Patents by Inventor Merlin L. Erickson

Merlin L. Erickson 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: 5122298
    Abstract: A smoke forming composition is provided suitable for being explosively dirsed in projectiles, bombs, grenades and the like munitions which is composed of a mixture of finely divided solid particles of smoke forming material and a liquid component in an amount sufficient to densify the solid particles of smoke forming materials to increase the bulk density thereof as well as reducing the danger of ignition or "flashing" of the smoke forming materials when explosively dispersed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Raymond R. Fry, Jr., Werner W. Beyth, Merlin L. Erickson
  • Patent number: 4726295
    Abstract: A grenade arrangement for forming a visual and infrared screening cloud, having a frangible body, a hollow cylindrical solid compact cohesive mass of compacted generally mutually adhered fine metal flakes of a copper composition, particularly brass, and of submicron thickness and multimicron in lateral dimensions, a cylindrical mass of HE explosive within such hollow cylindrical mass for aerosoling such metal flakes into the atmosphere, and having HE explosive percussisvely activating detonator means, a launch propulsion charge and pyrotechnic delay means between the propulsion charge and the HE explosive detonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1988
    Assignee: AAI Corporation
    Inventors: Janon F. Embury, Jr., Leonard R. Sellman, Werner W. Beyth, Raymond R. Fry, Jr., Merlin L. Erickson, Leon R. Milstead, Laban R. Lowe, David M. Scheve, Robert W. Schnepfe, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4704967
    Abstract: A visual-and-infrared-screening cloud-forming product is made by forming a slurry of fine metal flakes of copper composition, particularly brass, of submicron thickness and multimicron lateral face dimensions, together with a volatile surface-wetting agent liquid, in the form of a liquid hydrocarbon, extruding and severing the extended slurry mass into small segments, drying the small segments, placing the small segments into a desired container shape and crushing such segments in place and into such shape, in particular in a hollow cylindrical shape. An HE explosive mass is inserted into the resulting compacted hollow cylinder, enabling bursting of the compacted mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1987
    Assignee: AAI Corporation
    Inventors: Leon R. Milstead, Laban R. Lowe, Robert W. Schnepfe, Jr., Merlin L. Erickson