Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Edward A. Steen
  • Dry pneumatic system for hard rock shaft drilling
    Patent number: 5125692
    Abstract: A dry, vertical shaft drilling system including an inverted raiseboring cutterhead fitted with air nozzles and vacuum pickups. Weights are detachably stacked above the cutterhead. Cuttings are extracted through the weights into a swivel circumscribing the drill string. The swivel is a transition from the rotating cutterhead to the stationary extraction riser pipes disposed above the swivel. Non-rotating stabilizers stabilize the drill string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1992
    Assignee: Inco Limited
    Inventors: Kirk M. Sinclair, John R. England
  • High density grout pump
    Patent number: 5122038
    Abstract: A pump capable of shear mixing and supplying high density grout over long distances and through relatively narrow conduits. The pump includes a hopper, a series of agitators in the hopper and a coincident auger and rotor/stator disposed below the hopper. The pump is held together by a pair of side bars having quick release bear clamp clasps for expeditious disassembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Assignee: Inco Limited
    Inventor: Michael L. Malkoski
  • Corrosion resistant nickel-base alloy
    Patent number: 5120614
    Abstract: A nickel-chromium-molybdenum-niobium alloy affords high resistance to aggressive corrosives, including chlorides which cause crevice corrosion and oxidizing acids which promote intergranular corrosion, the alloy also being readily weldable and possessing structural stability at very low as well as elevated temperatures. The alloy consists essentially of, (by weight), 19-23% Cr, 12-15% Mo, 2.25-4% W, 0.65-2% Nb, 2-8% Fe, balance Ni.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1992
    Assignee: Inco Alloys International, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward L. Hibner, Ralph W. Ross, Jr., James R. Crum
  • Aluminum-base composite alloy
    Patent number: 5114505
    Abstract: A composite aluminum-base alloy having a mechanically alloyed matrix alloy. The matrix alloy has about 4-40 percent by volume aluminum-containing intermetallic phase. The aluminum-containing intermetallic phase includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of niobium, titanium and zirconium. The intermetallic phase is essentially insoluble in the matrix alloy below one half of the solidus temperature of the matrix alloy. The balance of the matrix alloy is principally aluminum. A stiffener of 5 to 30 percent by volume of the composite aluminum-base alloy is dispersed within the metal matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1992
    Assignee: Inco Alloys International, Inc.
    Inventors: Prakash K. Mirchandani, Raymond C. Benn, Walter E. Mattson
  • Gold and silver recovery method
    Patent number: 5074909
    Abstract: A process for recovering gold and silver from refractory ores containing precious metals locked in sulfide and arsenide minerals including roasting a concentrate of said sulfide and arsenide minerals with lime at a temperature of about 600.degree. C. Thereafter the resultant calcine is ground, leached with cyanide and precious metals are recovered from the cyanide solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1991
    Assignee: Inco Limited
    Inventor: Gordon E. Agar
  • Flotation process
    Patent number: 5074993
    Abstract: A method of flotation of sulfides wherein pyrrhotite is depressed by use of a water-soluble polyamine while non-ferrous metal-containing sulfide or sulfidized minerals are floated selectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1991
    Assignee: Inco Limited
    Inventors: Andrew N. Kerr, Dietrich Liechti, Maria A. Marticorena, Daniel A. Pelland
  • Process for forming superconductor precursor
    Patent number: 5034373
    Abstract: The invention provides a process for production of silver-containing precursor alloys to oxide superconductors, said alloys having reduced amounts of intermetallics. Powders containing metallic elemental components of an oxide superconductor are high energy milled for a predetermined amount of time to increase homogeneity of the mixed metallic elemental components of the oxide superconductor. Silver is then high energy milled into the metallic components. The mixed silver and metallic elemental components of the oxide superconductor are compacted for the silver-containing superconductor precursor. The compacted powder is preferably hot worked at a temperature of at least 50% of the precursor alloy's melting temperature in degrees Kelvin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1991
    Assignees: Inco Alloys International, Inc., American Superconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Gaylord D. Smith, Jon M. Poole, Marvin G. McKimpson, Lawrence J. Masur, Kenneth H. Sandhage
  • Sheet processing for ODS iron-base alloys
    Patent number: 5032190
    Abstract: The process of the invention provides an improved method for forming sheet of iron-base ODS alloys. Powder containing iron and a substantially uniformly distributed oxide dispersoid is hot compacted into a billet. The billet is hot rolled in a first direction to introduce a predetermined amount of cold work into said billet. The hot rolled billet is then cold rolled in a second direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction after the hot rolling to form the iron-base ODS sheet. The cold rolling also introduces a predetermined amount of cold work into the billet. Preferably, the hot rolling and cold rolling are balanced to produce substantially uniform properties in the transverse and longitudinal directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1991
    Assignee: Inco Alloys International, Inc.
    Inventors: Francis S. Suarez, James D. Vandevender, Vernon L. Maynard
  • Loose rock detector
    Patent number: 5024090
    Abstract: A loose rock detector comprises an impact tool for hitting the rock face, sensors for detecting acoustic, rock motion and/or impact force signals generated by movement of the impact tool against the face of the rock, a data processor responsive to the sensors for correlating the above signals in the time and/or frequency domain against predetermined relationships to detect loose rocks and to assess mass and degree of looseness of the rock, and a display unit for displaying the results of the correlation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1991
    Assignee: HDRK Mining Research Limited
    Inventors: Michel J. Pettigrew, David B. Rhodes, Eric G. Lux, Victor A. Mason
  • Corrosion-resistant nickel-chromium-molybdenum alloys
    Patent number: 5019184
    Abstract: A homogenizaton heat treatment for enhancing crevice and pitting corrosion resistance minimizes the formation of Mu phase in nickel-base alloys of high combined percentages of chromium, e.g., 19 to 23% and molybdenum, e.g., 14 to 17%, particularly together with tungsten. Also described is an advantageous alloy composition containing less than 2.5% iron, low carbon and a titanium to carbon ratio greater than 1 which is particularly adapted to be effectively treated by the homogenization heat treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1991
    Assignee: Inco Alloys International, Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Crum, Jon M. Poole, Edward L. Hibner
  • Nickel-base alloy
    Patent number: 5017249
    Abstract: A nickel-chromium alloy exhibiting enhanced stress rupture strength and grain size stability at elevated temperatures up to about 1260.degree. (2300.degree. F.) due to the affirmative formation of M.sub.6 C carbide within the alloy. The alloy is especially useful for turbine and engine applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1991
    Assignee: Inco Alloys International, Inc.
    Inventors: Gaylord D. Smith, Curtis S. Tassen, Pasupathy Ganesan, Jack M. Wheeler
  • Belt and chain flight conveyor
    Patent number: 5007525
    Abstract: A conveyor including a chain flight conveyor superimposed over an elastic belt conveyor. The juxtaposition of the two conveyors results in longer wear and less erosive friction when compared to sole chain flight systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1991
    Assignee: Inco Limited
    Inventor: Richard Crawshay
  • Automated underground haulage truck
    Patent number: 5007496
    Abstract: An underground unmanned, trackless mine haulage vehicle and a system for guiding such a vehicle which includes a roof mounted guide rail, physical means to detect and calculate in real time variation in angle and distance of the center line of the vehicle from the ideal path of the guide rail and means on board the vehicle to provide and carry out steering commands to correct the position of the vehicle vis-a-vis the guide rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1991
    Assignee: Inco Limited
    Inventors: Brian T. Whitten, Pierre Veraart, Andrew Kwasniewski, Kurt Vollenwyder
  • Turbine blade superalloy II
    Patent number: 5006163
    Abstract: A novel, nickel-base, high temperature alloy body preferably containing about 20% chromium, 6 to 7% aluminum to provide phase, 1.5 to 2.5% molybdenum, 3 to 4.5% tungsten, additional strengthening elements and oxidic yttrium in finely dispersed form. The alloy body has an elongated crystal structure and is characterized by high strength along with excellent hot corrosion and oxidation resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1991
    Assignee: Inco Alloys International, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond C. Benn, Jeffrey M. Davidson, Kenneth R. Andryszak
  • Oxidation resistant alloy
    Patent number: 5002834
    Abstract: Discloses a composite metal body having an oxide-dispersion-strengthened substrate made by mechanical alloying and a high chromium-aluminum nickel- or cobalt-base coating on the substrate. The substrate is characterized by containing an amount of aluminum effective to react with oxygen and nitrogen within the body of the substrate to prevent migration of these gases to the interface of substrate and coating and to thereby inhibit spalling of the coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1991
    Assignee: Inco Alloys International, Inc.
    Inventors: Gaylord D. Smith, Raymond C. Benn
  • Method for making mineral insulated metal sheathed cables
    Patent number: 4998341
    Abstract: A method for making mineral insulated metal sheathed (MIMS) cable is disclosed. A tube of relatively large diameter is filled with at least one electrically conducting rod and an insulator. The resultant tubular assembly is sealed, hot rolled, reduced on a pilger (tube reducer) mill and drawn into relatively thin wire cable. The method is especially suitable for thermocouple cable production. Other applications include heating cable and control cable manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1991
    Assignee: Inco Alloys Limited
    Inventor: Trevor D. Jones
  • Composite structure
    Patent number: 4996115
    Abstract: A composite structure and a method of producing said composite structure from a combination of copper and a low coefficient of thermal expansion nickel-iron alloy is disclosed wherein the copper clads the nickel-iron sheet and is interposed through the central nickel-iron sheet in such a fashion as to provide a substantially isotropic heat transfer path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1991
    Assignee: Inco Limited
    Inventors: Thijs Eerkes, Carlos M. Diaz, James A. E. Bell
  • Welding electrode
    Patent number: 4994640
    Abstract: A flux cored welding electrode made from a nickel-iron-manganese sheath circumscribing a flux core. A portion of manganese is substituted for nickel to reduce electrode cost while retaining the desirable properties of a conventional 36% nickel welding electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1991
    Assignee: Inco Alloys International, Inc.
    Inventor: Samuel D. Kiser
  • Polymetallic piston-cylinder configuration for internal combustion engines
    Patent number: 4986234
    Abstract: A piston-cylinder combination for internal combustion engines made from a varying bonded combination of two or more alloys having dissimilar coefficients of thermal expansion. By regulating the volumetric percentages of the alloys vis-a-vis their location within the piston and cylinder wall, the degree of thermal expansion experienced during operation may be controlled. The concept is especially useful for low heat rejection engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1991
    Assignee: Inco Limited
    Inventor: James A. E. Bell
  • System for the measurement of the concentration particulates in a flowing gas
    Patent number: 4973909
    Abstract: A system for estimating the burden of particulate levitated in a flow of gas which includes an upstream device for electrically charging the particulate, a downstream device for sensing the intensity of the field produced by the electrically charged particulate and an indicating device sensitive to an output of the downstream sensing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1990
    Assignees: University of Western Ontario, Inco Limited
    Inventors: G. S. Peter Castle, Ion I. Inculet, Stig Lundquist, William J. Middleton