Patents by Inventor Alvin Herman

Alvin Herman 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).

  • Patent number: 11971087
    Abstract: A multi-actuator rotator assembly includes a base, a rotary link coupled to the base and able to pivot relative to the base, a rotating body coupled to the base and able to pivot relative to the base, a first linear actuator connected to the base and to a first side of the rotary link, and a second linear actuator connected to a second side of the rotary link and to the rotating body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Quickthree Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Alvin Herman, Erin Herman
  • Patent number: 11760584
    Abstract: A material handling system includes a chassis, a conveyor system supported by the chassis, a pneumatic conveying system supported by the chassis and a storage container supported by the chassis. The conveyor system is configured to convey a granular material from a material unloading station to an inlet of the storage container. Multiple pods are beneath the storage container. Each pod is connected to the storage container by a corresponding pod fill line. A pneumatic conveying line is beneath the pods. The pneumatic conveying line is connected to each of the pods. Each pod has a full level sensor configured to sense when the pod is full or close to full, and an empty level sensor configured to sense when the pod is empty or close to empty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Quickthree Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Alvin Herman, Erin Herman, Scott Manson, Joseph Welter
  • Patent number: 11548724
    Abstract: A container assembly comprises a container and a base and is configured to be transported horizontally to a work site where it is raised to a vertical working orientation. A hoppered container floor directs material to a discharge opening in a center of the floor of the container. A plurality of chutes is fixed to the container assembly and each slopes downward and outward from a chute input, located under a central portion of the hoppered floor, to a corresponding chute output. A distributor assembly mounted under the discharge opening receives granular material from the discharge opening and directs same into any one of the chute inputs. When loaded on a gooseneck trailer the container extends over the hitch assembly providing increased volume and capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Quickthree Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Alvin Herman, Erin Herman
  • Publication number: 20220307576
    Abstract: A multi-actuator rotator assembly includes abase, a rotary link coupled to the base and able to pivot relative to the base, a rotating body coupled to the base and able to pivot relative to the base, a first linear actuator connected to the base and to a first side of the rotary link, and a second linear actuator connected to a second side of the rotary link and to the rotating body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Alvin Herman, Erin Herman
  • Patent number: 11377012
    Abstract: A silo transport system includes a vehicle and a silo configured to store material when in a vertical orientation supported on the ground surface, and to be transported in a horizontal orientation on the vehicle. The vehicle includes a pivoting cradle supporting the silo in the horizontal orientation and a lock to releasably attach the cradle to the silo. A cradle controller pivots the cradle from a lowered position to a raised position where the silo is in the vertical orientation resting on the ground surface. When the cradle is attached to the silo, the cradle controller pivots the cradle away from the raised position to the lowered position when the silo attached to the cradle is empty, and is inoperative to pivot the cradle away from the raised position toward the lowered position when the silo attached to the cradle contains greater than a threshold amount of the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Quickthree Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Alvin Herman, Erin Herman
  • Patent number: 11370498
    Abstract: A booster axle assembly includes a wheel axle, a suspension system coupled to the wheel axle, a booster frame supported by the suspension system, a main link coupled via a first hinged connection to a rear portion of the booster frame and extending from the first hinged connection in an upward and forward direction, a lock assembly coupled to a forward end of the main link via a second hinged connection, and a lockup frame (with a curved bottom portion that defines a cradle) coupled to a front end of the booster frame by a third hinged connection and coupled to the lock assembly by a fourth hinged connection and a fifth hinged connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Quickthree Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Alvin Herman, Erin Herman
  • Publication number: 20220135352
    Abstract: A material (e.g., proppant) handling system includes a storage container, a mechanical conveyor system, and a pneumatic conveyor system. The mechanical conveyor system is configured to convey material from an unloading station to a conveyor system discharge and into an inlet of the storage container (e.g., at an elevation that is higher than the unloading station). The pneumatic delivery system is configured to deliver material from the storage container to an off-system destination (e.g., a silo or the like), pneumatically. In a typical implementation, the storage container, the mechanical conveyor system, and the pneumatic conveyor system are all on, or connected to, or supported by one common chassis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Alvin Herman, Erin Herman, William John Young
  • Patent number: 11267663
    Abstract: A material (e.g., proppant) handling system includes a storage container, a mechanical conveyor system, and a pneumatic conveyor system. The mechanical conveyor system is configured to convey material from an unloading station to a conveyor system discharge and into an inlet of the storage container (e.g., at an elevation that is higher than the unloading station). The pneumatic delivery system is configured to deliver material from the storage container to an off-system destination (e.g., a silo or the like), pneumatically. In a typical implementation, the storage container, the mechanical conveyor system, and the pneumatic conveyor system are all on, or connected to, or supported by one common chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Quickthree Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Alvin Herman, Erin Herman, William John Young
  • Publication number: 20220017310
    Abstract: A material handling system includes a chassis, a conveyor system supported by the chassis, a pneumatic conveying system supported by the chassis and a storage container supported by the chassis. The conveyor system is configured to convey a granular material from a material unloading station to an inlet of the storage container. Multiple pods are beneath the storage container. Each pod is connected to the storage container by a corresponding pod fill line. A pneumatic conveying line is beneath the pods. The pneumatic conveying line is connected to each of the pods. Each pod has a full level sensor configured to sense when the pod is full or close to full, and an empty level sensor configured to sense when the pod is empty or close to empty.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventors: Alvin Herman, Erin Herman, Scott Manson, Joseph Welter
  • Publication number: 20210179345
    Abstract: A container assembly comprises a container and a base and is configured to be transported horizontally to a work site where it is raised to a vertical working orientation. A hoppered container floor directs material to a discharge opening in a center of the floor of the container. A plurality of chutes is fixed to the container assembly and each slopes downward and outward from a chute input, located under a central portion of the hoppered floor, to a corresponding chute output. A distributor assembly mounted under the discharge opening receives granular material from the discharge opening and directs same into any one of the chute inputs. When loaded on a gooseneck trailer the container extends over the hitch assembly providing increased volume and capacity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Alvin Herman, Erin Herman
  • Publication number: 20210114502
    Abstract: A silo transport system includes a vehicle and a silo configured to store material when in a vertical orientation supported on the ground surface, and to be transported in a horizontal orientation on the vehicle. The vehicle includes a pivoting cradle supporting the silo in the horizontal orientation and a lock to releasably attach the cradle to the silo. A cradle controller pivots the cradle from a lowered position to a raised position where the silo is in the vertical orientation resting on the ground surface. When the cradle is attached to the silo, the cradle controller pivots the cradle away from the raised position to the lowered position when the silo attached to the cradle is empty, and is inoperative to pivot the cradle away from the raised position toward the lowered position when the silo attached to the cradle contains greater than a threshold amount of the material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Alvin Herman, Erin Herman
  • Patent number: 10934087
    Abstract: A container assembly comprises a container and a base and is configured to be transported horizontally to a work site where it is raised to a vertical working orientation. A hoppered container floor directs material to a discharge opening in a center of the floor of the container. A plurality of chutes is fixed to the container assembly and each slopes downward and outward from a chute input, located under a central portion of the hoppered floor, to a corresponding chute output. A distributor assembly mounted under the discharge opening receives granular material from the discharge opening and directs same into any one of the chute inputs. When loaded on a gooseneck trailer the container extends over the hitch assembly providing increased volume and capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Quickthree Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Alvin Herman, Erin Herman
  • Publication number: 20200223648
    Abstract: A material (e.g., proppant) handling system includes a storage container, a mechanical conveyor system, and a pneumatic conveyor system. The mechanical conveyor system is configured to convey material from an unloading station to a conveyor system discharge and into an inlet of the storage container (e.g., at an elevation that is higher than the unloading station). The pneumatic delivery system is configured to deliver material from the storage container to an off-system destination (e.g., a silo or the like), pneumatically. In a typical implementation, the storage container, the mechanical conveyor system, and the pneumatic conveyor system are all on, or connected to, or supported by one common chassis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Alvin Herman, Erin Herman, William John Young
  • Patent number: 10696475
    Abstract: Granular material flows out through the discharge opening of a silo and through a sealed housing to a target location. A vent opening in a top portion of the silo has a vent cover operative to selectively open and close the vent opening. When the vent cover is closed, air movement into an upper portion of the silo is prevented. A gate is operative to control a flow of granular material through the discharge opening. A vacuum conduit has a lower input end thereof connected to an interior of the housing, and an upper output end thereof located in an upper portion of an interior of the silo. Material flowing out of the silo creates a vacuum drawing dust from the housing up the vacuum conduit into the silo.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Quickthree Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Alvin Herman, Erin Herman
  • Publication number: 20200198885
    Abstract: A container assembly comprises a container and a base and is configured to be transported horizontally to a work site where it is raised to a vertical working orientation. A hoppered container floor directs material to a discharge opening in a center of the floor of the container. A plurality of chutes is fixed to the container assembly and each slopes downward and outward from a chute input, located under a central portion of the hoppered floor, to a corresponding chute output. A distributor assembly mounted under the discharge opening receives granular material from the discharge opening and directs same into any one of the chute inputs. When loaded on a gooseneck trailer the container extends over the hitch assembly providing increased volume and capacity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Inventors: Alvin Herman, Erin Herman
  • Patent number: 10457504
    Abstract: A system has a surge bin, a distribution conveyor assembly, an elevating conveyor assembly, and a receiving conveyor assembly. The surge bin has an internal storage compartment, a top input opening, and a bottom output opening. The distribution conveyor assembly has a distribution frame attached at an input end thereof to an upper portion of the surge bin, and a distribution conveyor mounted on the distribution frame. The elevating conveyor assembly has an elevating conveyor configured to receive granular material at an elevating input and discharge the received granular material selectively to the top input opening of the surge bin or to the distribution conveyor input. The receiving conveyor assembly has a receiving station configured to receive granular material from a discharge of a transport vehicle, and a receiving conveyor operative to transfer the received granular material from the receiving station into the elevating input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Quickthree Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Alvin Herman, Erin Herman
  • Publication number: 20190241360
    Abstract: Granular material flows out through the discharge opening of a silo and through a sealed housing to a target location. A vent opening in a top portion of the silo has a vent cover operative to selectively open and close the vent opening. When the vent cover is closed, air movement into an upper portion of the silo is prevented. A gate is operative to control a flow of granular material through the discharge opening. A vacuum conduit has a lower input end thereof connected to an interior of the housing, and an upper output end thereof located in an upper portion of an interior of the silo. Material flowing out of the silo creates a vacuum drawing dust from the housing up the vacuum conduit into the silo.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Inventors: Alvin Herman, Erin Herman
  • Patent number: 10301108
    Abstract: Granular material flows out through the discharge opening of a silo and through a sealed housing to a target location. A vent opening in a top portion of the silo has a vent cover operative to selectively open and close the vent opening. When the vent cover is closed, air movement into an upper portion of the silo is prevented. A gate is operative to control a flow of granular material through the discharge opening. A vacuum conduit has a lower input end thereof connected to an interior of the housing, and an upper output end thereof located in an upper portion of an interior of the silo. Material flowing out of the silo creates a vacuum drawing dust from the housing up the vacuum conduit into the silo.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Quickthree Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Alvin Herman, Erin Herman
  • Patent number: 10300828
    Abstract: A transportable container apparatus includes an elongate container having a central axis and a base attached to a bottom end of the container. The container and base are substantially symmetrical about the central axis and the container is oriented substantially vertically with the base resting on a ground surface when in a working position. The container having an upper container section with upper walls substantially parallel to the central axis and a lower container section with lower walls substantially parallel to the central axis. The upper container section includes a sloping hopper at a bottom thereof to direct granular material into the lower container section. A floor of the container is sloped toward an outlet port defined in a ported wall of the lower container section such that granular material stored in the container slides down the floor to the outlet port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Quickthree Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Alvin Herman, Erin Herman
  • Publication number: 20190152726
    Abstract: A system has a surge bin, a distribution conveyor assembly, an elevating conveyor assembly, and a receiving conveyor assembly. The surge bin has an internal storage compartment, a top input opening, and a bottom output opening. The distribution conveyor assembly has a distribution frame attached at an input end thereof to an upper portion of the surge bin, and a distribution conveyor mounted on the distribution frame. The elevating conveyor assembly has an elevating conveyor configured to receive granular material at an elevating input and discharge the received granular material selectively to the top input opening of the surge bin or to the distribution conveyor input. The receiving conveyor assembly has a receiving station configured to receive granular material from a discharge of a transport vehicle, and a receiving conveyor operative to transfer the received granular material from the receiving station into the elevating input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Alvin Herman, Erin Herman