Patents by Inventor Michael Douglas Williams

Michael Douglas Williams 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: 11788588
    Abstract: Valve systems include a valve and a valve actuator assembly for operating the valve. The valve actuator assembly includes a drive device and a hand wheel assembly that can independently be used to cause movement of the valve. An anti-back drive component is coupled to the output of the drive device, the hand wheel assembly, or both. The anti-back drive component includes a locking device and an unlocking device, each with respective protrusions that cooperate to define cavities that house pairs of springs and rollers. The shape and orientation of the cavities allows for rotation of the rollers in the cavities and the anti-back drive component by rotating the unlocking device, while preventing rotation of the rollers and the anti-back drive component via rotation of the locking device to selectively prevent rotation of the output of the drive device, hand wheel assembly, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: TRI-TEC MANUFACTURING, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Douglas Williams, Mark Scott Soldan, Donald Hoban, Matt Todd Buss
  • Publication number: 20220403896
    Abstract: Valve systems include a valve and a valve actuator assembly for operating the valve. The valve actuator assembly includes a drive device and a hand wheel assembly that can independently be used to cause movement of the valve. An anti-back drive component is coupled to the output of the drive device, the hand wheel assembly, or both. The anti-back drive component includes a locking device and an unlocking device, each with respective protrusions that cooperate to define cavities that house pairs of springs and rollers. The shape and orientation of the cavities allows for rotation of the rollers in the cavities and the anti-back drive component by rotating the unlocking device, while preventing rotation of the rollers and the anti-back drive component via rotation of the locking device to selectively prevent rotation of the output of the drive device, hand wheel assembly, or both.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Michael Douglas Williams, Mark Scott Soldan, Donald Hoban, Matt Todd Buss
  • Patent number: 11460079
    Abstract: Valve systems include a valve and a valve actuator assembly for operating the valve. The valve actuator assembly includes a drive device and a hand wheel assembly that can independently be used to cause movement of the valve. An anti-back drive component is coupled to the output of the drive device, the hand wheel assembly, or both. The anti-back drive component includes a locking device and an unlocking device, each with respective protrusions that cooperate to define cavities that house pairs of springs and rollers. The shape and orientation of the cavities allows for rotation of the rollers in the cavities and the anti-back drive component by rotating the unlocking device, while preventing rotation of the rollers and the anti-back drive component via rotation of the locking device to selectively prevent rotation of the output of the drive device, hand wheel assembly, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: TRI-TEC MANUFACTURING, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Douglas Williams, Mark Scott Soldan, Donald Hoban, Matt Todd Buss
  • Publication number: 20200326011
    Abstract: Valve systems include a valve and a valve actuator assembly for operating the valve. The valve actuator assembly includes a first motor and a second motor mechanically coupled to an output of the valve actuator assembly via a differential gear system. The first motor, in operation, applies a first torque to the output via the gear system and the second motor, in operation, applies a second torque to the output via the gear system. The first and second torques are used to manipulate the valve. The first and second motors are operated independently or simultaneously in a first direction or a second direction that is opposite the first direction, in order to provide low speed and high torque when the valve is to be seated or unseated, and to provide high speed, low torque when moving the valve along its operational path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Publication date: October 15, 2020
    Inventors: Michael Douglas Williams, Mark Scott Soldan, Richard Lynn Cordray
  • Publication number: 20200284307
    Abstract: Valve systems include a valve and a valve actuator assembly for operating the valve. The valve actuator assembly includes a drive device and a hand wheel assembly that can independently be used to cause movement of the valve. An anti-back drive component is coupled to the output of the drive device, the hand wheel assembly, or both. The anti-back drive component includes a locking device and an unlocking device, each with respective protrusions that cooperate to define cavities that house pairs of springs and rollers. The shape and orientation of the cavities allows for rotation of the rollers in the cavities and the anti-back drive component by rotating the unlocking device, while preventing rotation of the rollers and the anti-back drive component via rotation of the locking device to selectively prevent rotation of the output of the drive device, hand wheel assembly, or both.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Inventors: Michael Douglas Williams, Mark Scott Soldan, Donald Hoban, Matt Todd Buss
  • Patent number: D897497
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: TRI-TEC MANUFACTURING, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Douglas Williams, Matt Todd Buss