Patents by Inventor James W. Braa

James W. Braa 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: 4676891
    Abstract: Portable sluice equipment is provided for miners backpacking into back country to separate out valuable metals from placer deposits. All major components are made from commercially available PVC plastic conduits and fittings. The principal component is a sluice trough manufactured by first longitudinally cutting a plastic pipe in half, and then cutting spaced transverse back angled radial flow channel grooves throughout the sluice trough to initially receive the concentration of heavy metals. Also longitudinal grooves are cut throughout the length of the sluice trough near the respective top edges. Then when periodically, the main flow of sluicing water is stopped, the sluice trough is rotated about its longitudinal axis, and a minimal flow of water is directed transversely to flush the heavy metals from the transverse back angled radial flow channel grooves into the longitudinal groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1987
    Inventors: Jim A. Braa, James W. Braa