Patents by Inventor Richard E. Loftfield

Richard E. Loftfield 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: 6562229
    Abstract: A metal anode useful in a galvanic or impressed current cathodic protection system for a steel reinforced concrete article is a unitary, multi-plane, porous, metal anode strip or ribbon having a plurality of louvers defining a plane or planes at the lateral extremities of said louvers. In one embodiment, louvers extending in their long dimension longitudinally on the anode strip are spaced apart from adjacent louver units by an intermediate plane. Louvered anode strips consisting of a valve metal or alloy or mixture thereof are useful at an anode current density of up to about 20 milliamps per square foot. Louvered metal anodes comprising an electrocatalytically active coating on a valve metal substrate are useful at higher anode current densities. Sacrificial metal anodes such as zinc anodes are useful in galvanic cathodic protection systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Inventors: John W. Burgher, Dennis F. Dong, Richard E. Loftfield
  • Patent number: 6149049
    Abstract: A method of metallurgically joining dissimilar metal tubes using a connecting member clad metal tube in which the clad metal is the same or similar metal to a metal of one of the dissimilar tubes to be joined and is susceptible to bonding by welding. The underlying clad metal connecting member metal is a dissimilar metal which is susceptible to bonding by soldering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Huron Tech Corp
    Inventors: Scott A. Loftfield, Richard E. Loftfield
  • Patent number: 6056867
    Abstract: A flexible, nonstretchable, titanium, ladder anode for cathodic protection of steel reinforced concrete structures formed of multiple titanium strips including multiple electric current-carrying titanium strips. Ladder anodes of titanium without an electrocatalytically active metal coating can be used in a cathodic protection system operated at an anode current density up to about 20 milliamps per square foot. Ladder anodes of titanium having an electrocatalytically active metal coating are additionally useful at higher anode current densities. The ladder anodes form at the intersections of the strips less than 200 nodes per square meter and have a surface area of about 500 to about 900 square inches per pound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: Huron Tech Canada, Inc.
    Inventors: John William Burgher, Dennis F. Dong, Richard E. Loftfield
  • Patent number: 5667668
    Abstract: Pulping chemicals and hemicellulose are recovered from a starting solution essentially free of lignin but containing a mixture of hemicellulose and caustic by electrolyzing this solution in the anolyte compartment of an electrolytic cell. By electrolysis, the concentration of caustic in the anolyte is decreased and the concentration of caustic in a catholyte of said cell is increased so as to allow recovery of about 60 to about 80 percent of the caustic present in the hemicellulose caustic starting solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Huron Tech Corp
    Inventors: Stephen W. Moran, John R. Jackson, Timothy J. Gallivan, Richard E. Loftfield
  • Patent number: 5589053
    Abstract: Pulping chemicals and hemicellulose are recovered from a starting solution essentially free of lignin but containing a mixture of hemicellulose and caustic by electrolyzing this solution in the anolyte compartment of an electrolytic cell. By electrolysis, the concentration of caustic in the anolyte is decreased and the concentration of caustic in a catholyte of said cell is increased so as to allow recovery, of about 60 to about 80 percent of the caustic contained in the hemicellulose caustic starting solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Assignee: Huron Tech Incorporated
    Inventors: Stephen W. Moran, John R. Jackson, Timothy J. Gallivan, Richard E. Loftfield
  • Patent number: 5411646
    Abstract: A continuous length anode is formed of relatively small valve metal wire having a electrocatalytic coating braided into a highly flexible ribbon. The wire may be copper cored. The valve metal is preferably titanium, although tantalum or niobium are also preferred. The coating is preferably a mixed metal oxide coating. The braid is formed from wire sizes of from about 1/16 or less to about 1/8" in diameter and the braided ribbon may be about 0.1 to about 6" inches wide. Four system applications are disclosed, two for steel reinforced concrete, one for a tank bottom, and one for a buried pipe. The braided anode may be used in combination with valve metal ribbon or bar and may readily be electrically connected to power feeds or to itself by spot weld or crimp connections. Power feeds may be connected at a butt end or anywhere along the length of the braid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1995
    Assignee: Corrpro Companies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M. Gossett, Michael K. Baach, Dennis F. Dong, Richard E. Loftfield
  • Patent number: 5004626
    Abstract: An electrode base comprising a valve metal core provided with an ultimately protective, barrier precursor forming coating which is dried at relatively low temperature; e.g. room temperature to 280.degree. C. prior to application of an electrocatalytic precursor forming coating thereon. The step of pre-formation of a barrier layer is eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1991
    Assignee: Huron Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis F. Dong, Richard E. Loftfield
  • Patent number: 4872957
    Abstract: Cell having a porous, self-draining, gas diffusion electrode contained within a frame and having on both sides of said electrode a liquid permeable microporous diaphragm. The electrode assembly contains an internally positioned current distributor. The cell has two oppositely charged electrodes separated by the electrode assembly which divides a single electrolyte compartment. In operation, electrolyte is flowed into the electrolyte compartment and spent electrolyte is removed. In one embodiment of the invention, the electrolyte is internally circulated by turbulent flow of electrolyte as the result of the upward movement of gas released at an electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1989
    Assignee: H-D Tech Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis F. Dong, Edward B. Noonan, Derek J. Rogers, Arthur L. Clifford, Katharina Benesch, Richard E. Loftfield
  • Patent number: 4149956
    Abstract: Relates to anodes for electrolytic cells, for the electrolysis of brine solutions, having primary lead-in means of high conducting capacity (copper) for supplying anodic current to the cell from outside the cell and connected to a current supply source, primary conducting means of lower conducting capacity (titanium, or tantalum or alloys thereof) inside the cell, secondary conducting means of lower conducting capacity (titanium, or tantalum or alloys thereof) inside the cell for conducting current to an electrocatalytically active coating carried on a valve metal base, said electrocatalytic coating being capable of catalyzing halogen ion discharge without becoming passivated over long periods of time, said anodes serving to distribute the current in a cascade fashion from the primary lead-ins to the anode face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1973
    Date of Patent: April 17, 1979
    Assignee: Diamond Shamrock Technologies, S.A.
    Inventors: James W. Bess, Sr., Oronzio De Nora, Richard E. Loftfield, Giovanni Trisoglio