Heating, Cooling, Or Drying Patents (Class 100/92)
  • Patent number: 5817423
    Abstract: A PTC element comprising a conductive sheet of a crystalline polyolefin matrix and a conductive filler, having provided on both sides thereof an electrode of a metallic foil, the PTC element having a resistivity at 20.degree. C. (.rho..sub.20) of not more than 1.8 .OMEGA..multidot.cm, a peak resistivity (.rho..sub.p) of not less than 2.0.times.10.sup.6 .OMEGA..multidot.cm, and a temperature difference ?T.sub.a (0.degree.C.)-T.sub.b (.degree.C.)! of not greater than 10.degree. C., wherein T.sub.a (.degree.C.) is a temperature at which the resistivity is 10.sup.6 times the resistivity at 20.degree. C. (.rho..sub.20) and T.sub.b (.degree.C.) is a temperature at which the resistivity is 10 times the resistivity at 20.degree. C. (.rho..sub.20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Unitika Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kajimaru, Keiichi Asami, Yoshiaki Iwaya, Yoshiaki Echigo, Akira Ito
  • Patent number: 5740725
    Abstract: A waste plastics compacting apparatus has a tubular accommodating container for accommodating waste plastics, a bottom plate sliding up and down inside of the accommodating container for varying an inner volume of said accommodating container, a bag provided beneath said bottom plate, an air pump for inflating or deflating said bag, an outer container provided outside of said accommodating container, a lid for loading and unloading the waste plastics provided above said accommodating container, and a hot air generating part having a heater and a blower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1998
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Tomizawa, Kunihiro Ukai, Tatsuo Fujita, Jiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5736007
    Abstract: Liquor removal from particulate solids such as wet wood pulp is achieved by applying a pneumatic or vapor pressure force through a pad of the wood pulp to compress the solids and to expel liquor from the solids. If air is used as a displacing medium, no wash liquor is added and the solids are simply compressed and some of the liquor is replaced by the gas passing through the suspension. If steam is used, not as a heating medium but as a pressure medium, an increase in liquor removal occurs over and above that removed by gas only due to the condensation of the steam to form a liquid front travelling before the steam through the solid suspension. Hence, in principle, a combination of pressure washing and displacement occurs resulting in a high efficiency in washing. Gas or steam could therefore simply be applied to any conventional operation to increase the washing efficiency both by compression and by displacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: Auckland UniServices Limited
    Inventor: Geoffrey Graeme Duffy
  • Patent number: 5711838
    Abstract: A method and device for continuously or discontinuously manufacturing flat sheets of multiple-layer materials, laminates, or similar articles for use in the furniture and electrical industries. In order to prevent molten resin from leaking out at the edges of layer of material while they are being bonded under heat and pressure, the free edges of the stacked layers of bonding material are welded together before the material is transformed into a composite sheet or composite web by heat and pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: Firma Theodor Hymmen
    Inventor: Werner Pankoke
  • Patent number: 5664493
    Abstract: The present invention is a compacting apparatus for waste, glass, and plastic. The present invention compresses such objects in order to simplify both the recycling and disposal processes. Objects placed in a box within the apparatus are compressed by a flat surface perpendicularly attached to a vertical shaft. This shaft is pressed downward by a conventional hydraulic system installed in the top of the apparatus. One box is provided with heat-producing coils installed within its walls for softening hard plastic and PVC. Another box without heat-producing coils is provided for crushing glass and waste. A cutting device is provided for cutting objects too large to fit inside the box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Inventor: Dong Ik Kim
  • Patent number: 5605094
    Abstract: A unit for the rapid and reliable decontamination of containers containing contaminated liquids. The apparatus automatically receives, opens, empties, rinses and drys the containers individually. The containers may be sorted as a function of their residual contamination. The containers may optionally be crushed at a temperature at which they are rendered fragile. The containers, whether uncrushed or crushed, are then put into storage or waste canisters. The soiled or contaminated liquids are received by separate collectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1997
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires
    Inventor: Joseph Besnier
  • Patent number: 5460085
    Abstract: Process for compacting and removing liquid from liquid containing waste materials including the steps of feeding the waste materials into compaction chambers, simultaneously compressing and heating the waste materials inside the compaction chambers, and removing liquid from the waste materials during the steps of compressing and heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Inventors: Roberto Cappellari, Angelo Odorico
  • Patent number: 5456793
    Abstract: A mechanism for heat bonding a mastic coated opened band to a heat conductive hub which utilizes a mandrel sized to fit within the hub. The mandrel itself is formed of heat conductive material and includes cavities for carrying heating elements. The hub is mounted on a mandrel while the mastic coated band is held tightly to the external surface of the hub. Heating elements transfer heat to the mastic on the bands and permit the same to be fixed to the hub when cooled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1995
    Assignee: Torque Converter Rebuilding Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: John E. Myers
  • Patent number: 5355789
    Abstract: A refuse compression apparatus for reducing the volume of a thermal elastic refuse includes a telescopic refuse container which is covered by a bag and is housed in a cylindrical housing and suspended on the top of the cylindrical housing. A top cover box is coupled with the telescopic refuse container and the cylindrical housing so that the bag divides the inner space of the cylindrical housing into a free space inside the bag and an airtight space outside the bag. An air pump provided to connect the airtight space and the outside of the cylindrical housing operates to pressurize the airtight space and cause the bag to press the telescopic refuse container upwardly. Thus, the refuse placed in the telescopic refuse container is pressed against the lower surface of the top cover box and is compressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jiro Suzuki, Takeshi Tomizawa, Tatsuo Fujita, Kunihiro Ukai
  • Patent number: 5263841
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for processing plastic waste, such as packaging foil of polyvinylchloride, polyethylene, polypropylene etc. into blocks by compressing it in a container. The processing of the plastic waste is achieved by compressing with a punch at a temperature of 120.degree.-180.degree. C. and a pressure of 250-400 g/cm.sup.2 and preferably at a temperature of 140.degree.-160.degree. C. and a pressure of 260-290 g/cm.sup.2, followed by cooling with air. The cooling is carried out by the introduction of air in the container by a fan, which cooling takes place in 5-15 minutes, and preferably 8-10 minutes. The device of the invention is provided with a punch, whereas the inner surfaces of said container and/or the punch are provided with a coating in order to prevent said softened and compressed plastic waste from adhering to the walls. The coating is preferably teflon, whereas the heating elements advantageously are electrical heating elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1993
    Assignee: Thermopers B.V.
    Inventor: Antonius H. de Soet
  • Patent number: 5177975
    Abstract: Apparatus for preparation of process water for presses, such as printing presses, or the like, including conditioning apparatus for conditioning the process water and cooling apparatus for cooling the process water, comprise a housing (1) which is spatially divided into upper and lower housing spaces (A, B), with the conditioning apparatus (2, 3, 4, 8, 13, 22-24) arranged in the lower housing space (B) and the cooling apparatus (9, 10) and a fan arrangement (11, 12) to produce a substantially upwardly directed exhaust stream of cooling air out of the housing arranged in the upper housing space (A). The cooling apparatus includes a refrigeration condenser arranged close to a cooling-air exhaust opening (12) at an upper side of the housing (1) so that the refrigeration condenser is subjected to cool air before it exits into a surrounding space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1993
    Assignee: Technotrans GmbH
    Inventor: Heinz-Josef Mertens
  • Patent number: 5171970
    Abstract: A heated vacuum mounting press comprising an upper part which is movable between open and closed conditions, a lower part, a flexible diaphragm, an electrically conductive glass sheet member for being heated by an electric current in order to heat sheet workpiece material in the press, and an air evacuating pump for evacuating air from between the upper part and the lower part of the press when the upper part is in its closed condition on the lower part, whereby the diaphragm is able to be flexed against the sheet workpiece material to provide substantially even pressure over the surface of the sheet workpiece material while heat is applied to the sheet workpiece material from the electrically conductive glass sheet member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1992
    Assignee: Hot Press (Heat Sealing) Limited
    Inventors: Wiktor S. Chichlowski, Martin S. Harrold
  • Patent number: 5148739
    Abstract: A unique automated and comprehensive through-the-wall waste handling and storage system for treating organic and inorganic waste generated in a building of interest is disclosed in which waste to be discarded is loaded into a through-the-wall system from one side of a wall of the building of interest, stored in a container, and removed from the container on the other side of the wall of the building of interest. The container of the invention includes space conditioning refrigeration system and contemplates embodiments of an integrated waste handling and storage system which accommodate all types of waste and many levels of automation and which also eliminate many prior art sanitation and sorting problems associated with the handling and the storage of waste prior to disposal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1992
    Assignee: Marcella M. Fox
    Inventor: Anthony Fox
  • Patent number: 5092233
    Abstract: An unique automated and comprehensive through-the-wall trash handling and storage system and process which are disclosed in material to be discarded is loaded into a through-the-wall system from within and picked up by a hauler from outside an associated building. The invention contemplates embodiments of an integrated trash handling and storage system which accommodates all types of trash and many levels of automation and eliminates many of the prior art problems associated with sorting and sanitation in the handling and the storage of trash prior to disposal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1992
    Assignee: Marcella M. Fox
    Inventor: Anthony Fox
  • Patent number: 5067968
    Abstract: The briquetting of bituminous coals without the use of extraneous binders is effected by a system of high temperature, high pressure mold forming of the coal fines material in an apparatus incorporating a high pressure roll-type briquetting press, to provide briquettes of enhanced quality and handeability, with good crushing strength and high impact resistance. The system incorporates a positive pressure controlled oxygen, gas recirculation flash-dryer, and a direct briquette product to raw feed heat exchange system and other innovative heat management arrangements, for high system efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1991
    Inventors: Joseph W. Davidson, Geoffrey Blackmore, Gerald Blackmore, Karl R. Komerek, deceased, by Richard Komerek, executor
  • Patent number: 5047105
    Abstract: Process for soldering the lower corners of a bag. Liquid is forced by the gradual moving together of two concave flasks (105, 106), of which the point of contact rises gradually towards the top with the relative moving together of the jaws (100, 101). Application to the conditioning of liquids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1991
    Assignee: Societe Generale des Faux Minerals de Vittel
    Inventor: Michel Cazes
  • Patent number: 5022317
    Abstract: A process for conditioning and compacting vegetable fodder prior to storage and shipment which comprises breaking standard-sized bales and adjusting the moisture level of the fodder to reduce pulverization during subsequent compacting and handling; while at the same time injecting mold inhibitors and nutritional additive before repackaging the fodder into more compact bales, cubes or pellets for shipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1991
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Williams
  • Patent number: 5010809
    Abstract: A process for conditioning and compacting vegetable fodder prior to storage and shipment which comprises breaking standard-sized bales and adjusting the moisture level of the fodder to reduce pulverization during subsequent compacting and handling; while at the same time injecting mold inhibitors and nutritional additive before repackaging the fodder into more compact bales for shipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1991
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Williams
  • Patent number: 4897147
    Abstract: Bonding apparatuses for textile sheet-like structures especially outer fabric and interlining, are conventionally equipped with a heating station consisting of heating plates for the sheet-like structures conveyed between conveyor belts and also with a linear-pressure device consisting of two pressure rollers. Now, in addition, the linear-pressure device is followed by surface-pressure device to stabilize the adhesive anchoring of the bonding agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1990
    Assignee: Herbert Kannegiesser GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Jurgen Inselmann
  • Patent number: 4844799
    Abstract: A filtration apparatus includes a tapered conveying cylinder, a rotating filtration cylinder disposed around the tapered conveying cylinder, a pair of spaced-apart driving members movably supported to the rotating filtration cylinder for freely changing a size of a treatment zone between the tapered conveying cylinder and rotating filtration cylinder and one or more steam injection pipes disposed above the rotating filtration cylinder. The solid waste product in the treatment zone is heated and cleaned away by spraying the surface of the cylinder with hot steam through nozzles of the injection pipes, and freely changing the size of the treatment zone on demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1989
    Inventor: Chung Y. Lee
  • Patent number: 4762647
    Abstract: A process is described for reducing the volume of spent ion exchange resins containing radioactive contaminants, and a filter aid having groups reactive with the functional groups of the resins. Spent ion exchange resin and the filter aid are dewatered, then subject to a pressure of about 2000 psi in conjunction with 250.degree. C. heat to reduce the volume occupied by the resin by up to a factor of 5 and impart rewet stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1988
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Eugene E. Smeltzer, Michael C. Skriba, Keith K. McDaniel
  • Patent number: 4621177
    Abstract: Inductors for heating rolls especially of the type used in rolling mills for sheet materials such as paper, textiles, plastics and the like, are configured to enhance and concentrate eddy currents in areas along the length of the roll to selectively heat the roll as desired and control moisture and caliper properties of the sheet. The inductors have cores with a center leg around which the exciting coil is wound and an outer leg surrounding the coil and connected at one end to the inner leg. These inductors or electromagnets are mounted immediately adjacent a roll of magnetic flux conducting material, such as iron or steel, to heat the roll surface as desired across the length of the roll as it is rotated through the concentrated electromagnetic field generated by the inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1986
    Assignee: Beloit Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey H. Pulkowski, Steven J. Siler
  • Patent number: 4572065
    Abstract: Method and apparatus which reduces the charger height and the total cycle time when packing leaf or stripped tobacco by the two fill approach. When the first fill is completed, an air pressure differential is established across the tobacco in the charger from top to bottom, the pressure differential compacting the tobacco to make room for the second fill. The second fill is then supplied and the two fills are compacted into the compression chamber by the packer ram. The air pressure differential is established by providing a volume of air under pressure between the press head of the ram and the tobacco of the first fill and withdrawing air from the bottom of the charger, and withdrawal of air is continued during the second fill and the compression stroke of the ram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1986
    Inventor: Francis B. Fishburne
  • Patent number: 4510363
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a hot pressing furnace or kiln which is capable of preheating, hot pressing, and cooling a plurality of articles in a sequential and continuous manner. The hot pressing furnace of the present invention comprises an elongated, horizontally disposed furnace capable of holding a plurality of displaceable pusher plates each supporting a die body loaded with refractory or ceramic material to be hot pressed. Each of these plates and the die body supported thereby is sequentially pushed through the preheating zone, a temperature stabilizing and a hot pressing zone, and a cooling zone so as to provide a continuous hot-pressing operation of a plurality of articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1985
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Carl D. Reynolds, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4502378
    Abstract: A silage compression machine includes a primary shaft which rotates a plurality of teeth to force material through a passageway into a tunnel. The tunnel includes an arcuate wall extending upwardly and rearwardly from a main beam to a top wall. A hydraulic fluid reservoir is supported on the main beam and includes a rear wall extending adjacent to the arcuate wall of the tunnel. Spacers maintain a predetermined gap between the rear wall of the reservoir and the arcuate wall of the tunnel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1985
    Assignee: Ag-Bag Corporation
    Inventor: Steven R. Cullen
  • Patent number: 4480990
    Abstract: An article support rack (10) has at least one article support (12), such as a shelf, which is horizontally slidable in a first frame (18). A second frame (29) is mounted for vertical movement relative to the first frame (18). At least one weight (26) is supported by such second frame (29) at a certain distance above the article support (12) when the first and second frame are in a first position relative to each other. Articles (24) such as circuit boards are placed on the article support (12), and the vertical position of the first and second frames are shifted to a second position relative to each other wherein the upper surface of the circuit boards is pushed against the respective weight to lift the weight off its support such that the weight rests on the circuit boards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1983
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1984
    Assignee: AT&T Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: William D. Beam, David C. Chrisman, Lloyd R. Cox, Charles R. Hankins
  • Patent number: 4133635
    Abstract: A system for drying and preheating small metallic particles such as chips, turnings, borings and the like to remove volatiles therefrom which includes a dryer working in conjunction with a briquetting press. The dryer includes a drying and preliminary combustion chamber including a revolving drum therein through which the chips pass. The drying and preliminary combustion is heated and is atmospherically sealed and operated with a reducing atmosphere. The volatiles driven from the metallic particles are passed to a combustion completion chamber which is maintained at a temperature sufficient to burn the combustibles and into which air is injected to complete the combustion. The hot metallic particles are thermally insulated and sealed from the atmosphere while being conveyed from the drying and preliminary combustion chamber to the briquetting press where they are compressed into briquettes for subsequent introduction into induction furnaces and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1979
    Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: John R. Fellnor, William J. Love, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4089259
    Abstract: Flour is made from whole cereal grains, such as, corn, wheat, rye, and barley by heating the whole grain kernels to between about 170.degree. F. and 210.degree. F. while maintaining the moisture content of the whole kernels between about 8% and about 16% by weight. The whole kernels are squeezed into flakes while maintaining their temperature above about 170.degree. F., and the flakes are ground to form whole grain flour. The product has a surprisingly long shelf life, even though it contains all of the oil originally in the grain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1975
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1978
    Inventors: Daniel T. Stickle, deceased, by Hortencia Martinez Stickle, executrix
  • Patent number: RE29606
    Abstract: A system for removing oil, water and other adulterants from machine shop scrap cuttings. Scrap is inserted in the upper end of an inclined tumbler barrel and passed through a counterflowing stream of hot gases from a burner located at the lower end. Oxygen is inserted into the tumbler barrel at an intermediate position. The barrel is lined with refractory inserts each having contiguous connecting passages of different diameters. The scrap is raised to a temperature near its melting point and compacted into briquettes while remaining hot. Excess fuel gas flow and combustion prevent the aspiration of air into the barrel and thus prevent oxidation of the metal part of the scrap. As an alternative, the scrap can be melted as it flows from the tumbler barrel directly into a melting pot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1974
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1978
    Assignee: Thermetics, Inc.
    Inventor: Sigdon A. Eliot