Robert Frank Obear

US Patent:

50217631, Jun 4, 1991

Filed:

Feb 1, 1990

Appl. No.:

7/473441

Inventors:

Robert F. Obear - Snohomish WA

International Classification:

G08B 100
G06F 1502

US Classification:

340407

Abstract:

An environmentally sealed, EMI suppressed shock/vibration protected microcomputer workstation is provided by a sealed enclosure of stainless steel having a lower base portion for containing a dampened, spring suspension platform carrying the CPU and electronics, and an upper hood portion for housing the CRT which is removably held in place by a unique arrangement of support pins that cooperatively seat in quick release brackets affixed to the enclosure's interior walls. A front panel of the base portion mounts a stainless steel tactile dome keyboard retained and sealed about its perimeter within a stainless steel casement that in turn is welded to the stainless steel walls of the base portion. The enclosure further includes a labyrinth cable seal assembly for entry of standard flexible cables without need for special fittings, a magnetic disk drive port having a removable marine-type circular compression seal closure, and a fluid port for circulation of coolant to an internal fluid-to-air heat exchanger for removing heat build-up from the interior of the housing.

US Patent:

42838860, Aug 18, 1981

Filed:

Oct 1, 1979

Appl. No.:

6/080927

Inventors:

Robert F. Obear - Everett WA

Assignee:

Western Gear Corporation - Everett WA

International Classification:

B24B 702

US Classification:

51 92R

Abstract:

An elongated metal workpiece such as a slab or billet is moved longitudinally beneath a grinding head by a reciprocating carriage mounted on an elongated track. The carriage receives a billet from a charging table, reciprocates the billet beneath the grinding head for a plurality of grinding passes, and then delivers the finished billet to a discharge table. The grinder head includes a rotating grinding wheel mounted at the end of a first arm which is pivotally secured to one end of a pivotally mounted second arm. The vertical position of the grinding wheel, and hence the downward force exerted by the grinding wheel on the billet, is principally determined by the angular position and torque, respectively, of the first arm while the horizontal position of the grinding wheel transverse to the longitudinal axis of the billet is principally determined by the angular position of the second arm. Grinding wheel vibration is limited by clamping the second arm to a massive, rigid foundation during each grinding pass thereby limiting the movement of the grinding head to a single degree of freedom. The grinding head and carriage are instrumented with transducers for measuring such parameters as grinding wheel driving torque and speed, carriage position and speed, and grinding wheel position to automatically remove a surface layer having a preselected thickness in accordance with a manually selected value representing desired thickness and the energy required to remove a unit volume of billet material at a given rate under specific operating conditions.

US Patent:

42099480, Jul 1, 1980

Filed:

Jun 27, 1977

Appl. No.:

5/810520

Inventors:

Robert F. Obear - Everett WA

Assignee:

Western Gear Corporation - Everett WA

International Classification:

B24B 702

US Classification:

51 92R

Abstract:

An elongated metal workpiece such as a slab or billet is moved longitudinally beneath a grinding head by a reciprocating carriage mounted on an elongated track. The carriage receives a billet from a charging table, reciprocates the billet beneath the grinding head for a plurality of grinding passes, and then delivers the finished billet to a discharge table. The grinder head includes a rotating grinding wheel mounted at the end of a first arm which is pivotally secured to one end of a pivotally mounted second arm. The vertical position of the grinding wheel, and hence the downward force exerted by the grinding wheel on the billet, is principally determined by the angular position and torque, respectively, of the first arm while the horizontal position of the grinding wheel transverse to the longitudinal axis of the billet is principally determined by the angular position of the second arm. Grinding wheel vibration is limited by clamping the second arm to a massive, rigid foundation during each grinding pass thereby limiting the movement of the grinding head to a single degree of freedom. The grinding head and carriage are instrumented with transducers for measuring such parameters as grinding wheel driving torque and speed, carriage position and speed, and grinding wheel position to automatically remove a surface layer having a preselected thickness in accordance with a manually selected value representing desired thickness and the energy required to remove a unit volume of billet material at a given rate under specific conditions.

US Patent:

40528227, Oct 11, 1977

Filed:

Mar 15, 1976

Appl. No.:

5/667107

Inventors:

Robert F. Obear - Rolling Hills Estates CA

Assignee:

Western Gear Corporation - Everett WA

International Classification:

B24B 2704
B24B 102
B24B 2706
B23B 514

US Classification:

51 88

Abstract:

A unique method and apparatus for making a score cut on a metal object with a previously used abrasive cutting wheel, worn down from a new, larger diameter wheel to allow use of worn cutting wheels and to improve the ratio of cross-sectional area of metal material cut to cross-sectional area of wheel used. Another feature is the use of a hydraulic bearing for reducing friction between the object rotating chuck stands and the track on which the stands are moved by simultaneously flushing the abrasive particles from the track. In one embodiment, the flushing material is recycled to replenish the coolant reservoir fluid loss through evaporation.

US Patent:

41007000, Jul 18, 1978

Filed:

Dec 7, 1976

Appl. No.:

5/748293

Inventors:

Allen E. Peirce - Lynnwood WA
Robert F. Obear - Everett WA
David E. Olson - Snohomish WA

Assignee:

Western Gear Corporation - Everett WA

International Classification:

B24B 702

US Classification:

51 92R

Abstract:

An elongated metal workpiece such as a slab or billet is moved longitudinally beneath a grinding head by a reciprocating carriage mounted on an elongated track. The carriage receives a billet from a charging table, reciprocates the billet beneath the grinding head for a plurality of grinding passes, and then delivers the finished billet to a discharge table. The grinder head includes a rotating grinding wheel mounted at the end of a first arm which is pivotally secured to one end of a pivotally mounted second arm. The vertical position of the grinding wheel, and hence the downward force exerted by the grinding wheel on the billet, is principally determined by the angular position and torque, respectively, of the first arm while the horizontal position of the grinding wheel transverse to the longitudinal axis of the billet is principally determined by the angular position of the second arm. Grinding wheel vibration is limited by clamping the second arm to a massive, rigid foundation during each grinding pass thereby limiting the movement of the grinding head to a single degree of freedom. The grinding head and carriage are instrumented with transducers for measuring such parameters as grinding wheel driving torque and speed, carriage position and speed, and grinding wheel position to automatically remove a surface layer having a preselected thickness in accordance with a manually selected value representing desired thickness and the energy required to remove a unit volume of billet material at a given rate under specific operating conditions.

US Patent:

40916987, May 30, 1978

Filed:

Sep 8, 1975

Appl. No.:

5/611098

Inventors:

Robert F. Obear - Rolling Hills Estates CA
Bruno A. Rist - Northridge CA

Assignee:

Western Gear Corporation - Everett WA

International Classification:

B26D 128
B26D 726

US Classification:

83 34

Abstract:

A rotary cutting blade control system which automatically varies the feed rate to maintain a constant material removal rate. The system senses the current in an electric motor driving the cutting blade and automatically adjusts the feed rate to maintain the motor current constant. The system adjusts a hydraulic valve in the hydraulic system operating the blade support to move the blade in or out whenever the current deviates from a standard which is set by the operator. The control system also includes a circuit for detecting when the load on the blade has dropped below a preset level indicating that the blade has completed the cut and automatically commands the hydraulic system to return the blade to a start position. An additional control circuit operating in conjunction with the no-load sensing circuit automatically produces a command to stop the blade close to the work piece to save time and motion when multiple cuts are being performed. This circuit operates by establishing a reference level indicating the position of the blade at the start of a cut.