Patents by Inventor Howard M. Ham, Jr.

Howard M. Ham, Jr. 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: 6772077
    Abstract: Electric arc monitoring is effected by exploiting the discovery that electric arcs are fractal phenomena in that all essential information that signifies “arc” is contained in each fractal subset. These fractal subsets are logarithmically distributed over the arc spectrum. Monitoring of arcs is most advantageously effected on a fractal subset (16) of low logarithmic order where the amplitude is higher pursuant to the 1/f characteristic of electric arcs, where cross-induction among neighboring circuit is lower, and where travel between the arc (12) and the arc signature pickup (23) is longer than at the high frequencies customary for electric arc detection. Fractal subset transformation (17) reduces the danger of false alarms. Arc signature portions may be processed in out of phase paths (242, 342) or treated as modulated carriers (42) for monitoring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Hendry Mechanical Works
    Inventors: Michael T. Parker, Howard M. Ham, Jr., James J. Keenan, Luc P. Benoit
  • Patent number: 6747459
    Abstract: Electric arc monitoring is effected by exploiting the discovery that electric arcs are fractal phenomena in that all essential information that signifies an “arc” is contained in each fractal subset. The fractal subsets are logarithmically distributed over the arc spectrum. Monitoring of arcs is most advantageously effected on a fractal subset of low logarithmic order where the amplitude is higher pursuant to the 1/f characteristic of electric arcs, where cross-induction among neighboring circuits is lower, and where travel between the arc and the arc signature pickup is longer that at the high frequency customary for electric arc detection. Fractal subset information reduces the danger of false alarms. Arc signature portions may be processed in out of phase paths or treated as modulated carriers for monitoring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Hendry Mechanical Works
    Inventors: Michael T. Parker, Howard M. Ham, Jr., James J. Keenan, Luc Pierre Benoit
  • Patent number: 6362629
    Abstract: Electric arc monitoring is effected by exploiting the discovery that electric arcs are fractal phenomena in that all essential information that signifies an “arc” is contained in each fractal subset. The fractal subsets are logarithmically distributed over the arc spectrum. Monitoring of arcs is most advantageously effected on a fractal subset of low logarithmic order where the amplitude is higher pursuant to the 1/f characteristic of electric arcs, where cross-induction among neighboring circuits is lower, and where travel between the arc and the arc signature pickup is longer that at the high frequency customary for electric arc detection. Fractal subset information reduces the danger of false alarms. Arc signature portions may be processed in out of phase paths or treated as modulated carriers for monitoring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Hendry Mechanical Works
    Inventors: Michael T. Parker, Howard M. Ham, Jr., James J. Keenan, Luc Pierre Benoit
  • Patent number: 5606723
    Abstract: An apparatus for delivering RF-modulated electromagnetic energy into a solution for modifying its characteristics. Characteristic of the delivery apparatus is the use of a coil and a voltage probe in a fluid electrically isolated from the solution to deliver the electromagnetic field. Embodiments of the present invention preferably control the magnitude and duty cycle of the electromagnetic energy and further preferably distribute a plurality of delivery apparatus according to the energy distribution of a selected delivery apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1997
    Assignee: ZPM, Inc.
    Inventors: Dwain E. Morse, James H. Cook, Thomas G. Matherly, Howard M. Ham, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5477150
    Abstract: A principal object of the invention is to detect sparks or arcs (12) in electric circuits (13) or otherwise to detect a spectrum of a broad band of distinct instaneous radio frequencies in radio frequency noise. The invention rejects extraneous narrow-band signals having frequencies within the broad band, such as by means of filters (21, 27, 29) or a balanced mixer arrangement (32-39 ) . The mixer 37 may be fed from a radio frequency signal duplicator (32, 33, 34) having an input (25) coupled to a source of the spectrum, a first output for one spectrum as duplicated by that duplicator connected to one mixer input (35), and a second output for the other spectrum as duplicated by that duplicator connected to tile other mixer input (36). Alternatively, the radio frequency mixer (37) may receive the output of a wide band noise generator (68) at its other input (36, FIG. 5 ).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1995
    Assignee: Hendry Mechanical Works
    Inventors: Howard M. Ham, Jr., James J. Keenan
  • Patent number: 5373241
    Abstract: A principal object of the invention is to detect sparks or arcs (12) in electric circuits (13) or otherwise to detect a signal having a spectrum of a broad band of distinct instantaneous radio frequencies in radio frequency noise. The invention rejects extraneous narrow-band signals having frequencies within the broad band, such as by means of filters (21, 27, 29) or a balanced mixer arrangement (32-39). The mixer 37 may be fed from a radio frequency signal unbalanced to balanced converter (32) having an input (25) coupled to a source of the signal having the spectrum and having balanced outputs connected to the mixer inputs (35, 36). Alternatively, the radio frequency mixer (37) may receive the output of a wide band noise generator (68) at its other input (36, FIG. 5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1994
    Assignee: Hendry Mechanical Works
    Inventors: Howard M. Ham, Jr., James J. Keenan
  • Patent number: 4983955
    Abstract: Monitoring an electric power distribution circuit having a rated load capacity includes continually sensing an intensity of electric power supplied through that circuit. In response to that sensing a first signal indicating when electric power is supplied through that circuit at a predetermined maximum current usage below rated load capacity is provided. A second signal indicating a safe loading condition is provided when the sensed intensity is substantially below that maximum current usage. A third signal is provided when the mentioned intensity is at a value between the safe loading condition and the maximum current usage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 8, 1991
    Assignee: Hendry Mechanical Works
    Inventors: Howard M. Ham, Jr., James J. Keenan
  • Patent number: 4853820
    Abstract: Electronic circuit breakers safeguard a load connected to a power supply against damage from overload conditions. These circuit breakers interrupt flow of overload currents to the load by instantaneously reducing flow of such current from the power supply to the load to a harmless residual current when that electric current flow exceeds a predetermined value. These breakers also avoid downtime after cessation of such a condition by electronically monitoring that residual current to determine when it is safe to restore electric operating current flow to the load. Flow of electric operating current from the power supply to the electronic equipment is restored in response to the latter determination. Preferably, the monitored residual current is used for automatically switching the electronic circuit breaker and the flow of electric operating current electronically back on, when the electronic monitoring has determined that the overload condition has ceased to exist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 1, 1989
    Assignee: Hendry Mechanical Works
    Inventors: Howard M. Ham, Jr., James J. Keenan