Patents by Inventor Charles E. Funk

Charles E. Funk 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: 4460540
    Abstract: A burnable poison rod for use in a nuclear reactor fuel assembly which includes concentrically disposed rods having an annular space therebetween which extends the full length of the rods. The inner rod is hollow to permit circulation of coolant therethrough. Annular burnable poison pellets are positioned in the annular space which is closed at both ends by plugs. A spring clip is located in the plenum space above the pellet stack in the rods. The spring clip is of cylindrical configuration having a gap in the material which provides two ends adapted to be squeezed toward each other. A cross section of the clip shows that its ends contain alternating flat and round edges, the round edges conforming to the outer rod inner surface to provide a retentive force which is releasably applied to the pellet stack as it grows during operation in a reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1981
    Date of Patent: July 17, 1984
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Charles E. Funk, Andrew S. Oneufer
  • Patent number: 4251018
    Abstract: A curved section is provided for connecting in a conduit through which passes a fluid stream having solid material entrained therein. A plurality of wear strips are attached to the inside wall of the curved section. They are positioned for the solid material to impinge thereon as the fluid stream changes its direction of flow as it passes through the curved section. The wear strips are elongated members of wear resistant material positioned side-by-side along the inside wall against which the solid material impinges. The abutting sides of adjacent wear strips are beveled so that the outer edges of one adjacent strip extends over the inner edge of the other adjacent strip to provide a continuous surface of wear resistant material in the path of the entrained solid material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1979
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1981
    Assignee: Met-L-Parts, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles E. Funk