RICHARD JAMES MYERS
Vehicle Board in Pittsburgh, PA

4980557, Dec 25, 1990

Jun 6, 1988

7/202524

Richard L. Myers - Wilkinsburg PA
Edward L. McCall - Sewickley PA

Extrel Corporation - Pittsburgh PA

H01J 2720

250423R

Surface ionization technique for detection of airborne particles whereby each particle is pyrolyzed on a hot surface, releasing its chemical constituents, some of which are ionized at the surface, creating a burst of ions that denote the particle's presence. The hot surface is a catalytic material deposited on an inert substrate heated by an internal heating element. Inert substrates are selected to provide mechanical strength, reduce microphonic noise and make a large catalytic surface area achievable, and hence permit high sensitivity while employing reduced quantities of catalytic materials. By locating the heater within the substrate, its electrical parameters are such that the heater power supply can be simplified. The pulses during "on" parts of the "on-off" cycles are filtered out and not counted. In one embodiment the hot sensor surface is biased to a high voltage by a high bias resistor and is coupled to a pulse-counting preamplifier through a capacitor.

4209693, Jun 24, 1980

Aug 2, 1978

5/930360

Wade L. Fite - Pittsburgh PA
Richard L. Myers - Pittsburgh PA

Extranuclear Laboratories, Inc. - Pittsburgh PA

G01N 2778

250251

A method and apparatus for monitoring particulates which are borne by a surrounding gaseous medium, such as found in smokestack or the like, through interception of the particulates by a hot filament having a bias potential in the range of about 100 to 1000 volts whereupon each particulate decomposes into a burst of ions which is collected by a nearby electrode at ground potential, by counting those bursts which produce a predetermined total charge and, at the same time, measuring the DC electric current produced by the bursts and other ion exchange between the hot filament and the electrode. The filament operates at a temperature level wherein infrared and visible radiations are emitted, such radiations being monitored by a phototransistor which receives the radiations. The electrical signal from the phototransistor is employed in a feedback loop whereby the power to the filament is either increased or decreased to maintain the detected radiation level and therefore the filament temperature at a prescribed value.

5172581, Dec 22, 1992

Sep 21, 1989

7/410506

Richard T. Brackmann - Pittsburgh PA
Richard L. Myers - Pittsburgh PA
Sanjai K. Bijawat - Boston MA

Extrel Corporation - Pittsburgh PA

G01N 3300

73 2901

Fluids entrapped in small confined within spaces of an object are analyzed by securing the object containing the confined space by epoxy to a small fitting over a notch applied on the object's surface adjacent to the confined space, the fitting being a slidable seal attached to a small tube which has a piercing device adapted to move with the small tube relative to the fitting and the object containing the confined space to puncture same through the notch, whereby the entrapped gaseous fluid in the confined space emerges into the fitting and small tube, the entire system being a sealed enclosure. Attached to the small tube is a capillary which leads to an analyzing device, such as a mass spectrometer. The small tube fitting and capillary are sufficiently small in volume and configured so that gaseous fluid from the now ruptured confined space flows in a viscous condition from the object to the analyzing device and is in contact with minimal surface area to minimize any adsorption effects which would change the contents of the fluid sample. No elastomer O-rings or other materials known for their adsorption affinities insofar as substances of interest in the contents of the fluid emerging from the confined space are used.

4162404, Jul 24, 1979

Aug 2, 1978

5/930361

Wade L. Fite - Pittsburgh PA
Richard L. Myers - Pittsburgh PA
Richard T. Brackmann - Pittsburgh PA

Extranuclear Laboratories, Inc. - Pittsburgh PA

H01J 2700

250423R

A method and apparatus for monitoring particulates which are borne by a surrounding gaseous medium, such as found in smokestacks or the like, through interception of the particulates by a hot filament having a bias potential in the range of about 100 to 1000 volts whereupon each particulate decomposes into a burst of ions which is collected by a nearby electrode at ground potential, by counting those bursts which produce a predetermined total charge and, at the same time, measuring the DC electric current produced by the bursts and other ion exchange between the hot filament and the electrode. The filament operates at a temperature level wherein infrared and visible radiations are emitted, such radiations being monitored by a phototransistor which receives the radiations. The electrical signal from the phototransistor is employed in a feedback loop whereby the power to the filament is automatically either increased or decreased, and manually regulated within limits to maintain the detected radiation level and therefore the filament temperature at a prescribed value.

4151414, Apr 24, 1979

Mar 31, 1977

5/783323

Wade L. Fite - Pittsburgh PA
Richard L. Myers - Pittsburgh PA

Extranuclear Laboratories, Inc. - Pittsburgh PA

H01J 3934, B01D 5944

250281

The measurement of a dc current from ions produced in a surface ionization detector for particulates in combination with simultaneous particulate counting to differentiate between particulates above or below a predetermined size and total particulates present thus determining whether a given aerosol consists primarily of large particulates or very small particulates and providing general information about the particle size in an aerosol. The dc current measurement further provides surface ionization detection of particulates at densities which overload circuitry for pulse counting, whereby the dynamic range of the instrument is extended.