Patents by Inventor Paul Gernhardt

Paul Gernhardt 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: 6021034
    Abstract: A ground fault protection circuit for plural loads connected across a power source with plural branches which can be used where the loads are unbalanced. Each branch includes a ground fault circuit interrupter device that has a common line for the electronics of the GFCI separate from the neutral line from the power source to the load where the common lines for the electronics for the ground circuit interrupter devices in each branch are connected to a common point. The ground fault protection circuit employs plural ground fault circuit interrupter devices and eliminates nuisance tripping. The common line for the electronics for a GFCI is routed through the core of the current sensing transformer of the GFCI. The separate neutral line for the electronics, connecting the common lines for the electronics for plural GFCI devices and routing the common lines for the GFCI electronics through the core of the transformer of each GFCI, eliminate improper GFCI operation due to unbalanced loading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: David Chan, Paul Gernhardt
  • Patent number: 5865303
    Abstract: An electrical rocker switch having a clam-shell like in which a rocker is pivotally mounted. A unitary multi-function operating assembly fabricated from spring stock materials which operates as an over-center spring to establish two rest positions for the rocker. A trifurcated second end of the operating assembly provides springs to urge the contact assembly into intimate engagement with the boss on the underside of the rocker. Cross-members of the operating assembly bear movable contacts which selectively engage fixed contacts on the housing to complete external electrical circuits connected to the operating assembly and fixed contacts. An additional housing can be placed about the clam-shell like housing to seal the switch from the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Gernhardt, Serge Krzyzanowski
  • Patent number: 5836443
    Abstract: An electrical rocker switch having a clam-shell like in which a rocker is pivotally mounted. A unitary multi-function operating assembly fabricated from spring stock materials operates as an over-center spring to establish two rest positions for the rocker. A bifurcated or trifucated second end of the operating assembly provides springs to urge the contact assembly into intimate engagement with the boss on the underside of the rocker and provide for receiving an electrical conductor. Cross-members of the operating assembly bear movable contacts which selectively engage fixed contacts on the housing to complete external electrical circuits connected to the operating assembly and fixed contacts. An additional housing can be placed about the clam-shell like housing to seal the switch from the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Gernhardt, Serge Krzyzanowski, Frantz Germain
  • Patent number: 5786971
    Abstract: A ground fault protection circuit for plural loads connected across a power source with plural branches which can be used where the loads are unbalanced. Each branch includes a ground fault circuit interrupter device that has a common line for the electronics of the GFCI separate from the neutral line from the power source to the load where the common lines for the electronics for the ground circuit interrupter devices in each branch are connected to a common point. The ground fault protection circuit employs plural ground fault circuit interrupter devices and eliminates nuisance tripping. The common line for the electronics for a GFCI is routed through the core of the current sensing transformer of the GFCI. The separate neutral line for the electronics, connecting the common lines for the electronics for plural GFCI devices and routing the common lines for the GFCI electronics through the core of the transformer of each GFCI, eliminate improper GFCI operation due to unbalanced loading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1998
    Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: David Chan, Paul Gernhardt
  • Patent number: 5712450
    Abstract: The device of the invention is a seal to close off the spaces between operating devices, such as, buttons and their housing and the spaces between the housing and the cover plate placed over the operating device. The seal has a raised portion into which the operating devices extend so they can be operated from outside the seal. The passage of the seal over the operating device seals operating device/housing spaces. The perimeter of the seal is arranged to engage the housing and cover plate to seal the housing/cover plate spaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: David Chan, Paul Gernhardt
  • Patent number: 5684272
    Abstract: An in-line cord ground fault circuit interrupter has a tripping relay whose various components are an integral part of the GFCI housing, instead of being self-contained. The front cover of the housing has the necessary bosses, guide slots, and screw holes for mounting of all the mechanical and electrical elements of the relay. The rear cover serves as a water resistant enclosure and holds the relay elements in position across the width of the housing. The relay's movable contact arms are attached directly to the printed circuit board of the GFCI. The relay armature is located by ribs on the front cover and is trapped in position when the relay coil and frame assembly is pushed over it using guide slots in the front cover. The armature has integral arms extending to each side wherein each arm has an actuating cam on its end. Gripping ribs and strain relief ribs are placed at the cord entrances to the housing with a chamber formed therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1997
    Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Gernhardt, David Chan, Serge Krzyzanowski
  • Patent number: 5680287
    Abstract: An in-line cord ground fault circuit interrupter which contains within a common housing the sensing unit and the tripping relay usually found separately packaged at a remote location. The fixed contacts are mounted on fixed contact arms mounted adjacent one surface of a printed circuit board with the movable contacts mounted on movable contact arms mounted adjacent the second surface. The tripping relay operates an armature between an open and a closed condition and by cams on the arms of the armature opens and closes the movable contacts with the fixed contacts. The two portion housing allows the components of the interrupter to be mounted on one portion of the housing which also supports the line and load conductors making assembly of the rear housing portion to the front housing portion easy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Gernhardt, David Chan, Serge Krzyzanowski
  • Patent number: 5647479
    Abstract: An electrical rocker switch having a clam-shell like housing in which a rocker is pivotally mounted. A unitary multi-function operating assembly fabricated from spring stock materials operates as an over-center spring to establish two rest positions for the rocker. A trifurcated second end of the operating assembly provides springs to urge the contact assembly into intimate engagement with the boss on the underside of the rocker. Cross-members of the operating assembly bear movable contacts which selectively engage fixed contacts on the housing to complete external electrical circuits connected to the operating assembly and fixed contacts. An additional housing can be placed about the clam-shell like housing to seal the switch from the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Gernhardt, Serge Krzyzanowski
  • Patent number: 5570778
    Abstract: An electrical rocker switch having a clam-shell like housing in which a rocker is pivotally mounted. A unitary multi-function operating assembly fabricated from spring stock materials operates as an over-center spring to establish two rest positions for the rocker. A trifurcated second end of the operating assembly provides springs to urge the contact assembly into intimate engagement with the boss on the underside of the rocker. Cross-members of the operating assembly bear movable contacts which selectively engage fixed contacts on the housing to complete external electrical circuits connected to the operating assembly and fixed contacts. An additional housing can be placed about the clam-shell like housing to seal the switch from the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1996
    Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Gernhardt, Serge Krzyzanowski
  • Patent number: 5568344
    Abstract: An in-line cord ground fault circuit interrupter which contains within a common housing the sensing unit and the tripping relay usually found separately packaged at a remote location. The fixed contacts are mounted on fixed contact arms mounted adjacent one surface of a printed circuit board with the movable contacts mounted on movable contact arms mounted adjacent the second surface. The tripping relay operates an armature between an open and a closed condition and by cams on the arms of the armature opens and closes the movable contacts with the fixed contacts. The two portion housing allows the components of the interrupter to be mounted on one portion of the housing which also supports the line and load conductors making assembly of the rear housing portion to the front housing portion easy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Gernhardt, David Chan, Serge Krzyzanowski
  • Patent number: 4416732
    Abstract: A horizontal coke oven battery in which heating chambers between coking chambers are divided by midfeathers or header walls into vertically-extending heating flues. Extending upwardly through the midfeathers are feed flues which communicate with the regenerators of the coke oven battery and have feed flue outlets disposed at different heights in the heating flues. In this invention, the feed flue outlets comprise one or more vertically-extending elongated slots which facilitate "soft" combustion and flame formation, greatly reducing temperature peaks and nitrogen oxide formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1983
    Assignee: Dr. C. Otto & Comp. G.m.b.H.
    Inventors: Paul Gernhardt, Heinz Thubeauville, Carl-Heinz Struck
  • Patent number: 4372754
    Abstract: An ignition burner and a pilot burner form part of an ignition system for a fluidized stream of finely-divided coal particles in a pressurized gasifier housing having a slag overflow pipe coupled to a discharge vessel. A fuel supply pipe delivers fuel for combustion by the ignition burner and the pilot burner. A sparkplug or hot wire is used to ignite the fuel delivered to the ignition burner. The flame produced by the ignition burner is widened by a baffle so that ignition by the pilot burner occurs to produce a flame which is monitored through a thermocouple. The parts forming the ignition system are carried by a pair of levers with pivots on the inner wall of a slag overflow pipe for movement between an operative position wherein the ignition burner is situated near the slag-receiving opening of the overflow pipe and an inoperative position wherein the ignition burner is protected from contact by slag and radiation heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1979
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1983
    Assignees: Dr. C. Otto & Comp. G.m.b.H., Saarbergwerke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Paul Gernhardt, Wilhelm Danguillier, Karl Peter, Wolfgang Grams, Siegfried Pohl, Peter Schnitzler
  • Patent number: 4188915
    Abstract: A system is provided for cooling high-temperature, high-pressure gasifiers having cooling tubes which extend vertically through the walls of the gasifier and are connected in a closed cooling water circulation system.In accordance with the invention, the cooling tubes are coated on the inside of the gasifier with a plasma or flame sprayed ceramic coating, preferably consisting of alumina, and are embedded in a ramming compound such as tamped clay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1980
    Assignees: Dr. C. Otto & Comp. G.m.b.H., Saarbergwerke A.G.
    Inventors: Joachim Kummel, Heinz Dressen, Wilhelm Danguillier, Paul Gernhardt, Wolfgang Grams, Siegfried Pohl
  • Patent number: 4159447
    Abstract: A system for detecting faults in the wall of a high-temperature pressure vessel, such as a fuel gasifier. The wall comprises an outer metallic shell having an inner refractory lining, together with cooling tubes extending along the refractory lining. In order to detect a fault, such as a rupture in a cooling tube and resultant melting of the refractory in the vicinity of the fault, one or more electrical conductors are embedded in the refractory and connected at their opposite ends to an external energizing circuit such that when the refractory melts, so also will the conductor, thereby breaking the circuit to indicate the existence of the fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1979
    Assignees: Dr. C. Otto & Comp. G.m.b.H., Saabergwerke, A.G.
    Inventors: Paul Gernhardt, Wolfgang Grams, Wilhelm Danguillier, Siegfried Pohl
  • Patent number: 4157244
    Abstract: A stream of hot primary gas rising from the gasification region in a slag bath generator passes through an after-gasification region and thence into a cooling region. The stream of hot gas is cooled in the cooling region by injecting purified and cooled primary gas through tangentially-arranged nozzles at an outlet velocity of between 1 and 8 meters per second. Below the tangentially-arranged nozzles, other gas-cooling nozzles inject cooled and purified primary gas into the hot gas stream upwardly at an angle within 10.degree.-60.degree. , preferably at 45.degree. and at an outlet velocity of between 10 and 160 meters per second. The upwardly-inclined gas injection nozzles are carried by the inner wall of an annular duct. The inner wall extends between a lining of cooling tubes surrounding the vertical gas flow space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1979
    Assignees: Dr. C. Otto & Comp. GmbH., Saarbergwerke A.C.
    Inventors: Paul Gernhardt, Wolfgang Grams, Wilhelm Danguillier, Siegfried Pohl
  • Patent number: 4102674
    Abstract: Iron ore pellets on a grid in a treatment chamber are hardened by contact with a heat treated, low calorific gas. The gas is generated in the gasification chamber of a slag bath generator. The generator receives a gasification agent and solid fuel that preferably further includes sulfur-binding materials, such as dolomite for generating a stream of low calorific gas. Inclined water-cooled pipes at the upper end of the slag bath generator extract liquid slag from the gas stream. The slag drips from the pipes into the slag bath generator. A mixing chamber receives the gas at a temperature of about 1450.degree. C passed beyond the inclined water-cooled pipes together with an air supply for heat treating the gas to a temperature of about 1100.degree. C. The heat treated gas is then passed into the treatment chamber for hardening the iron ore pellets contained therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1978
    Assignee: Dr. C. Otto & Comp. G.m.b.H.
    Inventors: Kurt Osterloh, Karl Peter, Paul Gernhardt, Wolfgang Grams, Christian Hundeshagen, Wilhelm Danguillier, Siegfried Pohl
  • Patent number: 4098324
    Abstract: A system for cooling high-temperature gasifiers and method for its operation wherein cooling conduits extend vertically through the walls of the gasifier and are connected at their ends to a closed-water circulation system which incorporates heat exchangers for removing heat from the system. Boiling in the system is prevented, and good heat transfer characteristics are achieved, by maintaining a high pressure system, at least 40 bar, coupled with a flow velocity of between 5 and 7 meters per second at a maximum internal diameter of the cooling conduits of 51 millimeters. Means are provided for maintaining the temperature of the water exiting from the cooling conduits at least 10.degree. C below the boiling point at the pressure and flow rate of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1976
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1978
    Assignees: Dr. C. Otto & Comp. G.m.b.H., Saarbergwerke A.G.
    Inventors: Joachim Kummel, Heinz Dressen, Wilhelm Danguillier, Paul Gernhardt, Wolfgang Grams, Siegfried Pohl
  • Patent number: 4073628
    Abstract: Fine-grain fuel is delivered from pressure vessels with a vehicle gas as a fluidized flow into a reactor for gasification at an elevated pressure. A gaseous gasification agent is also fed into the reactor. A control system for the fine-grain fuel and gasification agent includes detectors to provide an electrical signal which varies during feeding of fuel from the pressure vessels into the reactor. Controllers produce a fuel rate control signal corresponding to a comparison between the electrical signal from the detectors and a predetermined reference value corresponding to the desired fuel supply rate. Control valves respond to the fuel rate control signal to adjust the supply of vehicle gas to transfer fuel from the pressure vessels into the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1978
    Assignee: Dr. C. Otto & Comp. G.m.b.H.
    Inventors: Paul Gernhardt, Wolfgang Grams, Wilhelm Danguillier, Siegfried Pohl
  • Patent number: 4049394
    Abstract: A control system maintains a predetermined volumetric ratio between fine-particle fuel and a gasification agent which are fed separately into a reactor wherein the fuel is gasified under pressure. The control system includes a first measuring means responsive to the absorption of electromagnetic radiation by the fine-particle fuel in a fuel-feed line for producing a fuel-feed signal corresponding to the volumetric amount of fuel conducted by the line. A vehicle gas-feed signal is produced by a second measuring means in response to the volumetric amount of vehicle gas conducted by a line into the fuel-feed line for admixture with the fuel therein. Computing means is responsive to the fuel-feed signal and the vehicle gas-feed signal to produce a control signal according the expression:U.sub.1 . (U.sub.2 - U.sub.v)for all values of U.sub.2 greater than U.sub.v where U.sub.1 corresponds to the reciprocal of the fuel-feed signal, U.sub.2 corresponds to the vehicle gas-feed signal and U.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1977
    Assignee: Dr. C. Otto & Comp. G.m.b.H.
    Inventors: Paul Gernhardt, Wolfgang Grams, Wilhelm Danguillier, Siegfried Pohl
  • Patent number: 4049570
    Abstract: The high temperature gasification of solid fuel or mixtures of solid and liquid fuels is carried out by a method and apparatus wherein the gasified product from a high temperature gasification chamber having a slag bath therein is fed into a first dust collector. Gases, including vapors or aerosols, are fed from the dust collector into a waste heat boiler to reduce the temperature of the gases down to about 250.degree. C. The solids which essentially include flue coke are discharged from the dust collector into a separate heat exchanger wherein the temperature of the solids is reduced down to about 200.degree. C. The cooled solids and the cooled gases are fed into an absorption chamber wherein for a period of 1 to 10 seconds, the aerosols are absorbed into the flue coke. The absorption chamber is connected to a second dust collector that separates the gases from the flue coke having the absorbed aerosols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1975
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1977
    Assignee: Dr. C. Otto & Comp. G.m.b.H.
    Inventors: Paul Gernhardt, Wolfgang Grams, Siegfried Pohl, Wilhelm Danguillier