Patents by Inventor Thomas R. Schmidt

Thomas R. Schmidt 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: 5278897
    Abstract: Method for providing smart, internodal transfer for subscriber access which enables a subscriber who inputs a subscriber access number at a node in a multinode voice messaging system which is different from the subscriber's home node, i.e., the node which supports the subscriber's personal mailbox, to perform the subscriber's personal mailbox transactions without having to place a second call to reach the home node and without having to re-enter mailbox identification and password information once the home node is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 11, 1994
    Assignee: ROLM Company
    Inventors: Faye Mowery, Jeffrey M. Blohm, Thomas R. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 4838738
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for controlling mass flow rate of a particulate solids and gas mixture to a reactor. In particular, the fast response of a mass flow rate-indicating device is combined with the longer term accuracies in changes in the total mass from weigh cells to yield rapid and more accurate loss-in-weight measurements than conventional systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1989
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: James A. Salter, Thomas R. Schmidt, Thomas S. DeWitz, Charles M. Arbore, Frederick M. H. J. Duysings, Johannes W. Van Der Meer, David Brown, Henricus C. J. Venselaar
  • Patent number: 4750434
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling moisture content of a solid, such as pulverized coal, conveyed to a reactor, such as a gasifier, by controlling the temperature of a gas injected into a pulverizer or dryer based on the moisture content control of the coal transported to the gasifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1988
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: James A. Salter, Thomas R. Schmidt, Frederik M. H. J. Duysings, Rudi Everts, David Brown, Johannes W. van der Meer
  • Patent number: 4722142
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the thickness of a coating on the inside wall of a metallic tubular member comprising: a housing; means for positioning the housing in a predetermined position in relation to the inside wall; a probe comprising means for following the contour of the surface of the coating, and means for sensing the distance between the contour following means and the inside wall as an indication of the thickness of the coating; and means for attaching the probe to the housing such that the probe is positioned in a predetermined position in relation to the inside wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1988
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Thomas R. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 4568199
    Abstract: A method of and apparatus for measuring the temperature of hot gases and/or particulate matter inside of a heated vessel is provided. The apparatus senses microwave energy emitted by the hot gases from the heated vessel, converts the sensed microwave energy into a signal indicative thereof, and measures the amplitude of the signal as an indication of the temperature of the gas inside of the heated vessel. The antenna of the apparatus may be located interior of the pressure wall of the vessel, and may also contain refractory material in it. Any refractory material between the antenna and the source of microwaves is transparent to microwave radiation. The heated vessel may also have a refractory wall, which may contain the waveguide and/or antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1983
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1986
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Thomas R. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 4548822
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the preparation of an acid soluble annatto colorant in a powdered form and the annatto colorant prepared by this process. The method involves mixing an alkaline soluble annatto extract with an aqueous dispersion of a dextrinized starch derivative and drying the resultant to provide the desired product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1985
    Assignee: Miles Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas R. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 4495822
    Abstract: A method of determining the velocity of a stream in a vessel comprising the steps of: providing a first quantity of ultrasonic energy to a wall of the vessel at a first predetermined location so that the first quantity of ultrasonic energy induces a first compressional wave in the stream; sensing the first compressional wave at a second predetermined location along the wall, the second location being spaced from the first location by a distance that is at least as large as the distance required for the first quantity of ultrasonic energy to induce the first compressional wave in the stream; providing a second quantity of ultrasonic energy to the wall at the second predetermined location so that the second quantity of ultrasonic energy induces a second compressional wave in the stream; sensing the second compressional wave at the first predetermined location; determining a first amount of time elapsed between the providing of the first quantity of ultrasonic energy and the sensing of the first compressional wa
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1985
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Thomas R. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 4380553
    Abstract: The present invention is a method of imparting a reddish color to granulated seasoning salts. The method involves forming a slurry of annatto, by acid precipitation from an alkaline solution, and blending this slurry with the salt to plate the annatto thereon. The resulting pigmented salt is useful for the seasoning of snack foods to give them a barbequed appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1981
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1983
    Assignee: Miles Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas R. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 4217544
    Abstract: An improved method and apparatus to compensate for temperature variations in an electrical resistance corrosion measuring system. Sacrificial probes are inserted into a corrosive atmosphere at significant points, and corrosion-related losses from these probes are measured by monitoring changes in probe resistance. By comparing these changes to a reference probe, accurate determinations of corrosion are made. A novel method of automatic temperature compensation removes essentially all degrading effects of changes in temperature on the corrosion measurement system, by obtaining a reference signal which varies proportionately with temperature and counteracting instantaneous and extended temperature changes by subtracting the reference signal due to temperature variations from the uncompensated system output signal due to the combined effects of corrosion and temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1978
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1980
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Thomas R. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 4026150
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the mass flow of a fluid using dielectric constant measurements to determine density and converting the velocity of flow to a related frequency. The measurement of both the dielectric constant and frequency are made using a single capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 31, 1977
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Thomas R. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 4023096
    Abstract: A method and automatic apparatus for determining the physical properties of an emulsion wherein a sample of the emulsion is allowed to settle in a sample cell formed by a capacitor. The interface level, as emulsion breaks and settles to its final value, is followed by measuring the cell capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1977
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Thomas R. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 4000658
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the displacement of structures using force balance accelerometers and double integration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1975
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1977
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Thomas R. Schmidt