Patents by Inventor Brice Van Houtte

Brice Van Houtte 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).

  • Patent number: 9340861
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an installation for the hot-dip coating of a metal strip (11) with a liquid metal, comprising a pot (4) containing a bath of liquid metal, an immersed sink roll (1) for deflecting the strip entering the bath to a vertical exit path and at least one additional roll (2, 3) for controlling the strip flatness, the axes of said sink and additional rolls (1, 2, 3) being supported by arms (16) connected to a main metal frame (8, 8A) itself connected to a base on each side of the pot by means of supports (9, 10), characterized in that the metal frame is a double beam made of a removable beam (8A) connected to an intermediate beam (13) itself anchored to the base by the supports (9, 10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Cockerill Maintenance & Ingénierie S.A.
    Inventors: Michel Dubois, Brice Van Houtte
  • Patent number: 9217194
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for controlling the thickness of a coating made of a liquid film on a moving strip (3), characterized in that automated structure for reducing the gas flow at each of said nozzle sides comprise a moving carriage (10) guiding a retractable cable (9) able to be applied respectively onto and out of the gas discharge opening (4), inside the nozzle chamber (5) and in that, at each transversal side of the nozzle (1), a transition, between an external nozzle section where the gas flow is reduced and an internal nozzle section where the gas flow is not reduced, is assured by two together-moving grooved wheels or pulleys (6, 7) connected to the moving carriage (10), located side by side and having their axis perpendicular to the nozzle, so that the cable (9) is successively located against the opening (4) on an external side of the first pulley (6), between the two pulleys (6, 7) and distant from the opening (4) on an internal side of the second pulley (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Cockerill Maintenance & Ingénierie S.A.
    Inventors: Michel Dubois, Brice Van Houtte
  • Publication number: 20150040824
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for controlling the thickness of a coating made of a liquid film on a moving strip (3), characterised in that said automated means for reducing the gas flow at each of said nozzle sides comprise a moving carriage (10) guiding a retractable cable (9) able to be applied respectively onto and out of the gas discharge opening (4), inside the nozzle chamber (5) and in that, at each transversal side of the nozzle (1), a transition, between an external nozzle section where the gas flow is reduced and an internal nozzle section where the gas flow is not reduced, is assured by means of two together-moving grooved wheels or pulleys (6, 7) connected to the moving carriage (10), located side by side and having their axis perpendicular to the nozzle, so that the cable (9) is successively located against the opening (4) on an external side of the first pulley (6), between the two pulleys (6, 7) and distant from the opening (4) on an internal side of the second pulley (7).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Michel Dubois, Brice Van Houtte
  • Publication number: 20150034004
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an installation for the hot-dip coating of a metal strip (11) with a liquid metal, comprising a pot (4) containing a bath of liquid metal, an immersed sink roll (1) for deflecting the strip entering the bath to a vertical exit path and at least one additional roll (2, 3) for controlling the strip flatness, the axes of said sink and additional rolls (1, 2, 3) being supported by arms (16) connected to a main metal frame (8, 8A) itself connected to a base on each side of the pot by means of supports (9, 10), characterised in that the metal frame is a double beam made of a removable beam (8A) connected to an intermediate beam (13) itself anchored to the base by the supports (9, 10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Michel Dubois, Brice Van Houtte