Patents Assigned to Costner Industries Nevada, Inc.
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Patent number: 6363611Abstract: A five-part rotor assembly is easily disassembled for cleaning and/or sterilization. The five parts comprise a rotor sleeve, a rotor head, a weir plate, a rotor cover and an internal vane package. Each of these parts is machined as a unitary piece or otherwise fabricated without weldments.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 1998Date of Patent: April 2, 2002Assignee: Costner Industries Nevada, Inc.Inventors: Bret V. Sheldon, William D. Flim, Gilbert Mendoza, Lawrence L. Macaluso
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Patent number: 5908376Abstract: A self-cleaning rotor assembly for a centrifugal separator can be thoroughly cleaned of accumulated solids without disassembly of the separator. The rotor assembly comprises a fully welded, enclosed rotor body. The rotor assembly has a double-ended, hollow axial shaft. The bottom end of the axial shaft extends through the separator housing and has a high pressure fluid coupling. A plurality of spray nozzles are fitted to the axial shaft within the rotor body. The spray nozzles are arranged to spray a washing fluid radially onto the interior surfaces of the rotor. The interior volume of the rotor is divided into a plurality of chambers by a corresponding plurality of axial vanes. At least one nozzle is disposed within each of the chambers.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 1997Date of Patent: June 1, 1999Assignee: Costner Industries Nevada, Inc.Inventors: Lawrence L. Macaluso, David H. Meikrantz
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Patent number: 5762800Abstract: A centrifugal separator has a housing with a generally cylindrical inner surface defining an inner chamber. A hollow rotor is disposed within the chamber for rotation therein. At least one inlet is provided for introducing a liquid mixture into the annular volume between the rotor and the housing, where it is then directed into the rotor. An upper rotor assembly separates the liquid mixture by phase densities with the disparate components directed to respective outlets. In one embodiment of the invention, the upper rotor assembly includes an easily removable weir ring to facilitate "tuning" of the separation process. The rotor of the separator is mounted on a unitary rotor shaft that extends axially through the separation chamber to upper and lower bearing assemblies in the separator housing.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 1997Date of Patent: June 9, 1998Assignee: Costner Industries Nevada, Inc.Inventors: David H. Meikrantz, Lawrence L. Macaluso, H. William Sams, III, Charles H. Schardin, Jr., Alfred G. Federici
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Patent number: 5591340Abstract: A centrifugal separator has a housing with a generally cylindrical inner surface defining an inner chamber. A hollow rotor is disposed within the chamber for rotation therein. At least one inlet is provided for introducing a liquid mixture into the annular volume between the rotor and the housing, where it is then directed into the rotor. An upper rotor assembly separates the liquid mixture by phase densities with the disparate components directed to respective outlets. In one embodiment of the invention, the upper rotor assembly includes an easily removable weir ring to facilitate "tuning" of the separation process. The rotor of the separator is mounted on a unitary rotor shaft that extends axially through the separation chamber to upper and lower bearing assemblies in the separator housing.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 1995Date of Patent: January 7, 1997Assignee: Costner Industries Nevada, Inc.Inventors: David H. Meikrantz, Lawrence L. Macaluso, H. William Sams, III, Charles H. Schardin, Jr., Alfred G. Federici
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Patent number: 5571070Abstract: A centrifugal separator includes a rotor sleeve which reduces the fine scale mixing of liquid components. The rotor sleeve in the annular mixing zone minimizes liquid-liquid shear, but does not adversely affect the pumping action of the rotor. The separator comprises a housing having a generally cylindrical inner surface defining an interior chamber. A hollow rotor is disposed within the chamber for rotation therein, the rotor having upper and lower openings and a generally cylindrical rotor wall with an inner and outer surface. The outer surface of the rotor wall is spaced apart from the inner surface of the housing and thereby defines the annular mixing zone. The rotor sleeve comprises a cylinder only slightly larger than the rotor. The sleeve is fixed relative to the housing, thereby preventing liquid within the annular mixing zone from contacting the rotating outer surface of the rotor. The reduction in mixing action dramatically increases the separation efficiency for shear-sensitive liquid mixtures.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 1996Date of Patent: November 5, 1996Assignee: Costner Industries Nevada, Inc.Inventors: David H. Meikrantz, Alfred G. Federici, Lawrence L. Macaluso, Peter J. Harris, H. William Sams, III