Patents by Inventor William C. Prior
William C. Prior 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).
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Patent number: 10407332Abstract: A wastewater treatment system includes a biological reactor having anaerobic, anoxic, and aerobic chambers. A lift station including a pump is operatively connected to a tertiary filter downstream of the biological reactor. The lift station receives biologically treated liquid from the tertiary filter and pumps the liquid from the lift station. A filtration subsystem is operatively connected to the lift station. The filtration subsystem receives and filters the liquid pumped by the lift station. The filtration subsystem includes a preliminary filter and a salt-rejecting membrane filter having a recycle conduit operatively connected to recirculate salt-rejecting membrane filter, thereby forming a salt concentration loop between biological reactor and the salt-rejecting membrane filter. A post-filtration subsystem is operatively connected to receive salt-rejecting membrane filter permeate, and includes an adsorbent and oxidation system.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2017Date of Patent: September 10, 2019Assignee: TANGENT COMPANY LLCInventors: William C. Prior, James E. Bolton, Lyle E. Kirman, David F. Rath, Adam Arnold, Glenn Graff, Kevin J. Elliott
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Publication number: 20180009691Abstract: A wastewater recycling system includes a biological reactor having anaerobic, anoxic, and aerobic chambers. A lift station including a pump is operatively connected to the biological reactor. The lift station receives biologically treated liquid from the biological reactor and pumps the liquid from the lift station. A filtration subsystem is operatively connected to the lift station. The filtration subsystem receives and filters the liquid pumped by the lift station. The filtration subsystem includes a salt-rejecting membrane filter comprising a concentrate recirculation conduit operatively connected to recirculate salt-rejecting membrane filter concentrate to a point along the wastewater recycling system upstream of the salt-rejecting membrane filter, thereby forming a salt concentration loop between said point along the wastewater recycling system and the salt-rejecting membrane filter.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2017Publication date: January 11, 2018Inventors: William C. Prior, James E. Bolton, Lyle E. Kirman, David F. Rath, Adam Arnold, Glenn Graff, Kevin J. Elliott
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Patent number: 9809479Abstract: A wastewater recycling system includes a biological reactor having anaerobic, anoxic, and aerobic chambers. A lift station including a pump is operatively connected to the biological reactor. The lift station receives biologically treated liquid from the biological reactor and pumps the liquid from the lift station. A filtration subsystem is operatively connected to the lift station. The filtration subsystem receives and filters the liquid pumped by the lift station. The filtration subsystem includes a salt-rejecting membrane filter comprising a concentrate recirculation conduit operatively connected to recirculate salt-rejecting membrane filter concentrate to a point along the wastewater recycling system upstream of the salt-rejecting membrane filter, thereby forming a salt concentration loop between said point along the wastewater recycling system and the salt-rejecting membrane filter.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2012Date of Patent: November 7, 2017Assignee: TANGENT COMPANY LLCInventors: William C. Prior, James E. Bolton, Lyle E. Kirman, David F. Rath, Adam Arnold, Glenn Graff, Kevin J. Elliott
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Publication number: 20140151294Abstract: A wastewater recycling system includes a biological reactor having anaerobic, anoxic, and aerobic chambers. A lift station including a pump is operatively connected to the biological reactor. The lift station receives biologically treated liquid from the biological reactor and pumps the liquid from the lift station. A filtration subsystem is operatively connected to the lift station. The filtration subsystem receives and filters the liquid pumped by the lift station. The filtration subsystem includes a salt-rejecting membrane filter comprising a concentrate recirculation conduit operatively connected to recirculate salt-rejecting membrane filter concentrate to a point along the wastewater recycling system upstream of the salt-rejecting membrane filter, thereby forming a salt concentration loop between said point along the wastewater recycling system and the salt-rejecting membrane filter.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2012Publication date: June 5, 2014Applicant: Tangent Company LLCInventors: William C. Prior, James E. Bolton, Lyle E. Kirman, David F. Rath, Adam Arnold, Glenn Graff, Kevin J. Elliot
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Patent number: 4889623Abstract: A brining system including a brine reservoir containing a supply of salt and a brine valve assembly disposed in the reservoir below the level of the salt and including a vessel for accumulating a predetermined quantity of fluid to be discharged into the reservoir to form a regeneration solution. A control valve forming part of the brine valve assembly includes a spool member shiftable between two positions. In one position a fluid supply line is communicated with the accumulating vessel and in a second position the vessel is communicated with the brine reservoir. The spool includes effective pressure areas for monitoring pressures in the supply line and the vessel. When a predetermined level in the accumulating vessel is reached, a flow of fluid into the vessel is terminated and the resulting change in pressure sensed by the spool causes it to shift to a position at which fluid in the vessel is discharged into the brine reservoir while fluid flow from the supply line is concurrently terminated.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 1987Date of Patent: December 26, 1989Assignee: Kinetico, Inc.Inventors: William C. Prior, Ellis, III: George S., David W. Crozier
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Patent number: 4337153Abstract: An improved resin tank for a water softening apparatus including an expansible chamber 50 that enlarges during fluid flow through the tank to displace any free space in the tank, thereby maintaining the compactness of the water softening material. The expansible chamber 50 is formed by an elastomeric sleeve 52 that is secured to and surrounds a portion of a downwardly extending fluid conduit 46 and overlies at least one aperture 54 formed in the conduit wall through which fluid communication is established. The pressure drop normally occurring during fluid flow through the tank generates a pressure differential force on the sleeve wall 52a that causes it to enlarge if free space in the tank is present. In an alternate embodiment, the fluid communication between the conduit and the chamber 50 is provided by a pitot tube 62 that is disposed in the conduit fluid flow path and is operative to communicate the velocity pressure of the fluid flowing down the conduit 46 to the chamber 50.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 1980Date of Patent: June 29, 1982Assignee: Kinetico, Inc.Inventor: William C. Prior
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Patent number: 4336134Abstract: A float-actuated, level control valve especially suited for controlling liquid flow into and out of brine tanks of water softening systems. A magnet-operated ball check inside a flow chamber selectively closes ports of the chamber to interrupt liquid flow. Movement of the magnet and operation of the ball check is controlled by a pair of floats so that the valve is opened and closed in response to changes of liquid level. The relative position of the floats can be adjusted to vary the amount of liquid drawn out of the tank, while maintaining a constant maximum level when the tank is filled.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 1980Date of Patent: June 22, 1982Assignee: Kinetico, Inc.Inventor: William C. Prior
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Patent number: 4298025Abstract: An improved water softener control valve having a housing defining a servo-control chamber that encloses concentrically mounted water usage and regeneration control discs. Each disc is incrementally rotatable by ratchet drives that are driven by water usage and regeneration control turbines, respectively, through associated reduction gear trains. The ratchet drive for the water usage disc includes a pawl that is engageable with the regeneration control disc, which upon predetermined movement in the water usage disc effects movement in the regeneration control disc to initiate a regeneration cycle. A rotatable insert is provided in the housing for manually rotating the regeneration control disc.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 1980Date of Patent: November 3, 1981Assignee: Kinetico, Inc.Inventors: William C. Prior, Keith E. Brown