Patents by Inventor R. Steven Kasper
R. Steven Kasper 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).
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Patent number: 11383933Abstract: A trough conveyor that transports fine bulk material and is exposed to windy conditions may include a belt for transporting bulk material, a center roll for supporting the belt, first and second wing rolls that support angled segments of the belt, a frame that supports the center roll and the first and second wing rolls, and a hood cover disposed above the belt. The trough conveyor may also include first and second baffles that form labyrinths that help attenuate wind velocity over the fine bulk material. The baffles may also help contain fine bulk material that is stirred up within a stilling space formed between the hood cover, the belt, and the baffles. In addition or in the alternative, the trough conveyor may include fairings that deflect crosswind beneath the belt.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2019Date of Patent: July 12, 2022Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS (USA), INC.Inventors: Martin S. Lurie, R. Steven Kasper
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Publication number: 20210245957Abstract: A trough conveyor that transports fine bulk material and is exposed to windy conditions may include a belt for transporting bulk material, a center roll for supporting the belt, first and second wing rolls that support angled segments of the belt, a frame that supports the center roll and the first and second wing rolls, and a hood cover disposed above the belt. The trough conveyor may also include first and second baffles that form labyrinths that help attenuate wind velocity over the fine bulk material. The baffles may also help contain fine bulk material that is stirred up within a stilling space formed between the hood cover, the belt, and the baffles. In addition or in the alternative, the trough conveyor may include fairings that deflect crosswind beneath the belt.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 12, 2019Publication date: August 12, 2021Applicant: THYSSENKRUPP INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS (USA), INC.Inventors: Martin S. LURIE, R. Steven KASPER
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Patent number: 10696486Abstract: A tensioning system maintains tension within a target range for an endless belt of a conveyor. The tensioning system may include a movable carriage that supports a take-up pulley that provides tension to the conveyor belt. The tensioning system may also include various hydraulic components supported on a repositionable cart. One example hydraulic component is a hydraulic cylinder that is in tension between the movable carriage and the repositionable cart. An accumulator initially pressurized to a predetermined pressure may be connected so as to supply pressure to the hydraulic cylinder. One or more flow-restriction valves between the hydraulic cylinder and the accumulator may substantially increase a pressure in the hydraulic cylinder during phases when a piston rod is rapidly drawn out of the hydraulic cylinder by tension waves in the endless belt. Further, a check valve may permit substantially unimpeded fluid flow from the accumulator to the hydraulic tensioning cylinder.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2018Date of Patent: June 30, 2020Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS (USA), INC.Inventors: Martin S. Lurie, Mark Alspaugh, Ruben E. Lezius, Kalin Tonchev, R. Steven Kasper, Vladimir Svirsky
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Publication number: 20190322459Abstract: A tensioning system maintains tension within a target range for an endless belt of a conveyor. The tensioning system may include a movable carriage that supports a take-up pulley that provides tension to the conveyor belt. The tensioning system may also include various hydraulic components supported on a repositionable cart. One example hydraulic component is a hydraulic cylinder that is in tension between the movable carriage and the repositionable cart. An accumulator initially pressurized to a predetermined pressure may be connected so as to supply pressure to the hydraulic cylinder. One or more flow-restriction valves between the hydraulic cylinder and the accumulator may substantially increase a pressure in the hydraulic cylinder during phases when a piston rod is rapidly drawn out of the hydraulic cylinder by tension waves in the endless belt. Further, a check valve may permit substantially unimpeded fluid flow from the accumulator to the hydraulic tensioning cylinder.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2018Publication date: October 24, 2019Applicant: THYSSENKRUPP INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS (USA), INC.Inventors: Martin S. LURIE, Mark ALSPAUGH, Ruben E. LEZIUS, Kalin TONCHEV, R. Steven KASPER, Vladimir SVIRSKY
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Patent number: 10189647Abstract: A conveyor system, at least a portion of which may traverse a continuous slope sufficiently steep such that tensile forces associated with overcoming the effects of the slope are several times larger per unit length of run than tensile forces per unit length of run due to main frictional resistance of the conveyor system, may include a belt-on-belt drive. The belt-on-belt drive may include at least one internal belt configured to operably engage the carry belt of the conveyor system so as to frictionally drive the carry belt over at least a one-third length of the sloped run. At the portion of the external belt driven by the at least one internal belt, the rate of tension change in the external belt may be configured to be approximately zero or a modest rise. In some embodiments, the longitudinal stiffness of the at least one internal belt may be substantially greater than the external belt's longitudinal stiffness.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2017Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS (USA), INC.Inventors: Martin S. Lurie, R. Steven Kasper
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Patent number: 10011431Abstract: A long run conveyor system is disclosed in which at least a portion thereof traverses a slope sufficiently steep so that tensile force associated with overcoming the effects of the slope is greater per unit length than tensile force per unit length of run due to main frictional resistance of the conveyor system. The long run conveyor system includes an external belt defining a continuous loop traversing an entire route of the conveyor system and is configured to transport material load across the entire route. The conveyor system also includes an internal belt positioned inside the continuous loop of the external belt, which also traverses substantially the entire route. An upper side of the internal belt operably engages an underside of the external belt. The internal and external belts are configured such that each respectively carries an approximately equal amount of belt tension.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2015Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS (USA), INC.Inventors: Christof Brewka, Martin S. Lurie, R. Steven Kasper
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Publication number: 20170341870Abstract: A conveyor system, at least a portion of which may traverse a continuous slope sufficiently steep such that tensile forces associated with overcoming the effects of the slope are several times larger per unit length of run than tensile forces per unit length of run due to main frictional resistance of the conveyor system, may include a belt-on-belt drive. The belt-on-belt drive may include at least one internal belt configured to operably engage the carry belt of the conveyor system so as to frictionally drive the carry belt over at least a one-third length of the sloped run. At the portion of the external belt driven by the at least one internal belt, the rate of tension change in the external belt may be configured to be approximately zero or a modest rise. In some embodiments, the longitudinal stiffness of the at least one internal belt may be substantially greater than the external belt's longitudinal stiffness.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2017Publication date: November 30, 2017Applicant: THYSSENKRUPP INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS (USA), INC.Inventors: Martin S. LURIE, R. Steven Kasper
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Patent number: 9731901Abstract: A conveyor system, at least a portion of which may traverse a continuous slope sufficiently steep such that tensile forces associated with overcoming the effects of the slope are several times larger per unit length of run than tensile forces per unit length of run due to main frictional resistance of the conveyor system, may include a belt-on-belt drive. The belt-on-belt drive may include at least one internal belt configured to operably engage the carry belt of the conveyor system so as to frictionally drive the carry belt over the sloped run. The longitudinal stiffness of the at least one internal belt may be at least twice the external belt's longitudinal stiffness. At the portion of the external belt driven by the at least one internal belt, the rate of tension rise in the external belt may be configured to be approximately zero or a modestly higher rate.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2014Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS (USA), INC.Inventors: Martin S. Lurie, R. Steven Kasper
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Publication number: 20160332822Abstract: A conveyor system, at least a portion of which may traverse a continuous slope sufficiently steep such that tensile forces associated with overcoming the effects of the slope are several times larger per unit length of run than tensile forces per unit length of run due to main frictional resistance of the conveyor system, may include a belt-on-belt drive. The belt-on-belt drive may include an internal belt configured to operably engage the carry belt of the conveyor system so as to share the tension load with the carry belt.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2015Publication date: November 17, 2016Inventors: Christof Brewka, Martin S. Lurie, R. Steven Kasper
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Publication number: 20160001979Abstract: A conveyor system, at least a portion of which may traverse a continuous slope sufficiently steep such that tensile forces associated with overcoming the effects of the slope are several times larger per unit length of run than tensile forces per unit length of run due to main frictional resistance of the conveyor system, may include a belt-on-belt drive. The belt-on-belt drive may include at least one internal belt configured to operably engage the carry belt of the conveyor system so as to frictionally drive the carry belt over the sloped run. The longitudinal stiffness of the at least one internal belt may be at least twice the external belt's longitudinal stiffness. At the portion of the external belt driven by the at least one internal belt, the rate of tension rise in the external belt may be configured to be approximately zero or a modestly higher rate.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2014Publication date: January 7, 2016Inventors: Martin S. Lurie, R. Steven Kasper