Patents by Inventor John B. Tacke, Jr.

John B. Tacke, Jr. 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).

  • Grate with self ignitor for burning pellet fuel
    Patent number: 5617841
    Abstract: Stoves fueled by biomass pellets are provided with a grate assembly that supports the pellets for combustion and directs combustion gas into the fire. The grate assembly includes a passive grate of equally or unequally spaced rods. The design of the rods serves to prevent the ash and clinkers from accumulating on the grate in mounts that could reduce the flow of combustion gas into the fire. In one embodiment, an ignitor rod is provided as one of the spaced rods in the grate assembly. By applying power to the ignitor rod, the rod is raised to a sufficient temperature to ignite unburned biomass pellets in proximity to the ignitor rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1997
    Assignee: Pyro Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Oliver J. Whitfield, John B. Tacke, Jr.
  • Self-distributing combustion grate for pellet fueled stoves
    Patent number: 5488943
    Abstract: Stoves fueled by biomass pellets are provided with a grate assembly that supports the pellets for combustion and directs combustion gas into the fire. The grate assembly includes a passive grate of equally or unequally spaced rods. The design of the rods serves to prevent the ash and clinkers from accumulating on the grate in amounts that could reduce the flow of combustion gas into the fire. In one embodiment, the rods define a surface that serves to distribute unburned fuel pellets from a location where they are deposited from a fuel feed conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1996
    Assignee: Pyro Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Oliver J. Whitfield, John B. Tacke, Jr.