Patents by Inventor Steven H. Kramer

Steven H. Kramer 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).

  • Publication number: 20240065522
    Abstract: A ware rack for holding wares, such as long trays, to be washed includes a wire form unit configured with multiple tray loading stations. At least one tray loading station includes: an upper wire support extending laterally in a first rack direction from one side toward an opposite side of the rack; a first lower wire support extending laterally in the first direction and at a height that is lower than a height of the upper wire support; and a second lower wire support extending laterally in the first direction and at a height that is lower than the height of the upper wire support. At least one of the first lower wire support or the second lower wire support is offset, in a second rack direction from the upper wire support to form a tray receiving region, the second rack direction being perpendicular to the first rack direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventor: Steven H. KRAMER
  • Publication number: 20230309778
    Abstract: A warewash machine includes a housing at least in part defining a treatment chamber having an access opening, a hood mounted for movement between a closed position for washing and an open position for inlet and outlet of wares through the access opening, at least one nozzle for emitting liquid into the treatment chamber, and a rack track positioned within the treatment chamber for having a dish rack rest thereon. A tray support is mounted for movement relative to the rack track between a lowered position and a raised position, in the lowered position the tray support is at or below a rack support plane defined by the rack track, in the raised position at least part of the tray support is located above the rack support plane. The rack track may be a wire or rod form frame configuration with the tray support mounted thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventor: Steven H. KRAMER
  • Patent number: 10123676
    Abstract: A conveyor warewasher includes at least one spray zone with multiple nozzles for spraying liquid onto wares passing therethrough, the spray zone including a tank for collecting sprayed liquid. The tank includes a drain outlet at the bottom of the tank for draining of the tank and a drain stop movable between a drain outlet closed position and a drain outlet open position. A drain control assembly includes a drain actuator operatively connected to cause movement of the drain stop between the drain outlet closed position and the drain outlet open position, and the drain actuator is moved by a powered device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventor: Steven H. Kramer
  • Patent number: 9962059
    Abstract: A warewasher includes a liquid recirculation system for spraying wares with wash liquid from a collecting tank. The warewasher includes a filter arrangement for capturing food debris in a wash spray before the wash spray reaches the wares being cleaned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventor: Steven H. Kramer
  • Patent number: 9943210
    Abstract: A warewasher includes a scrap reducing arrangement located within a wash zone for capturing scrap debris falling downward toward a tank. The scrap reducing arrangement is configured to automatically deliver captured scrap debris away from the tank when liquid spraying within the wash zone ceases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Steven H. Kramer, Nicholas T. Weiss, Gary A. Gerber
  • Publication number: 20160100737
    Abstract: A conveyor warewasher includes at least one spray zone with multiple nozzles for spraying liquid onto wares passing therethrough, the spray zone including a tank for collecting sprayed liquid. The tank includes a drain outlet at the bottom of the tank for draining of the tank and a drain stop movable between a drain outlet closed position and a drain outlet open position. A drain control assembly includes a drain actuator operatively connected to cause movement of the drain stop between the drain outlet closed position and the drain outlet open position, and the drain actuator is moved by a powered device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Inventor: Steven H. KRAMER
  • Publication number: 20150327748
    Abstract: A warewasher includes a scrap reducing arrangement located within a wash zone for capturing scrap debris falling downward toward a tank. The scrap reducing arrangement is configured to automatically deliver captured scrap debris away from the tank when liquid spraying within the wash zone ceases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: Steven H. Kramer, Nicholas T. Weiss, Gary A. Gerber
  • Publication number: 20150320287
    Abstract: A warewasher includes a liquid recirculation system for spraying wares with wash liquid from a collecting tank. The warewasher includes a filter arrangement for capturing food debris in a wash spray before the wash spray reaches the wares being cleaned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Inventor: Steven H. Kramer
  • Patent number: 8252121
    Abstract: A warewasher for washing wares includes a chamber for receiving wares. The chamber has an associated liquid delivery system for spraying liquid onto wares within the chamber. A tank collects the sprayed liquid. A liquid recirculation system moves liquid from the tank back to the liquid delivery system. A drain system is located within the tank. The drain system includes a well, a liquid recirculation system inlet within the well and a drain opening within the well. A drain control assembly includes a drain stopper member and a strainer connected with the drain stopper member. When the drain stopper member is positioned to block flow through the drain opening, the strainer is positioned to block passage of tableware into the well. The strainer is mounted for sliding movement along a length of the drain stopper member enabling, when the drain stopper member is raised slightly to permit flow out of the drain opening, the strainer to remain in position to block passage of tableware into the well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Brian A. Brunswick, David Fischer, Thomas A. Grueser, Steven H. Kramer, Michael T. Watson
  • Patent number: 8226778
    Abstract: A warewash machine includes a housing defining at least one area for spraying liquid on wares. A conveyance mechanism is provided for moving wares through the housing from an input end to an output end of the housing. A drive system drives the conveyance mechanism. The drive system includes a drive motor (200) having an output shaft and a slip clutch assembly (202) connected between the output shaft and the conveyance mechanism. The slip clutch assembly (202) includes a torque input side, a torque output side, and an adjustment member (250) positionable in either a first orientation that sets a first pre-i selected slip clutch torque limit or a second configuration that sets a second pre-selected slip clutch torque limit that is different than the first pre-selected slip clutch torque limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventor: Steven H. Kramer
  • Patent number: 8215323
    Abstract: A conveyor-type warewash machine includes a housing through which racks of wares are passed along a conveyance path for cleaning. A rack drive system includes a rack engaging structure that moves back and forth in first and second directions. When moving in the first direction, the rack engaging structure moves an adjacent rack forward along the conveyance path. When moving in the second direction, the rack engaging structure leaves the adjacent rack substantially stationary. The drive system is configured to move the rack engaging structure in the first direction at a first average speed and to move the rack engaging structure in the second direction at a second average speed. The second average speed is faster than the first average speed so that the adjacent rack spends more time moving forward than being stationary. A seal assembly may be provided about a drive shaft of the drive system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Steven H. Kramer, Brian A. Brunswick, Gary A. Gerber
  • Publication number: 20100059086
    Abstract: A warewasher for washing wares includes a chamber for receiving wares. The chamber has an associated liquid delivery system for spraying liquid onto wares within the chamber. A tank collects the sprayed liquid. A liquid recirculation system moves liquid from the tank back to the liquid delivery system. A drain system is located within the tank. The drain system includes a well, a liquid recirculation system inlet within the well and a drain opening within the well. A drain control assembly includes a drain stopper member and a strainer connected with the drain stopper member. When the drain stopper member is positioned to block flow through the drain opening, the strainer is positioned to block passage of tableware into the well. The strainer is mounted for sliding movement along a length of the drain stopper member enabling, when the drain stopper member is raised slightly to permit flow out of the drain opening, the strainer to remain in position to block passage of tableware into the well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Brian A. Brunswick, David Fischer, Thomas A. Grueser, Steven H. Kramer, Michael T. Watson
  • Publication number: 20100024850
    Abstract: A warewash machine includes a housing defining at least one area for spraying liquid on wares. A conveyance mechanism is provided for moving wares through the housing from an input end to an output end of the housing. A drive system drives the conveyance mechanism. The drive system includes a drive motor (200) having an output shaft and a slip clutch assembly (202) connected between the output shaft and the conveyance mechanism. The slip clutch assembly (202) includes a torque input side, a torque output side, and an adjustment member (250) positionable in either a first orientation that sets a first pre-i selected slip clutch torque limit or a second configuration that sets a second pre-selected slip clutch torque limit that is different than the first pre-selected slip clutch torque limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Applicant: PREMARK FEG L.L.C.
    Inventor: Steven H. Kramer
  • Publication number: 20100000582
    Abstract: A conveyor-type warewash machine includes a housing through which racks of wares are passed along a conveyance path for cleaning. A rack drive system includes a rack engaging structure that moves back and forth in first and second directions. When moving in the first direction, the rack engaging structure moves an adjacent rack forward along the conveyance path. When moving in the second direction, the rack engaging structure leaves the adjacent rack substantially stationary. The drive system is configured to move the rack engaging structure in the first direction at a first average speed and to move the rack engaging structure in the second direction at a second average speed. The second average speed is faster than the first average speed so that the adjacent rack spends more time moving forward than being stationary. A seal assembly may be provided about a drive shaft of the drive system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2007
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Applicant: PREMARK FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Steven H. Kramer, Brian A. Brunswick, Gary A. Gerber
  • Publication number: 20080210277
    Abstract: A warewasher for washing wares including a housing defining an internal space with at least one spray zone for washing wares. The housing includes an opening defined in part by a lower shelf. A liquid delivery system provides a spray of liquid within the spray zone. An access door has a vertically hinged connection to the housing to provide an open configuration that allows user access to the spray zone and a closed configuration that inhibits user access to the spray zone. The access door includes a threshold seal member at the bottom of the access door. The threshold seal member includes a lower sealing portion that mates with an upper surface of the shelf to provide a lower seal extending laterally along a width of the access door, and an inner sealing portion that cooperates with an inner edge the shelf to provide an inner seal extending laterally along the width of the access door. The inner seal located nearer the spray zone than the lower seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Inventor: Steven H. Kramer
  • Patent number: 4077727
    Abstract: New ball point pen ink compositions are utilized to enhance the performance and very substantially extend the service life of ball pen ink cartridges by preventing the formation of an ink flow-blocking mass at the entrance to the brass or bronze nib or a mass which prevents the movement of the follower plug in a copper alloy cartridge. This is accomplished by dispersing in the ink proper one or more additives effective to prevent oxygen and moisture, which enter the cartridge and pass into the ink, from reacting with the metal constituents of the cartridge assembly to form metallic ions which react with ingredients of the ink proper in the formation of a flow-blocking mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1975
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1978
    Assignee: Gordon S. Lacy
    Inventors: Steven H. Kramer, Glenn F. Roquemore, James J. Joyce
  • Patent number: 4077807
    Abstract: New ball point pen ink compositions are utilized to enhance the performance and very substantially extend the service life of ball pen ink cartridges by preventing the formation of an ink flow-blocking mass at the entrance to the brass or bronze nib or a mass which prevents the movement of the follower plug in a copper alloy cartridge. This is accomplished by dispersing in the ink an antioxidant compound and/or a corrosion inhibitor compound effective to prevent oxygen and moisture, which enter the cartridge and pass into the ink, from reacting with the ball point ink and the metal constituents of the cartridge assembly to form metallic ions which react with ingredients of the ink proper to form a flow-blocking crystal mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1976
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1978
    Assignee: Gordon S. Lacy
    Inventors: Steven H. Kramer, Glenn F. Roquemore, James J. Joyce