Patents Assigned to Amerifab, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11674754
    Abstract: A method of charging a pre-packaged charge in a metallurgical or refining furnace includes providing a disposable metal container having at least one attachment member and forming a pre-packaged charge by loading scrap material into the metal container. The method also includes releasably coupling the at least one attachment member of the container to a lifting device, and then de-coupling the pre-packaged charge from the lifting device so that the combination of the scrap material and the disposable metal container are charged in the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: AMERIFAB, INC.
    Inventor: Richard Manasek
  • Patent number: 11365936
    Abstract: An enclosure of a steel-making furnace system includes a support structure including a frame that defines an interior, a supply line for supplying a cooling liquid from a reservoir, and a return line fluidly coupled to the supply line and the reservoir. A plurality of panels includes sinuously winding piping having an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is fluidly coupled to the supply line and the outlet is fluidly coupled to the return line. The frame includes a plurality of support members spaced from one another, where each of the plurality of support members defines a slot. Each of the plurality of panels is removably and slidably received with the slot for coupling to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: AMERIFAB, INC.
    Inventor: Richard J. Manasek
  • Patent number: 11112179
    Abstract: A method of charging a pre-packaged charge in a metallurgical or refining furnace includes providing a disposable metal container having at least one attachment member and forming a pre-packaged charge by loading scrap material into the metal container. The method also includes releasably coupling the at least one attachment member of the container to a lifting device, and then de-coupling the pre-packaged charge from the lifting device so that the combination of the scrap material and the disposable metal container are charged in the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: AMERIFAB, INC.
    Inventor: Richard Manasek
  • Patent number: 10871328
    Abstract: A method of quickly changing a portion of the roof of an electric arc furnace having a top loading roof system comprising providing at least one pie-shaped water cooled panel supported below the roof support beams and located to protect the underside hot face of the roof support beams, providing at least one quick water disconnect for connecting the at least one pie-shaped water cooled panel to a water supply, raising and removing the at least one pie-shaped water cooled roof panel, replacing the at least one pie-shaped water cooled roof panel with another pie-shaped water cooled panel or repairing the at least one pie-shaped water cooled roof panel, and continuing operation of the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: AMERIFAB, INC.
    Inventor: Richard J. Manasek
  • Patent number: 10760854
    Abstract: A pipe-within-a-pipe and method of use are provided. The pipe-within-a-pipe comprises a first tube overlaying a second tube. The first tube and the second tube have different structures in some respect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: AMERIFAB, INC.
    Inventor: Richard J. Manasek
  • Patent number: 10578363
    Abstract: A 180-degree pipe elbow having one end extending beyond the other end and method of joining a 180-degree pipe elbow to lengths of cooling pipe to form a cooling panel for use in a furnace, boiler or other industrial heating apparatus that benefits from assistance of a cooling panel. Having one end of the elbow extend beyond the other end of the elbow enables the one end to be joined to a length of pipe by welding whereby the joining may be by automatic welding which will reduce manufacturing costs and ensure a quality weld.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: AMERIFAB, INC.
    Inventor: Richard J. Manasek
  • Patent number: 8997842
    Abstract: A selectable heat exchange apparatus and method of use are provided. The heat exchange apparatus comprises a plurality of half-tubes fabricated from any selected material and in any selected method of manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: AmeriFab, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard J. Manasek
  • Patent number: 8202476
    Abstract: A heat exchanger system is disclosed. The heat exchanger system may be comprised of a front plate and a base plate, wherein piping is fitted with spray nozzles that direct a spray of the cooling fluid on a backside of the front plate. The front plate is preferably fabricated out of aluminum bronze alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: AmeriFab, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Manasek, David P. Kincheloe
  • Patent number: 8089999
    Abstract: A pipe and method of use for deterring or encouraging the retention of slag or other material in the operating area of a metal processing system as desired. The deterring pipe(s) and the encouraging pipe(s) may be combined with other deterring pipe(s) and/or other encouraging pipe(s) in any combination as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: AmeriFab, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard J. Manasek
  • Patent number: 7582253
    Abstract: A heat exchanger system suitable for iron making furnaces and their supporting exhaust and cooling systems. The heat exchange has at least one panel of sinuously winding piping having an inlet and an outlet, an input manifold in fluid communication with the inlet of the at least one panel, an output manifold in fluid communication with the outlet of the panel, a cooling fluid flowing through the piping, and a stream of hot exhaust gasses flowing over the piping. The heat exchanger system is preferably fabricated using an aluminum bronze alloy. The operational life of the heat exchanger is extended and corrosion and erosion of the heat exchanger and related components is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: AmeriFab, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Manasek, David P. Kincheloe
  • Publication number: 20090151916
    Abstract: A pipe and method of use for deterring or encouraging the retention of slag or other material in the operating area of a metal processing system as desired. The deterring pipe(s) and the encouraging pipe(s) may be combined with other deterring pipe(s) and/or other encouraging pipe(s) in any combination as desired.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2006
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: AMERIFAB, INC.
    Inventor: Richard J. Manasek
  • Publication number: 20080296006
    Abstract: A pipe-within-a-pipe and method of use are provided. The pipe-within-a-pipe comprises a first tube overlaying a second tube. The first tube and the second tube have different structures in some respect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: AMERIFAB, INC.
    Inventor: Richard J. Manasek
  • Publication number: 20080035320
    Abstract: The invention is a heat exchanger system suitable for iron making furnaces and their supporting exhaust and cooling system. The heat exchanger has at least one panel of sinuously winding piping having an inlet and an outlet, an input manifold in fluid communication with the inlet of the at least one panel, an output manifold in fluid communication with the outlet of the panel, a cooling fluid flowing through the piping, and a stream of hot exhaust gases flowing over the piping. In application, the heat exchanger system has at least one panel that is mounted to an interior side of a wall, and is in fluid communication with the output and the input manifolds that are on an exterior side of the wall. The wall typically is a wall of a steel making furnace, a furnace roof, a smoke ring exhaust port, a straight section of an exhaust duct, and a curved section of an exhaust duct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Applicant: AMERIFAB, INC.
    Inventors: Richard Manasek, David Kincheloe
  • Patent number: 6890479
    Abstract: A metallurgical furnace, which includes a furnace shell, an exhaust system, and a gas cleaning system, further includes a plurality of improved pipes and fume ducts throughout to increase operational life and productivity. The pipes and fumes ducts are comprised of an aluminum-bronze alloy which provides enhanced properties over prior art materials including thermal conductivity, modulous of elasticity and hardness. The use of the alloy also minimizes maintenance requirements of the pipes and fume ducts, thereby extending their operational life. In operation, gases formed from smelting or refining are evacuated from the furnace shell through the exhaust system into the gas cleaning system. The gases, as well as the system, are water cooled by way of the plurality of pipes displaced throughout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Amerifab, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Manasek, David P. Kincheloe
  • Patent number: 6330269
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for cooling the interior wall of an electric arc furnace. The device is an extruded heavy-walled pipe having a base and a fin or plurality of fins. Such pipes are attached to a plate in serpentine fashion and hung on the inside wall of the electric arc furnace above the hearth, thereby forming a cooling surface between the interior and the furnace wall. The fins are sized and arranged to retain splattered slag. The slags solidifies on the pipes, forming an insulation barrier between the molten iron material and the cooling pipes and, consequently, the wall of the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Amerifab, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Manasek, David P. Kincheloe
  • Patent number: 6059028
    Abstract: The present invention is a dual section liquid-cooled panel that lines a portion of the interior surface of a metallurgical furnace. The invented panel has a primary section disposed proximate to the center of the furnace and a secondary or back-up section adjacent the primary section. A three-way valve is controls the flow of fluid to the operating section of the panel. Initially, the primary section is operational and the valve is set to permit the flow of fluid to the primary section. If the primary section suffers structural damage, the valve can be used to re-direct the cooling fluid to the secondary section of the invented panel and the secondary section becomes operational until regular maintenance is scheduled to occur. Also disclosed is a method for repairing a damaged dual section liquid-cooled panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Amerifab, Inc.
    Inventors: David P. Kincheloe, Richard J. Manasek, Richard W. McVicker
  • Patent number: D880679
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: AMERIFAB, INC.
    Inventor: Richard J. Manasek