Patents by Inventor Robert F. Obear

Robert F. Obear 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: 5021763
    Abstract: An environmentally sealed, EMI suppressed shock/vibration protected microcomputer workstation is provided by a sealed enclosure of stainless steel having a lower base portion for containing a dampened, spring suspension platform carrying the CPU and electronics, and an upper hood portion for housing the CRT which is removably held in place by a unique arrangement of support pins that cooperatively seat in quick release brackets affixed to the enclosure's interior walls. A front panel of the base portion mounts a stainless steel tactile dome keyboard retained and sealed about its perimeter within a stainless steel casement that in turn is welded to the stainless steel walls of the base portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Inventor: Robert F. Obear
  • Patent number: 4459783
    Abstract: A weighing system for a grinding machine which calculates the weight of material removed by the grinding machinery during a grinding procedure. Power signals from a watt meter indicate the power consumed by the motor driving the grinding wheel. The weight of the material removed since the previous calculation is then periodically calculated from the power signals. This incremental weight removal value is then added to the sum of a previously calculated incremental weight removal values to provide an indication of the total weight removed from the workpiece. The calculation also includes a coefficient indicative of the grinding efficiency of the grinding wheel which, in turn, is a function of the density and hardness of the material in the workpiece, the grinding characteristics of the grinding wheel, and the peripheral velocity of the grinding wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 17, 1984
    Assignee: Western Gear Machinery Co.
    Inventors: Jack L. Odell, II, Robert F. Obear
  • Patent number: 4283886
    Abstract: An elongated metal workpiece such as a slab or billet is moved longitudinally beneath a grinding head by a reciprocating carriage mounted on an elongated track. The carriage receives a billet from a charging table, reciprocates the billet beneath the grinding head for a plurality of grinding passes, and then delivers the finished billet to a discharge table. The grinder head includes a rotating grinding wheel mounted at the end of a first arm which is pivotally secured to one end of a pivotally mounted second arm. The vertical position of the grinding wheel, and hence the downward force exerted by the grinding wheel on the billet, is principally determined by the angular position and torque, respectively, of the first arm while the horizontal position of the grinding wheel transverse to the longitudinal axis of the billet is principally determined by the angular position of the second arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1979
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1981
    Assignee: Western Gear Corporation
    Inventor: Robert F. Obear
  • Patent number: 4209948
    Abstract: An elongated metal workpiece such as a slab or billet is moved longitudinally beneath a grinding head by a reciprocating carriage mounted on an elongated track. The carriage receives a billet from a charging table, reciprocates the billet beneath the grinding head for a plurality of grinding passes, and then delivers the finished billet to a discharge table. The grinder head includes a rotating grinding wheel mounted at the end of a first arm which is pivotally secured to one end of a pivotally mounted second arm. The vertical position of the grinding wheel, and hence the downward force exerted by the grinding wheel on the billet, is principally determined by the angular position and torque, respectively, of the first arm while the horizontal position of the grinding wheel transverse to the longitudinal axis of the billet is principally determined by the angular position of the second arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1980
    Assignee: Western Gear Corporation
    Inventor: Robert F. Obear
  • Patent number: 4100700
    Abstract: An elongated metal workpiece such as a slab or billet is moved longitudinally beneath a grinding head by a reciprocating carriage mounted on an elongated track. The carriage receives a billet from a charging table, reciprocates the billet beneath the grinding head for a plurality of grinding passes, and then delivers the finished billet to a discharge table. The grinder head includes a rotating grinding wheel mounted at the end of a first arm which is pivotally secured to one end of a pivotally mounted second arm. The vertical position of the grinding wheel, and hence the downward force exerted by the grinding wheel on the billet, is principally determined by the angular position and torque, respectively, of the first arm while the horizontal position of the grinding wheel transverse to the longitudinal axis of the billet is principally determined by the angular position of the second arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1976
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1978
    Assignee: Western Gear Corporation
    Inventors: Allen E. Peirce, Robert F. Obear, David E. Olson
  • Patent number: 4091698
    Abstract: A rotary cutting blade control system which automatically varies the feed rate to maintain a constant material removal rate. The system senses the current in an electric motor driving the cutting blade and automatically adjusts the feed rate to maintain the motor current constant. The system adjusts a hydraulic valve in the hydraulic system operating the blade support to move the blade in or out whenever the current deviates from a standard which is set by the operator. The control system also includes a circuit for detecting when the load on the blade has dropped below a preset level indicating that the blade has completed the cut and automatically commands the hydraulic system to return the blade to a start position. An additional control circuit operating in conjunction with the no-load sensing circuit automatically produces a command to stop the blade close to the work piece to save time and motion when multiple cuts are being performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1975
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1978
    Assignee: Western Gear Corporation
    Inventors: Robert F. Obear, Bruno A. Rist
  • Patent number: 4052822
    Abstract: A unique method and apparatus for making a score cut on a metal object with a previously used abrasive cutting wheel, worn down from a new, larger diameter wheel to allow use of worn cutting wheels and to improve the ratio of cross-sectional area of metal material cut to cross-sectional area of wheel used. Another feature is the use of a hydraulic bearing for reducing friction between the object rotating chuck stands and the track on which the stands are moved by simultaneously flushing the abrasive particles from the track. In one embodiment, the flushing material is recycled to replenish the coolant reservoir fluid loss through evaporation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1976
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1977
    Assignee: Western Gear Corporation
    Inventor: Robert F. Obear