Patents by Inventor Keith F. Barnhardt

Keith F. Barnhardt 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: 6877207
    Abstract: Internally slotted brake rotors and method for producing the same wherein a brake rotor is machined from a unitary piece of material and includes at least one internal slot. In one aspect of the invention, a cutting blade is used to machine a plurality of segmented-circular shaped internal slots that are circumferentially distributed about the outer edge of the rotor. In an alternate arrangement a cutting blade is used to machine a single circumferential groove about the outer edge of a rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Inventor: Keith F. Barnhardt
  • Publication number: 20040081720
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing a sheet of brake lining material utilizes a mold which has a mold base and a mold frame. The mold frame is slidingly received on the mold base. The sliding relationship between the mold frame and the mold base results in a mold cavity which has a variable volume. The variable volume of the mold cavity allows the cavity to adjust to the size of material initially placed in the mold cavity thereby eliminating any mold flash and/or scrap material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Inventor: Keith F. Barnhardt
  • Patent number: 6669891
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing a sheet of brake lining material utilizes a mold which has a mold base and a mold frame. The mold frame is slidingly received on the mold base. The sliding relationship between the mold frame and the mold base results in a mold cavity which has a variable volume. The variable volume of the mold cavity allows the cavity to adjust to the size of material initially placed in the mold cavity thereby eliminating any mold flash and/or scrap material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Midwest Brake Bond Company
    Inventor: Keith F. Barnhardt
  • Patent number: 6245180
    Abstract: Methods for forming a lined brake shoe having a curved brake lining attached to a table of the lined brake shoe. The curved brake lining is manufactured by molding a flat sheet of brake lining material in a partially polymerized state. This flat sheet is allowed to cool prior to be positioned within a press having warmed dies. The warm dies of the press form the curved brake lining while holding the curved brake lining in its desired shape. The warm dies restart the polymerization process. When further polymerization has been completed the curved lining is removed from the press. One embodiment places the table of the lined brake shoe in the press. Then, by adding a bonding material, the completed lined brake shoe can be manufactured while the polymerization process continues in the press.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Midwest Brake Bond Company
    Inventor: Keith F. Barnhardt