Patents Represented by Attorney D. Neil LaHaye
  • Patent number: 8181589
    Abstract: A gravity anchor that includes one or more anchor units. The units are designed to be rotationally linked together so that multiple units can be used to provide the required weight. The units are designed for ease of handling on the vessel and to control the rotation of the units relative to each other to insure proper orientation on the seafloor. The units are designed to help them dig into the sea bed and enhance the drag and holding power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Inventors: Jim B. Petersen, Chellakat Satyaraj Joe-Joe
  • Patent number: 7871222
    Abstract: A semi-submersible structure. The hull includes four columns that are supported by two pontoons. The columns support the topsides and the topsides structural framing serves as horizontal framing between the columns. A truss frame is attached to the columns. The truss frame preferably includes heave plates. The truss frame extends downward below the pontoons a sufficient distance in the water such that it minimizes motions caused by environmental forces. The hull section and the truss space frame are constructed separately and assembled together at the offshore site where the structure is used for drilling and/or production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: J. Ray McDermott, S.A.
    Inventors: Yun Ding, William Lawrence Soester
  • Patent number: 7849810
    Abstract: A method of mating of a buoyant hull with a truss structure while at the installation site of the completed offshore structure. The buoyant hull is moored in place. The truss structure is placed in the water, self upends, and maneuvered near the buoyant hull. The buoyant hull and truss structure are rigged with lines to allow the truss structure to be pulled into engagement with the buoyant hull. The truss structure is lowered to a predetermined depth below the water surface but above the sea floor and the weight is transferred to the lines from the buoyant hull. The truss structure is aligned with the buoyant hull and lines from the buoyant hull are used to pull the truss structure into engagement with the buoyant hull. The truss structure and buoyant hull are rigidly attached together as is customary using grouting and welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: J. Ray McDermott, S.A.
    Inventors: Bobby P. Cline, Jack Darryl Payne, Yun Ding
  • Patent number: 7823454
    Abstract: A method for ultrasonically inspecting components with wavy or uneven surfaces. A multi-element array ultrasonic transducer is operated with a substantial fluid layer, such as water, between the array transducer and the component surface. This fluid layer may be maintained by immersing the component in liquid or by using a captive couplant column between the probe and the component surface. The component is scanned, measuring the two dimensional surface profile using either a mechanical stylus, laser, or ultrasonic technique. Once an accurate surface profile of the component's surface has been obtained, data processing parameters are calculated for processing the ultrasonic signals reflected from the interior of the component that eliminate beam distortion effects and reflector mis-location that would otherwise occur due to the uneven surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox Technical Services Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel T. MacLauchlan, Bradley E. Cox
  • Patent number: 7687780
    Abstract: A semiconductor detector for ionizing electromagnetic radiation, neutrons, and energetic charged particles. The detecting element is comprised of a compound having the composition I-III-VI2 or II-IV-V2 where the “I” component is from column 1A or 1B of the periodic table, the “II” component is from column 2B, the “III” component is from column 3A, the “IV” component is from column 4A, the “V” component is from column 5A, and the “VI” component is from column 6A. The detecting element detects ionizing radiation by generating a signal proportional to the energy deposited in the element, and detects neutrons by virtue of the ionizing radiation emitted by one or more of the constituent materials subsequent to capture. The detector may contain more than one neutron-sensitive component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignees: Babcock & Wilcox Technical Services Y-12, LLC, Fisk University
    Inventors: Zane W. Bell, Arnold Burger
  • Patent number: 7669660
    Abstract: A riser disconnect and support mechanism for flexible risers and umbilicals on an offshore structure with low under keel clearance. A main body portion includes an inverted and truncated conical or convex section substantially at the center of the main body portion. The main body portion and conical section receive risers therethrough by means of a plurality of conduits through the main body portion and conical section. A plurality of projections extend radially outward from the main body portion. A plurality of arch-shaped riser supports are provided on each projection to support risers and/or umbilical lines and control their bending radii. The projections extend out from the main body portion at a distance that allows the portions of the risers below the main body portion to hang at an angle and bend radius in accordance with the design tolerances of the risers to prevent buckling or damage due to excessive bending while keeping the risers from contacting the sea floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Floatec, LLC
    Inventors: John James Murray, Harish Mukundan, Apurva Gupta
  • Patent number: 7614209
    Abstract: A mechanically releasable shackle pin arrangement that is readily operated by an ROV and is not affected by the hydrostatic pressures encountered at depth. A shackle body having two ends has a shackle pin received through bores at one end of the shackle body. A shackle nut threaded on the shackle pin secures the shackle pin in an installed position through the bores in the shackle body. An anti-rotation link plate is attached to the shackle body. The anti-rotation link plate extends to one end of the side plate. The shackle pin extends through bores at one end of the shackle body and the anti-rotation link plate and is secured in its installed position by a shackle nut threaded on the shackle pin. Means for preventing rotation of the shackle nut and loss of the shackle nut is provided on the anti-rotation link plate such that the shackle pin can be removed by a remotely operated tool on an ROV at depth to release a load without the need for hydraulics on the shackle assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: J. Ray McDermott, S.A.
    Inventors: Jack Darryl Payne, Tait James Landry, James L. Goljenboom, Richard Joseph Ordoyne, Timothy A. Dunbar
  • Patent number: 7400697
    Abstract: A rhenium lined niobium alloy tube for use as a clad tube for nuclear fuel in a nuclear reactor. The tube is produced by an electro deposit process. A graphite mandrel is placed in the electro deposit chamber as the cathode material. Refined rhenium stock is used as the anode material. The chamber is filled with the chloride electrolyte. The chamber is closed and the electrolyte bath is heated. Current and voltage applied across the anode and cathode cause the rhenium to be deposited on the mandrel. Refined niobium alloy is then used as the anode material and applied over the rhenium on the mandrel to a desired thickness. The part is removed from the chamber and ground to the desired outside diameter. The graphite mandrel is removed from the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: BWX Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Carmack, Lewis C. Hartless, Jeffrey A. Halfinger
  • Patent number: 7217067
    Abstract: A riser joint keel assembly. A tapered riser joint is connected to a larger diameter outer sleeve through a connection that allows the tapered section and outer sleeve to function as one unit. In the combined design, the outer sleeve provides the required sliding interface between the riser and the guide at the keel of the hull while also providing some of the bending compliance needed to transition from the riser supported in the hull to the riser unsupported below the hull. The tapered section also provides the remaining bending compliance needed for the transition. The connection between the tapered and sleeve sections is a forged, machined ring plate welded to the bottom end of the sleeve, which provides a base for either bolted or threaded type attachment points for the tapered riser joint below the ring plate and the internal riser joint that continues to the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: SparTEC, Inc.
    Inventors: Changshi Mao, Robin M. Converse
  • Patent number: 7188574
    Abstract: An improved floating circular hull construction arrangement. The hull is divided into sections by watertight flats. The flats are stiffened with angles or bulb tees curved to form concentric circles that are in turn supported by the radial girders spaced around the flats and spanning between the inner and outer-shells. In each section, longitudinal girders spaced radially around the inside of the outer-shell terminate at the flats and attach to the flats and do not penetrate the flats. The longitudinal girders are attached to flats aligned with the locations of the radial girders that extend across the flats to the inner and outer shells. A panel stiffening arrangement on the inner circumference of the outer shell is attached to the outer shell and the longitudinal girders. Longitudinal girders spaced around the outer circumference of the inner shell extend along the length of the inner shell and are attached to the radial girders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: SparTEC, Inc.
    Inventors: Robin M. Converse, Young-Chan Park
  • Patent number: 7044072
    Abstract: An improved floating circular hull construction arrangement. The hull is divided into sections by watertight flats. In each section, longitudinal stiffeners spaced around the inside of the outer shell terminate adjacent the flats and do not penetrate the flats. The longitudinal stiffeners are supported by full rings that are concentric with the center of the hull. The rings are received over the longitudinal stiffeners, extend radially inward and are laterally supported with members configured to act in tension in either axial direction and which are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hull. Rings on the inner shell extend radially outward toward the outer shell and may be laterally supported similarly to the lateral supports of the outer shell. The flats are stiffened with angles or bulb tees curved to form concentric circles that are in turn supported with radial girders spaced around the flats and spanning between the inner and outer shells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: SparTEC, Inc.
    Inventors: Robin M. Converse, Young Chan Park
  • Patent number: 7044522
    Abstract: A chain hook with no moving parts that is capable of passively capturing and supporting both sides of a given chain link. The hook is provided with dual support surfaces that support the link and prevent disengagement of the hook while under load. A horn between the support surfaces protrudes through the hooked link and contacts the adjacent link on the lighter loaded side of the hook. This prevents running of the chain that could result from differential loading on either side of the hooked chain link. The hook surfaces are designed to inhibit disengagement under low load conditions and to facilitate unassisted disengagement of the hook under no-load conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: J. Ray McDermott, S.A.
    Inventors: Raymond J. Serpas, Kirk N. Trombatore, Regas J. Vito
  • Patent number: 7045635
    Abstract: An improved process for synthesizing 4-amino-1,2,4-triazole. Hydrazine hydrate solution is mixed into ethyl formate, ethanol, and an acidic ion exchange resin in a condenser. The solution is held at 75 degrees Celsius until no more liquid exits the condenser. The solution is then heated to between 130 and 133 degrees Celsius and kept at this temperature long enough to remove water and ethanol and to complete the synthesis. The solution is then cooled to 60 degrees Celsius and filtered to remove the ion-exchange resin. The filtered liquid is then cooled to ambient temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: BWXT Pantex, LLC
    Inventors: William T. Quinlin, Dillard M. Cates
  • Patent number: 7015334
    Abstract: A thermally stable booster explosive and process for the manufacture of the explosive. The product explosive is 2,4,7,9-tetranitro-10H-benzo[4,5]furo[3,2-b]indole (TNBFI). A reactant/solvent such as n-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) or dimethyl formamide (DMF) is made slightly basic. The solution is heated to reduce the water content. The solution is cooled and hexanitrostilbene is added. The solution is heated to a predetermined temperature for a specific time period, cooled, and the product is collected by filtration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: BWXT Pantex, LLC
    Inventors: William T. Quinlin, Raymond Thorpe, James M. Lightfoot
  • Patent number: 6949307
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and assembly related to solid oxide fuel cell interconnects is disclosed. In its broadest embodiment, the invention contemplates a multi-layered ceramic interconnect having integrated flow fields and electrical connections. The method of making this interconnect includes judicious selection of materials, formation of appropriate apertures for the flow fields and electrical connectors, and the joining of the layers through a firing and/or sealing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: SFCo-EFS Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas L. Cable, Kurt E. Kneidel, Eric A. Barringer, Thomas C. Yuan
  • Patent number: 6886637
    Abstract: A cylinder-stem assembly to floating platform, gap controlling interface guide. A longitudinal wear strip and mating guide are positioned at an angle relative to a tangent to the nominally round exterior cylinder of the cylinder. Cylinder guides may be provided at more than a single elevation. The corners of the contacting surfaces of the wear strips may be rounded to reduce the risk of galling and to avoid any obvious point or line loading. During assembly, the cylinder-stem assembly is rotated after insertion into its slot in the floating platform. The rotation centers the cylinder and also may be used to control the magnitude of the gap or an interference fit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Mentor Subsea Technology Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald G Hervey, Robert H Carter, Daniel Major Houser
  • Patent number: 6852442
    Abstract: A fuel cell having an anode and a cathode side with fuel flowing over the anode side and air over the cathode side has a staging plate located on the anode side of the fuel cell to divide the flow of fuel to two different sections of the anode. A second staging plate may be used to divide the flow of fuel to three different sections of the anode and various apertures may be formed in the plates, such as rectangles triangles or ovals, to direct fuel flow to desired areas of the anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: SOFOCo-EFS Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Milind V. Kantak, Thomas L. Cable
  • Patent number: 6844473
    Abstract: A process for the manufacture of ultra-fine-particle hexanitrostilbene (HNS). Hexanitrostilbene is mixed in n-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) and the solution is steam heated for approximately one hour. The solution is rapidly mixed with cold water by means of drawing it through an aspirator through which water is flowing. The produced slurry is captured in a receiver and then filtered through a 0.45-micron filter. The recovered HNS product is then freeze dried.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: BWXT Pantex, L.L.C.
    Inventors: William T. Quinlin, Raymond Thorpe, Maury L. Sproul, Dillard M. Cates
  • Patent number: 6817808
    Abstract: A rotatable pipeline end termination. A conduit is attached to an end of the pipeline. One or more collars are attached to the conduit. A ring is rotatably received on the collar. A pipeline support structure such as a flat bottom closed skid having the function of a mud mat is attached to the ring. The ring may be free floating for rotation or may be manually activated to rotate the termination to the correct orientation so as to be flat on the sea floor for full bearing contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Mentor Subsea Technology Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Jean-Francois Patinet
  • Patent number: 6767376
    Abstract: An auto-thermal reformer assembly is provided having a plurality of self-contained reformer modules positioned within a pressure vessel. The reformer modules each contain catalyst for inducing reforming reactions to produce hydrogen rich gas. At least one heat exhanger is provided for transferring heat from the hydrogen rich gas to the reactants entering or inside of the pressure vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: SOFCo-EFS Holdings, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Mark A. Perna, Andrew F. Kisik, Stephen W. Scoles, Ray L. Sullivan