Patents by Inventor Barry L. Conrad

Barry L. Conrad has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Superconductor fiber elongation with a heated injected gas
    Patent number: 6174468
    Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for producing flexible fibers (30) of superconducting material includes a crucible (12) for containing a charge of the superconducting material. The material is melted in the crucible (12) and falls in a stream (18) through a bottom hole (16) in the crucible (12). The stream (18) falls through a protecting collar (22) which maintains the stream (18) at high temperatures. The stream (18) is then supplied through a downwardly directed nozzle (26) where it is subjected to a high velocity of a heated gas (36′) which breaks the melted superconducting material into ligaments which solidify into the flexible fibers (30). The fibers (30) are collected by directing them against a collection filter (32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: McDermott Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas D. Zeigler, Barry L. Conrad, Richard A. Gleixner
  • Superconductor fiber elongation with a heated injected gas
    Patent number: 5759961
    Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for producing flexible fibers (30) of superconducting material includes a crucible (12) for containing a charge of the superconducting material. The material is melted in the crucible (12) and falls in a stream (18) through a bottom hole (16) in the crucible (12). The stream (18) falls through a protecting collar (22) which maintains the stream (18) at high temperatures. The stream (18) is then supplied through a downwardly directed nozzle (26) where it is subjected to a high velocity of a heated gas (36') which breaks the melted superconducting material into ligaments which solidify into the flexible fibers (30). The fibers (30) are collected by directing them against a collection filter (32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: The Babcock & Wilcox Company
    Inventors: Douglas D. Zeigler, Barry L. Conrad, Richard A. Gleixner