Patents by Inventor Frank A. Robinson

Frank A. Robinson 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: 6860142
    Abstract: An automatic system for monitoring/controlling a variable of a machine or metalworking fluid system also achieves cleaning and optionally, a calibration check of the sensor of the variable. The system includes one or more sensors for variables such as pH, fluid concentration, conductivity, temperature and the like, a supply of a cleaning agent and associated valves and conduits for connecting the automatic system to a fluid to be measured. A cleaning cycle can be scheduled as necessary to clean and/or check calibration of the sensors and ensure accurate measurement of sensed variables. If desired, the data regarding the sensed variables may be utilized to perform corrective action in real time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Master Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Stanley W. Seevers, Guy R. Hughes, Frank A. Robinson
  • Publication number: 20040226439
    Abstract: An auxiliary fuel vapor adsorption device includes a housing and an activated carbon segment contained within the housing and including a quantity of activated carbon material. A dust separator is also contained within the housing and in fluid communication with the carbon segment, and a canister vent valve is mounted to the housing in fluid communication with the activated carbon segment. The invention allows for the reduction of evaporative emissions by minimizing interconnecting joints between necessary fuel system components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2003
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Applicant: VISTEON GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Heim, Ljupco Dimitreivski, Frank Robinson
  • Publication number: 20040159145
    Abstract: An automatic system for monitoring/controlling a variable of a machine or metalworking fluid system also achieves cleaning and optionally, a calibration check of the sensor of the variable. The system includes one or more sensors for variables such as pH, fluid concentration, conductivity, temperature and the like, a supply of a cleaning agent and associated valves and conduits for connecting the automatic system to a fluid to be measured. A cleaning cycle can be scheduled as necessary to clean and/or check calibration of the sensors and ensure accurate measurement of sensed variables. If desired, the data regarding the sensed variables may be utilized to perform corrective action in real time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2003
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Inventors: Stanley W. Seevers, Guy R. Hughes, Frank A. Robinson
  • Patent number: 6189652
    Abstract: A removable platform assembly for a ladder. The platform assembly includes a platform of rectangular shape having sides and ends. One of the platform ends is positioned adjacent the ladder and the other is located away from the ladder in the direction of the structure supporting the ladder. A first channel attached to the platform and adapted to be seated on a rung of the ladder. A pair of legs attached to the opposite sides of the platform and extending downwardly from the platform. A second channel attached to the bottoms of the platform legs to seat on a lower rung of the ladder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Current Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Maurice Brown, Frank Robinson
  • Patent number: 5993516
    Abstract: An adsorbent for separating nitrogen from a feed gas containing at least one other gas having molecular dimensions equal to or larger than methane, the adsorbent comprising clinoptilolite having a sodium ion content of at least 17 equivalent percent of the total ion exchangeable cations and optionally one or more non-univalent cations, which if present comprise in total less than 12 equivalent percent of the total ion exchangeable cations, the balance, if any, being one or more non-sodium univalent cations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: BG plc
    Inventors: Michael Morris, Stuart Charles Frank Robinson, David Frederick Lander
  • Patent number: 5896788
    Abstract: A hand-held striking tool has a striking head having an eye passage of generally rectangular cross section a portion adjacent one end thereof enlarged along one transverse axis. Seated in the eye passage is an elongated handle with a metallic core rod of generally I-shaped cross section with a longitudinally extending notch in the web portion at one end providing a bifurcated end portion which has its legs inclined outwardly to a transverse dimension greater than that of the other end of the eye passage. A sleeve of synthetic resin is provided about the core rod adjacent the head and extends over a portion of the length of the eye passage. Synthetic resin fills the eye passage about the core rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: The Stanley Works
    Inventors: Kenneth W. Hreha, Frank Robinson
  • Patent number: 5690319
    Abstract: A turnable pneumatic suspension system is provided wherein proper air flow to the diaphragm is ensured through a charging route that is maintained in a securely sealed condition and which includes a nonrotatable point of attachment to a remote pressurization device. The pneumatic suspension system includes an air spring and a damper in combination, mounted to rotate relative to a vehicle with a dynamic seal provided between a nonrotatable seal ring and mating components of the air spring facilitating rotation of the suspension module while the entrance to the air charging route of the suspension module remains stationary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Robinson, James William Zehnder, II, William Charles Kruckemeyer, Herbert Stanley Summers, III, Jay Michael Shores, Stephen Carey Hagwood
  • Patent number: 5678810
    Abstract: A pneumatic suspension system including an air spring in combination with a damper provides a way of mounting to a vehicle with a dual path mount. The air spring includes a canister in combination with a flexible element defining a variable pressure chamber. A mounting plate is captured about the canister by a nut. The nut has an air passageway for inflating and relieving the air spring and for providing a selectively open communicative path between the air spring and a remote volume that extends through the mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Herbert Stanley Summers, III, Jay Michael Shores, Stephen Carey Hagwood, Frank Robinson, William Charles Kruckemeyer
  • Patent number: 5395684
    Abstract: A thermal insulating material comprising a double-faced knitted glass fibre fabric in which the faces (16, 17) of the fabric are interconnected by at least one linking thread (18) which passes from one face (16) to the other (17).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Assignee: Courtaulds Aerospace Limited
    Inventors: Frank Robinson, Patricia A. Solomon
  • Patent number: 5326150
    Abstract: A piece of upholstery fabric for covering three-dimensional supports such as vehicle seat bases and seat backs is machine-knitted, preferably in a mainly double jersey structure, with integral tubular portions. These serve as anchorage devices for securing the fabric piece to the support which it is to cover using rods or tapes which are threaded through the tubular portions. The tubular portions may be located at the margins of the fabric piece and also at intermediate positions where the fabric piece needs to be held down, for example in a depression in the support. They may project from a surface of the fabric piece and may be like loops or they may be in the form of tubular hems or a tube lying between front and rear faces of a double jersey structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1994
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Robinson, Gerald F. Day, Keith Jeffcoat
  • Patent number: 5308141
    Abstract: A piece of upholstery fabric for covering three-dimensional supports such as vehicle seat bases and seat backs is machine knitted, preferably in a mainly double jersey structure, with integral tubular portions. These serve as anchorage devices for securing the fabric piece to the support which it is to cover using rods or tapes which are threaded through the tubular portions. The tubular portions may be located at the margins of the fabric piece and also at intermediate positions where the fabric piece needs to be held down, for example in a depression in the support. They may project from a surface of the fabric piece and may be like loops or they may be in the form of tubular hems or a tube lying between front and rear surfaces of a double jersey structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1994
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Robinson, Gerald F. Day, Keith Jeffcoat
  • Patent number: 5255538
    Abstract: A method of knitting an upholstery fabric having at least two adjoined regions of different knitted structures located side-by-side in a wale-wise direction and having courses extending continuously through both regions in which the fabric is knitted with stitches having a first loop length in one region and a second, different loop length in the adjacent region, the loop lengths of the two adjacent regions being relatively adjusted so that, in the relaxed condition of the fabric, the same number of courses in each of the two regions of different knitted structures in the wale-wise direction extend for substantially the same wale-wise distance, so as to give the overall structure a balanced even appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1993
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald F. Day, Frank Robinson
  • Patent number: 5209405
    Abstract: A replaceable baffle for dropping high pressure air to low pressure air for atomization and for pattern shaping in a high volume low pressure (HVLP) air paint spray gun. The baffle has a first plurality of orifices for distributing and dropping the air pressure to a low pressure for atomization and has orifices arranged in two stages for dropping the air pressure to a low pressure for pattern shaping. The baffle may be replaced with a baffle having different sized orifices to permit use of different air cap and/or fluid tip designs on the spray gun when applying paints having different flow properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Assignee: Ransburg Corporation
    Inventors: Frank A. Robinson, Albert S. Orr, Marvin D. Burns, Alan H. Fritz
  • Patent number: 5209084
    Abstract: A weft knitted double-jersey fabric is knitted in a construction of repeating groups of courses in which some courses have loops pulled to both fabric faces and some courses have loops pulled to one fabric face and are transversed by yarn regions which extend across at least two wales and up to seven or more wales. The yarn feed to the needle beds of the knitting machine is limited to no more than 4.0 cm/cm of bed length over which the fabric is knitted in courses in which loops are pulled to both faces of the fabric and to no more than 2.0 cm/cm of bed length, preferable no more than 1.8 cm/cm, in courses in which loops are pulled to one face of the fabric. The fabric has an extensibility of no more than 12% in wale and course directions. It is knitted with a high count yarn of 550 to 850 decitex which may be an air-textured polyester yarn. It is suitable for use as upholstery fabric particularly in the form of a vehicle seat upholstery cover which may be shaped to fit the seat in the knitting process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Robinson, Gerald F. Day
  • Patent number: 5038585
    Abstract: Knitted joins are made in double jersey knitted articles using a method which minimizes the effect of hole formation at the join. Single jersey edges are knitted along the edges to be jointed, being knitted on from one to six needles in each of the courses of knitting which form part of the edge of the join. The edgings need not extend along the whole length of the join. In a further embodiment superimposed strips of single jersey knitting are knitted between the edgings so as to split hole formation into two smaller series which are less noticeable. With this embodiment, one or both edgings can be omitted. The method is useful for upholstery fabric joins, particular for vehicle seat covers, where exposure of the padding is to be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1991
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Robinson, Gerald F. Day
  • Patent number: 5027618
    Abstract: A weft knitted double jersey fabric is knitted with a textured continuous filament synthetic yarn on a knitting machine having a gauge of 10 to 14 to give, in the relaxed state of the fabric, from 4 to 6 wales per cm and from 10.5 to 22 courses per cm. The yarn used preferably has a count of 550 to 850 decitex, especially 680 to 750 decitex and may be an air textured polyester yarn. The fabrics produced are dense, heavyweight fabrics with a weight of at least 380 gms/square meter. They have superior abrasion and snag resistance and are suitable for use as upholstery fabrics particularly for vehicle seat covers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1991
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Robinson, Gerald F. Day
  • Patent number: 4923724
    Abstract: A fabric reinforcement for use with synthetic plastics material to produce a composite article is shaped to exhibit a tubular portion having a longitudinal axis, which can be curved, and at least one flange extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis. Using up to several interlinked tubular portions and a plurality of the flanges gives wide possibilities for the shape of the fabric reinforcing elements produced. Woven or knitted fabrics can be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1990
    Assignee: Courtaulds PLC
    Inventors: Gerald F. Day, Frank Robinson, Dennis J. Williams
  • Patent number: 4576815
    Abstract: Metal values are extracted from aqueous solutions of metal salts containing halide or pseudo halide ions by pyrimidine, pyrazine or pyridazine derivatives bearing the substituent --(C.dbd.O.X).sub.n where X is the group --OR.sub.1 or --NR.sub.2 R.sub.3 and n is 1, 2 or 3. R.sub.1 is a hydrocarbyl group containing from 1 to 36 carbon atoms and R.sub.2 and R.sub.2 together contain from 1 to 36 carbon atoms. The molecule as a whole contains from 5 to 36 alkyl carbon atoms and may carry further optional substituents. The process is especially useful for the recovery of metals from leach solutions derived from sulphur-containing ores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1986
    Assignee: Imperial Chemical Industries Limited
    Inventor: Frank Robinson
  • Patent number: 4506525
    Abstract: To facilitate control of a presser foot between knocking over bits in a flat V-bed knitting machine, at least some of the knocking over bits have inner edges whose lower portions have a smooth profile and are inwardly inclined, in the downward direction, with respect to the knocking over bits of the opposite needle bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1985
    Assignee: Courtaulds PLC
    Inventors: Frank Robinson, Max W. Betts
  • Patent number: RE34723
    Abstract: Knitted joins are made in double jersey knitted articles using a method which minimizes the effect of hole formation at the join. Single jersey edges are knitted along the edges to be jointed, being knitted on from one to six needles in each of the courses of knitting which form part of the edge of the join. The edgings need not extend along the whole length of the join. In a further embodiment superimposed strips of single jersey knitting are knitted between the edgings so as to split hole formation into two smaller series which are less noticeable. With this embodiment, one or both edgings can be omitted. The method is useful for upholstery fabric joins, particular for vehicle seat covers, where exposure of the padding is to be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Robinson, Gerald F. Day