Patents by Inventor James M. Toms

James M. Toms 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: 6656623
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell generator (10) contains stacks (20) of hollow, tubular axially elongated fuel cells (36) which can operate to generate electricity; a single oxidant inlet plenum (52) including a bottom enclosing member, having hole therethrough which acts as an oxidant feed tube positioning board (77); a fuel inlet plenum (11); an oxidant/fuel exhaust chamber (94); power leads (32) electrically connected to the fuel cells transverse to the axis (36′) of the fuel calls; and a plurality of oxidant feed tubes (51); all surrounded by insulation (76); where there are at least two fuel cell stacks arranged in a row next to each other, the oxidant feed tube positioning board at the bottom of the oxidant inlet plenum is a laminate of layers of porous alumino-silicate ceramic fibers bonded with a ceramic alumina binder and dense woven ceramic (78) impregnated with ceramic adhesive (79), and wherein the insulation constitutes, primarily, bulk ceramic fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
    Inventors: Randall A. Holmes, Paolo R. Zafred, James E. Gillett, Robert Draper, Louis K. Lau, Richard A. Basel, Robert L. Cather, Vinod B. Doshi, James M. Toms
  • Publication number: 20020110716
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell generator (10) contains stacks (20) of hollow, tubular axially elongated fuel cells (36) which can operate to generate electricity; a single oxidant inlet plenum (52) including a bottom enclosing member, having holes therethrough which acts as an oxidant feed tube positioning board (77); a fuel inlet plenum (11); an oxidant/fuel exhaust chamber (94); power leads (32) electrically connected to the fuel cells transverse to the axis (36′) of the fuel calls; and a plurality of oxidant feed tubes (51); all surrounded by insulation (76); where there are at least two fuel cell stacks arranged in a row next to each other, the oxidant feed tube positioning board at the bottom of the oxidant inlet plenum is a laminate of layers of porous alumino-silicate ceramic fibers bonded with a ceramic alumina binder and dense woven ceramic (78) impregnated with ceramic adhesive (79), and wherein the insulation constitutes, primarily, bulk ceramic fibers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2001
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Applicant: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
    Inventors: Randall A. Holmes, Paolo R. Zafred, James E. Gillett, Robert Draper, Louis K. Lau, Richard A. Basel, Robert L. Cather, Vinod B. Doshi, James M. Toms
  • Patent number: 6221522
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell (40) having a closed end (44) and an open end (42) operates in a fuel cell generator (10) where the fuel cell open end (42) of each fuel cell contains a sleeve (60, 64) fitted over the open end (42), where the sleeve (60, 64) extends beyond the open end (42) of the fuel cell (40) to prevent degradation of the interior air electrode of the fuel cell by fuel gas during operation of the generator (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
    Inventors: Paolo R. Zafred, Jeffrey T. Dederer, Gregory W. Tomlins, James M. Toms, George R. Folser, Douglas S. Schmidt, Prabhakar Singh, Charles A. Hager
  • Patent number: 5131269
    Abstract: A clamping arrangement for securing end-of-train sensing and monitoring equipment to a railway car coupler and including a plurality of movable gripping arms. A rotatable elongated threaded screw cooperatively associated with the movable gripping arms. The movable gripping arms include insertable portions which fit into core holes formed on the side of the car coupler and which securely grip the sides of the core holes when the gripping arms are closed by the threaded screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1992
    Assignee: Union Switch & Signal Inc.
    Inventors: Robert H. Blosnick, James M. Toms