Patents by Inventor Gary W. Comstock

Gary W. Comstock 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: 8038150
    Abstract: A method of measuring a thickness of a sheet being conveyed on a transport path includes rotating a substantially cylindrical reference surface disposed in the transport path and engaging a probe with the reference surface to determine a runout value for each of a set of positions along a circumference of the reference surface. The method further includes conveying the sheet on the transport path so that the sheet contacts the reference surface at one position of the set, engaging the probe with the sheet at the one position to determine a measured sheet thickness value, and adjusting the measured sheet thickness value based on the runout value for the one position to obtain an actual sheet thickness value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Gary W. Comstock, Gerald F. Leitz, Egbert E. Most, Richard F. Stengl, John E. Richter
  • Publication number: 20110049799
    Abstract: A method of measuring a thickness of a sheet being conveyed on a transport path includes rotating a substantially cylindrical reference surface disposed in the transport path and engaging a probe with the reference surface to determine a runout value for each of a set of positions along a circumference of the reference surface. The method further includes conveying the sheet on the transport path so that the sheet contacts the reference surface at one position of the set, engaging the probe with the sheet at the one position to determine a measured sheet thickness value, and adjusting the measured sheet thickness value based on the runout value for the one position to obtain an actual sheet thickness value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Gary W. COMSTOCK, Gerald F. Leitz, Egbert E. Most, Richard F. Stengl, John E. Richter
  • Patent number: 6997454
    Abstract: An on-edge stacker having a deck surface to support a vertical mail stack, which is allowed to expand from the upstream end to the downstream end. A paddle, movably mounted on a linear support member, is used to support the downstream end of the mail stack. The linear support member is positioned at a level lower than or substantially the same as the deck surface so that the mail can be swept from the deck surface from either longitudinal side of the stacker. A toggle switch is disposed near the downstream end so that when the paddle moved by the expanding stack reaches beyond a certain point, the toggle switch is triggered to indicate that the stack is full or almost full. The paddle has a wedge-shaped blade so that it can slide the stacked mailed on the deck surface without damaging the mail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas Antonelli, Gary W. Comstock, Neil J. Kennedy, Kevin J. O'Dea
  • Publication number: 20040113355
    Abstract: An on-edge stacker having a deck surface to support a vertical mail stack, which is allowed to expand from the upstream end to the downstream end. A paddle, movably mounted on a linear support member, is used to support the downstream end of the mail stack. The linear support member is positioned at a level lower than or substantially the same as the deck surface so that the mail can be swept from the deck surface from either longitudinal side of the stacker. A toggle switch is disposed near the downstream end so that when the paddle moved by the expanding stack reaches beyond a certain point, the toggle switch is triggered to indicate that the stack is full or almost full. The paddle has a wedge-shaped blade so that it can slide the stacked mailed on the deck surface without damaging the mail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2002
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Applicant: Pitney Bowes Incorporated
    Inventors: Nicholas Antonelli, Gary W. Comstock, Neil J. Kennedy, Kevin J. O'Dea