Patents by Inventor Herbert A. Smith

Herbert A. Smith 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).

  • Continuous control system for a mining or tunnelling machine
    Patent number: 6062650
    Abstract: A continuous control system for a mining or tunnelling machine having a boom (12) with a motor driven cutting head (14) at one of its ends and a rotatable turret (20) at the other end, the control system comprising angular encoders (40, 44) for continuously measuring the angles of the boom (12) and of the turret (20) and a linear encoder (55) for continuously measuring the linear position of the cutting head (14), and further having pressure transducers (P.sub.1, P.sub.2, P.sub.3, P.sub.4) for continuously measuring the pressures of the various hydraulic cylinders or drives (41, 43) used to operate the boom (12) and the turret (20). It may also have a power transducer (57) for continuously measuring the power input to the motor (18) driving the cutting head (14) to control the RPM of the latter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: Advanced Technology For Rock Excavation Inc.
    Inventors: Herbert A. Smith, Jack R. Hayes