Patents by Inventor James E. Johnston

James E. Johnston 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: 6276412
    Abstract: In a timber incising machine incorporating a shaft mounted rotating incisor drum, an improved incising drum comprising a shaft configured for rotation by the incising machine; a plurality of circular incisor plates, each of the incisor plates having a plurality of equally spaced incisor teeth extending radially from the radial edge of the circular incisor plates at a desired location. A plurality of incisor plates are stacked in a desired quantity and positioned to place the incisor teeth in a desired pattern and fixed together to form a plate array as a single unit. A plurality of the plate arrays are mounted on the shaft so as to form a rotatable drum having a plurality of radially extending incisor teeth positioned in a desired pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Inventor: James E. Johnston
  • Patent number: 5853051
    Abstract: Top link assemblies for a construction machine are typically used to adjust the pitch angle of a cutting edge of a blade. The present top link assembly has substantially co-planar first and second adjustment plates with each including a pair of slots therein. Joint upper and lower surfaces are defined between the first and second adjustment plates. Upper and lower spacer plates are disposed on the joint upper and lower surfaces, respectively, and each include a pair of openings coaxially aligned with the slots within the first and second adjustment plates. A threaded portion of a bolt extends through the upper spacer plate, first and second adjustment plates and lower spacer plate through the co-axially aligned openings and slots. A nut is tightened on the threaded portion at any one of a plurality of positions along the pair of slots and the desired pitch angle of the cutting edge may be adjusted by loosening the nuts and repositioning at any one of the plurality of positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Assignee: Caterpillar, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian C. Buchanan, John M. Dickerson, James E. Johnston, Francis G. Snekhaus
  • Patent number: 5717149
    Abstract: A method and apparatus producing halogenated products from metal halide feeds. In one embodiment, uranium hexafluoride is treated by separating fluorine from the metal of the uranium hexafluoride. Uranium hexafluoride is introduced into a molten metal bath under conditions whereby the uranium hexafluoride in the presence of hydrogen and oxygen can react to form a uranium dioxide and anhydrous hydrogen fluoride. The anhydrous hydrogen fluoride is removed from the molten metal bath as a gas stream and the uranium dioxide is discharged as a ceramic phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: Molten Metal Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Nagel, Robert D. Bach, Michael J. Stephenson, James E. Johnston
  • Patent number: 5695732
    Abstract: A method relates to treating a halogenated organic waste to produce halogen gas and carbon oxide gas streams. The method includes directing a halogenated organic waste, having a halogen-to-hydrogen atomic ratio of less than about one, into a molten metal bath. The molten metal bath is inert to the halogen and has a free energy of oxidation greater than that of the formation of carbon monoxide from atomic carbon. The halogenated organic feed is converted into halogen gas and atomic carbon, whereby the halogen gas is released from the molten metal bath. An oxidant is directed into the molten metal bath, whereby the atomic carbon is oxidized to form a carbon oxide gas, which is released from the molten metal bath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 9, 1997
    Assignee: Molten Metal Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin A. Sparks, James E. Johnston
  • Patent number: 5324341
    Abstract: An environmentally sound process is described for the remediation of waste materials and oxides of metals that allows the separation, recovery and decontamination of metals. The method includes chemically reducing essentially all of a reducible toxic and potentially hazardous metal oxide of a metal-containing composition. A metal-containing composition is directed into a molten bath, including a first reducing agent which, under the operating conditions of the molten bath, chemically reduces a first metal oxide of a metal in the metal-containing composition to form a bath-soluble transient second metal oxide. A second reducing agent is directed into the molten bath. The second reducing agent, under the operations of the molten-bath, chemically reduces the second metal oxide, provided that the second reducing agent has a Gibbs free energy lower than that of the second metal oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1994
    Assignee: Molten Metal Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Nagel, Robert D. Bach, James E. Johnston
  • Patent number: 5301620
    Abstract: A reactor for dissociating waste in a molten metal bath includes a vertical reaction section for containing a molten metal bath and a horizontal separation section extending from an upper portion of the vertical reaction section. A waste is directed into the vertical section of the reactor. An oxidant is directed into the reactor for reaction with dissociation products of the waste to form gaseous, vitreous and molten metal reaction products in the molten metal bath. The horizontal separation section has discharge outlets for proximate and separate discharge of vitreous and molten metal product streams from the reactor at a location which is remote from the vertical reaction section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1994
    Assignee: Molten Metal Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Nagel, Mark A. Wilkinson, James E. Johnston
  • Patent number: 5127496
    Abstract: This invention relates to systems for locking a brake in a brake actuated position. The invention is similar to other such systems in that the system comprises a brake, a pedal lever having a ratcheted edge and being connected via a linkage to the brake, a locking member such as a pawl with a tooth for engaging the ratcheted edge of the pedal lever in a brake actuated position, and a locking lever connected to the pawl for displacing the pawl between a first position at which the pawl is remote from the ratcheted edge of the pedal lever and a second position at which the pawl interfaces with the ratcheted edge of the pedal lever, the locking lever being hand manipulated by a handle connected to the locking lever via a linkage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1992
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: James E. Johnston
  • Patent number: 4895256
    Abstract: In air conditioning supply carrier and organizer including a lower tray, an upper tray and an intermediate tray in stacked relation, each tray being of substantially similar area and configuration wherein the interior of each tray is separated by septums into a plurality of compartments and wherein an upstanding handle on the lower tray extends through openings in the intermediate and upper trays for orienting the trays in stacked relation and for carrying either one, two or all three trays at one time to a job site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1990
    Inventor: James E. Johnston
  • Patent number: 4650259
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for selectively tensioning an endless, inextensible elastomeric belt entrained about a cooperating drive structure and idler structure having respective axes of rotation. A roller frame joined to a vehicular main frame supports the idler structure and constrains movement thereof to a longitudinal recoil path. The drive and idler structures are biasingly separated by a compression spring which exerts biasing force thereon in opposite longitudinal directions through a drive strut and an idler strut, respectively. The idler strut is connected to the idler structure longitudinally in front of the idler's axis. The length of one of the struts is adjustable to provide the desired tension in the spring and, thus, the entraining belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1987
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Phillip W. Alexander, Michael S. Freberg, Keith A. Howell, James E. Johnston
  • Patent number: 4163398
    Abstract: A transmission shift control has a member movable in an arcuate pathway between forward and reverse drive positions and through a neutral position intermediate the forward and reverse drive positions. A pair of levers are positioned on opposite sides of the member and are movable to a position for embracing the member and maintaining the member at the neutral position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1978
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1979
    Assignee: Caterpillar Tractor Co.
    Inventor: James E. Johnston