Patents by Inventor Spencer L. Gibbs
Spencer L. Gibbs 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).
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Patent number: 6160247Abstract: An induction hardening apparatus for inductively heating and quench hardening a crankshaft includes an arrangement of two workstations similarly configured and a robotic device indexing the crankshaft from a first workstation to a second workstation. The induction hardening apparatus is designed with a single induction coil located at the first workstation for the sequential induction heating and quench hardening of the pins of the crankshaft. At the second workstation, a single induction coil is used for the bearing surfaces of the crankshaft. An important feature of the present invention is that the induction coils do not contact the surfaces of the crankshaft which are being inductively heated and quench hardened. Crankshaft dimensions and geometry are programmed into servodrive systems which move the corresponding coil in X and Y directions accurately tracing the orbit or path of each pin and each bearing surface.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2000Date of Patent: December 12, 2000Assignee: Contour Hardening, Inc.Inventors: John M. Storm, Max E. Stewart, Spencer L. Gibbs
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Patent number: 6153865Abstract: An induction hardening apparatus for inductively heating and quench hardening a crankshaft includes an arrangement of two workstations similarly configured and a robotic device indexing the crankshaft from a first workstation to a second workstation. The induction hardening apparatus is designed with a single induction coil located at the first workstation for the sequential induction heating and quench hardening of the pins of the crankshaft. At the second workstation, a single induction coil is used for the bearing surfaces of the crankshaft. One feature of the present invention is that the induction coils do not contact the surfaces of the crankshaft which are being inductively heated and quench hardened. Crankshaft dimensions and geometry are prograrmned into servodrive systems which move the corresponding coil in X and Y directions accurately tracing the orbit or path of each pin and each bearing surface.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 1999Date of Patent: November 28, 2000Assignee: Contour Hardening, Inc.Inventors: John M. Storm, Max E. Stewart, Spencer L. Gibbs
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Patent number: 6111236Abstract: An induction hardening apparatus for inductively heating and quench hardening a crankshaft includes an arrangement of two workstations similarly configured and a robotic device indexing the crankshaft from a first workstation to a second workstation. The induction hardening apparatus is designed with a single induction coil located at the first workstation for the sequential induction heating and quench hardening of the pins of the crankshaft. At the second workstation, a single induction coil is used for the bearing surfaces of the crankshaft. An important feature of the present invention is that the induction coils do not contact the surfaces of the crankshaft which are being inductively heated and quench hardened. Crankshaft dimensions and geometry are programmed into servodrive systems which move the corresponding coil in X and Y directions accurately tracing the orbit or path of each pin and each bearing surface.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 1999Date of Patent: August 29, 2000Assignee: Contour Hardening, Inc.Inventors: John M. Storm, Max E. Stewart, Spencer L. Gibbs
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Patent number: 6018155Abstract: An induction hardening apparatus for inductively heating and quench hardening a crankshaft includes an arrangement of two workstations similarly configured and a robotic device indexing the crankshaft from a first workstation to a second workstation. The induction hardening apparatus is designed with a single induction coil located at the first workstation for the sequential induction heating and quench hardening of the pins of the crankshaft. At the second workstation, a single induction coil is used for the bearing surfaces of the crankshaft. An important feature of the present invention is that the induction coils do not contact the surfaces of the crankshaft which are being inductively heated and quench hardened. Crankshaft dimensions and geometry are programmed into servodrive systems which move the corresponding coil in X and Y directions accurately tracing the orbit or path of each pin and each bearing surface.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 1997Date of Patent: January 25, 2000Assignee: Contour Hardening, Inc.Inventors: John M. Storm, Max E. Stewart, Spencer L. Gibbs
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Patent number: 6013904Abstract: An induction hardening apparatus for inductively heating and quench hardening a crankshaft includes an arrangement of two workstations similarly configured and a robotic device indexing the crankshaft from a first workstation to a second workstation. The induction hardening apparatus is designed with a single induction coil located at the first workstation for the sequential induction heating and quench hardening of the pins of the crankshaft. At the second workstation, a single induction coil is used for the bearing surfaces of the crankshaft. One feature of the present invention is that the induction coils do not contact the surfaces of the crankshaft which are being inductively heated and quench hardened. Crankshaft dimensions and geometry are programmed into servodrive systems which move the corresponding coil in X and Y directions accurately tracing the orbit or path of each pin and each bearing surface.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 1998Date of Patent: January 11, 2000Assignee: Contour Hardenting, Inc.Inventors: John M. Storm, Max E. Stewart, Spencer L. Gibbs
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Patent number: 5266765Abstract: An induction-hardening machine for the contour hardening of machine components such as gears includes a system processor which controls thyristor power switching circuits which supply high-power signals to an RF generator. Power switching circuits include silicon controlled rectifiers or SCR's. In order to overcome the variable "on time" characteristics of SCR devices, a zero crossing detector is implemented and time periods are calculated so that the system processor activates the SCR circuits to supply power to the RF generator at predetermined times. The system processor 12 will deactivate the SCR circuits at or just prior to a zero crossing referenced from the predetermined activation time thereby effectively controlling the on time of the SCR circuits with an accuracy of up to five ten thousandths of a second. The signal produced by the RF generator is supplied to an induction heater coil which is used to case harden the gear teeth of a machine component or gear.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 1992Date of Patent: November 30, 1993Assignee: Contour Hardening, Inc.Inventors: John M. Storm, Spencer L. Gibbs
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Patent number: 5053596Abstract: An induction-hardening machine for the contour hardening of machine components such as gears includes a system processor which controls thyristor power switching circuits which supply high-power signals to an RF generator. Power switching circuits include silicon controlled rectifiers of SCR's. In order to overcome the variable "on time" characteristics of SCR devices, a zero crossing detector is implemented and time periods are calculated so that the system processor activates the SCR circuits to supply power to the RF generator at predetermined times. The system processor 12 will deactivate the SCR circuits at or just prior to a zero crossing referenced from the predetermined activation time thereby effectively controlling the one time of the SCR circuits with an accuracy of up to five ten thousandths of a second. The signal produced by the RD generator is supplied to an induction heater coil which is used to case harden the gear teeth of a machine component or gear.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 1990Date of Patent: October 1, 1991Assignee: Contour Hardening Investors, LPInventors: John M. Storm, Spencer L. Gibbs