Spring 2002
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Spring 2002 |
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When
James Ingle has an idea, it's usually a good one. Take
the concrete spreading system that helped pave a portion of the nation's
interstate highway system and runways at Dulles International Airport in
Washington, D.C., O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, and Hartsfield
International Airport in Atlanta. Or,
the machine that can extract coal from a flooded steeply angled coal mining
seam. So,
when the 1953 civil engineering graduate - holder of 12 patents - came up with
an innovative plan to raise and lower platforms on mobile offshore jackup
drilling units, people took notice. Especially,
former Rose-Hulman classmate David Badger (Elect. Eng.), an Indianapolis-based
patent attorney. "The
more I looked into Jim's invention, the more I became intrigued
. . . Really, it's a novel piece of engineering," says Badger, the
holder of four patents. Ingle's
invention, named the HydroJack, utilizes hydraulic cylinders and programmable
logic computers to replace the current line-contact and highly stressed system
of rack and pinion gears that holds platforms in place with rotary gears,
requiring very high strength steel for leg chord members.
Hydraulic cylinders - on each leg chord - work together to systematically
"walk" the platform up or down along the drilling rig's legs,
positioning the platform steady for its drilling operation on the high seas. The device has the potential to save oil companies nearly $10 million on each new drilling unit purchased. And, with 20 to 25 jackup units being put into service each year, companies engaged in offshore drilling are eagerly anticipating the unveiling of a HydroJack prototype in May at the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston. The product is being marketed internationally by Offshore Systems & Deck Machinery of Dallas, Texas. Ingle's
expertise in the area of mobile offshore drilling platforms, barges and tow
boats came from over a quarter of a century as the chief engineer and vice
president of engineering for Transworld Drilling Co., a division of Kerr-McGee
Corp., and as the chief engineer of the marine division and as manufacturing
division manager of Maxon Corp. "I've
always wanted to find an easier way to get things done," states the
70-year-old who lives with his wife, Carol, near Ellettsville, Ind.
"My mind is not retired. There
are always problems that need to be solved."
Ingle
came up with the idea for the HydroJack several years ago. After perfecting the idea he showed his invention to Badger
after one of their golf outings. "At
the time, there wasn't a need. The
oil industry was dormant and there were very few drilling platforms coming to
the end of their age. Now, there's
a demand for new drilling units and producing oil in a cost-effective
manner," concedes Ingle. "When
I worked in industry, I never gave much thought to patents. It was a side issue of getting the job done.
The company's attorneys handled all of the legal matters and protected
the company. When I was on my own,
I needed legal assistance to protect my ideas.
I knew that I was onto something big." That
brought him to call upon his old friend. "I
was trying to find the best people to put on my team. Dave was the best patent attorney I knew," Ingle
recalls. It
didn't take Badger long to agree that Ingle's invention had merit.
After considerable discussions and elaborate engineering drawings, a
patent application was filed on the hydraulic lifting system, which included a
number of separate inventions. "I
was amazed at the number of novel technical innovations which were included in
Jim's system," says Badger, 70, who worked as an engineer for 10 years
before earning his law degree from Indiana University and becoming an attorney
who specialized in patent cases. Enjoying
only partial retirement with his wife, Donna, he picks up only those challenging
cases that pique his interest. "This
has been a fun project because of my friendship with Jim, and the novelty and
scope of Jim's invention. I could
talk honestly with Jim about things. There was a history." Those
memories include wiping away beads of sweat while drawing engineering designs in
a hot summer drafting class in Moench Hall and living in the Deming Hall
residence hall and later at the Sigma Nu fraternity house.
The classmates kept in touch through meetings at class reunions. "It's amazing that it has taken us over 50 years to finally work together on a project," Badger states. "I knew that Jim was a fine engineer and a good person. Now, I have developed a much deeper respect for his technical expertise. He's an outstanding engineer." Ingle
quickly brushes aside such praise, simply stating "Once you establish a
relationship in college, you're friends for life."
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