Roger D Eshleman

US Patent:

53537190, Oct 11, 1994

Filed:

Dec 9, 1992

Appl. No.:

7/987928

Inventors:

Roger D. Eshleman - Waynesboro PA
Paul H. Stevers - Kitchener, Ontario, CA

International Classification:

F23G 500
B09B 300

US Classification:

110188

Abstract:

An apparatus for controlled processing of materials includes a coolant jacketed vessel defining a first pyrolysis chamber and a second oxidation chamber, first heating elements mounted in the vessel to pyrolyze materials in the first chamber, second heating elements mounted in the vessel to oxidize materials in the second chamber, an induction fan, airflow inlet valves and an air intake proportioning valve connected to the vessel for producing separate variable flows of primary and secondary air into and through the first and second chambers, first sensors mounted on the vessel for sensing the temperatures in the first and second chambers and in the coolant, a second sensor mounted on the vessel for sensing the proportion of a predetermined gas in the discharge gases, and a control system responsive to the temperatures sensed in the first and second chambers and the coolant and to the proportion of the predetermined gas sensed in the discharge gases for controlling the induction fan and air intake proportioning valve so as to proportion the respective amounts of primary and secondary air flows through the first and second chambers in order to achieve effective pyrolyzing and oxidizing of the materials therein.

US Patent:

53617096, Nov 8, 1994

Filed:

Sep 17, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/123747

Inventors:

Roger D. Eshleman - Waynesboro PA

International Classification:

F23G 500

US Classification:

110255

Abstract:

A material processing apparatus includes a casing having a top and bottom and a plurality of sides defining a pyrolysis chamber for receiving and pyrolyzing feed materials therein into fluid materials and a mass of refractory material disposed upon the bottom of the casing and spaced below the top thereof and extending between its sides. The refractory mass includes an upper surface defining a bottom of the pyrolysis chamber and having an end spaced from a first one of the casing sides to define an ash residue collection cavity therebetween. The apparatus also includes a pusher mechanism mounted to and extending through a second one of the casing sides opposite from the first one side. The pusher mechanism is operable to engage and transport residue of materials received on the upper surface of said refractory mass and being pyrolyzed in the chamber across the upper surface of the refractory mass toward the collection cavity. Also, an arrangement for monitoring the position of the pusher mechanism is included in the apparatus.

US Patent:

53885350, Feb 14, 1995

Filed:

Nov 12, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/151326

Inventors:

Roger D. Eshleman - Waynesboro PA

International Classification:

F23G 500

US Classification:

110255

Abstract:

A material processing apparatus includes a casing having a pyrolysis chamber for receiving and pyrolyzing feed materials therein into a gaseous material and solid ash residue, a mass of refractory material contained in the casing upon a bottom thereof, being spaced below a top and extending between opposite sides thereof, and including an inclined upper surface defining the bottom of the pyrolysis chamber and having a lower terminal edge being spaced from one of the opposite sides of the casing for defining a solid ash residue collection region therein, and a pusher mechanism disposed in the pyrolysis chamber for engaging and moving feed materials down the inclined upper surface of the refractory mass toward the lower terminal edge thereof. The apparatus also includes a shallow sloped terminal surface portion on the refractory mass inclined upper surface leading to the lower terminal edge thereof and a stop and release pivotal gate mechanism disposed over the collection region in the pyrolysis chamber and adjacent to the lower terminal edge and terminal surface portion on the refractory mass inclined upper surface which function together to control the flow of waste material from the terminal edge into the ash residue collection region so to regulate the residence time of the feed materials in the pyrolysis chamber before reaching the ash residue collection region therein to ensure substantially complete pyrolyzing of feed materials into gaseous and solid ash residue forms which are sterile, inert and non-hazardous to the environment.

US Patent:

55868550, Dec 24, 1996

Filed:

Nov 23, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/157359

Inventors:

Roger D. Eshleman - Waynesboro PA

International Classification:

F23G 500

US Classification:

414160

Abstract:

An apparatus for infeeding batched material to an inlet opening of a material processing apparatus includes a lift mechanism disposed alongside the material processing apparatus and being operable to lift the batched material at least to the elevation of the inlet opening of the material processing apparatus, a delivery conveyor disposed alongside the material processing apparatus and adjacent to the lift mechanism and being operable to deliver the batched material to the lift mechanism, a transfer enclosure spaced from the lift mechanism and disposed above the inlet opening of the material processing apparatus, the transfer enclosure having a side entrance for receiving batched material from the lift mechanism and a bottom exit for subsequent discharge of the batched material into the material processing apparatus through the inlet opening thereof, a tilt assembly disposed between the lift mechanism and the transfer enclosure and being operable to either block or complete a path for transfer of the batched material from the lift mechanism to the transfer enclosure, a transfer mechanism spaced above the tilt assembly and extending between the lift mechanism and transfer enclosure and being operable to transfer the batched material from the lift mechanism, over the tilt assembly, and into the transfer enclosure, and a closure mechanism disposed contiguous with the bottom exit of the transfer enclosure and being operable to transfer the batched material from the transfer enclosure into the material processing apparatus via its inlet opening.

US Patent:

45986495, Jul 8, 1986

Filed:

Sep 3, 1985

Appl. No.:

6/771750

Inventors:

Roger D. Eshleman - Waynesboro PA

Assignee:

Eshland Enterprises, Inc. - Greencastle PA

International Classification:

F23B 500
F23C 900
F23G 700

US Classification:

110211

Abstract:

A particle fuel burning furnace has an upper combustion chamber holding a pile of particle fuel and burning the same from the bottom. The furnace includes a lower combustion chamber for afterburning combustible gases off by burning solid fuel in the upper chamber and replaceable refractory bricks containing a series of spaced vertically-extending passageways interconnecting the bottom of the upper chamber and the top of the lower chambers for communicating combustible gases from the upper to the lower chamber. An improved particle fuel diversion structure in the furnace includes an elongated fuel diverter block having a recessed dome-shaped cavity therein and open at a bottom side and spacer blocks disposing the diverter block in the upper chamber in spaced relationship above the bottom of the upper chamber and with its recessed cavity overlying the bricks containing the passageways. Furthermore, the bricks extend above the bottom of the upper chamber and into the recessed cavity of the diverter block. The diverter block coacts with the upper chamber bottom and the passageway-containing bricks to define a flow path from the upper chamber to the lower chamber which passes along the bottom of the upper chamber under the diverter block, upwardly into the recessed cavity of the diverter block, and inwardly over the bricks and downwardly into the passageways.

US Patent:

53389182, Aug 16, 1994

Filed:

Dec 9, 1992

Appl. No.:

7/987936

Inventors:

Roger D. Eshleman - Waynesboro PA

International Classification:

F27D 1102

US Classification:

219411

Abstract:

A heat generator assembly in a material processing apparatus includes a heater unit and an elongated deflector structure mounted adjacent thereto. The heater unit includes a plurality of elongated electric heating elements extending in generally parallel relation to one another and being operable for emitting heat radiation. The deflector structure is disposed along the electric heating elements and in circumferential relation partially about the electric heating elements for deflecting the heat radiation in a desired direction away from the heating elements. The heater unit also includes a pair of elongated electrically-conductive positive and negative electrodes and having spaced opposite end portions, an arrangement supporting the positive and negative electrodes and the electric heating elements in a spaced apart parallel relation to one another, and a plurality of connector elements electrically connecting selected ones of the opposite end portions of the electric heating elements with selected ones of the opposite end portions of the positive and negative electrodes so as to define at least one electrical circuit path between the positive and negative electrodes and through the electric heating elements.

US Patent:

60502045, Apr 18, 2000

Filed:

May 13, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/076856

Inventors:

Paul H. Stevers - Enola PA
Roger D. Eshleman - Waynesboro PA
Earl H. Sigman - Charlotte NC
John Kevin Pollard - York PA

International Classification:

F23G 500
F23G 544

US Classification:

110255

Abstract:

A material processing apparatus includes a casing having a top and bottom and a plurality of sides defining a pyrolysis chamber for receiving and pyrolyzing feed materials therein into fluid materials and a mass of refractory material disposed upon the bottom of the casing and spaced below the top thereof and extending between its sides. The refractory mass includes an upper surface defining a bottom of the pyrolysis chamber and having an end spaced from a first one of the casing sides to define an ash residue collection cavity therebetween. The apparatus also includes a system of tunnels defined within the refractory mass being spaced below the upper surface thereof. The system of tunnels includes an inlet defined in the refractory mass at the end thereof and below the upper surface thereof and in communication with the cavity for receiving a flow of materials from the pyrolysis chamber into the system of tunnels and an outlet defined in a second one of the sides of the casing for discharging the flow of materials from the system of tunnels. The apparatus also includes elongated heater units mounted to sides of the casing and extending into and axially along selected ones of the tunnels in the system thereof.

US Patent:

53381440, Aug 16, 1994

Filed:

Mar 5, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/026719

Inventors:

Roger D. Eshleman - Waynesboro PA

International Classification:

B65G 2508

US Classification:

414152

Abstract:

A batched materials transferring apparatus includes an elongated drum, a bucket disposed in the drum, and a drive arrangement operable to move the bucket relative to the drum. The drum defines an interior chamber having a longitudinal axis. The drum has a top (or side) opening formed in a first end portion thereof and a bottom opening formed in a second end portion thereof with the top (or side) opening being axially displaced from the bottom opening. The bucket has a side opening formed therein and is slidably movable relative to the drum along the longitudinal axis between the first and second end portions. The drive arrangement is mounted adjacent to the drum and connected to the bucket through one end of the drum. The drive arrangement is operable to move the bucket along an axial path relative to the longitudinal axis of the chamber between the first and second end portions of the drum to respective loading and dumping positions in the interior chamber in which the bucket is respectively aligned with the top (or side) and bottom openings of the drum. The drive arrangement also is operable to move the bucket along a circumferential path relative to the longitudinal axis of the chamber between receiving and discharging orientations such that at the loading position and receiving orientation the bucket communicates through its side opening with the inlet opening of the drum for receiving a batch of materials into the bucket, whereas at the dumping position and discharging orientation the bucket communicates through its side opening with the outlet opening of the drum for discharging the batch of materials from the bucket.