Patents by Inventor Thomas A Cates

Thomas A Cates 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: 11326716
    Abstract: A subplate mounted valve is disclosed having an open position and a closed position. The valve includes at least one pilot pressure intake port, a plurality of functional fluid ports, a spool movable between the open position and the closed position, and spring biasing the spool to either the open position or the closed position. To reduce water hammer due to quickly opening or quickly closing the valve, a flow regulation assembly is positioned at the pilot pressure intake port and has a chamber with a larger inlet channel at the intake position and transitioning to a smaller channel at the outlet position such that fluid flow at the intake port is reduced, thereby slowing the transition between the open position and the closed position and the transition between the closed position and the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: The Subsea Company
    Inventors: Barry J McMiles, Thomas A Cates
  • Publication number: 20210310583
    Abstract: A subplate mounted valve is disclosed having an open position and a closed position. The valve includes at least one pilot pressure intake port, a plurality of functional fluid ports, a spool movable between the open position and the closed position, and spring biasing the spool to either the open position or the closed position. To reduce water hammer due to quickly opening or quickly closing the valve, a flow regulation assembly is positioned at the pilot pressure intake port and has a chamber with a larger inlet channel at the intake position and transitioning to a smaller channel at the outlet position such that fluid flow at the intake port is reduced, thereby slowing the transition between the open position and the closed position and the transition between the closed position and the open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventors: Barry J McMiles, Thomas A Cates
  • Patent number: 10247400
    Abstract: An emergency, camping, flood, home, work and law enforcement light has a large LED floodlight mounted by a two-dimensional hinge to a large battery/vehicular battery case, so when the case is on the ground, the light may be directed at any angle in both bearing and azimuth. The case further may have a light strip composed of numerous small LEDs capable of various modes of blinking operation in various colors, so as to mimic, in the dark, the appearance of emergency vehicles, for example with blinking orange lights, blinking red and blue lights and so on. The vehicle battery may provide power to a 12V/30V outlet of the case, or may be charged by the same socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Inventor: Kyle Thomas Cate
  • Publication number: 20170234525
    Abstract: An emergency, camping, flood, home, work and law enforcement light has a large LED floodlight mounted by a two-dimensional hinge to a large battery/vehicular battery case, so when the case is on the ground, the light may be directed at any angle in both bearing and azimuth. The case further may have a light strip composed of numerous small LEDs capable of various modes of blinking operation in various colors, so as to mimic, in the dark, the appearance of emergency vehicles, for example with blinking orange lights, blinking red and blue lights and so on. The vehicle battery may provide power to a 12V/30V outlet of the case, or may be charged by the same socket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventor: Kyle Thomas Cate
  • Patent number: 8998150
    Abstract: A clamp for placement about a riser having an assembly with a housing for releasably engaging at least one strap, the strap having a first and second end wherein the first and second ends are releasably attached to the housing, a plate on the housing for selectively engaging the first and second ends of the strap; and a support operably connected to the housing for releasably holding MUX, IWOC and other umbilical cables used in subsea applications. The housing may have two straps for engagement to a riser that shorten and lengthen by the turning of a screw through a plate engaged to the straps. The clamp may also have a hinged or fixed circular member for attachment around the riser. The cables are held by a hinged attachment to the housing that forms cylindrical vertical openings upon closure of the hinge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: The Subsea Company
    Inventors: Barry McMiles, Thomas Cates
  • Publication number: 20110186693
    Abstract: A clamp for placement about a riser having an assembly with a housing for releasably engaging at least one strap, the strap having a first and second end wherein the first and second ends are releasably attached to the housing, a plate on the housing for selectively engaging the first and second ends of the strap; and a support operably connected to the housing for releasably holding MUX, IWOC and other umbilical cables used in subsea applications. The housing may have two straps for engagement to a riser that shorten and lengthen by the turning of a screw through a plate engaged to the straps. The clamp may also have a hinged or fixed circular member for attachment around the riser. The cables are held by a hinged attachment to the housing that forms cylindrical vertical openings upon closure of the hinge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Inventors: Barry McMiles, Thomas Cates