Patents by Inventor Billy W. Wolfensberger

Billy W. Wolfensberger 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).

  • Casting methods
    Patent number: 8333230
    Abstract: A casting device includes a covered crucible having a top opening and a bottom orifice, a lid covering the top opening, a stopper rod sealing the bottom orifice, and a reusable mold having at least one chamber, a top end of the chamber being open to and positioned below the bottom orifice and a vacuum tap into the chamber being below the top end of the chamber. A casting method includes charging a crucible with a solid material and covering the crucible, heating the crucible, melting the material, evacuating a chamber of a mold to less than 1 atm absolute through a vacuum tap into the chamber, draining the melted material into the evacuated chamber, solidifying the material in the chamber, and removing the solidified material from the chamber without damaging the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth C. Marsden, Mitchell K. Meyer, Blair K. Grover, Randall S. Fielding, Billy W. Wolfensberger
  • Casting Devices and Methods
    Publication number: 20100012288
    Abstract: A casting device includes a covered crucible having a top opening and a bottom orifice, a lid covering the top opening, a stopper rod sealing the bottom orifice, and a reusable mold having at least one chamber, a top end of the chamber being open to and positioned below the bottom orifice and a vacuum tap into the chamber being below the top end of the chamber. A casting method includes charging a crucible with a solid material and covering the crucible, heating the crucible, melting the material, evacuating a chamber of a mold to less than 1 atm absolute through a vacuum tap into the chamber, draining the melted material into the evacuated chamber, solidifying the material in the chamber, and removing the solidified material from the chamber without damaging the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: BATTELLE ENERGY ALLIANCE, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth C. Marsden, Mitchell K. Meyer, Blair K. Grover, Randall S. Fielding, Billy W. Wolfensberger