Patents by Inventor Robert W. Steingass

Robert W. Steingass 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: 6418628
    Abstract: A multipurpose tool for use by firefighters and emergency personnel. The tool including a spanner wrench claw for turning firefighting hose connections, a wrench slot for turning natural gas valves, a glass-breaking spike, an open slot cutter for cutting seat belts and the like, and a foldable handle having an end shaped to be used as a pry bar. The tool may also be a spring-loaded glass breaker with a safety shield and another tool such as a seat belt cutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: Task Force Tips, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert W. Steingass
  • Patent number: 6354320
    Abstract: A firefighting monitor having an acceleration sensitive shut off valve that responds to acceleration of the monitor to reduce water flow through the monitor. The acceleration sensitive shut off valve is self-contained and requires no contact with an external surface or device. The valve closing speed may be modulated by a dampener device that slows the rate at which the valve closes to avoid damage from water hammer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Task Force Tips, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Kolacz, Ross Mack, Stewart McMillan, Robert W. Steingass
  • Patent number: 6305621
    Abstract: A pivoting joint with a ball and socket joined by trunnions for use in fluid conduits, particularly firefighting devices such as portable monitors and the like. The pivoting joint can be used on an inlet of the device to provide a pivoting motion for one or more inlet hoses, and/or on the outlet of the device to direct the discharge in one or more directions. An optional one-way brake can be used to limit unintended movement about one or more axis of motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: Task Force Tips, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Kolacz, Ross Mack, Robert W. Steingass, Brian M. Tylisz
  • Patent number: 6113004
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a portable kit for use in fighting fires, and includes a portable tank forming a reservoir for a liquid additive. A handle extends adjacent an upper side of the tank and is fastened to the tank, the tank and the reservoir being sized to be carried by a person holding said handle. At least one accessory is provided and the tank has at least one storage recess formed in its outer surface, the recess being shaped to receive and store the accessory. A liquid flow passage having an inlet end coupling and an outlet end coupling is also fastened to the tank, and the flow path may be formed through the handle. The inlet end coupling is connectable to a supply of liquid under pressure, and the outlet end coupling and the accessory are shaped to be coupled together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Task Force Tips, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert W. Steingass, Ross J. Mack
  • Patent number: 5848752
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to an improved foam aeration nozzle comprising a peripheral jet nozzle, a spray collector which receives the jet and produces a fully filled spray, and an aeration device which agitates and aerates the spray and produces the foam. In use, the peripheral jet nozzle produces an annular cone-shaped spray or sheet of water. A collector is attached to the nozzle, the collector including a tubular wall in the path of the conical spray. The collector further includes an annular obstruction, and the water, as it moves along the wall surface, strikes the obstruction. At least a portion of the water is deflected toward the axis of the nozzle by the obstruction to produce a fully filled spray. An aeration device downstream of the obstruction is located to be impinged by the fully filled spray and to convert the spray to a foam and to discharge the foam on an intended target at a useful distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Assignee: Task Force Tips, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Kolacz, Robert W. Steingass
  • Patent number: 5312048
    Abstract: A nozzle including a tubular nozzle body forming a centrally located liquid flow path, the body having an inlet end and an outlet end. Mounted centrally in the body within the flow path is a pressure-regulating mechanism including an axially located dual-pressure baffle. The baffle is located at the outlet end and forms a nozzle gap with a throat surface of the body. During operation, a spring biases the baffle to close the gap and the liquid pressure on the baffle operates to open the gap. Adjustably mounted on the baffle is a shield which is movable relative to the baffle between a normal pressure position and a low pressure position. In the normal pressure position, the shield forms a gap size appropriate for a normal supply pressure. In the low pressure position, the shield forms a gap having an increased size appropriate for a supply pressure which is substantially less than the normal supply pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1994
    Assignee: Task Force Tips, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert W. Steingass, Stewart G. McMillan
  • Patent number: 4944460
    Abstract: A multifunction nozzle including a peripheral jet nozzle having a first end adapted to be connected to a liquid supply and a second end from which the jet is ejected. The liquid may be plain water or a mixture of water and a foam concentrate. The peripheral jet nozzle is adjustable between straight stream and fog positions. The multifunction nozzle further comprises a sleeve which is attached to and surrounds the peripheral jet nozzle, the sleeve being movable relative to the jet nozzle in the direction of the nozzle axis and the flow of the liquid. The sleeve is movable between a forwardly extended or foam position and a rearwardly retracted or inoperative position. When the sleeve is in the retracted position it is out of the path of the liquid jet and the nozzle may be used in either the straight stream or fog modes. When the sleeve is moved forwardly to the extended position and the peripheral jet nozzle is placed in the fog mode, the diverging liquid jet strikes the inner surface of the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1990
    Assignee: Task Force Tips, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert W. Steingass
  • Patent number: 4653693
    Abstract: A peripheral jet fire fighting fog nozzle having mounted on the discharge end thereof a stream-shaping sleeve provided with a convex end face adapted to form an open outer cone-like spray pattern and a plurality of circumferentially spaced fog teeth extending axially from the convex end face with axially extending convex lateral surfaces on the teeth adapted to spread the spray pattern laterally and fill in the lateral opening or gaps in the outer spray pattern. Rounded axially extending inner end surfaces provided on the fog teeth together with adjacent lateral surfaces of the fog teeth are adapted to form uniform droplets which are uniformly distributed within the interior of the outer conical spray pattern to form a uniform conical spray pattern which has a wide angle of divergence and is free of circumferential gaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1987
    Assignee: Task Force Tips Incorporated
    Inventor: Robert W. Steingass
  • Patent number: 4589439
    Abstract: A flow-control valve assembly particularly useful in fire fighting apparatus comprising a contoured valve seat mounted axially within a valve body and a balanced tubular valve member reciprocably movable in the valve body coaxially with said valve seat for providing proportional flow control, manual valve actuating means for reciprocably moving the tubular valve member including a disc rotatably mounted in a bore formed in a lateral surface of the valve body on a pivot member on which a handle is pivotally mounted and a pin spaced from the pivotal member extending through the handle and the disc which engages in a circumferential groove formed in the outer surface of the tubular valve member for effecting reciprocable movement of the valve member when the handle is reciprocably moved. The disc can be made of deformable material and provided with means for expanding the disc to impart a braking action on the movement of the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1986
    Assignee: Task Force Tips Incorporated
    Inventor: Robert W. Steingass
  • Patent number: 4485877
    Abstract: A wall penetrating firefighting device, usable separately or as a part of an attack fire hose nozzle assembly, for penetrating the walls of buildings or other types of barriers to extinguish fires hidden by or within the walls or barriers. The device includes an elongated tubular member that is secured to a casing having a bore therethrough and adapted to be connected to a source of fire extinguishing agent under pressure. A discharge port in the distal end of the penetration member discharges a stream of fire extinguishing agent in a direction generally transverse to the axis of the penetration member when a valve in the casing is shifted to its open position. The distal end of the penetration member is conically tapered to facilitate manually forced penetration thereof through a wall or barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1984
    Assignee: Fire Task Force Innovations, Inc.
    Inventors: Stewart G. McMillan, Robert W. Steingass, Clyde H. McMillan
  • Patent number: 4470549
    Abstract: A fire hose nozzle assembly employing separable receiver and nozzle sections which are releasably retained in assembled relation by a removable fastener to permit rapid disassembly and reassembly at the scene of a fire in order to remove accumulated debris and other foreign material from the interior of the nozzle assembly so that normal operation can be rapidly and easily restored. The shiftable valve member and valve seat of a flow control and shut-off valve assembly are respectively mounted in the receiver and nozzle sections of the nozzle assembly. Movement of the valve member toward and away from its seat to vary the characteristics of the flow from the nozzle is achieved by a bail-type control handle that is pivotally mounted on the housing of the receiver section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1982
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1984
    Assignee: Fire Task Force Innovations, Inc.
    Inventors: Clyde H. McMillan, Robert W. Steingass