Patents by Inventor Robert E. Cates

Robert E. Cates 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: 6101821
    Abstract: The present invention is directed toward an ice-on-coil (IOC) thermal storage coil system and method utilizing "deep-tank" technology and dimensional relationship of coil height to coil width wherein the coil serpentine's height (vertical tube dimension) is greater than the width (the horizontal dimension), and wherein all manifold and header joints are above, or just below the water surface of the tank, easily visible and accessible for maintenance, assembly, leak-checking or repair. Another aspect of the present ice-on-coil (IOC) thermal storage coil system and method is that, in some embodiments, the ice-coil tubes are never horizontal anywhere in the full coil height, but instead vertical tubes or "near-horizontal" sloped tubes are utilized which slope in an upward direction to facilitate air removal during filling of the coil with the coolant mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Evapco International, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Cates
  • Patent number: 5390505
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for cooling, air which apparatus includes an indirect evaporative cooler, an indirect contact chiller, a reheat coil component, an ice-thermal-storage component and an ice-manufacturing refrigeration chiller to provide alternative air-flow paths and alternative component combinations. Alternative fluid-flow paths are provided through electable combinations of the several components to effect the desired lowering of air temperature, relative humidity and air density in the cooled air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Baltimore Aircoil Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn W. Smith, William D. McCloskey, Robert E. Cates
  • Patent number: 5328600
    Abstract: A cooling system with at least one cooling tower and multiple upper pans or distribution manifold pipes is provided with a strainer tank assembly at the tower lower end in proximity to the sump to receive incoming fluid for cooling, which strainer tank includes a screen to strain particulate material from the inlet fluid communicated to the tower upper end and to equally distribute this fluid at the lowest elevation at a pressure with a higher static pressure component than its dynamic pressure component to avoid a requirement for a flow control valve to provide relatively quiescent fluid for fluid distribution to the tower and fluid transfer media therein. A pressure relief baffle in the strainer tank is operable in response to a fluid overpressure condition to bypass the screen and open fluid communication to avert catastrophic failures within the fluid circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1994
    Assignee: Baltimore Aircoil Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Cates, William H. Smith, Edward N. Schinner, Katherine K. Flamm, Vladimir Kaplan
  • Patent number: 5232636
    Abstract: A cooling system with at least one cooling tower and multiple upper pans or distribution manifold pipes is provided with a strainer tank assembly at the tower lower end in proximity to the sump to receive incoming fluid for cooling, which strainer tank includes a screen to strain particulate material from the inlet fluid communicated to the tower upper end and to equally distribute this fluid at the lowest elevation at a pressure with a higher static pressure component than its dynamic pressure component to avoid a requirement for a flow control valve to provide relatively quiescent fluid for fluid distribution to the tower and fluid transfer media therein. A pressure relief baffle in the strainer tank is operable in response to a fluid overpressure condition to bypass the screen and open fluid communication to avert catastrophic failures within the fluid circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1993
    Assignee: Baltimore Aircoil Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Cates, William H. Smith, Edward N. Schinner, Katherine K. Flamm, Vladimir Kaplan
  • Patent number: 5226681
    Abstract: The present invention provides an outlet connection for use in a lined basin. A structural steel basin, usually part of a cooling tower, includes a fiberglass reinforced polyester liner. Such liner is desired to provide corrosion resistance and watertightness to the steel basin. The outlet connection includes a piping section of cylindrical shape affixed to a backing plate. The piping section passes through an opening in the liner, with the backing section and another backing plate holding gaskets compressed against the liner. The piping section extends through an opening in a basin wall section, and a closure plate is affixed to the basin wall section. The closure plate also has an opening corresponding to the outer surface of the piping section, and is held to the piping section along the sides of said opening by welding or other similar means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1993
    Assignee: Baltimore Aircoil Company
    Inventors: William H. Smith, Robert E. Cates
  • Patent number: 5193352
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for cooling, air which apparatus includes an indirect evaporative cooler, a direct-contact ice-water chiller, a reheat coil component, an ice-thermal-storage component and an ice-manufacturing refrigeration chiller to provide alternative air-flow paths and alternative component combinations. The method provides alternative fluid-flow paths through electable combinations of the several components to effect the desired lowering of air temperature, relative humidity and air density in the cooled air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1993
    Assignee: AMSTED Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn W. Smith, William D. McCloskey, Robert E. Cates
  • Patent number: 4951739
    Abstract: Tubular containers, preferably corrugated, containing plural thermal storage medium compositions having different fusion temperatures are arrayed in zones or layers within a vessel through which liquid is circulated to exchange heat with the containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1990
    Assignee: Baltimore Aircoil Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Cates, Vladimir Kaplan
  • Patent number: 4683101
    Abstract: A closed circuit evaporative fluid cooler/evaporative condenser utilizing a cross flow water-air fluid flow relationship is provided. An evaporative liquid recirculating system includes a liquid distribution spray assembly mounted above a bundle of fill sheets. A closed circuit fluid cooling/condensing heat exchanger is supported below the bundle of fill sheets. Each heat exchanger comprises a plurality of parallel coil circuits or modules, wherein the inlet of each coil circuit is at a higher elevation adjacent the air outlet side of the heat exchanger, and the fluid outlet manifold of each coil circuit is at the lowest elevation adjacent the air inlet side of the heat exchanger. This arrangement assures the coolest liquid falling from the fill sheet assembly contacts the coil assembly containing the coolest fluid and that the coolest air entering the air inlet contacts the coil assembly portion containing the coolest fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1987
    Assignee: Baltimore Aircoil Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Cates
  • Patent number: 4530804
    Abstract: A forced draft crossflow evaporative heat exchange has a turbulent air-liquid interchange zone downstream from the air propulsion means and intermediate the air propulsion means and the heat exchange media. The media is inclined so the upper portion is closer to the air propulsion means than the lower portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1981
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1985
    Assignee: Baltimore Aircoil Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Cates, Richard H. Harrison, Jr., Thomas P. Carter
  • Patent number: 4518544
    Abstract: A contact body or evaporative heat and mass exchanger packing composed of a plurality of side-by-side thin sheets interlocked with one another. The sheets are grooved with a serpentine-like, continuously-variable, cross section form to produce a plurality of liquid and gas channels between the sheets. The sheets have integrally-formed knobs and sockets specifically located to provide up-spaced alternate sheet support without utilizing adhesives of any type. The sheets are preferably composed of a thermoplastic material of any desired length, being continuously pressure-vacuum formed from long sheet rolls. The groove crests abut adjacent sheets apices at continuously-variable spacings of both greater and lesser dimension than the basic edge spacing of the serpentine grooves. The flat crests or apices of grooves are also infinitely variable in width dimension while maintaining a constant sidewall groove angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1983
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1985
    Assignee: Baltimore Aircoil Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas P. Carter, Edward N. Schinner, Richard H. Harrison, Jr., Robert E. Cates
  • Patent number: 4361426
    Abstract: This invention involves spaced, horizontally extending corrugations, spaced, vertically oriented film surface sheets. The surface of the fill is enhanced by molded-in angular grooves to define discrete water passageways and air turbulation ridges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1982
    Assignee: Baltimore Aircoil Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas P. Carter, Robert E. Cates, Richard H. Harrison, Jr., Edward N. Schinner
  • Patent number: 4181691
    Abstract: The invention relates to an improved U-shaped splash bar fill configuration for use in crossflow cooling towers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1980
    Assignee: Baltimore Aircoil Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Cates, Edward N. Schinner
  • Patent number: 4119140
    Abstract: A low cost, preformed, synthetic resin, indirect air cooled atmospheric heat exchanger especially adapted for use in water cooling towers is provided which exhibits enhanced water cooling properties notwithstanding fabrication thereof from relatively inexpensive, corrosion-free polyvinyl chloride or like materials heretofore thought to have insufficient heat conductivity for practical use in heat exchangers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1976
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1978
    Assignee: The Marley Cooling Tower Company
    Inventor: Robert E. Cates
  • Patent number: 4112027
    Abstract: A high efficiency, induced draft, combination counterflow-crossflow fluid cooling apparatus and method is provided which gives unexpectedly enhanced cooling of hot fluid by causing the fluid to pass upwardly through a series of serpentine heat exchange conduits in primarily countercurrent, indirect sensible heat exchange relationship with external cooling water gravitating from an overlying evaporative water cooling section. Crossflowing air currents are pulled through the apparatus to evaporatively cool the water not only in the upper cooling section but also in the sensible heat exchange area as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 5, 1978
    Assignee: The Marley Company
    Inventor: Robert E. Cates
  • Patent number: 3995689
    Abstract: A low cost, preformed, synthetic resin, indirect air cooled atmospheric heat exchanger especially adapted for use in water cooling towers is provided which exhibits enhanced water cooling properties notwithstanding fabrication thereof from relatively inexpensive, corrosion-free polyvinyl chloride or like materials heretofore thought to have insufficient heat conductivity for practical use in heat exchangers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1975
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1976
    Assignee: The Marley Cooling Tower Company
    Inventor: Robert E. Cates