Patents by Inventor James R. Ketcham

James R. Ketcham 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: 20110290207
    Abstract: Methods and system for enhancing the fuel economy of a diesel engine is disclosed. The system is useable in a four stroke diesel engine to allow a first injection step to be performed whereby fuel is injected into the cylinders of a diesel engine to initiate combustion of the fuel within the cylinder. A second injection step then occurs, whereby an additive is injected into the cylinder, during the cycle but at a time different than the first injection step wherein the additive reaches the cylinder wall. The additive, which reaches the cylinder wall, provides friction modification and fuel economy benefits for a diesel engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: TACONIC ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Benjamin J. KAUFMAN, James R. KETCHAM, William P. ACKER
  • Publication number: 20100132253
    Abstract: The present invention provides friction-modifying fuel additives and fuel compositions including an alkanolamine, which are effective for enhancing engine performance wherein the additive is free of esters or the ratio of amides to esters is greater than 1.4 to 1 and methods for making and using the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: TACONIC ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Benjamin J. KAUFMAN, James R. KETCHAM, William P. ACKER
  • Patent number: 6835217
    Abstract: A fuel composition comprising (a) a major amount of an internal combustion engine hydrocarbon fuel containing at least one alcohol, it being provided that MTBE is substantially absent from the fuel and (b) a friction modifying amount of a reaction product of at least one natural or synthetic oil and at least one alkanolamine is provided. Also provided is a method for operating an engine employing the fuel composition therefor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Texaco, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas F. DeRosa, Frank J. DeBlase, Benjamin J. Kaufman, Michael G. Rawdon, James R. Ketcham, Bryce Alexander Wyman
  • Patent number: 6743266
    Abstract: A fuel additive composition for improving the delivery of friction modifier to the lubricant oil of an internal combustion engine comprising (a) a friction modifying amount of a reaction product of at least one natural or synthetic oil and at least one alkanolamine; and, (b) at least one fuel detergent is provided. Also provided is a fuel composition containing the fuel additive composition and a method for operating an engine employing the fuel composition therefor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Texaco, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas F. DeRosa, Benjamin J. Kaufman, Frank J. DeBlase, Thomas E. Hayden, Michael G. Rawdon, James R. Ketcham, Yvonne Thiel, Max R. Cesar
  • Patent number: 6589302
    Abstract: An additive concentrate for improving the lubricity of low sulfur fuels comprises an additive composition diluted in an aromatic solvent, said composition comprising the reaction product of a first glyceride possessing an unsaturated fatty acid content of at least about 40 mole %, based on the total weight of fatty acid present in the first glyceride, and an iodine number of greater than 35, a second glyceride possessing an unsaturated fatty acid content of less than about 20 mole %, based on the total weight of the fatty acids present in the second glyceride, and an iodine number of less than 35, and, at least one alkanolamine. The concentrate remains fluid and stable at low temperatures and, when added to low sulfur fuels, improves lubricity, enhances fuel economy and minimizes engine deposits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas F. DeRosa, Thomas Cangelosi, Serge A. Cryvoff, Frank J. DeBlase, Thomas E. Hayden, Benjamin J. Kaufman, James R. Ketcham, Michael Rawdon, Yvonne Thiel
  • Patent number: 6524353
    Abstract: A fuel additive composition composed of the reaction product of (a) mixed fatty acid esters; (b) a mono or di-(hydroxy alkyl amine) or mixtures thereof; and (c) a low temperature property enhancing effective amount of a low molecular weight ester; wherein the reaction mixture has a molar ratio of amine to total ester content in the range from 10.0 to 1.0. The fuel additive exhibits detergent and friction reducing properties when added to a fuel thereto and further exhibits good low temperature stability properties. Methods for making the inventive composition and fuel compositions containing the additive are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Texaco Development Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas F. de Rosa, Benjamin J. Kaufman, Frank J. DeBlase, James R. Ketcham, Michael G. Rawdon, Max R. Cesar
  • Publication number: 20030009930
    Abstract: A fuel additive composition for improving the delivery of friction modifier to the lubricant oil of an internal combustion engine comprising (a) a friction modifying amount of a reaction product of at least one natural or synthetic oil and at least one alkanolamine; and, (b) at least one fuel detergent is provided. Also provided is a fuel composition containing the fuel additive composition and a method for operating an engine employing the fuel composition therefor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2002
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Inventors: Thomas F. DeRosa, Benjamin J. Kaufman, Frank J. DeBlase, Thomas E. Hayden, Michael G. Rawdon, James R. Ketcham, Yvonne Thiel, Max R. Cesar
  • Publication number: 20020134007
    Abstract: A fuel additive composition composed of the reaction product of (a) mixed fatty acid esters; (b) a mono or di-(hydroxy alkyl amine) or mixtures thereof; and (c) a low temperature property enhancing effective amount of a low molecular weight ester; wherein the reaction mixture has a molar ratio of amine to total ester content in the range from 10.0 to 1.0. The fuel additive exhibits detergent and friction reducing properties when added to a fuel thereto and further exhibits good low temperature stability properties. Methods for making the inventive composition and fuel compositions containing the additive are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Applicant: TEXACO INC.
    Inventors: Thomas F. De Rosa, Benjamin J. Kaufman, Frank J. DeBlase, James R. Ketcham, Michael G. Rawdon, Max R. Cesar
  • Patent number: 6372000
    Abstract: A hydrocarbyl polyoxyalkylene aminoalcohol of the general formula wherein R1 is an alkyl, an alicyclic or an alkylalicyclic radical having from about 4 to about 30 carbon atoms or an alkylaryl where the alkyl group is from about 4 to about 30 carbon atoms; x is an integer from 0 to about 5, y is an integer from 1 to about 49, z is an integer from 1 to about 49 and the sum of x+y+z is equal to 3 to about 50; R2 and R3 each is different and is an alkyl group of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms and each oxyalkylene radical can be any combination of repeating oxyalkylene units to form random or block copolymers; R4 is the same as R2 or R3; R5 is hydrogen or where R7 is hydrogen or an alkyl group of from 1 to 5 carbon atoms and R6 is hydrogen or an alkyl group of from 1 to 5 carbon atoms and an internal combustion engine fuel composition containing same are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas F. DeRosa, Joseph M. Russo, Benjamin J. Kaufman, James R. Ketcham, Richard V. Kessler, Frank J. DeBlase
  • Patent number: 6346128
    Abstract: A two-cycle engine fuel composition comprising (a) a major amount of a two-cycle engine fuel; (b) a lubricant component; and, (c) a two-cycle engine fuel combustion deposit-inhibiting amount of at least one hydrocarbyl polyoxyalkylene aminoalcohol of the general formula wherein R1 is an alkyl, an alicyclic or an alkylalicyclic radical having from about 4 to about 30 carbon atoms or an alkylaryl where the alkyl group is from about 4 to about 30 carbon atoms; x is an integer from 0 to about 5, y is an integer from 1 to about 49, z is an integer from 1 to about 49 and the sum of x+y+z is equal to 3 to about 50; R2 and R3 each is different and is an alkyl group of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms and each oxyalkylene radical can be any combination of repeating oxyalkylene units to form random or block copolymers; R4 is the same as R2 or R3; R5 is hydrogen or where R7 is hydrogen or an alkyl group of from 1 to 5 carbon atoms and R6 is hydrogen or an alkyl group of from 1 to 5
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas F. DeRosa, Jeffrey M. Burns, Benjamin J. Kaufman, Robert J. Bacchi, Serge A. Cryvoff, James R. Ketcham
  • Patent number: 5935276
    Abstract: A method of impeding the evaporation of a solvent by at least partially dissolving a solvent soluble polymer in the solvent in sufficient amounts so as to impede the evaporation of the solvent is disclosed. In one embodiment the soluble polymer may be selected from the group including oligomeric or polymeric homo-, co-, and terpolymers wherein a vinylcyclohexyl moiety comprises at least 10% weight of the polymer. Another aspect is generally directed to a method of storing a solvent including placing the solvent in a suitable container for storage, and dissolving in at least a portion of the solvent sufficient amounts of a soluble polymer so as to impede the evaporation of the solvent. Also described are compositions including a solvent and a polymer dissolved in the solvent so as to impede evaporation of the solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Texaco Inc
    Inventors: Thomas F. DeRosa, Joseph M. Russo, Benjamin J. Kaufman, James R. Ketcham
  • Patent number: 5567211
    Abstract: A motor fuel additive composition comprising a mixture of an amido alkanolamine and a polyisobutylene amine is provided. A fuel composition providing intake valve and combustion chamber detergency is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph M. Russo, Christopher S. Liu, Thomas F. DeRosa, Benjamin J. Kaufman, Scott O. Lindholm, James R. Ketcham