The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 06, 2001
Filed:
Feb. 29, 2000
Daryl G. Hill, Yakima, WA (US);
Orchard-Rite Ltd., Inc., Yakima, WA (US);
Abstract
A heater apparatus for a wind machine and particularly for heating a wind stream generated by the wind machine, the wind machine rotatably mounted upon a central tower. The generated air stream can be directed toward a target such as an orchard, vineyard or crop. The wind machine rotates upon a pinion attached to the wind machine. The pinion rotates within a housing, and the housing is immovably mounted to the central tower. The housing includes a pinion cavity, which receives the pinion. The pinion is rotatable within the housing, and the pinion is co-rotatable with the wind machine about a common axis of rotation upon the central tower. A manifold is formed within the pinion cavity, between the pinion and the housing and is further bounded by an upper seal and a lower seal. A fuel is receivable into the manifold, the fuel conducted into the manifold through a housing port. The housing port penetrates through the housing and is open to the manifold. The housing port conducts the fuel into the manifold. A pinion port that passes through the pinion conducts the fuel out of the manifold and to a burner mounted proximate the wind machine. The burner combusts the fuel to heat the wind stream.