Patents by Inventor William F. Hughes

William F. Hughes 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: 4967639
    Abstract: A multiple bore electromagnetic projectile launcher is provided with series circuit elements connected to the muzzle end of conductive rails of a bore to continue current conduction in those rails following the launch of a projectile and during the launch of a successive projectile. This current flow augments the flux in the successive bore during the launching of a successive projectile. Individual firing switches can be provided for each bore or additional conductive rails can be provided in an automatic switching arrangement to conduct current from a muzzle of a fired bore to the breech of a successive bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1990
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: William F. Hughes, George A. Kemeny, Frederick J. Young
  • Patent number: 4480523
    Abstract: An electromagnetic projectile launching system utilizes two cylindrical rail configurations. In one configuration, multiple conductive armatures are electromagnetically accelerated along rails which are located on the inner surface of a cylindrical barrel. The second configuration utilizes armatures located between concentric cylindrical rails. Rifling provides for spin stabilization of the projectile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1984
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Frederick J. Young, William F. Hughes, Daniel W. Deis, Ian R. McNab
  • Patent number: 4430921
    Abstract: The conductivity of the laminations in an armature which conducts current between the launcher rails or switch rails of an electromagnetic propulsion system is graded such that uniform current density is achieved in each lamination. The conductivity of each lamination, which increases from the breech end to the muzzle end of the armature, is related to that of the lamination at the breech end by a single proportionality factor which is a function of the length of the armature in the direction of armature travel, the half-width of the gap between the rails, the velocity of the armature, the magnetic permeability of the rails, and the conductivity of the breech laminations and of the rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1984
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: William F. Hughes, Frederick J. Young
  • Patent number: 4299292
    Abstract: A folding boom construction comprising a wheeled frame, a boom disposed transversely of the wheeled frame, the boom being adapted to support one or more cultivating tools, the boom being coupled to the wheeled frame to be rotatable about a substantially transverse axis of the wheeled frame, the boom being rotatable about an axis transverse of the boom such that on rotation about the axis transverse to the wheeled frame the cultivating tools can be raised or lowered from the ground and when the tools are in the raised position the transverse axis is substantially upright such that the boom can be swung from the transverse position to a fore-and-aft position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1981
    Assignee: Australian Agricultural Machinery Pty. Ltd.
    Inventor: William F. Hughes
  • Patent number: D352457
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1994
    Assignee: The Gillette Company
    Inventors: William F. Hughes, Jr., Robert F. Kleinrath