Patents by Inventor Robert A. Hodgson

Robert A. Hodgson 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: 4433983
    Abstract: An apparatus for separating liquid and associated liquid vapor from a gas stream by contacting liquid brine in concurrent flow through and across a plurality of stages and direct contact with a bed of calcium chloride within an upper portion of the apparatus to remove a final portion of liquid from the gas stream. The improvement being in the tapered bed of desiccant material and the stage configuration. Each of the stages has an upper tray and a lower tray connected thereto with a central conduit connected to the upper tray enabling liquid brine to traverse from the upper to the lower tray. A plurality of mixing housings extend from above the liquid level in the lower tray to slightly above the upper tray and each has a base housing coaxial therewith and of a larger diameter which extends from the lower tray to slightly below a lower end of the corresponding mixing housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1984
    Assignee: Maloney-Crawford Corporation
    Inventors: Robert A. Hodgson, Sam J. Martinez
  • Patent number: 4280867
    Abstract: A system for regeneration of a liquid disiccant which utilizes a reboiler and still column to remove a major portion of absorbed water and then exposes the hot, partially dehydrated desiccant to a flow of dry, inert flue gas and a partial vacuum, in order to remove additional water from the desiccant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1979
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1981
    Assignee: Maloney-Crawford Corporation
    Inventor: Robert A. Hodgson
  • Patent number: 4187088
    Abstract: A gas-liquid separator of the centrifugal type wherein the mixture is first introduced into a top chamber of a vertical vessel where it is given a spinning motion forming a vortex with liquid initially separated and drained to an intermediate chamber and then to a lower chamber for removal. The remaining gas-liquid enters a centrally located vortex tube where additional entrained liquid is skimmed off at a slot open to the intermediate chamber. Additional separation occurs as the gas and remaining liquid entrained therein strikes a conical surface and other diversion baffles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1979
    Date of Patent: February 5, 1980
    Assignee: Maloney-Crawford Corporation
    Inventor: Robert A. Hodgson
  • Patent number: 4187089
    Abstract: An improved horizontal vapor-liquid separator providing a separation chamber, a horizontal inlet conduit having internal vanes for imparting a helical motion to fluid flow therethrough, a series of at least three pipe separators coaxially aligned with the inlet conduit and spaced apart to form annular orifices for the collection of heavier droplets forced to the inner peripheries of the piping by the centrifugal force, a conical baffle located in the path of the flow discharged from the end of the last separator pipe for coalescing final traces of liquid by impingement, and a vapor exhaust conduit coaxially aligned with the inlet conduit. A second chamber located beneath the separation chamber collects the liquid by gravity flow and utilizes a liquid level control system to maintain a vapor barrier while discharging the collected liquid at the same rate of accumulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 5, 1980
    Assignee: Maloney-Crawford Tank Corporation
    Inventor: Robert A. Hodgson
  • Patent number: 4056451
    Abstract: An electric treater for separation of a water-in-oil emulsion, which utilizes both AC potential applied to electrodes as well as DC potentials. A plurality of trays are provided through which the emulsion passes in series. One or more of these trays is supplied with AC potential to a series of insulated electrodes. Another tray is provided with a DC potential obtained from one half of a secondary winding of a transformer, through a rectifier, and at least a third tray is provided with a second DC potential derived from the opposite end of the secondary winding through a separate rectifier. The oil to be treated first passes through the tray or trays which have the AC potential, and then passes successively through the two trays which have the pulsed DC potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1976
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1977
    Assignee: Maloney-Crawford Tank Corporation
    Inventor: Robert A. Hodgson
  • Patent number: 4017275
    Abstract: An improved type of centrifugal separator for separating liquids such as oil and/or water from a mixture of gas and liquid. It consists of an upright cylindrical shell divided by transverse dividers into three chambers. The mixture of gas and liquid is introduced through a tangential diverter into the lower chamber to produce a high velocity vortex of gas and liquid. A central axial vortex tube penetrates and is sealed through both transverse dividers. This vortex tube is comprised of two spaced longitudinally aligned portions which define a gap between them. The gap is positioned inside the central chamber. The upper end of the vortex tube extends into the top chamber and is sealed into a first mist extractor. The lower end of the vortex tube extends into the lower chamber.Due to the vortex action the liquid is thrown outwardly against the inner wall of the shell, the gas forming a high velocity vortex column along the central axis of the shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1973
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1977
    Assignee: Maloney-Crawford Tank Corporation
    Inventors: Robert A. Hodgson, Charles K. Gravis