Patents by Inventor Todd Grace
Todd Grace 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: 11633681Abstract: A removable filter plate for a rotary drum filter that reduces instances of welding to secure the filter plate to the drum and obviates the need for cap strips. An exemplary filter plate assembly in accordance with this disclosure comprises a filter plate and an engagement assembly, wherein the engager of the engagement assembly is configured to extend in a lateral direction toward the leading end or the trailing end of the filter plate, wherein an extended engager having an engagement end disposed under a shelf of the adjacent top hat mounting assembly defines a closed position, and wherein a retracted engager defines an open position.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2020Date of Patent: April 25, 2023Assignee: ANDRITZ INC.Inventors: Todd Grace, Kent Stubblefield
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Publication number: 20210268410Abstract: An engagement assembly for a rotary drum filter, the engagement assembly includes a retaining clip having a body, a first shelf extending outwardly from the body in a first direction and a second shelf extending outwardly from the body in a direction opposite the first direction; and an S-clip having a major concave area configured to receive a leading end or a trailing end of a filter plate, and a minor concave area, and configured to receive the first shelf or the second shelf of the retaining clip.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2021Publication date: September 2, 2021Applicant: ANDRITZ INC.Inventors: Jacob Townson, Kent Stubblefield, Anthony Harrington, Todd Grace
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Publication number: 20200246733Abstract: A removable filter plate for a rotary drum filter that reduces instances of welding to secure the filter plate to the drum and obviates the need for cap strips. An exemplary filter plate assembly in accordance with this disclosure comprises a filter plate and an engagement assembly, wherein the engager of the engagement assembly is configured to extend in a lateral direction toward the leading end or the trailing end of the filter plate, wherein an extended engager having an engagement end disposed under a shelf of the adjacent top hat mounting assembly defines a closed position, and wherein a retracted engager defines an open position.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2020Publication date: August 6, 2020Inventors: Todd GRACE, Kent STUBBLEFIELD
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Patent number: 10328368Abstract: In a rotary drum for thickening pulp, the rotary drum may include drainage channels for delivering filtrate from a pulp mat on the rotary drum to a filtrate chamber at an end of the rotary drum, and includes a flat face valve and plenum chamber assembly in the filtrate chamber. The flat face valve can be juxtaposed against drainage outlets of the drainage channels, wherein the flat face valve does not block the drainage outlets during a majority of the rotation of the rotary drum. An opening on the flat face valve may extend through the front surface and be aligned with the drainage outlets to provide a fluid passage through the flat face valve and to a plenum chamber behind the flat face valve such that air in the filtrate is collected in the upper portion of the plenum chamber and removed from the rotary drum.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2016Date of Patent: June 25, 2019Assignee: Andritz Inc.Inventor: Todd Grace
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Publication number: 20170087493Abstract: In a rotary drum for thickening pulp, the rotary drum may include drainage channels for delivering filtrate from a pulp mat on the rotary drum to a filtrate chamber at an end of the rotary drum, and includes a flat face valve and plenum chamber assembly in the filtrate chamber. The flat face valve can be juxtaposed against drainage outlets of the drainage channels, wherein the flat face valve does not block the drainage outlets during a majority of the rotation of the rotary drum. An opening on the flat face valve may extend through the front surface and be aligned with the drainage outlets to provide a fluid passage through the flat face valve and to a plenum chamber behind the flat face valve such that air in the filtrate is collected in the upper portion of the plenum chamber and removed from the rotary drum.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2016Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventor: Todd Grace
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Patent number: 9551430Abstract: A rotary drum for thickening pulp from a slurry, the drum including drainage channels delivering filtrate from a pulp mat on an outer surface of the rotary drum to at least one filtrate chamber at an end of the rotary drum, a flat face valve and plenum chamber assembly in the filtrate chamber. The flat face valve juxtaposed against drainage outlets of the drainage channels, wherein the flat face valve does not block the drainage outlets during a majority of the rotation of the rotary drum. At least one opening on the flat face valve extending through the front surface and aligned with the drainage outlets to provide a fluid passage through the flat face valve and to a plenum chamber behind the flat face valve such that air in the filtrate is collected in the upper portion of the plenum chamber and removed from the rotary drum.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2013Date of Patent: January 24, 2017Assignee: Andritz Inc.Inventor: Todd Grace
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Publication number: 20150292639Abstract: A rotary drum for thickening pulp from a slurry, the drum including drainage channels delivering filtrate from a pulp mat on an outer surface of the rotary drum to at least one filtrate chamber at an end of the rotary drum, a flat face valve and plenum chamber assembly in the filtrate chamber. The flat face valve juxtaposed against drainage outlets of the drainage channels, wherein the flat face valve does not block the drainage outlets during a majority of the rotation of the rotary drum. At least one opening on the flat face valve extending through the front surface and aligned with the drainage outlets to provide a fluid passage through the flat face valve and to a plenum chamber behind the flat face valve such that air in the filtrate is collected in the upper portion of the plenum chamber and removed from the rotary drum.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2013Publication date: October 15, 2015Inventor: Todd Grace
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Publication number: 20140069876Abstract: The adaptation of a rotary drum filter structure to a accommodate filter discs within the existing rotary drum filter structure while using the existing rotary drum structure foundation, piping, etc. to allow a filter disc operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2013Publication date: March 13, 2014Inventor: Todd GRACE
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Publication number: 20080087392Abstract: A vacuum drum washer is designed to enable the use of an end-draining drum for drum lengths exceeding 20 feet. The drum washer includes a cylindrical drum having a mesh screen defining an exterior wall. A plurality of outer filtrate channels are disposed radially inward from the mesh screen. A plurality of inner filtrate channels are disposed radially inward from the outer filtrate channels and extend along generally less than an entire length of the drum. A transfer channel connects the outer filtrate channels and the inner filtrate channels. A plurality of radial drainage chutes are disposed adjacent a head end of the outer and inner filtrate channels, which direct the filtrate to a drain valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2007Publication date: April 17, 2008Applicant: Andritz Inc.Inventor: Todd Grace
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Publication number: 20070012613Abstract: A drum structure for corrugated type rotary filters has relatively high filtering efficiency and relatively low manufacturing and/or installation costs. More specifically, a corrugated deck section is rigidly connected to a rotary drum structure by means of solid non-apertured divider grids which establish a drain channel. The drain channel is subdivided into respective compartments by means of intermediate solid non-apertured grids which are unconnected to the corrugated deck, but provide subjacent radial support thereto. Drainage slits are provided in the corrugated deck in alignment with each of the compartments. Plug dams are provided in the corrugation spaces between the upper edge of the intermediate grids and the lower corrugated deck surface so as to prevent substantially filtrate flow between individual compartments.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2006Publication date: January 18, 2007Applicant: ANDRITZ INC.Inventor: Todd Grace
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Publication number: 20060065378Abstract: A vacuum drum washer is designed to enable the use of an end-draining drum for drum lengths exceeding 20 feet. The drum washer includes a cylindrical drum having a mesh screen defining an exterior wall. A plurality of outer filtrate channels are disposed radially inward from the mesh screen. A plurality of inner filtrate channels are disposed radially inward from the outer filtrate channels and extend along generally less than an entire length of the drum. A transfer channel connects the outer filtrate channels and the inner filtrate channels. A plurality of radial drainage chutes are disposed adjacent a head end of the outer and inner filtrate channels, which direct the filtrate to a drain valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2005Publication date: March 30, 2006Inventor: Todd Grace
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Publication number: 20050236339Abstract: A rotary drum filter has a plurality of longitudinally extending division grids mounted about the outer circumference of a drum. A plurality of corrugated sheets are provided, with the leading and trailing edges of each sheet mounted to circumferentially adjacent pairs of division grids to define filtrate compartments. An equivalent number of perforated filter plates are also provided. Each filter plate is attached to the top of a corrugated sheet and has a leading edge and a trailing edge that are set back from the leading edge and trailing edge of the corrugated sheet. A seal clip is positioned near the leading edge of each corrugated sheet. A seal member or seal members is/are held in place by the seal clip and is/are positioned at the face of the leading edge of each corrugated sheet or beneath and near the face or each corrugated sheet.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2004Publication date: October 27, 2005Applicant: ANDRITZ INC.Inventors: Todd Grace, Joseph Gottberg