Patents by Inventor Clayton A. Francis

Clayton A. Francis 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).

  • Apparatus and method for monitoring flares and flare pilots
    Patent number: 9267686
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for monitoring the status of one or more pilot flames or of the main flame in a flare system. A collimator, quartz light tube, or other receiver is positioned near the combustion zone and receives an image which is transmitted via a fiber optic line to an analyzing sensor which is located at a safe distance from the flare system. The fiber optic line preferably extends through a pilot gas line, a flame front generator line, or other protective conduit so that the fiber optic line can be cooled and purged by pilot gas, instrument air, or other cooling gas media which is continuously delivered through the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: ZEECO, INC.
    Inventors: Cody L. Little, Kyle D. Jones, Scot K. Smith, Andrew Beats, Clayton Francis, Erin Lee
  • Apparatus for installing a retractable thermocouple
    Patent number: 9138791
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for installing a retractable thermocouple at the upper end of a flare stack for sensing a flare pilot burner flame. The apparatus comprises: a portable mounting structure; two pair of opposing drive wheels having non-metallic contacting surfaces; a first set of offset straightening rollers having non-metallic contacting surfaces for straightening the thermocouple in a first plane; and a second set of offset straightening rollers having non-metallic contacting surfaces for straightening the retractable thermocouple in a second plane different from the first plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: ZEECO, INC.
    Inventor: Clayton A. Francis
  • Method and apparatus for installing a retractable thermocouple
    Patent number: 8485010
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for installing a retractable thermocouple at the upper end of a flare stack for sensing a flare pilot burner flame. The apparatus comprises: a portable mounting structure; two pair of opposing drive wheels having non-metallic contacting surfaces; a first set of offset straightening rollers having non-metallic contacting surfaces for straightening the thermocouple in a first plane; and a second set of offset straightening rollers having non-metallic contacting surfaces for straightening the retractable thermocouple in a second plane different from the first plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Zeeco, Inc.
    Inventor: Clayton A. Francis