a differential interconnecting the drive assembly with the arm link. The differential is attached to a torso-side or upper end of the arm link, and the differential is adapted to provide gravity counterbalancing for the predefined mass of the arm link. A pair of half counterweights are provided and arranged to each move in one degree of freedom and to provide two equal counterweights to the differential's two inputs such as input gears, pulleys, or the like. The drive assembly includes two motors that are grounded. In some embodiments, both the motors and the counterweights are spaced apart from the robot's shoulder, i.e., spaced apart from the differential near the robot's pelvis or low in the torso.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2014Publication date: August 27, 2015Applicant: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.Inventor: John P. Whitney
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Patent number: 8764277Abstract: A device and method for use with the transportation of materials including a tank that is configured to hold the material and an inlet/outlet configured on the tank to allow the flow of the material therethrough. At least one inlet is arranged on the tank to allow the flow of the material into the tank to agitate the material in the tank.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2012Date of Patent: July 1, 2014Inventors: John P. Whitney, Carl V. Wikstrom
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Patent number: 8561802Abstract: Systems and methods for processing waste material are presented. For some embodiments, the system comprises a chamber, an inlet, a fluid outlet, a metal outlet, and a magnet. The inlet is configured to selectively open and close. The inlet injects waste material into the chamber when the inlet is open. The waste material is suspended in a fluid medium, and comprises both ferromagnetic substances and non-ferromagnetic substances. The magnet is a selectively activated magnet coupled to the chamber. The magnet is configured to activate when the inlet is open, and deactivate when the inlet is closed. The magnet attracts the ferromagnetic substances from the waste material when the magnet is activated. The attracted ferromagnetic substances are released from the magnet when the magnet is deactivated. The metal outlet configured to selectively open and close. The metal outlet opens and expels the released ferromagnetic material from the magnet when the magnet is deactivated.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2005Date of Patent: October 22, 2013Assignee: Rineco Chemical Industries, Inc.Inventor: John P. Whitney
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Patent number: 8328409Abstract: A device and method for use with the transportation of materials including holding materials having solids in a tank and allowing the materials to flow from the tank through an inlet/outlet configured with the tank, and agitating the materials by directing the materials into the tank through at least one inlet associated with the tank.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2007Date of Patent: December 11, 2012Assignee: Rineco Chemical Industries, Inc.Inventors: John P. Whitney, Carl V. Wikstrom
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Patent number: 8047144Abstract: A multi-step process is provided in which waste material is processed in two or more steps. Specifically, an earlier step of the process heats the waste material at a first temperature. This results in a release of vapors for materials having a boiling point that is lower than the first temperature. A subsequent step of the process heats some or all of the remaining waste material at a second temperature, which is preferably higher than the first temperature. The subsequent heating results in a release of additional vapors for those materials having a boiling point that is lower than the second temperature. A system configured to carry out the process is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2008Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: Rineco Chemical Industries, Inc.Inventors: John P. Whitney, Carl Wikstrom
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Publication number: 20090000531Abstract: A multi-step process is provided in which waste material is processed in two or more steps. Specifically, an earlier step of the process heats the waste material at a first temperature. This results in a release of vapors for materials having a boiling point that is lower than the first temperature. A subsequent step of the process heats some or all of the remaining waste material at a second temperature, which is preferably higher than the first temperature. The subsequent heating results in a release of additional vapors for those materials having a boiling point that is lower than the second temperature. A system configured to carry out the process is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2008Publication date: January 1, 2009Applicant: Rineco Chemical Industries, IncInventors: John P. WHITNEY, Carl Wikstrom
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Patent number: 7421959Abstract: A multi-step process is provided in which waste material is processed in two or more steps. Specifically, an earlier step of the process heats the waste material at a first temperature. This results in a release of vapors for materials having a boiling point that is lower than the first temperature. A subsequent step of the process heats some or all of the remaining waste material at a second temperature, which is preferably higher than the first temperature. The subsequent heating results in a release of additional vapors for those materials having a boiling point that is lower than the second temperature. A system configured to carry out the process is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2005Date of Patent: September 9, 2008Assignee: Rineco Chemical Industries, Inc.Inventors: John P. Whitney, Carl V Wikstrom
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Patent number: 7419514Abstract: A process to produce a flowable fuel or fuel supplement from solid and/or liquid waste, such as industrial waste. A system to carry out the process includes producing from the solid and/or liquid industrial waste a solid char and vaporize liquids, recombining the char and the liquids, recovered from the wastes feed, to form a feed slurry containing solids, combining the feed slurry with additional combustible waste liquids which are added at a rate and amount to obtain a fuel slurry of specified properties, particularly specified viscosity and BTU content, subjecting the feed slurry and additional wastes to conditions of attrition in at least one attrition zone to produce a product slurry containing solids of fuel size, recovering the fuel slurry which be used as fuel in partial oxidation processes. The liquid waste may be collected as a product, particularly if they are high in organic compounds.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2004Date of Patent: September 2, 2008Assignee: Rineco Chemical Industries, Inc.Inventor: John P. Whitney
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Patent number: 7341155Abstract: Systems and methods for disposing of waste material are disclosed, in which a cross-belt magnet configuration is employed to separate ferromagnetic substances from waste material. For some embodiments, the system includes a first conveyor belt, a magnet, and a second conveyor belt. The first conveyor belt is configured to carry waste materials in a first direction. The magnet is located in proximity to the first conveyor belt such that the first conveyor belt is within range of the attractive force of the magnet. The magnet attracts the ferromagnetic substances. The second conveyor belt is interposed between the magnet and the first conveyor belt. The second conveyor belt is positioned non-parallel to the first conveyor belt, and is configured to carry the attracted ferromagnetic substances in a second direction, which is non-parallel to the first direction.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2005Date of Patent: March 11, 2008Assignee: Rineco Chemical Industries, Inc.Inventor: John P. Whitney
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Publication number: 20070263481Abstract: A device and method for use with the transportation of materials including holding materials having solids in a tank and allowing the materials to flow from the tank through an inlet/outlet configured with the tank, and agitating the materials by directing the materials into the tank through at least one inlet associated with the tank.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2007Publication date: November 15, 2007Inventors: John P. WHITNEY, Carl V. Wikstrom
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Patent number: 6476084Abstract: A process is provided for recycling heterogeneous waste including the initial step of subjecting the heterogeneous waste to pyrolysis to produce a synthesis gas stream comprising at least carbon monoxide and hydrogen and a molten pyrolysis product stream having a variable composition comprising at least a mineral material and a metallic material. The molten pyrolysis product stream is converted to a plurality of commercial grade solid materials. Likewise, the synthesis gas stream is also converted into at least one commercial grade chemical.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2001Date of Patent: November 5, 2002Assignee: Rineco Chemical Industries, Inc.Inventor: John P. Whitney
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Publication number: 20010020044Abstract: A process is provided for recycling heterogeneous waste including the initial step of subjecting the heterogeneous waste to pyrolysis to produce a synthesis gas stream comprising at least carbon monoxide and hydrogen and a molten pyrolysis product stream having a variable composition comprising at least a mineral material and a metallic material. The molten pyrolysis product stream is converted to a plurality of commercial grade solid materials. Likewise, the synthesis gas stream is also converted into at least one commercial grade chemical.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2001Publication date: September 6, 2001Inventor: John P. Whitney
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Patent number: 6211254Abstract: A process is provided for recycling heterogeneous waste including the initial step of subjecting the heterogeneous waste to pyrolysis to produce a synthesis gas stream comprising at least carbon monoxide and hydrogen and a molten pyrolysis product stream having a variable composition comprising at least a mineral material and a metallic material. The molten pyrolysis product stream is converted to a plurality of commercial grade solid materials. Likewise, the synthesis gas stream is also converted into at least one commercial grade chemical.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1999Date of Patent: April 3, 2001Inventor: John P. Whitney
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Patent number: 6086840Abstract: Ammonia is made from a carbon-containing heterogeneous feedstock by partially oxidizing the feedstock at low pressure to generate a synthesis gas containing CO; isothermally shift reacting the synthesis gas with steam to form H.sub.2 ; cryogenically removing portions of the CO.sub.2 and Ar from the shifted gas; purifying the H.sub.2 in a pressure swing adsorber; mixing the purified H.sub.2 with high purity N.sub.2 ; and converting the H.sub.2 and N.sub.2 into ammonia. The tail stream from the pressure swing adsorber can be recycled with the synthesis gas for control purposes and/ or used as boiler fuel. The reduced volume of purge gas purged from the ammonia synthesis loop allows ammonia contained in the purge gas stream to be recovered by cryogenic condensing.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 1998Date of Patent: July 11, 2000Inventors: John P. Whitney, Ashok D. Rao
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Patent number: 5363780Abstract: Burners for burning waste, comprising a conventional fuel nozzle and a waste slurry nozzle. Waste slurry nozzles, comprising a first conduit, a second conduit and an acceleration zone comprising a mixing chamber and an acceleration conduit. Waste slurries comprising a continuous phase and a solids phase, the solids phase consisting essentially of solids having at least one dimension less than about 1/8 inch and solids having no dimension less than 1/8 inch and no dimension larger than about 5/8 inch. Methods for burning waste, comprising feeding a slurry of cement raw materials to an up end of a rotating kiln, and ejecting a waste slurry from a burner such that a portion of the waste slurry lands in the calcining zone of the kiln.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 1993Date of Patent: November 15, 1994Assignee: Rineco Chemical IndustriesInventor: John P. Whitney
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Patent number: 5273220Abstract: Comminuting apparatus comprising a housing, a rotatable spindle, first and second members each having a hole through which the spindle passes, the first and second members each also having at least one additional hole extending therethrough, at least a portion of at least one of the first and second members fitting snugly against the housing. Comminuting apparatus comprising a rotatable spindle, first, second and third members each having a hole through which the spindle passes, the first, second and third members each also having at least one additional hole formed therethrough, the first member abutting the second member, the second member abutting the third member. Comminuting apparatus comprising a rotatable spindle, a first member having a hole through which the spindle passes, the first member also having at least one second hole extending therethrough, and a spacer splined to the spindle, the first hole of the first member being rotatably mounted on the spacer.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 1991Date of Patent: December 28, 1993Assignee: Rineco Chemical IndustriesInventor: John P. Whitney
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Patent number: 5271340Abstract: Burners for burning waste, comprising a conventional fuel nozzle and a waste slurry nozzle. Waste slurry nozzles, comprising a first conduit, a second conduit and an acceleration zone comprising a mixing chamber and an acceleration conduit. Waste slurries comprising a continuous phase and a solids phase, the solids phase consisting essentially of solids having at least one dimension less than about 1/8 inch and solids having no dimension less than 1/8 inch and no dimension larger than about 5/8 inch. Methods for burning waste, comprising feeding a slurry of cement raw materials to an up end of a rotating kiln, and ejecting a waste slurry from a burner such that a portion of the waste slurry lands in the calcining zone of the kiln.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 1991Date of Patent: December 21, 1993Assignee: Rineco Chemical IndustriesInventor: John P. Whitney