Patents by Inventor James M. Kerr

James M. Kerr 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: 6129135
    Abstract: A predetermined quantity of a metal-matrix composite material is injected to a heating crucible along an angular infeed direction toward a location therein at which a vortex is formed by the blade of an agitator through which the material is stirred while being superheated above the melting temperature to a pouring temperature under which the melted material is transferred to a casting mold after surface skimming thereof to form a product having improved wear resistance properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Amarnath P. Divecha, Subhash D. Karmarkar, William A. May, James M. Kerr, William A. Ferrando, Scott M. Hoover
  • Patent number: 6116328
    Abstract: Alumina tiles within aluminum framing jigs are fixedly positioned by lock ns within an internally coated mold for centrifugal casting within a block of an aluminum alloy material. Such jigs and the tiles framed therein are coated with silver before casting to prevent aluminum oxidation by heating of the aluminum material to a molten state for deposit into the mold. Bonding of the tiles and framing of the jigs with the aluminum material being cast is also enhanced by such silver coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Subhash D. Karmarkar, Amarnath P. Divecha, William J. Bruchey, Gerald Bulmash, James M. Kerr, William A. Ferrando
  • Patent number: 5509459
    Abstract: A process for forming pressure cast alumina tile reinforced aluminum alloy rmor in which a silver coated aluminum disc is first inserted into a mold assembly, the mold assembly includes a base plate, a hollow steel die with a removable steel liner located on the base plate, a plug disposed on the base plate within the die cavity, and a punch movably disposed within the die cavity, the aluminum disc being inserted within the die cavity over the plug. Next, an alumina tile preform is prepared by cutting a plurality of alumina tiles and weaving the tiles together with a stiff steel wire. The alumina tile preform is inserted over the silver coated aluminum disc in the cavity of mold assembly. The steel die, the plug and the disc are heated. The punch is also heated separately. A melt of molten aluminum is prepared and poured into the die cavity, completely covering the alumina tile preform. The heated punch is immediately driven into the cavity to apply pressure to the molten aluminum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Amarnath P. Divecha, Subhash D. Karmarkar, Scott M. Hoover, James M. Kerr, William A. Ferrando
  • Patent number: 5254529
    Abstract: A high temperature superconducting wire or yarn has a first layer thereon yttria, a third layer of barium cuprate, and a second layer of a superconducting YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7-x formed at the interface between the first and third layers. The wire can be yttrium and the yarn can be alumina.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1993
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Amarnath P. Divecha, James M. Kerr
  • Patent number: 5193605
    Abstract: Process for the production of ingots of castable discontinuous metal matrix omposites by encapsulating particulate refractory material of the B.sub.4 C or SiC in a matrix metal of Li or al to form a solid master alloy, and introducing the master alloy into molten Mg or an alloy thereof, mixing and then cooling to solidify the resultant mixture and form an ingot with the refractory material substantially dispersed in the ingot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1993
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Amarnath P. Divecha, Subhash D. Karmarkar, William A. Ferrando, Scott M. Hoover, James M. Kerr
  • Patent number: H1718
    Abstract: A process for producing a superconductor wire by:A. coating the inner surface of a steel tube with a thin layer of silver metal;B. packing the tube with high temperature superconductor ceramic (HTSC) powder;C. sealing the tube;D. cold working the tube to reduce its diameter;E. etching or dissolving away the steel tube to leave a superconductor wire comprising the silver metal coating that was on the inner surface of the steel tube as a thin silver metal sheath which encapsulates the HTSC powder.The superconductor wire can be further treated by sintering or oxygenating the HTSC powder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: William A. Ferrando, Amarnath P. Divecha, James M. Kerr