Patents Examined by Carroll B. Dority
  • Patent number: 5807095
    Abstract: A flare tank (10) comprises a container (12) having a fluid inlet (14), a fluid outlet (16) and a fluid flow path between the inlet (14) and the outlet (16). A baffle plate (20) is provided in the container (12) between the inlet (14) and the outlet (16). The baffle plate (20) extends transversely relative to the flow path for forming at least a partial barrier to fluid flow in the flow path. A gas outlet, e.g., a chimney stack (18), is located on the container (12) for the discharge of gas separated from the fluid. A burner (46) is provided for the combustion of combustible gas passing through the outlet (18). A holding tank (201) may be provided for holding the fluid following passage through the flare tank (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Altex Oilfield Equipment Ltd.
    Inventors: Richard Brian Gustafson, Evert Todd Gustafson, Alfred James Gustafson
  • Patent number: 5807096
    Abstract: The present invention provides a decorative candle assembly in which a sensor for sensing the burning of the candle is detachably attached to a circuit board, a cylindrical body of a candle support means is provided with a guide member having a vertical hole with a mouth of bugle or funnel shape, and a guttered wax catching unit is provided at the top of the support means, wherein it is possible to replace the damaged sensor and the burnt candle for prolonged reproduction of music and use of the assembly itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Inventors: Haeng Chul Shin, Kang Jung Park
  • Patent number: 5803571
    Abstract: The I-snoot includes a circular casing having side walls extending forwardly from the front wall. A hand grip is adjustably secured to a flat plate iris diaphragm inside the casing allowing a full range of light to pass through the light control blade diaphragm. The I-snoot assembly has a second casing located on the opposite end of the circular casing, having side walls extending forwardly from the back wall. The back wall casing has a metal lip that protrudes outwardly from the assembly which allows attachment to standard lighting units. A transition zone interconnecting the light control blades is located inside each outer casing. The assembly also contains a lighting accessory adaptor on the front wall casing to use various photographic accessories, such as barn doors, gels, and various screens to control lighting intensities and variations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Inventors: Rick McEntyre, Jerry R. London
  • Patent number: 5803572
    Abstract: A remote control has a housing having at least one control disposed thereon and a magnifier disposed proximate said housing, preferably at the forward end thereof. The magnifier enhances a user's ability to read printed matter such as program listings and the like. The magnifier may either be integrally formed with the housing or removably attachable thereto. A first illuminator is disposed proximate the housing and is configured so as to enhance viewing of the controls thereof. The first illuminator may either be integrally formed with the housing or removably attachable thereto. A second illuminator is disposed proximate the housing and is configured so as to enhance viewing of printed matter. The second illuminator may likewise be integrally formed with the housing or removably attachable thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Inventor: Carla Raye Brada
  • Patent number: 5803725
    Abstract: A surface burner which combusts a gas and oxygen mixture uses a tri-laminar delivery of the oxygen and fuel gas to the burner face with individual control over the flow of each gas. The structure of the laminar flow at the burner face includes an oxygen jet at the center, a surrounding fuel gas jet, and a third jet means for the delivery of an oxygen flow which surrounds the flow of the other gases. Each of the three flows is individually adjustable so that the most efficient combination of combustion gases is selected to achieve the desired resultant flame characteristics. The body of the burner is cooled by a circumferential oxygen delivery chamber which is bounded by the inside surface of the outer wall of the burner body. The internal structure of the burner includes separate gas delivery chambers constructed by using stacked chamber-separated plates spaced apart and positioned within the cylindrical burner body. Individual tubing carries the gases between the individual chambers and the burner face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Inventors: Wallace E. Horn, William A. Horn
  • Patent number: 5800155
    Abstract: A flame torch includes a casing in which a reservoir and a starter are respectively disposed, a button member disposed to the casing and receiving the starter therein, the button member having a first shoulder and a second shoulder recessedly defined therein, an extension portion connected to the starter and the reservoir respectively, an L-shaped plate disposed in the casing and having a first end thereof connected to a valve of the reservoir, a second end thereof having an extending plate, a switch slidably disposed to the casing and connected to the L-shaped plate such that when the switch together with the L-shaped plate are shifted to an open position, the extending plate is shifted accordingly and can be pushed downwardly by the second shoulder when pushing the button member downwardly so as to rotate the L-shaped plate to let the first end of the L-shaped plate to pull the valve to release the gas in the reservoir into the extension portion to be ignited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Inventor: Tsuneo Miyanaga
  • Patent number: 5800156
    Abstract: Disclosed is a radiant burner with a burner chamber and a gas-permeable burner plate made of ceramic or metal, especially for cooking areas or individual cooking locations, the heating surface of which is composed of glass ceramic, the gas-permeable burner plate having regions of different gas permeability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: Schott-Glaswerke
    Inventors: Michael Kahlke, Kenneth M. Kratsch
  • Patent number: 5800048
    Abstract: A lighting fixture for control of a concentrated high intensity light beam to a relatively distant target location. A reflector end high intensity light source are enclosed within a housing. The light source is moveable with respect to the reflector. The reflector has first and second portions which are moveable with respect to each other. The movement between portions of the reflector and the movement of the light source relative to the reflector allow a variety of different beam configurations and orientations from the fixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: Musco Corporation
    Inventor: Myron K. Gordin
  • Patent number: 5800157
    Abstract: The gas burner according to the invention has a burner chamber housing, a mixing pipe connected to the burner chamber housing for supplying a gas/air mixture, a burner plate made of fibrous material and attached to the burner chamber housing at edge regions of the burner plate, a blower for supplying air to make the gas/air mixture, and advantageously an ignition device, a safety device and a temperature monitoring device. A central region of the burner plate is advantageously directly or indirectly connected to a corresponding central region of the burner chamber housing to suppress burner plate vibration during start-up of burner operation to prevent sound generation during the start-up and minimize the pressure drop in the burner chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: Schott Glaswerke
    Inventors: Reiner Ulrich Hasse, Michael Kahlke
  • Patent number: 5800154
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a gas-heatable appliance for personal use as, for example, a curling iron, a curling brush, a hair dryer, an epilating appliance, a domestic appliance, or the like, including a fuel gas reservoir, a combustion chamber, and a valve assembly disposed between the fuel gas reservoir and the combustion chamber for controlling and/or regulating the amount of fuel gas supplied, in particular in dependence upon temperature. There are further provided a valve housing (4) with a gas passageway (5, 15, 16) and a sealing element (6) associated with the gas passageway (5, 15, 16), as well as an actuator (7) for actuating the sealing element (6). The element is configured as a control member actuatable by a user and/or as a temperature-responsive actuator (7). In this arrangement, the sealing element (6) is actuated directly by the actuator (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: Braun Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Friedrich Henninger, Dieter Liebenthal, Michael Stolper, Anne Tregoning Miller
  • Patent number: 5799647
    Abstract: A window unit for an oven door having a pair of rectangular window panels held in spaced parallel relation by a frame. The frame is an endless rectangular member. The sides and ends of the frame are generally U-shaped in cross-section having spacer flanges engaging the inner faces of the panels to hold the panels spaced apart. Retainer flanges extend laterally outwardly from the spacer flanges over the edges of the panels. Clips are provided to clamp the panels to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: Mills Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Bob D. Mills
  • Patent number: 5800035
    Abstract: A wheel lighting apparatus is provided for use on a vehicle wheel rotatably mounted on a vehicle body. The wheel lighting apparatus includes a chamber mounted to the wheel with a portion of the chamber formed from material which contains the transmission of light therethrough. A light source is positioned in the chamber. A light transmitting member is provided for transmitting light from the light source to outside the chamber. The light transmitting member has a light receiving surface forming a portion of the chamber and is exposed to light from the light source. The light transmitting member also has a light conducting portion and a light emitting surface. The light received by the light receiving surface travels through the light conducting portion to the light emitting surface where the light is emitted in a predetermined pattern adjacent the wheel. An electrical connector device is provided to connect a power source mounted on the vehicle body to the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Inventor: William E. Aichele
  • Patent number: 5797386
    Abstract: A portable cooking device is disclosed that includes a main housing having an open top and an insulation layer attached to the inner surface of the main housing, a burner housing having an insulation layer attached to the outer surface of the main housing, and wherein the burner housing is disposed within the burner housing to define an air passage between the main housing and the burner housing. The base of the burner housing includes a plurality of apertures. The main housing includes a plurality of apertures near its upper edge. Air flows through the apertures of the main housing down through the air passage and into the apertures at the base of the burner housing. A cooking grate is disposed on top of the burner housing. The cooking grate and the burner housing include mounting features that provide two additional distinct cooking heights. The cooking grate includes a cooking surface offset from its mounting ring which permits the grate to be turned upside down and achieve two distinct cooking heights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1998
    Inventor: Max Stroble Orr
  • Patent number: 5797670
    Abstract: A portable power tool light for mounting to a portable power tool and method of using the portable power tool light are provided and preferably include a belt shaped to detachably mount to and surround a distal portion of a portable power tool. A portable power tool preferably has a power tool main body and a handle connected to and extending outwardly from the main body. The belt includes a fastener for securely fastening the belt to the outer surface of a distal portion of a portable power tool. Flexible lighting means preferably is connected to the belt and extends outwardly therefrom toward a distal portion of a power tool for flexibly positioning a light source to direct radiation from the light source toward an object for using the power tool thereon to thereby illuminate the object for increasing visibility of the object to the user of the power tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1998
    Assignee: American Industrial Design Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Phillip Jack Snoke, Michael John Mark, Javier Verdura, Kevin A. Nagatani
  • Patent number: 5797737
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a catalytic combustion system comprising a casing (1) having an inlet (2) for an oxidizer such as air, several fuel injection means (3, 5; 7) intended for a multistage fuel injection, and at least a first monolithic element (4) that may be covered with a combustion catalyst and situated downstream from a first fuel injection means (3) in relation to the direction of progress of an air-fuel mixture in the system, said first injection means performing a partial fuel injection, and comprising at least a second monolithic element (6) situated downstream from a second injection means (5), said second monolithic element (6) being intended to stabilize the combustion. The second monolithic element (6) can be covered with a combustion catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1998
    Assignee: Institute Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Jean-Herve Le Gal, Gerard Martin, Patrick Euzen
  • Patent number: 5795145
    Abstract: A radiant gas heater includes a first ceramic plaque burner and an adjacent and larger second plaque burner. A valve spindle is movable to establish in series "Low," "Medium" and "High" heat positions by first supplying gas in the vicinity of the first burner, then supplying gas in the vicinity of the second burner while momentarily maintaining the flow of gas to the first burner, next discontinuing the flow of gas to the first burner and finally by reestablishing the flow of gas to the first burner while maintaining the flow of gas to the second burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignee: DESA International
    Inventors: John S. Manning, Christopher P. Hollis, James L. Jacobs, Ralph E. Pratt
  • Patent number: 5795144
    Abstract: A fuel fired burner 1 is for use in a solid fuel effect fire such as a coal effect fire 40. The burner 1 has ports 3 for supporting a decorative effect flame. Each port 3 is connected to an electrically driven arrangement 2. When the burner is in use the arrangement 2 operates so as to vary automatically and continually the aeration of the fuel/air mixture which exits from the burner ports 3. The resulting flames supported by the burner ports are thus of continually changing visual appearance and provide a realistic decorative live flame effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignee: British Gas plc
    Inventor: Ming-Biu Tung
  • Patent number: 5791892
    Abstract: In a premix burner for the combustion of gaseous and/or liquid fuel, in which the fuel is injected as secondary flow into a gaseous, ducted main flow, the premix duct (20) through which flow occurs being annular and being defined by an inner (21a) and an outer cylinder wall (21b), and the main flow being guided via vortex generators (9, 9a) which generate longitudinal vortices without a recirculation area and of which a plurality are arranged next to one another over the periphery of the annular duct (20) on at least one duct wall (21), and means for injecting fuel being arranged directly downstream of the vortex generators (9, 9a) on the inner and/or outer duct wall (21a, 21b), the vortex generators (9, 9a) generate such vortices which leave behind a residual vortex after the complete mixing of the fuel with the air of the fuel/air mixture flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Klaus Dobbeling, Adnan Eroglu, Peter Senior
  • Patent number: 5791760
    Abstract: A front running light assembly that is to be mounted to a front fender of a motorcycle, and including a housing having an open bottom portion leading to a cavity and a top portion having an opening. A translucent lens is positioned within the cavity and at least partially covers the opening. The lens is directly secured to the housing such that the lens maintains engagement with the housing when the housing is detached from a motorcycle front fender. The assembly further includes a base and a bulb mount for supporting a light bulb and secured to the base. The base is integrally formed with the lens, such as by molded the two parts from plastic. A resilient pad contacts the bottom portion of the housing and includes a wire opening for allowing electrical wires to pass through the pad and a bulb access opening for providing access to a light bulb supported by the bulb mount. Preferably, the pad is adhesively secured to the bottom portion of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: Harley-Davidson Motor Company
    Inventors: Brian M. Scherbarth, John E. Stelling, Russell L. White
  • Patent number: 5791336
    Abstract: Apparatus for mounting a cooking panel to a top surface without a visible circumferential frame or visible sealants/adhesives is disclosed. An assembly of a cooking panel and a burner box may be suspended in a recess formed in a top with a support member having a roll-form with an inverted L-shaped cross-section. The invention further includes a method for mounting a ceramic cooking panel within a recess formed in a countertop by suspending the assembly of the cooking panel and a burner box through the cooktop by the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: Maytag Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel A. Helm