Patents by Inventor Paul M. Beldham

Paul M. Beldham 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: 7017621
    Abstract: A modular container filling apparatus includes a simple pilot valve which can be operated by a push button, a bottle-engaging yoke, or a manual valve at the distal end of a bucket filling hose. The modular construction of the apparatus allows a plurality of units to be mounted side by side on a modular water manifold by bayonet-type sealing connections. An anti-foam venturi and spout mixes chemicals with the water and minimizes foaming when filling a bottle. A plurality of chemicals can be selected by a rotational selector without intermixing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Knight, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul M. Beldham, Donald W. Smeller, Christopher W. Nesselroad
  • Patent number: 6883560
    Abstract: A modular container filling apparatus includes a simple pilot valve which can be operated by a push button, a bottle-engaging yoke, or a manual valve at the distal end of a bucket filling hose. The modular construction of the apparatus allows a plurality of units to be mounted side by side on a modular water manifold by bayonet-type sealing connections. An anti-foam venturi and spout mixes chemicals with the water and minimizes foaming when filling a bottle. A plurality of chemicals can be selected by a rotational selector without intermixing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Knight, LLC
    Inventors: Paul M. Beldham, Donald W. Smeller, Christopher W. Nesselroad
  • Publication number: 20030192618
    Abstract: A modular container filling apparatus includes a simple pilot valve which can be operated by a push button, a bottle-engaging yoke, or a manual valve at the distal end of a bucket filling hose. The modular construction of the apparatus allows a plurality of units to be mounted side by side on a modular water manifold by bayonet-type sealing connections. An anti-foam venturi and spout mixes chemicals with the water and minimizes foaming when filling a bottle. A plurality of chemicals can be selected by a rotational selector without intermixing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2003
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Applicant: Knight, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul M. Beldham, Donald W. Smeller, Christopher W. Nesselroad
  • Patent number: 6532998
    Abstract: A modular container filling apparatus includes a simple pilot valve which can be operated by a push button, a bottle-engaging yoke, or a manual valve at the distal end of a bucket filling hose. The modular construction of the apparatus allows a plurality of units to be mounted side by side on a modular water manifold by bayonet-type sealing connections. An anti-foam venturi and spout mixes chemicals with the water and minimizes foaming when filling a bottle. A plurality of chemicals can be selected by a rotational selector without intermixing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Knight, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul M. Beldham, Donald W. Smeller, Christopher W. Nesselroad
  • Publication number: 20020040737
    Abstract: A modular container filling apparatus includes a simple pilot valve which can be operated by a push button, a bottle-engaging yoke, or a manual valve at the distal end of a bucket filling hose. The modular construction of the apparatus allows a plurality of units to be mounted side by side on a modular water manifold by bayonet-type sealing connections. An anti-foam venturi and spout mixes chemicals with the water and minimizes foaming when filling a bottle. A plurality of chemicals can be selected by a rotational selector without intermixing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Publication date: April 11, 2002
    Inventors: Paul M. Beldham, Donald W. Smeller, Christopher W. Nesselroad
  • Patent number: 6240983
    Abstract: Foaming and lateral water leakage during the filling of a container with a foam-prone water/chemical mixture is minimized by using, at the inlet of the venturi nozzle which draws the chemical into the water, a water authority-approved resilient-sleeve air gap which furnishes air-free water to the venturi while providing a siphon-breaking air gap if water is not flowing into the venturi.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Knight, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul M. Beldham, Donald W. Smeller, Christopher W. Nesselroad
  • Patent number: 6016671
    Abstract: A safety circuit for washing machines prevents an accidental simultaneous feed of bleach and sour due to a malfunction of the machine's controller, by interposing a normally open contact and a normally closed contact of a relay, respectively, in the sour pump power line and the bleach pump power line. The coil of the relay is powered by the controller's power output for the pump in whose power circuit the normally open contact is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Inventor: Paul M. Beldham
  • Patent number: 5673725
    Abstract: An air gap, venturi-type mixer for mixing a liquid chemical with water includes a readily field-exchangeable collimator, water seal and venturi unit to accommodate different flow rates. The venturi unit includes a funnel with slightly inclined walls that direct a misaligned collimated water stream into the vena contracta of the venturi without reducing its speed or entraining any air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1997
    Assignee: Knight Equipment International, Inc.
    Inventors: William Knight Russell, Paul M. Beldham, Jeffrey J. Lukawski, Christopher W. Nesselroad
  • Patent number: 5390385
    Abstract: A system is provided for managing washing machines, and controlling laundry chemical dispensers. The system enables a user to choose controls, such as: automatically select, change, increment and monitor formulations used in a specific washing machine, or in a group of machines; flush out chemicals to the washing machine in conjunction with a low level indicator; select a specific washing machine out of a group of machines for a different operation; a power reset following a spike detection, power surge or a brownout; readings for: hot and cold water consumption, drain output, and steam output; the use of a plurality of machines to perform a series of washings using a sequence of chemicals; and, print-out times, and dates associated with the operation of each machine in a series of machines. The control system is regulated by an input keyboard, and specific operations may be recorded by a printout, viewed on a screen, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Knight Equipment International
    Inventor: Paul M. Beldham
  • Patent number: 5059954
    Abstract: A sensing system for detecting a low level of liquid in a container employs an open-ended probe which is partially submerged in the liquid. The probe contains a pressurized compressible fluid, typically air, the pressure of which is related to the level of the liquid in the container, being a function of the static head of the liquid. A pressure switch fluidly connected to the probe is actuated when the pressure in the probe falls below a predetermined level. The pressure switch activates an air pump, which pumps compressed air into the probe to try and restore the predetermined pressure level, and the switch simultaneously actuates a time delay unit, which in turn initiates a time delay period. If pressure in the probe is restored to the predetermined level prior to the expiration of the time delay period, the time delay unit is reset and the air pump is shut off, since restoration of the pressure indicates that the liquid level is not really low, the low pressure condition is caused by a leak or absorption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1991
    Assignee: Knight Equipment Corp.
    Inventors: Paul M. Beldham, Erik W. Jones, Larry G. Bremer
  • Patent number: 4981024
    Abstract: A system for injecting a laundry chemical into a washing machine includes means for injecting a chemical into a washing machine and coin-operated means for actuating it. One embodiment includes interconnected first, second, and third components configured for use with a source of a laundry chemical, a source of water, and a washing machine of the type having a washing machine cycle, a start switch for starting the washing machine cycle, and a known water flow pattern that occurs after the washing machine cycle has started. The first component produces a first signal indicative of the washing machine cycle having started, the second component produces a second signal indicative of a flow of water from the separate water source into the washing machine, and the third component responds to the first and second signals to identify an occurrence of the known water flow pattern after the washing machine cycle has started and control the injection of a chemical into the washing machine accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1991
    Assignee: Belco Equipment, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul M. Beldham