Patents by Inventor Robert M. Whitney

Robert M. 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).

  • Publication number: 20240133431
    Abstract: A hub joint assembly for connecting a shaft to a connector comprises a coupling hub including a collar portion and a flange portion. The collar portion includes a bore having an inner surface configured to be positioned adjacent to an outer surface of the shaft, which may include a keyway for receiving a key defined in the shaft. The collar portion further includes an outer surface. The flange portion extends from the collar portion and is configured to be coupled with the connector. The assembly further includes a clamp ring including an inner surface. The inner surface is configured to mate with the outer surface of the coupling hub. A passage is defined in the clamp ring and may extend from an outer or face surface of the clamp ring to the inner surface of the clamp ring. The coupling hub may be formed as a two-piece sub-assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2024
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: Riverhawk Company
    Inventors: Robert M. Whitney, Daniel M. Lauzon
  • Patent number: 11927238
    Abstract: An internal viscous rotational damping (VRD) assembly for transmitting torque from a drive member connector to a load member connector is provided. The VRD assembly comprises a spacer tube connected between the drive member connector and the load member connector, wherein the spacer tube includes a longitudinal axis and an inner surface that extends along the longitudinal axis. The VRD assembly further includes a damper bar disposed within the spacer tube. The damper bar includes an outer surface, wherein a cavity is defined between the outer surface of the damper bar and the inner surface of the spacer tube, and wherein the cavity is configured for receiving a viscous fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Riverhawk Company
    Inventor: Robert M. Whitney
  • Patent number: 11859671
    Abstract: A hub joint assembly for frictionally connecting a shaft to a connector includes a coupling hub including a collar portion and a flange portion. The collar portion includes a bore having an inner surface that is configured to be positioned adjacent to the outer surface of the shaft. The collar portion further includes an outer surface that may be conical. The flange portion extends from the collar portion and is configured to be coupled with the connector. The hub joint assembly further includes a clamp ring including a bore having an inner surface. The inner surface may be conical and configured to mate with the outer surface of the coupling hub. A passage is defined in the clamp ring and extends from an outer surface of the clamp ring to the inner surface of the clamp ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Riverhawk Company
    Inventors: Robert M. Whitney, Daniel M. Lauzon
  • Patent number: 11358243
    Abstract: A hub joint assembly for frictionally connecting a shaft to a connector is provided. The hub joint assembly includes a coupling hub including a collar portion and a flange portion. The collar portion includes a bore having an inner surface that is configured to be positioned adjacent to the outer surface of the shaft. The collar portion further includes an outer surface that may be conical. The flange portion extends from the collar portion and is configured to be coupled with the connector. The hub joint assembly further includes a clamp ring including a bore having an inner surface. The inner surface may be conical and configured to mate with the outer surface of the coupling hub. A passage is defined in the clamp ring and extends from an outer surface of the clamp ring to the inner surface of the clamp ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Riverhawk Company
    Inventors: Robert M. Whitney, Daniel M. Lauzon
  • Publication number: 20220080538
    Abstract: A hub joint assembly for frictionally connecting a shaft to a connector is provided. The hub joint assembly includes a coupling hub including a collar portion and a flange portion. The collar portion includes a bore having an inner surface that is configured to be positioned adjacent to the outer surface of the shaft. The collar portion further includes an outer surface that may be conical. The flange portion extends from the collar portion and is configured to be coupled with the connector. The hub joint assembly further includes a clamp ring including a bore having an inner surface. The inner surface may be conical and configured to mate with the outer surface of the coupling hub. A passage is defined in the clamp ring and extends from an outer surface of the clamp ring to the inner surface of the clamp ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Applicant: Riverhawk Company
    Inventors: Robert M. Whitney, Daniel M. Lauzon
  • Publication number: 20190331169
    Abstract: A hub joint assembly for frictionally connecting a shaft to a connector is provided. The hub joint assembly includes a coupling hub including a collar portion and a flange portion. The collar portion includes a bore having an inner surface that is configured to be positioned adjacent to the outer surface of the shaft. The collar portion further includes an outer surface that may be conical. The flange portion extends from the collar portion and is configured to be coupled with the connector. The hub joint assembly further includes a clamp ring including a bore having an inner surface. The inner surface may be conical and configured to mate with the outer surface of the coupling hub. A passage is defined in the clamp ring and extends from an outer surface of the clamp ring to the inner surface of the clamp ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Applicant: Riverhawk Company
    Inventors: Robert M. Whitney, Daniel M. Lauzon
  • Patent number: 8702337
    Abstract: A lamellar rotational flexure pivot may include a first pivot end, and second pivot end, and a divider layer positioned therebetween to allow first and second pivot ends to pivot relative to one another. The first and second pivot ends may include a plurality of spring layers and spacer layers that are stacked in alternating fashion to form the lamellar rotational flexure pivot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Riverhawk Company
    Inventors: Robert M. Whitney, Charles B. Gibbons, Richard Donegan
  • Publication number: 20120213573
    Abstract: A lamellar rotational flexure pivot is provided. The flexure pivot may include a first pivot end, and second pivot end, and a divider layer positioned therebetween to allow first and second pivot ends to pivot relative to one another. The first and second pivot ends may include a plurality of flat spring layers and spacer layers that are stacked in alternating fashion to form the lamellar rotational flexure pivot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Inventors: Robert M. Whitney, Charles B. Gibbons, Richard Donegan
  • Patent number: 6685406
    Abstract: A stud tensioning device includes a nut having internal threads and external threads. The internal threads engage corresponding threads on the stud. At least two axial bores are defined by the nut, and posts are disposed in the bores. Each post at a first end thereof engages a stop surface, and at a second end thereof extends external to the bores and axially beyond a free end of the stud in a direction away from the structural member. A load cell threadingly engages the nut applying an axially-directed force on the posts in a direction toward the structural member and on the nut in a direction away from the structural member to thereby tension the stud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Riverhawk Company
    Inventors: Robert M. Whitney, Charles B. Gibbons, Timothy J. Trautman
  • Publication number: 20030086770
    Abstract: A stud tensioning device includes a nut having internal threads and external threads. The internal threads engage corresponding threads on the stud. At least two axial bores are defined by the nut, and posts are disposed in the bores. Each post at a first end thereof engages a stop surface, and at a second end thereof extends external to the bores and axially beyond a free end of the stud in a direction away from the structural member. A load cell threadingly engages the nut applying an axially-directed force on the posts in a direction toward the structural member and on the nut in a direction away from the structural member to thereby tension the stud.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2002
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Inventors: Robert M. Whitney, Charles B. Gibbons, Timothy J. Trautman
  • Patent number: 6231262
    Abstract: A frictional hub-to-shaft coupler has a radially deformable inner ring which is engaged by deformation on a shaft or hub. The outer surface of the inner ring has a pair of counter-directed cone surfaces which meet at the longitudinal center of the inner ring. First and second outer rings surrounding the inner ring have conical inner races, the cones being counter directed and the surfaces mating with the conical inner ring surfaces. The outer rings cooperate to form a sealed pressure chamber which is fillable with a hydraulic pressure medium, whereby the outer rings may be thrust apart axially and the inner ring thereby compressed radially to clamp the shaft. An auxiliary input ring having a connector for mating with a hydraulic port in one of the outer rings may be mounted on one of the outer rings to supply hydraulic medium to the coupler. The outer rings may be locked in actuated configuration to permit relief of hydraulic pressure and removal of the input ring when the clamp is fully actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Riverbank Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Robert M. Whitney