Patents by Inventor Frans Petrus Roelof Pienaar

Frans Petrus Roelof Pienaar 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: 8939681
    Abstract: This invention relates to a composite bag for use in earth bag construction systems such as backfill pack systems in underground mines and a construction system using such bags. The composite bags each comprises a pair of long, narrow inner bags of woven polypropylene located longitudinally within and constrained along their length by an outer bag of woven polypropylene. In use, the composite bags are laid flat on top of one another on a working surface (for instance the footwall in an underground mine). The bags could be glued or otherwise attached to one another in this configuration. Tie elements, such as timber elongates, are threaded through aligned slits spaced apart along the length of the bags. The elongates are set against the hanging wall and a backfill slurry is pumped into the inner bags. As each inflating composite bag expands, the slurry water weeps from the bags which rise up the timber elongates during the pumping process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignees: Timrite (Pty) Ltd, Raffia Tufbag (Pty) Ltd
    Inventors: Frans Petrus Roelof Pienaar, John Richard Thorpe
  • Publication number: 20110286687
    Abstract: This invention relates to a composite bag for use in earth bag construction systems such as backfill pack systems in underground mines and a construction system using such bags. The composite bags each comprises a pair of long, narrow inner bags of woven polypropylene located longitudinally within and constrained along their length by an outer bag of woven polypropylene. In use, the composite bags are laid flat on top of one another on a working surface (for instance the footwall in an underground mine). The bags could be glued or otherwise attached to one another in this configuration. Tie elements, such as timber elongates, are threaded through aligned slits spaced apart along the length of the bags. The elongates are set against the hanging wall and a backfill slurry is pumped into the inner bags. As each inflating composite bag expands, the slurry water weeps from the bags which rise up the timber elongates during the pumping process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Inventors: Frans Petrus Roelof Pienaar, John Richard Thorpe