Patents by Inventor James A. Mason

James A. Mason 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: 6702678
    Abstract: A mechanical ball coupling or clutch comprises a plurality of magnetizable balls located between inner and outer concentric caged needle rollers without raceways. The caged needle rollers are concentric with the axis of a hollow non-magnetic rotatable shaft which carries therewithin an actuateable electromagnet. Substantially surrounding the caged needle rollers and balls to form chambers therefor is a rotatable concentric shell of a non-magnetic material. Upon actuation of the electromagnet, the balls and needle rollers magnetically nest together to form a torque transmitting condition between the hollow shaft and the shell. A third set of needle rollers mounted in the wall of the hollow shaft allow the electromagnet to float in a non-rotating condition within the rotating hollow shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Inventor: James A. Mason
  • Patent number: 5618440
    Abstract: A novel method and apparatus is provided for treating and/or disinfecting water and/or wastewater wherein the contact chamber is sealed and under greater than atmospheric pressure having a detention time of no more than 5 minutes and further providing for generating a mixture containing chlorine dioxide having a product storage chamber connected to a first mixing chamber which is connected to a first storage chamber for storing chlorite, a second storage chamber for storing organic acid, and a third storage chamber for storing water, metering means are provided between all chambers, and means for filling are provided to these chambers. Unreacted constituents are removed from the disinfecting solution. Outlet means is provided from the product storage chamber to the pressurized contact chamber where the disinfecting solution is contacted with the water and/or wastewater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1997
    Assignee: George L. Williamson
    Inventor: James A. Mason
  • Patent number: 5387350
    Abstract: The present invention describes a novel method and apparatus for treating and/or disinfecting medical wastes wherein the medical wastes may be shredded and the contact vessel may be sealed and may be under greater pressure than atmospheric pressure and may have a detention time of no more than 5 minutes. An organic hydroxy acid or carboxylic acid and an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal chlorite are mixed in the contact vessel. The reaction between the acid and chlorite produces chlorine dioxide which is the active substance used to treat and/or disinfect the medical wastes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1995
    Assignee: George L. Williamson
    Inventor: James A. Mason
  • Patent number: 5293546
    Abstract: An improved working electrode for use in display devices is disclosed. The working electrode comprises a transparent metal grid having a coating of metal oxide thereon. Suitable metal grids include Cu, Au, Ag, Al, Pt, Ni and Zn, while suitable metal oxide coatings include In.sub.2 O.sub.3, SnO.sub.2 and indium tin oxide (ITO). The display devices preferably include an electrochromic material comprising an aqueous solution of an electrochemically depositable metal. Display devices in which the present working electrode is used possess favorable characteristics such as rapid response times, wide dynamic range, high transmittance and improved uniformity. The devices are particularly suitable for large surface area applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1994
    Assignee: Martin Marietta Corporation
    Inventors: Maher E. Tadros, James A. Mason, Christopher A. Kadoch
  • Patent number: 5204914
    Abstract: A character recognition method comprising the following steps: (1) acquiring a two dimensional array of pixels, (2) locating an unknown character in the two dimensional array, (3) computing weighted correlation coefficients between the unknown character and a trained set of characters (i.e. a font), (4) recognizing the unknown character as the trained character with the highest weighted correlation coefficient above a threshold. The weights in the correlation calculations are adjusted to place more emphasis on those areas of a trained character that distinguishes it from all other trained characters in the training set. A method for optimally adjusting these weights is described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1993
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: James A. Mason, Gregory J. Martin, Robert Y. Chen, John F. Cook
  • Patent number: 5171441
    Abstract: The present invention describes a novel method and apparatus for treating and/or disinfecting water and/or wastewater wherein the contact vessel is sealed and under greater than atmospheric pressure having a detention time of no more than 5 minutes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1992
    Inventor: James A. Mason
  • Patent number: 5163873
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods of coupling rotating elements employ a magnetically triggered constricting spiral coil that exerts only radial forces to transmit torque through unrestrained unattached universally movable spheres.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: Electro-Archimedes, Ltd.
    Inventor: James A. Mason
  • Patent number: 5159644
    Abstract: A character recognition method comprising the following steps: (1) acquiring a two dimensional array of pixels, (2) locating an unknown character in the two dimensional array, (3) computing statistically weighted correlation coefficients between the unknown character and a trained set of characters (i.e. a font), (4) recognizing the unknown character as the trained character with the highest correlation coefficient above a threshold. The weights in the correlation calculations are adjusted to place more emphasis on those areas of a character that exhibit less noise and less emphasis on those areas of the character that exhibit more noise. A method for determining and using these weights is described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1992
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Gregory J. Martin, Robert Y. Chen, John F. Cook, James A. Mason
  • Patent number: 5150425
    Abstract: A character recognition method comprising the following steps: (1) acquiring a two dimensional array of pixels, (2) locating an unknown character in the two dimensional array, (3) computing correlation coefficients between an unknown character and a trained set of characters (i.e., a font), (4) recognizing the unknown character as the trained character with the highest correlation coefficient above a threshold. The manner in which trained characters are chosen is described herein as a correlation search. Correlation search results in a fast means of correctly classifying an unknown character from a large training set, often on the second or third try, depending on the inner-correlations of the trained characters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1992
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Gregory J. Martin, Robert Y. Chen, John F. Cook, James A. Mason
  • Patent number: 5122282
    Abstract: The present invention describes a novel method and apparatus for treating and/or disinfecting water and/or wastewater wherein the contact vessel may be sealed and may be under greater than atmospheric pressure having a detention time of no more than 5 minutes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Inventor: James A. Mason
  • Patent number: 4968501
    Abstract: The present invention describes a novel method of using chlorous acid to remove sulfur dioxide from exhaust combustion gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1990
    Inventor: James A. Mason
  • Patent number: 4925645
    Abstract: The present invention describes a novel method of producing an aqueous solution containing chlorine dioxide. The mixture is produced by mixing an organic hydroxy acid or carboxylic acid, an alkali metal chlorite or alkaline earth metal chlorite and water in specified steps. Very high concentrations of chlorine dioxide may be produced by the method.For example, lactic acid is added to water to form a first solution and mixed. Sodium chlorite is then added to the first solution to form a second solution and mixed resulting in an aqueous solution of chlorine containing substances including chlorine dioxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1990
    Inventor: James A. Mason
  • Patent number: 4892148
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a mixture of a salt of lactic acid and chlorus acid as an improved bactericidal agent in flooding waters used in oil recovery operations wherein the mixture is obtained by reacting lactic acid and sodium chlorite at a temperature ranging from about 60.degree. F. to about 80.degree. F. The use of other acids is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Inventor: James A. Mason
  • Patent number: 4801353
    Abstract: The present invention describes a novel method of bleaching wood pulp by using an aqueous solution containing a salt of lactic acid or citric acid and chlorous acid wherein the aqueous solution is obtained by reacting lactic acid or citric acid and sodium chlorite at a temperature ranging from about 60.degree. F. and about 80.degree. F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1989
    Inventor: James A. Mason
  • Patent number: D461026
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2002
    Inventor: James A. Mason