Patents by Inventor Stephen F. Fields

Stephen F. Fields 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: 4586547
    Abstract: A novel ball valve type purging device for a tank train ball valve purging device wherein a one-way valve is connected in an upper portion of a long vertical interconnecting pipe between adjacent cars of a string of tank cars so as to let gas pass from the long vent pipe into the top of the tank car and eliminates or minimizes the necessity to blow gas or air through the car commodity during purging of the interconnects and greatly reduces the pressure and quantities of purge gas required. The structure of the invention effectively eliminates the limitation on the length of a string of cars due to the purging requirements and the reduction of the quantity of purge gas substantially reduces the cost of purging particularly wherein inert or bottled gas such as nitrogen is utilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1986
    Assignee: General American Transportation Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen F. Fields, C. K. Krishnakumar