Patents by Inventor James A. Hargraves

James A. Hargraves 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).

  • Publication number: 20230383792
    Abstract: A two-piece seal assembly includes first and second seal subassemblies, each shaped as a semicircular ring. The first seal subassembly has a first stator subassembly and a first rotor subassembly that cooperate to form a first semicircular segment of a labyrinth. The second seal subassembly has a second stator subassembly and a second rotor subassembly that cooperate to form a second semicircular segment of the labyrinth. The first and second stator subassemblies, when affixed to each other, form a ring-shaped stator that encircles a rotation axis. The first and second rotor subassemblies, when affixed to each other, form a ring-shaped rotor that encircles the rotation axis and can rotate about the rotation axis relative to the stator. When the first and second seal subassemblies are affixed to each other, the first and second semicircular segments meet such that the labyrinth encircles the rotation axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventors: James Hargraves, Arman Sarwar, James Myers
  • Patent number: 11598375
    Abstract: A labyrinth seal includes a seal case with an inner-diameter leg encircling a rotation axis, and an insert fixed in the seal case and encircling the rotation axis. The labyrinth seal also includes a slinger encircling the rotation axis and wrapping around the inner-diameter leg to cooperate with the seal case to form a first part of a labyrinth path. The slinger rotates relative to the seal case. The labyrinth seal also includes a rotor that encircles the rotation axis, cooperates with the insert to form a second part of the labyrinth path, and interlocks with the insert to limit axial movement of the rotor when the rotor rotates relative to the insert. The labyrinth seal may be combined with a bearing cone, a bearing cup, and a plurality of rollers to form a roller bearing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Inventor: James Hargraves
  • Patent number: 11506243
    Abstract: A temperature-robust polymer shroud for a roller bearing seal includes a shroud body and an inner diameter leg defining respective portions of a single continuous part. The shroud body encircles a rotation axis of the polymer shroud and extends predominantly in directions orthogonal to the rotation axis from an inner diameter to an outer diameter. The inner diameter leg connects to the shroud body at the inner diameter and encircles the rotation axis, wherein, along the entire inner diameter of the shroud body, the inner diameter leg is oriented at an oblique angle to the rotation axis to extend both (a) radially inward from the inner diameter and (b) axially away from the inner diameter along a first direction parallel to the rotation axis. A roller bearing seal includes a seal case, an elastomer lip, and the temperature-robust polymer shroud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Inventors: James Hargraves, Michael A. Mason
  • Publication number: 20210048071
    Abstract: A labyrinth seal includes a seal case with an inner-diameter leg encircling a rotation axis, and an insert fixed in the seal case and encircling the rotation axis. The labyrinth seal also includes a slinger encircling the rotation axis and wrapping around the inner-diameter leg to cooperate with the seal case to form a first part of a labyrinth path. The slinger rotates relative to the seal case. The labyrinth seal also includes a rotor that encircles the rotation axis, cooperates with the insert to form a second part of the labyrinth path, and interlocks with the insert to limit axial movement of the rotor when the rotor rotates relative to the insert. The labyrinth seal may be combined with a bearing cone, a bearing cup, and a plurality of rollers to form a roller bearing assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Inventor: James Hargraves
  • Publication number: 20200340719
    Abstract: A temperature-robust polymer shroud for a roller bearing seal includes a shroud body and an inner diameter leg defining respective portions of a single continuous part. The shroud body encircles a rotation axis of the polymer shroud and extends predominantly in directions orthogonal to the rotation axis from an inner diameter to an outer diameter. The inner diameter leg connects to the shroud body at the inner diameter and encircles the rotation axis, wherein, along the entire inner diameter of the shroud body, the inner diameter leg is oriented at an oblique angle to the rotation axis to extend both (a) radially inward from the inner diameter and (b) axially away from the inner diameter along a first direction parallel to the rotation axis. A roller bearing seal includes a seal case, an elastomer lip, and the temperature-robust polymer shroud.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2020
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Inventors: James Hargraves, Michael A. Mason
  • Patent number: 10746228
    Abstract: A temperature-robust polymer shroud for a roller bearing seal includes a shroud body and an inner diameter leg defining respective portions of a single continuous part. The shroud body encircles a rotation axis of the polymer shroud and extends predominantly in directions orthogonal to the rotation axis from an inner diameter to an outer diameter. The inner diameter leg connects to the shroud body at the inner diameter, encircles the rotation axis, and is oriented at an oblique angle to the rotation axis to extend both (a) radially inward from the inner diameter and (b) axially away from the inner diameter along a first direction parallel to the rotation axis. A roller bearing seal includes a seal case, an elastomer lip, and the temperature-robust polymer shroud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Amsted Rail Company, Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Hargraves, Michael A. Mason
  • Patent number: 10371210
    Abstract: A slinger for a roller bearing seal includes (a) an inner section extending at least in a first direction parallel to a rotation axis of the slinger, encircling the rotation axis and forming a plurality of tabs configured to pressure fit the slinger onto a rotor of a roller bearing seal, (b) an outer section extending at least in the first direction at a greater distance than the inner section from the rotation axis and encircling the rotation axis, and (c) a middle section encircling the rotation axis and spanning between the inner section and the outer section, wherein the inner section, the middle section, and the outer section define respective portions of a single continuous part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Amsted Rail Company, Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Hargraves, Michael A. Mason
  • Publication number: 20190120294
    Abstract: A temperature-robust polymer shroud for a roller bearing seal includes a shroud body and an inner diameter leg defining respective portions of a single continuous part. The shroud body encircles a rotation axis of the polymer shroud and extends predominantly in directions orthogonal to the rotation axis from an inner diameter to an outer diameter. The inner diameter leg connects to the shroud body at the inner diameter, encircles the rotation axis, and is oriented at an oblique angle to the rotation axis to extend both (a) radially inward from the inner diameter and (b) axially away from the inner diameter along a first direction parallel to the rotation axis. A roller bearing seal includes a seal case, an elastomer lip, and the temperature-robust polymer shroud.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: James A. Hargraves, Michael A. Mason
  • Publication number: 20180355918
    Abstract: A slinger for a roller bearing seal includes (a) an inner section extending at least in a first direction parallel to a rotation axis of the slinger, encircling the rotation axis and forming a plurality of tabs configured to pressure fit the slinger onto a rotor of a roller bearing seal, (b) an outer section extending at least in the first direction at a greater distance than the inner section from the rotation axis and encircling the rotation axis, and (c) a middle section encircling the rotation axis and spanning between the inner section and the outer section, wherein the inner section, the middle section, and the outer section define respective portions of a single continuous part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Applicant: Amsted Rail Company, Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Hargraves, Michael A. Mason
  • Patent number: 6013270
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a skin care kit useful skin conditioning. The kit, which includes a skin care composition contained within a dispenser, is particularly useful for providing good moisturization and aesthetics to both cream and lotion users. More particularly, this invention relates to a skin care kit useful for regulating skin condition (especially human skin, more especially human facial skin), including lubricating the skin, increasing the smoothness and suppleness of the skin, preventing or relieving dryness of the skin, hydrating the skin, and/or protecting the skin regulating visible and/or tactile discontinuities in skin, e.g., visible and/or tactile discontinuities in skin texture, more especially discontinuities associated with skin aging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Peter James Hargraves, Julie Elizabeth Wilson, Christopher Irwin, Timothy John Fowler, Robert Bao Kim Ha