Patents by Inventor John B. Niles

John B. Niles 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: 20080099112
    Abstract: This melt-pourable explosive composition shares explosive properties comparable to those of Tritonal and is melt-pourable and castable under conditions comparable to those of Tritonal, but experiences equal or less impact, shock, and thermal sensitivity and avoids the issues of toxicity associated with trinitrotoluene. The trinitrotoluene component of Tritonal is replaced with one or more mononitro aromatic and/or dinitro aromatic melt-pourable binders, such as dinitroanisole, which may be melt poured without presenting the toxicity drawbacks experienced with the use of TNT. The melt-pourable binder may also be combined with a processing aid selected from the group consisting of alkylnitroanilines and arylnitroanilines. The composition also includes oxidizer particles, which are preferably inorganic oxidizer particles, and a reactive metallic fuel, such as aluminum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Inventors: Daniel W. Doll, Jami M. Hanks, Alan G. Allred, John B. Niles
  • Patent number: 7067024
    Abstract: This melt-pourable explosive composition shares explosive properties comparable to those of trinitrotoluene and is melt-pourable and castable under conditions comparable to those of trinitrotoluene, but experiences equal or less impact, shock, and thermal sensitivity and avoids the issues of toxicity associated with trinitrotoluene. Trinitrotoluene is replaced with one or more mononitro aromatic and/or dinitro aromatic melt-pourable binders, such as dinitroanisole, which can be melt poured without presenting the toxicity drawbacks experienced with the use of TNT. The melt-pourable binder can also be combined with a processing aid selected from the group consisting of alkylnitroanilines and arylnitroanilines. The composition also includes oxidizer particles, which are preferably inorganic oxidizer particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel W. Doll, Jami M. Hanks, Alan G. Allred, John B. Niles
  • Patent number: 7061604
    Abstract: A structural member of a mortar projectile is inspected. The structural member is a composite structure having a thermoplastic matrix with a filler of steel balls. The composite structure has a central cavity into which is placed a strobe light. Surrounding the composite structure is a detection arrangement having a detection medium of photographic film. When the strobe light is activated the film is exposed and developed to obtain an image indicative of the distribution of the steel balls in the matrix. The image is analyzed to determine if the structural member is acceptable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Robert Charles Beam, John B. Niles, Drew Diedalis
  • Patent number: 6964714
    Abstract: This melt-pourable explosive composition shares explosive properties comparable to those of Tritonal and is melt-pourable and castable under conditions comparable to those of Tritonal, but experiences equal or less impact, shock, and thermal sensitivity and avoids the issues of toxicity associated with trinitrotoluene. The trinitrotoluene component of Tritonal is replaced with one or more mononitro aromatic and/or dinitro aromatic melt-pourable binders, such as dinitroanisole, which can be melt poured without presenting the toxicity drawbacks experienced with the use of TNT. The melt-pourable binder can also be combined with a processing aid selected from the group consisting of alkylnitroanilines and arylnitroanilines. The composition also includes oxidizer particles, which are preferably inorganic oxidizer particles, and a reactive metallic fuel, such as aluminum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignees: Alliant Techsystems Inc., The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Daniel W. Doll, Jami M. Hanks, Alan G. Allred, John B. Niles
  • Patent number: 6648998
    Abstract: This melt-cast explosive shares comparable explosive properties to those of COMP B explosives and is melt-pourable and castable under conditions comparable to those of COMP B explosives, but experiences less impact, shock, and thermal sensitivity and avoids the issues of toxicity associated with COMP B. A fundamental and well-accepted component of COMP B, i.e., trinitrotoluene (TNT), is replaced with one or more mononitro-substituted or dinitro-substituted melt-cast binders, such as dinitroanisole, which can be melt cast without presenting the toxicity drawbacks experienced with the use of TNT. The melt-cast binder can also be combined with a processing aid selected from the group consisting of alkylnitroanilines and arylnitroanilines. Preferably, the composition also includes coarse oxidizer particles and energetic filler in fine particulate form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel W. Doll, Jami M. Hanks, Thomas K. Highsmith, Gary K. Lund, John B. Niles
  • Publication number: 20030140993
    Abstract: This melt-pourable explosive composition shares comparable explosive properties to those of Tritonal and is melt-pourable and castable under conditions comparable to those of Tritonal, but experiences equal or less impact, shock, and thermal sensitivity and avoids the issues of toxicity associated with trinitrotoluene. The trinitrotoluene component of Tritonal is replaced with one or more mononitro aromatic and/or dinitro aromatic melt-pourable binders, such as dinitroanisole, which can be melt poured without presenting the toxicity drawbacks experienced with the use of TNT. The melt-pourable binder can also be combined with a processing aid selected from the group consisting of alkylnitroanilines and arylnitroanilines. The composition also includes oxidizer particles, which are preferably inorganic oxidizer particles, and reactive metallic fuel, such as aluminum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventors: Daniel W. Doll, Jami M. Hanks, Alan G. Allred, John B. Niles
  • Publication number: 20030005988
    Abstract: This melt-pourable explosive composition shares comparable explosive properties to those of trinitrotoluene and is melt-pourable and castable under conditions comparable to those of trinitrotoluene, but experiences equal or less impact, shock, and thermal sensitivity and avoids the issues of toxicity associated with trinitrotoluene. Trinitrotoluene is replaced with one or more mononitro aromatic and/or dinitro aromatic melt-pourable binders, such as dinitroanisole, which can be melt poured without presenting the toxicity drawbacks experienced with the use of TNT. The melt-pourable binder can also be combined with a processing aid selected from the group consisting of alkylnitroanilines and arylnitroanilines. The composition also includes oxidizer particles, which are preferably inorganic oxidizer particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Publication date: January 9, 2003
    Inventors: Daniel W. Doll, Jami M. Hanks, Alan G. Allred, John B. Niles