Patents by Inventor Martin F. Garthaffner

Martin F. Garthaffner 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).

  • Apparatus and method for filling cavities with metered amounts of granular particles
    Patent number: 6837281
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for delivering predetermined amounts of material, the apparatus including a vertical drop chute, a filling chamber, a rotating wheel with pockets, a central stationary drum with at least one vacuum chamber and an air jet, and a vacuum rail for transporting an article underneath the rotating wheel and transferring the particles from pockets in the wheel to cavities in the article. The particles can be carbon or charcoal granules and the article can be a cigarette filter rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Philip Morris Incorporation
    Inventors: Steven F. Spiers, Martin F. Garthaffner, Gary Atwell
  • Apparatus and method for filling cavities with metered amounts of granular particles
    Publication number: 20030034085
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for delivering predetermined amounts of material, the apparatus including a vertical drop chute, a filling chamber, a rotating wheel with pockets, a central stationary drum with at least one vacuum chamber and an air jet, and a vacuum rail for transporting an article underneath the rotating wheel and transferring the particles from pockets in the wheel to cavities in the article. The particles can be carbon or charcoal granules and the article can be a cigarette filter rod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2001
    Publication date: February 20, 2003
    Inventors: Steven F. Spiers, Martin F. Garthaffner, Gary Atwell