Patents Assigned to Comstock & Wescott, Inc.
  • Patent number: 4189294
    Abstract: A flameless combustion burner and method for operating the device. The burner includes an ignition zone with a starting device, a catalyst zone, and a plenum. To obtain flameless combustion, a fuel and a combustion supporting gas is introducted into the ignition zone from the plenum and a flame is initiated by means of the starting device. The products of combustion flow over the catalyst to heat it to a temperature where it can initiate flameless combustion. Then the flow of either the fuel or the combustion supporting gas or both is momentarily stopped and the flame is extinguished. The flow is then resumed while the catalyst is still hot and flameless combustion will start in the catalyst zone. The products of combustion are withdrawn from the catalyst zone and the heat is utilized in the burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1977
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1980
    Assignee: Comstock & Wescott Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Rice, Charles W. Peterson
  • Patent number: 4180384
    Abstract: A flameless catalytic combustion apparatus includes a combustion chamber with a hydrogenous fuel inlet and a mass of catalyst in the chamber between the inlet and an outlet. Preferably the catalyst mass comprises porous pellet bodies supporting varying high and low concentrations of platinum family metals dispersed therein. For spontaneous starting of combustion the fuel is one of the lower alcohols and the high catalyst concentration is at the fuel inlet. The fuel may be in a container pressurized by air, or a lower ether or lower hydrocarbon which is also a fuel. Preferably separate, valved conduits from the fuel container first supply either atomized fuel droplets or air and fuel vapor to the high catalyst concentration for spontaneous ignition of combustion and vaporized fuel for continued combustion throughout the catalyst mass. The catalytic combustion apparatus may include a heat exchanger for fluids such as air, water or personal care foams and creams, or may be used in heating and cooking apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1979
    Assignee: Comstock & Wescott, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard E. Rice
  • Patent number: 4171947
    Abstract: A flameless catalytic combustion apparatus includes a combustion chamber with a hydrogenous fuel inlet and a mass of catalyst in the chamber between the inlet and an outlet. Preferably the catalyst mass comprises porous pellet bodies supporting varying high and low concentrations of platinum family metals dispersed therein. For spontaneous starting of combustion the fuel is one of the lower alcohols and the high catalyst concentration is at the fuel inlet. The fuel may be in a container pressurized by air, or a lower ether or lower hydrocarbon which is also a fuel. Preferably separate, valved conduits from the fuel container first supply either atomized fuel droplets or air and fuel vapor to the high catalyst concentration for spontaneous ignition of combustion and vaporized fuel for continued combustion throughout the catalyst mass. The catalytic combustion apparatus may include a heat exchanger for fluids such as air, water or personal care foams and creams, or may be used in heating and cooking apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1977
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1979
    Assignee: Comstock & Wescott, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard E. Rice
  • Patent number: 4168946
    Abstract: A flameless catalytic combustion apparatus includes a combustion chamber with a hydrogenous fuel inlet and a mass of catalyst in the chamber between the inlet and an outlet. Preferably the catalyst mass comprises porous pellet bodies supporting varying high and low concentrations of platinum family metals dispersed therein. For spontaneous starting of combustion the fuel is one of the lower alcohols and the high catalyst concentration is at the fuel inlet. The fuel may be in a container pressurized by air, or a lower ether or lower hydrocarbon which is also a fuel. Preferably separate, valved conduits from the fuel container first supply either atomized fuel droplets or air and fuel vapor to the high catalyst concentration for spontaneous ignition of combustion and vaporized fuel for continued combustion throughout the catalyst mass. The catalytic combustion apparatus may include a heat exchanger for fluids such as air, water or personal care foams and creams, or may be used in heating and cooking apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1977
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1979
    Assignee: Comstock & Wescott, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard E. Rice
  • Patent number: 4140247
    Abstract: A flameless catalytic combustion apparatus includes a combustion chamber with a hydrogenous fuel inlet and a mass of catalyst in the chamber between the inlet and an outlet. Preferably the catalyst mass comprises porous pellet bodies supporting varying high and low concentrations of platinum family metals dispersed therein. For spontaneous starting of combustion the fuel is one of the lower alcohols and the high catalyst concentration is at the fuel inlet. The fuel may be in a container pressurized by air, or a lower ether or lower hydrocarbon which is also a fuel. Preferably separate, valved conduits from the fuel container first supply either atomized fuel droplets or air and fuel vapor to the high catalyst concentration for spontaneous ignition of combustion and vaporized fuel for continued combustion throughout the catalyst mass. The catalytic combustion apparatus may include a heat exchanger for fluids such as air, water or personal care foams and creams, or may be used in heating and cooking apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1977
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1979
    Assignee: Comstock & Wescott, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard E. Rice
  • Patent number: 4047876
    Abstract: A flameless catalytic combustion apparatus includes a combustion chamber with a hydrogenous fuel inlet and a mass of catalyst in the chamber between the inlet and an outlet. Preferably the catalyst mass comprises porous pellet bodies supporting varying high and low concentrations of platinum family metals dispersed therein. For spontaneous starting of combustion the fuel is one of the lower alcohols and the high catalyst concentration is at the fuel inlet. The fuel may be in a container pressurized by air, or a lower ether or lower hydrocarbon which is also a fuel. Preferably separate, valved conduits from the fuel container first supply either atomized fuel droplets or air and fuel vapor to the high catalyst concentration for spontaneous ignition of combustion and vaporized fuel for continued combustion throughout the catalyst mass. The catalytic combustion apparatus may include a heat exchanger for fluids such as air, water or personal care foams and creams, or may be used in heating and cooking apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1975
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1977
    Assignee: Comstock & Wescott, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard E. Rice
  • Patent number: 4014287
    Abstract: Bookbinding apparatus for applying glue to the backbone edge of collated book sheets conveyed through a gluing station comprises counter rotating applicator rolls for transporting glue from a rectangular glue pot to the backbone the rolls substantially completely spanning the parallel sidewalls of the glue pot so that glue can not flow between the ends of the rolls and the side walls. Doctor blades extend from the ends of the glue pot to respective rolls so as to confine the adhesive below the rolls. One of the doctor blades is linearly retractable from its roll to an extent limited by a linearly adjustable stop which meters a volume of glue carried to the book in direct linear relation to the adjustment of the doctor blade stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1975
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1977
    Assignee: Comstock & Wescott, Inc.
    Inventor: Harold W. Green
  • Patent number: 3990337
    Abstract: A precision book cutting wheel with insertable cutting bits has sockets slidingly receiving the bits and a clamping block for holding the bit in adjusted position. The sockets are inclined at an angle of 20.degree. to 40.degree. to a cutting plane normal to the axis of the wheel, and each bit has an outer cutting edge formed by a bevel parallel to and adjustable to the cutting plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1975
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1976
    Assignee: Comstock & Wescott, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard H. Barbour, Jr.