Patents by Inventor Bruce W. Irwin, Sr.

Bruce W. Irwin, Sr. 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).

  • Patent number: 7374178
    Abstract: A workholding apparatus including a body and a drive member carried by the body, so that the drive member and body partially define a fluid chamber therebetween for containing a fluid. The drive member includes an annular flange that axially abuts and that attaches to the body to resist torsional twisting of the drive member relative to the body. A driven member is also carried by the body and includes multiple displacement reliefs therein. Interengagement features are provided between the driven member and other components of the workholding apparatus, such as the drive member, to resist torsional twisting of the driven member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Hydra-Lock Corporation
    Inventors: William M. Andre, Bruce W. Irwin, Sr.
  • Patent number: 7316403
    Abstract: A workpiece holding apparatus comprises a body, a cartridge assembly carried by the body and a sleeve. The cartridge assembly comprises at least one sealing member and a bladder supported by a retainer and at least partially defining a fluid chamber that houses a pressurized fluid. At least one annular seal is axially provided between the bladder and the sealing member(s). The annular seal(s) correspond with a sealing member, which engages the annular seal(s) upon adjustment of the sealing member. A seal is formed between the sealing member and the bladder that prevents fluid from escaping the fluid chamber. The annular, cylindrical sleeve engages a workpiece when the fluid chamber houses a pressurized fluid, which exerts a radial force against the bladder to the sleeve and into engagement with the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Inventors: William M. Andre, Bruce W. Irwin, Sr.
  • Patent number: 6015154
    Abstract: A hydrostatic tool holder having a displaceable metal sleeve formed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced and longitudinally extending slots and a flexible, polymeric ring defining at least in part a fluid chamber to separate the fluid in the chamber from the sleeve to prevent the fluid from escaping through the slots in the sleeve. The slots in the metal sleeve enable a large displacement of the sleeve through the polymeric ring so that the hydrostatic tool holder may be used with workpieces having rough finishes, such as cast metal workplieces like cylinder liners for internal combustion engines, which as cast have relatively rough surfaces and relatively low dimensional accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2000
    Assignee: Hydra-Lock Corporation
    Inventors: William M. Andre, Bruce W. Irwin, Sr.