Patents by Inventor William M. Saunders

William M. Saunders 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: 5435494
    Abstract: A spreader apparatus is disclosed for spreading manure. The apparatus includes a container which defines an opening for the reception therein of the manure. The container also defines an outlet for the discharge therethrough of the manure. A rotatable feed auger is disposed within and co-operates with the container for feeding the manure through the container. The feed auger has an axis of rotation which extends through the container. A rotatable discharge auger is disposed within the container and co-operates with the container and the feed auger for moving the manure towards the outlet. The discharge auger has a further axis of rotation which is disposed spaced and parallel to and laterally below the axis of rotation of the feed auger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: Knight Manufacturing Corp.
    Inventors: Stanley W. Knight, William M. Saunders, Ric S. Joranlien
  • Patent number: 5385403
    Abstract: A mixer apparatus is disclosed for mixing materials. The apparatus includes a container which defines an opening for the reception therein of the materials. The container also defines an outlet for the discharge therethrough of the materials. A rotatable feed auger is disposed within and co-operates with the container for feeding the materials through the container. The feed auger has an axis of rotation which extends through the container. A rotatable mixing auger is disposed within the container and co-operates with the container and the feed auger for mixing the materials within the container. The mixing auger has a further axis of rotation which extends through the container. The further axis of rotation is disposed spaced and parallel relative to the axis of rotation of the feed auger. The container also includes a base which has a first portion which co-operates with the feed auger and a second portion which co-operates with the mixing auger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Knight Manufacturing Corp.
    Inventors: William S. Knight, Stanley W. Knight, William M. Saunders, Ric S. Joranlien
  • Patent number: 5379940
    Abstract: A spreader apparatus is disclosed for spreading manure. The apparatus includes a container which defines an opening for the reception therein of the manure. The container has a first and a second end zone with the first end zone defining an outlet for the discharge therethrough of the manure. A rotatable feed device is disposed within and co-operates with the container for feeding the manure through the container. The feed device has an axis of rotation which extends through the end zones of the container. A rotatable discharge device is disposed within the container and co-operates with the container and the feed device for moving the manure towards the outlet. The discharge device has a further axis of rotation which is disposed spaced and parallel to and laterally below the axis of rotation of the feed device. The arrangement is such that when the feed and discharge devices are rotating, all of the manure within the container is fed at a substantially constant rate towards the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1995
    Assignee: Knight Manufacturing Corp.
    Inventors: Stanley W. Knight, William M. Saunders, Ric Joranlien
  • Patent number: 5275335
    Abstract: A spreader apparatus is disclosed for spreading manure. The apparatus includes a container which defines an opening for the reception therein of the manure. The container has a first and a second end zone with the first end zone defining an outlet for the discharge therethrough of the manure. A rotatable feed device is disposed within and co-operates with the container for feeding the manure through the container. The feed device has an axis of rotation which extends through the end zones of the container. A rotatable discharge device is disposed within the container and co-operates with the container and the feed device for moving the manure towards the outlet. The discharge device has a further axis of rotation which is disposed spaced and parallel to and laterally below the axis of rotation of the feed device. The arrangement is such that when the feed and discharge devices are rotating, all of the manure within the container is fed at a substantially constant rate towards the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1994
    Assignee: Knight Manufacturing Corp.
    Inventors: Stanley W. Knight, William M. Saunders, Ric S. Joranlien
  • Patent number: 4720047
    Abstract: An improved auger is used for conveying flowable materials, such as liquid and semi-solid manure, through a bed of a container such as a manure spreader and out through a discharge opening. The auger has a shaft with a back end and a front end, a continuous blade, and paddles for discharging the manure. The continuous blade extends radially outwardly from the shaft and includes helical portions and at least one plate portion which is substantially perpendicular to an axis of the auger. The plate portions extend between the helical portions of the blade to make the blade substantially continuous. The rotation of the auger causes helical portions of the blade to accelerate the manure in a direction of the front end wall and causes the plate portions to slow the movement of manure so that the rate of flow of manure is controlled and boiling action of manure against the front end wall of the container is inhibited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1988
    Assignee: Knight Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: William S. Knight, William M. Saunders