Patents by Inventor William A. Hockings

William A. Hockings 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: 5019171
    Abstract: An inorganic reinforcement component, such as fiberglass, is reclaimed from a scrap material including a vaporizable organic resin, such as epoxy, by heating the scrap material in an elongated, rotary furnace to a temperature above the vaporization point of the organic resin and below a point where the structural integrity of the reinforcement material is degraded. A purge gas flowing through the furnace countercurrently to the moving bed of scrap material sweeps away volatized gases, the organic reinforcement component is withdrawn from the outlet end of the furnace and a stream of combined gases including the purge gas and the volatized organic material is withdrawn from the inlet end of the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1991
    Assignee: Peninsula Copper Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: David G. Hanson, Jr., William A. Hockings
  • Patent number: 4686003
    Abstract: Scale-forming metal oxides and carbonates, such as cupric oxide, can be precipitated from an ammoniacal leaching solution with minimum scale buildup by distilling the solution in an externally heated distillation chamber mounted for rotation about a generally horizontal axis. The distillation chamber includes a plurality of axially spaced annular baffles defining a plurality of compartments containing a tumbling medium, such as spherical balls. The solution is continuously introduced into the inlet end of the chamber and heated under pressure to a temperature above its boiling point as it flows over the baffles toward the outlet end of the chamber. A slurry containing the precipitated cupric oxide is continuously withdrawn from the outlet end and the evaporated gases are continuously withdrawn from the inlet end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1987
    Assignee: Board of Control of Michigan Technological University
    Inventors: William A. Hockings, Duane M. Thayer