Patents by Inventor William L. Kennedy

William L. Kennedy 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: 4988389
    Abstract: A method of producing fluids from subterreanean reservoirs containing hydrogen sulphide and especially those reservoirs where elemental sulphur or hydrogen polysulphides are present. The method describes the use of a jet pump, chemical injection, and downhole electrical heaters to prevent the deposition of elemental sulphur within the production tubulars of wells penetrating such reservoirs by raising the pressure, temperature, and sulphur solvency of fluids being produced up these wells. In this way, subterranean reserves of sulphur and hydrogen sulphide which were previously unproducible or too expensive to produce can be commercially exploited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1991
    Inventors: Ion-Ionel Adamache, William L. Kennedy, Michael C. Enwright
  • Patent number: 4803855
    Abstract: A single shaft agitate and spin drive for an automatic washer is provided in which a lost motion mechanism or clutch in the form of a plurality of stacked discs is mounted on the agitator shaft, a lower end of the mechanism being driven by the agitator shaft and an upper end of the mechanism driving the basket after a sufficient amount of rotation by the agitator has been inputted to the mechanism. The mechanism absorbs enough rotational motion to allow oscillatory motion of the agitator without transmission of that motion to the basket, but if sufficient rotational motion is input to the mechanism, such as during the spin mode, the mechanism transmits the motion to drive the basket. The amount of rotation absorbed is easily changed by changing the number of discs in the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1989
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: William L. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 4719770
    Abstract: A clothes rollover agitation system is provided for a vertical axis automatic washer in which the agitator has a skirt portion that has an inner portion which extends outwardly and downwardly and an outer portion which extends outwardly and upwardly to assist the clothes within the washer to undergo a 180.degree. direction reversal in the bottom of the wash basket. The skirt portion stops short of the basket side wall and a removable ring member is secured to the basket wall to continue the upward and outward shape toward the sidewall. A plurality of buttons engagable in holes in the basket sidewall are used to secure the ring to the sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1988
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Robert A. Brenner, William L. Kennedy, Anthony Mason
  • Patent number: 4646545
    Abstract: An attachment arrangement is provided between a wash basket and a balancing ring of an automatic washer which permits the ring to be locked onto the basket upon rotation of the ring relative to the basket. The degree of interlocking is increased during normal operation of the washer in that the attachment arrangement is comprised of mating ramp surfaces on the basket and ring which increasingly engage upon relative rotation and at least one tab on the ring which increasingly engages a lip on the basket upon relative rotation. The tab and ramps are oriented such that braking of the basket at the end of a spin cycle results in increased interlocking of the basket and ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1987
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Richard L. Fanson, William L. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 4387580
    Abstract: An improved delay mechanism for providing a delay in the spin cycle of an automatic washer is operated by means of a resilient spring driver pivotable about a stud rotating on an eccentric, which in turn is engageable with a spin gear only in one direction of rotation, and thereby provides a delay of substantially one revolution of the eccentric upon a change in direction of rotation of the eccentric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1983
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: William L. Kennedy, Richard L. Fanson
  • Patent number: 4366902
    Abstract: A shipping system for an automatic washer is provided wherein a split block upper shipping brace locks into position as it is installed to secure the upper portion of the basket and a lower shipping brace is attached to the foot holes on the base and connected by a retainer to a boss on the transmission to secure the movable mechanism of the washer against excessive movement during shipping, wherein removal of the shipping means is compelled prior to normal operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1983
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Richard L. Fanson, William L. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 4254641
    Abstract: A spin brake and brake release mechanism for an automatic washer or other spinning drive mechanism has a pair of brake shoes applied by a spring but released by a rotating cam mechanism. The brake operating mechanism rotates with the spin basket. The brake drum is connected to the stationary parts of the machine. As the release cam rotates, it acts against cam follower areas of the brake shoes to release the shoes from the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1981
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph A. Gauer, William L. Kennedy