Patents by Inventor Thomas A. Post

Thomas A. Post 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: 7713730
    Abstract: A pneumatic bioreactor having a containment vessel which includes a semi-cylindrical concavity defined by the vessel bottom. A mixing apparatus includes a rotational mixer rotatably mounted within the containment vessel about a horizontal axis. The rotational mixer has buoyancy-driven mixing cavities which are fed by a gas supply beneath the rotational mixer. The mixing apparatus extends into the semi-cylindrical concavity to substantially fill that concavity. The rotational mixer is divided into two wheels with outer paddles extending axially outwardly and inner paddles extending axially inwardly on either side of each wheel. Blades between the outer and inner paddles form impellers in the wheels to induce axial flow through the wheels in opposite directions. Stationary baffles fixed relative to the containment vessel are inclined toward the rotational mixer in the direction of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: PBS Biotech, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Gregory Zeikus, Kyungnam Kim, Thomas A. Post, Keith E. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20080268530
    Abstract: A pneumatic bioreactor having a containment vessel which includes a semi-cylindrical concavity defined by the vessel bottom. A mixing apparatus includes a rotational mixer rotatably mounted within the containment vessel about a horizontal axis. The rotational mixer has buoyancy-driven mixing cavities which are fed by a gas supply beneath the rotational mixer. The mixing apparatus extends into the semi-cylindrical concavity to substantially fill that concavity. The rotational mixer is divided into two wheels with outer paddles extending axially outwardly and inner paddles extending axially inwardly on either side of each wheel. Blades between the outer and inner paddles form impellers in the wheels to induce axial flow through the wheels in opposite directions. Stationary baffles fixed relative to the containment vessel are inclined toward the rotational mixer in the direction of rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: J. Gregory Zeikus, Kyungnam Kim, Thomas A. Post, Keith E. Johnson
  • Patent number: 6109449
    Abstract: A mixing system in a tank provides a flotation cell for froth collection of minerals such as metallic ores thereby separating such ores from other materials with which they are mined and enabling a concentrated ore component to be collected. The mixing system maintains particles containing the ores in a circulating liquid suspension in a contact zone where bubbles are discharged. Ore particles are attracted and attached to the bubbles. The bubbles rise and float to the top of the liquid for collection of the concentrated ores. The mixing system includes a radial flow impeller and an axial flow impeller which are attached for rotation on a common shaft, with the axial flow impeller below the radial flow impeller. The radial flow impeller is disposed in a space between a disc, which rotates with the radial flow impeller and another disc which is stationary, and may be a flange of a pipe around the shaft and extending above the surface of the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: General Signal Corporation
    Inventors: Richard A Howk, Michael A. Giralico, Thomas A. Post
  • Patent number: 5511881
    Abstract: A rotatably driveable enhanced-flow impeller system is provided for pumping at least one liquid in a tank through an outlet port thereof. A radial flow impeller has a first impeller face disposed proximate the bottom of the tank and proximate or extending into an inlet port for liquids in the tank bottom. The radial flow impeller has a plurality of blades with radially outermost blade tips terminating along a blade terminating circle. Disposed adjacent a second opposing face of the radial flow impeller is a radial flow extension plate which preferably extends radially outwardly along the second face by a radial distance beyond the blade terminating circle. The radial flow extension plate may be fixedly attached to the second impeller face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Assignee: General Signal Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas A. Post, Richard A. Howk, Michael J. Preston
  • Patent number: 5501523
    Abstract: A rotatably driveable enhanced-flow impeller system has a radial flow impeller with a first impeller face disposed proximate the bottom of the tank and proximate or extending into an inlet port for liquids in the tank bottom. The radial flow impeller has a plurality of blades with radially outermost blade tips terminating along a blade terminating circle. The blades and inlet port are contoured to reduce shear stress on the liquids. Disposed adjacent a second opposing face of the radial flow impeller is a radial flow extension plate which preferably extends radially outwardly along the second face by a radial distance beyond the blade terminating circle. The radial flow extension plate may be fixedly attached to the second impeller face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1996
    Assignee: General Signal Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald J. Weetman, Richard A. Howk, Thomas A. Post
  • Patent number: 4541954
    Abstract: A novel process for preparing 6-chloro-N-methyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepine comprising cyclizing N-methyl-N-[2-(2'-chlorophenyl)ethyl]-2-chloroethylamine hydrochloride in a solution of trichlorobenzene and aluminum chloride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1985
    Assignee: SmithKline Beckman Corporation
    Inventors: Stanley J. Borowski, Thomas A. Post