Patents by Inventor William Russell Kraft, II

William Russell Kraft, II 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).

  • Gangway latch
    Patent number: 7934283
    Abstract: A crew transfer system for transferring personnel from a vessel to a stationary platform, such as an oil rig, is disclosed. In the illustrative embodiment, the system includes a ramp that is coupled to the vessel and an interface that is attached to the stationary platform. The ramp is coupled to the vessel in such a way as to permit one translational and three rotational degrees of freedom at the vessel-end of the ramp. The ramp is coupled to the interface in such a way as to permit no translational and at least one rotational degree-of-freedom at the rig-end of the ramp with respect to the interface. The interface is rotatably coupled to the stationary platform in such a way as to permit a rotation of the interface about the yaw axis. Permitted rotation of the interface enables a range of acceptable angles of orientation between the vessel and the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Corey A. Fleischer, William Russell Kraft, II, Alexander C. Boon
  • Gangway Latch
    Publication number: 20090313770
    Abstract: A crew transfer system for transferring personnel from a vessel to a stationary platform, such as an oil rig, is disclosed. In the illustrative embodiment, the system includes a ramp that is coupled to the vessel and an interface that is attached to the stationary platform. The ramp is coupled to the vessel in such a way as to permit one translational and three rotational degrees of freedom at the vessel-end of the ramp. The ramp is coupled to the interface in such a way as to permit no translational and at least one rotational degree-of-freedom at the rig-end of the ramp with respect to the interface. The interface is rotatably coupled to the stationary platform in such a way as to permit a rotation of the interface about the yaw axis. Permitted rotation of the interface enables a range of acceptable angles of orientation between the vessel and the platform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Corey A. Fleischer, William Russell Kraft, II, Alexander C. Boon
  • COLD LAUNCH SYSTEM COMPRISING SHAPE-MEMORY ALLOY ACTUATOR
    Publication number: 20080307950
    Abstract: A cold-launch uses shape-memory-alloy (“SMA”) actuators to accelerate materiel to a required launch velocity. The SMA actuators are arranged into one or more actuation stages. SMA actuators within a given actuation stage are simultaneously triggered. Actuation stages, however, are triggered sequentially, each triggering adding to the velocity of the materiel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicant: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Tushar K. Shah, Grant W. Corboy, William Russell Kraft, II
  • Cold launch system comprising shape-memory alloy actuator
    Patent number: 7464634
    Abstract: A cold-launch uses shape-memory-alloy (“SMA”) actuators to accelerate materiel to a required launch velocity. The SMA actuators are arranged into one or more actuation stages. SMA actuators within a given actuation stage are simultaneously triggered. Actuation stages, however, are triggered sequentially, each triggering adding to the velocity of the materiel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Tushar K. Shah, Grant W. Corboy, William Russell Kraft, II