Patents by Inventor Craig A. Walley

Craig A. Walley 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: 6332542
    Abstract: Dense, tramp material, is efficiently separated in a comminuted cellulosic fibrous material feed system, for example in a chemical cellulose digester feed system, in a simple but effective matter. By merely utilizing a generally vertical conduit and a slurry flow within it (which may be augmented by high speed liquid introduction), that is caused to turn in a radiused path, centrifugal force allows separation of the tramp material into a cavity beneath the radius transition without requiring any mechanical element to engage the slurry. Appropriate purges, baffles, and discharge mechanisms may be provided. Alternatively, a tramp material separator may be built into an otherwise conventional metering screw in a digester feed system, or one or more centrifugal separators can be provided downstream of the slurry pump in a chip slurry transport system or digester feed system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Andritz-Ahlstrom Inc.
    Inventors: Vic L. Bilodeau, R. Fred Chasse, James R. Prough, C. Bertil Stromberg, Craig A. Walley
  • Publication number: 20010022283
    Abstract: Dense, tramp material, is efficiently separated in a comminuted cellulosic fibrous material feed system, for example in a chemical cellulose digester feed system, in a simple but effective matter. By merely utilizing a generally vertical conduit and a slurry flow within it (which may be augmented by high speed liquid introduction), that is caused to turn in a radiused path, centrifugal force allows separation of the tramp material into a cavity beneath the radius transition without requiring any mechanical element to engage the slurry. Appropriate purges, baffles, and discharge mechanisms may be provided. Alternatively, a tramp material separator may be built into an otherwise conventional metering screw in a digester feed system, or one or more centrifugal separators can be provided downstream of the slurry pump in a chip slurry transport system or digester feed system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2001
    Publication date: September 20, 2001
    Applicant: Andritz-Ahlstrom Inc.
    Inventors: Vic L. Bilodeau, R. Fred Chasse, James R. Prough, C. Bertil Stromberg, Craig A. Walley
  • Patent number: 6024227
    Abstract: Dense, tramp material, is efficiently separated in a comminuted cellulosic fibrous material feed system, for example in a chemical cellulose digester feed system, in a simple but effective matter. By merely utilizing a generally vertical conduit and a slurry flow within it (which may be augmented by high speed liquid introduction), that is caused to turn in a radiused path, centrifugal force allows separation of the tramp material into a cavity beneath the radius transition without requiring any mechanical element to engage the slurry. Appropriate purges, baffles, and discharge mechanisms may be provided. Alternatively, a tramp material separator may be built into an otherwise conventional metering screw in a digester feed system, or one or more centrifugal separators can be provided downstream of the slurry pump in a chip slurry transport system or digester feed system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2000
    Assignee: Ahlstrom Machinery Inc.
    Inventors: Vic L. Bilodeau, R. Fred Chasse, James R. Prough, C. Bertil Stromberg, Craig A. Walley