Patents by Inventor William H. Constantine

William H. Constantine 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: 5365985
    Abstract: A vapor guard mounted on a gasoline dispenser nozzle includes a collapsible resilient section which provides a limited expansion force enabling the use of a standard gasoline dispenser retainer spring to catch on the vehicle fill pipe flange for hands-free fuel dispensing and straight-pull removal. The expansion force of the collapsible resilient section also is limited to ensure the existence of non-sealing contact between the end of the vapor guard and the fill pipe flange. The vapor guard is sized and positioned on the dispenser to enable the user to see the end of the nozzle as it is inserted into the vehicle fill pipe and aligned with a nozzle port in a restricter plate located in the fill pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1994
    Assignee: Dresser Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Todd, William H. Constantine
  • Patent number: 5332008
    Abstract: A service station dispenser for gasoline with a vapor collection system is disclosed which processes the electrical signal typically produced by the fuel meter which represents the volume flow rate of fuel to the tank to control the displacement volume of an electrically driven vacuum pump so that a simple vacuum intake disposed preferably inside, but not sealed with, the filler neck can be used to collect only the vapors displaced from the fuel tank by the fuel. The vacuum pump is controlled by a digital processor which prestarts the vacuum pump after a customer demands dispensing to establish a vacuum at the vacuum intake is established by the time fueling is allowed to take place so as have an immediate vacuum available to assist recovery of an initial rush of vapor displaced by commencement of fueling. Once fuel flow starts, the digital processor operates the vacuum pump to produce a vapor flow rate having a proportional relationship with the flow rate of the fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1994
    Assignee: Dresser Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Todd, William H. Constantine