Patents by Inventor Keith M. Grahl

Keith M. Grahl 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).

  • Patent number: 5649529
    Abstract: A fuel-fired, forced air, draft induced heating furnace is provided with NOx reduction apparatus associated with a plurality of combustor tubes forming a portion of its heat exchanger structure. In-shot type fuel burners are spaced apart from and face the open inlet ends of horizontal combustion sections of the combustor tubes. The NOx reduction apparatus includes a plurality of metal mesh tubes having diameters substantially less than the internal diameters of the combustion tubes. Each metal mesh tube is coaxially anchored to and telescopingly over the outlet end of one of the burners and extends therefrom coaxially into the associated combustion tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1997
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Lin-Tao Lu, Larry R. Mullens, Keith M. Grahl
  • Patent number: 5370529
    Abstract: A fuel-fired, forced air draft induced heating furnace is provided with NO.sub.x reduction apparatus associated with a plurality of combustor tubes forming a portion of its heat exchanger structure. In-shot type fuel burners are spaced apart from and face the open inlet ends of horizontal combustion sections of the combustor tubes. The NO.sub.x reduction apparatus includes a plurality of metal mesh tubes having diameters substantially less than the internal diameters of the combustion tubes. The mesh tubes are coaxially supported within the combustor tubes, adjacent their inlet ends, by elongated support members longitudinally passing through the mesh tubes and having first ends anchored to the combustor tube inlet ends, and second ends slidably resting on internal side surface portions of the combustor tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1994
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Lin-Tao Lu, Larry R. Mullens, Keith M. Grahl
  • Patent number: 5146910
    Abstract: Elongated metal devices are coaxially inserted into, and closely received within, inlet end portions of the heat exchanger combustor tubes of a fuel-fired heating appliance, representatively a forced air heating furnace. The inserted devices function to substantially reduce the NO.sub.x content of the combustion gases ultimately discharged from the furnace by intercepting, dispersing, and thermally quenching the burner flames drawn through the combustor tubes by a draft inducer fan portion of the furnace. Each device is formed by a pair of elongated, generally rectangular slotted metal plate members which are longitudinally overlapped and transversely secured to one another in a manner providing the device with a generally cross-shaped cross section along its length. Elongated slots are formed in the four outer side edges of the device for operational sound reduction purposes. An alternate embodiment of the device is formed by welding together two elongated metal members each having an L-shaped cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Keith M. Grahl, Larry R. Mullens