Patents by Inventor Ethan Hofer

Ethan Hofer 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: 11484009
    Abstract: A water nipple controlled by the animal has a valve seat inside a housing. The valve member has an elongate valve shaft providing a forward end at the circular discharge mouth for operation by the animal. A resilient body on the valve member defines a convoluted or serpentine water flow path for flow of water along the flow path through the housing with the flow path defining a rate of flow of the water. A resilient ring is mounted on the valve shaft spaced the valve seat and the forward end with an outside edge of the resilient ring adjacent to and spaced from the inside surface of the housing so as to define an annular channel therebetween through which the water passes so that the resilient ring restricts direct flow of water from the valve seat to the discharge mouth to prevent excess squirting of the water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Inventors: Tom McAdams, Ethan Hofer, Lucien Dnestrianschii
  • Publication number: 20210000073
    Abstract: A water nipple controlled by the animal has a valve seat inside a housing. The valve member has an elongate valve shaft providing a forward end at the circular discharge mouth for operation by the animal. A resilient body on the valve member defines a convoluted or serpentine water flow path for flow of water along the flow path through the housing with the flow path defining a rate of flow of the water. A resilient ring is mounted on the valve shaft spaced the valve seat and the forward end with an outside edge of the resilient ring adjacent to and spaced from the inside surface of the housing so as to define an annular channel therebetween through which the water passes so that the resilient ring restricts direct flow of water from the valve seat to the discharge mouth to prevent excess squirting of the water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Tom McAdams, Ethan Hofer, Lucien Dnestrianschii
  • Patent number: 10729283
    Abstract: A cooking grill includes a container defining a combustion area and a cooking surface over the combustion area. The grill features a pellet burner unit disposed within the container under the cooking surface and a pellet feeding device arranged to feed pellets into the burner unit. The burner unit comprises a trough into which the pellets are fed. The trough is mounted in a movable support which can be pulled out from within the container. The feeding device includes a removable cartridge for containing pellets and a receptacle for receiving the cartridge inserted thereon so that the cartridge supplies pellets for transfer to the pellet burner unit. In addition, a gas burner system is arranged in the container adjacent to the pellet burner unit so as to apply heat from the gas burner system to the cooking surface in addition to or as an alternative to the pellet burner unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Crystal Spring Colony Farms Ltd.
    Inventors: Tom McAdams, Ethan Hofer, Lucien Dnestrianschii
  • Patent number: 10602716
    Abstract: An animal feeding apparatus includes a duct through which feed falls under gravity. A drive wheel is mounted in the duct and includes a plurality of paddle blades such that falling feed in the duct acts to drive the blades to rotate the wheel about the axis. A syringe is laid in a support channel where a plunger of the syringe is compressed longitudinally for feeding a liquid to an injection nozzle into the duct by a screw driven by the wheel. The wheel and the support channel are mounted on a common housing forming the duct and containing the wheel, to an injection opening on the bottom of the housing for addition to the feed passing through the duct portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Crystal Spring Colony Farms Ltd.
    Inventors: Tom McAdams, Ethan Hofer, Lucien Dnestrianschii
  • Patent number: 10477835
    Abstract: In an apparatus for feeding animals including one or more feed dispensing containers from which the animals can take feed which are fed by supply ducts from a supply a device is provided which includes a feed supply duct portion arranged such that the feed falls through the feed supply duct portion under gravity. A drive member is mounted at the duct and includes a plurality of paddle blades of a wheel mounted for rotation about an axis of the wheel such that falling feed in the duct acts to drive the blades to rotate the wheel about the axis and a driven component driven by the wheel. The driven component is in most cases a dispenser for feeding a liquid or particulate additive material from a supply cartridge, which is mounted on a common housing forming the duct and containing the wheel, to an injection opening on the bottom of the housing for addition to the feed passing through the duct portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Crystal Spring Colony Farms Ltd.
    Inventors: Tom McAdams, Ethan Hofer, Lucien Dnestrianschii
  • Patent number: 10426295
    Abstract: A cooking grill includes a container defining a combustion area and a cooking surface over the combustion area. The grill features a pellet burner unit disposed within the container under the cooking surface and a pellet feeding device arranged to feed pellets into the burner unit. The burner unit comprises a trough into which the pellets are fed. The trough is mounted in a movable support which can be pulled out from within the container. The feeding device includes a removable cartridge for containing pellets and a receptacle for receiving the cartridge inserted thereon so that the cartridge supplies pellets for transfer to the pellet burner unit. In addition, a gas burner system is arranged in the container adjacent to the pellet burner unit so as to apply heat from the gas burner system to the cooking surface in addition to or as an alternative to the pellet burner unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Crystal Spring Colony Farms Ltd.
    Inventors: Tom McAdams, Ethan Hofer, Lucien Dnestrianschii
  • Publication number: 20190133374
    Abstract: A cooking grill includes a container defining a combustion area and a cooking surface over the combustion area. The grill features a pellet burner unit disposed within the container under the cooking surface and a pellet feeding device arranged to feed pellets into the burner unit. The burner unit comprises a trough into which the pellets are fed. The trough is mounted in a movable support which can be pulled out from within the container. The feeding device includes a removable cartridge for containing pellets and a receptacle for receiving the cartridge inserted thereon so that the cartridge supplies pellets for transfer to the pellet burner unit. In addition, a gas burner system is arranged in the container adjacent to the pellet burner unit so as to apply heat from the gas burner system to the cooking surface in addition to or as an alternative to the pellet burner unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: Tom McAdams, Ethan Hofer, Lucien Dnestrianschii
  • Patent number: 10178853
    Abstract: A water supply for an animal feeder includes a valve member on a nipple controlled by the animal connected to a water supply duct for supplying water to the valve member. A regulator is provided for controlling a flow rate and the nipple controls the flow rate by defining a housing through which the water passes with a resilient cylindrical body mounted in the housing. The resilient body defines a convoluted or serpentine water flow path therethrough or thereon for flow of water along the flow path through the housing with the flow path defining a rate of flow of the water. The housing has an adjustment member for adjusting application of pressure to the resilient body to change an amount of compression of the resilient body so as to distort the water flow path and change the rate of flow. The serpentine path is also of increased length to restrict the flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Crystal Spring Colony Farms Ltd.
    Inventors: Tom McAdams, Ethan Hofer, Lucien Dnestrianschii
  • Publication number: 20180070772
    Abstract: A cooking grill includes a container defining a combustion area and a cooking surface over the combustion area. The grill features a pellet burner unit disposed within the container under the cooking surface and a pellet feeding device arranged to feed pellets into the burner unit. The burner unit comprises a trough into which the pellets are fed. The trough is mounted in a movable support which can be pulled out from within the container. The feeding device includes a removable cartridge for containing pellets and a receptacle for receiving the cartridge inserted thereon so that the cartridge supplies pellets for transfer to the pellet burner unit. In addition, a gas burner system is arranged in the container adjacent to the pellet burner unit so as to apply heat from the gas burner system to the cooking surface in addition to or as an alternative to the pellet burner unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Tom McAdams, Ethan Hofer, Lucien Dnestrianschii
  • Publication number: 20180049403
    Abstract: An animal feeding apparatus includes a duct through which feed falls under gravity. A drive wheel is mounted in the duct and includes a plurality of paddle blades such that falling feed in the duct acts to drive the blades to rotate the wheel about the axis. A syringe is laid in a support channel where a plunger of the syringe is compressed longitudinally for feeding a liquid to an injection nozzle into the duct by a screw driven by the wheel. The wheel and the support channel are mounted on a common housing forming the duct and containing the wheel, to an injection opening on the bottom of the housing for addition to the feed passing through the duct portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventors: Tom McAdams, Ethan Hofer, Lucien Dnestrianschii
  • Publication number: 20180049405
    Abstract: In an apparatus for feeding animals including one or more feed dispensing containers from which the animals can take feed which are fed by supply ducts from a supply a device is provided which includes a feed supply duct portion arranged such that the feed falls through the feed supply duct portion under gravity. A drive member is mounted at the duct and includes a plurality of paddle blades of a wheel mounted for rotation about an axis of the wheel such that falling feed in the duct acts to drive the blades to rotate the wheel about the axis and a driven component driven by the wheel. The driven component is in most cases a dispenser for feeding a liquid or particulate additive material from a supply cartridge, which is mounted on a common housing forming the duct and containing the wheel, to an injection opening on the bottom of the housing for addition to the feed passing through the duct portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventors: Tom McAdams, Ethan Hofer, Lucien Dnestrianschii
  • Patent number: 9814354
    Abstract: A cooking grill includes a container defining a combustion area and a cooking surface over the combustion area. The grill features a pellet burner unit disposed within the container under the cooking surface and a pellet feeding device arranged to feed pellets into the burner unit. The burner unit comprises a trough into which the pellets are fed. The trough is mounted in a movable support which can be pulled out from within the container. The feeding device includes a removable cartridge for containing pellets and a receptacle for receiving the cartridge inserted thereon so that the cartridge supplies pellets for transfer to the pellet burner unit. In addition, a gas burner system is arranged in the container adjacent to the pellet burner unit so as to apply heat from the gas burner system to the cooking surface in addition to or as an alternative to the pellet burner unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Crystal Spring Colony Farms Ltd.
    Inventors: Tom McAdams, Ethan Hofer, Lucien Dnestrianschii
  • Publication number: 20170000083
    Abstract: A water supply for an animal feeder includes a valve member on a nipple controlled by the animal connected to a water supply duct for supplying water to the valve member. A regulator is provided for controlling a flow rate and the nipple controls the flow rate by defining a housing through which the water passes with a resilient cylindrical body mounted in the housing. The resilient body defines a convoluted or serpentine water flow path therethrough or thereon for flow of water along the flow path through the housing with the flow path defining a rate of flow of the water. The housing has an adjustment member for adjusting application of pressure to the resilient body to change an amount of compression of the resilient body so as to distort the water flow path and change the rate of flow. The serpentine path is also of increased length to restrict the flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Tom McAdams, Ethan Hofer, Lucien Dnestrianschii
  • Publication number: 20160255999
    Abstract: A cooking grill includes a container defining a combustion area and a cooking surface over the combustion area. The grill features a pellet burner unit disposed within the container under the cooking surface and a pellet feeding device arranged to feed pellets into the burner unit. The burner unit comprises a trough into which the pellets are fed. The trough is mounted in a movable support which can be pulled out from within the container. The feeding device includes a removable cartridge for containing pellets and a receptacle for receiving the cartridge inserted thereon so that the cartridge supplies pellets for transfer to the pellet burner unit. In addition, a gas burner system is arranged in the container adjacent to the pellet burner unit so as to apply heat from the gas burner system to the cooking surface in addition to or as an alternative to the pellet burner unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventors: Tom McAdams, Ethan Hofer, Lucien Dnestrianschii