Patents by Inventor William M. Lechler
William M. Lechler 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: 9272766Abstract: A method and system for ballast water treatment is provided for a vessel with a ballast water tank system that pumps water from a local environment through a conduit into at least one tank on the vessel. The water contains aerobic micro-organisms from the local environment. Oxygen-containing gas is introduced into the water as it is pumped through the conduit. Living organisms are added into the water with the oxygen-containing gas introduced therein. As a result, the tank receives a mixture of the water with the oxygen-containing gas introduced therein and the living organisms added thereto. The living organisms are selected to consume (i) the aerobic micro-organisms, (ii) oxygen dissolved in the water, and (iii) food sources for the aerobic micro-organisms contained in the water. A vacuum is applied to the tank's ullage space at a point in time after the mixture is received in the tank.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2013Date of Patent: March 1, 2016Assignee: SEA KNIGHT CORPORATIONInventors: William M Lechler, Claude R Thompson
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Publication number: 20140076803Abstract: A method and system for ballast water treatment is provided for a vessel with a ballast water tank system that pumps water from a local environment through a conduit into at least one tank on the vessel. The water contains aerobic micro-organisms from the local environment. Oxygen-containing gas is introduced into the water as it is pumped through the conduit. Living organisms are added into the water with the oxygen-containing gas introduced therein. As a result, the tank receives a mixture of the water with the oxygen-containing gas introduced therein and the living organisms added thereto. The living organisms are selected to consume (i) the aerobic micro-organisms, (ii) oxygen dissolved in the water, and (iii) food sources for the aerobic micro-organisms contained in the water. A vacuum is applied to the tank's ullage space at a point in time after the mixture is received in the tank.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2013Publication date: March 20, 2014Applicant: Sea Knight CorporationInventors: William M. Lechler, Claude R. Thompson
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Patent number: 7967892Abstract: A water deaerating system and method are provided. The first end of an open-ended conduit is placed beneath the surface of a body of oxygen-rich water. The conduit extends into a housing and where the second end of the conduit resides at a location in the housing that is above the surface of the body of oxygen-rich water. A vacuum is applied to a spatial region defined within the housing above the location of the second end of the conduit. The oxygen-rich water is pumped through the conduit and exits the second end of the conduit to enter the spatial region of the housing. The oxygen-rich water descends through the housing due to gravity. The oxygen-rich water's descension is interrupted and the vacuum operates to remove oxygen from the oxygen-rich water so-descending to generate oxygen-depleted water.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2008Date of Patent: June 28, 2011Assignee: Sea Knight CorporationInventors: Claude R. Thompson, William M. Lechler, Neil F. Marshall
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Publication number: 20090101006Abstract: A water deaerating system and method are provided. The first end of an open-ended conduit is placed beneath the surface of a body of oxygen-rich water. The conduit extends into a housing and where the second end of the conduit resides at a location in the housing that is above the surface of the body of oxygen-rich water. A vacuum is applied to a spatial region defined within the housing above the location of the second end of the conduit. The oxygen-rich water is pumped through the conduit and exits the second end of the conduit to enter the spatial region of the housing. The oxygen-rich water descends through the housing due to gravity. The oxygen-rich water's descension is interrupted and the vacuum operates to remove oxygen from the oxygen-rich water so-descending to generate oxygen-depleted water.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2008Publication date: April 23, 2009Inventors: Claude R. Thompson, William M. Lechler, Neil F. Marshall
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Patent number: 7513998Abstract: A method and system for ballast water treatment are provided. A vacuum is applied directly to an existing vent of a vessel's ballast water tank during the vessel's voyage. The applied vacuum is in a range of approximately ?2 to ?4 pounds per square inch. To further assure success, living organisms can be added into the ballast water tank to consume (i) oxygen dissolved in the ballast water, and (ii) food sources for selected organisms contained in the ballast water. No modifications to the vessel's ballast water tank are required as all system components are coupled to the existing vent.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2007Date of Patent: April 7, 2009Assignee: Sea Knight CorporationInventors: Claude R. Thompson, William M. Lechler, Neil F. Marshall
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Patent number: 7442304Abstract: A method and system for ballast water treatment are provided. Living organisms are added into a vessel's ballast water tank (e.g., via an existing vent) to consume (i) oxygen dissolved in ballast water contained in the ballast water tank, and (ii) food sources for selected organisms contained in the ballast water.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2007Date of Patent: October 28, 2008Assignee: Sea Knight, LLCInventors: Claude R. Thompson, William M. Lechler, Neil F. Marshall
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Publication number: 20080251452Abstract: A method and system for ballast water treatment are provided. Living organisms are added into a vessel's ballast water tank (e.g., via an existing vent) to consume (i) oxygen dissolved in ballast water contained in the ballast water tank, and (ii) food sources for selected organisms contained in the ballast water.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2007Publication date: October 16, 2008Inventors: Claude R. Thompson, William M. Lechler, Neil F. Marshall
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Publication number: 20070261626Abstract: A method and system for ballast water treatment are provided. A vacuum is applied directly to an existing vent of a vessel's ballast water tank during the vessel's voyage. The applied vacuum is in a range of approximately ?2 to ?4 pounds per square inch. To further assure success, living organisms can be added into the ballast water tank to consume (i) oxygen dissolved in the ballast water, and (ii) food sources for selected organisms contained in the ballast water. No modifications to the vessel's ballast water tank are required as all system components are coupled to the existing vent.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2007Publication date: November 15, 2007Inventors: Claude R. Thompson, William M. Lechler, Neil F. Marshall
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Patent number: 5857389Abstract: A universal mount housing construction for parallel offset gearboxes that includes a generally cubic-shaped cast housing member having an input opening in a first side for receiving a rotational power input, and an output opening in a second side for transmitting a rotational power output through a hollow or solid output shaft. Two plate-shaped housing extensions are integrated into the cast housing member and provide a pair of integrated torque arms. Each of the integrated housing extensions have a machined planar surface oriented perpendicular to the central axis of the output opening, and a through-bore extending through the machined surface. A raised ring surface extends around the output opening and has a machined planar surface which is coplanar with the machined planar surfaces of the integrated housing extensions. The raised ring surface has tapped holes spaced about its circumference for flange mounting.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 1997Date of Patent: January 12, 1999Assignee: Sumitomo Machinery Corp. of AmericaInventors: Gerhard Antony, William M. Lechler
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Patent number: 5816116Abstract: A universal mount housing construction for right angle gearboxes and gearmotors that allows a wide variety of mounting and torque support configurations. The housing includes a generally cubic-shaped cast housing body having an input opening in a first side for receiving a rotational power input, and an output opening in at least one second side for transmitting a rotational power output through a hollow or solid output shaft. Four plate-shaped housing extensions are integrated into the cast housing member and provide two pairs of integrated torque arms. Each of the integrated housing extensions have a machined planar surface which is oriented perpendicular to the central axis of the output opening and coextensive with a raised, machined surface extending around the output opening. A through-bore extends through each of the plate-shaped housing extensions. The raised ring surface has tapped holes spaced about its circumference for flange mounting.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 1997Date of Patent: October 6, 1998Assignee: Sumitomo Machinery Corp. of AmericaInventors: Gerhard Antony, William M. Lechler, Arthur Pantelides