Patents by Inventor Anthony F. Banks

Anthony F. Banks 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).

  • Oil sand extraction process
    Patent number: 5723042
    Abstract: A method for processing lumps of oil sand containing bitumen to produce a bitumen froth and non segregating tailings of a solid material and a sludge. The method includes depositing the lumps of oil sand into a bath of warm water. The lumps are then conditioned by gently contacting them with the warm water to liberate and separate bitumen from the oil sand while minimizing the dispersal into the bath of fine material contained in the oil sand. Following conditioning, the solid material remaining after the liberation and separation of the bitumen from the oil sand is removed from the bath and collected for further processing. The warm water containing bitumen and dispersed fine material is also removed from the bath and collected for further processing. Following removal from the bath, the warm water containing bitumen and dispersed fine material is separated into the bitumen froth and a suspension of dispersed fine material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Assignee: Bitmin Resources Inc.
    Inventors: William L. Strand, Anthony F. Banks
  • Oil sand extraction process
    Patent number: 5645714
    Abstract: A method for processing lumps of oil sand containing bitumen to produce a bitumen froth and non segregating tailings of a solid material and a sludge. The method includes depositing the lumps of oil sand into a bath of warm water. The lumps are then conditioned by gently contacting them with the warm water to liberate and separate bitumen from the oil sand while minimizing the dispersal into the bath of fine material contained in the oil sand. Following conditioning, the solid material remaining after the liberation and separation of the bitumen from the oil sand is removed from the bath and collected for further processing. The warm water containing bitumen and dispersed fine material is also removed from the bath and collected for further processing. Following removal from the bath, the warm water containing bitumen and dispersed fine material is separated into the bitumen froth and a suspension of dispersed fine material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1997
    Assignee: Bitman Resources Inc.
    Inventors: William L. Strand, Anthony F. Banks