Patents by Inventor Steve C. Wiechmann
Steve C. Wiechmann 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: 9764360Abstract: A separator attachment for use with a vibratory apparatus, the attachment including a housing mountable to a vibratory apparatus below a material-conveying surface of the vibratory apparatus, the housing defining a pressure chamber with an inlet and an outlet. The housing has at least one wall with a wall surface having a first end disposed proximate to the outlet of the pressure chamber and a second end. The attachment also includes a deflector plate with a deflector plate surface having a first end disposed proximate to the outlet of the pressure chamber and a second end, the deflector plate surface facing the wall surface. The deflector plate is translatable relative to the at least one wall to vary the spacing between the deflector plate surface and the wall surface. A system including a vibratory apparatus and the attachment may also be defined.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2009Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: General Kinematics CorporationInventors: William G. Guptail, Steve C. Wiechmann
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Patent number: 8881910Abstract: A system for sorting has an inlet end, a first separation section disposed downstream of the inlet end and including a fluidizing section and a hood disposed above the fluidizing section, a negative pressure developed adjacent the fluidizing section to draw a first class of materials into the hood, a second separation section disposed downstream of the first separation section and including an air knife and a dropout, a second class of materials passing through the air knife and into the dropout and a third class of materials passing over the dropout and through an outlet end, and a vibration generator coupled to the first separation section and the second separation section to convey material from the inlet end to the outlet end.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2012Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignee: General Kinematics CorporationInventors: William G. Guptail, Richard H. Reeves, Steve C. Wiechmann
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Patent number: 8602219Abstract: A system includes a vibratory apparatus with a housing having a floor with an opening and a chamber, a deck disposed in the chamber between the chamber inlet and the opening, a section of the deck having a plurality of apertures and a plenum defined beneath the deck section, and an air knife disposed between the deck section and the chamber outlet. The system includes an air handling system with a first path in communication with the plenum, a second path in communication with the air knife, a third path in communication with a space beneath the air knife, a fourth path in communication with the chamber above the deck between the inlet and the deck section, a return path from the outlet, and an air mover having an outlet in communication with the first, second, third, and fourth paths and an inlet in communication with the return path.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2010Date of Patent: December 10, 2013Assignee: General Kinematics CorporationInventors: William G. Guptail, Steve C. Wiechmann
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Patent number: 8528846Abstract: A vibratory crushing apparatus includes at least one trough having an inlet end, an outlet end, and a wall defining a material-receiving space having a first cross-sectional area. The apparatus also includes at least one crusher disposed in the trough, the at least one crusher having an outer surface that conforms to an inner surface of the wall about a circumference of the crusher, and a second cross-sectional area that is smaller than the first cross-sectional area so as to define a gap between the outer surface of the at least one crusher and the inner surface of the wall. Further, the apparatus includes a vibration generator coupled to the at least one trough to cause material to move between the inlet end and the outlet end and to cause the at least one crusher to move relative to the wall of the trough.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2010Date of Patent: September 10, 2013Assignee: General Kinematics CorporationInventors: Richard P. Kempf, Tobin L. Imes, Steve C. Wiechmann
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Publication number: 20120261314Abstract: A system for sorting has an inlet end, a first separation section disposed downstream of the inlet end and including a fluidizing section and a hood disposed above the fluidizing section, a negative pressure developed adjacent the fluidizing section to draw a first class of materials into the hood, a second separation section disposed downstream of the first separation section and including an air knife and a dropout, a second class of materials passing through the air knife and into the dropout and a third class of materials passing over the dropout and through an outlet end, and a vibration generator coupled to the first separation section and the second separation section to convey material from the inlet end to the outlet end.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 9, 2012Publication date: October 18, 2012Applicant: GENERAL KINEMATICS CORPORATIONInventors: William G. Guptail, Richard H. Reeves, Steve C. Wiechmann
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Patent number: 7954644Abstract: A separator system may include a first trough having an inlet end, a downstream, outlet end and a trough floor, a first screen section supported in the trough spaced from the trough floor, the first screen section having a first end and a second downstream end, a material-retaining surface disposed at the downstream end of the first screen section, the material-retaining surface disposed at an angle relative to the first screen section to limit the movement of material across the first screen section, and a vibratory generator coupled to the trough. The separator system may alternatively or in addition include a gate disposed at the end of the screen section, the gate having a first position and a second position.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2009Date of Patent: June 7, 2011Assignee: General Kinematics CorporationInventors: Daniel T. Lease, Dan Britton, Steve C. Wiechmann
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Publication number: 20110089278Abstract: A vibratory crushing apparatus includes at least one trough having an inlet end, an outlet end, and a wall defining a material-receiving space having a first cross-sectional area. The apparatus also includes at least one crusher disposed in the trough, the at least one crusher having an outer surface that conforms to an inner surface of the wall about a circumference of the crusher, and a second cross-sectional area that is smaller than the first cross-sectional area so as to define a gap between the outer surface of the at least one crusher and the inner surface of the wall. Further, the apparatus includes a vibration generator coupled to the at least one trough to cause material to move between the inlet end and the outlet end and to cause the at least one crusher to move relative to the wall of the trough.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2010Publication date: April 21, 2011Applicant: GENERAL KINEMATICS CORPORATIONInventors: Richard P. Kempf, Tobin L. Imes, Steve C. Wiechmann
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Publication number: 20100177591Abstract: A system includes a vibratory apparatus with a housing having a floor with an opening and a chamber, a deck disposed in the chamber between the chamber inlet and the opening, a section of the deck having a plurality of apertures and a plenum defined beneath the deck section, and an air knife disposed between the deck section and the chamber outlet. The system includes an air handling system with a first path in communication with the plenum, a second path in communication with the air knife, a third path in communication with a space beneath the air knife, a fourth path in communication with the chamber above the deck between the inlet and the deck section, a return path from the outlet, and an air mover having an outlet in communication with the first, second, third, and fourth paths and an inlet in communication with the return path.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2010Publication date: July 15, 2010Applicant: GENERAL KINEMATICS CORPORATIONInventors: William G. Guptail, Steve C. Wiechmann
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Patent number: 7735653Abstract: An attrition mill for reclaiming foundry sand from deposited material having lumps of used foundry sand and included material includes a housing defining a chamber for receiving the lumps of used foundry sand and included material. A base is disposed within the housing and has an elevated end defining a reject outlet adjacent a reject end of the mill and a lower end, and a discharge wall is positioned adjacent the base lower end to define a sand outlet adjacent a sand end of the mill. A resilient support is attached to the housing, and a vibratory drive is attached to the housing and includes first and second eccentrically loaded motors.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2007Date of Patent: June 15, 2010Assignee: General Kinematics CorporationInventors: Paul Musschoot, William G. Guptail, Steve C. Wiechmann
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Publication number: 20090211949Abstract: A separator system may include a first trough having an inlet end, a downstream, outlet end and a trough floor, a first screen section supported in the trough spaced from the trough floor, the first screen section having a first end and a second downstream end, a material-retaining surface disposed at the downstream end of the first screen section, the material-retaining surface disposed at an angle relative to the first screen section to limit the movement of material across the first screen section, and a vibratory generator coupled to the trough. The separator system may alternatively or in addition include a gate disposed at the end of the screen section, the gate having a first position and a second position.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2009Publication date: August 27, 2009Applicant: GENERAL KINEMATICS CORPORATIONInventors: Daniel T. Lease, Dan Britton, Steve C. Wiechmann
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Publication number: 20090178958Abstract: A separator attachment for use with a vibratory apparatus, the attachment including a housing mountable to a vibratory apparatus below a material-conveying surface of the vibratory apparatus, the housing defining a pressure chamber with an inlet and an outlet. The housing has at least one wall with a wall surface having a first end disposed proximate to the outlet of the pressure chamber and a second end. The attachment also includes a deflector plate with a deflector plate surface having a first end disposed proximate to the outlet of the pressure chamber and a second end, the deflector plate surface facing the wall surface. The deflector plate is translatable relative to the at least one wall to vary the spacing between the deflector plate surface and the wall surface. A system including a vibratory apparatus and the attachment may also be defined.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2009Publication date: July 16, 2009Applicant: GENERAL KINEMATICS CORPORATIONInventors: William G. Guptail, Steve C. Wiechmann
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Publication number: 20090126219Abstract: A system includes a container having a curved inner surface disposed about a generally horizontally extending longitudinal axis, the container having an input end and an axially-spaced output end opposite the input end, the container being mounted on a plurality of resilient members so as to be resiliently supported above a base. The curved inner surface is defined by at least one deck plate having a plurality of apertures to direct air tangential to the curved inner surface. The system also includes a vibration generator coupled to the container for producing a vibratory force to cause material within the container to be moved in a generally rising and falling path of rolling movement along the curved inner surface, and a fan coupled to a heater and to the plurality of apertures to pass heated air through the plurality of apertures. A method of drying material is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2008Publication date: May 21, 2009Applicant: GENERAL KINEMATICS CORPORATIONInventors: Oscar Lee Mathis, JR., Steve C. Wiechmann
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Patent number: 7527153Abstract: A separator system may include a first trough having an inlet end, a downstream, outlet end and a trough floor, a first screen section supported in the trough spaced from the trough floor, the first screen section having a first end and a second downstream end, a material-retaining surface disposed at the downstream end of the first screen section, the material-retaining surface disposed at an angle relative to the first screen section to limit the movement of material across the first screen section, and a vibratory generator coupled to the trough. The separator system may alternatively or in addition include a gate disposed at the end of the screen section, the gate having a first position and a second position.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2005Date of Patent: May 5, 2009Assignee: General Kinematics CorporationInventors: Daniel T. Lease, Dan Britton, Steve C. Wiechmann
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Patent number: 7240800Abstract: An attrition mill for reclaiming foundry sand from deposited material having lumps of used foundry sand and included material includes a housing defining a chamber for receiving the lumps of used foundry sand and included material. A base is disposed within the housing and has an elevated end defining a reject outlet adjacent a reject end of the mill and a lower end, and a discharge wall is positioned adjacent the base lower end to define a sand outlet adjacent a sand end of the mill. A resilient support is attached to the housing, and a vibratory drive is attached to the housing and includes first and second eccentrically loaded motors.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2003Date of Patent: July 10, 2007Assignee: General Kinematics CorporationInventors: Paul R. Musschoot, William G. Guptail, Steve C. Wiechmann
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Publication number: 20040069690Abstract: An attrition mill for reclaiming foundry sand from deposited material having lumps of used foundry sand and included material includes a housing defining a chamber for receiving the lumps of used foundry sand and included material. A base is disposed within the housing and has an elevated end defining a reject outlet adjacent a reject end of the mill and a lower end, and a discharge wall is positioned adjacent the base lower end to define a sand outlet adjacent a sand end of the mill. A resilient support is attached to the housing, and a vibratory drive is attached to the housing and includes first and second eccentrically loaded motors.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2003Publication date: April 15, 2004Inventors: Paul R. Musschoot, William G. Guptail, Steve C. Wiechmann