Patents by Inventor James A. Bell

James A. Bell 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: 12325038
    Abstract: A rotating sprinkler for irrigation is disclosed. The sprinkler can include a stator spaced upstream from a turbine to form a mixing region therebetween. The stator can define a primary flow path and a bypass flow path. The primary flow path is aligned relative to the plurality of blades so that water exiting the primary flow path traverses the mixing region and impinges on the plurality of blades at a first angle of attack. The bypass flow path is aligned relative to the primary flow path so that water exiting the bypass flow path intersects the water exiting the primary flow path in the mixing region to cause the water exiting the primary flow path to impinge on the plurality of blades at a second angle of attack. The sprinkler can further include a valve configured to regulate flow between the primary flow path and the bypass flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Bell, Ryan Christopher Bone
  • Patent number: 12296353
    Abstract: An adjustable arc irrigation spray nozzle can include one or more features including a dual orifice, a multi-trajectory ramp, radial ribs, an impedance wall, and/or a variable orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: James A Bell, Ryan Christopher Bone, Kevin M. Klein
  • Publication number: 20250043760
    Abstract: A device for generating electricity in an irrigation system includes a water turbine, a generator, and a bypass valve. The water turbine converts the flow of water in the irrigation system into rotational energy. The generator is connected to the water turbine for converting the rotational energy into electrical energy. The bypass valve assembly is in fluid communication with the water turbine and the irrigation system and is configured to regulate the flow of water through the water turbine and to direct excess water around the water turbine and back into the irrigation system. The device is configured to generate electricity while maintaining a predetermined flow rate in the irrigation system and to direct excess water around the water turbine and back into the irrigation system when the flow of water through the water turbine exceeds the predetermined flow rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2024
    Publication date: February 6, 2025
    Inventors: James A. Bell, Daniel E. Hunter, William Jason Mixter, IV
  • Publication number: 20230089249
    Abstract: A rotating sprinkler for irrigation is disclosed. The sprinkler can include a turret and a stream conditioner positioned in the turret. The stream conditioner can include a plurality of fins forming a plurality of flow regions. One or more of the plurality of flow regions can have a cross-sectional flow area that decreases in a downstream direction towards the primary port so as to accelerate the pressurized water through the stream conditioner. The plurality of fins can further straighten the water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventor: James A. Bell
  • Publication number: 20230082059
    Abstract: A rotating sprinkler for irrigation is disclosed. The sprinkler can include a turret and a stream conditioner positioned in the turret. The stream conditioner can include a plurality of fins forming a plurality of flow regions. One or more of the plurality of flow regions can have a cross-sectional flow area that decreases in a downstream direction towards the primary port so as to accelerate the pressurized water through the stream conditioner. The plurality of fins can further straighten the water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventor: James A. Bell
  • Publication number: 20220395845
    Abstract: A rotating sprinkler for irrigation is disclosed. The sprinkler can include a stator spaced upstream from a turbine to form a mixing region therebetween. The stator can define a primary flow path and a bypass flow path. The primary flow path is aligned relative to the plurality of blades so that water exiting the primary flow path traverses the mixing region and impinges on the plurality of blades at a first angle of attack. The bypass flow path is aligned relative to the primary flow path so that water exiting the bypass flow path intersects the water exiting the primary flow path in the mixing region to cause the water exiting the primary flow path to impinge on the plurality of blades at a second angle of attack. The sprinkler can further include a valve configured to regulate flow between the primary flow path and the bypass flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2022
    Publication date: December 15, 2022
    Inventors: James A. Bell, Ryan Christopher Bone
  • Publication number: 20220297139
    Abstract: An adjustable arc irrigation spray nozzle can include one or more features including a dual orifice, a multi-trajectory ramp, radial ribs, an impedance wall, and/or a variable orifice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventors: James A. Bell, Ryan Christopher Bone, Kevin M. Klein
  • Patent number: 10717093
    Abstract: An irrigation sprinkler can include a reversing mechanism configured to transition the nozzle turret of the irrigation sprinkler between a forward direction of rotation and a reverse direction of rotation. The reversing mechanism can include shifting frame having an input gear and at least one output gear. The at least one output gear can be mounted on an axle of rotation which permits lateral movement of the at least one output gear between a power transmitting position, wherein rotational power from a gear reduction is transferred to the nozzle turret, and a disengaged position wherein rotational power from the gear reduction is not transferred to the nozzle turret.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: James A. Bell
  • Publication number: 20180318854
    Abstract: An irrigation sprinkler can include a reversing mechanism configured to transition the nozzle turret of the irrigation sprinkler between a forward direction of rotation and a reverse direction of rotation. The reversing mechanism can include shifting frame having an input gear and at least one output gear. The at least one output gear can be mounted on an axle of rotation which permits lateral movement of the at least one output gear between a power transmitting position, wherein rotational power from a gear reduction is transferred to the nozzle turret, and a disengaged position wherein rotational power from the gear reduction is not transferred to the nozzle turret.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventor: James A. Bell
  • Patent number: 10029265
    Abstract: An irrigation sprinkler can include a reversing mechanism configured to transition the nozzle turret of the irrigation sprinkler between a forward direction of rotation and a reverse direction of rotation. The reversing mechanism can include shifting frame having an input gear and at least one output gear. The at least one output gear can be mounted on an axle of rotation which permits lateral movement of the at least one output gear between a power transmitting position, wherein rotational power from a gear reduction is transferred to the nozzle turret, and a disengaged position wherein rotational power from the gear reduction is not transferred to the nozzle turret.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: HUNTER INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventor: James A. Bell
  • Patent number: 9756958
    Abstract: The present technology provides an encasement comprising a fabric cover formed of bed bug impervious fabric. The encasement comprises an opening with a zipper mechanism disposed therein and operable to close the opening. The encasement also comprises a barrier attached to the fabric cover, extending along and opposite the zipper tracks. The encasement also comprises a channel between the barrier and said zipper tracks that receives a portion of the zipper head and becomes an enclosed channel when said zipper tracks are mated together. The channel has a confined space of a size to thwart bug movement along the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: JAB DISTRIBUTORS, LLC
    Inventors: James A. Bell, Yueh-Jyh Chen, Ching-Yao Yeh
  • Patent number: 9655311
    Abstract: A rain sensor can be configured to shut off one or more irrigation devices during and/or after a period of rainfall. The rain sensor can include a moisture basin mounted therein. The moisture basin houses an absorbent element configured to expand in at least one direction when wetted. Expansion of the absorbent element can activate a signal actuator to generate a shut off signal to one or more irrigation devices. The moisture basin can retain excess moisture when the absorbent element is fully saturated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: James A. Bell
  • Publication number: 20160175858
    Abstract: An irrigation sprinkler can include a reversing mechanism configured to transition the nozzle turret of the irrigation sprinkler between a forward direction of rotation and a reverse direction of rotation. The reversing mechanism can include shifting frame having an input gear and at least one output gear. The at least one output gear can be mounted on an axle of rotation which permits lateral movement of the at least one output gear between a power transmitting position, wherein rotational power from a gear reduction is transferred to the nozzle turret, and a disengaged position wherein rotational power from the gear reduction is not transferred to the nozzle turret.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventor: James A. Bell
  • Publication number: 20130326820
    Abstract: The present technology provides an encasement comprising a fabric cover formed of bed bug impervious fabric. The encasement comprises an opening with a zipper mechanism disposed therein and operable to close the opening. The encasement also comprises a barrier attached to the fabric cover, extending along and opposite the zipper tracks. The encasement also comprises a channel between the barrier and said zipper tracks that receives a portion of the zipper head and becomes an enclosed channel when said zipper tracks are mated together. The channel has a confined space of a size to thwart bug movement along the channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: JAB Distributors, Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Bell, Yueh-Jyh Chen, Ching-Yao Yeh
  • Patent number: 8528134
    Abstract: A mattress encasement made of bug impervious fabric provides a zipper opening for removal of the mattress. A foam pad is stitched at an end of the zipper closure such that when the zipper is located at or near the end, a channel is provided to prevent or obstruct the escapement of bed bugs via the channel and out from a mattress encased by the mattress encasement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: JAB Distributors, LLC
    Inventors: James A. Bell, Yueh-Jyh Chen, Ching-Yao Yeh
  • Patent number: 8407975
    Abstract: A cotton air harvester header assembly for attachment to the front lifting mechanism of a conventional self propelled cotton harvester's chassis, for movement through a field of cotton plants in equally spaced rows. Air harvesters use air flow (wind, vacuum, atmospheric pressure) to harvest cotton. The enormous amount of plant material moving thru harvester's row units, create a self cleaning environment using cotton plants as a cleaning method to continually push unwanted material past harvester's self cleaning extractor units. Air harvesters do not require spindles, doffers, brushes, rotating drums or cutter blades, and the elimination of thousands of parts, allows harvester's row units to be grouped closer together than spindle or stripper harvesters, resulting in a more versatile cotton harvester which can be configured to harvest wide row or narrow row cotton, and be mounted on a tractor or used as a single walk behind air harvester row unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Inventor: James A. Bell
  • Publication number: 20110131939
    Abstract: The pneumatic cotton harvesting apparatus includes a plurality of harvesting heads arranged in adjacent spaced relation side by side with each having a side panel opposing a side panel on an adjacent opposing harvesting head. An air intake manifold within each side panel has a plurality of extraction units with air intake ports for harvesting of seed cotton. The extraction units are each arranged in a staircase configuration to extract cotton into a pass-through chamber housed within the harvesting head. The cotton is transferred through the air plenum transfer chamber attached to the harvesting heads to a cotton storage container. Air supply nozzles arranged before the extraction units aid the extraction of cotton by blowing air on the cotton plant before entering the extraction units to loosen the cotton.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventor: James A. Bell
  • Publication number: 20090049608
    Abstract: A mattress encasement made of bug impervious fabric provides a zipper opening for removal of the mattress. A foam pad is stitched at an end of the zipper closure such that when the zipper is located at or near the end, a channel is provided to prevent or obstruct the escapement of bed bugs via the channel and out from a mattress encased by the mattress encasement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventors: James A. Bell, Yueh-Jyh Chen, Ching-Yao Yeh
  • Patent number: 7441754
    Abstract: An apparatus for introducing gas into a large body of liquid, including a horizontal frame on ballast adjustable floats, a pressurized gas source, a vertical shaft rotatable about its axis, and a plurality of blades submerged in the liquid and extending radially from a hub on the lower end of the shaft. The blades each have an elastomeric membrane around a longitudinal member, where the longitudinal member is hollow with a closed end and in communication with the pressurized gas source through the shaft on the other end, with openings through its lower side, and the elastomeric membrane has perforations which are spaced from the longitudinal member openings. A drive on the platform rotates the shaft via a ring gear around the shaft with a key connection thereto allowing axial movement therethrough, and an inwardly facing surface supported on bearings. A selectively driven and smaller pinion gear directly engages the ring gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Smith & Loveless, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick Trentadue, Fredric H. Avers, Dan L. Alexander, Rodney S. Mrkvicka, James A. Bell, Andrew C. McCullough
  • Patent number: D586686
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Inventor: James A. Bell