Patents by Inventor Kevin J. Alphs

Kevin J. Alphs 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: 6390029
    Abstract: A water heater has a cold water inlet bushing which screws into a threaded boss in the side wall of a hot water tank near its bottom. Cold water is injected through a pipe into the inlet bushing. A blind passageway is formed within the inlet bushing which extends radially inwardly from the tank outer wall. An outlet port intersects the blind passageway at 90 degrees, and is positioned tangent to the circular outer wall of the hot water tank at the point the tank is penetrated by the inlet bushing. The inlet bushing creates a jet of water which results in the water within the tank rotating. When turbulent mixing and circulation are created by the inlet water jet, smaller particles of sediment which are placed into suspension can be removed from the hot water tank along with the hot water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Bock Corporation
    Inventor: Kevin J. Alphs
  • Publication number: 20010042524
    Abstract: A water heater has a cold water inlet bushing which screws into a threaded boss in the side wall of a hot water tank near its bottom. Cold water is injected through a pipe into the inlet bushing. A blind passageway is formed within the inlet bushing which extends radially inwardly from the tank outer wall. An outlet port intersects the blind passageway at 90 degrees, and is positioned tangent to the circular outer wall of the hot water tank at the point the tank is penetrated by the inlet bushing. The inlet bushing creates a jet of water which results in the water within the tank rotating. When turbulent mixing and circulation are created by the inlet water jet, smaller particles of sediment which are placed into suspension can be removed from the hot water tank along with the hot water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2001
    Publication date: November 22, 2001
    Inventor: Kevin J. Alphs
  • Patent number: 6267085
    Abstract: A water heater has a cold water inlet bushing which screws into a threaded boss in the side wall of a hot water tank near its bottom. Cold water is injected through a pipe into the inlet bushing. A blind passageway is formed within the inlet bushing which extends radially inwardly from the tank outer wall. An outlet port intersects the blind passageway at 90 degrees, and is positioned tangent to the circular outer wall of the hot water tank at the point the tank is penetrated by the inlet bushing. The inlet bushing creates a jet of water which results in the water within the tank rotating. When turbulent mixing and circulation are created by the inlet water jet, smaller particles of sediment which are placed into suspension can be removed from the hot water tank along with the hot water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: Bock Corporation
    Inventor: Kevin J. Alphs
  • Patent number: 5664402
    Abstract: The seed packaging machine of this invention is mounted on a conventional plot combine. The harvested seed is blown to a receiving compartment where the seed is weighed and tested for moisture. A bag roll comprising a plurality of bag portions is fed through power rolls to a seed deposit station. A blower blows open the endmost bag and the seed is deposited in the bag portion. A sealing pressure bar is pivoted toward a thermal bar with the top of the bag portion therebetween to seal the bag. The bag is then released to drop into a storage bin. Bar codes are imposed on the bags and are scanned as they approach the deposit station. A computer is connected to all operating components to coordinate the sequential operation thereof. The range and row numbers of the harvested field are imposed on the computer memory, and the computer associates each bag containing harvested seed with the range and row from which the seed was harvested. The bags are perforated to facilitate subsequent drying of the seed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignee: Gary W. Clem, Inc.
    Inventors: Arlan W. Sandvik, Brian W. Carr, Peter B. Moore, Donald F. Handorf, Kevin J. Alphs, Mark D. Mathis