Patents by Inventor Scott Howell

Scott Howell 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).

  • Publication number: 20260034569
    Abstract: A system and an apparatus for positioning a plurality of flexible cleaning lances through tubes penetrating a tube sheet of a heat exchanger tube sheet, includes a smart lance tractor drive, a controller, and a tumble box connected to the controller operable to generate and/or distribute electrical power to the AC induction sensor from an air pressure source, supply electrical power to the controller and distribute pneumatic power to pneumatic motors for positioning the tractor drive on the positioner frame. The smart tractor drive includes sensors for detection of mismatch between expected and actual lance positions, sense lance insertion distance and lance removal and provide automated drive reversal operation to remove blockages within tubes being cleaned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2025
    Publication date: February 5, 2026
    Inventors: Joseph A. SCHNEIDER, Adam Christopher MARKHAM, Scott HOWELL, Daniel SZABO, Cody MONTOYA, Jeffery R. BARNES, Cooper HANLEY
  • Patent number: 12214389
    Abstract: A system and an apparatus for positioning a plurality of flexible cleaning lances through tubes penetrating a tube sheet of a heat exchanger tube sheet, includes a smart lance tractor drive, a controller, and a tumble box connected to the controller operable to generate and/or distribute electrical power to the AC induction sensor from an air pressure source, supply electrical power to the controller and distribute pneumatic power to pneumatic motors for positioning the tractor drive on the positioner frame. The smart tractor drive includes sensors for detection of mismatch between expected and actual lance positions, sense lance insertion distance and lance removal and provide automated drive reversal operation to remove blockages within tubes being cleaned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: STONEAGE, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph A. Schneider, Adam Christopher Markham, Scott Howell, Daniel Szabo, Cody Montoya, Jeffery R. Barnes, Cooper Hanley
  • Publication number: 20230405646
    Abstract: A system and an apparatus for positioning a plurality of flexible cleaning lances through tubes penetrating a tube sheet of a heat exchanger tube sheet, includes a smart lance tractor drive, a controller, and a tumble box connected to the controller operable to generate and/or distribute electrical power to the AC induction sensor from an air pressure source, supply electrical power to the controller and distribute pneumatic power to pneumatic motors for positioning the tractor drive on the positioner frame. The smart tractor drive includes sensors for detection of mismatch between expected and actual lance positions, sense lance insertion distance and lance removal and provide automated drive reversal operation to remove blockages within tubes being cleaned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Joseph A. SCHNEIDER, Adam Christopher MARKHAM, Scott HOWELL, Daniel SZABO, Cody MONTOYA, Jeffery R. BARNES, Cooper HANLEY
  • Patent number: 11738378
    Abstract: A system and an apparatus for positioning a plurality of flexible cleaning lances through tubes penetrating a tube sheet of a heat exchanger tube sheet, includes a smart lance tractor drive, a controller, and a tumble box connected to the controller operable to generate and/or distribute electrical power to the AC induction sensor from an air pressure source, supply electrical power to the controller and distribute pneumatic power to pneumatic motors for positioning the tractor drive on the positioner frame. The smart tractor drive includes sensors for detection of mismatch between expected and actual lance positions, sense lance insertion distance and lance removal and provide automated drive reversal operation to remove blockages within tubes being cleaned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: STONEAGE, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph A. Schneider, Adam Christopher Markham, Scott Howell, Daniel Szabo, Cody Montoya, Jeffery R. Barnes, Cooper Hanley
  • Publication number: 20230102746
    Abstract: A system and an apparatus for positioning a plurality of flexible cleaning lances through tubes penetrating a tube sheet of a heat exchanger tube sheet, includes a smart lance tractor drive, a controller, and a tumble box connected to the controller operable to generate and/or distribute electrical power to the AC induction sensor from an air pressure source, supply electrical power to the controller and distribute pneumatic power to pneumatic motors for positioning the tractor drive on the positioner frame. The smart tractor drive includes sensors for detection of mismatch between expected and actual lance positions, sense lance insertion distance and lance removal and provide automated drive reversal operation to remove blockages within tubes being cleaned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventors: Joseph A. SCHNEIDER, Adam Christopher MARKHAM, Scott HOWELL, Daniel SZABO, Cody MONTOYA, Jeffery R. BARNES, Cooper HANLEY
  • Patent number: 11517947
    Abstract: A system and an apparatus for positioning a plurality of flexible cleaning lances through tubes penetrating a tube sheet of a heat exchanger tube sheet, includes a smart lance tractor drive, a controller, and a tumble box connected to the controller operable to generate and/or distribute electrical power to the AC induction sensor from an air pressure source, supply electrical power to the controller and distribute pneumatic power to pneumatic motors for positioning the tractor drive on the positioner frame. The smart tractor drive includes sensors for detection of mismatch between expected and actual lance positions, sense lance insertion distance and lance removal and provide automated drive reversal operation to remove blockages within tubes being cleaned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: STONEAGE, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph A. Schneider, Adam Christopher Markham, Scott Howell, Daniel Szabo, Cody Montoya, Jeffery R. Barnes, Cooper Hanley
  • Patent number: 11441856
    Abstract: A system and an apparatus for positioning a plurality of flexible cleaning lances includes a frame removably fastened parallel a tube sheet of a heat exchanger. The apparatus includes a smart lance tractor drive for advancing and retracting one or more lance hoses through one or more lance guide tubes into tubes penetrating through the heat exchanger tube sheet, a controller, one or more AC induction sensors on the tubes operable to sense holes in the tube sheet, and a tumble box connected to the controller operable to generate electrical power to the AC induction sensor from an air pressure source, supply electrical power to the controller and distribute pneumatic power to pneumatic motors for positioning the tractor drive on the positioner frame. The tractor drive includes sensors for detection of mismatch between expected and actual lance positions and automated drive reversal operation to remove blockages within tubes being cleaned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: STONEAGE, INC.
    Inventors: Timothy Schneider, Adam Markham, Joseph A. Schneider, Scott Howell, Daniel Szabo, Cody R. Montoya
  • Publication number: 20200391257
    Abstract: A system and an apparatus for positioning a plurality of flexible cleaning lances through tubes penetrating a tube sheet of a heat exchanger tube sheet, includes a smart lance tractor drive, a controller, and a tumble box connected to the controller operable to generate and/or distribute electrical power to the AC induction sensor from an air pressure source, supply electrical power to the controller and distribute pneumatic power to pneumatic motors for positioning the tractor drive on the positioner frame. The smart tractor drive includes sensors for detection of mismatch between expected and actual lance positions, sense lance insertion distance and lance removal and provide automated drive reversal operation to remove blockages within tubes being cleaned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Inventors: Joseph A. Schneider, Adam Christopher Markham, Scott Howell, Daniel Szabo, Cody Montoya, Jeffery R. Barnes, Cooper Hanley
  • Publication number: 20200132402
    Abstract: A system and an apparatus for positioning a plurality of flexible cleaning lances includes a frame removably fastened parallel a tube sheet of a heat exchanger. The apparatus includes a smart lance tractor drive for advancing and retracting one or more lance hoses through one or more lance guide tubes into tubes penetrating through the heat exchanger tube sheet, a controller, one or more AC induction sensors on the tubes operable to sense holes in the tube sheet, and a tumble box connected to the controller operable to generate electrical power to the AC induction sensor from an air pressure source, supply electrical power to the controller and distribute pneumatic power to pneumatic motors for positioning the tractor drive on the positioner frame. The tractor drive includes sensors for detection of mismatch between expected and actual lance positions and automated drive reversal operation to remove blockages within tubes being cleaned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventors: Timothy Schneider, Adam Markham, Joseph A. Schneider, Scott Howell, Daniel Szabo, Cody R. Montoya
  • Patent number: 6805030
    Abstract: The invention relates to a food processing system. A fluid conduit of the system is configured for directing the food carried in a fluid medium along a food path. The system has a food inlet operatively associated with the fluid conduit for feeding the food into the conduit, and a pump operatively associated with the conduit for pumping the fluid through the conduit in a fluid stream direction. A processor unit is associated with the conduit, disposed along the food path, and includes a tool configured and associated with the conduit for performing a processing operation on the food, such as cutting potatoes into french fry strips. The system also has a deceleration element operatively associated with the conduit and configured for decelerating the fluid and carried food along the food path while maintaining the fluid flow substantially free of recirculation vortices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: J.R. Simplot Company
    Inventors: James Englar, Juan Gonzalez, Scott Howell, David Gottberg
  • Publication number: 20020122859
    Abstract: The invention relates to a food processing system. A fluid conduit of the system is configured for directing the food carried in a fluid medium along a food path. The system has a food inlet operatively associated with the fluid conduit for feeding the food into the conduit, and a pump operatively associated with the conduit for pumping the fluid through the conduit in a fluid stream direction. A processor unit is associated with the conduit, disposed along the food path, and includes a tool configured and associated with the conduit for performing a processing operation on the food, such as cutting potatoes into french fry strips. The system also has a deceleration element operatively associated with the conduit and configured for decelerating the fluid and carried food along the food path while maintaining the fluid flow substantially free of recirculation vortices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2002
    Publication date: September 5, 2002
    Inventors: James Englar, Juan Gonzalez, Scott Howell, David Gottberg