United States Can Company

Other

Edward F Owens

A fire starter for use with a grill (G) for cooking foods includes a combustible bag (A) placed on the grill. The bag's contents include charcoal (B) which, when lit, has a relatively long burn time. Interspersed in the bag with the charcoal are wood shavings (S) which have a shorter burn time than the charcoal. In one embodiment, the contents of the bag are poured into the grill. In another embodiment, one end (E) of the bag is opened and placed on a grate (P). The other, upper end (E) of the bag is opened and the lower end of the bag ignited. Setting the bag vertically produces a chimney effect that facilitates burning of the bag and its contents. When the bag is ignited, the shavings are also ignited and burn for a period sufficiently long to ignite the charcoal before being consumed.

Easy lighting charcoal briquettes with wood shavings

Connector for use in packaging aerosol containers

Connector for use in packing aerosol containers

A connector ( ) used in packaging together two aerosol containers (A , A ) for sale as a unit. A first connector segment ( ) attaches to one aerosol container (A ), and a second connector segment ( ) attaches to the other aerosol containers (A ). The connector segments grasp adjacent portions of the respective aerosol containers which, in one embodiment are stacked vertically, one above the other, and in other embodiments horizontally in a side-by-side configuration. In two of the embodiments, the connector is formed as a one piece, integral connector. In a third embodiment, the connector segments are separate pieces ( C and C) with one piece ( C) attaching to the top, cap portion of the containers, and the other piece ( C) attaching to the base of the respective containers. In each embodiment the containers are handled as a single unit regardless of whether one container or the other, or the connector, is used to move the containers.

A method and apparatus ( ) for custom blending spray paints. A customer provides a sample (S) of a color to be matched. The sample is tested on a spectrophotometer to determine the colors needed to match the sample; or if the paint formula is known, it is entered into the apparatus. A computer control ( ) causes metered quantities of each colorant to be pumped from a reservoir ( ) to a manifold ( ). From the manifold, paint is injected through a filling head ( ) into a discharge valve (V) and dip tube (P) of a precharged aerosol container (C) to be filled. Solvent from a tank ( ) is used between a final injection of colorant to flush out the manifold and a dip tube (P) of the container. After the colors have been injected into the container, the container is shaken so that the colors intermix with each other to produce a paint of the desired custom color which is readily sprayed from the container.

Aerosol colorant charging system and method

An aerosol container (,) with an ergonomic beaded cylindrical body (,) is disclosed. The cylindrical body (,) has larger beads (,) toward the top of the container, and smaller beads (,) positioned under the larger beads, creating an easy to hold and use container.

Growing community of inventors

Ellicott City, MD, United States of America

Edward F Owens