Patents Examined by Carroll B. Dority
  • Patent number: 6092738
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle configuration for a fluid-fuel burner includes a main axis, a backflow region, a fuel nozzle and an inflow region disposed along the main axis between the fuel nozzle and the backflow region. A swirl flow of fuel can be generated in the inflow region. The backflow region has an annular gap adjacent the inflow region which narrows in the direction downstream of the inflow region and merges into a backflow conduit. An oil burner for a gas turbine uses the fuel nozzle configuration and a method is provided for regulating the fuel supply of a fluid-fuel burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Bernard Becker
  • Patent number: 6015101
    Abstract: A gas burner system which can be used in a conveyor-type oven has a burner tube (4) extending across the conveyor. Gas is burnt through a slot (8) along the tube to give a ribbon flame. The tube (4) is divided into separate compartments (15-19) which connect with different lengths of the slot (8). Combustible gas is fed under independent control to the different compartments (15-19), and the slot lengths are adjustable. The slot lengths consist of short edge-region slots and multiple, longer central region slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2000
    Assignee: APV UK Ltd.
    Inventors: Mark Williamson, Derek Davies
  • Patent number: 6015287
    Abstract: A liquid hydrocarbon burner includes a single-walled pot; and a catalytic element placed centrally in the single-walled pot and comprised of an assembly of blades which are arranged concentrically around a vertical axis, which have in axial cross-section a mushroom shape, and which blades have respective upper parts and lower parts with respective weights such that the weight of the lower parts is greater than that of the upper parts. A process for preparing a sheet of chromium inox steel which is catalytically active for hydrocarbon combustion so that it is suitable for making blades for a catalytic element of a liquid hydrocarbon burner includes providing a sheet of chromium inox steel having a silicon content which exceeds 0.40%.+-.0.05 so that the chromium inox steel is refractory to the core; and pickling the sheet of chromium inox steel by treatment thereof with an acid effective to pickle chromium inox steel and render at least the surface thereof catalytically active for hydrocarbon combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2000
    Assignee: Thermic Investment
    Inventors: Claude Berlaimont, Raymond Champion
  • Patent number: 6012822
    Abstract: A light flasher for an article of apparel includes one or more lamps that produce light visible from the exterior of the apparel. A switch, which may be of the mechanical or electronic variety, causes a switch closure responsive to motion of the apparel. A circuit, attached to the switch and the light, causes the lights to illuminate in a series of random duration flashes for a predefined time interval in response to the closure of the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Inventor: William J. Robinson
  • Patent number: 6000393
    Abstract: A system of elements capable of transferring thermal energy from outside to inside a building or vice versa, has abutting waterproof trays (a) enclosing tubes (d) at their junction. Correspondingly long slotted profiles (b) enclosing the joints and held captive by them may be rotated to allow the insertion of rigid elements (c) sequentially so that adjacent pairs of profiles (b) are restrained from further rotational movement and provide a planar surface. Rigid elements (c) of sufficient density may provide a flat roof which is self-ballasting against wind uplift without penetrative fixings to the sub-surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Inventor: Barrie Peter Moore
  • Patent number: 6000931
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a gas safety control system for supplying a gas that is forwarded from a gas supply source through an inspection meter to one or more gas appliances. The inspection meter comprises a cutoff valve for cutting off supply of the gas from the gas supply source, a detection unit for detecting such abnormal condition as gas leakage and abnormal flow rate of the gas, a valve control unit for actuating the cutoff valve when the detection unit detects an abnormality and a meter communication unit for outputting cutoff information indicating that the supply of gas is cut off by the cutoff valve. The gas appliance comprises an appliance communication unit for communicating with the meter communication unit and a combustion disabling unit for switching the gas appliance to a combustion disabled state, if it is in a combustion enabled state, when the cutoff information is received through the appliance communication unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Tanabe, Kunihiko Yamashita, Toshihiko Yasui, Shirou Honma
  • Patent number: 5993199
    Abstract: A burner design for use especially with rotary dryers is provided, in which a primary firing tube is provided with an oil body disposed proximate the burner tip portion of the firing tube, the oil body being constructed to divide an airflow into an outer portion flowing through an outer airstream passageway and an inner portion flowing through an inner airstream passageway, and to cause said inner and outer portions to intersect each other proximate the burner tip portion. The oil body is further provided with a slit opening on an inner surface thereof along a boundary of the inner airstream passageway, the slit opening being in fluid communication with a supply of fuel oil, whereby fuel oil can be delivered at low pressure at an inner surface of the oil body, whereupon the inner airstream portion will cause the fuel oil to film along the inner surface of the oil body and to be intersected by the inner and outer airstream portions to atomize the fuel oil at the burner tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Inventor: Charles R. Safarik
  • Patent number: 5992409
    Abstract: A catalytic gas radiant tube heater, and a method for its use. A radiant tube encloses a catalyst tube containing a catalyst on a catalyst support. Air and a gaseous hydrocarbon fuel diffuse into the catalyst support and react on the catalyst surfaces. The reaction heats the catalyst tube, causing the catalyst tube to emit infrared radiation, which heats the radiant tube from within, causing the radiant tube to emit infrared radiation. The infrared radiation emitted by the radiant tube is directed in the desired direction by a reflector. The preferred catalyst is cobalt chromium oxide spinel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Catalytic Systems Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Yehuda Heimlich, Vladmir Meiklyar, Vladimir Rozenshtein
  • Patent number: 5993200
    Abstract: A flame support 20 has a plurality of discrete regions 22 through which fuel/air mixture can pass by means of burner ports 13 which extend through the support to a multiplicity of openings 25 at the flame supporting side 24. The support 20 comprises barriers 21/26 which extend between and separate the discrete regions 22. The barriers serve to prevent the passage of fuel/air mixture from upstream of the support to the downstream side 24 of the support in a region between the discrete regions. In burners provided with such a flame support, the likelihood of resonant combustion noise occurring has been found to be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: British Gas plc.
    Inventor: Roland Vincent Horatio Palmer-Jones
  • Patent number: 5975337
    Abstract: A thermal baby bottle warmer for maintaining a baby bottle at an elevated temperature comprising a thermal baby bottle which has a closed lower end and an open upper end with an exterior side wall therebetween. The baby bottle warmer also has an interior wall that is formed integrally with the thermos bottle and extends downwardly adjacent the upper end of the thermos bottle with insulation material between the side wall and lower end of the thermos bottle. A liner is provided and is adapted to receive a baby bottle and having a closed lower end and an open upper end positioned within the interior wall to define a space for receiving hot water between the lower and side walls of the liner and interior wall with a spring-urged clip adapted to retain the liner within the thermos. Also provided is a threaded lip which extends upwardly from the upper edge of the liner and thermos bottle with interior threads and exterior threads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Inventor: Mary Lynne Hadley
  • Patent number: 5970971
    Abstract: A barbecue device includes a housing and two covers pivotally secured to the side portions of the housing. The covers each includes a leg for enclosing the side portions of the housing when the covers are folded to the folded position, and for elevating the housing when the covers are rotated to the open position. A gas stove may be received in the housing, and a gas bottle may be secured to one of the covers for supplying the gas to the stove. A protective cap is supported on the stove and includes an upwardly curved structure having a number of side facing openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Inventor: Ming Chuan Wu
  • Patent number: 5967140
    Abstract: A nonimaging solar collector. A method and article of manufacture of a solar collector includes an outer housing transparent to light, a reflector element position asymmetrically within the outer housing, an absorber disposed within the outer housing, and a heat conduction fin coupled to the absorber and having a wedge shape which tapers to a smaller thickness as a function of increasing radial separation from the absorber. The heat conductor fin can be positioned at a variety of angular positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Solar Enterprises International, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Roland Winston, Harald Reis
  • Patent number: 5964214
    Abstract: A gas burner assembly for a brooding house has a gas burner which is fabricated from a precision steel stamping process. The gas burner has a venturi tube which extends between an orifice fitting and a burner head. The burner head is manufactured from an upper and a lower burner head. Each upper and lower burner head defines a plurality of burner ports with the ports of the lower burner head being in registry with the ports in the upper burner head to define the ports in the upper burner head to define the ports for the gas burner. The upper and lower burner heads are mechanically connected by a series of tabs and slots formed on the upper and lower burner head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignees: Lincoln Brass Works, Inc., Sibley Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Ferlin, Bryan K. Cofer, Anthony W. Simpson, Gary E. Berry, Nelson G. Mayer
  • Patent number: 5964211
    Abstract: A method and device for cleaning the oven cavity of a pyrolytic self-cleaning oven without using a broil element or burner. The method includes using a bake burner to maintain the temperature of the oven cavity during the first stage of the self-cleaning process at a temperature sufficiently low such that cooking residues are baked onto the oven walls and bottom without producing excessive levels of smoke. During the second stage of the self-cleaning process, the temperature inside the oven cavity is raised to clean away the baked-on residues while still maintaining acceptable levels of smoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: Maytag Corporation
    Inventors: Issac P. Sargunam, Joseph E. Kelley, Richard J. Arntz
  • Patent number: 5961318
    Abstract: The present invention includes a wick holder, whereby the upper portion of the ferrule is "S" crimped, without piercing the ferrule, to reduce the flow of fuel upward through the ferrule. The bottom of the base, on the opposite side of the cylindrical ferrule, is completely sealed off by a hot-melt adhesive, thereby preventing fuel from traveling up the hollow ferrule. By reducing the flow of fuel within the present wick holder, the wick holder restricts the supply of fuel to the candle wick when the flame burns the candle wick down to the top of the wick holder ferrule. By restricting the supply of fuel to the wick, the candle flame, upon burning down to the top of the wick holder, self-extinguishes before allowing the flame to approach the surface of the glass candle holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: The Dial Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory V. Chambers, Mohamed Elsamaloty, Michael C. Cole
  • Patent number: 5961312
    Abstract: A combustion burner comprises: an air supply passage for supplying an air to a heating furnace; a primary fuel nozzle for supplying a primary fuel to the air supply passage; secondary fuel nozzles arranged around the air supply port of the air supply passage; and the secondary fuel nozzles being arranged so that a distance L (mm) from an outer periphery of the air supply port to the outer periphery of the secondary fuel supply port is larger than the diameter Da (mm) of the air supply port. A combustion method comprises: injecting fuel substantially from the primary fuel nozzle when an infurnace temperature of the heating furnace is lower than a fuel ignition temperature; and injecting fuel substantially from the secondary fuel nozzle when an infurnace temperature of the heating furnace is higher than a fuel ignition temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: NKK Corporation
    Inventors: Shunichi Sugiyama, Munehiro Ishioka
  • Patent number: 5957680
    Abstract: The lighter of the present invention provides a resiliently deformable guard that covers a portion of the striking wheel assembly. To operate the lighter, a user exerts sufficient pressure to depress the guard before rotating the striking wheel assembly. Additionally, the lighter of the present invention provides blocking members to engage the deformable guard when the user depresses the valve actuator before exerting pressure to depress the guard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: BIC Corporation
    Inventors: Michel J. M. Doucet, Rene D. Frigiere
  • Patent number: 5957683
    Abstract: There is provided a burner structure used for a portable gas cooking stove, including a mixing tube with an open end from which a mixture gas of a combustible gas and air is discharged, a burner head with a predetermined volume, an open bottom surface, and a top surface with at least one opening, an inner cup having a size that enables the inner cup to be housed in the burner head, and an open bottom surface, and a bottom plate with a through-hole through which the mixing tube can be inserted, covering the open bottom surface of the burner head, wherein the inner cup is installed inside the burner head in such a manner that an inner surface of the inner cup faces the mixing tube, and the mixing tube is installed on the bottom plate so that the open end is positioned higher than a bottom surface of the inner cup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Snow Peak, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Yokoyama, Toshikazu Ikarashi
  • Patent number: RE36373
    Abstract: Process is described for reducing emissions of nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide from fuel gas fired boilers by using a computer to closely control the flow rate of combustion air and by installing a duct to allow flue gas to recirculate into the air intake of the boiler. In most cases strict emission standards can be met without making any other mechanical modifications to the boiler. A computer controller maps burner characteristics and controls both a variable speed drive and the damper on the combustion air fan, and a damper on recirculated flue gas to meet emission requirements over the various firing rates while maintaining a stable flame free of pulsations. In some burners a simple cone structure placed in the burner provides additional flame stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Inventors: Robert P. Benz, William G. Brown, II
  • Patent number: RE36539
    Abstract: A direct vent gas baseboard heater has field installable concentric air intake tube and exhaust pipe. The intake pipe and exhaust tube can be cut separately from the remainder of the heater, improving the efficiency of installation. They can also be transported aligned with the remainder of the heater, reducing packaging size. The manufacturer can provide a single size of tube and pipe for a variety of installation situations. The tube connects to a base cabinet through a key hole configuration of tabs and cuts, and is twisted until the tabs meet stops in the base cabinet. An extrusion in an air box in the base cabinet is brought against a gasket on a flange on the tube, fixing the tube and sealing it with the air box. The exhaust tube has a threaded end and is threaded into an exhaust outlet in the air box, sealing is to a heat exchanger. A vent seal kit creates a seal assembly having a resiliently deformable ring seal extending into a wall sleeve with straps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Hunter Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: John Quick