Patents by Inventor Thomas A. Wickenhaver

Thomas A. Wickenhaver 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: 5328095
    Abstract: A self-contained spray painting system includes a spray gun for spraying paint under pressure, and a spherically shaped paint container attached to the spray gun for holding a quantity of paint to be sprayed. A flexible pick-up extends into the container and includes a weighted head that moves along an inner surface of the container and remains at the lowest point thereof as the container is moved through different orientations, whereby the pick-up remains immersed in paint in the container. The weighted head also functions to mix the paint as the container is moved through different orientations during use. An external purge system is connected with the paint inlet of the gun and is selectively operable to supply air under pressure through the paint inlet and nozzle to clean paint residue and other foreign matter from the gun at the conclusion of a painting operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1994
    Assignee: Grumman Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas A. Wickenhaver
  • Patent number: 5235756
    Abstract: A readily portable, hand-held coating thickness measuring device which utilizes a pin to penetrate a coating and a gauge to accurately determine the thickness of the coating based on the degree of penetration is disclosed. The pin is formed at a tip of an elongated rod that can reciprocate relative to the body of the device is response to manually pivoting a trigger member. The device is particularly adapted to determine the thickness of coatings applied to metal surfaces. For this purpose, the device includes a signalling assembly to visually indicate to the user when the coating has been fully penetrated and the gauge should be read.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Grumman Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas A. Wickenhaver