Patents by Inventor Theophilus C. Wituszynski

Theophilus C. Wituszynski 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).

  • Control for a sheet stack supporting platform
    Patent number: 5988629
    Abstract: A sheet feeder having a platform for supporting a stack of sheets, a feed head assembly for feeding sheets seriatim from the top of a sheet supply stack on the platform, a mechanism for moving the platform relative to the feed head assembly, and a device for controlling operation of the platform moving mechanism. The control device for the platform moving mechanism includes a sensor for detecting marginal edges of sheets in the sheet stack on the platform, and producing a signal indicative of sheet edge detection. Additionally, a sensor is provided for detecting the location of the topmost sheet on the sheet stack on the platform, and producing a signal indicative of such top sheet location detection. A signal is set representative of the top of the sheet stack being in proper operative relation to the feed head assembly, this set signal being based on the signal from the top location sensor for the particular location of the top of the stack when the marginal sheet edge detection signal is first produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Leroy E. Burlew, Michael T. Dobbertin, Henry P. Mitchell, Theophilus C. Wituszynski
  • Vacuum belt feeder having a positive air pressure separator and method of using a vacuum belt feeder
    Patent number: 5344133
    Abstract: Apparatus for feeding sheets seriatim from a sheet supply stack. The apparatus comprises a sheet feed head assembly including a plenum, a vacuum source in flow communication with the plenum, and a mechanism, such as a feed belt, for example, associated with the plenum for urging a sheet acquired by vacuum in a sheet feeding direction away from the sheet supply stack. The sheet supply stack is supported, for example in a hopper on a support platform, so as to maintain the topmost sheet in such stack at a predetermined level in spaced relation with respect to the urging mechanism of the sheet feed head assembly. A first positive air supply directs a flow of air at the sheet supply stack to levitate the top several sheets in the supply stack to an elevation enabling the topmost sheet to be acquired by vacuum from the sheet feed head assembly plenum; and a second positive air supply directs a flow of air at an acquired sheet to assure separation of any additional sheets adhering to such topmost sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1994
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Gregory R. Jantsch, James D. Shifley, Michael T. Dobbertin, Theophilus C. Wituszynski, Larry J. Mortellaro, Henry P. Mitchell, Jr.