Patents by Inventor Michael Center

Michael Center 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: 20050061716
    Abstract: A screening system designed to provide separation of multiple fractions of New Screens Fines. News Screens Fines (“NSF”) contain a mix of compressed, unmarketable recyclables that are generally less than four inches in size created as a by-product of current Material Recovery Facility (MRF) plant designs used to process single-stream recyclables. The NSF separation system uses a series of primary and secondary classification apparatus to separate materials into marketable products that meet legislative requirements. A series of screens, conveyors and air moving systems are designed to separate waste from fractions of glass, plastic and ferrous metals that can be sold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2003
    Publication date: March 24, 2005
    Inventors: Michael Centers, Stephen Young
  • Patent number: 5100592
    Abstract: A method of melt granulation for powdery material is disclosed wherein the powdery material is discharged onto the upper surface of a heated rotary spreader for migration under centrifugal force to the periphery of the spreader accompanying by melting of a portion of the material and enrobing of non-melted particles by the melted material for discharge as enlarged granules from the periphery of the spreader. To improve the quality of the granules produced, the feed material is supplied to the spreader at two separate locations. The first location is the central portion of the spreader to provide the melted material and the second location is adjacent to the periphery of the spreader. The spreader is preferably in the form of a concave bowl or inverted truncated cone or dish.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1992
    Assignee: Washington University Technology Associated, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Sparks, Norbert Mason, Michael Center
  • Patent number: 5019302
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for the formation of granules of a larger size or mass of a desired range from a feed stock of smaller particles comprising feeding a meltable powdery material to be granulated, or a non-meltable powdery material with a meltable binder to the surface of a rotating spreader means in the form of a disk or bowl, at least a portion of which has been heated to a temperature above the melting point of the meltable component of the feed material wherein the rate of feeding, the energy input to the spreader means and the rotational speed of the spreader means are controlled so that there is sufficient time for at least a partial melting of the meltable component of the feed material substantially solely by contact with the heated surface of the spreader means, centrifugally spreading the material across the surface of the disk or bowl and dispersing the same from the edge thereof into an atmosphere cooler than the melting temperature to form the granulated product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1991
    Assignee: Washington University Technology Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Sparks, Norbert S. Mason, Michael Center