Patents by Inventor Gerald Meador

Gerald Meador 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: 11731183
    Abstract: A turret head assembly for forming an article includes at least one smoothing roller. Each of the at least one smoothing roller is rotatably mounted on a respective at least one roller support member. The turret head assembly further includes an upper ring member and a lower ring member. The upper and lower ring members include respective apertures located in the centers thereof. The at least one roller support member extends between the upper ring member and the lower ring member. The turret head assembly further includes a turret head-assembly support member defining a turret-head axis. The turret-head-assembly member extends through the respective apertures in the upper and lower ring members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: BELVAC PRODUCTION MACHINERY, INC.
    Inventors: Brian S. Gearhart, Erika Sheaffer Love, Gerald Meador
  • Patent number: 11724302
    Abstract: An expansion tool for expanding an article. The expansion tool includes a lead-in portion extending outwardly from a first end of the expansion tool and a first pilot portion extending from the lead-in portion. The first pilot portion has a first diameter. The expansion tool further includes a second pilot portion being generally parallel with the first pilot portion. The second pilot portion has a second diameter larger than the first diameter. The expansion tool further includes a forming portion bridging the first pilot portion and the second pilot portion. The forming portion is generally sloped. The expansion tool further includes an expansion portion extending from the second pilot portion toward a second end of the expansion tool. The expansion portion has a third diameter larger than the second diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: BELVAC PRODUCTION MACHINERY, INC.
    Inventor: Gerald Meador
  • Publication number: 20220203430
    Abstract: An expansion tool for expanding an article. The expansion tool includes a lead-in portion extending outwardly from a first end of the expansion tool and a first pilot portion extending from the lead-in portion. The first pilot portion has a first diameter. The expansion tool further includes a second pilot portion being generally parallel with the first pilot portion. The second pilot portion has a second diameter larger than the first diameter. The expansion tool further includes a forming portion bridging the first pilot portion and the second pilot portion. The forming portion is generally sloped. The expansion tool further includes an expansion portion extending from the second pilot portion toward a second end of the expansion tool. The expansion portion has a third diameter larger than the second diameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventor: Gerald Meador
  • Patent number: 11253904
    Abstract: An expansion tool for expanding an article. The expansion tool includes a lead-in portion extending outwardly from a first end of the expansion tool and a first pilot portion extending from the lead-in portion. The first pilot portion has a first diameter. The expansion tool further includes a second pilot portion being generally parallel with the first pilot portion. The second pilot portion has a second diameter larger than the first diameter. The expansion tool further includes a forming portion bridging the first pilot portion and the second pilot portion. The forming portion is generally sloped. The expansion tool further includes an expansion portion extending from the second pilot portion toward a second end of the expansion tool. The expansion portion has a third diameter larger than the second diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: BELVAC PRODUCTION MACHINERY, INC.
    Inventor: Gerald Meador
  • Publication number: 20190255593
    Abstract: A cam for use in trimming earing from an open end of an article following at least one forming process. The cam includes a cam profile for actuating a cam follower to which the article is coupled. The cam profile includes a generally sloped rising portion, a generally sloped retracting portion, and a working portion bridging the rising portion and the retracting portion. The working portion includes generally sloped sections separated by at least one recess or dwell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Gerald Meador, Nageswara Rao Nagisetty
  • Patent number: 10300521
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming a curl on an article includes a first forming tooling having a first set of rollers mounted on a common head. The first set of rollers has a respective groove having a first groove radius. The apparatus further includes a first rotating turret configured to load the article into the first forming tooling. The apparatus further includes a second forming tooling having a second set of rollers mounted on a common head. The second set of rollers has a respective groove having a second groove radius. The second groove radius is larger than the first groove radius. The apparatus further includes a second rotating turret configured to load the article into the second forming tooling. The apparatus further includes a first transfer star wheel configured to transfer the article from the first rotating turret to the second rotating turret.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: BELVAC PRODUCTION MACHINERY, INC.
    Inventor: Gerald Meador
  • Publication number: 20180326469
    Abstract: A turret head assembly for forming an article includes at least one smoothing roller. Each of the at least one smoothing roller is rotatably mounted on a respective at least one roller support member. The turret head assembly further includes an upper ring member and a lower ring member. The upper and lower ring members include respective apertures located in the centers thereof. The at least one roller support member extends between the upper ring member and the lower ring member. The turret head assembly further includes a turret head-assembly support member defining a turret-head axis. The turret-head-assembly member extends through the respective apertures in the upper and lower ring members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Brian S. Gearhart, Erika S. Love, Gerald Meador
  • Publication number: 20180250728
    Abstract: An expansion tool for expanding an article. The expansion tool includes a lead-in portion extending outwardly from a first end of the expansion tool and a first pilot portion extending from the lead-in portion. The first pilot portion has a first diameter. The expansion tool further includes a second pilot portion being generally parallel with the first pilot portion. The second pilot portion has a second diameter larger than the first diameter. The expansion tool further includes a forming portion bridging the first pilot portion and the second pilot portion. The forming portion is generally sloped. The expansion tool further includes an expansion portion extending from the second pilot portion toward a second end of the expansion tool. The expansion portion has a third diameter larger than the second diameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Inventor: Gerald Meador
  • Publication number: 20180133782
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming a curl on an article includes a first forming tooling having a first set of rollers mounted on a common head. The first set of rollers has a respective groove having a first groove radius. The apparatus further includes a first rotating turret configured to load the article into the first forming tooling. The apparatus further includes a second forming tooling having a second set of rollers mounted on a common head. The second set of rollers has a respective groove having a second groove radius. The second groove radius is larger than the first groove radius. The apparatus further includes a second rotating turret configured to load the article into the second forming tooling. The apparatus further includes a first transfer star wheel configured to transfer the article from the first rotating turret to the second rotating turret.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventor: Gerald Meador
  • Patent number: D766721
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Belvac Production Machinery, Inc.
    Inventor: Gerald Meador