Patents by Inventor Michel Houbart

Michel Houbart 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: 11542565
    Abstract: A charging system for a shaft smelt reduction furnace includes a frame structure for mounting on a top charge opening of a shaft smelt reduction vessel; a center shaft arrangement supported by the frame structure and for removing off-gas gases from the furnace and to introduce granular charge materials to form a stack of materials in the furnace. The center shaft arrangement includes a center hood for off-gas extraction; a pair of first and second feed channels for first and second materials. The center hood includes a pair of facing off-gas panels defining an off-gas channel. The partition walls include lower portions that extend towards each other below the center hood to define a center feed passage, whereby material descending through the first feed channels may accumulate on lower portions according to the angle of repose of the material, permitting self-adjustment of the first material stock-line in the shaft arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: PAUL WURTH S.A.
    Inventors: Patrick Hutmacher, Stefan Schons, Charles Steichen, Michel Houbart
  • Publication number: 20200318207
    Abstract: A charging system for a shaft smelt reduction furnace includes a frame structure for mounting on a top charge opening of a shaft smelt reduction vessel; a center shaft arrangement supported by the frame structure and for removing off-gas gases from the furnace and to introduce granular charge materials to form a stack of materials in the furnace. The center shaft arrangement includes a center hood for off-gas extraction; a pair of first and second feed channels for first and second materials. The center hood includes a pair of facing off-gas panels defining an off-gas channel. The partition walls include lower portions that extend towards each other below the center hood to define a center feed passage, whereby material descending through the first feed channels may accumulate on lower portions according to the angle of repose of the material, permitting self-adjustment of the first material stock-line in the shaft arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Patrick HUTMACHER, Stefan SCHONS, Charles STEICHEN, Michel HOUBART
  • Publication number: 20170058378
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for reducing the amounts of zinc and lead in starting materials comprising iron which comprises the steps of: —selectively leaching Zn and Pb comprised in the starting materials by mixing the starting materials with hydrochloric acid and an oxidizing agent comprising at least 5 wt-% of manganese dioxide in one or several reactor(s) at a temperature superior or equal to 35° C. and at a p H comprised between 0.5 and 3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Ludivine PIEZANOWSKI, Jasmin HUGENTOBLER, Samuel RAYNAL, Michel HOUBART
  • Patent number: 9144843
    Abstract: Dust emissions can be reduced in a metal or slag casting apparatus by providing an endless conveyor having a plurality of casting molds with upper open tops wherein the conveyor is arranged to move the casting molds in a first section from a casting station to a discharge station and in a second section back to the casting station. The method for reducing dust emissions includes (a) providing a casing forming a bottomless box over at least part of the first section of the conveyor, (b) injecting within the casing a gas on the surface of the mold with an angle configured to blow off loose, solid particles, formed at the surface of the metal, during early stages of the cooling down and to start the solidification of a superficial layer of metal or slag, and (c) extracting the gas and the solid particles by suction from within the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: PAUL WURTH S.A.
    Inventors: Hans Juergen Lessmann, Ingo Both, Michel Houbart, Klaus Peter Kinzel, Gilles Nouaille-Degorce
  • Publication number: 20140331515
    Abstract: A method for reducing dust emissions in a metal or slag casting apparatus, as well as a metal or slag casting apparatus allowing reducing dust emissions, comprising an endless conveyor having a plurality of casting moulds with upper open tops and which endless conveyor is arranged to move said casting moulds in a first section from a casting station to to the casting station, the method comprising (a) providing a casing forming a bottomless box over at least part of the first section of the endless conveyor, (b) injecting within said casing a gas on the surface of the mould with an angle sufficient to blow off loose, solid particles, such as graphite flakes, formed at the surface of the metal, during early stages of the cooling down and to start the solidification of a superficial layer of metal or slag, (c) extracting the gas and the solid particles by suction from within said casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Hans Juergen Lessmann, Ingo Both, Michel Houbart, Klaus Peter Kinzel, Gilles Nouaille-Degorce
  • Patent number: 7694716
    Abstract: A continuous casting mould comprises a mould tube (12), a mould jacket (24) surrounding the mould tube (12), a cooling system (26) within the mould jacket (24) for cooling the mould tube (12), an oscillating lever (40) supporting the mould tube (12). The oscillating lever (40) is capable of oscillating about a pivoting axis (45) substantially perpendicular to a casting plane containing the casting axis (20) for transmitting mechanical oscillations to the mould tube (12). An oscillating mould cover (30) associated with the top end of the mould jacket (24). The mould tube (12) is supported with its upper end by the oscillating mould cover (30), and is itself pivotably supported by the oscillating lever (40) outside of the mould jacket (24). A sealing element, e.g. an annular lip seal (90), provides sealing between the oscillating mould cover (30) and the top end of the mould jacket (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: SMS Siemag Aktiengellschaft
    Inventors: Emile Lonardi, Michel Houbart, Charles Assa, Marc Wies
  • Publication number: 20070246186
    Abstract: A continuous casting mould comprises a mould tube (12), a mould jacket (24) surrounding the mould tube (12), a cooling system (26) within the mould jacket (24) for cooling the mould tube (12), an oscillating lever (40) supporting the mould tube (12). The oscillating lever (40) is capable of oscillating about a pivoting axis (45) substantially perpendicular to a casting plane containing the casting axis (20) for transmitting mechanical oscillations to the mould tube (12). An oscillating mould cover (30) associated with the top end of the mould jacket (24). The mould tube (12) is supported with its upper end by the oscillating mould cover (30), and is itself pivotably supported by the oscillating lever (40) outside of the mould jacket (24). A sealing element, e.g. an annular lip seal (90), provides sealing between the oscillating mould cover (30) and the top end of the mould jacket (24).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Inventors: Emile Lonardi, Michel Houbart, Charles Assa, Marc Wies