The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 09, 1999
Filed:
Oct. 14, 1997
The Curators of the University of Missouri, Columbia, MO (US);
Abstract
This invention is directed to a method and apparatus for forming an aggregate product from particulate material, and in particular for making an aggregate coal product from coal particles. The method involves the steps of 1) loading the coal particles into a mold having an open end and an inner surface defining, in part, a pressurization chamber, the open end of the mold having an outwardly flaring inner peripheral end surface, 2) pressurizing the coal particles within the pressurization chamber such that the coal particles aggregate to form the coal log, and 3) pushing the coal log out of the mold past the flared end surface so that the coal log expands as it passes the end surface. The method may also include the step of maintaining back pressure on the coal log as it is pushed out of the mold. In addition to coal logs, the mold configuration of this invention may be used for making other aggregate products from particulate materials.