Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Charles D. Gunter, Jr.
  • Pipe gasket with selective economy of scale
    Patent number: 7513536
    Abstract: A pipe sealing gasket is shown which is designed to be received within a groove provided within a socket end of a thermoplastic pipe in a pipe sealing system. The sealing system includes a male, spigot pipe end which is joined to a mating female belled pipe end. The belled pipe end has an internal groove adjacent a mouth region thereof which is simultaneously formed under temperature and pressure as the mouth region is forced over a forming mandrel and about a sealing gasket located on the forming mandrel so that the sealing gasket is prelocated within the internal groove. The sealing gaskets of the invention have a specially designed sealing capability to seal volume ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: S & B Technical Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradford G. Corbett, Jr., Gerardo Darce, Guido Quesada
  • Snap fit sealing gasket with precisely located internal retainer ring for square pipe grooves
    Patent number: 7509724
    Abstract: A pipe sealing gasket is shown which is designed to be received within a groove provided within the belled, socket end of a plastic pipe. The sealing gasket has a body formed of resilient material and has a retainer ring embedded therein which circumscribes the gasket body. The groove in the plastic pipe is preformed during the manufacture of the plastic pipe and the gasket is installed thereafter. The gasket nominal diameter exceeds the internal diameter of the belled pipe end. The retainer ring is placed within the body of the sealing gasket at a precisely determined location which most effectively retains the ring in position while withstanding the forces of the assembly of the pipe joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: S & B Technical Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradford G. Corbett, Jr., Guido Quesada
  • Fluid flow energy conversion apparatus
    Patent number: 7467923
    Abstract: Tidal forces used for generation of electrical power has long been a solution to a recognized need. A really practical device to convert the energy of the fluid flow through tidal inlets into electrical power is the subject of this invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Inventor: Cecil Albert Rains
  • Snap in place gasket for sealing plastic pipelines and method of installation
    Patent number: 7461848
    Abstract: A pipe sealing gasket is shown which is designed to be received within a groove provided within a belled, socket end of a plastic pipe. The groove in the plastic pipe is preformed during manufacture and the gasket is installed thereafter. The gasket nominal diameter exceeds the internal diameter of the belled pipe end. A special installation tool is used to pull the gasket from an initially deformed, elliptical shape to a normal cylindrical shape. The installation tool uses only one fluid cylinder for power and can be hand installed and operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: S & B Technical Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Bradford G. Corbett, Jr.
  • Method of manufacturing semiconductor nanowires
    Patent number: 7442575
    Abstract: A method is shown for manufacturing silicon semiconductor nanowires on graphite cloth conducting substrates. The nanowires are grown on the substrate by first depositing a thin gold film on the graphite cloth using RF sputtering. The substrate structure is then exposed to dilute silane, resulting in a uniform coating of Si nanowires on the cloth. A method is also shown for growing calcified mineral phases on such nanowire surfaces as well as for the incorporation of anti-osteoporotic drugs or anti-bacterial agents onto the surface of the nanowires. Lastly, a method is shown for promoting the growth of bone-forming cells onto the nanowire materials by exposing specially treated nanowires to bone marrow cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Texas Christian University
    Inventor: Jeffery L. Coffer
  • Snap fit sealing gasket with precisely located internal retainer ring for triangular pipe grooves
    Patent number: 7441319
    Abstract: A pipe sealing gasket is shown which is designed to be received within a groove provided within the belled, socket end of a plastic pipe. The sealing gasket has a body formed of resilient material and has a retainer ring embedded therein which circumscribes the gasket body. The groove in the plastic pipe is preformed during the manufacture of the plastic pipe and the gasket is installed thereafter. The gasket nominal diameter exceeds the internal diameter of the belled pipe end. The retainer ring is placed within the body of the sealing gasket at a precisely determined location which most effectively retains the ring in position while withstanding the forces of the assembly of the pipe joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: S & B Technical Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradford G. Corbett, Jr., Guido Quesada
  • Apparatus designed for the fileting of fish
    Patent number: 7442118
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are shown for fileting fish. The apparatus includes a retaining pan and a pair of support elements capable of spanning the width of the pan interior by attachment to the opposing outer edges of the pan. The support elements have retaining elements which are used to securely affix a cutting board to the support elements. Once assembled, the cutting board creates an ideal location to filet a fish while allowing the fluids discharged from the fish to flow over the edges of the board and collect into the surrounding retaining pan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Inventor: Jay Jeffrey Edmond
  • Reversible ice chest
    Patent number: 7434410
    Abstract: A reversible ice chest is shown having oppositely arranged, hinged lids. The lids allow the ice chest to be open and filled from either of two opposite directions. This allows a user to, for example, place drinks to be cooled on top of ice in a half filled chest. The chest would then be turned upside down, thereby covering the drinks with ice. The drinks could be accessed through the lid which is now facing up toward the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Inventor: Robert G. Ford
  • Wound treatment medium and method of packaging and use
    Patent number: 7435423
    Abstract: A sterile wound treatment kit includes a plastic container pouch with a sealed outer periphery which forms a sterile interior region which isolates the pouch interior from a surrounding environment. A drug absorbing medium is located within the pouch interior and initially isolated from the surrounding environment by the sealed periphery. A syringe accepting fitting is located on the pouch for discharging a treatment drug from a syringe into the pouch interior. The pouch interior is large enough to allow the drug absorbing medium to be shaken within the pouch interior once a drug is injected into the sterile interior region, whereby the drug absorbing medium will contact and evenly absorb the drug treatment. The pouch can be opened at the time of use to allow access to the drug absorbing medium so that the medium can be applied to a wound site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Inventors: Cory Collinge, Kevin Kelly
  • Method and apparatus for preventing foam disbondment
    Patent number: 7418979
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for preventing disbondment in an insulated piping system that is used for conveying high temperature fluids. More specifically, an external slip wrap is shown, capable of surrounding the outer protective jacket of the insulated piping system at a location along the piping before an elbow shaped or angular change in direction. The slip wrap comprises a loosely received outer sleeve which surrounds the outer protective jacket of the piping without being bonded thereto, thereby allowing the insulated and jacketed pipe to move axially relative to the slip wrap for a selected distance once the pipe is buried in the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Thermacor Process, L.P.
    Inventor: Thomas Joseph Keyes
  • Restraining mechanical joint gasket for ductile iron pipe
    Patent number: 7410174
    Abstract: A restraining gasket for both sealing and preventing separation of a pipe joint used to join a bell end of a female ductile iron pipe to the male end of a mating ductile iron pipe. The gasket has a body formed from a compressible elastomeric material having a hardened metal ring located therein with gripping teeth. The hardened ring has an opening at one point in its circumference which is filled with rubber. The rubber-filled gap ensures that the gasket body seals first prior to engagement of the gripping teeth as the pipe joint is assembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: S & B Technical Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Jim Jones, Bradford G. Corbett, Jr.
  • PVC seismic coupling and method of installation
    Patent number: 7404872
    Abstract: A seismic coupling is provided for coupling a first longitudinal section of plain end plastic pipe to a second longitudinal section of plastic pipe. The coupling is provided in two halves with a left half being initially installed on the plain end of the first section of pipe. An internal shoulder is fused onto the first section of pipe and a right half of the coupling is then fused onto the left half to capture the first end of pipe within the coupling. The second pipe end is then installed within an end opening of the coupling and held in position by a connector installed between the right half of the coupling and the second pipe end. Internal seals are provided for sealing the first and second pipe ends within the interior of the coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: S & B Technical Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Craig Fisher
  • Hollowed, deformable, raised face bolt-ring
    Patent number: 7401821
    Abstract: A bolt-ring pipe connector system for connecting stub end pipe particularly thermoplastic pipe is shown. The bolt-ring has an outer vertical rim portion, an inner vertical rim portion and an interconnecting web portion provided with spaced bolt holes. The top side of the bolt-ring has a beveled and angular top surface. The bottom side of the bolt-ring has a contoured recess that provides a variable cross sectional diameter. The new, deformable, variable geometry, hollowed, bolt-ring can be flexed by slight deformations under constant bolt-load. As a result, all anticipated initial and operating changes in high-density polyethylene stub-end dimensions, such as those caused by bolt-up and thermal strain, are managed by the bolt-ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Independent Pipe Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Harvey E. Svetlik
  • Multi-perf fracturing process
    Patent number: 7401652
    Abstract: A method is shown for fracturing a subterranean formation from a deviated well bore. A plurality of spaced fracture initiation points are created in the well bore. Hydraulic pressure is applied to all of the sets of perforations at the fracture initiation points to extend a plurality of spaced fractures in the formation in directions substantially perpendicular to the deviated well bore direction. The same perforated interval in the wellbore is shot two or more times, using a conventional perforating gun in order to achieve a desired hole count over a shorter distance. The perforating technique is combined with a pumping protocol which better insures that the fracturing fluid being pumped flows more evenly through each set of perforations upon the application of hydraulic pressure rather than the majority of the fluid entering only the first perforated interval of the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Inventor: H. Lee Matthews
  • Connector gasket for concrete structures
    Patent number: 7392989
    Abstract: A manhole assembly for a manhole having generally cylindrical sidewalls defined between an outside surface and an inside surface separated by a wall thickness and having a wall opening communicating the outside and inside sidewall surfaces of the manhole for insertion of a mating pipe. The wall opening defines a peripheral surface relatively perpendicular to the outside and inside sidewall surfaces which receives a ring shaped elastomeric gasket. The gasket has a retaining ring whose location is precisely determined to allow the gasket to be obliquely inserted within the wall opening of the manhole and to be subsequently snap-fitted into position on the peripheral surface, whereby the gasket is securely retained in a locked-in position with respect to the wall opening in the sidewall of the manhole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: S & B Technical Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Bradford G. Corbett, Jr.
  • Ultrasonic and sonic odorization systems
    Patent number: 7389786
    Abstract: A system is shown for injecting a chemical, such as an odorant, from a chemical supply into a fluid containing system such as a natural gas pipeline or an LPG pipeline. A tank of odorant is maintained under a positive pressure which exceeds that of the pipeline. An injection conduit communicates the odorant tank with the pipeline. A precise control flow valve, located within the injection conduit, meters odorant to be injected into the pipeline. An ultrasonic measuring unit allows the odorant to be metered on a drop wise basis with drops of chemical being counted as they pass through the flow valve into the injection conduit and into the natural gas pipeline. The ultrasonic measuring unit also allows steady state flow conditions to be measured accurately. A sonic measuring unit can also be utilized in low flow situations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Inventor: Mark Zeck
  • Method of reducing NOemissions in rotary preheater mineral kilns
    Patent number: 7377773
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method to further enhance NOx reduction in rotary preheater mineral kilns by coupling the temperature control and gas composition uniformity afforded by the high temperature mixing with the use of chemical reducing agents. The chemical reducing agent or agents, generally chosen from ammonia or ammonia precursors, are introduced at a specific point in the rotary preheater kiln which has as an optimal temperature window to achieve the greatest reduction of NOx emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Chemical Lime Company
    Inventors: Paul S. Nolan, Robert F. Kohl, Juergen Lauer, Kerry Seitz
  • Pipe gasket
    Patent number: D574934
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: S & B Technical Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerardo Darce, Randall Chinchilla
  • Bridle bit for a horse
    Patent number: D579155
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Inventor: Jo W. Edwards
  • Facade for a canned pet food dispenser
    Patent number: D584547
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Merrick Pet Care, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tyler W. Merrick, Darren D. Dunham