Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Randall J. Knuth
  • Patent number: 6127649
    Abstract: An apparatus creating a processing cell for laser peening operations includes an enclosure which substantially defines a work cell or processing cell with a transparent overlay material applicator disposed therein. A cleaning system is utilized that may include a vapor exhaust, liquid removal system, and a gas or air supply. A vapor exhaust system is connected to the enclosure for removing vapor from within the processing cell. A liquid removal system is connected to the enclosure for removing liquid from the processing cell. A gas or air supply is connected to the enclosure to flood the enclosure with gas or air to flush airborne debris therefrom. A workpiece manipulator may be disposed or operate within the cell for moving workpieces therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: LSP Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven M. Toller, Jeffrey L. Dulaney, Allan H. Clauer, Mark E. O'Loughlin
  • Patent number: 6123019
    Abstract: A wet-type flywheel brake system for use in a mechanical press includes a first and second brake assembly each installed within a respective brake housing space defined in a non-rotational quill. Each of the brake assemblies includes a brake lining element arranged in lateral facing relationship with the flywheel and an associated hydraulic seal-type piston that selectively moves the brake lining element into a friction-type braking engagement with the flywheel. The brake housing spaces are flooded with oil to immerse the brake lining elements. Oil for this purpose is provided from a flywheel bearing assembly integrated with the quill assembly and which is arranged for fluid communication with the quill-located brake housing spaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: The Minster Machine Company
    Inventor: Edward A. Daniel
  • Patent number: 6124020
    Abstract: A magnetic recording medium comprising a smooth recording layer constituted of magnetic particles having a small size, which has a high coercive force. The magnetic recording medium comprises a substrate body, a Cr undercoat with an oxygen content of 100 wt ppm or less, and ferromagnetic metal made of CoCrTa having an oxygen content of 100 wt ppm or less, and which utilizes magnetic inversion. The ferromagnetic metal layer comprises 14 to 23 atm % chromium(Cr), 2 to 8 atom % tantalum(Ta) and the balance of cobalt(Co).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Inventor: Migaku Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6122565
    Abstract: A press monitoring system includes an electronic processor for accessing a communication network connected to the processor. A sensor is used for measuring a desired quality of the press connected to the electronic processor. The processor sends the communication network corresponding to the measured quality. A remote unit connected to the communication network is adapted to accept the signal from the electronic processor, and to display the measured quality of the press, whereby the press may be monitored remotely during a production run.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: The Minster Machine Company
    Inventors: Nathan P. Wenning, Daniel A. Schoch
  • Patent number: 6114965
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for dynamically monitoring in real-time the operation of a press machine and tooling during actual production operations, in order to evaluate the true interaction between actual vibration activity occurring at multiple locations within the press machine geometry. A configuration of accelerometers is used to acquire measurement data indicating the acceleration of the press machine and for tooling at a plurality of press machine locations. An integrator converts the acceleration data into displacement data representing the displacement activity of the press machine at the indicated machine locations. Filtering the displacement data provides deflection measurements representing the vibrational activity occurring at the relevant machine and tooling location. Measurements of the relative press motion activity between selected machine locations provide an indication of the influence that deflection activity occurring at respective press machine locations has on one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: The Minster Machine Company
    Inventor: Daniel A. Schoch
  • Patent number: 6115725
    Abstract: The real time compression of moving images employing vector quantization is realized using simple hardware and with an optimal compression ratio with respect to the communication line capacity employed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignees: Tadashi Shibata, Tadahiro Ohmi
    Inventors: Tadashi Shibata, Tadahiro Ohmi, Akira Nataka, Tatsuo Morimoto, Masahiro Konda
  • Patent number: 6109817
    Abstract: A coupling device joins and axially aligns segments of a driveshaft or other shaft to form one, continuous length, shaft for use in a machine press.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: The Minster Machine Company
    Inventors: Bradley A. Burns, John B. Bornhorst
  • Patent number: 6105313
    Abstract: A bi-directionally swinging door which seals into a doorjamb. A push button actuator causes the retractable edges to move away from the doorjamb and retract into the door, allowing the door swing either in or out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Inventors: Max M. Holloway, Chad M. Holloway
  • Patent number: 6103532
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for sensing hydrocarbon in the vapor path of fuel dispensers using a fiber-optic sensor. The sensor includes an absorber-expander sensing structure mechanically coupled to the fiber body and responsive to the presence of effluent fuel components for absorbing the hydrocarbon therein and expanding in response thereto. The expansion activity has the effect of generating a microbend deformation in the fiber, producing detectable changes in the optical throughput representing the concentration of hydrocarbon that is sensed by the absorber-expander element. The fiber-optic sensor is particularly useful in a vapor recovery system by providing an optical signal that is representative of the ambient hydrocarbon concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Tokheim Corporation
    Inventors: Wolfgang H. Koch, Arthur R. Brown
  • Patent number: 6095782
    Abstract: A crescentless internal gear pump includes a housing with an intake connection and a pressure connection. An internally toothed internal gear has an outside surface and is disposed for rotation within the housing. Each tooth includes a head and a base, the internal gear having radial openings that form a conducting connection between a tooth base and the outside surface. A pinion, which is rotatably disposed within the housing and meshing with the internal gear, has teeth with each tooth including a head. The teeth of one of the internal gear and pinion, includes a profile groove with a base provided in the heads into which a sealing element is disposed and which slides on an opposing tooth head. The sealing element has a sealing surface and includes a channel that produces a conducting connection between the profile groove base and the sealing surface. The sealing element is slightly movable in the profile groove in the radial direction to form a controlled gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Voith Turbo GmbH & Co KG
    Inventors: Franz Arbogast, Peter Peiz
  • Patent number: 6095298
    Abstract: A mechanical press having a wet or oil shear clutch/brake drive unit is provided including elimination of undamped clearances. Lubrication oil utilized in the press flywheel bearing is ported and communicated into the clutch brake unit for use therein, eliminating the use of two separate lubrication or oil transport systems. A hydrostatic oil bearing on the brake/clutch actuator member (actuation plate) eliminates the use or need of an anti-friction bearing between the actuator member and the brake and clutch members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: The Minster Machine Company
    Inventors: Bradley A. Burns, Edward A. Daniel, John B. Bornhorst, Russell W. Palmer, Kevin J. Evers
  • Patent number: 6093287
    Abstract: A magnetic processing treatment facility is disclosed for subjecting a fluid flow to magnetic energy. The facility is integrated into agricultural spray apparatus and is effective in increasing the water solubility of chemical agents such as herbicides, pesticides, fertilizer, nutrient liquids and other liquids for agricultural use that are dispersed as a spray solution over an application area. The magnetically treated chemical solution also exhibits enhanced activity in terms of crop growth and pesticide and weed control. The treatment facility utilizes a magnetic core device having a resident permanent magnet for generating a magnetic field that is applied to a fluid volume passing through the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Superior Manufacturing Division, Magnatech Corporation
    Inventor: Charles H. Sanderson
  • Patent number: 6089102
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method of measuring the volume of flowing media, especially of fuel, by means of a screw spindle volumeter, the method comprising the following steps: detecting the revolutions of a screw spindle by means of a sensor and producing pulses whose time sequence is representative of the angular speed of the screw spindle; repeatedly measuring the period of time between successive pulses; selecting, in dependence upon the respective period of time measured, a volume value predetermined for said period of time, said volume value being representative of the volume flowing through the volumeter per predetermined revolution angle of the spindle at the respective angular speed of the spindle; adding the volume values which have successively been selected for various time period measurements, and producing and preferably displaying a total volume value that is based on the sum obtained during the whole volume measurement by continuously adding the volume values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Tokheim Corporation
    Inventor: Hans Ulrich Bloss
  • Patent number: 6078022
    Abstract: A hollow workpiece includes an outside surface through which a port opens to the hollow interior, and a laser peened area on the surface of the workpiece. The laser peened area is created on the surface while the hollow interior is at least partially filled with a substance other than air. A method of laser peening a hollow core gas turbine engine blade includes the steps of providing a hollow core gas turbine engine blade, filling the hollow core with a substance other than air, and then, laser peening the hollow core gas turbine engine blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: LSP Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Dulaney, Allan H. Clauer
  • Patent number: 6070523
    Abstract: A guide system for a dynamic balancer for use in a mechanical press. This system includes a dynamic balancer weight which reciprocates along a longitudinal axis and guiding means for preventing rotation of the balancer weight about the balancer weights reciprocal pathway longitudinal axis. In one particular embodiment, the system includes a guide post attached to the balancer weight and a "U"-shaped weight guide circumferentially located about the guide post whereby preventing rotational movement of the balancer weight around the guide post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: The Minster Machine Company
    Inventors: Bradley A. Burns, Brian A. Watercutter
  • Patent number: 6070453
    Abstract: A method and system for detecting leaks in a fuel dispenser is operative to pneumatically pressurize a selectable one of a vapor recovery portion and a fuel dispensing portion using a compressed air flow. A flowmeter measures the flow rate of the compressed air communicated to the fuel dispenser for pressurization thereof. A processor provides an indication of the leakage condition of the fuel dispenser based upon the pneumatic flow rate measured by the flowmeter which satisfies a pressurization condition for the fuel dispenser, such as maintaining the pressurization level above a threshold value. The flow rate of compressed air needed to maintain this pressurization level is indicative of the leak rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Tokheim Corporation
    Inventor: William J. Myers
  • Patent number: 6065935
    Abstract: The invention provides for a cycloidal propeller, in strictly rudder operation, accessory apparatuses that mesh with a gear drive connected to a shaft of the respective wing. The invention accomplishes relatively small actuation movements of the accessory apparatuses, sufficient to achieve a large pivoting movement of the wings, so that the wings can be adjusted over large angles without impediment. Therefore, wings having normal profiles may be utilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: Voith Hydro GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Herbert Perfahl
  • Patent number: 6064035
    Abstract: An apparatus creating a processing cell for laser peening operations includes an enclosure which substantially defines a work cell or processing cell with a transparent overlay material applicator located therein. A cleaning system is utilized that may include a vapor exhaust, liquid removal system, and a gas or air supply. A vapor exhaust system is connected to the enclosure for removing vapor from within the processing cell. A liquid removal system is connected to the enclosure for removing liquid from the processing cell. A gas or air supply is connected to the enclosure to flood the enclosure with gas or air to flush airborne debris therefrom. A workpiece manipulator may be disposed or operate within the cell for moving workpieces therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: LSP Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven M. Toller, Jeffrey L. Dulaney, Allan H. Clauer, Mark E. O'Loughlin
  • Patent number: 6057003
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of laser shock processing that can be used in a production environment that increases the peak pressure of the shock wave applied to the workpiece that increases residual compresses stresses therein. Such improvement is created by a reduction of dielectric breakdown of the transparent overlay layer utilized.The method includes the steps of applying a transparent overlay such as water over the workpiece and reducing or limiting the thickness of the transparent overlay material. An alternate embodiment of the invention to reduce dielectric breakdown incorporates the use of a changing or circularly polarized laser beam as opposed to a linearly polarized laser beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: LSP Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeff L. Dulaney, Allan H. Clauer, David W. Sokol
  • Patent number: D427204
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Tokheim Corporation
    Inventors: Herbert Freudenberg, Patrick Forsythe, Ray Scogings