Patents by Inventor Craig Hosterman

Craig Hosterman 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: 6434895
    Abstract: A folded building, after having been trailered on its own wheel assemblies to a site, is unfolded at the site by first reorienting 90° the wheel assemblies attached to each of a pair of side walls and removing an attached trailer hitch. The side walls are drawn apart from one another while having supported by the rolling wheel assemblies. As the side walls are drawn apart, pivotally attached front and rear bifold walls unfold. Each of a pair of foldable roofs attached to a respective one of the side walls is unfolded from a location adjacent the interior of the respective side wall. Roof end caps are attached to the top edges of each of the front and rear walls. After raising the wheel assemblies the building is lowered onto the site. To remove the building from the site, the building is folded by reversing the unfolding steps and the trailer hitch is attached. The building may then be trailered to another site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Bendon, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Craig Hosterman, D. L. Bennett
  • Patent number: 5363664
    Abstract: A hydraulic refrigeration system (10) employs as a preferred embodiment a hydrocarbon fluid as a refrigerant in combination with a non-miscible carrier fluid. A plurality of stages (110, 210, 310) of hydraulic refrigeration system (10) may be used by conveying the segregated refrigerant vapor from each stage to the entrainer (240, 340) of the next succeeding stage (210, 310). The liquid refrigerant of the last stage (310) is conveyed to an evaporator (416), which may be remotely located. The outflow of the evaporator (416) is conveyed to the entrainer (140) of the first stage (110). Second and succeeding stages include a non-miscible carrier fluid return line (268) connected to the respective separators (214, 314) for returning the non-miscible carrier fluid to the separator (114) of the first stage (110).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1994
    Assignee: HRB, L.L.C.
    Inventors: George Beakley, Craig Hosterman, Warren Rice
  • Patent number: 5277194
    Abstract: Apparatus worn about the chest of a user monitors the breathing pattern and upon occurrence of an abnormal breathing pattern stimulates the respiratory reflexes to urge resumption of the normal breathing patterns. Alarms may be actuated upon detection of an abnormal breathing pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 11, 1994
    Inventors: Craig Hosterman, Alvin W. Smith
  • Patent number: 5056323
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon fluid serves as the refrigerant fluid in combination with a non-miscible carrier fluid in a hydraulic refrigeration system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1991
    Assignee: Natural Energy Systems
    Inventors: Warren Rice, Craig Hosterman, George C. Beakley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4579001
    Abstract: A conventional rupturable curved disc in a pressure relief valve for high pressure cylinders serves as one plate of a capacitor. A curved segmented disc, alterable in curvature in response to deformation of the adjacently located curved disc, serves as the other plate of the capacitor. The segmented disc accommodates and conforms to the normal expected deformation of the curved disc, which deformation is due to repeated fill cycles of the cylinder, without altering the maximum and minimum capacitance during each cycle. The segmented disc physically bears against a translatable electrically conductive plunger element. The plunger element is electrically connected to an impedance variation sensing circuit, which circuit senses and provides an output signal responsive to a change in the capacitance between the curved and segmented discs during each cycle; such output signal reflects the actual pressure, and hence state of fill, of the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1986
    Inventor: Craig Hosterman
  • Patent number: 4562741
    Abstract: A conventional rupturable curved disc in a pressure relief valve for high pressure cylinders serves as one plate of a capacitor. A curved segmented disc, alterable in curvature in response to deformation of the adjacently located curved disc, serves as the other plate of the capacitor. The segmented disc accommodates and conforms to the normal expected deformation of the curved disc, which deformation is due to repeated fill cycles of the cylinder, without altering the maximum and minimum capacitance during each cycle. The segmented disc physically bears against a translatable electrically conductive plunger element. The plunger element is electrically connected to an impedance variation sensing circuit, which circuit senses and provides an output signal responsive to a change in the capacitance between the curved and segmented discs during each cycle; such output signal reflects the actual pressure, and hence state of fill, of the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1984
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1986
    Inventor: Craig Hosterman
  • Patent number: 4424681
    Abstract: A gaseous refrigerant fluid is entrained within a down pipe of a closed loop liquid carrier flow circuit to compress isothermally the refrigerant fluid in a gaseous state to a near liquid state. A separation chamber at the lower extremity of the down pipe separates the refrigerant from the carrier and the carrier is drawn off. The carrier is conveyed upwardly through a return pipe and by a pump to a further pipe for reintroduction to the down pipe at the upper end thereof. The separated refrigerant fluid is further compressed but without changing its state by a mechanical compresser of small compression ratio and is cooled in a heat exchanger within the carrier return pipe, which cooling converts it to a liquid state. Thereafter, the refrigerant fluid is pumped by a liquid refrigerant pump upwardly through a return pipe and through an expansion valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1984
    Assignee: Natural Energy Systems
    Inventors: Warren Rice, Craig Hosterman
  • Patent number: 4251998
    Abstract: A refrigerant fluid is entrained within a down pipe of a closed loop water flow circuit to compress the refrigerant fluid from a gaseous state to a liquid state. A separation chamber at the lower extremity of the down pipe separates the liquid refrigerant fluid from the water and the water is drawn off. The water flows upwardly through a return pipe and pump, through a pipe for reintroduction to the down pipe at the upper end thereof. The drawn off liquid refrigerant flows upwardly through a return pipe, through a liquid refrigerant pump and through an expansion valve. The refrigerant fluid, converted to a mixture of vapor and liquid, called a "quality mixture of the refrigerant" by the expansion valve, flows through an evaporator to cool a medium, such as air, passing therethrough. The refrigerant fluid, flowing from the evaporator and in a gaseous state, is introduced to the upper end of the down pipe for re-entrainment in the water flowing into the down pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1979
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1981
    Assignee: Natural Energy Systems
    Inventors: Warren Rice, Craig Hosterman
  • Patent number: 4232698
    Abstract: An adjustably positionable element having a curved end plate is located in proximity to the conventional rupturable curved disc in a pressure relief valve for high pressure cylinders. The end plate serves as one plate of a capacitor and the curved disc serves as the other plate. Impedance variation responsive circuitry senses any change in impedance of the capacitor due to a change in flex of the curved disc brought about by a variation in pressure within the cylinder to which the relief valve is attached. The change in impedance is calibrated to provide an indication of the actual pressure within the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1980
    Assignee: Products of Advanced Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Hosterman, William J. Kerwin
  • Patent number: 4157015
    Abstract: A refrigerant fluid is entrained within a down pipe of a closed loop water flow circuit to compress the refrigerant fluid from a gaseous state to a liquid state. A separation chamber at the lower extremity of the down pipe separates the liquid refrigerant fluid from the water and the water is drawn off. The water flows upwardly through a return pipe and pump, through a pipe for reintroduction to the down pipe at the lower end thereof. The drawn off liquid refrigerant flows upwardly through a return pipe and through an expansion valve. The refrigerant fluid, converted to a mixture of vapor and liquid, called a "quality mixture of the refrigerant" by the expansion valve, flows through an evaporator to cool a medium, such as air, passing therethrough. The refrigerant fluid, flowing from the evaporator and in a gaseous state at a higher temperature, is introduced to the upper end of the down pipe for re-entrainment in the water flowing into the down pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1979
    Assignee: Natural Energy Systems
    Inventors: Craig Hosterman, Warren Rice
  • Patent number: 4013860
    Abstract: A hand held sealer compresses and welds tubing intermediate a pair of jaws, which jaws also serve as the plates of a variable capacitor of an Rf resonant circuit. The flow of power intermediate the jaws generating the heat applied to accomplish the weld is a function of the spacing of the jaws, whereby the applied power is regulated to weld but not destructively melt the tubing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1976
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1977
    Assignee: Engineering & Research Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Hosterman, William E. Michel, Dale R. Oldham