Patents by Inventor Kenneth Murray Nichols

Kenneth Murray Nichols 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).

  • Heat energy distribution in a continuous dry kiln
    Patent number: 11940212
    Abstract: A kiln for drying and processing lumber packages is provided. The kiln generally includes at least one end chamber, a drying chamber adjacent to the end chamber, a first lumber conveying line configured to transport the lumber packages in a first direction through the end chamber and the drying chamber, and a second lumber conveying line configured to transport the lumber packages in a second direction through the end chamber and the drying chamber. The conveying lines may be countercurrent or uniflow. The kiln may further include a heat distributor in the end chamber to distribute heat into the end chamber in addition to heat from the drying chamber along the first and second lumber conveying lines. The heat distributor may include a distribution duct receiving heat from a drying chamber distribution duct or a heater inlet duct, a heat exchanger, a radiative heating element, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser NR Company
    Inventors: Kenneth Murray Nichols, Gregory Keith Ralston, Luiz C. Oliveira, Philip John Latos
  • HEAT ENERGY DISTRIBUTION IN A CONTINUOUS DRY KILN
    Publication number: 20220155012
    Abstract: A kiln for drying and processing lumber packages is provided. The kiln generally includes at least one end chamber, a drying chamber adjacent to the end chamber, a first lumber conveying line configured to transport the lumber packages in a first direction through the end chamber and the drying chamber, and a second lumber conveying line configured to transport the lumber packages in a second direction through the end chamber and the drying chamber. The conveying lines may be countercurrent or uniflow. The kiln may further include a heat distributor in the end chamber to distribute heat into the end chamber in addition to heat from the drying chamber along the first and second lumber conveying lines. The heat distributor may include a distribution duct receiving heat from a drying chamber distribution duct or a heater inlet duct, a heat exchanger, a radiative heating element, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Kenneth Murray Nichols, Gregory Keith Ralston, Luiz C. Oliveira, Philip John Latos
  • Heat energy distribution in a continuous dry kiln
    Patent number: 11150018
    Abstract: A kiln for drying and processing lumber packages is provided. The kiln generally includes at least one end chamber, a drying chamber adjacent to the end chamber, a first lumber conveying line configured to transport the lumber packages in a first direction through the end chamber and the drying chamber, and a second lumber conveying line configured to transport the lumber packages in a second direction through the end chamber and the drying chamber. The conveying lines may be countercurrent or uniflow. The kiln may further include a heat distributor in the end chamber to distribute heat into the end chamber in addition to heat from the drying chamber along the first and second lumber conveying lines. The heat distributor may include a distribution duct receiving heat from a drying chamber distribution duct or a heater inlet duct, a heat exchanger, a radiative heating element, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser NR Company
    Inventors: Kenneth Murray Nichols, Gregory Keith Ralston, Luiz C. Oliveira, Philip John Latos