Patents by Inventor Robert C. Thomas

Robert C. Thomas 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).

  • Publication number: 20240075533
    Abstract: A device for machining a surface of a workpiece includes a workpiece holder configured to rotate the workpiece about a workpiece rotational axis, a tool having a tool rotational axis and at least one blade having a blade radius of curvature and a tool holder configured to position the tool such that an active point of the blade comes into engagement with the workpiece and configured to pivot the tool about the tool rotational axis and to configured to move the tool with an advancing motion such that the active point of the blade shifts along the blade. The advancing motion is defined by a curve having at least a first radius of curvature and a second radius of curvature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Marcus Armin JAKOB, David C. THOMAS, Robert SCHMAL
  • Patent number: 6615478
    Abstract: A chassis inverter consisting of a set of clamps that hold a mobile vehicle chassis and a hydraulic driven rotary actuator. The apparatus and an overhead crane system provide a method of inverting and transferring chassis in a short time period needed to meet high volume vehicle manufacturing needs. The apparatus consists of two c-shaped clamps that cradle the chassis. The clamps are assembled to a shaft that is driven by a hydraulic cylinder through a sprocket and chain arrangement that provides a full inversion of the chassis. One clamp has a motorized trolley that provides adjustment needed for handling chassis of widely varying wheelbase. The process involves an overhead crane system with a bridge crane section that provides the necessary broadside loading motion, and an interlocking monorail section that allows the hoist carriers to exit the bridge and travel perpendicularly to the inverting apparatus' loading direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Bradley P. Walker, Christopher Lee Keeton, Robert C. Thomas, Paul L. LaVelle
  • Patent number: 6578247
    Abstract: A chassis inverter consisting of a set of clamps that hold a mobile vehicle chassis and a hydraulic driven rotary actuator. The apparatus and an overhead crane system provide a method of inverting and transferring chassis in a short time period needed to meet high volume vehicle manufacturing needs. The apparatus consists of two c-shaped clamps that cradle the chassis. The clamps are assembled to a shaft that is driven by a hydraulic cylinder through a sprocket and chain arrangement that provides a full inversion of the chassis. One clamp has a motorized trolley that provides adjustment needed for handling chassis of widely varying wheelbase. The process involves an overhead crane system with a bridge crane section that provides the necessary broadside loading motion, and an interlocking monorail section that allows the hoist carriers to exit the bridge and travel perpendicularly to the inverting apparatus' loading direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Bradley P. Walker, Christopher Lee Keeton, Robert C. Thomas, Paul L. LaVelle
  • Publication number: 20020092382
    Abstract: A one-piece speed wrench has a handle and two engagement prongs joined at an engagement area. One prong, the in-line prong, may be parallel with the length of the handle. The other prong, an offset angle prong, contains at least one notch. The notch has two faces. When viewed from the side, one face, the inboard face closest to the engagement area between the two prongs, is at an angle with the face of the in-line prong. The inboard face of each notch is in a preferred embodiment approximately a third as long as each face of the hexagonal fastener. The outboard face adjacent to the inboard face of each notch is at a decreasing angle with the in-line prong in the direction away from the prong engagement area. This decreasing angle of the outboard face of each notch allows for a ratcheting effect. There may be more than one notch, with each notch corresponding to a different size hexagonal fastener.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Publication date: July 18, 2002
    Inventors: Michael J. Lehman, Paul R. LaVelle, Robert C. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20020069531
    Abstract: A chassis inverter consisting of a set of clamps that hold a mobile vehicle chassis and a hydraulic driven rotary actuator. The apparatus and an overhead crane system provide a method of inverting and transferring chassis in a short time period needed to meet high volume vehicle manufacturing needs. The apparatus consists of two c-shaped clamps that cradle the chassis. The clamps are assembled to a shaft that is driven by a hydraulic cylinder through a sprocket and chain arrangement that provides a full inversion of the chassis. One clamp has a motorized trolley that provides adjustment needed for handling chassis of widely varying wheelbase. The process involves an overhead crane system with a bridge crane section that provides the necessary broadside loading motion, and an interlocking monorail section that allows the hoist carriers to exit the bridge and travel perpendicularly to the inverting apparatus' loading direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Inventors: Bradley P. Walker, Christopher Lee Keeton, Robert C. Thomas, Paul L. LaVelle
  • Patent number: 5196061
    Abstract: A cementitious composite of delignified cellulosic debris and Portland cement is produced from waste sludge from a paper recycling process and combining the resultant material in particle sizes ranging from 0.06 to 25 mm with Portland cement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1993
    Inventors: Robert C. Thomas, Craig O. Thomas
  • Patent number: 4836941
    Abstract: A clear brine fluid composition for use in servicing wells in the oil and gas industry comprising a solution of a zinc halide and a calcium halide in water having a density lying in the range of about 15 to about 22 ppg, a measured alkalinity lying in the range of about 0 up to about 1 normal and a measured zinc to calcium mole ratio lying in the range of about 1 to about 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1989
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventor: Robert C. Thomas
  • Patent number: 4507183
    Abstract: An electrode produced by electroplating ruthenium metal on a substrate from a nonacidic ruthenium-containing electroplating solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1985
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: Robert C. Thomas, Robert D. Caldwell, Douglas E. Doner
  • Patent number: 4463670
    Abstract: A crusher for articles such as aluminum cans, having a crushing chamber with a bearing plate disposed in the base thereof. An ejection lever is disposed within the bottom of the crushing chamber and is utilized to actuate a crusher piston and eject the crushed article at the end of a cycle. In the embodiment disclosed, the placing of an article within the crushing chamber retracts the ejection lever against a spring or other mechanical bias element. This movement of the ejection lever then actuates a switch to operate the crusher piston. The downward operation of the crusher piston causes a latch to restrain the ejection lever in its retracted position. As the crusher piston reaches the maximum amount of travel, a limit switch reverses the drive mechanism and the crusher piston moves upward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1984
    Inventor: Robert C. Thomas
  • Patent number: 4434470
    Abstract: A digital speed measurement circuit for an engine includes a magnetic pick-up positioned adjacent an engine-driven gear having a substantial number of teeth so that the pick-up produces a number of speed pulses per revolution of the gear. These pulses are shaped into square waves by a signal conditioning circuit and connected through a synchronizing circuit which responds to the trailing edge of each square wave to produce a triggering pulse, with each triggering pulse supplied to a tooth counter. A high speed clock is connected to a second counter which is reset with each triggering pulse. Sampling pulses are produced in an associated control system which is not coordinated with the speed pulse but which are longer in duration than any of the speed pulses and which control the flow of tooth counts to the tooth counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1984
    Assignee: The Bendix Corporation
    Inventors: Robert C. Thomas, John A. Hornbuckle, Richard J. Fatka
  • Patent number: 4211652
    Abstract: Dirty process water collected from a process unit is held in a raw water holding tank. Air and process chemicals enter the system in this tank. Water from the tank passes at a uniform rate through a flotation cell where solids are frothed by flocculation and aeration and removed. Makeup water saturated with air and at a lower temperature than the process water liberates air in the cell as part of the aeration. Air dissolved in the tank provides further aeration in the cell. Water from the cell is held in a treated water holding tank and uniformly withdrawn from the tank to a filter for the removal of more solids. Filtered water is stored in a filtered water storage vessel for use in the process facility. Heat exchange keeps the filtered water at required temperature. Water discharged from the system to a sanitary sewer may have various degrees of purity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1980
    Inventor: Robert C. Thomas
  • Patent number: 4211651
    Abstract: Dirty process water is collected from a process unit and introduced into a raw water holding tank. Water from the tank is passed at a uniform rate through a flotation cell where solids are frothed by flocculation and aeration and removed. The flocculating agent is a short chain cationic polymer. Water from the flotation cell is sterilized and then introduced into a treated water holding tank where it is withdrawn at a uniform rate and filtered to remove more solids. The filtered water is stored in a filtered water storage vessel for its use in the process facility. Heat exchange keeps the filtered water at required temperature. Water discharged from the system to a sanitary sewer may have various degrees of purity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1980
    Inventor: Robert C. Thomas
  • Patent number: 4211650
    Abstract: Dirty process water is collected from a process unit and introduced into a raw water holding tank. Water from the tank is passed at a uniform rate through a flotation cell where solids are frothed by flocculation and aeration and removed. The flocculating agent is a short chain cationic polymer. The water is then introduced into a treated water holding tank where it is withdrawn at a uniform rate and filtered to remove more solids. The filtered water is stored in a filtered water storage vessel for its use in the process facility. Heat exchange keeps the filtered water at required temperature. Water discharged from the system to a sanitary sewer may have various degrees of purity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1980
    Inventor: Robert C. Thomas
  • Patent number: 3971675
    Abstract: A new nonfuming, soldering and brazing flux particularly useful in soldering aluminum surfaces which comprises a mixture of zinc bromide and an alkali metal bromide such as potassium bromide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1974
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1976
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventor: Robert C. Thomas