Patents Examined by Edward R. Kazenske
  • Patent number: 4389888
    Abstract: According to a level meter of this invention, a pressure corresponding to a fixed water level formed by means of a reference chamber and a vertical pipe is applied to one pressure inlet port of a differential pressure detector, and a pressure corresponding to a water surface or water level inside a container to be measured is applied to the other pressure inlet port of the differential pressure detector by means of a lower pipe. Then, the water level inside the container is measured through the difference between these two pressures, the density of water to generate the pressures to be applied to the differential pressure detector, and the density of steam inside the container and the reference chamber. Adiabatic jackets are attached to the peripheries of the vertical pipe and the lower pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1983
    Assignee: Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinichi Morooka
  • Patent number: 4383436
    Abstract: A system for externally testing a pipe joint connection utilizes a well known oil field apparatus with minor modifications to perform an important test of the hydraulic integrity of the pipe joint. A pair of hydraulically operated blowout preventor rams are connected by means of a pipe of sufficient length to accommodate the enclosure of a pipe joint connection. The connecting pipe forming the enclosure is aligned with the pipe opening in the rams. Thus the assembly is comprised of upper and lower rams with a pipe therebetween forming a test chamber. The lower rams are inverted so that the rams are closed, the connecting pipe forms a sealed chamber. A port is provided in the connecting pipe to permit fluid under pressure to be passed into the chamber when the rams are closed about pipe being tested. The test assembly is connected by a flange below the lower ram to the wellhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1983
    Inventor: Charles D. Hailey
  • Patent number: 4383443
    Abstract: A liquid-level measuring device including, in effect, two similar elongate members each adapted to be partially submerged in a liquid, the two elongate members being displaced lengthwise relative to one another by an odd number of quarter wavelengths of a predetermined wavelength of a chosen flexurally resonant mode of the elongate members. Each elongate member has flexure wave transmitting elements in contact therewith for launching flexure waves along the member and flexure wave receiving elements in contact with the member for receiving flexure waves launched by the transmitting elements. Also, associated with each elongate member is a phase detection arrangement connected both to the transmitting elements and to the receiving elements for detecting and comparing the phase of the flexure waves at the transmitting elements with the phase at the receiving elements so as to obtain a phase difference measurement, the magnitude of which provides an indication of the resonance frequency of the elongate member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1983
    Assignee: The Marconi Company Limited
    Inventor: Roger M. Langdon
  • Patent number: 4382700
    Abstract: An indicator attached to perishable goods to show the remaining useful life are described. The preferred embodiment described includes a material, as for example a mineral jelly, which is in contact with a wick, such as a paper strip, such that the mineral jelly diffuses into the paper in accordance with changes in ambient temperature over a period of time. The amount of diffusion is indicated by an apparent change in color of the paper and is analogous to a change in the useful characteristic of the perishable goods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1983
    Inventor: Fred R. Youngren
  • Patent number: 4381800
    Abstract: A high pressure pipe tester plug for insertion into a pipe having a joint such as a weld to be tested includes a stem terminating in a fixed tapered washer, a plurality of grip segments arranged about the stem, an annular floating mandrel positioned about the stem and having an upper retaining section, a cylindrical section and a tapered entry section, an O-ring positioned in an internal recess of the floating mandrel and a ring-shaped seal, rectangular in cross section, positioned about the cylindrical section of the floating mandrel and retained by the upper retaining section. When tightened by a nut, the floating mandrel is forced into the top end of the grip segments, the washer is forced into the bottom end of the grip segments and the ring-shaped seal engages the pipe interior to isolate the joint to be tested.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1983
    Assignee: Thaxton Inc.
    Inventor: Bruce E. Leslie
  • Patent number: 4380963
    Abstract: A viewing glass used through which measurements are displayed which comprises a groove (5) having a shape parallel to the movement of an indicator needle. Displaceable markers are placed in the groove in order to denote the limiting positions of the measurements being made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1980
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1983
    Assignee: Les Fabriques d'Assortiments Reunies
    Inventor: Jean Berney
  • Patent number: 4377185
    Abstract: The invention contemplates removable end-closure structure for sealed application to the end of a pipe of given outside diameter for hydrostatic pressure-testing the pipe. In the form disclosed, a circumferential wedge clamp is applied to the outer surface of the pipe end to be closed; a closure plate is applied in axial abutment with the pipe end; and a hydraulic flat jack is interposed between the closure plate and an outer reference or backing plate having circumferential connection to the wedge clamp. All parts may be in unit-handling relation, even when not mounted to a pipe end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1983
    Assignee: Tubeco, Inc.
    Inventor: Lyber Katz
  • Patent number: 4375763
    Abstract: A device and method for locating leaks in a pipe are provided. A leak locator probe (10) is provided and is suitable for being transported along a length of pipe. The leak locator probe (10) defines an annular volume (24) within that portion of pipe adjacent the leak locator probe (10). The leak locator probe (10) includes a tube (20) that is closed at both ends and the tube (20) is an aperture (26) that provides an airflow passageway between the interior of the tube (20) and the annular volume (24) that is defined by the leak locator probe (10) and the pipe. During operation, the interior of the tube (20) and the annular volume (24) are pressurized to a pressure in excess of the pressure at the exterior of the pipe, an airflow through the aperture (26) occurs, causing an airflow measuring device (28) to detect an airflow thereby indicating the presence of a leak.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1983
    Assignee: AGL Corporation
    Inventor: William M. Hogan
  • Patent number: 4375167
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for acoustically inspecting hot flat plates while on-line by utilizing an array or arrays of transducers continually spaced a set distance from the bottom of the plates by serrated rollers spring mounted with the array of transducers in a container with overflowing liquid wetting the passing plate to acoustically couple the transducers to the plate and a spray of sufficient force to temporarily cool the hot plate and dispel steam and vapor formed, the spray being in a direction opposite the direction of travel of the hot plate; and support of the unit on a track mounted carriage, with the liquid reused through a reservoir connected system. It is critical that the spray be at an angle of 27.degree. or less to the horizontal and that the spray have sufficient force to have an apparent liquid velocity of at least 44 feet per second, adding the speed of the water and the hot plate together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1983
    Assignee: Bethlehem Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Edward M. Nusbickel, Jr., William L. Hutchinson, James E. Albert
  • Patent number: 4375163
    Abstract: On-column detection by an optical detector is accomplished with a flexible silica column. The flexible fused silica column has an inner diameter less than 500 .mu.m, an external protective coating with a stripped portion near the end of the column. The stripped portion is placed in the working path of an optical detector in order to detect and resolve the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1983
    Assignee: Varian Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank J. Yang
  • Patent number: 4373388
    Abstract: A liquid level monitoring device includes a casing arranged to be immersed in liquid stored within a container, the casing having first and second ports and being integrally provided with a support member to be attached to the inner wall of the container. A flexible diaphragm is assembled to form first and second chambers in the casing, the first chamber being communicated with the atmospheric air through the first port from which an elongated tube extends into the exterior of the container, and the second chamber permitting the immerse of liquid through the second port thereinto such that an amount of the atmospheric air is compressed within the second chamber in dependence upon an amount of the stored liquid to flex the diaphragm by a pressure difference between the chambers. A pressure transducer is provided to detect the rate of flexure of the diaphragm so as to generate an electric signal indicative of the liquid surface level from a control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1983
    Assignee: Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Sotoo Kitamura, Sigeyuki Akita, Junji Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 4373374
    Abstract: An arrangement for automatically measuring the carbonic gas contained in a beverage comprising a measuring chamber communicating with a bypass connected to a main conduit through which the beverage flows, elements in the bypass for alternatingly causing liquid passing through the bypass to flow through the measuring chamber and for preventing communication between the measuring chamber and the bypass so that the liquid will flow directly through the bypass while a sample of the liquid to be analyzed will be enclosed in the chamber, and flexible bellows extending into the measuring chamber for changing the volume of the latter when communication between the measuring chamber and the bypass is interrupted so that a gas pillow will form above the liquid in the measuring chamber the pressure and temperature of which is to be measured to indicate the gas content in the beverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1983
    Assignee: Societe Alsacienne de Services Industriels
    Inventor: Jean Bajard
  • Patent number: 4373465
    Abstract: A transparent plastic plug (60) is attached to a reservoir housing (16) to provide a visual indication of the fluid level within. The housing (16) includes a pair of tabs (46, 48) and the plug (60) includes a pair of resilient projections (76, 78) which cooperate with the tabs (46, 48) to permanently attach the plug to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1983
    Assignee: The Bendix Corporation
    Inventor: Robert F. Gaiser
  • Patent number: 4373391
    Abstract: A relative humidity sensitive material comprises a mixture of at least one hygroscopic salt and an at least partially electrically conductive metal based powder. Each salt in the relative humidity sensitive material has a cationic constituent selected from the group consisting of the alkali and alkaline earth metals and an anionic constituent selected from the group consisting of a chlorate, perchlorate, and chloro aluminate. The metal based powder preferably comprises a metal or metal oxide powder or powder mixture including such constituents as Zr, CO.sub.3 O.sub.4, and MnO.sub.2. Additionally, the material may include a binding agent and a slurry mixture may be formed for placement of the resultant material between electrodes on a substrate so as to form a relative humidity sensor. These sensors are employed either individually or configured in a system used to either indicate or control the relative humidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1983
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Peter D. Johnson
  • Patent number: 4373464
    Abstract: A resilient traffic standard or bumper includes a dome of resilient material having a central tubular section oriented orthogonally to the support surface and within which tubular section is disposable any one of a number of different types of standards. The outside of the central tubular section is surrounded by a compression spring which helps to restore the resilient dome to its undeformed shape after it has been impacted by a vehicle. The entire structure is anchored to the support surface through the bottom of the central tubular sections. A plurality of resilient domes are stackable and securable together for anchoring to a wall to function as a resilient bumper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1983
    Assignee: Blau & Lapides, Inc.
    Inventor: Herbert Blau
  • Patent number: 4373379
    Abstract: Presented are a method and apparatus for detecting defect in the water cooling system, e.g. cracking, of a hydrogen-cooled dynamic electric machine. The stator core of the hydrogen-cooled dynamic electric machine is cooled from its inside by cooling water circulated therethrough. When a defect such as crack is caused in the water cooling system, the hydrogen gas leaks into the cooling water. The hydrogen gas is then conveyed by the cooling water to a cooling water supply tank to which the water is recirculated and is accumulated in the upper free space in the water supply tank. Carrier air is forcibly blown into the upper free space of the water supply pipe to prevent the hydrogen concentration from being increased to a dangerous level of explosion threshold. The hydrogen concentration is measured in this state and the defect in the water cooling system is known from the measured concentration of the hydrogen gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1983
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sanshiro Obara, Ikuro Miyashita
  • Patent number: 4373381
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed which are suitable for detecting leakage from manholes. The apparatus of the invention comprises a rim upon which an inflatable tube is mounted, a pressure gauge for measuring gas pressure, and a valve through which air or a similar gas may be introduced through the apparatus into the manhole is included. The apparatus may further include a duct which passes entirely through the assembly and which includes a chain or cable attached to the apparatus or the cap of the duct and the other end of which may be secured within the manhole itself. In the practice of the method of this invention, the apparatus is inserted into the manhole with the safety cable attached (if such is provided) and the tube portion of the apparatus is inflated to provide an airtight seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1983
    Inventors: Leon Kulp, Donald E. Noggle
  • Patent number: 4372157
    Abstract: An improved procedure for collecting experimental data reflecting the behavior of a time varying aerodynamic parameter at an airfoil in a cascade of airfoils vibrating harmonically in a fluid stream including the steps of vibrating the center airfoil of the cascade at a selected frequency and amplitude while each of the other airfoils is held rigid, measuring the time varying parameter at the center airfoil and expressing it as a function of the position of the center airfoil in its vibratory cycle, vibrating each of the other airfoils in turn at the selected frequency and any amplitude while maintaining all the remaining airfoils rigid, measuring the time varying parameter at the center airfoil for each individual airfoil vibration and expressing the measurement as a function of the position of the individual vibrating airfoil, expressing the position of each individual vibrating airfoil as a function of the position of the center airfoil, and combining the time varying parameter expressions and position exp
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1983
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: John E. Caruthers, Robert L. Jay, Ronald E. Riffel, Mark D. Rothrock
  • Patent number: 4370884
    Abstract: An operational testing device for inlet valves and outlet valves of reciprocating engines which are separately driven for an operational test comprises at least one microphone arranged in the inlet pipe and at least one microphone arranged in the outlet pipe of the engine, a combined amplifier and electronic filter, and a gate circuit to which the signals of the microphones are supplied after passing the amplifier and electronic filter. To enable a clear identification of the microphone signals of a defective valve as compared to signals generated by valve noise and extraneous noise, a gate circuit is controlled according to the crank angle of the engine, at least one limit value switch is provided to which the signal is forwarded via the gate circuit in a predetermined crank angle area, and an interpretive circuit is controlled according to the crank angle, actuated by the output signal of the limit value switch and allocating the output signal to the particular valve causing the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 1, 1983
    Assignee: Hans List
    Inventors: Gerhard Woss, Erich Schreiber
  • Patent number: 4369647
    Abstract: A gas leakage detector comprising a solid state gas sensor having a sintered metallic oxide block which changes thermal conductivity by chemical adsorption thereto and a wire for transforming thermal conductivity charges into an electric signal. A suction pump draws gas through a gas intake path to the gas sensor. A voltage-frequency converter generates a pulse frequency that is a function of the gas sensor voltage. An alarm indicator including sound and/or light is controlled to pulse by the output pulse of the voltage frequency converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1980
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1983
    Assignee: New Cosmos Electric Company Limited
    Inventors: Tesshi Shigemori, Yoshinao Nozawa, Teruhisa Kojima, Satoshi Kitajima