Patents by Inventor Steven L. Sowards

Steven L. Sowards 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: 6685778
    Abstract: A lane maintenance machine having wicks that absorb dressing from a reservoir and transfer it to the applicator of the machine has a gravity-fed dressing supply system that maintains the dressing at a substantially constant level within the wick reservoir. A small pilot chamber upstream from the reservoir and in open communication therewith at the same elevation as the reservoir has its fluid level directly controlled by a float sensor to in turn indirectly control the level within the wick reservoir. The float sensor within the pilot chamber provides a signal to a controller when the level within the pilot chamber drops below a predetermined point so that a control valve between the pilot chamber and the main supply tank opens to allow a makeup volume of dressing to flow by gravity from the main tank into the pilot chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: The Kegel Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark E. Davis, Anthony K. Crews, Steven L. Sowards, John M. Davis
  • Publication number: 20030140848
    Abstract: A lane maintenance machine having wicks that absorb dressing from a reservoir and transfer it to the applicator of the machine has a gravity-fed dressing supply system that maintains the dressing at a substantially constant level within the wick reservoir. A small pilot chamber upstream from the reservoir and in open communication therewith at the same elevation as the reservoir has its fluid level directly controlled by a float sensor to in turn indirectly control the level within the wick reservoir. The float sensor within the pilot chamber provides a signal to a controller when the level within the pilot chamber drops below a predetermined point so that a control valve between the pilot chamber and the main supply tank opens to allow a makeup volume of dressing to flow by gravity from the main tank into the pilot chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventors: Mark E. Davis, Anthony K. Crews, Steven L. Sowards, John M. Davis