Patents by Inventor Grant E. Bechard

Grant E. Bechard 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: 6123808
    Abstract: In a pulp treatment vessel, such as a kraft pulp continuous vertical digester, a cellulose slurry is caused to flow in the vessel interior in a flow path. A substantially annular void is formed at at least one point along the flow path, and dilution or treatment liquor is introduced into the substantially annular void so that the liquor is substantially uniformly distributed about the periphery of or into the slurry. The annular void may be formed by a step out in the vessel, and the uniform introduction of dilution liquor may be accomplished utilizing one or more openings, such as a plurality of openings substantially evenly spaced around the substantially annular void, e.g. using a screen surface. The screen surface may be substantially vertical or conical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Ahlstrom Machinery Inc.
    Inventors: Grant E. Bechard, John Hefele, Larry W. Laakso, Mark D. Barrett, R. Fred Chasse