Patents by Inventor Michael R. Thomas

Michael R. Thomas 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: 9964037
    Abstract: A gas turbine bypass flow arrangement comprises an outer housing and an inner housing, an outer bypass duct defined between the outer housing and the inner housing and an inner bypass duct defined inwardly of the inner housing. A first heat exchanger is positioned at an upstream location within the outer bypass duct and a second heat exchanger is positioned within the inner bypass duct at an upstream location. A downstream heat exchanger is positioned to be in the path of air downstream of the second heat exchanger in the inner bypass duct. Air flowing across the downstream heat exchanger passes from the inner bypass duct into the outer bypass duct. A gas turbine engine is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan K. Snyder, Michael R. Thomas
  • Patent number: 9897375
    Abstract: A continuous flow dryer system according to various embodiments can include a source for supplying a material to be treated having a high moisture content, such as a distiller wet grain, a profile screw compression dryer, a profile screw, and a drive coupled to the profile screw for axially rotating the profile screw. The profile screw compression dryer includes an inlet for receiving the material for drying, which is fed therein in a controlled manner. The profile screw is provided within the housing of the dryer. The profile screw has a diameter that increases in dimension in a direction away from the inlet for increasing the compressive force applied to the material to assist with drying as the profile screw rotates and moves the material longitudinally along the profile screw to produce a final product, for example, a distiller dried grain for use as an animal feed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Nationwide 5, LLC
    Inventor: Michael R. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20170360064
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing grain material to generate a consistently high densified grain with a desired length, shape and size. The densified grain processing apparatus comprises a die assembly, a cooling assembly and a break-off assembly. The method includes receiving the grain material by the die assembly and forcing the grain material through an extrusion passageway that evenly distributes the grain material into a plurality of orifices thereby producing a high density shaped grain before the grain material exits the die assembly. A coolant is pumped to a coolant passage by means of an at least one pump and cools the shaped grain by passing the shaped grain through at least one of the cooling tube inside a cooling chamber. The break-off assembly then breaks off a predetermined length of the shaped grain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2017
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Applicant: Nationwide 5, LLC
    Inventor: Michael R. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20170355161
    Abstract: An animal feed producing system comprises a compression screw assembly. The compression screw assembly includes at least a first screw, a second screw and a plurality of barrels. The first and second screws include a plurality of flights and roots. The plurality of screws is configured such that they include a plurality of sections. Each section comprises a set of plurality of flights and a plurality of roots configured to perform a specific compression function, such as perpendicular compression and lateral compression.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Applicant: Nationwide 5, LLC
    Inventor: Michael R. Thomas
  • Patent number: 9801407
    Abstract: A compression system includes a compression device and a controller. A treated material is pressed longitudinally through a compression chamber by simultaneously applying a lateral pressure and a two-dimensional cross-section compression which includes a pressure applied in a direction traverse to a direction of transport and a pressure applied in a direction parallel to the direction of transport. The controller controls the two-dimensional cross-section compression applied to the treated material such that, during compression, liquids in the treated material migrate to the outer surface of the treated material upon reaching the outlet orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: NATIONWIDE 5, LLC
    Inventor: Michael R. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20170211513
    Abstract: Methods and systems for cooling airflow may comprise a gas turbine engine that may comprise an engine core, comprising a chamber, and/or a heat exchanger. The chamber may comprise a chamber outboard surface and/or a chamber interior. The heat exchanger may be coupled to the chamber outboard surface and may comprise a heat exchanger base and/or a cooling tube. The cooling tube may be disposed inside the chamber interior and may comprise a tube entrance end coupled to the heat exchanger base, a tube exit end coupled to the heat exchanger base, and/or a tube body between the tube entrance end and the tube exit end, the tube body encompassing a tube interior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michael R. Thomas
  • Patent number: 9707728
    Abstract: A device according to various embodiments for preparing wet grain can include at least a first screw configured to receive wet grain. A second screw receives the wet grain from the first screw. At least one of a compressing element and a dehydrating element is included with at least one of the first screw and the second screw to cause a physical property change to the wet grain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: NATIONWIDE 5, LLC
    Inventor: Michael R. Thomas
  • Patent number: 9616632
    Abstract: A device according to various embodiments for drying wet grain can include a first screw configured to receive wet grain. A second screw receives the wet grain from the first screw. At least one mechanism is included within at least one of the first screw and the second screw to vaporize water content in the wet grain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: NATIONWIDE 5, LLC
    Inventor: Michael R. Thomas
  • Patent number: 9589256
    Abstract: Identification information is received from a transaction card at a transaction machine. The transaction card is associated with an account holder using the transaction machine. Using the identification information, activity profile information is accessed for the account holder. The account holder's transaction machine usage is monitored and activity profile information related to the account holder's transaction machine usage is stored. A custom sequence of user interfaces to be displayed to the account holder is generated based on the activity profile information and based on the type of transaction the account holder initiates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
    Inventors: Michael R. Thomas, Elizabeth Schrag, Jimmy Wang, Jerome Rhodes
  • Publication number: 20170042212
    Abstract: A device for producing a high density compact livestock feed from a loose granular material according to various embodiment can include a source for supplying a loose granular material to be treated and moving the treated material through a series of successive treatment zones. Rotatable screws are provided within an extruder to compress and transport the treated material a die. The treated material is pressed through the die while a two-dimensional cross-section compression is applied to the treated material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventor: Michael R. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20160341130
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to an engine of an aircraft. Aspects of the disclosure include an inlet housing configured to receive core air of an engine, and at least one valve coupled to the inlet housing and configured to bleed the core air during a starting of the engine, where the at least one valve is housed within the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventors: Francis P. Marocchini, Aaron F. Rickis, Robert Goodman, Michael R. Thomas
  • Patent number: 9481120
    Abstract: A device for producing a high density compact livestock feed from a loose granular material according to various embodiment can include a source for supplying a loose granular material to be treated and moving the treated material through a series of successive treatment zones. Rotatable screws are provided within an extruder to compress and transport the treated material a die. The treated material is pressed through the die while a two-dimensional cross-section compression is applied to the treated material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: NATIONWIDE 5, LLC
    Inventor: Michael R. Thomas
  • Patent number: 9480281
    Abstract: A device for producing a high density compact livestock feed from a loose granular material according to various embodiment can include a source for supplying a loose granular material to be treated and moving the treated material through a series of successive treatment zones. Rotatable screws are provided within an extruder to compress and transport the treated material a die. The treated material is pressed through the die while a two-dimensional cross-section compression is applied to the treated material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: NATIONWIDE 5, LLC
    Inventor: Michael R. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20160312702
    Abstract: An example flow control assembly includes a door that is moved to control flow through a heat exchanger, and a pneumatic device to move the door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Inventor: Michael R. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20160257086
    Abstract: A device according to various embodiments for preparing wet grain can include at least a first screw configured to receive wet grain. A second screw receives the wet grain from the first screw. At least one of a compressing element and a dehydrating element is included with at least one of the first screw and the second screw to cause a physical property change to the wet grain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventor: Michael R. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20160249673
    Abstract: A device for producing a high density compact livestock feed from a loose granular material according to various embodiment can include a source for supplying a loose granular material to be treated and moving the treated material through a series of successive treatment zones. Rotatable screws are provided within an extruder to compress and transport the treated material a die. The treated material is pressed through the die while a two-dimensional cross-section compression is applied to the treated material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventor: Michael R. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20160177828
    Abstract: A gas turbine bypass flow arrangement comprises an outer housing and an inner housing, an outer bypass duct defined between the outer housing and the inner housing and an inner bypass duct defined inwardly of the inner housing. A first heat exchanger is positioned at an upstream location within the outer bypass duct and a second heat exchanger is positioned within the inner bypass duct at an upstream location. A downstream heat exchanger is positioned to be in the path of air downstream of the second heat exchanger in the inner bypass duct. Air flowing across the downstream heat exchanger passes from the inner bypass duct into the outer bypass duct. A gas turbine engine is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventors: Ryan K. Snyder, Michael R. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20160123230
    Abstract: A plate/fin heat exchanger includes multiple stacked panels defining a curvature. Each of the panels has a first corrugated sheet defining a first set of passages and a second corrugated sheet defining a second set of passages. Each of the corrugated sheets includes multiple aligned corrugations, and the corrugations of the first corrugated sheet are not aligned with the corrugations of the second corrugated sheet. Each of the corrugations has a corrugation height defined as a length of said corrugation tangential to a curvature of the plate/fin heat exchanger, and wherein each of the first corrugated sheets includes axially aligned corrugations defining a wedge shaped radial cross section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventor: Michael R. Thomas
  • Patent number: 9282764
    Abstract: A device for producing a high density compact livestock feed from a loose granular material according to various embodiment can include a source for supplying a loose granular material to be treated and moving the treated material through a series of successive treatment zones. Rotatable screws are provided within an extruder to compress and transport the treated material a die. The treated material is pressed through the die while a two-dimensional cross-section compression is applied to the treated material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Nationwide 5, LLC
    Inventor: Michael R. Thomas
  • Patent number: 9162402
    Abstract: A method of continuous curing and post-curing of a plurality of extruded strands is provided. A plurality of extruded strands is wrapped through a plurality of spindle units rotatably connected to a rigid frame structure. A plurality of dual spindles are provided in a plurality of upper and lower spindle units, wherein each dual spindle comprises a free spinning roller and a driven roller. A chamber that comprises a dual function chamber configured for heating and cooling is supported on the rigid frame structure. The plurality of extruded strands is continuously transferred between the upper spindle units and the lower spindle units such that the plurality of extruded strands runs in a vertical fashion that continuously alternates between the lower spindle units and the upper spindle units. Each of the plurality of strands is transferred independently of each other and continuously passed through the chamber for continuous curing and post-curing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Inventor: Michael R. Thomas