Patents by Inventor David A. Hodges

David A. Hodges 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: 5079942
    Abstract: In place calibration of the permanent on-line force measurment system of a rolling mill is performed by replacing the working rolls with dedicated calibration rolls, which can be scrap working rolls. Discontinuities formed in the cylindrical surfaces of dedicated calibration rolls, such as flat surfaces or preferrably flat bottomed longitudinal grooves, are engaged by interface members which also engage confronting flat surfaces or grooves in calibration load cells inserted between the dedicated calibration rolls. The interface members, which are made of a softer material than both the calibration rolls and the load cells, cold flows to evenly distribute the load and eliminate the need for precision machining of the interfaces. The dedicated calibration rolls can also be fixed, such as by welding, to dedicated calibration roll chocks which mount the calibration rolls in the mill housing to further prevent roll rotation and ejection of the calibration load cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1992
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Kenneth D. Ives, David A. Hodges
  • Patent number: 4974442
    Abstract: In place calibration of the permanent on-line force measurement system of a rolling mill is performed by replacing the working rolls with dedicated calibration rolls, which can be scrap working rolls. Discontinuities formed in the cylindrical surfaces of dedicated calibration rolls, such as flat surfaces or preferrably flat bottomed longitudinal grooves, are engaged by interface members which also engage confronting flat surfaces or grooves in calibration load cells inserted between the dedicated calibration rolls. The interface members, which are made of a softer material than both the calibration rolls and the load cells, cold flows to evenly distribute the load and eliminate the need for precision machining of the interfaces. The dedicated calibration rolls can also be fixed, such as by welding, to dedicated calibration roll chalks which mount the calibration rolls in the mill housing to further prevent roll rotation and ejection of the calibration load cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1990
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Kenneth D. Ives, David A. Hodges
  • Patent number: 4742330
    Abstract: A flash ADC utilizes parallel weighted capacitive arrays and a resistor string to provide reference voltage intervals and an encoder for indicating the reference voltage interval wherein an input voltage lies. For an embodiment having N branches, the reference voltage intervals are subdivided into N sub-intervals and each succeeding clock cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1988
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Joey Doernberg, Paul R. Gray, David A. Hodges
  • Patent number: 4200863
    Abstract: An array of binary weighted capacitors, an additional capacitor having a capacitance value equivalent to that of the least of the binary weighted capacitors, a voltage comparator, switches for interconnecting the capacitors with certain predetermined voltage levels and the comparator, and a sequencing circuit are included. One side of all of the capacitors is connected to one input terminal on the comparator and the other side has applied thereto the signal to be quantized. Switch sequencing combines divided portions of a reference voltage with the signal to be quantized for presentation to the input of the comparator which thereby provides a serial digit output connected to the sequencing circuit. In this fashion, a linear conversion between an analog and a digital signal is made by the sequencing circuit. A nonlinear converter between digital and analog signal presentation is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1980
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: David A. Hodges, Paul R. Gray, James L. McCreary
  • Patent number: 4129863
    Abstract: An array of binary weighed capacitors, an additional capacitor having a capacitance value equivalent to that of the least of the binary weighted capacitors, a voltage comparator, switches for interconnecting the capacitors with certain predetermined voltage levels and the comparator, and a sequencing circuit are included. One side of all of the capacitors is connected to one input terminal on the comparator and the other side has applied thereto the signal to be quantized. Switch sequencing combines divided portions of a reference voltage with the signal to be quantized for presentation to the input of the comparator which thereby provides a serial digit output connected to the sequencing circuit. In this fashion, a linear conversion between an analog and a digital signal is made by the sequencing circuit. A nonlinear converter between digital and analog signal presentation is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1978
    Assignee: Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Paul R. Gray, James L. McCreary, David A. Hodges