Patents by Inventor Robert Andrew Alford

Robert Andrew Alford 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).

  • Forge welding process
    Patent number: 7282663
    Abstract: An automated method for forge welding tubulars including heating the tubular ends to be joined in a welding chamber while the heated tubular ends are maintained aligned and parallel relative to each other and at a small spacing, whereupon the heated tubular ends are pressed together while a reducing shield gas is injected into the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Robert Andrew Alford, Johannis Josephus Den Boer, Anthony Thomas Cole, Klisthenis Dimitriadis, Michalakis Efthymiou, Rama Krishna Siva Gunturi, Robert Nicholas Worrall, Djurre Hans Zijsling, Ali Joseph Cox
  • Method for interconnecting tubulars by forge welding
    Patent number: 7199325
    Abstract: A method for interconnecting tubulars by forge welding involves arranging the tubular ends that are to be interconnected at a distance, up to a few millimeters from each other in a shield gas chamber, into which a reducing non-explosive flushing fluid mixture (e.g. N2+H2) is injected; heating each tubular end within the space by means of at least three electrodes that are pressed at circumferentially spaced intervals against the wall of each tubular, adjacent to the tubular end such that a high frequency electrical current is transmitted in a substantially circumferential direction through the tubular segments between the electrodes; and moving the thus uniformly heated tubular ends towards each other until a forge weld is formed between the heated tubular ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Robert Andrew Alford, Anthony Thomas Cole, Klisthenis Dimitriadis
  • Forge welding process
    Publication number: 20040232207
    Abstract: An automated method for forge welding tubulars including heating the tubular ends to be joined in a welding chamber while the heated tubular ends are maintained aligned and parallel relative to each other and at a small spacing, whereupon the heated tubular ends are pressed together while a reducing shield gas is injected into the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2003
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventors: Robert Andrew Alford, Johannis Josephus Den Boer, Anthony Thomas Cole, Klisthenis Dimitriadis, Michalakis Efthymiou, Rama Krishna Siva Gunturi, Robert Nicholas Worrall, Djurre Hans Zijsling, Ali Joseph Cox