Patents by Inventor Michael A. Zock

Michael A. Zock 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).

  • Publication number: 20240033710
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an erosion, sediment and pollution control product comprises heat treating a rice hull filler material for sterilizing the rice hull filler material and increasing the pollutant affinity of the rice hull filler material; filling a tubular containment member with the rice hull filler material in a manner allowing fluid to flow through the containment member and the rice hull filler material. The containment member is a geotextile which may include cellulose based threads treated to be hydrophobic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventor: Michael A. Zock
  • Publication number: 20230390671
    Abstract: A portable lamella settling tank is configured for use as a sediment trap. The tank includes a transportable housing having a settling tank portion; a fluid inlet within the housing; a fluid treatment station downstream of the inlet configured for fluid treatment additives to be introduced to incoming fluid; agitation piping downstream of the fluid treatment station configured to mix the fluid treatment additives and the incoming fluid; mixing wells downstream of the agitation piping and each having an outlet extending into the settling tank portion; a lamella separator having a spillway located within the center of the lamella separator above the height of the mixing well outlets, wherein the lamella separator is configured for operation with the housing up to at least 5% out of level in roll and pitch orientations; a fluid outlet coupled to the spillway; and a sludge takeout for removal of sludge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2023
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Inventor: Michael A. Zock
  • Publication number: 20230277966
    Abstract: An erosion, sediment and pollution control product comprises a geotextile which includes cellulose based threads treated to be hydrophobic and cellulose based filler within the tubular geotextile. The geotextile may be knitted and may include lyocell threads and wherein the lyocell threads are treated to be hydrophobic, and are treated with food grade mineral oil. A method of making a tubular knitted geotextile comprises the steps of: supplying cellulose based threads to a circular knitting machine and knitting a tubular substrate, treating the cellulose based threads with one of mineral oil, beeswax, paraffin, petroleum jelly, lanolin, plant-based oils, and combinations thereof, whereby the threads are rendered hydrophobic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Michael A. Zock, Jeffrey Karl Szebalskie, SR.
  • Patent number: 11745166
    Abstract: An erosion, sediment and pollution control product comprises a rice hull filler material which has been heat treated sterilizing the rice hull filler material and increasing the pollutant affinity of the rice hull filler material; and a containment member containing the rice hull filler material and allowing fluid to flow through the containment member and the rice hull filler material. The containment member is a geotextile which may include cellulose based threads treated to be hydrophobic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: MKB COMPANY, LLC
    Inventor: Michael A. Zock
  • Publication number: 20230136157
    Abstract: An erosion, sediment and pollution control product comprises a geotextile which includes at least 10% non-plastic non-biomass based inert threads, in particular basalt or glass threads, and cellulose based filler within the tubular geotextile. The geotextile may be knitted. A method of making a tubular knitted geotextile comprises the steps of: supplying non-plastic, non-biomass based inert threads, such as basalt or glass threads, to a circular knitting machine and knitting a tubular substrate which includes at least 10% non-plastic non-biomass based inert threads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Inventors: Michael A. Zock, Jeffrey Karl Szebalskie
  • Publication number: 20230033869
    Abstract: A composite silt fence configured for capturing pollutants in one embodiment comprises a silt fence fabric including i) a polymeric geotextile fabric particulate filtering layer defining the hydraulic flow capacity for the silt fence, ii) a pollutant capturing layer coupled to the polymeric geotextile fabric particulate filtering layer and configured to capture some select pollutants in water from flow that has passed through the polymeric geotextile fabric particulate filtering layer, and iii) a backing layer coupled to the pollutant capturing layer; and a plurality of stakes secured to the silt fence fabric at spaced locations. The silt fence fabric yields higher hydraulic flow than existing fence constructions with greater sediment retention and pollutant containment features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Inventors: Michael A. Zock, Roy G. McClinton
  • Patent number: 11466413
    Abstract: A composite silt fence configured for capturing pollutants in one embodiment comprises a silt fence fabric including i) a polymeric geotextile fabric particulate filtering layer defining the hydraulic flow capacity for the silt fence, ii) a pollutant capturing layer coupled to the polymeric geotextile fabric particulate filtering layer and configured to capture some select pollutants in water from flow that has passed through the polymeric geotextile fabric particulate filtering layer, and iii) a backing layer coupled to the pollutant capturing layer; and a plurality of stakes secured to the silt fence fabric at spaced locations. The silt fence fabric yields higher hydraulic flow than existing fence constructions with greater sediment retention and pollutant containment features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignees: MKB COMPANY, HUESKER, INC.
    Inventors: Michael A. Zock, Roy G. McClinton
  • Publication number: 20220062857
    Abstract: An erosion, sediment and pollution control product comprises a rice hull filler material which has been heat treated sterilizing the rice hull filler material and increasing the pollutant affinity of the rice hull filler material; and a containment member containing the rice hull filler material and allowing fluid to flow through the containment member and the rice hull filler material. The containment member is a geotextile which may include cellulose based threads treated to be hydrophobic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventor: Michael A. Zock
  • Patent number: 11155978
    Abstract: A compressed netting sleeve for in situ formation of a compost filter sock comprises a sleeve of netting material having a pair of opposed open ends, wherein the sleeve of netting material is bunched primarily along a longitudinal axis, whereby each of the open ends of the netting material remains accessible to form a compression bundle netting material; and a protective sleeve extending through the open ends of the sleeve of netting material to extend through the interior of the sleeve of netting material and around the exterior of the sleeve of netting material thereby surrounding the compression bundle netting material with the protective sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: MKB COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Karl Szebalskie, Sr., Michael Zock
  • Patent number: 11123661
    Abstract: A hybrid filtration sock comprises a mesh tube filled with a blended filler comprising 60%-90% fibrous volumizing filler and 10%-40% woody organic filler. The fibrous volumizing filler 12 includes straw, grasses, pine straw, corn stalks, natural fibers and weeds and combinations thereof. The woody organic filler is ground or chipped wood based material from land clearing, yard waste, pallets and clean wood debris or clean wood scraps, comprising a PH of between 5.0 and 8.0, with a particle size wherein 99% passes a 2 in (50 mm) sieve and a maximum of 43% passes a ? in (9.5 mm) sieve, and <3.5% by dry weight of inert or foreign man made materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: MKB COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael A. Zock, Jeffrey Karl Szebalskie
  • Patent number: 11117075
    Abstract: A compost filter sock assembly comprising a filter sock and compost filter anchor system comprising one of i) an interconnected series of compost filter sock anchors alternating on the downstream and upstream side of the filter sock, wherein the compost filter sock anchors are interconnected with strapping between adjacent compost filter sock anchors on opposed sides of the filter sock such that the strap traverses the filter sock; or ii) a downstream wooden stake having a fin coupled thereto that extends laterally on both sides of the wooden stake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: MKB COMPANY, LLC
    Inventor: Michael A. Zock
  • Patent number: 11098472
    Abstract: An above grate based inlet filter system for erosion and sediment control comprises a filter mat configured to extend beyond the perimeter of the grate and a securing mechanism, such as magnets, configured to securing the filter mat around the perimeter of the grate. The system may include a filter berm secured in vicinity to the mat, and a rectangular array of magnets coupling the filter mat to the grate. The natural fiber filter mat may effectively be formed of vertically aligned coir fibers or alternatively of reticulated foam. Multiple side edges of the mat are undulating having a pattern of repeating recesses. The mat includes a plurality of high flow holes extending into the mat and which are closed at a bottom surface thereof. The mat includes at least one removable dewatering plug configured to allow for selective mat bypass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: MKB COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael A. Zock, Jeffrey Karl Szebalskie, Sr., Nick Dreher
  • Publication number: 20200370251
    Abstract: A silt fence includes a plurality of spaced stakes and a silt fence fabric coupled to the stakes wherein the silt fence fabric is a nonwoven needle punched fabric having a thickness of at least 5.25 mm, a denier size of 10-25 and a weight of 9-24 oz/square yard. The silt fence fabric may be asymmetrical dual sided needle punched wherein the downstream side of the fabric is punched 2-6 times more than the upstream side. The silt fence fabric may have a transverse direction orientation of fibers forming the fabric. The fence may include two independent tensioning members. The silt fence may include at least one vertical transverstivity cutoff element that prevents water from migrating from above the cutoff element within the fabric to below the cutoff element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Michael A. Zock, Nick Dreher, Benjamin Swarey
  • Patent number: 10745881
    Abstract: A compost filter netting comprises plastic netting formed in a tube having a diameter of 6?-36? wherein the plastic netting includes netting openings of ?-?? and configured to be filled with compost to form a compost filter sock, wherein the linear length of the compost filter sock is not less than 93% of the linear length of the originally manufactured empty compost filter netting. A method of forming a compost filter sock using the compost filter netting and the compost filter sock made thereby is disclosed. The compost filter netting substantially eliminates the problem of miscalculation of shrink rate that is problematic for in field applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: MKB Company, LLC
    Inventors: Michael A. Zock, Robert Frei
  • Patent number: 10704247
    Abstract: An above grate based inlet filter system for erosion and sediment control comprises a filter mat configured to extend beyond the perimeter of the grate and a securing mechanism, such as magnets, configured to securing the filter mat around the perimeter of the grate. The system may include a filter berm secured in vicinity to the mat, and a rectangular array of magnets coupling the filter mat to the grate. The natural fiber filter mat may effectively be formed of vertically aligned coir fibers or alternatively of reticulated foam. Multiple side edges of the mat are undulating having a pattern of repeating recesses. The mat includes a plurality of high flow holes extending into the mat and which are closed at a bottom surface thereof. The mat includes at least one removable dewatering plug configured to allow for selective mat bypass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: MKB COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael A. Zock, Jeffrey Karl Szebalskie
  • Publication number: 20200179828
    Abstract: A Composite Filter Sock Assembly includes a Compost Filter Sock and Secondary Tubular Seam Filling Device configured to be wedged beneath the compost filter sock on an upstream water runoff side of the compost filter sock, whereby the compost filter sock provides a pinning pressure to the Secondary Tubular Seam Filling Device and wherein the compost filter sock has a nominal diameter of 2-12 times a diameter of a tubular element of the Secondary Tubular Seam Filling Device. The Tubular Element may be least partially filled with a swell-able material such as sphagnum peat moss and may include a fastening mechanism on an exterior surface configured to facilitate coupling to a mesh tube of a compost filter sock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Michael A. Zock, Nelson Peachey
  • Publication number: 20200109548
    Abstract: An above grate based inlet filter system for erosion and sediment control comprises a filter mat configured to extend beyond the perimeter of the grate and a securing mechanism, such as magnets, configured to securing the filter mat around the perimeter of the grate. The system may include a filter berm secured in vicinity to the mat, and a rectangular array of magnets coupling the filter mat to the grate. The natural fiber filter mat may effectively be formed of vertically aligned coir fibers or alternatively of reticulated foam. Multiple side edges of the mat are undulating having a pattern of repeating recesses. The mat includes a plurality of high flow holes extending into the mat and which are closed at a bottom surface thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventors: Michael A. Zock, Jeffrey Karl Szebalskie, SR., Nick Dreher
  • Patent number: 10603608
    Abstract: A Composite Filter Sock Assembly includes a Compost Filter Sock and Secondary Tubular Seam Filling Device configured to be wedged beneath the compost filter sock, whereby the compost filter sock provides a pinning pressure to the Secondary Tubular Seam Filling Device and wherein the compost filter sock has a nominal diameter of 2-12 times a diameter of a tubular element of the Secondary Tubular Seam Filling Device. The Tubular Element may be least partially filled with a swell-able material such as sphagnum peat moss and may include a fastening mechanism on an exterior surface configured to facilitate coupling to a mesh tube of a compost filter sock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: MKB Company
    Inventors: Michael A. Zock, Nelson Peachey
  • Publication number: 20190388806
    Abstract: A hybrid filtration sock comprises a mesh tube filled with a blended filler comprising 60%-90% fibrous volumizing filler and 10%-40% woody organic filler. The fibrous volumizing filler 12 includes straw, grasses, pine straw, corn stalks, natural fibers and weeds and combinations thereof. The woody organic filler is ground or chipped wood based material from land clearing, yard waste, pallets and clean wood debris or clean wood scraps, comprising a PH of between 5.0 and 8.0, with a particle size wherein 99% passes a 2 in (50 mm) sieve and a maximum of 43% passes a ? in (9.5 mm) sieve, and <3.5% by dry weight of inert or foreign man made materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Michael A. Zock, Jeffrey Karl Szebalskie
  • Publication number: 20190176059
    Abstract: A compost filter sock assembly comprising a filter sock and compost filter anchor system comprising one of i) an interconnected series of compost filter sock anchors alternating on the downstream and upstream side of the filter sock, wherein the compost filter sock anchors are interconnected with strapping between adjacent compost filter sock anchors on opposed sides of the filter sock such that the strap traverses the filter sock; or ii) a downstream wooden stake having a fin coupled thereto that extends laterally on both sides of the wooden stake.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventor: Michael A. Zock