Patents by Inventor Richard B. Castle
Richard B. Castle 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: 6254981Abstract: The disclosure describes methods for producing bulk, particulate material that includes solid, generally ellipsoidal particles. Irregularly shaped feed particles with average particle sizes of up to 25 microns on a volume basis are dispersed in at least a portion of a combustible gas mixture by application of force and/or fluidizing agents. The combustible mixture with particles in suspension is then delivered, while controlling agglomeration or re-agglomeration of the particles, to at least one flame front. There, the mixture and suspended particles are uniformly distributed across the surface(s) of and passed through the flame front(s) with a high concentration of particles in the mixture. This flame front and the resultant flame(s) with suspended particles are located in at least one “wall free” zone. In such zone(s) the flame(s) may expand while the particles are maintained in dispersion and heated, with controlled and highly efficient application of heating energy.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 1999Date of Patent: July 3, 2001Assignee: Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing CompanyInventor: Richard B. Castle
-
Patent number: 6045913Abstract: The disclosure describes methods for producing bulk, particulate material that includes solid, generally ellipsoidal particles. Irregularly shaped feed particles with average particle sizes of up to 25 microns on a volume basis are dispersed in at least a portion of a combustible gas mixture by application of force and/or fluidizing agents. The combustible mixture with particles in suspension is then delivered, while controlling agglomeration or re-agglomeration of the particles, to at least one flame front. There, the mixture and suspended particles are uniformly distributed across the surface(s) of and passed through the flame front(s) with a high concentration of particles in the mixture. This flame front and the resultant flame(s) with suspended particles are located in at least one "wall free" zone. In such zone(s) the flame(s) may expand while the particles are maintained in dispersion and heated, with controlled and highly efficient application of heating energy.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 1996Date of Patent: April 4, 2000Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing CompanyInventor: Richard B. Castle
-
Patent number: 6027799Abstract: The disclosure describes methods for producing bulk, particulate material that includes solid, generally ellipsoidal particles. Irregularly shaped feed particles with average particle sizes of up to 25 microns on a volume basis are dispersed in at least a portion of a combustible gas mixture by application of force and/or fluidizing agents. The combustible mixture with particles in suspension is then delivered, while controlling agglomeration or re-agglomeration of the particles, to at least one flame front. There, the mixture and suspended particles are uniformly distributed across the surface(s) of and passed through the flame front(s) with a high concentration of particles in the mixture. This flame front and the resultant flame(s) with suspended particles are located in at least one "wall free" zone. In such zone(s) the flame(s) may expand while the particles are maintained in dispersion and heated, with controlled and highly efficient application of heating energy.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 1995Date of Patent: February 22, 2000Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing CompanyInventor: Richard B. Castle
-
Patent number: 5883029Abstract: The disclosure describes a method for producing bulk, particulate material that includes solid, generally ellipsoidal particles by dispersing irregularly shaped feed particles including about 60 to 100% by weight of at least one silicate-containing material selected from among wollastonite, alkali feldspar, plagioclase feldspar and nepheline. While maintaining the feed particles in dispersion, they are heated sufficiently to bring about at least partial fusion within at least the surfaces of the particles. This produces a bulk particulate product of which about 15 to 100% by volume is generally ellipsoidal particles. Also described are compositions of matter including solid particles, at least a portion of which are substantially glassy and generally ellipsoidal. At least a portion of these particles have been respectively formed from feed particles composed substantially of at least one silicate selected from among wollastonite, alkali feldspar, plagioclase feldspar and nepheline.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 1997Date of Patent: March 16, 1999Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing CompanyInventor: Richard B. Castle
-
Patent number: 5641717Abstract: The disclosure describes a method for producing bulk, particulate material that includes solid, generally ellipsoidal particles by dispersing irregularly shaped feed particles including about 60 to 100% by weight of at least one silicate-containing material selected from among wollastonite, alkali feldspar, plagioclase feldspar and nepheline. While maintaining the feed particles in dispersion, they are heated sufficiently to bring about at least partial fusion within at least the surfaces of the particles. This produces a bulk particulate product of which about 15 to 100% by volume is generally ellipsoidal particles. Also described are compositions of matter including solid particles, at least a portion of which are substantially glassy and generally ellipsoidal. At least a portion of these particles have been respectively formed from feed particles composed substantially of at least one silicate selected from among wollastonite, alkali feldspar, plagioclase feldspar and nepheline.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 1995Date of Patent: June 24, 1997Inventor: Richard B. Castle
-
Patent number: 5559170Abstract: The disclosure describes a method for producing bulk, particulate material that includes solid, generally ellipsoidal particles by dispersing irregularly shaped feed particles including about 60 to 100% by weight of at least one silicate-containing material selected from among wollastonite, alkali feldspar, plagioclase feldspar and nepheline. While maintaining the feed particles in dispersion, they are heated sufficiently to bring about at least partial fusion within at least the surfaces of the particles. This produces a bulk particulate product of which about 15 to 100% by volume is generally ellipsoidal particles. Also described are compositions of matter including solid particles, at least a portion of which are substantially glassy and generally ellipsoidal. At least a portion of these particles have been respectively formed from feed particles composed substantially of at least one silicate selected from among wollastonite, alkali feldspar, plagioclase feldspar and nepheline.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 1995Date of Patent: September 24, 1996Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing CompanyInventor: Richard B. Castle
-
Patent number: 4493875Abstract: The novel proppant consists of composite particles, the core of which is a conventional proppant particle such as silica sand. The core has a thin, void-containing coating which provides an overall density approaching that of the fracturing fluid. The coating preferably comprises hollow glass microspheres embedded in an adhesive which bonds the microspheres to the core.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 1983Date of Patent: January 15, 1985Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Warren R. Beck, Richard B. Castle
-
Patent number: 4432172Abstract: Timber support poles are given desired breaking properties to reduce the deceleration of a vehicle that collides with the pole by cutting one or more recesses in the pole, and filling the recesses with a polymeric filler composition.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 1982Date of Patent: February 21, 1984Assignee: Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Charles R. Kuykendall, Richard B. Castle