Patents by Inventor George A. Fowler

George A. Fowler 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).

  • Energy conserving moored buoyant ocean profiler
    Patent number: 6463800
    Abstract: An energy conserving moored buoyant ocean profiler wherein an instrument carrying vertically traversing buoyant member of low buoyancy is interconnected with a second buoyant member of high buoyancy to travel in the opposite direction at lesser distance, such that the potential energy of one buoyant member is increased as the potential energy of the other is decreased, thereby conserving energy as the instrument carrying buoyant member is raised and lowered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, as represented by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans
    Inventor: George A. Fowler
  • Energy conserving moored buoyant ocean profiler
    Publication number: 20020035870
    Abstract: An energy conserving moored buoyant ocean profiler wherein an instrument carrying vertically traversing buoyant member of low buoyancy is interconnected with a second buoyant member of high buoyancy to travel in the opposite direction at lesser distance such that the potential energy of one buoyant member is increased as the potential energy of the other is decreased, thereby conserving energy as the instrument carrying buoyant member is raised and lowered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Publication date: March 28, 2002
    Inventor: George A. Fowler
  • Streamlined buoyancy package for subsurface moorings
    Patent number: 5707265
    Abstract: A buoyancy package for subsurface instrumented moorings with reduced drag and increased stability is provided with the use of spherical buoyant members enclosed in a pivotally connected streamlined housing. The use of a spherical buoyant member provides a buoyant member capable of withstanding high pressures for deep water applications, and in one embodiment provides a convenient structure for providing a pivot with respect to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Assignee: Her Majesty in right of Canada as represented by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans
    Inventors: George A. Fowler, James M. Hamilton
  • Wave-powered ocean profiler
    Patent number: 5644077
    Abstract: An ocean profiler that utilizes ocean wave energy to provide power for repeated ascent and descent of an oceanographic instrument. In one embodiment the instrument assembly is provided with either positive or negative buoyancy such that the instrument can traverse one half of the travel cycle rapidly utilizing the buoyancy force. Utilizing wave power for instrument traversing greatly reduces the power requirement of the apparatus allowing extended unattended operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1997
    Assignee: Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Fisheries of Oceans
    Inventor: George A. Fowler
  • Traction device for line handling equipment
    Patent number: 4678132
    Abstract: A traction device using grooveless traction rollers. An angled roller mounting arrangement allows a number of line wraps to traverse back and forth across the rollers, following the spooling on the storage reel without the aid of a fairlead system for deployment. The device provides for automatic separation of successive line wraps on the rollers to eliminate snagging of connectors or accessories attached to the line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1987
    Assignee: Canadian Patents and Development Limited
    Inventors: George A. Fowler, James M. Hamilton, William J. Whiteway