Patents by Inventor Rayburn K. Widner

Rayburn K. Widner 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: 4598597
    Abstract: A remotely controlled apparatus for extracting samples of solid hazardous terial from such items as solid propellant rocket motors. The device is pneumatically operated from a high pressure gas supply and includes a cutter assembly which extracts the sample. The cutter assembly is movable to different positions for successive sampling operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1986
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Rayburn K. Widner, John M. Tate
  • Patent number: 4473932
    Abstract: A detonator removing device for removing stab detonators from a holder dee and in which the stab detonators have one sensitive surface and other relatively non-sensitive surfaces. The detonator removing device including a base member with a ledge member mounted thereon. The ledge member has securing studs on a top surface thereof for mounting a slide bar relative thereto and a cutout at one end for accommodating removal of a stab detonator in the slide bar. A body member is mounted open the ledge member and has a spring biased pin slidably mounted therein with guide means for guiding the pin. A sponge is provided on the base member to cushion and catch the stab detonator when carefully pressed from the slide bar by the pin. This provides a specialized tool for removing stab detonators which must be handled with care to prevent detonation thereof upon removal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1984
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Rayburn K. Widner
  • Patent number: 4069990
    Abstract: Apparatus of the present invention requires a very short spin-up wheel mot arm compared to a large wheel diameter. Such a requirement demands good wheel control during low rpm and excellent stability for high rpm in order to avoid uncontrollable wheel oscillations. Uncontrollable oscillations will prevent the wheel from either completing the spin-up cycle or it will destroy the gas bearing. Apparatus of the present invention uses a combination of a gas film bearing to control the alignment of the wheel during low rpm and a point contact configuration that uses the gyroscopic law of angular momentum to achieve wheel stability for the high rpm. The gyro law states that the angular momentum vector will precess into the torque vector. The spin-up control mechanism can be used to control and maintain stability of any wheel that has a large OD to small spin-up moment arm ratio requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1978
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Aubrey Rodgers, Rayburn K. Widner
  • Patent number: 4004754
    Abstract: A missile disposed for operation from a launch pad to impinge on a target th electromagnetic rays emanating therefrom includes a seeker for direction of the rays impinging thereon in patterns for alignment therewith and means for directing the missile to the target responsive to the alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1974
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1977
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Mary V. Cox, Rayburn K. Widner
  • Patent number: 3985034
    Abstract: A high "G" gyro that has a rotor mounted relative to a stator by a fluidic earing with fluidic exhaust control means for producing a lower pressure at the exhaust for the fluidic bearing to prevent the exhaust from the fluidic bearing from impinging on other portions of the rotor to cause error signals to be produced. By locating the exhaust for the fluidic bearing radially outwardly from the inlet ports to the fluidic bearing, and by producing a lower pressure at the exhaust, the exhaust fluids from the bearing are attracted to the exhaust and prevented from impinging and exerting undesirable forces on the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1975
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1976
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Rayburn K. Widner
  • Patent number: 3982441
    Abstract: A gyro which has a fluidic bearing with two radially spaced circles of orces and two circumferentially and radially spaced exhausts and jet means for producing low pressures in the circumferential exhausts. By using a jet nozzle exhaust control with radial exhaust outlets between two circles of orifices, fluid from one circle of orifices is allowed to exhaust before it can interfere with the other circle of orifices. The fluidic bearing also has exhaust channels between each of the orifices to reduce turbulence and torques present in this area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1975
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1976
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Rayburn K. Widner
  • Patent number: 3979102
    Abstract: An electrofluid converter converts electrical energy into fluid energy by ntrolling the linear expansion of a wire that is used as a fluid control valve. Thermal linear expansion of the wire is brought about by passing an electric current through the wire thereby increasing or decreasing the portion of the wire within the fluid flow path. The converter can be used in applications that require converting electrical proportional or digital signals into corresponding fluid signals. The converter signal may be used to control fluid amplifiers or other fluid sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1975
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1976
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Aubrey Rodgers, Rayburn K. Widner
  • Patent number: 3946967
    Abstract: A transportation machine such as a ballistic missile disposed for operation n a linear path is provided with a chassis including an aerate atmosphere and a gyroscopic rotor for development therearound of a pressurized aerate ring and for axial orientation in the linear path. A stabilizer develops signals responsive to differences in pressures between the aerate atmosphere and the pressurized ring for rotation of the chassis to axial coincidence with the rotor responsive to the signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1975
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1976
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Aubrey Rodgers, Escar L. Bailey, Rayburn K. Widner