Patents by Inventor Gianfranco Zannini

Gianfranco Zannini 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: 6220384
    Abstract: Vehicle for handling various material such as nodes, ladles or operating units in rooms wherein a wide maneuver capacity is required in narrow spaces and/or in the presence of obstacles, impediments, such as industrial sheds, airports, areas for heavy means, and markets comprising a front driving and steering structure carrying a driver's cab, said structure being suitable to rotate continuously by 360° in both the clockwise and the anti-clockwise directions about its own vertical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Techmo Car S.p.A.
    Inventor: Gianfranco Zannini
  • Patent number: 5435897
    Abstract: Automatized equipment for the replacement of the anodes in the cells for aluminum production, comprising two modular structures suspended from saddles sliding on a bridge crane provided in the cell room, the first structure being provided with devices for crust breaking, the removal and laying of worn anodes on a platform translable on a special vehicle placed on a side of the cells, and then for hooking new anodes placed on the same platform and positioning them into the hollow space of the removed worn anodes and the second structure being provided with a device for cleaning the hollow space, and for collecting and transferring slags into a special container placed at the opposite side of the cells on a special vehicle, as well as of means for covering with alumina and/or other powdery materials the new repositioned anodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: Techmo Car S.p.A.
    Inventor: Gianfranco Zannini
  • Patent number: 4993501
    Abstract: A hydraulic hammer is provided, suitable for use as a crust-breaker of aluminum electrolysis pots, having a hydraulically actuated beating mass reciprocally movable in a cylindr to strike against a tool, an intake duct with a filter and a one way valve for conveying external air into a top chamber defined by the rear face of the beating mass, the inner surface of the cylinder and the upper base of the cylinder during the downward stroke of the beating mass, a connection duct with a one way valve for conveying the filtered air contained in the top chamber into a bottom chamber defined by the front face of the beating mass, the inner surface of the cylinder and the rear face of the tool during the upwards movement of the beating mass, so that an over pressure is created in the bottom chamber to exclude dust, etc., from entering through the clearance between the tool and the guide bushing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1991
    Assignee: TECHMO Car S.p.A
    Inventor: Gianfranco Zannini
  • Patent number: 4855031
    Abstract: Module for mechanized replacement of the anodes of electrolytic cells for the production of primary aluminum, constituted by a cage-shaped structure which can be hooked to a usual bridge crane, with said structure a control cab (8), a hopper, fork-shaped positioning elements, a telescopic arm (17) for clamping, unscrewing and locking anode bars, a crust-breaker device (11), a device for cleaning the upper surface of the worn anode and a skimmer device (14) being associated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1989
    Assignee: Techmo Car S.p.A.
    Inventor: Gianfranco Zannini
  • Patent number: 4742994
    Abstract: A powered vehicle for operating ladles and the like, in particular ladles utilized for tapping molten aluminium, which vehicle comprises an arcuate load-bearing structure substantially of the rigid bridge girder type resting securely on two opposedly located trucks associated with the bottoms and exteriors of the bridge girder end uprights, one of said trucks carrying a motor means and respective drive to at least one of the trucks, and the other carrying a fitted driver cab for an operator, associated with said bridge girder there being an additional bridge girder structure mounted for a vertical sliding movement along guides formed on the uprights of said bridge girder by hydraulic cylinders or the like, with whose opposite uprights there are associated, at opposite locations, projecting elements of cradle- or fork-like configuration, or the like, adapted to receive, support, and hold studs or pins standing proud of a ladle surface, at diametrically opposed locations thereon, whereby the ladle can be hooked
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1988
    Assignee: Techmo Car S.p.A.
    Inventors: Gianfranco Zannini, Pierandrea Nalesso