Patents by Inventor William M. Rickard

William M. Rickard 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: 5566986
    Abstract: A multi-piece, pipe joint seal has a slidable interface between seal pieces. The slidable interface allows for slippage between pieces during pipe joint assembly and disassembly, minimizing rotational and other stresses on the seal pieces and pipe sealing surfaces which may damage or endanger the deformable seal. The slidable interface seal is especially useful for joining brittle-lined pipe sections handling harsh fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: Union Oil Company of California
    Inventors: William C. Allen, William M. Rickard, Daniel P. Hoyer, David E. Stikkers, Matthew J. Kelley
  • Patent number: 5405171
    Abstract: A multi-piece, pipe joint seal has a slidable interface between seal pieces. The slidable interface allows for slippage between pieces during pipe joint assembly and disassembly, minimizing rotational and other stresses on the seal pieces and pipe sealing surfaces which may damage or endanger the deformable seal. The slidable interface seal is especially useful for joining brittle-lined pipe sections handling harsh fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Assignee: Union Oil Company of California
    Inventors: William C. Allen, William M. Rickard, Daniel P. Hoyer, David E. Stikkers, Matthew L. Kelley
  • Patent number: 5163715
    Abstract: A butt welded and lined flange connector allows the joining of pipe sections lined with a brittle material. Spacing and a sleeved liner at the weld end protects the liner during butt welding. A conventional flange face gasket is modified to protrude into the lined zone to perform a dual sealing function. Like conventional flanged joints, the modified gasket forms a seal sandwiched between the flange interface surfaces. However, departing from current practice, the single gasket also fills the gap and seals the liner edges, protecting the pipe sections from the flowing materials. The invention avoids separate putty-like or elastomeric liner seals as well as exotic liner surface configurations. The present invention is expected to be tolerant of severe conditions and cost effective in many applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: Union Oil Company of California, dba UNOCAL
    Inventors: William M. Rickard, Douglas P. Bouche, William C. Allen, Stephen Pye