Patents by Inventor Ralph E. Benham

Ralph E. Benham 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: 6021033
    Abstract: Hazardous electrical shocks are prevented in an electrical system, such as a swimming pool lighting system having submerged pool lights, by periodically testing for all potential hazardous electrical shock conditions associated with the system and blocking electrification of the system in response to the detection of any shock condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Charles E. Wade
    Inventors: Ralph E. Benham, Charles E. Wade
  • Patent number: 5788428
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for cutting a workpiece with a cutting tool rotated relative to the workpiece by an electric drive motor and advanced in that workpiece by an electric tool advance. These methods and apparatus sense obstacles to cutting in the workpiece by sensing an increasing draw of electric power of the electric drive motor in rotating the cutting tool relative to that workpiece, and automatically slow down the electric tool advance in response to such increasing draw of electric power. Such slowed-down electric tool advance drives the cutting tool to cut through the sensed obstacle in the workpiece. The speed of the slowed-down electric tool advance is automatically restored in response to a decrease in the sensed draw of electric power of the electric drive motor in rotating the cutting tool relative to the workpiece, and the cutting tool is advanced in the workpiece with the electric tool advance at the restored speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Diamond Tech, Incorporated
    Inventors: John D. Ward, Ralph E. Benham