Patents by Inventor George F. Lewis

George F. Lewis 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: 5242667
    Abstract: The present invention is directed toward a feeder system for replenishing the melt in a crystal growing system that utilizes a heated crucible containing a pool of melted charge material from which a seen is withdrawn to grow the crystal. The feed system utilizes a storage hopper for storing solid pellets of the charge material. The storage hopper is provided with an opening at the bottom thereof which allows pellets to flow out of the hopper. A rotating plate is provided below the opening for collecting pellets that flow from the opening and enables piles of pellets to be formed thereon. A wiper is provided that extends across a portion of the plate and, as the plate is rotated, contacts the pellet piles to wipe pellets off of the plate. Thereafter, the pellets are collected and sourced to the melt to accomplish replenishment thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1993
    Assignee: Ferrofluidics Corporation
    Inventors: Jurek K. Koziol, Jonathan A. Talbott, Kedar P. Gupta, George F. Lewis