Patents by Inventor Neil McNeill Alford

Neil McNeill Alford 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: 20200170274
    Abstract: A method is provided for preserving cooking oil in a food fryer which comprises contacting the oil in situ with at least one oil-permeable cement body which is a stand-alone block and which has been hydraulically hardened from a paste comprising (i) white OPC clinker, (ii) white OPC or (iii) a mixture of white OPC clinker and white OPC, wherein the porosity of the cement body, estimable from the difference between its water-saturated and dry weights, is 30-55%, pores in the body being oil receptive by virtue of low un-bound water content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventors: Graham John Bratton, Kenneth George Mannering, Roger Leslie Brown, Neil McNeill Alford
  • Publication number: 20170231243
    Abstract: A method is provided for preserving cooking oil in a food fryer which comprises contacting the oil in situ with at least one oil-permeable cement body which is a stand-alone block and which has been hydraulically hardened from a paste comprising (i) white OPC clinker, (ii) white OPC or (iii) a mixture of white OPC clinker and white OPC, wherein the porosity of the cement body, estimable from the difference between its water-saturated and dry weights, is 30-55%, pores in the body being oil receptive by virtue of low un-bound water content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Graham John Bratton, Kenneth George Mannering, Roger Leslie Brown, Neil McNeill Alford
  • Patent number: 9636657
    Abstract: An hydraulically set oil-permeable cement body is provided in the form of a stand-alone block or briquette for preserving cooking oil during deep fat frying, said body. It has substantially no free water or having a low free water content for resisting damage on immersion in cooking oil and initial heating and is enclosed in packaging that resists ingress of water or water vapor The block or briquette consists of >50 wt % of a mixture of milled white OPC clinker and white OPC, optionally silica 1-2 wt % and/or titania (TiO2) 1-2 wt % and optionally further ingredients selected from calcium silicate, magnesium silicate, aluminum silicate, natural feldspars, natural sodium zeolites, natural calcium zeolites, synthetic sodium zeolites, synthetic calcium zeolites, wollastonite, calcium hydroxide, clays, pillared clays, activated clays/earths, talcs/kaolinite, amphiboles, granite porphyry, rhyolite, agalmatolite, porphyry, attapulgite and diatomaceous earth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: BBM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Graham John Bratton, Kenneth George Mannering, Roger Leslie Brown, Neil McNeill Alford
  • Patent number: 9293890
    Abstract: A device for, and a method of, generating stimulated emission of microwave or radio frequency electromagnetic radiation, utilize a resonator structure, an input source of microwave or radio frequency electromagnetic radiation to be amplified, and an input of energy arranged to pump the resonator structure and thereby cause amplification of the electromagnetic radiation. The configuration of the resonator structure and/or the materials used in its construction give rise to an increase in the magnetic Purcell factor of the resonator structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Imperial Innovations Limited
    Inventors: Jonathan David Baxendale Breeze, Neil McNeill Alford
  • Publication number: 20150103859
    Abstract: A device for, and a method of, generating stimulated emission of microwave or radio frequency electromagnetic radiation, utilize a resonator structure, an input source of microwave or radio frequency electromagnetic radiation to be amplified, and an input of energy arranged to pump the resonator structure and thereby cause amplification of the electromagnetic radiation. The configuration of the resonator structure and/or the materials used in its construction give rise to an increase in the magnetic Purcell factor of the resonator structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: Jonathan David Baxendale Breeze, Neil McNeill Alford
  • Publication number: 20130112607
    Abstract: An hydraulically set oil-permeable cement body is provided in the form of a stand-alone block or briquette for preserving cooking oil during deep fat frying, said body. It has substantially no free water or having a low free water content for resisting damage on immersion in cooking oil and initial heating and is enclosed in packaging that resists ingress of water or water vapour The block or briquette consists of >50 wt % of a mixture of milled white OPC clinker and white OPC, optionally silica 1-2 wt % and/or titania (TiO2) 1-2 wt % and optionally further ingredients selected from calcium silicate, magnesium silicate, aluminium silicate, natural feldspars, natural sodium zeolites, natural calcium zeolites, synthetic sodium zeolites, synthetic calcium zeolites, wollastonite, calcium hydroxide, clays, pillared clays, activated clays/earths, talcs/kaolinite, amphiboles, granite porphyry, rhyolite, agalmatolite, porphyry, attapulgite and diatomaceous earth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: BBM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Graham John Bratton, Kenneth George Mannering, Roger Leslie Brown, Neil McNeill Alford
  • Patent number: 8389037
    Abstract: A method is provided for preserving cooking oil which may be cold or heated or during frying operations, which comprises in situtreatment of the oil withat least one oil-permeable cement body which has been hydraulically hardened from a paste comprising cement clinker and cement e.g. white OPC clinker and white OPC. The invention further comprises cooking oil having therein at least one oil-permeable cement body which has been hydraulically hardened from a paste comprising cement clinker and cement and an oil-permeable cement body for use in the above method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: BBM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Graham John Bratton, Neil McNeill Alford, Kenneth George Mannering, Roger Leslie Brown
  • Publication number: 20110250330
    Abstract: A method is provided for preserving cooking oil which may be cold or heated or during frying operations, which comprises in situ treatment of the oil withal least one oil-permeable cement body which has been hydraulically hardened from a paste comprising cement clinker and cement e.g. white OPC clinker and white OPC. The invention further comprises cooking oil having therein at least one oil-permeable cement body which has been hydraulically hardened from a paste comprising cement clinker and cement and an oil-permeable cement body for use in the above method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicant: BBM Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Graham John Bratton, Neil McNeill Alford, Kenneth George Mannering, Roger Leslie Brown
  • Publication number: 20090196968
    Abstract: A method is provided for treating cooking oil during frying operations, which comprises in situ treatment of the oil with a source of calcium or magnesium combined with silicate such that the calcium or magnesium substantially does not leach into the oil. The filter treatment materials may be cement clinker, OPC, calcium silicate and combinations or mixtures thereof e.g. a combination of white OPC clinker and white OPC. The filter treatment materials may be in the form of a free briquette or block immersed in the oil. In other embodiments a decontaminating or filter cartridge is provided for fitting to a deep oil or fat cooker or a frying basket and comprises a foraminous housing containing filtering or decontaminant material. The cartridge may be used in association with a deep oil or fat fryer having a base formed with a depression defining a cool spot, the cartridge fitting in or on said cool spot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: BBM TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Graham John Bratton, Neil McNeill Alford, Kenneth George Mannering, Roger Leslie Brown
  • Publication number: 20080129422
    Abstract: A dielectric resonator filter having at least two poles for filtering a frequency band from an input frequency spectrum, which filter comprises (i) a body (2a, 2b) formed of electrically conductive material, which body (2a, 2b) defines a cavity (13) therein; (ii) a dielectric resonator element (1) enclosed in said cavity (13), (iii) a deformable member (6) located outside said cavity, and (iv) a metal member (4) located within said cavity (13) that is connected to said deformable member (6), the arrangement being such that, in use, said deformable member (6) is deformable to move said metal member (4) toward and/or away from said dielectric resonator element (1) to effect adjustment of a said frequency band.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventors: Neil McNeill Alford, Peter Krastev Petrov, Andrey Borisovich Kozyrev, Vladimir Nikolaevich Keis, Oleg Yureivich Buslov
  • Patent number: 7119641
    Abstract: A method of tuning a dielectric resonator uses a ferroelectric element to change the dielectric resonator electric field and hence the resonance frequency of the dielectric resonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Southbank University Enterprises, LTD
    Inventors: Peter Petrov, Neil McNeill Alford
  • Patent number: 7003963
    Abstract: Equipment for cooling an HTS receive coil (4) in an MRI scanner to a temperature below the transition temperature of the HTS comprises a refrigeration unit such as a Stirling cooler (1) the cold head (2) of which is connected by a non-metallic thermally conductive rod (3) to the receive coil (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: South Bank University Enterprises Ltd.
    Inventor: Neil McNeill Alford
  • Publication number: 20040020218
    Abstract: Equipment for cooling an HTS receive coil (4) in an MRI scanner to a temperature below the transition temperature of the HTS comprises a refrigeration unit such as a Stirling cooler (1) the cold head (2) of which is connected by a non-metallic thermally conductive rod (3) to the receive coil (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2003
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventor: Neil McNeill Alford
  • Patent number: 6610623
    Abstract: Low dielectric loss ceramic materials useful in dielectric resonators comprise alumina doped with a minor amount, preferably below 2% by weight of a metal or semi metal oxide, preferably an oxide of titanium, niobium, yttrium or zirconium. The compositions can be made by sintering the powders together below their melting point and materials with a with a Q value of greater than 35,000 at 9-10 GHz and at 25° C., can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Inventors: Neil McNeill Alford, Stuart James Penn