Patents by Inventor Kenneth D. Ford

Kenneth D. Ford 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: 4738129
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method of forming a bathtub having a sloped back end in a sheet steel drawing process, wherein a steel blank is first held onto a draw ring and bed by a blank holder. A punch in the general shape of the bathtub is forced into the blank. As the punch extends into the draw ring, an air draw is made at the portion of the blank corresponding to the sloped back end in the final product of the process. This portion of the blank develops wrinkles as the drawing operation continues, until the blank contacts a die in the bed of the set-up. As the punch extends further into the draw stroke the blank is pressed into recesses in the die by corresponding bulges in the punch, thereby "ironing" out the wrinkles in the blank so that the sloped end is smooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1988
    Assignee: Bootz Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth D. Ford