Patents Examined by M. H. Paschall
  • Magnetic field compensating apparatus
    Patent number: 4945446
    Abstract: A magnetic field compensating apparatus having a plurality of compensating units comprising a plurality of serial coils each of which is disposed concentrically along the main magnetic field and symmetrically with regard to a plane perpendicular to the main magnetic field and a plurality of power sources which separately supply currents to these compensating units, and made in such a manner that a plurality of error magnetic field components are generated by each of the compensating units, a compensating magnetic field is obtained by the whole of a plurality of the compensating units, and each of the currents supplied to the compensating units is decided in accordance with a constitution of a corresponding compensating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1990
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigenori Kuroda, Moriaki Takechi
  • Card controlled soldering iron temperature control device
    Patent number: 4945210
    Abstract: A card controlled temperature control device for soldering iron in which only a specific person can set and control the tip temperature of the soldering iron. The device comprises a card having a specific identification code, a card identifier for identifying the idententification code, an input section for entering a set value, a set value judging component for judging if the entered set value is in the allowable range or not, and temperature control circuitry controlling the heater of soldering iron on the basis of the set value within the allowable range, whereby the iron tip temperature is allowed to be set and operated by a specific person having a specific card and its misoperation is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1990
    Assignee: Hakko Metal Industries Limited
    Inventor: Hiroshi Yoshimura
  • Hardfacing powders
    Patent number: 4943698
    Abstract: The occurrence of porosity in hardfacing deposits produced by plasma transferred arc welding is significantly reduced by blending a porosity reducing agent preferably aluminum and/or manganese, with the hardfacing powder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1990
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: Keith E. Mengel
  • System for supplying power
    Patent number: 4943699
    Abstract: A power supply is disclosed for both arc welding and plasma cutting. The power supply includes an A.C. power source, a transformer having a primary winding receiving power from the A.C. power source and secondary winding. Power in the secondary winding is rectified by rectifier to provide a first output suitable for arc welding and a second output suitable for plasma cutting. A switch connected to the rectifier selects between the two outputs. Conventional power supplies employ an inductance for stabilizing the current in the plasma cutting power supply. According to another aspect of the invention, the power supply includes a circuit path in parallel to the inductance for passing additional current to the torch so that the open circuit voltage applied to the inductance required for sustaining the arc is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1990
    Assignee: PowCon Inc.
    Inventor: James M. Thommes
  • Method and apparatus for fusing thermoplastic materials
    Patent number: 4943706
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for attaining fusion temperature at substantially the same time throughout an interface between thermoplastic articles by the controlled application of heat. The method includes providing a sensed temperature signal corresponding with the temperature at the interface, generating a desired temperature signal (such as an analog ramp signal which increases linearly with time) corresponding with a predetermined heat application rate which causes the temperature at substantially all portions of the interface to rise substantially uniformly, providing a heat control signal corresponding with any difference between said signals, and applying heat to the interface at a rate determined by the heat control signal to achieve fusion temperature throughout the interface at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1990
    Assignee: R. W. Lyall & Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Lucian H. Lyall, Karol Z. Renau
  • Controlled current producing differential circuit apparatus
    Patent number: 4942369
    Abstract: A controlled current producing differential circuit apparatus for outputting a controlled stable current despite changes in a power supply voltage subject to unexpected fluctuation. The apparatus includes a control voltage supply source for supplying a control voltage in response to the power supply voltage, a reference voltage supply source responsive to the power supply voltage for supplying a predetermined reference voltage, and a differential circuit coupled to the control voltage supply source and the reference voltage supply source for outputting the controlled stable current in response to the difference between the control voltage and the reference voltage and for compensating for fluctuations in the power supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 17, 1990
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Chikashi Nakagawara, Akihiro Murayama, Shigeru Nakamura
  • Parts in place torch structure
    Patent number: 4940877
    Abstract: A plasma arc cutting torch embodying an electrode having a swirl tube and a nozzle thereabout, a spring mechanism bearing on the swirl tube and nozzle being caused by them to complete a circuit, the circuit not becoming completed in the absence of one of or both the swirl tube and nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 10, 1990
    Assignee: Century Mfg. Co.
    Inventor: Daniel M. Broberg
  • Energization control apparatus for glow plug
    Patent number: 4939347
    Abstract: An energization control apparatus for a glow plug includes a battery, a glow plug, a power control unit, and an energization controller. The glow plug has a low rated voltage which allows rapid heating at a low battery voltage during cranking of a diesel engine in a severe wintertime condition. The power control unit is arranged between the battery and the glow plug to control a power supplied to the glow plug. The energization controller controls the power control unit so as to equalize a root-mean-square value of a voltage applied to the glow plug to be the low rated voltage when a voltage applied to the glow plug at the start of the diesel engine is detected to be higher than the low battery voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1990
    Assignee: Jidosha Kiki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitusuke Masaka, Koji Hatanaka, Minoru Masaki, Takashi Aota
  • Heated hand grips and method of manufacture
    Patent number: 4937429
    Abstract: A heated hand grip is disclosed having an internal sleeve and an external protective jacket where the sleeve is formed with external, helical lands and grooves about which a strand of resistance wire is sewed and anchored snugly. The disclosure includes a method of manufacturing the heated hand grip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1990
    Inventor: James M. Hollander
  • Structural magnetic vibration controller and method for actively controlling vibrations on stationary components of rotary machinery
    Patent number: 4935838
    Abstract: A structural magnetic vibration controller and a method for actively controlling vibrations through the use of a magnetic coupling between a damper mass and a stationary component of rotary machinery wherein the stiffness and damping characteristics of the magnetic coupling are controlled as a function of the relative movements between a first electromagnet carried by the machinery and a second electromagnet carried by the damping mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1990
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Joel J. Barger, Philip J. Craig
  • Control unit and method of making the same
    Patent number: 4935607
    Abstract: A temperature regulating control unit and method of making the same are provided, the unit comprising a RTD temperature sensor, a unit for applying electrical signals to the sensor, and a microcomputer for receiving digital signals from the sensor in relation to the temperature being sensed by the sensor, the unit for applying electrical signals to the sensor applying a varying voltage to the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1990
    Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company
    Inventors: Brian J. Kadwell, Daniel L. Fowler, Gregory F. Gawron
  • Automatic control circuitry for an electrode boiler humidifier
    Patent number: 4935601
    Abstract: A humidifier boiler has a plurality of electrodes supplied with electric current through circuitry which includes at least one solid state switch or relay such as inverse parallel thyristors or triacs arranged to switch at zero voltage so that, when the humidifier is called upon to vary the quantity of water vapor output from the boiler through an outlet pipe in response to a control signal from a humidity controller, the control signal causes the duration of the "on" and/or "off" periods of the, or each, solid state switch or relay to be varied in order to vary the power to the electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1990
    Inventor: Raymond H. Eaton-Williams
  • Method of operating gas furnace igniter
    Patent number: 4935606
    Abstract: The combination of a heating element and a control unit therefor and methods of making and of operating the same are provided, the heating element normally being adapted to be operated by the continuous full wave pulses of a certain high voltage alternating current source and the control unit being operatively interconnected to the heating element for operatively interconnecting the heating element to a high voltage alternating current source, the control unit having an arrangement for operating the heating element with a certain repeating pattern of skipped full half-wave pulses of the source when the source has a higher voltage than the certain source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1990
    Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company
    Inventor: Frederick J. Geary
  • Shutoff detector for unstable plasma or combustion flame
    Patent number: 4935596
    Abstract: A plasma flame apparatus capable of self-extinguishing in the event of an unstable plasma discharge includes an inductively coupled plasma torch for producing a plasma flame which will have an acoustical signal characteristic of an unstable plasma discharge. A power generator is coupled to the plasma torch for powering the plasma. A microphone is receptive of the acoustical signal for effecting a representative electrical signal. A comparator generates a output electrical signal when the representative signal exceeds a selected level. The output signal is coupled to the power generator of the plasma flame such as to shut off the power generator when the representative signal exceeds the selected level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1990
    Assignee: The Perkin-Elmer Corporation
    Inventor: Peter H. Gagne
  • Soldering apparatus with one or more temperature controlled soldering irons
    Patent number: 4935600
    Abstract: A soldering apparatus comprises at least one soldering iron (19) with a heating element (21) and a regulating circuit including a temperature sensor (22) for regulating the working temperature of the soldering iron (19) to a predeterminable desired value (51). The apparatus is characterized by a circuit (45) connected to the soldering unit (19) which at least temporarily stores values corresponding to a time-dependent temperature plot for the soldering iron (19), and also by a monitoring circuit (14) which is connected to the memory circuit. The monitoring circuit monitors during the operation of the soldering iron, from the stored values for the temperature plot, determines whether the temperature undergoes an excursion beneath or above predeterminable upper and lower temperature limits (52, 53) and initiates an alarm signal when the duration of the excursion exceeds a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1990
    Assignee: Zeva GmbH
    Inventor: Heino Pachschwoll
  • Self protecting and automatic resetting capacitor synchronous switch apparatus for control of AC power to inductive loads
    Patent number: 4933798
    Abstract: A power controller is provided for controlling the average power provided from an AC voltage source power supply to an AC electrical load. Three shunt connected elements, comprising two electronic switches and a capacitor with rectifying diodes, are connected betwen the AC source and the load. A control circuit controls switching of the switches in timed relationship to the state of the voltage on the shunt capacitors so as to control the average power supply to the load. The control circuit switches one of the electrical switches to the conductive state thereof near the zero crossover of the AC wave of the source voltage and subsequently switches the second switch to the conducting state thereof at a variable time during each half wave in a manner that causes the first switch to return to the non-conducting state thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1990
    Assignee: Widmayer R&D Ventures
    Inventors: Don F. Widmayer, Weitzu Chiu
  • Piecewise linear temperature controller utilizing pulse width modulation
    Patent number: 4933535
    Abstract: A temperature controller utilizes a square wave signal whose pulse width is incrementally stepped in variable increments by a variable count in a register to determine the temperature being read by a sensor. The square wave signal is integrated to provide an analog signal that is compared to an analog signal provided by the sensor. When the amplitude of the integrated analog signal approaches the amplitude of the signal from the sensor, the count in the register is noted and the temperature is determined from the count by a piecewise linear equation. The temperature thus obtained is compared to a user selected temperature to control the temperature in the sensed area. The controller also includes a monitoring system that monitors the status of switching devices that are controlled by the controller to assure that the status of the switching devices corresponds to the status selected by the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1990
    Assignee: Harper-Wyman Company
    Inventor: John E. Zabinski
  • Thermal distortion free viewing of a heated cavity
    Patent number: 4931624
    Abstract: High temperature furnaces are described containing a movable viewing window that is heated so that the work charge can be scanned along the length of the furnace without creating a thermal disturbance. A system is also disclosed for controlling the operation of the furnace based on comparison of viewed images with stored sample images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Inventor: Robert H. Mellen, Sr.
  • Glow plug for diesel engines
    Patent number: 4931619
    Abstract: A glow plug for diesel engines in which a ceramic heater is supported, with the one end thereof cantilevered toward the outside, by the tip of a hollow holder; the ceramic heater is composed of a U-shaped heating portion and a pair of leads extending backwards from both ends of the U-shaped heating portion, both being formed integrally by an electrically conductive sintered sialon, which is formed by adding a small amount of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 to a raw meal containing Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 as a principal ingredient, a small amount of AlN polytype and no greater than 5 wt. % of Y.sub.2 O.sub.3, and mixing the addition product with 23-70 vol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Assignees: Hitachi Metals, Ltd., Jidosha Kiki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasunobu Ogata, Koichiro Kurihara, Mitusuke Masaka, Kouji Hatanaka
  • Plasma arc torch interlock with disabling control arrangement system
    Patent number: 4929811
    Abstract: A plasma arc torch system includes a fault detect circuit for sensing a short between the electrode and the nozzle and disabling the power supply when the short is sensed. A sensing circuit within the torch cable is provided for actuating the fault detect circuit when the cable is severely punctured. The sensing circuit includes a foil embedded within the cable which circumscribes the main conductor to which a drain lead is connected. The drain lead senses a short between the foil and main conductor from a penetrating foreign object and actuates the fault detect circuit. Additionally, the fault detect circuit is effective in combination with a unique continuity interlock circuit disclosed to insure a safe torch. Further, a rectified control circuit is provided to maintain a stable arc preventing erosion of the nozzle and subsequent exposure of the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1990
    Assignee: The Lincoln Electric Company
    Inventor: George D. Blankenship