Patents by Inventor Richard A. Heckman

Richard A. Heckman 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: 4392995
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reprocessing spent nuclear fuel is described. Within a containment vessel, a solid plug of tin and nitride precipitates supports a circulating bath of liquid tin therein. Spent nuclear fuel is immersed in the liquid tin under an atmosphere of nitrogen, resulting in the formation of nitride precipitates. The layer of liquid tin and nitride precipitates which interfaces the plug is solidified and integrated with the plug. Part of the plug is melted, removing nitride precipitates from the containment vessel, while a portion of the plug remains solidified to support the liquid tin and nitride precipitates remaining in the containment vessel. The process is practiced numerous times until substantially all of the precipitated nitrides are removed from the containment vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1983
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Richard A. Heckman
  • Patent number: 4337727
    Abstract: A vertical housing and feeding structure for raising mariculture and other underwater animals. Tiers of feeding tubes, each of a successively longer length, form a backbone structure to which cages may be selectively connected. Each cage is connected along a vertical front face of the backbone structure so that one of the feeding tubes terminates at a point accessible from within the cage. A feed opening just above this termination point directs food material dropped through the feeding tube to either fall within the cage or be accessible from therewithin so that it may be consumed by the caged animal. All of the feeding tubes of each tier have a top open end that is positioned near the surface of the water to facilitate the controlled delivery of food to each individual cage. Two sets of backbone structure may be joined back-to-back so that cages may be connected to both sides of the structure, thereby doubling the cage capacity of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1982
    Inventors: Roger W. Mickelsen, Rex C. Infanger, Richard A. Heckman