Patents by Inventor Thomas M. Smith

Thomas M. Smith 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: 4744848
    Abstract: The method of this invention is particularly suitable for forming a permanently deep drawn contour in a laminate, such as a self-supporting polymer backed carpet laminate utilized by the automotive industry. The method includes forming a generally planar laminate wherein the carpet or cloth finish sheet is spaced from the sides of the polymer sheet, releasably clamping the polymer backing sheet to the side members of a frame assembly including a portion which is hingedly attached to the side members adjacent the area where the deepest draw is to be formed in the laminate. The laminate is then heated in the frame assembly and formed in a die press having at least one die member which is received in forming contact with the laminate between the side members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1988
    Assignee: RHJ Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph B. Andrews, Chris G. Hewett, Thomas M. Smith
  • Patent number: 4722681
    Abstract: Improved burner constructions for gas-fired infra-red generators having ceramic fiber matrix through the thickness of which gaseous combustion mixture is passed and as it emerges it is burned to heat emerging surface to incandescence. Burner matrix can be loaded with silicon carbide particles to improve its emissivity, can be made water-repellent and its uniformity can be improved. Burner body can be casting, with sheet metal addition to form a baffle and air-seal and to grip matrix edges. Combustion mixture plenum can have movable partition assembly separating it from air seals, to adjust portion of matrix at which incandescence is generated. Metal screen can be stretched in front of incandescent surface to assist with low-temperature operation. Large size matrix can have central support fitted and secured to back of burner body. Air seal can be provided by narrow curtain of air extending around internal faces of burner body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1988
    Inventor: Thomas M. Smith
  • Patent number: 4654000
    Abstract: Improved burner constructions for gas-fired infra-red generators having ceramic fiber matrix through the thickness of which gaseous combustion mixture is passed and as it emerges it is burned to heat emerging surface to incandescence. Burner body can be casting, with sheet metal addition to form a baffle and air-seal and to grip matrix edges. Combustion mixture pelnum can have movable partition assembly separating it from air-seals, to adjust portion of matrix at which incandescence is generated. Metal screen can be stretched in front of incandescent surface to assist with low-temperature operation. Thermal insulation on external portions of burner body can also be held in place with screening. Large size matrix can have central support fitted in joint between matrix segments, and secured to back of burner body. Air-seal can be provided by narrow curtain of air extending around internal faces of burner body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1987
    Inventor: Thomas M. Smith
  • Patent number: 4604054
    Abstract: Improved infra-red irradiators and use thereof for soldering, domestic water heating, furnace treatment, drying and moisture profiling of paper webs. Burners can have a ceramic fiber mat held over a shallow combustion mixture plenum essentially completely spanned by a baffle. Mats can have folded-in edges to permit close packing. The plenum can have a partition forming a small ignition compartment with an igniter against the covering portion of the mat. Burners can be fitted to heat radial chambers on a rotating table lehr.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1986
    Inventor: Thomas M. Smith
  • Patent number: 4589843
    Abstract: Improved techniques for infra-red generating gas-fired burners to heat-treat substrates with or without the added heating effects of the hot combusted gases generated by the burners. Burners can have ceramic fiber mat held over shallow combustion mixture plenum essentially completely spanned by baffle. Mats can have folded-in edges to permit close packing. Plenum can have partition forming small ignition compartment with igniter against covering portion of mat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1986
    Inventor: Thomas M. Smith
  • Patent number: 4500283
    Abstract: Improved burner constructions for gas-fired infra-red generators having ceramic fiber matrix through the thickness of which gaseous combustion mixture is passed and as it emerges it is burned to heat emerging surface to incandescence. Burner body can be casting, with sheet metal addition to form a baffle and air-seal and to grip matrix edges. Combustion mixture plenum can have moveable partition assembly separating it from air-seals, to adjust portion of matrix at which incandescence is generated. Metal screen can be stretched in front of incandescent surface to assist with low-temperature operation. Thermal insulation on external portions of burner body can also be held in place with screening. Large size matrix can have central support fitted in joint between matrix segments, and secured to back of burner body. Air-seal can be provided by narrow curtain of air extending around internal faces of burner body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1983
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1985
    Inventor: Thomas M. Smith
  • Patent number: 4474552
    Abstract: Infra-red irradiation is combined with additional heating and/or drying to more effectively treat substrates. Irradiation from gas-fired infra-red radiators provides hot gaseous combustion products that can be directed to help heat and/or dry substrates. Width of irradiator can be made adjustable, as can its color temperature. Color temperatures as low as 950.degree. F. can be obtained without combustion catalysts such as platinum, by having a fine-mesh wire screen in front of ceramic fiber matrix burner face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1984
    Inventor: Thomas M. Smith
  • Patent number: 4447205
    Abstract: Fibrous mat type burners with elongated mats can be packaged strapped together in pairs face-to-face and enclosed in telescoping carton halves that allow for packaging burners of different lengths. Matrix edges can be held by clamping members that are curved where they engage outer face so that they do not dig into that face, but dig into inner matrix face. Burners with hat-shaped mats for enveloping and brazing heat-exchange tubes to tube sheet can be used individually or in pairs to effect such brazing on tube-and-sheet assemblies secured on rotating table and indexed into position under burners. Ceramic mats can be mounted around burner so that they are heated by hot burnt gases and their heated faces generate supplemental radiation toward work being heated by burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1984
    Inventor: Thomas M. Smith
  • Patent number: 4443185
    Abstract: Elongated webs of paper, textile, non-woven, and the like are heated by gas-fired burners, and where the webs are porous the hot combusted gas is sucked through the webs to add to the heating action. Where the webs contain an atmosphere-contaminating substance such as a coating having a vaporizable organic solvent, a shallow layer of the burner's gaseous combustion products can be swept over the coated web face as it is exposed to the burner's heating, to flush off the vaporized substance in relatively concentrated form in a fraction of the gaseous products. The flushed off concentrate contains little or no oxygen so that combustible vapors are not likely to form explosive mixtures. Separating the flushed off vapor from the concentrate is also easier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1981
    Date of Patent: April 17, 1984
    Inventor: Thomas M. Smith
  • Patent number: 4416618
    Abstract: Gas-fired infra-red generators with porous ceramic fiber panels through the thickness of which combustion mixture flows and on the emerging surface of which it burns, have constructions that enable a group to be mounted close together, and have various arrangements to reduce the temperature of the burner mouth in which the panels are mounted. Self-contained electric ignition and auxiliary radiation from added panels heated by the hot combustion gases is also shown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1983
    Inventor: Thomas M. Smith
  • Patent number: 4378207
    Abstract: Infra-red heating of moving webs using re-radiator surfaces adjacent to or opposed to infra-red generating surface. Scoop can be provided to remove boundary gas layer on web before it is irradiated, and hot combustion products drawn off and applied to web to assist in heat treatment. These hot combustion products can also be permitted to build up in depth below a downwardly facing infra-red generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1983
    Inventor: Thomas M. Smith
  • Patent number: 4373904
    Abstract: Improved gas-fired radiant heater has porous refractory panel mounted by its edges on a support to define a gaseous combustion mixture plenum from which the mixture flows through the panel to burn at its outer face, and a conduit for non-combustible gas extends along the margin of the panel and discharges the non-combustible gas through the panel all along its margin to keep the combustion mixture from escaping through the panel edges where burning can damage the panel. No further sealing of the panel margin is needed, but the sealing is effected with less of the non-combustible gas if the panel edges are compressed so as to reduce their thickness about 10%. One or more of the margins of a rectangular panel can be arranged as a depending flange with its mounting at least partially recessed so that two or more panels can be juxtaposed at such margins to form an effectively continuous radiating surface of relatively large size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1983
    Inventor: Thomas M. Smith
  • Patent number: 4326843
    Abstract: Gas-fired infra-red generators with porous ceramic fiber panels through the thickness of which combustion mixture flows and on the emerging surface of which it burns, have constructions that enable a group to be mounted close together, and have various arrangements to reduce the temperature of the burner mouth in which the panels are mounted. Self-contained electric ignition is also shown, as is the use of dark infra-red re-radiators in the radiation path to return energy that penetrates an article being irradiated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1982
    Inventor: Thomas M. Smith
  • Patent number: 4297403
    Abstract: A coreless supply roll of pressure sensitive labels includes an elongated paper carrier web which has a release coating on one side and is dye cut to provide longitudinally spaced feed holes adapted to receive a tooth feed wheel of a label printing and applicating device. The coated side of the carrier web supports a label web which is releasably attached to the carrier web by pressure sensitive adhesive and is dye cut to define distinct labels adapted to be successively printed and peeled from the carrier web within the device. The carrier web has an inner wrap or convolution which defines a center opening for the roll, and the inner convolution has a first end section which is folded back over a radially underlying second end section. A spot of permanent adhesive bonds the uncoated side of the first end section of the carrier web to a radially overlying portion of the uncoated side of the carrier web to provide the composite web with a positively connected end loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1981
    Assignee: Monarch Marking Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas M. Smith
  • Patent number: 4290746
    Abstract: Improved gas-fired radiant heater has porous refractory panel mounted by its edges on a support to define a gaseous combustion mixture plenum from which the mixture flows through the panel to burn at its outer face, and a conduit for non-combustible gas extends along the margin of the panel and discharges the non-combustible gas through the panel all along its margin to keep the combustion mixture from escaping through the panel edges where burning can damage the panel. No further sealing of the panel margin is needed, but the sealing is effected with less of the non-combustible gas if the panel edges are compressed so as to reduce their thickness about 10%. One or more of the margins of a rectangular panel can be arranged as a depending flange with its mounting at least partially recessed so that two or more panels can be juxtaposed at such margins to form an effectively continuous radiating surface of relatively large size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1981
    Inventor: Thomas M. Smith
  • Patent number: 4272238
    Abstract: Fibrous mat type burner can have mat pieced together with butt joints and very thin layer of resinous sealant uniting the pieces at the joint. Burners with elongated mats are thus readily manufactured, and can be packaged strapped together in pairs face-to-face and enclosed in telescoping carton halves that allow for packaging burners of different lengths. Matrix edges can be held by clamping members that are curved where they engage outer face so that they do not dig into that face, but dig into inner matrix face. Ceramic mats can be mounted around burner so that they are heated by hot burnt gases and their heated faces generate supplemental radiation toward work being heated by burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1981
    Inventor: Thomas M. Smith
  • Patent number: 4272237
    Abstract: Improved gas-fired radiant heater has porous refractory panel mounted by its edges on a support to define a gaseous combustion mixture plenum from which the mixture flows through the panel to burn at its outer face, and a conduit for non-combustible gas extends along the margin of the panel and discharges the non-combustible gas through the panel all along its margin to keep the combustion mixture from escaping through the panel edges where burning can damage the panel. No further sealing of the panel margin is needed, but the sealing is effected with less of the non-combustible gas if the panel edges are compressed so as to reduce their thickness about 10%. One or more of the margins of a rectangular panel can be arranged as a depending flange with its mounting at least partially recessed so that two or more panels can be juxtaposed at such margins to form an effectively continuous radiating surface of relatively large size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1981
    Inventor: Thomas M. Smith
  • Patent number: 4224018
    Abstract: Fibrous mat type burner can have mat pieced together with butt joints and very thin layer of resinous sealant uniting the pieces at the joint. Burners with elongated mats are thus readily manufactured, and can be packaged strapped together in pairs face-to-face and enclosed in telescoping carton halves that allow for packaging burners of different lengths. Simple cushioning strips such as of folded corrugated cardboard can be inserted between burner faces, and cushioning pads over outer edges of burner backs, before they are strapped together. Holes can be provided in the cushioning strips to hold them in place over fastener heads projecting from burner face. Burners with hat-shaped mats for enveloping and brazing heat-exchange tubes to tube sheet can be used individually or in pairs to effect such brazing on tube-and-sheet assemblies secured on rotating table and indexed into position under burners. Suction ring around bottom of burner draws off some hot combustion gases generated in burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1977
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1980
    Inventor: Thomas M. Smith
  • Patent number: 4180013
    Abstract: An animal behavioral control device having a microphone responsive to both ambient noise around the animal and to emitted sound from the animal such as barking for extending an electrical signal corresponding only to the emitted sound and a vibrating apparatus being activated in the presence of the electrical signal for vibrating the area of the animal's neck nearest the vocal cords to cause the animal to be distracted either in a first range of preferred vibration in a first embodiment of the invention, or to swallow in a second range of preferred vibration in a second embodiment of the invention thereby substantially preventing the animal from emitting the barking sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1979
    Inventor: Thomas M. Smith
  • Patent number: 4157155
    Abstract: A set of metal heat exchange tubes is simultaneously brazed into a metal tube sheet more rapidly and with greater uniformity by holding tube-and-sheet assembly under radiant heater with sheet essentially horizontal and carrying brazing metal, and forcing gases from above tubes down into tubes as assembly is heated. Heater can have heating surface enveloping the top and sides of the sheet, or can have flat heating surface, but is preferably a ceramic fiber gas burner. Burner can be divided into two portions using a single ceramic fiber mat and separate combustion mixture supplies, with non-combustible gas fed through one portion when other portion is the only one operating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1979
    Inventor: Thomas M. Smith