Patents by Inventor Keith R. McNeill

Keith R. McNeill 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).

  • Industrial furnace and method of operating the same
    Patent number: 5488915
    Abstract: A method of operating an industrial furnace comprising the steps of; drawing a first gas flow of ambient air into the furnace; removing constituents of the first gas flow to increase the relative oxygen content of the remaining first gas flow, the removed constituents of the first gas flow comprising a second gas flow; firing the furnace using at least part of the remaining first gas flow as an oxidising medium; drawing waste gases from the furnace in a third gas flow; combining the second gas flow and the third gas flow; and releasing the combined second and third gas flows from the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1996
    Assignee: Vert Investments Limited
    Inventor: Keith R. McNeill
  • Method of feeding glass batch to a glass-melting furnace
    Patent number: 5243621
    Abstract: A method of feeding glass to a glass-melting furnace for making a vitreous material, a heated airstream containing air at a temperature in excess of 1,000.degree. C. is passed down vertical cylinders towards the crown of the glass-melting furnace. Powdered glass batch is introduced into the vertically moving heated airstream in the lower and wider cylinder and infra-sound is applied to the vertically moving heated airstream by an infra-sound generator to vibrate the heated airstream and effect heat transfer from the airstream to the glass batch particles so that the glass batch particles are heated and the temperature of the heated airstream is reduced to a temperature below 700.degree. C., thereby reducing the propensity of the air to produce nitrogen oxides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1993
    Inventor: Keith R. McNeill
  • Method of firing glass-melting furnace
    Patent number: 5236484
    Abstract: A method of feeding and firing a glass-melting furnace comprises the step of passing glass batch, combustion air and burning fuel vertically down a cylindrical tower and through the crown of the furnace. A feed stream of glass batch and combustion air is surrounded by burning fuel in the tower and the flame of burning fuel strikes the surface of molten glass in the furnace. Infra-sound waves are applied to the glass batch, combustion air and burning fuel as these are fed downwardly through the tower and the crown of the furnace to enhance transfer of heat from the burning fuel to the glass batch so that the batch in the feed stream is heated to melting temperature and molten glass droplets fall upon the surface of molten glass in the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Inventor: Keith R. McNeill