Patents by Inventor Andries Elias Hills

Andries Elias Hills 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).

  • Tagged excavation element
    Patent number: 10787793
    Abstract: A tagged excavation element, including an excavation element body and a tagging device securable to the excavation element body. The tagged excavation element is characterized in that the tagging device includes a man-made radioactive source. Typically, but not exclusively, the excavation element body comprises a shroud or tooth of an excavation bucket of a ground excavation tool (GET). A method is provided for manufacturing the tagged excavation element, and for detecting the tagged excavation element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (SOC) Ltd.
    Inventors: Andries Elias Hills, Jacobus Daniël Adendorff
  • TAGGED EXCAVATION ELEMENT
    Publication number: 20190010680
    Abstract: This invention relates to a tagged excavation element, and more particularly but not exclusively, to a tagged shroud or tooth of an excavation bucket. The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a tagged excavation element, and to a method of detecting a tagged excavation element. The tagged excavation element includes an excavation element body and a tagging device securable to the excavation element body. The tagged excavation element is characterized in that the tagging device includes a radioactive source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventors: Andries Elias Hills, Jacobus Daniël Adendorff