Patents Examined by David Bagnell
  • Patent number: 9546520
    Abstract: A cutting element includes a body having two planes, each of the two planes defining a plurality of edges, and a support extending from a first of the two planes. The support and the body are configured such that when at least one of the plurality of edges and the support are in contact with the planar surface, edges of the plurality of edges on a second of the two planes form cutting edges and the second of the two planes forms an acute angle with the planar surface. The second of the two planes of the cutting element has a recess formed therein sized and positioned to be receptive to a support of a second cutting element similar to the cutting element when the first of the two planes of the second cutting element is butted against the second of the two planes of the cutting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Calvin J. Stowe, II
  • Patent number: 9540779
    Abstract: A road milling machine includes a rear wheel or track mounted on a pivot arm such that the wheel or track is movable between a first outer end position projecting laterally relative to the machine frame, and a second inner end position which permits milling close to an edge. A travel drive of the rear wheel or track provides a driving force to move the wheel or track between the end positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Wirtgen GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Berning, Tobias Stinner, Andreas Vogt, Cyrus Barimani, Günter Hähn
  • Patent number: 9540901
    Abstract: A well tool can include a swellable material, and a degradable material which supports the swellable material, but which degrades in response to contact with a selected fluid in a well. A packer for use in a subterranean well can include a swellable material, and a degradable material which supports the swellable material. A method of unsetting a packer in a subterranean well can include the steps of, after the packer has been set in the well, exposing a degradable material of the packer to a selected fluid, thereby degrading the degradable material, and a seal element of the packer being unsupported by the degradable material in response to the exposing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Alf K. Sevre
  • Patent number: 9528355
    Abstract: There is provided a system for producing oil from a well bore extending through a fossil fuel reservoir. The system includes a plurality of perforations defined in the casing proximate the fossil fuel reservoir. A gas flow tube is in communication with the annulus volume of the casing proximate the wellhead. A gas valve is coupled to the gas flow tube, with the gas valve configured to selectively open and close the gas flow tube. A controller, is coupled to the gas valve, with the controller configured to control the opening and closing of the gas valve. The opening and closing of the gas valve maximizes the volumetric rate of oil flow into the annulus volume through the perforations from the reservoir by displacing liquid in the annulus volume with a gas volume between the gas valve and the perforations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Unico, Inc.
    Inventors: James P. McCrickard, Ronald G. Peterson, Thomas L. Beck, Michael D. Dry, Theresa Smigura
  • Patent number: 9528323
    Abstract: A fluid drilling head for drilling a bore hole through rock. The fluid drilling head has a rotatable nozzle assembly incorporating a plurality of nozzles arranged to form fluid jets when provided with a supply of drilling fluid under pressure. The fluid jets include pilot jets directed in the general direction of movement of the drilling head and reaming jets directed generally radially and arranged to enlarge the initial hole formed by the pilot jets. A gauging ring is located behind the cutting head and sized to the intended diameter of the bore hole. The gauging ring is arranged to slide axially relative to the rotating cutting head between a rearward position where the reaming jets are exposed, and a forward position where some or all of the reaming jets are shrouded by the gauging ring and inhibited from enlarging the diameter of the bore hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: CMTE DEVELOPMENT LIMITED
    Inventor: Scott Christopher Adam
  • Patent number: 9518465
    Abstract: A method and device for transporting overburden away during tunneling includes a seal that separates a first portion and a second portion of a transporting screw arrangement. As a result, in open tunneling or in earth-pressure-assisted tunneling, when the seal is closed, overburden can be transported out of a first opening, arranged ahead of the seal in the direction of removal and, in fluid-assisted tunneling, when the first opening is closed and the seal is open, the overburden can be transported into the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: HERRENKNECHT AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Werner Burger, Michael Strässer
  • Patent number: 9500059
    Abstract: A water pump pipe cutoff tool provides a means to cut and retrieve an existing original water pipe from within an existing well in such cases where a faulty submersible pump is trapped within said well. By cutting and removing the original water pipe, a new submersible pump can be installed into the well, thereby avoiding the expense of drilling a new well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Inventors: Geryl W. Taylor, Dakota W. Taylor
  • Patent number: 9422812
    Abstract: A cutting tool mounting assembly adapted for receiving a cutting tool includes a base having a bottom portion and a front portion that defines a receptacle having an inner wall and a bushing configured for receipt in the receptacle of the base. The bushing includes: a forward face defining an aperture for receiving the cutting tool; a shoulder generally opposite the forward face, the shoulder configured for cooperating with the front portion of the base; and a shank portion extending rearward from the shoulder, the shank portion having an outer surface configured for cooperating with the inner wall of the receptacle. A first elastomeric layer is positioned between the shoulder of the bushing and the front portion of the base and a second elastomeric layer is positioned between the outer surface of the shank portion and the inner wall of the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: KENNAMETAL INC.
    Inventors: Nicholas J. Paros, Chad A. Swope, Donald E. Keller
  • Patent number: 9422677
    Abstract: A self-propelling construction machine has a machine frame, an operating drum and a drum housing enclosing the operating drum. The drum housing is closed off by a front and/or rear sealing element and/or lateral sealing element. The construction machine has a mechanism for raising and lowering the at least one sealing element. A measuring unit is configured so that the measuring unit measures the forces acting on the sealing element when the sealing element encounters an obstacle. A control unit generates a control signal for raising the sealing element when the force measured by the measuring unit is larger than a predetermined limit value, so that the sealing element is raised.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Wirtgen GmbH
    Inventors: Dirk Franzmann, Christian Berning, Herbert Ley, Cyrus Barimani, Günter Hähn
  • Patent number: 9416637
    Abstract: A system and method enabling flow control with respect to a well related fluid. The system utilizes a choke manifold with a choke that can serve the function of both a fixed choke and an adjustable choke. The choke comprises components that are selectively adjusted to effectively provide differing calibrated flow paths along which the well related fluid flows when passing through the choke manifold. The choke manifold also may be combined with other system components in an efficient arrangement that facilitates handling of a variety of fluids, including multiphase fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Francis Allouche
  • Patent number: 9416501
    Abstract: A self-propelled building machine, especially a road cutting machine or a surface miner, has a machine frame and a chassis, comprising running gears resting on the ground. In addition, the present invention relates to a method for operating such a building machine. In an operating mode for adjusting the working depth of the working device the imposed weight applied by the building machine on the running gear is measured, whereby depending on the imposed weight either a controlled or an uncontrolled lowering of the building machine is indicated. A measuring device comprises a sensor for measuring the weight imposed by the building machine on at least one of the running gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Wirtgen GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Berning, Dirk Franzmann, Armin Montermann, Cyrus Barimani, Günter Hähn
  • Patent number: 9404352
    Abstract: A transmission line segment coupler is for coupling together first and second coaxial transmission line segments each including an inner tubular conductor and an outer tubular conductor surrounding the inner tubular conductor and a dielectric therebetween. The coupler apparatus includes an outer tubular bearing body to be positioned within adjacent open ends of the inner tubular conductors of the first and second coaxial transmission line segments, and an inner tubular bearing body configured to slidably move within the outer tubular bearing body to define a linear bearing therewith. The inner tubular bearing body is configured to define a fluid passageway in communication with the adjacent open ends of the inner tubular conductors of the first and second coaxial transmission line segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: HARRIS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tim Dittmer, Murray Hann, Raymond Hewit, Brian Wright
  • Patent number: 9399914
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bit holder for a road milling machine or the like, having a base part on which a bit shank and a projection are shaped, the projection comprising a bit receptacle, and the bit receptacle being constituted from a socket-shaped insert made of hard material. With a bit holder of this kind, good rotational behavior of the bit can be assisted and stable bracing thereof can be guaranteed, with little parts outlay, if provision is made that the bit receptacle is embodied as a stepped bore that comprises a first and a second diameter region, the first diameter region having a larger inside diameter than the second diameter region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Wirtgen GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Roth, Thomas Allgaier, Thomas Lehnert
  • Patent number: 9399843
    Abstract: In an automotive road milling machine (1) for milling ground surfaces (3), with a machine frame (2), a milling drum (4) with a quick-change system arranged at the machine frame (2) in a drum housing (11), a driving device (6) for driving the milling drum (4), a reduction gear (8) arranged between the driving device (6) and the milling drum (4), where the milling drum (4) is arranged between drum housing walls (12,13) of the drum housing (11) running orthogonally to the axis of rotation of the milling drum (4), where the quick-change system is provided with a basic drum body (14) and at least one milling tube element (10) capable of being pushed onto the basic drum body (14), where the drum housing wall (13) opposite the drive-side drum housing wall (12) is easily removable for the quick exchange of alternatively usable milling tube elements (10), it is provided for the following features to be achieved: the housing (9) of the reduction gear (8) is attached to the machine frame (2) in a torsionally rigid fashi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Wirtgen GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Busley, Thomas Lehnert, Herbert Ley, Cyrus Barimani, Günter Hähn
  • Patent number: 9394752
    Abstract: A technique provides for stimulating or otherwise treating multiple intervals/zones of a well by controlling flow of treatment fluid via a plurality of flow control devices. The flow control devices are provided with internal profiles and flow through passages. Mechanical darts are designed for engagement with the internal profiles of specific flow control devices, and each mechanical dart may be moved downhole for engagement with and activation of the specific flow control device associated with that mechanical dart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: John Fleming, Gary L. Rytlewski, Larry W. Phillips, Jason Swaren, Aude Faugere, Rod Shampine, Zhanke Liu, Pete Bazan, Jr., Jabus Talton Davis
  • Patent number: 9394654
    Abstract: A slab saw including a frame, an engine supported by the frame, an arbor, and first and second tracks disposed along opposing sides of the frame. The arbor may be configured to be rotated by the engine. The first track and the second track may be configured to propel the frame. A drive assembly may be configured to independently drive the first track with respect to the second track to propel the slab saw. A control assembly may be configured to control the drive assembly as to a speed and direction of the slab saw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Inventor: David L. Perkins, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9388638
    Abstract: Expandable reamers for enlarging a borehole in a subterranean formation include a tubular body, at least one curved blade track carried by the tubular body, and at least one blade engaged with the at least one blade track and configured to slide along the curved blade track along a curved path between a first retracted blade position and a second expanded blade position. To form such an expandable reamer, a tubular body having at least one curved blade track carried by the tubular body may be formed, and at least one blade may be engaged with the blade track. The blade and blade track may be configured such that the blade slides along the blade track along a curved path between a retracted position and an expanded position. Such expandable reamers may be used to enlarge boreholes in subterranean formations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Carl E. Poteet, III
  • Patent number: 9382676
    Abstract: A road milling machine includes a machine frame, front wheels or tracks, rear wheels or tracks, and a milling drum supported from the machine frame between the rear wheels or tracks. The front wheels or tracks are mounted on pivoting columns. Steering levers are attached to the pivoting columns. A steering tie rod includes a connecting part and a projecting arm. The connecting part is connected to the steering levers. A steering cylinder is connected to a free end of the projecting arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Wirtgen GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Berning, Oliver Thiel, Roland Lull, Cyrus Barimani, Günter Hähn
  • Patent number: 9376892
    Abstract: An actuation device comprises a housing comprising one or more ports, a magnetic valve component, and a central flowbore. The central flowbore is configured to receive a disposable member configured to emit a magnetic field, and the magnetic valve component is configured to radially shift from a first position to a second position in response to interacting with the magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Fripp, Luke William Holderman
  • Patent number: 9376911
    Abstract: A chisel holder comprises a body zone (12) having a chisel receiving opening (18) that is open at least in the direction of a chisel insertion end (14) of the body zone (12), and also comprises a fastening shaft (26) which extends from a supporting end (20) of the body zone (12) and has a longitudinal shaft axis (LB), the body zone (12) having a first supporting surface region (22) at its supporting end (20). Said chisel holder is characterized in that the body zone (12) has a second supporting surface region (24) at its supporting end (20), said second surface region (24) extending at an angle from the first supporting surface region (22), or/and the first supporting surface region (22) comprises a first supporting surface (28) and a second supporting surface (30) extending at an angle from the first supporting surface (28).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: WIRTGEN GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Lehnert, Karsten Buhr, Cyrus Barimani, Günter Hähn, Karl Kammerer, Bernhard Diesner, Markus Roth