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).
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Publication number: 20240075533Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2022Publication date: March 7, 2024Inventors: Marcus Armin JAKOB, David C. THOMAS, Robert SCHMAL
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Patent number: 6615478Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 17, 2003Date of Patent: September 9, 2003Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLCInventors: Bradley P. Walker, Christopher Lee Keeton, Robert C. Thomas, Paul L. LaVelle
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Patent number: 6578247Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 28, 2001Date of Patent: June 17, 2003Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLCInventors: Bradley P. Walker, Christopher Lee Keeton, Robert C. Thomas, Paul L. LaVelle
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Publication number: 20020092382Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2002Publication date: July 18, 2002Inventors: Michael J. Lehman, Paul R. LaVelle, Robert C. Thomas
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Publication number: 20020069531Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2001Publication date: June 13, 2002Inventors: Bradley P. Walker, Christopher Lee Keeton, Robert C. Thomas, Paul L. LaVelle
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Patent number: 5196061Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 26, 1990Date of Patent: March 23, 1993Inventors: Robert C. Thomas, Craig O. Thomas
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Patent number: 4836941Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 29, 1986Date of Patent: June 6, 1989Assignee: The Dow Chemical CompanyInventor: Robert C. Thomas
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Patent number: 4507183Abstract: An electrode produced by electroplating ruthenium metal on a substrate from a nonacidic ruthenium-containing electroplating solution.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 1983Date of Patent: March 26, 1985Assignee: The Dow Chemical CompanyInventors: Robert C. Thomas, Robert D. Caldwell, Douglas E. Doner
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Patent number: 4463670Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 5, 1982Date of Patent: August 7, 1984Inventor: Robert C. Thomas
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Patent number: 4434470Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 9, 1981Date of Patent: February 28, 1984Assignee: The Bendix CorporationInventors: Robert C. Thomas, John A. Hornbuckle, Richard J. Fatka
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Patent number: 4211652Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 23, 1978Date of Patent: July 8, 1980Inventor: Robert C. Thomas
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Patent number: 4211651Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 23, 1978Date of Patent: July 8, 1980Inventor: Robert C. Thomas
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Patent number: 4211650Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 21, 1978Date of Patent: July 8, 1980Inventor: Robert C. Thomas
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Patent number: 3971675Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 1, 1974Date of Patent: July 27, 1976Assignee: The Dow Chemical CompanyInventor: Robert C. Thomas