Patents by Inventor Curtis John Graham
Curtis John Graham 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).
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Publication number: 20250187123Abstract: Typically, fluids used in fracking operations erode valve seats in the fluid end of the reciprocating pump. Thus, these valve seats must frequently be replaced by new valve seats. Accordingly, a remanufacturing process is disclosed that successively cleans and/or grinds manually or mechanically at least the carbide inserts from used valve seats until the inserts are reusable. This reduces material costs and promotes efficiency and sustainability.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 13, 2025Publication date: June 12, 2025Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Abel NORIEGA, II, Curtis John GRAHAM, Christopher Anthony KINNEY, Connor J. DOCHERTY, Blake MESSER
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Patent number: 12263549Abstract: Typically, fluids used in fracking operations erode valve seats in the fluid end of the reciprocating pump. Thus, these valve seats must frequently be replaced by new valve seats. Accordingly, a remanufacturing process is disclosed that successively cleans and/or grinds manually or mechanically at least the carbide inserts from used valve seats until the inserts are reusable. This reduces material costs and promotes efficiency and sustainability.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2023Date of Patent: April 1, 2025Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Abel Noriega, II, Curtis John Graham, Christopher Anthony Kinney, Connor J Docherty, Blake Messer
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Publication number: 20250065452Abstract: Typically, fluids used in fracking operations erode valve seats in the fluid end of the reciprocating pump. Thus, these valve seats must frequently be replaced by new valve seats. Accordingly, a remanufacturing process is disclosed that successively cleans and/or grinds manually or mechanically at least the carbide inserts from used valve seats until the inserts are reusable. This reduces material costs and promotes efficiency and sustainability.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2023Publication date: February 27, 2025Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Abel NORIEGA, II, Curtis John GRAHAM, Christopher Anthony KINNEY, Connor J DOCHERTY, Blake MESSER
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Patent number: 12163606Abstract: A fitting has a first housing including a first body and a second body. The first body defines a first channel and a second channel, and second body defines a third channel that is co-planar with the first channel and a fourth channel that is co-planar with the first channel. First bearings are disposed within the first channel and the third channel, where the first bearings rotatably coupled the first housing to the second housing. Additionally, second bearings are disposed within the second channel and the fourth channel, the second bearings rotatably coupling the first housing to the second housing. A plug couples to the first housing, a gasket is disposed between the plug and the first housing, and a passage is defined at least in part by the first housing, the second housing, and the plug.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2021Date of Patent: December 10, 2024Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Curtis John Graham, Christopher Anthony Kinney, Robert E. Sharp, Ryan Dean Macy
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Patent number: 12158143Abstract: A power end frame includes a housing and a face plate secured to the housing. During use, components of the power end frame, including the housing and the face plate, are subjected to large tensile stresses. This disclosure describes a method of imparting compressive stresses in the power end frame to resist these large tensile stresses.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2020Date of Patent: December 3, 2024Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Curtis John Graham, Christopher Anthony Kinney
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Publication number: 20230143692Abstract: A fitting has a first housing including a first body and a second body. The first body defines a first channel and a second channel, and second body defines a third channel that is co-planar with the first channel and a fourth channel that is co-planar with the first channel. First bearings are disposed within the first channel and the third channel, where the first bearings rotatably coupled the first housing to the second housing. Additionally, second bearings are disposed within the second channel and the fourth channel, the second bearings rotatably coupling the first housing to the second housing. A plug couples to the first housing, a gasket is disposed between the plug and the first housing, and a passage is defined at least in part by the first housing, the second housing, and the plug.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2021Publication date: May 11, 2023Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Curtis John Graham, Christopher Anthony Kinney, Robert E. Sharp, Ryan Dean Macy
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Patent number: 11618112Abstract: A remanufactured pinion shaft includes a salvage member secured to a replacement member. The salvage member may be formed from a damaged pinion shaft and includes first gear teeth proximate a first axial end and a first alignment member proximate a second axial end. The replacement member includes second gear teeth proximate a first axial end and a second alignment member proximate a second axial end. The first alignment member and the second alignment member cooperate to transmit rotational motion between the first salvage member and the replacement member and/or align the salvage member relative to the replacement member.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2020Date of Patent: April 4, 2023Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Curtis John Graham, Christopher Anthony Kinney
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Patent number: 11585288Abstract: A cylinder head assembly includes a cylinder head having a top deck, a fire deck, and an igniter post extending upward from the fire deck. An igniter sleeve is within an igniter bore in the cylinder head and includes a locating surface clamped against an upward facing stop surface of the cylinder head. A tip coolant clearance is defined axially between a sleeve tip and the fire deck, and a body coolant clearance is defined peripherally between the igniter sleeve and the cylinder head and is continuously circumferential of the igniter sleeve axially between the sleeve tip and a coolant cavity formed in the cylinder head.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2021Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Jonathan R Chittenden, Viorel Petrariu, Curtis John Graham
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Publication number: 20210340978Abstract: A power end frame includes a housing and a face plate secured to the housing. During use, components of the power end frame, including the housing and the face plate, are subjected to large tensile stresses. This disclosure describes a method of imparting compressive stresses in the power end frame to resist these large tensile stresses.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2020Publication date: November 4, 2021Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Curtis John Graham, Christopher Anthony Kinney
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Publication number: 20210332876Abstract: A remanufactured pinion shaft includes a salvage member secured to a replacement member. The salvage member may be formed from a damaged pinion shaft and includes first gear teeth proximate a first axial end and a first alignment member proximate a second axial end. The replacement member includes second gear teeth proximate a first axial end and a second alignment member proximate a second axial end. The first alignment member and the second alignment member cooperate to transmit rotational motion between the first salvage member and the replacement member and/or align the salvage member relative to the replacement member.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2020Publication date: October 28, 2021Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Curtis John Graham, Christopher Anthony Kinney
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Patent number: 10471554Abstract: A method for remanufacturing or repairing a cylinder head having a bore configured to receive a fuel injector comprises machining a portion of a surface forming the bore to remove imperfections, inserting a repair component into the bore proximate the machined portion of the bore, and spraying material into the bore proximate the machined portion and the repair component, thereby holding the component into place.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2017Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Curtis John Graham, Robert E. Sharp, Daniel Thomas Cavanaugh, Robert Louis Brockman
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Publication number: 20190061072Abstract: A method for remanufacturing or repairing a cylinder head having a bore configured to receive a fuel injector comprises machining a portion of a surface forming the bore to remove imperfections, inserting a repair component into the bore proximate the machined portion of the bore, and spraying material into the bore proximate the machined portion and the repair component, thereby holding the component into place.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2017Publication date: February 28, 2019Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Curtis John Graham, Robert E. Sharp, Daniel Thomas Cavanaugh, Robert Louis Brockman
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Patent number: 10166629Abstract: A method for manufacturing an engine block is disclosed. In embodiments, the method includes forming an expansion hole in a block body of the engine block that encircles an engine block bore at a head face of the engine block. The method also includes placing an insert into the expansion hole, the insert including an insert body. The method further includes placing a reaction material between the insert and the block body. The method yet further includes forming an insert bond layer between the insert and block body using the reaction material. The method still further includes forming an insert bore through the insert body.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2015Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Taylor Douglas Young, Daniel Thomas Cavanaugh, Curtis John Graham, Luis A Vazquez
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Patent number: 10082137Abstract: A relief valve assembly includes a housing assembly defining a chamber therein. The relief valve assembly includes a piston. The piston may be at least partially disposed within the chamber. The relief valve assembly includes a pilot inlet. The pilot inlet may be configured to provide a pilot pressure proximate a second end of the chamber. The relief valve assembly includes an overpressure inlet sealed from a first end of the chamber by the piston. The overpressure inlet may be configured to provide an inlet pressure which may actuate the piston when the inlet pressure exceeds the pilot pressure.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2016Date of Patent: September 25, 2018Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Curtis John Graham, Samuel Jaroslav Stafl
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Publication number: 20170204850Abstract: A relief valve assembly includes a housing assembly defining a chamber therein. The relief valve assembly includes a piston. The piston may be at least partially disposed within the chamber. The relief valve assembly includes a pilot inlet. The pilot inlet may be configured to provide a pilot pressure proximate a second end of the chamber. The relief valve assembly includes an overpressure inlet sealed from a first end of the chamber by the piston. The overpressure inlet may be configured to provide an inlet pressure which may actuate the piston when the inlet pressure exceeds the pilot pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2016Publication date: July 20, 2017Applicant: Caterpillar, Inc.Inventors: Curtis John Graham, Samuel Jaroslav Stafl
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Patent number: 9657682Abstract: A cylinder liner assembly is disclosed for use with an engine. The cylinder liner assembly may include a liner having a hollow generally cylindrical body extending from a top end to a bottom end along a longitudinal axis, and an internal annular cuff ring groove formed at the top end of the liner. An internal surface of the internal cuff ring groove may include a metal spray coating having a thermal conductivity that is less than a thermal conductivity of a base material of the liner to act as a thermal insulating layer. A cuff ring may be disposed within the internal cuff ring groove at the top end of the liner in contact with the metal spray coating. A seal may be disposed around an outer circumferential surface of the liner approximately in axial alignment with an internal axial end of the internal cuff ring groove.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2015Date of Patent: May 23, 2017Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Curtis John Graham, Daniel Thomas Cavanaugh, Taylor Douglas Young
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Publication number: 20170107941Abstract: A method for manufacturing an engine block is disclosed. In embodiments, the method includes forming an expansion hole in a block body of the engine block that encircles an engine block bore at a head face of the engine block. The method also includes placing an insert into the expansion hole, the insert including an insert body. The method further includes placing a reaction material between the insert and the block body. The method yet further includes forming an insert bond layer between the insert and block body using the reaction material. The method still further includes forming an insert bore through the insert body.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2015Publication date: April 20, 2017Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.Inventors: Taylor Douglas Young, Daniel Thomas Cavanaugh, Curtis John Graham, Luis A Vazquez
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Publication number: 20160356239Abstract: A cylinder liner assembly is disclosed for use with an engine. The cylinder liner assembly may include a liner having a hollow generally cylindrical body extending from a top end to a bottom end along a longitudinal axis, and an internal annular cuff ring groove formed at the top end of the liner. An internal surface of the internal cuff ring groove may include a metal spray coating having a thermal conductivity that is less than a thermal conductivity of a base material of the liner to act as a thermal insulating layer. A cuff ring may be disposed within the internal cuff ring groove at the top end of the liner in contact with the metal spray coating. A seal may be disposed around an outer circumferential surface of the liner approximately in axial alignment with an internal axial end of the internal cuff ring groove.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2015Publication date: December 8, 2016Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.Inventors: Curtis John GRAHAM, Daniel Thomas CAVANAUGH, Taylor Douglas YOUNG
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Patent number: 9353702Abstract: A method of manufacturing an engine block is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes providing an engine block including a cylinder bore and a top deck with a head face including a predetermined surface roughness. The method also includes masking the cylinder bore with a masking plug, the masking plug being located at a predetermined insertion distance measured from a masking plug outer surface to the head face. The method further includes applying a corrosion resistant coating to the top deck over the head face and machine finishing the engine block including the coating to the engine block specifications.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2014Date of Patent: May 31, 2016Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Robert E. Sharp, Adam William Ostein, Curtis John Graham, Jarrod David Moss, Bharat Kumar Meduru
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Publication number: 20160061143Abstract: A method of manufacturing an engine block is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes providing an engine block including a cylinder bore and a top deck with a head face including a predetermined surface roughness. The method also includes masking the cylinder bore with a masking plug, the masking plug being located at a predetermined insertion distance measured from a masking plug outer surface to the head face. The method further includes applying a corrosion resistant coating to the top deck over the head face and machine finishing the engine block including the coating to the engine block specifications.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2014Publication date: March 3, 2016Inventors: Robert E. Sharp, Adam William Ostein, Curtis John Graham, Jarrod David Moss, Bharat Kumar Meduru