Patents Represented by Attorney William E. Johnson
  • Patent number: 4217320
    Abstract: A method of forming a slip cast article is disclosed. The slip cast article is formed in a casting volume of a forming mold, which mold has a portion thereof formed of a meltable organic material. The vehicle of the casting slip used to form the article is drawn off to a level which provides a consolidated casting in the casting volume which contains sufficient vehicle that the casting is resistant to shrinkage. The consolidated casting and the organic mold portion are then surrounded with a porous, liquid drawing media. A high humidity of the vehicle of the casting slip is maintained about the consolidated casting surrounded by the porous, liquid drawing media. The consolidated casting and surrounding liquid drawing media are heated while the high humidity of the vehicle is maintained to a temperature which causes the meltable organic material to melt. The porous, liquid drawing media then draws the melted material away from the consolidated casting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1980
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Andre Ezis, John M. Nicholson
  • Patent number: 4217392
    Abstract: This specification teaches a new article of manufacture which is a glass substrate having a coating thereon selected from the group of glass coating compositions consisting essentially of chromium oxide, cobalt oxide and iron oxide lying within the enclosed area designated by the letter "A" in FIG. 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1979
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1980
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Sandy T. S. Vong
  • Patent number: 4205744
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device for turning over and for transferring a glass bracket from a first conveyor line to a second conveyor line. An end of the first conveyor line is offset both lengthwise and laterally from the beginning of the second conveyor line. The device also provides a means for locating the glass bracket as it is being moved between the two conveyor lines so that it can be positioned in a precise location on the second conveyor line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1980
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: William K. Timmons, George A. Koss
  • Patent number: 4197363
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a seal for a sodium sulfur battery in which the sealing is accomplished by a radial compression seal made on a ceramic component of the battery which separates an anode compartment from a cathode compartment of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1980
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Armenag Topouzian, Robert W. Minck, William J. Williams
  • Patent number: 4195119
    Abstract: A fuel cell construction of economical design is disclosed. In the construction, a honeycomb separator is used to define a plurality of compartments which are separated from one another by a porous cell wall. Electrolyte is provided in the cell walls while alternate compartments of the cell contain either an oxidant or a fuel for the fuel cell. The cells contain suitable electrochemical catalyst materials on the walls thereof and electrode structures in the cells so that the oxidation of the fuel may take place in the electrolyte found in the cell walls in order to generate current for the cell. In accordance with preferred teachings, the separator is an extruded ceramic material such as used for the substrate of automotive catalytic converters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1980
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Joseph T. Kummer
  • Patent number: 4195049
    Abstract: A strong beta silicon carbide article is formed from a moldable mixture including beta silicon carbide particles, from about 1/16% by weight to no more than 1/4% by weight of the total weight of the moldable mixture of niobium carbide particles and a binder for supporting these particles for a molding operation. The mixture is molded to form the shape of an article, and the article is pyrolized so that volatile portions of the binder are driven off and the remaining portions broken down to a carbon phase. The carbon phase is transformed to beta silicon carbide in a siliciding operation. The addition of the small percentage of niobium carbide unexpectedly increases the strength of the finished beta silicon carbide article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1980
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Jack E. Noakes, Leslie L. Terner
  • Patent number: 4194972
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for breaking an oil-in-water emulsion. Briefly, the method of this invention includes the following general steps. A porous ferrous ion producing anode is established. A supply of the oil-in-water emulsion is located on one side of the anode and a fixed volume of the emulsion is flowed through a fixed cross sectional area of the anode per unit of time. Less than a passivating current is flowed through each unit area of the anode per unit of time thereby dissolving into the emulsion ferrous ion in sufficient quantity to break the emulsion. The flowing of the fixed volume of the emulsion through the electrode per unit of time and the dissolving of sufficient quantity of ferrous ions results in a homogeneous dispersion of the ferrous ions in the fixed volume of the emulsion. There is an in situ generation of hydroxyl ion at the cathode and tiny air bubbles are introduced near the electrodes to oxidize the ferrous ions to ferric ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1980
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Marvin H. Weintraub, Matthew A. Dzieciuch, Roy L. Gealer
  • Patent number: 4192911
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a seal for a sodium sulfur battery in which a flexible diaphragm sealing elements respectively engage opposite sides of a ceramic component of the battery which separates an anode compartment from a cathode compartment of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1980
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Armenag Topouzian
  • Patent number: 4192779
    Abstract: A method is taught for increasing the selectivity of a catalyst in that the catalyst reduces the amount of ammonia produced when exhaust gases are catalytically treated to eliminate oxides of nitrogen therefrom. The method involves including molybdenum on the support media for the catalyst, in addition to the principal catalyst system present to effect the reduction of oxides of nitrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1980
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Haren S. Gandhi, William L. Watkins, Henryk K. Stepien
  • Patent number: 4179413
    Abstract: The specification teaches a method of enriching a catalyst system in which both platinum and rhodium are present. The enrichment increases the amount of rhodium which is actively available for use as a catalyst. The enrichment is brought about by thermally aging the catalyst system in an oxidizing atmosphere by heating it to a temperature in a range from 650.degree. C. to 875.degree. C. for a period of at least two hours. A thermal aging at a temperature of about 800.degree. C. for a period of 4 to 8 hours is preferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1979
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Haren S. Gandhi, Mordecai Shelef, Paul P. Wynblatt
  • Patent number: 4172047
    Abstract: A catalyst system is taught for treating exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine. The catalyst system includes a substrate and a wash coat on the substrate. The wash coat is formed substantially of alpha phase alumina. A catalyst is placed on the wash coat consisting of rhodium metal or rhodium metal with another catalyst metal. By using alpha phase alumina as the wash coat, the rhodium is not dissolved into the wash coat during periods when the catalyst system is subjected to high temperature oxidizing conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1978
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1979
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Haren S. Gandhi, Mordecai Shelef, Hsien C. Yao, Joseph T. Kummer, Henryk K. Stepien
  • Patent number: 4170694
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a hermetically sealed alkali metal battery container. The battery includes a ceramic ring having upper and lower contoured surfaces thereon located on its outer circumferential surface. Outer metal casings defining an upper battery container and a lower battery container are formed so as to have a bell-shaped open end on each one. The bell-shaped open end of respective casings are located adjacent the contoured surfaces formed on the ceramic ring. Each bell-shaped open end of a metal casing has associated therewith a sealing band which engages the open end of the casing to compress the same into engagement with an associated contoured surface of the ceramic ring to form a hermetic seal therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1978
    Date of Patent: October 9, 1979
    Assignee: Ford Aerospace & Communications Corp.
    Inventors: Gordon G. Chase, Richard A. Harlow, Viney K. Gupta
  • Patent number: 4169919
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a seal for a sodium sulfur battery in which the sealing is accomplished by two radial compression seals located one above the other on a ceramic component of the battery which separates an anode compartment from a cathode compartment of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1978
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1979
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Armenag Topouzian
  • Patent number: 4166841
    Abstract: A method is taught for making beta silicon carbide in a micro balloon structure, that is, a spherical type structure in which the beta silicon carbide forms only a thin wall of the balloon structure. If desired, the micro balloon structure, which is porous, may be crushed to form beta silicon carbide of a very finely divided size. The method is accomplished by pyrolyzing microballoon structures formed of an organic material so that the material breaks down to leave carbon behind in the microballoon structure. This carbon is reacted with silicon at an appropriate temperature to form the pure beta silicon carbide in the microballoon shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1979
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Jack E. Noakes, Leslie L. Terner
  • Patent number: 4160068
    Abstract: A high power, low total energy storage battery is disclosed. The basic portion of the battery is a honeycomb separator which defines a plurality of rather small compartments. Alternate compartments throughout the separator are made to be anode compartments or cathode compartments by inserting electrodes, electrolyte and electrochemical materials in the various compartments. A preferred honeycomb separator is the honeycomb structure used as a support for an automotive exhaust catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1979
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Joseph T. Kummer
  • Patent number: 4151740
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for predicting the service life of silicon nitride material under operating conditions of a ceramic turbine engine in whch an article is subjected to high temperatures under oxidizing conditions. The method for selecting a silicon nitride article to be used under these high temperature oxidizing conditions is generally as follows.A determination is made of the weight gain of a silicon nitride article under oxidizing conditions for a testing period of at least 12 hours at a temperature in the range from about 1800.degree. F. (932.degree. C.) to about 2500.degree. F. (1371.degree. C.). The weight gain determination is made after the silicon nitride article has been manufactured, and prior to its being subjected to any previous high temperature oxidizing conditions. The weight the silicon nitride article would gain at a projected time, which is a number of hours greater than the testing period, is empirically determined from the weight gain determinations made in the testing period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1979
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Peter H. Havstad
  • Patent number: 4152299
    Abstract: Under oxidizing conditions, a ruthenium catalyst system which is not protected will lose ruthenium by volatilization. A method is taught in this specification for stabilizing a ruthenium catalyst system against such volatilization under oxidizing conditions. The method is carried out by applying to a catalyst substrate a ruthenium catalyst system in which the catalytic material under oxidizing conditions is of the type La.sup.+3 Ni.sub.x.sup.+3 Ru.sub.1-x.sup.+3 O.sub.3 wherein x is in the range from 0.1 to 0.9.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1979
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Haren S. Gandhi, Mordecai Shelef
  • Patent number: 4143192
    Abstract: A tape strip is disclosed. This strip has an elongated strip portion having an outer face and an inner face with adhesive thereon. The elongated strip portion has a width not exceeding three-eighths of an inch. A pair of tape end portions are provided one at each end of the elongated strip portion. The pair of tape end portions have an outer face and an inner face with adhesive thereon. The tape end portions have a width dimension of at least one-half inch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 6, 1979
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: William L. Hayden
  • Patent number: 4140469
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a specially designed apparatus for bonding a ceramic body to an interior annular surface of a ring shaped body formed of ceramic material. Various specially designed elements are described which permit one to assemble the apparatus and use the same under elevated temperature conditions to bond the ceramic body to the mentioned interior annular surface of the ring shaped body. The apparatus is so designed that all of the elements thereof remain in a centered position during the bonding operation. The apparatus reduces the drag load on the various elements during the bonding operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1979
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Robert R. Baker
  • Patent number: 4141011
    Abstract: A radio antenna is disclosed. The antenna is formed in part by an antenna pattern bonded to an inner surface of a glass substrate. The antenna pattern is made of an electrically conductive material. The antenna pattern has an antenna portion and a terminal portion. An electrical connection is made to the terminal portion. The electrical connection provides a seal for the connection which eliminates dust and moisture attack thereon. The electrical connection is formed in a simple and efficient operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1979
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Premakaran T. Boaz