Patents Represented by Attorney Derek S. Jessen
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Patent number: 8345266Abstract: In a method and system for measuring wear in the lining of a vessel by a laser contouring system having an electromagnetic radiation emitting and receiving device. The laser contouring system references permanent marks and temporary marks positioned outside, on, or within the vessel. The distances and direction from the electromagnetic radiation emitting and receiving device to the fixed and temporary marks is determined during an initial measurement by the electromagnetic radiation emitting and receiving device from a first scanning position. The electromagnetic radiation emitting and receiving device is then moved along a path from the first scanning position to a second scanning position wherein some of the marks which were scanned from the first scanning position are scanned again to determine the relative position of the vessel and points on the internal lining of the vessel to determine the contour of the lining.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2008Date of Patent: January 1, 2013Assignee: Specialty Minerals (Michigan) Inc.Inventors: David E Brzoska, James E Yanker
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Patent number: 8257485Abstract: The composition applied to the refractory structure has a magnesia-based refractory material, calcium carbonate and a binder. After application of the refractory material to a refractory structure and upon application of heat to the applied refractory material a matrix is formed which protects against penetration of the slag into the refractory material. The resulting refractory material has improved hot strength, slag resistance and durability.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2008Date of Patent: September 4, 2012Assignee: Specialty Minerals (Michigan) Inc.Inventors: Dominick M. Colavito, Yves C. Vermeulen
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Patent number: 8221677Abstract: A lance nozzle insert for a refractory lance for feeding an additive wire into a quantity of molten metal below the surface of the molten metal surface is made of a material comprising stabilized zirconium oxide and graphite substantially increasing the corrosion resistance of the lance nozzle insert.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2007Date of Patent: July 17, 2012Assignee: Specialty Minerals (Michigan) Inc.Inventors: Dominick M. Colavito, John Damiano, Yves C. Vermeulen
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Patent number: 8083982Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for repairing a protective lining of an industrial reaction or transport vessel, such as a converter vessel, electric arc furnace, or ladle.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2003Date of Patent: December 27, 2011Assignee: Specialty Minerals (Michigan) Inc.Inventors: Stefan Kirchhoff, Dieter Blissenbach, Rolf Lamm
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Patent number: 8085531Abstract: An anisotropic thermal conductive element that can conduct heat from a thermal source with high efficiency in the thickness direction which maintaining strength and a method of making the element. To achieve the above, an anisotropic thermal conductive element that can conduct heat from a heat source, a structure with a stack of graphite sheets having a contact surface across the thickness direction of the graphite sheets, and the stack of graphite sheets has the surroundings thereof coated to form a support parts. The coating process covers the structure of stacked graphite with a support part. A cutting process can be performed by cutting along the surface in the stacking direction after the coating process. After the cutting process, a surface treatment process can make a surface treatment to a section.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2009Date of Patent: December 27, 2011Assignee: Specialty Minerals (Michigan) Inc.Inventors: Richard J. Lemak, Robert J. Moskaitis, David Pickrell
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Patent number: 8072613Abstract: A system and method for measuring the inner space of a container provides for the measurement of the wear of the lining of a container such as a torpedo ladle optionally while the ladle is still hot. The interior lining of the container is scanned by a scanner head from a first position in the container which is at an angle relative to the vertical axis of the container. The scanner head is placed in a second position in the container at an angle relative to the vertical axis of the container and from the second position the scanner head scans the portions of the interior lining of the container which were not scanned during the first position scan. By comparing the scanning measurements of the lining from the first position scan and the second position scan after the container has been loaded and unloaded with an initial reference measurement of the lining the wear of the lining can be measured.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2010Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: Specialty Minerals (Michigan) Inc.Inventors: Joerg Schmitz, Rolf Lamm, Christoph Carlhoff
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Patent number: 8059408Abstract: A heat spreader having at least two adjoining layers each having at least two pyrolytic graphite strips cut from a sheet of pyrolytic graphite along the z direction. Thermal conductivity in the xy plane of the graphite sheet is greater than in the z direction. The z direction cut provides strips which are each oriented 90 degrees such that the thickness direction of the original sheet becomes the width or length of the cut strip. A side of a first strip adjoins a side of a second strip in each layer. Because of the greater thermal conductivity in the xy plane of the strips as compared to the z direction heat transfers more rapidly in the length and thickness direction of the strips than across adjoining sides of the oriented strips in each layer. The first layer strips are oriented about 90 degrees from the orientation of the second layer strips.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2008Date of Patent: November 15, 2011Assignee: Specialty Minerals (Michigan) Inc.Inventors: Richard James Lemak, V. N. P. Rao
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Patent number: 8016259Abstract: Refractory furnace covers and methods for their construction are provided. A method includes providing a molding form base having a molding surface, providing an outer molding frame on the molding form base, and providing at least one inner molding member disposed across and dividing the molding surface into a first molding section and a second molding section. The inner molding member has a first molding surface and a second molding surface located adjacent to and facing the first and second molding sections, respectively, the inner molding member having a protrusion located along the length of the first molding surface. A first molded section of the furnace cover is cast between the outer molding frame and the first molding surface of the inner molding member, the inner molding member is removed, and a second molded section of the furnace cover is cast between the outer molding frame and the first molded section of the furnace cover.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2005Date of Patent: September 13, 2011Assignee: Specialty Minerals (Michigan) Inc.Inventors: Robert A. Schneider, David A. Ehrhardt
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Patent number: 7924438Abstract: A method of a method for measuring wear in the lining of a metallurgical melting vessel such as a steel converter (1), by a laser scanner (2) A laser having a contouring system on a cart can be moved between measurements The laser contouring system references three permanent marks behind the cart (PM1, PM2, PM3) and two temporary marks positioned near the vessel (TM1, TM2) The distances from the movable cart to each of the five marks is determined during an initial measurement by the contouring system Every time the cart is moved and a new measurement is taken, the contouring system scans the vessel and the two temporary marks but not the permanent marks.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2006Date of Patent: April 12, 2011Assignee: Specialty Minterals (Michigan) Inc.Inventors: Juergen Kleinloh, Dieter Blissenbach, Stefan Kirchhoff, Christoph Carlhoff
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Patent number: 7854397Abstract: An improved apparatus for the gunning of a material is provided having a nozzle with an inner passage defined by an inner tubular member having an inlet end into which a wetted material is to be introduced and an outlet end from which the material is to be sprayed. An outer tubular member is disposed around the inner tubular member defining an outer passage between the inner and outer tubular members. A compressed gas is passed through the outer passage and impinged on the wetted material exiting the inner passage to better control the spray pattern of the wetted material. The inner tubular member extends out beyond the outlet end of the outer tubular member and the inner surface of the outer tubular member and the outer surface of the inner tubular member near the outlet end are chamfered to provide an optimal attitude for the impinging air.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2006Date of Patent: December 21, 2010Assignee: Specialty Minerals (Michigan) Inc.Inventors: Dominick M. Colavito, Ronald Schmidt, Richard C. Griffin, Bernard D. Gist, Cleve Michael Ruston
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Patent number: 7808787Abstract: A heat spreader having at least two adjoining strips of pyrolytic graphite material is made by cutting a strip from a sheet of pyrolytic graphite in the z direction. Thermal conductivity in the xy plane of the graphite sheet is greater than in the z direction. The z direction cut provides strips which are then each individually oriented 90 degrees such that the thickness direction of the original pyrolytic graphite sheet becomes the width or length of the cut strip. A face on the side of a first strip adjoins a face on the side of a second strip. Due to the greater thermal conductivity in the xy plane of the strips as compared to in the z direction heat transfers more rapidly in the length and thickness direction of the strips than across adjoining sides of the oriented strips.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2007Date of Patent: October 5, 2010Assignee: Specialty Minerals (Michigan) Inc.Inventors: Richard James Lemak, V. N. Padmanabha Rao
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Patent number: 7803465Abstract: A cored reactive metal wire is formed by gathering at least three strands of continuously fed elongated reactive metal wires into a bundle and aligning the bundle of wires with a continuously fed sheet of metal sheath. The bundle of wires is then compacted into a generally cylindrical shape and clad with the sheet of metal sheath whereby the compacted bundle of reactive metal wires form a core of the cored wire in which the core has a substantially larger diameter than each of the strands of continuously fed elongated reactive metal wires.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2008Date of Patent: September 28, 2010Assignee: Specialty Minerals (Michigan) Inc.Inventor: Dominick M. Colavito
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Patent number: 7736415Abstract: A process and apparatus for feeding an additive to a molten metal in a vessel to achieve a uniform dispersion of the additive are provided. In one example, the outlet of the lance is positioned below the surface of the molten metal. The lance is moved with a reciprocating motion, so that the outlet of the lance moves below the surface of the molten metal. The additive is dispensed through the outlet of the lance along a path traversed by the outlet in the molten metal while the lance reciprocates.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2007Date of Patent: June 15, 2010Assignee: Specialty Minerals (Michigan) Inc.Inventors: Dominick M. Colavito, John Damiano, Yves Vermeulen
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Patent number: 7666334Abstract: A method is provided for use of a concrete composition and an associated apparatus. The method provides for mixing of the concrete material, accelerant powder and, optionally, an associated substance to enable the controlled hardening of the concrete material in a monolithic structure. The apparatus can dispose a slip-plane film to facilitate a relatively continuous process.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2005Date of Patent: February 23, 2010Assignee: Specialty Minerals (Michigan) Inc.Inventors: Dominick Michael Colavito, Joseph Michael Schmidt, Michael Joseph Buscarini, James Charles Peter Rosso, Ronald Warren Schmidt, Richard Charles Griffin, Fritz Henry
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Patent number: 7578913Abstract: The invention relates to a probe (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600) for the measurement of the oxygen activity of metal melts, in particular steel melts, comprising a reference substance (2) of known oxygen activity in electrically conducting contact (3) with a measuring device; and comprising a solid electrolyte predominantly oxygen ion conducting and negligibly electron conducting at high temperatures and separating the reference substance (2) from the metal melt and having an entry surface (4) for oxygen ions which is in contact with the metal melt, wherein the entry surface (4) of the probe ready for operation is covered by a functional foil arrangement (10,20) in close contact to the entry surface (4).Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2003Date of Patent: August 25, 2009Assignee: Specialty Minerals (Michigan) Inc.Inventors: Wilhelm Merkens, Norbert Schmitz
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Patent number: 7387769Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving contact between a liquid and a reactant gas by moving the liquid in a serpentine path that moves horizontally and vertically through individual chambers or stations in an elongated tank or reactor and introducing a reactant gas into the liquid in one or more of the stations or chambers as the liquid moves through the tank or reactor.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2002Date of Patent: June 17, 2008Assignee: Minerals Technologies Inc.Inventor: Gerald Dean Erdman