Patents by Inventor Raymond K. Tharp, Jr.

Raymond K. Tharp, Jr. 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).

  • Method and apparatus for grinding rubber
    Patent number: 6976646
    Abstract: A rubber grinding machine and method is provided for ambient temperature grinding of rubber material to form finely ground rubber particles. The rubber grinding machine includes a feed tube, a grinding module, a conveyor, a screening module and a vacuum system. Rubber material is placed in the feed tube which advances the rubber material into the grinding module using a plunger or auger. The grinding module includes a grinding wheel which grinds the rubber material into rubber particles. The grinding wheel is surrounded by a shroud which includes a water-cooled cooling jacket. The water is circulated through the cooling jacket to cool the shroud and its interior. Rubber particles ground by the grinding wheel fall through the bottom of the shroud onto a conveyor which deposits the rubber particles onto the screen module. The screen module includes at least one screen for separating the rubber particles by size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: J.E.M. Morris Construction, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles D. Morris, Daniel A. Nagel, Lorin H. Beaber, Raymond K. Tharp, Jr.
  • Method and apparatus for grinding rubber
    Patent number: 6425540
    Abstract: A rubber grinding machine and method is provided for ambient temperature grinding of rubber material to form finely ground rubber particles. The rubber grinding machine includes a feed tube, a grinding module, a conveyor, a screening module and a vacuum system. Rubber material is placed in the feed tube which advances the rubber material into the grinding module using a plunger or auger. The grinding module includes a grinding wheel which grinds the rubber material into rubber particles. The grinding wheel is surrounded by a shroud which includes a water-cooled cooling jacket. The water is circulated through the cooling jacket to cool the shroud and its interior. Rubber particles ground by the grinding wheel fall through the bottom of the shroud onto a conveyor which deposits the rubber particles onto the screen module. The screen module includes at least one screen for separating the rubber particles by size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2002
    Inventors: Charles D. Morris, Daniel A. Nagel, Lorin H. Beaber, Raymond K. Tharp, Jr.