Patents Represented by Attorney William R. Hinds

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  • Closures for containers
    Patent number: 4972652
    Abstract: Radioactive waste is loaded from a cell 10 into a drum 16 by sealing the drum about a port 12 in the cell, attaching the drum lid to the port door by clamp jaws 30 engaging a boss 76, withdrawing the port door and drum lid 69 into the cell in back-to-back fashion, loading the drum and replacing the lid. The lid has an annular lip 72, and the lid is deformable from a first state in which the lip engages the underside of the drum rim 65 and the lid engages the outer surface of the rim, and a second state in which the lip is free from engagement with the rim, thereby allowing removal of the lid.The jaws are moved into clamping engagement by initial movement of the jaws relative to the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1990
    Assignee: British Nuclear Fuels plc
    Inventors: Richard J. Critchley, Samuel R. Oldham
  • Tensioned floatation cover with slip ring connection
    Patent number: 4971217
    Abstract: Flotation covers for large bodies of liquid, e.g. reservoirs usually consist of large sheets or panels adapted to float on the surface of the liquid. Such covers are adapted to follow changes in liquid level. However, in general, the problem of covering the surface of the liquid around the periphery of the cover is not addressed. A solution to this problem involves a panel covering all but the peripheral edges of the liquid surface, cables connected to the edges of the panel and to counterweights for maintaining the panel centered on the surface, and floats for supporting the edges of the panel and the bottom edge of a skirt, which extends upwardly to the wall of the reservoir, the skirt being connected to the cables by slip rings, so that the skirt folds and unfolds as the liquid level rises and falls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Inventors: William L. Robertson, Neil D. McLeod, Geoffrey C. Agassiz
  • Sintered materials
    Patent number: 4970049
    Abstract: Sintered ferrous materials are described having a composition in wt % lying within the ranges of C 0.8-1.5/W 1-4.4/Mo 1-4.4/V 1-2.6/Cr 1.3-3.2/Others 3 max./Fe balance. The material may be made by a method comprising the steps of mixing between 40 and 70 wt % of a powder having a composition in wt % within the ranges C 0.45-1.05/W 2.7-6. 2/Mo 2.8-6.2/V 2.8-3.2/Cr 3.8-4.5/Others 3.0 max./Fe balance with between 60 and 30 wt % of an iron powder and from 0.4 to 0.9 wt % of carbon powder, pressing a green body of the article from the mixed powder and then sintering the green body. The material may optionally contain sulphur, metallic sulphides. The material may be infiltrated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 13, 1990
    Assignee: Brico Engineering Limited
    Inventors: Andrew R. Baker, Richard L. Kettle
  • Temperature measurement for flowing fluids
    Patent number: 4968151
    Abstract: The temperature of fluid (gas or liquid) flowing in a duct 10a having axis 21 is measured using a collar 12 having an inner face 17 embracing the tube and having two axial bores 16, 18 at different lateral distances from the duct axis which receive temperature sensors 8, 9 connected to recording and monitoring devices 20, 22. A heater 14 is provided on the outside of the collar and when there is no lateral heat flux in the collar and the wall of the duct the temperature of the fluid equals the temperature of the sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1990
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventor: Alexander Thomson
  • Fuel-air line-charge ordnance neutralizer
    Patent number: 4967636
    Abstract: The invention provides a system for breaching a lane in a minefield containing pressure sensitive mines. A mobile carrier mounts fuel, nitrogen and water tanks, a hose magazine and a launch rail. A flexible hose is folded into the magazine for rapid deployment therefrom and carries a detonating cord therein. A tow vehicle, such as a rocket, is connected to the free end of the hose so that when it is launched it will pull the hose across the minefield. Thereafter, pressurized nitrogen is used to drive liquid fuel into the hose, followed by a slug of water between the fuel-containing section and the carrier. Detonation of the cord creates a fuel droplets-in-air-cloud above the hose, which cloud is subsequently detonated to create a pressure wave which, in turn, detonates or neutralizes the mines along the desired lane, allowing vehicles and personnel to travel therealong.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1990
    Assignee: Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence
    Inventors: Stephen B. Murray, David S. Weiss, Ingar O. Moen, Stephen A. Ward
  • Nuclear reactor fuel elements
    Patent number: 4968480
    Abstract: A nuclear reactor fuel element is helically wound with a strip which on one face at regular intervals along its length has dimples, and has a continuous rib on the opposite face. The strip contacts the associated fuel pin cladding via the dimples which effectively act as point contacts, and it contacts the neighboring fuel pins via the rib which also provides point contact. The regions between adjacent dimples are clear of the cladding and provide coolant flow paths thereby avoiding stagnant regions. The dimples may be arranged in two staggered sets one on each side of a central rib, and the strip then wound so that the dimples in each set each align axially with a respective dimple of the other set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1990
    Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
    Inventor: Kenneth M. Swanson
  • Production of ceramic nuclear fuel pellets
    Patent number: 4965024
    Abstract: Uranium dioxide nuclear fuel pellets are produced using a ceramic grade uranium dioxide powder derived from the reaction of uranium hexafluoride with steam and hydrogen. The powder is pelletized and the green pellets are transported through a furnace and subjected to fast-fired sintering typically at temperature of the order of 2000-2200.degree. C. and for a time interval between 50 to 500 seconds. It has been found that fast-fired sintering of such powders under these conditions enables densities of the order of 95% theoretical density to be achieved, with resinter density changes of the order of 2% and lower, without requiring any mechanical compression of the hot pellets. The inclusion of seed crystals of uranium dioxide in the pelletized powder increases the grain size of the fuel pellets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1990
    Assignee: British Nuclear Fuels plc
    Inventor: Geoffrey A. Wood
  • Valve for respirator
    Patent number: 4958633
    Abstract: A valve for a respirator has an elastomeric valve member (18) of generally dished form with an annular channel (25) around its central portion (24). The member (18) is secured at its center by a shouldered conical stem (19) and seals round its periphery (23). The channel (25) allows a sudden collapse of resistance to opening force in the direction of the arrow A above a predetermined amount, but a positive biassing action towards closure. The edges of the channel (26,27) are slightly axially displaced from one another. Both inlet and outlet valves of a respirator may be equipped with such a valve member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1990
    Assignee: Avon Industrial Polymers Limited
    Inventor: Cyril N. E. Angell
  • Process for reducing reactor fouling during polymerization in an aqueous medium
    Patent number: 4957982
    Abstract: To reduce fouling on reactor surfaces, the surfaces are coated with a protective film of polymeric material of surface energy of less than 15 dynes/cm. The preferred coating materials are polymers of one or more monomer chosen from the 2-(N-alkylperfluorosulphonamido)) alkyl (meth)acrylates or the fluorochemical polymer known as Fluorad (Registered Trade Mark of the 3M company) FC-721.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1990
    Assignee: Crown Decorative Products Limited
    Inventor: Kenneth R. Geddes
  • Apparatus for transporting objects
    Patent number: 4956079
    Abstract: Apparatus for transporting objects in succession through a measuring head. A common drive shaft provides synchronised movement of transfer apparatus, gripper apparatus and indexing apparatus. The transfer apparatus receives objects from a supply and carries the objects to the measuring head. The gripper apparatus receives the objects from the transfer apparatus and carries the objects through the measuring head. The indexing apparatus receives objects from the gripper means and conveys the objects to an outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1990
    Assignee: British Nuclear Fuels plc
    Inventors: Alan Bailey, David K. Yew
  • Device for holding together and releasing conical joints
    Patent number: 4956151
    Abstract: The nut (3) is rotatable on the external thread (4) on the conical pin (1). A shackle (6) is mounted on the said nut and is pivotable about an axis (7) transverse to and at a distance from the central axis. The shackle engages behind the swelling (5) on the conical sleeve (2) and can be tightened by turning the nut (3). The nut (3) is formed so as to be divisible and is held together by a clamping device (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1990
    Assignee: Buchi Laboratoriums-Technik AG
    Inventor: Arnold Steck
  • Log building construction
    Patent number: 4951435
    Abstract: A relatively simple log for use in log buildings includes a first large, longitudinally extending, V-shaped groove in the top of the log, and a pair of smaller longitudinally extending, inverted V-shaped grooves in the bottom of the log on opposite sides of a plane through the longitudinal axis of the log and through the vertex of the top groove, the spacing between the second grooves being such that outward extensions of the sides of the top groove in one log would intersect the outer sides of the second grooves in a superjacent log resting on such one log. In a wall structure, loose insulation fills the top groove and denser sealing insulation fills the smaller, bottom grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1990
    Inventor: Lloyd Beckedorf
  • Method of position monitoring and apparatus therefor
    Patent number: 4950898
    Abstract: Displacement or strain is measured by applying to a body to be monitored at least one grid line (two or more where strain measurements are required) and scanning a radiation beam such as a laser beam across or partly across the grid line(s) to produce a pulsed output from which the mean position(s) of the grid line(s) can be ascertained with reference to a datum point on the beam scanning path. Displacement of each grid line relative to the datum point can be determined. The beam scan may be adjustable to produce a null condition in which the mean position of the grid line(s) coincides with the mid-point of the beam scan. Any deviation from the null condition then indicates displacement of the body or strain thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
    Inventor: Ian R. Fothergill
  • Narrow band correlator and noise cancellor
    Patent number: 4947177
    Abstract: A narrow band noise cancellor and signal correllator which obtains an increased signal to noise ratio of a received signal from a multi sensor array; the resulting output signal is at double the input frequency. A pair of narrow band similar input signals are added, and subtracted, and the resulting signals are multiplied together. The positive and negative product terms of the signal are separated and the positive term inverted, and the resulting separated signals are individually added with the squared representation of one of the input signals. The resulting added signals are summed and the sum is passed through a narrow band filter having its center frequency at double the input frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1978
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1990
    Assignee: Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence of Her Majesty's Canadian Government
    Inventor: Noel O. Fothergill
  • Toilet flush control device
    Patent number: 4945578
    Abstract: A flush control device for use in a toilet tank of the type containing a standpipe and a flap valve pivotally mounted on the standpipe for closing an outlet in the bottom of the tank includes a cylindrical sleeve for slidable mounting on the standpipe and a bulbous float at the bottom of the sleeve. The float is defined by an upwardly opening first cup integral with the bottom end of the sleeve, and an inverted second cup slidably mounted on the sleeve, so that the buoyancy of the device can be changed. Thus, the water level at which the flap valve closes, and consequently the quantity of water discharged through the outlet can be controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1990
    Inventors: Mohamed A. Jomha, Andrew Lazowski, deceased, by Greg C. Empson, administrator, by Jose Vieira, administrator
  • Plant harvester
    Patent number: 4942722
    Abstract: A harvester for plants and weeds, particularly aquatic plants, pulls the plants by winding them onto a rotating, endless cable. Tension in the cable is controlled, and an operative portion of the cable is positionable for varying its height and angle to the horizontal. The harvester is mountable on a boat having an adjustable freeboard and multiple, individually driven, retractable paddle wheels provide maximum maneuverability during use and compactness during transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1990
    Inventor: J. Armand Desrosiers
  • Reactivity control in nuclear reactors
    Patent number: 4943409
    Abstract: To provide intrinsic reactor safety, the fuel sub-assemblies of a nuclear reactor core are provided with reactivity control mechanisms operable, in response to temperature rises above desired limits, to interact with adjacent fuel sub-assemblies and effect radial dilation of the core in order to reduce reactivity. Various embodiments are disclosed in which differential thermal expansion of an operating device or devices (34; 40; 42, 44, 46; 50) is translated into radially outward displacement of a lever or levers (28) for contact with neighbouring sub-assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1990
    Assignee: National Nuclear Corporation Limited
    Inventor: Donald Broadley
  • Nuclear fuel pin fabrication
    Patent number: 4942014
    Abstract: To ensure proper registry of nuclear fuel pellets with fuel pins during loading of pellet stacks into the pins, the pellets are guided through a passageway 28 formed with ribs 42 and pins are located in coaxial passageway 30 also formed with ribs 44. The ribs 42, 44 make substantially line contact with the pellets and pins to reduce the risk of jamming, particularly in the case of the pellets, and the inter-rib spaces serve to collect any dust generated from the friable pellets during feed thereof. Instead of ribs, the passageways may be of polygonal cross-section such that the flat faces of the polygon make substantially line contact with the pellets and pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 17, 1990
    Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
    Inventor: Kenneth M. Durow
  • Cosmetic compact
    Patent number: D309511
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1990
    Assignee: Toly Products (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Bryan Bertlin, Colin J. Enskat, Reginald W. Breese
  • Perfume bottle or similar article
    Patent number: D310962
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1990
    Assignee: Parfums Loris Azzaro
    Inventor: Pierre Dinand