Patents by Inventor Thomas E. Ray

Thomas E. Ray 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: 5327935
    Abstract: A three-way valve for high pressures and having a plug member rotatable within a valve housing. A seal arrangement is offset from the plug member to define a space in which system fluid pressure may be trapped for the purpose of acting on the plug member to offset system fluid pressure applied in an opposite direction to the plug member. Accordingly, frictional engagement of the plug member with the valve housing is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1994
    Inventors: Prentiss C. Hicks, Thomas E. Ray
  • Patent number: 5037067
    Abstract: The two-way and three-way plug valves disclosed include plug members having O-rings in place in continuous grooves defined by inner and outer side walls and a bottom wall extending therebetween. Recesses are formed at spaced apart points along the O-ring groove inner wall to provide an area into which segments of the O-ring may be displaced during existence of a pressure differential across the O-ring. The O-ring groove inner wall recesses are in fluid communication with one another by means of passages, bores and channels defined by the plug member. Edges along the recesses frictionally engage O-ring segments to restrain same against displacement from the O-ring groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1991
    Assignee: Artek Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas E. Ray
  • Patent number: 4705075
    Abstract: A three-way valve housing is shown with side wall and end wall defined ports. A cylindrical plug member has oblong O-ring seals which jointly extend about a major portion of the plug members circumference. A central chamber in the plug member receives fluid through a laterally directed opening which is rotatable through less than 180 degrees into communication with a housing side wall port. The plug member chamber is in open communication with the port in the valve housing end wall. A snap ring is removable to permit extraction of the plug member from the housing for servicing purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1987
    Inventor: Thomas E. Ray
  • Patent number: 4552539
    Abstract: An inflatable hydroplane apparatus uses a pneumatic vehicle innertube with a flexible fabric cover including an annular flexible fabric positioned partly covering said innertube and forming a smooth bottom therefor. A handle strap is stitched to said cover for the rider to hold on to and a tow rope attaching strap is stitched to the bottom portion of the cover for attaching a tow rope from a boat for pulling the hydroplane. The innertube is inflated in the cover to form the hydroplane and deflated for storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1985
    Inventors: James M. Hoenstine, Thomas E. Ray
  • Patent number: 4451239
    Abstract: An inflatable hydroplane apparatus uses a pneumatic vehicle innertube with a flexible fabric cover including an annular flexible fabric positioned partly covering said innertube and forming a smooth bottom therefor. A handle strap is stitched to the cover for the rider to hold on to and a tow rope attaching strap is stitched to the bottom portion of the cover for attaching a tow rope from a boat for pulling the hydroplane. The innertube is inflated in the cover to form the hydroplane and deflated for storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1984
    Inventors: James M. Hoenstine, Thomas E. Ray