Patents Assigned to George Koch Sons, Inc.
  • Patent number: 6120604
    Abstract: A conveyor system for transporting parts through a plurality of processing areas. The conveyor system comprises a plurality of conveyors, each of the conveyors for transporting parts through an associated one of the processing areas. Each of the conveyors are driven by a motor. Each of a plurality of sensors are associated with one of the plurality of processing areas. Each of a plurality of control interfaces are associated with a device in one of the plurality of processing areas. Each of a plurality of control circuits are associated with one of the plurality of processing areas and coupled to corresponding sensors and corresponding interfaces. At least one operator interface is coupled to the plurality of control circuits. Wherein, the operator interface can modularly control and monitor devices within the plurality of processing areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: George Koch Sons, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Thomas Hawkins
  • Patent number: 5960930
    Abstract: A conveyor system for transporting parts through a plurality of processing areas. The conveyor system has a plurality of motor driven conveyors, each of the conveyors for transporting parts through an associated one of the processing areas. Digital motor shaft encoders are provided for monitoring the speed of the conveyor motors. Motor speed controllers are electrically coupled to the encoders and are responsive thereto, for regulating the speed of the conveyors thereby synchronizing the speed among all of the conveyors. A computer is electrically coupled to one of the motor speed controllers for providing a predetermined conveyor system speed set point. Part detectors are electrically coupled to the computer, for verifying each part's progress along each of the conveyors thereby enabling the computer to track the movement of each part transported along the conveyor system to detect part to part collisions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: George Koch Sons, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Thomas Hawkins
  • Patent number: 5921278
    Abstract: A composite tank for a rinse system comprises a plate, a plurality of general planar fiberglass reinforced plastic walls, and a generally planar bottom wall. The plurality of general planar fiberglass reinforced plastic walls are attached to the plate and extend generally upwardly therefrom. The walls cooperate with the plate to define an interior region of the tank. The generally planar bottom wall is positioned to lie above the plate and is received in the interior region of the tank. The bottom wall is made from fiberglass reinforced plastic and is attached to the reinforced plastic walls to provide a sealed interior region of the tank between the walls and the bottom wall and above the plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: George Koch Sons, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory M. Wallace, J. Steve Whitehead, David W. Carl
  • Patent number: 5755246
    Abstract: A housing is provided for use in an industrial finishing equipment station. The housing includes housing wall panels, each having a top edge, a bottom edge, and two spaced-apart sides therebetween and a flange that is appended to the top and side edges. In addition, a clamp having flange-engaging portions is mounted upon the flanges appended to the top edges of the housing wall panels to couple the housing wall panels together. The housing wall panels are positioned to lie in opposing rows and cooperate to define a tunnel-like passageway workspace therebetween through which work pieces can pass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: George Koch Sons, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Carl, Steven W. Kercher, Larry J. Schenk, Greg M. Wallace, J. Steve Whitehead
  • Patent number: 5749160
    Abstract: Environmental enhancement by controlling volatile organic compound (VOC) and NO.sub.x emissions in a flatline wafer drying system. The method is characterized by advancing the wafers of the type used in manufacture of oriented strand board (OSB) on a flatline conveyor embodying a plurality of dryer zones. Particularly, heating the dryer zones in successive lower temperatures in the range 500.degree. F. to 200.degree. F. by flowing heated air upwardly through the flatline wafer drying conveyor; removing VOC-rich exhaust air from a primary dryer zone while flowing heated air upwardly therein and removing VOC-rich exhaust air from a secondary dryer zone while flowing heated air from therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: George Koch Sons, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Dexter, David C. Siemers, Larry J. Head, Donald E. Miller, Bruce Grebe, William Nowack, Daniel Wolff
  • Patent number: 5676755
    Abstract: A coater is provided for coating objects with a liquid material. The coater includes a flume that has an entry and an exit end, a supply of liquid coating material upon which the objects float, and a circulation system. The circulation system delivers the liquid material to the entry end of the flume so that the liquid material flows toward and out the exit end. The coater also includes a conveyor that loads the objects into the flume and a conveyor that receives the objects at the exit end of the flume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1997
    Assignee: George Koch Sons, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. Siemers, Donald E. Miller, Larry J. Head, Jeffrey L. Dexter
  • Patent number: 5524361
    Abstract: Drying of particulate materials, such as wood chips (wafers/strands) for the manufacture of oriented structural board, as well as bark, and the like. The method is characterized by advancing wafers in random array and superposed and without contact above a planar surface; forcing heated air upwardly through spaced apart holes defined in the stationary planar surface and through the random array of advancing wafers, while evacuating heated air and accumulated moisture above the advancing wafers. The method is distinguished by lateral shielding during forcing of heated air above the planar surface, so as to inhibit "blow-holes" among the drying wafers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: George Koch Sons, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Dexter, David C. Siemers, Larry J. Head
  • Patent number: 5444922
    Abstract: The invention relates to a single pass airflow apparatus for cooling and drying corrugated product having open flutes, comprising an airflow exhaust duct having a first cross-sectional area, an inlet plenum with a cross-section area greater than the airflow exhaust duct and having an exit in airflow communication with an inlet to the airflow exhaust duct. The plenum has an open faced chamber abuttingly facing the stack of corrugated product which presents the open flutes to the plenum. A fan is provided for drawing airflow through corrugated product into the plenum and from there into airflow exhaust duct from whence the drawn air is exhausted to atmosphere. The invention is directed to the structure and to the method of its use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: George Koch Sons, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul L. Ubelhor
  • Patent number: 5195437
    Abstract: A conveyor system for transporting wheeled trucks along a roadway that has straight and curved portions, in the center of which lies a chain conveyor. The trucks selectively engage the chain so as to be impelled thereby to move along the roadway and are supported on four wheel casters that traverse the roadway. The trucks have an upper turntable surface which can rotate in 90.degree. segments as the trucks follow around a corner of the roadway. The turntable is rotated by a four arm cross-lever connected to the turntable below the truck and non-rotatable with respect to the turntable. Turntable turning assemblies located adjacent the roadway, extend upward from the roadway to engage an arm of the four arm cross-lever to rotate the turntable as the truck encounters the turntable turning assembly. A tow pin hangs from the trucks and can be actuated to separate it from the chain to stop the truck by two different lifting mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1993
    Assignee: George Koch Sons, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory M. Wallace, David M. Horton
  • Patent number: 5147422
    Abstract: A paint spray booth is provided which comprises a floor covered with flowing liquid, the floor including an elongated passageway formed therein defined by a pair of passageway walls and having an entrance opening and an exit opening. The paint spray booth further comprises a mechanism for exhausting air from the booth and pulling a stream of paint particle laden air downwardly through the openings. The booth further comprises a first longitudinally extending concave plate positioned to receive the mixed stream of water and air exiting from the exit opening, and a second longitudinally extending concave plate laterally spaced from the first concave plate. The first and second concave plates cooperate to define a flow chamber therebetween and a discharge opening. The first and second plates are designed to minimize paint buildup in the flow chamber and to trap the noise generated at the discharge opening to reduce the amount of noise returning through the passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Assignee: George Koch Sons, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas S. Neeley, Kenneth N. Kraft, James H. Muehlbauer
  • Patent number: 4972606
    Abstract: A radiant wall drying oven that includes a first wall and a second wall situated in spaced apart relation to define an air conducting passageway. Heated air is supplied to contact the first wall, and a selected amount of heated air is allowed to pass through inlets into the air conducting passageway. Sliding dampers positioned at a predetermined site relative to the second wall control the amount of heated air contacting a portion of the second wall, and consequently regulate the amount of radiant heat emitted by that portion of the second wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1990
    Assignee: George Koch Sons, Inc.
    Inventor: Carl R. Stoltz
  • Patent number: 4957129
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for removing excess fluid from an acticle. A spray nozzle is used to discharge a high pressure liquid stream across a predetermined area of a housing. An article including a top surface having an upwardly-turned outer edge forming a cavity which contains excess fluid is transported through the high pressure liquid stream. The high pressure liquid stream is directed at the top surface of the article to force the excess fluid from the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1990
    Assignee: George Koch Sons, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth N. Kraft, R. Craig Allen, Larry J. Schenk
  • Patent number: 4854633
    Abstract: A locking arrangement for securing roof bow members of a trailer unit wherein several bow members are mounted at one side wall of the trailer for vertical pivoting and are simultaneously latched at an opposing side wall to prevent vertical movement thereof. The latching mechanism consists of a plurality of locking bar levers which are each pivoted on the opposing side wall to have one end overlie a retaining ring on one end of the bow members. A common actuator rests on top of the opposing wall and is pivotally attached to each of the locking bar levers at their non-overlying end. A shaft is connected by a pivot arm to the actuator and extends vertically downward adjacent the floor of the trailer where it is attached to a pivot handle to cause the locking bar levers to be positioned in either an overlying or non-overlying position with respect to their individual retaining rings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1989
    Assignee: George Koch Sons, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth N. Kraft, Daniel Powers
  • Patent number: 4702174
    Abstract: A conveyor system for transporting items between specified work locations within a building is disclosed. The conveyor system includes a continuous guide track including a continuously moving drive chain and individual floor supported carts that move along the guide track. The individual carts have a retractable drive pin assembly that cooperates with disengaging rails mounted adjacent the guide track to allow the carts to stop at certain locations along the guide track. The individual carts have a retractable guide pin assembly that cooperates with selectively retaining means mounted thereon and cams mounted adjacent the guide track to retract the guide pin to allow the carts to be rotated at work stations or oriented in a sideways configuration to save space along the guide track. The carts also have a platform for supporting the items that is adjustable in height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1987
    Assignee: George Koch Sons, Inc.
    Inventors: Gilman Tredwell, Kenneth N. Kraft, Felix A. Ampon
  • Patent number: 4696254
    Abstract: A fluid wash spray paint system which includes a plurality of paint spray booths is provided. Each paint spray booth includes a fluid wash device to entrap paint overspray in a moving fluid to remove the overspray from the booth. The system also includes a sludge pit for collecting the fluid and entrapped paint overspray from the plurality of spray booths. An automatic feeder is provided to introduce a deflocculant powder into the fluid and entrapped paint overspray to cause the paint to settle as sludge to the bottom of the sludge pit. A centrifugal separator is provided to separate and remove the settled sludge from the fluid and to return the fluid to the sludge pit. The system further includes a pump to circulate the fluid from the sludge pit through the plurality of fluid wash spray devices to form a closed system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1987
    Assignee: George Koch Sons, Inc.
    Inventor: Irvin Spindler
  • Patent number: 4687686
    Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for regulating the climate in a spray booth. The spray booth comprises a chamber for housing articles during spray application of a coating material to the articles and an air circulation system for supplying either ambient air or recirculation air to the chamber. The chamber has an outlet for exhausting a contaminated mixture of chamber air and coating material overspray from the chamber. The spray booth further includes a liquid filter for washing the contaminated mixture exhausted through the chamber outlet to wash the coating material overspray out of the mixture. The air circulation system of the improved spray booth includes a system for controlling the temperature of the air supplied to the chamber to regulate the relative humidity of the air in the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1987
    Assignee: George Koch Sons, Inc.
    Inventors: David F. Stofleth, James H. Muehlbauer
  • Patent number: 4430956
    Abstract: A system for applying a coating material to articles comprises a booth having a floor and walls, a coating material dispensing device for depositing coating materials onto the articles, a vent opening in one of the walls, an exhaust system coupled to the vent opening for pulling atmosphere from the booth, one or more filters positioned between the coating material dispensing device and the vent opening for collecting undeposited coating material entrained in the atmosphere being pulled from the booth, a collection opening in the floor for collecting undeposited coating material which falls to the floor, and a sweeping apparatus for sweeping undeposited coating material on the floor into the collection opening. The sweeping apparatus includes two arms rotatably mounted in proximity to the floor, a drive mechanism for rotating the arms in a circular path. The collection opening in the floor is located near the periphery of the circular path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1984
    Assignee: George Koch Sons, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert L. Koch, II
  • Patent number: 4357966
    Abstract: A collapsible frame for supporting a container is manufactured from two loops formed from a single length of wire which are intertwined to form a handle and sprung to form base members which are yieldably urged apart. An inwardly narrowed neck portion is formed intermediate the handle and the base members to provide points of support for the container. A containment loop encompasses the neck portion of the frame and inwardly urges the points of support against the container as it is pushed into position within the containment loop. The base members are capable of being pressed into a planar assembly when the container is removed to allow a plurality of similarly constructed frames to be compactly stacked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1982
    Assignee: George Koch Sons, Inc.
    Inventor: Stanley E. Williams
  • Patent number: 4342615
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for assembling plywood laminate structures on a plywood assembly line utilize a first conveyor extending through an assembly area. Plywood back sheets are loaded onto the entry end of the first conveyor in end-to-end abutting relationship and the first conveyor conveys the back sheets, additional laminate layers (such as core layers), and complete laminate structures at constant speed from the entry end to the first conveyor's exit end. The method and apparatus utilize a first curtain coater to coat the top side of the back sheets with a laminating adhesive. The first curtain coater is positioned upstream from and adjacent the entry of the first conveyor. Additional side conveyors convey plywood core laminate layers and face sheets to assembly stations along the first conveyor. Additional curtain coaters are utilized as required to coat the top sides of the core laminate layers moving along such additional conveyors with laminating adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1982
    Assignee: George Koch Sons, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert L. Koch, II
  • Patent number: D271953
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1983
    Assignee: George Koch Sons, Inc.
    Inventor: Roderic M. Koch