Patents by Inventor Roy T. Toutant

Roy T. Toutant 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: 4878368
    Abstract: A refrigerator cabinet has a front flange, which as a gasket on its door seal thereagainst when the door is closed, formed by a plurality of longitudinally spaced sets of rollers of a roll forming machine so that the front flange is at a specific angular relation to a top wall of the refrigerator cabinet when the roll formed part is fabricated into a portion of the refrigerator cabinet. The angular relationship of the flange and the top wall of the refrigerator cabinet is determined at a first fabrication station of a roll formed part, which forms a portion of the refrigerator cabinet after fabrication, by two linear variable differential transformers engaging each of the two adjacent surfaces of the roll formed part that will constitute the front flange and the top wall of the refrigerator cabinet and transmitting signals indicating the angle therebetween to a personal computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Roy T. Toutant, David S. Perry, Michael A. Brennan, James E. Kreko, Mark A. Dilk
  • Patent number: 4828887
    Abstract: A moving part has material initially applied to it a predetermined distance from its leading edge. Whenever a sensor senses a notch in a flange of the moving part, application of material to the moving part is stopped for a predetermined distance prior to the start of the notch to a predetermined distance beyond the notch. Application of material to the moving part is finally stopped a predetermined distance prior to its trailing edge. Two separate sensors are used to control each of three spray guns for applying the material in the selected areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Roy T. Toutant, Richard M. Motley, David S. Perry
  • Patent number: 4715286
    Abstract: A conveyor system including a first horizontal trackway having a flat movable flexible chain extending between a plurality of work stations with the trackway having at one end thereof a loop section. There are a plurality of pallets movable by frictional engagement with the chain for carrying work pieces along the trackway between the work stations. A second trackway is provided adjacent the first trackway loop section and has a continuous flat flexible chain, the second trackway has an upper level section and a lower level section with the upper level section being in the same horizontal plane as the first trackway. The second trackway has two legs connected by an intermediate section with both legs in pallet transfer communication with the first trackway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1987
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Preston K. Parker, Roy T. Toutant
  • Patent number: 4604715
    Abstract: The method of inspecting and determining the status of a hole in a surface of a part comprising placing a robot at a stationary position, said robot being controlled by a programmable controller and having a movable arm with a fiber optic scanner device capable of sensing a reflective surface. The part to be inspected is placed in a stationary fixture spaced from the robot and the robot arm with the fiber optic scanner device is moved to a point spaced from the part surface. The robot arm with the fiber optic scanner is incrementally moved closer to the part surface until light reflection is detected from the part surface by the fiber optic scanner. A signal is sent to the robot controller upon detecting light reflection from the part surface to stop further incremental movement of the robot arm and fiber optic scanner closer to the part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1986
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Roy T. Toutant, Gerald J. Lozinski