Patents Represented by Attorney Henry C. Query, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8337154
    Abstract: A cooling fan includes an impeller which comprises a plurality of radially extending blades, each of which includes a blade hub, a blade tip and a blade midspan approximately midway between the hub and the tip. In addition, each blade includes a camber of between about 60° and 90° at the blade hub, between about 15° and 40° at the blade midspan and between about 15° and 40° at the blade tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Xcelaero Corporation
    Inventors: John Decker, Chellappa Balan
  • Patent number: 8282348
    Abstract: A cooling fan having a fan housing, a motor which is positioned within the fan housing and a plurality of electronics components which are associated with the motor includes at least one strut which extends radially between the motor and the fan housing and on which the electronics components are mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Xcelaero Corporation
    Inventors: Ralph J. Carl, Jr., John Decker, Chellappa Balan
  • Patent number: 8234997
    Abstract: A distribution apparatus for a breading machine comprising a hopper having a number of hopper sections includes a downspout for conveying the breading material to the hopper and a spreader plate which is adjustably supported between the downspout and the hopper. By adjusting the position of the spreader plate relative to the hopper, the flow of breading material from the downspout may be distributed as desired between the hopper sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: John Bean Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Paschoalini, Jacob Deehr
  • Patent number: 8157518
    Abstract: A cooling fan comprises an impeller which includes a plurality of radially extending blades, each of which includes a blade hub, a blade tip and a blade midspan approximately midway between the hub and the tip. In addition, each blade comprises a blade suction surface, and substantially the entire blade suction surface is visible from the forward looking aft direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Xcelaero Corporation
    Inventors: John Decker, Chellappa Balan
  • Patent number: 8096193
    Abstract: A turbine flow meter comprises a flow pipe which includes an axial through bore and a meter cartridge which is positioned in the through bore. The meter cartridge includes a tubular cartridge housing through which a fluid to be measured is directed and a rotor which is rotatably supported in the cartridge housing. The cartridge housing is slidably received in a first portion of the through bore and comprises an outer diameter which is less than the diameter of that portion of the through bore. The meter cartridge is retained in the through bore by a retainer, which in turn is retained in the through bore by a ring seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: FMC Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel R. Fink, James R. Soltau, Donald L. Douglas
  • Patent number: 7959390
    Abstract: A vehicle trunk organizer includes at least two elongated, generally parallel strut members and at least two elongated, generally parallel cross-piece members. Each strut member comprises at least one longitudinal opening formed therein, and each cross-piece member comprises at least one elongated beam member which extends through the opening in each strut member. The beam members are pivotally connected to the strut members to enable the trunk organizer to be collapsed from an unfolded state to a folded state. In the unfolded state the trunk organizer comprises a generally rectangular lattice configuration which defines a number of individual compartments within which items to be transported may be placed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Inventor: Tom Gorski
  • Patent number: 7954510
    Abstract: A retainer for movably securing a valve member within a fluid bore of a pump comprises a retainer head which includes at least one peripheral groove and a retainer hub which is connected to or formed integrally with the retainer head. The valve member is movably coupled to the retainer hub, and the retainer head is movable to position the groove over a radial protrusion in the fluid bore. In this position, the retainer is secured to the pump and the valve member is accordingly movably secured within the fluid bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: FMC Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven L. Schwegman
  • Patent number: 7933580
    Abstract: A method for determining the physical coordinates of a VoIP phone and transmitting the physical coordinates to an emergency services call center or the like comprises the steps of determining the physical coordinates of the VoIP phone using signals from a GPS or cellular network, placing a call to an emergency services call center using the VoIP phone, and automatically transmitting the physical coordinates of the VoIP phone to the emergency services call center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Inventors: Dennis J. Hasenfang, Christopher C Willis
  • Patent number: 7819641
    Abstract: An air mover, such as a cooling fan, comprises a motor and an impeller which is driven by the motor to generate a flow of air through a flowpath. The motor comprises at least one inlet opening and at least one outlet opening, each of which is in fluid communication with the flowpath. In operation of the air mover, a pressure difference between the inlet and outlet openings causes a portion of the flow of air to flow into the inlet opening, through the motor and out the outlet opening to thereby cool the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Xcelaero Corporation
    Inventors: John Decker, Chellappa Balan, Ralph J. Carl, Jr., John Miller, Dennis M. Pfister
  • Patent number: 7681589
    Abstract: A retainer for movably securing a valve member within a fluid bore of a pump comprises a retainer head which includes at least one peripheral groove and a retainer hub which is connected to or formed integrally with the retainer head. The valve member is movably coupled to the retainer hub, and the retainer head is movable to position the groove over a radial protrusion in the fluid bore. In this position, the retainer is secured to the pump and the valve member is accordingly movably secured within the fluid bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: FMC Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven L. Schwegman
  • Patent number: 7610847
    Abstract: A crosshead and connecting rod assembly for a pump comprises a connecting rod which includes a first end that is rotatably connected to the crankshaft of the pump, a second end that comprises a generally cylindrical configuration, and a shaft that extends between the first and second ends. The second end comprises at least one annular shoulder adjacent to the shaft, and the crosshead and connecting rod assembly further comprises a crosshead which includes a body that comprises a generally semi-cylindrical socket within which the second end is rotatably received and at least one trunnion that comprises a generally semi-cylindrical recess which aligns with the socket and within which the shoulder is rotatably received when the trunnion is connected to the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: FMC Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Rondall B. McKelroy
  • Patent number: 7537057
    Abstract: A connector for securing a first cylindrical member to a second cylindrical member comprises a cylindrical body which includes a first end that is attached to the first member and a second end that is positioned proximate the second member, a cylindrical housing sleeve which is positioned concentrically over the body and which includes an upper end portion that is secured to the body and a lower end portion that is disposed adjacent the second member, a cylindrical primary piston that is positioned between the body and the housing sleeve, a locking mandrel which is connected to or formed integrally with the primary piston and which includes at least first and second annular portions that have different diameters, and a split lock ring which is supported by the lower end portion adjacent a number of locking grooves in the second member and which includes at least first and second cylindrical portions that correspond to the first and second annular portions of the locking mandrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: FMC Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Shiva Singeetham, Eric Baltmanis
  • Patent number: 7490673
    Abstract: A subsea completion system includes a first component which comprises a first connection interface, a second component which comprises a second connection interface, and a third component which comprises a third connection interface that is complimentary to both the first and second connection interfaces. Consequently, the third component is operatively engageable with either of the first and second components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: FMC Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher D. Bartlett
  • Patent number: 7421967
    Abstract: A mooring system for securing a floating vessel to the sea floor comprises a plurality of mooring legs, at least one of which includes separate first and second mooring lines. The first mooring line comprises a first end which is connected to the vessel and the second mooring line comprises a first end which is secured to the sea floor. The mooring system also comprises a connection and tensioning device which includes a body, a bore which extends through the body, a chain stopper for adjustably securing the first mooring line to the body, and a connector for connecting a second end of the second mooring line to the body. In use, a second end of the first mooring line is inserted into the bore and the first mooring line is pulled through the bore while the body is subject to an opposing pulling force. Once the first mooring line is pulled through the bore a desired distance, the chain stopper maintains the first mooring line in position relative to the body to thereby secure the vessel to the sea floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: SOFEC, Inc.
    Inventors: William L. Fontenot, Yonghui Liu, Stephen P. Lindblade, Brent A. Salyer
  • Patent number: 7401627
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, these and other problems in the prior art are addressed by providing a valve which comprises a valve body which includes an passage that extends at least partially therethrough, a valve seat which is formed in the passage, a valve member which is movably positioned in the passage proximate the valve seat, a first sealing element which is supported on the valve member and which in a closed position of the valve engages the valve seat to block fluid flow through the passage, and a protective member which is movable relative to the valve member between a first position in which the protective member substantially covers the first sealing element when the valve is in the open position and a second position in which the protective member is retracted from the first sealing element when the valve is in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: FMC Kongsberg Subsea AS
    Inventors: Heyn Halfdan Magnus, Petter Støvset
  • Patent number: 7387166
    Abstract: An electrically operated actuation tool for a subsea completion system component having at least one hydraulically actuatable mechanism comprises an electric motor, a hydraulic pump which is driven by the motor and at least one hydraulic line which communicates between the hydraulic pump and a corresponding hydraulic conduit that is fluidly connected to the mechanism. In this manner, the motor drives the hydraulic pump to generate hydraulic pressure which is used to actuate the mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: FMC Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher D. Bartlett
  • Patent number: 7347156
    Abstract: A turret mooring system for a vessel comprises a turret which is rotatably connected to the vessel and comprises a lower end, a buoy which is anchored to the sea floor and is releasably connectable to the lower end, and a bearing assembly which is positioned between the buoy and the vessel when the buoy is connected to the turret. In this manner, horizontal mooring loads acting on the buoy are transmitted through the bearing assembly to the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Sofec, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen P. Lindblade
  • Patent number: 7325508
    Abstract: A support assembly for a mooring line of a floating vessel comprises a trunnion block which is pivotally supported on the vessel and a stopper block to which the mooring line is releasably secured. One of the trunnion block and the stopper block comprises a convex surface and the other of the trunnion block and the stopper block comprises a concave surface. In operation, the convex surface engages the concave surface to thereby pivotally support the stopper block on the trunnion block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: SOFEC, Inc.
    Inventors: L. Terry Boatman, William L. Fontenot, Roger D. Mickan
  • Patent number: 7325671
    Abstract: A bowl for a vibratory feeder includes a wall portion having a generally circular cross section and a helical track having an inner diameter and an outer diameter. The wall portion comprises a plurality of slots and the track comprises a plurality of tabs which extend from one of the inner diameter or the outer diameter. The tabs are received in corresponding ones of the slots to thereby position the track relative to the wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: FMC Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel B. Super, F. Michael Schuchs, Michael K. Mihelic, Robert J. Julock
  • Patent number: 7325598
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for attaching a first component which comprises a depending portion to a second component which comprises a bore that is sized and configured to receive the depending portion, wherein the first and second components are exposed to a fluid which is at an ambient pressure, comprises the steps of inserting the depending portion at least partially into the bore and then creating a bore pressure within the bore which is less than the ambient pressure. In this manner a pressure difference between the ambient pressure and the bore pressure will force the depending portion into the bore to thereby attach the first component to the second component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: FMC Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher D. Bartlett