Thermal Corporation

Thomas Andrew Lorincz

Joseph P Parisi

A wine making apparatus includes an engaging mechanism for engaging a fermentation tank, and a press mechanism for pressing the wine making ingredients in the tank against an inner surface of the tank. In a described embodiment a tank has a pair of forklift attachment points and a movable platform on a wine press mechanism is adapted for receiving the forklift attachment points. A lifting apparatus raises the platform and tank such that the contents of the tank are crushed by a relatively fixed plate above the tank. A pair of hydraulic rams are connected in series such that fluid output from one raises the other, thereby assuring that the platform and tank are evenly raised.

Double lift tank wine press

A tank lifting attachment () is disclosed for allowing a tank, such as a wine press tank () to be lifted by a conventional lifting device () such as a crane or block and tackle. A center section () has a pair of inside grip plates () to abut the inner walls of the wine press tank (). A first outside grip plate () and a second outside grip plate () are slidably affixed to the center section () such that the weight of the wine press tank () will cause a pair of under lip projections () affixed thereto to be secured under a portion of a lip () on the wine press tank (). In an embodiment of the invention the tank lifting attachment () is secured to the lifting device () by a plurality of lifting straps ().

Tank lifting apparatus

A pipe electropolishing system ( ) for in place polishing of a pipe ( ) has provision for detecting the instant position of a cathode ( ) within the pipe ( ) such as cable marks ( ) and cable mark sensor ( ), an infrared camera ( ), heat sensing crayon marks ( ), thermisters ( ), and capacitance sensors ( ), used individually or in combination. According to the inventive in place electropolishing method ( ) when it is determined that the cathode is in a nonuniform portion ( ) of the pipe ( ), then increased polishing action is provided as by increasing the voltage using a variable power supply ( ) and/or by slowing down the progress of the cathode ( ) using a variable speed cable puller ( ).

System and method for electropolishing nonuniform pipes

A temperature handling subsystem ( ) for a pipe electrochemical polishing system ( ) has a chiller ( ) and associated heat exchanger ( ) for cooling the acid electrolyte ( ) circulating through a pipe ( ) while a cathode ( ) is drawn therethrough for the purpose of electropolishing the interior of the pipe ( ). A temperature control method ( ) has a temperature low enough decision operation ( ) wherein a temperature indicating control ( ) is used to determine if the chiller ( ) should be activated. The electrolyte ( ) is pumped by an electrolyte pump from an electrolyte reservoir ( ) containing a temperature indicating controller ( ) for determining the temperature of the electrolyte ( ) and further containing an electric heater ( ) for heating the electrolyte ( ), as necessary.

Pipe electropolishing apparatus using an electrolyte heater and cooler

A cathode station ( ) for a pipe electrochemical polishing system ( ) has a valve ( ) for preventing a cleaning fluid ( ) from entering into a pipe ( ). A cathode ( ) is pulled into the cathode station ( ) by a cathode puller cable ( ) after a polishing operation ( ) is completed. In a rinse cathode operation ( ) the cleaning fluid ( ) is introduced into the cathode station ( ) through a fluid inlet ( ) and removed from a fluid outlet ( ). In a finish operation ( ) the cathode ( ) and cathode station ( ) are removed from the pipe electrochemical polishing system ( ).

Cathode rinsing station and method

The tube inner surface electropolishing device includes an electrolyte delivery system to cause electrolyte to flow through the tube whose inner surface must be electropolished. An electrical cable having an electrode engaged to its distal end is slowly moved through the tube while an electrical current from a power supply passes through the electrode and the tube wall and the electrolyte flowing therebetween. Several electrode embodiments are disclosed including electrodes that include a chain of elements having alternating insulator and electrode elements, an electrode including a quantity of metallic wool enclosed in a permeable insulating member, and a flexible insulating member formed from a cylindrical tubular section which is axially compressible to produce a series of projecting flexible arms, so that any one section can be compressed to enter a smaller opening than the tube to be polished. An electrolyte dam is coupled to the electrode and controls the flow rate of electrolyte through the tube. The electrolyte dam includes a body, a channel formed in a top portion of the body, and ballast disposed in a bottom portion of the body. The channel facilitates the flow of electrolyte past the dam and the escape of gasses that are evolved during the electropolishing process. The ballast maintains the dam in an upright position as it is drawn through the tube.

Tube inner surface electropolishing device with electrolyte dam

A pipe electrochemical polishing system ( ) for in place polishing of a pipe ( (has provision for detecting the instant position of a cathode ( ) within the pipe ( ) such as cable marks ( ) and cable mark sensor ( ), an infrared camera ( ), heat sensing crayon marks ( ), thermisters ( ), and capacitance sensors ( ), used individually or in combination. According to the inventive in place electropolishing method ( ) when it is determined that the cathode is in a non horizontal portion ( ) of the pipe ( ) and further is presently traveling generally downward, then the direction of flow of the electrolyte ( ) is reversed to carry any bubbles in the electrolyte ( ) away from the area of the cathode ( ).

System and method for reversing electrolyte flow during an electropolishing operation

An orbital welder includes a weld tip, a rotational controller, and a translational controller. The rotational controller causes the weld tip to rotate about an axis passing through the tube to be welded. As the weld tip rotates about the axis, the translational controller causes the weld tip to move longitudinally with respect to the axis, forming non-planar orbital welds. In one embodiment, the translational controller includes a rotor disposed to rotate about the axis. The translational controller further includes a carrier that is slidably attached to the rotor, and the weld tip is fixed to the carrier. As the rotor rotates about the axis, the carrier moves longitudinally with respect to the axis, such that the weld tip follows a non-planar orbital weld pattern. In a particular embodiment, a portion of the carrier is biased against a surface a cam block. The surface of the cam block is contoured to displace the carrier longitudinally with respect to the axis of rotation as the rotor rotates about the axis.

Non-planar orbital welder

An electropolishing system for uniformly polishing the inner surface of a pipe includes an electrode for placement within the pipe, a plurality of electrical leads for coupling the pipe to a common voltage source, and a power supply. The power supply includes a first voltage supply terminal, for coupling to the electrode, and second voltage supply terminal, for coupling to the common voltage source. A disclosed method for electropolishing the inner surface of a pipe includes the steps of placing an electrode within the pipe, electrically coupling the pipe to a common voltage source with a plurality of electrical leads, coupling the electrode to a first voltage supply terminal of a power supply, coupling the common voltage source to a second voltage supply terminal of the power supply, and drawing the electrode through the pipe.

System and method for using multiple lead connections in an electropolishing process

The tube inner surface electropolishing device includes an electrolyte delivery system to cause electrolyte to flow through the tube whose inner surface must be electropolished. An electrical cable having an electrode engaged to its distal end is slowly moved through the tube while an electrical current from a power supply passes through the electrode and the tube wall and the electrolyte flowing therebetween. Several electrode embodiments are disclosed including electrodes that include a chain of elements having alternating insulator and electrode elements, an electrode including a quantity of metallic wool enclosed in a permeable insulating member, and a flexible insulating member formed from a cylindrical tubular section which is axially compressible to produce a series of projecting flexible arms, so that many one section can be compressed to enter a smaller opening than the tube to be polished. An electrolyte dam is coupled to the electrode and controls the flow rate of electrolyte through the tube. The electrolyte dam includes a body, a channel formed in a top portion of the body, and ballast disposed in a bottom portion of the body. The channel facilitates the flow of electrolyte past the dam and the escape of gasses that are evolved during the electropolishing process. The ballast maintains the dam in an upright position as it is drawn through the tube.

The tube inner surface electropolishing device includes an electrolyte delivery system to cause electrolyte to flow through the tube whose inner surface must be electropolished. An electrical cable having an electrode engaged to its distal end is slowly moved through the tube while an electrical current from a power supply passes through the electrode and the tube wall and the electrolyte flowing therebetween. Several electrode embodiments are disclosed including electrodes that include a chain of elements having alternating insulator and electrode elements, an electrode including a quantity of metallic wool enclosed in a permeable insulating member, and a flexible insulating member formed from a cylindrical tubular section which is axially compressible to produce a series of projecting flexible arms, so that any one section can be compressed to enter a smaller opening than the tube to be polished.

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Hollister, CA, United States of America

Thomas Andrew Lorincz