Patents postings changed

Patents were being Posted but I've now decided to add links to patents on a Tab at the top of the Home page.  

Lenzing Lyocell Patent (1995)

In looking through the Courtaulds and Lenzing patents on lyocell, this is the first I've seen which covers a process for making fibres as opposed to different parts of a process.  It is also the first to mention the Buss Filmtruder as the thin-film evaporator, this being the evaporator installed at Mobile Tencel in 1992 and operating commercially when this was filed.

United States Patent	5,603,883
Zikeli	February 18, 1997

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Process of and apparatus for making celluose products

Abstract A plant for the production of cellulose films and fibers includes at least one pulping device for producing a first suspension of pulp in an aqueous amine-oxide solution and a first thin-film treatment apparatus for receiving the first pulp suspension and producing a concentrated pulp suspension. The plant also includes a second thin-film treatment apparatus wherein the concentrated pulp suspension is transformed into a mouldable solution of cellulose and a spinning device connected to the second thin-film treatment apparatus, wherein the mouldable cellulose solution is processed into cellulose films and fibers. A process for the production of cellulose films and fibers according to an amine-oxide process includes the steps of suspending pulp in an aqueous amine-oxide solution to produce a first suspension, concentrating the first suspension, producing a mouldable cellulose solution by heating, and processing the solution to form cellulose films and fibers.

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Inventors:	Zikeli; Stefan (Regau, AT)
Assignee:	Lenzing Aktiengesellschaft (AT)
Appl. No.:	08/465,321
Filed:	June 5, 1995 100 kg of humid pulp of the "Lenzing BKZ EM 9 feucht" type containing 50% of water was suspended for about 5 minutes in a pulper of the company Cellwood Grubbens AB (vertical pulper) in 600 kg of a commercially available solution of N-methylmorpholine-N-

The Gray, Pennicott Pulp-Dust Patent (1993)

United States Patent	5,370,322
Gray ,   et al.	December 6, 1994

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Filtering particulate cellulosic-based material

Abstract A method is provided for filtering shredded cellulose-based material, for example to enable the formation of a mixture containing cellulose dispersed in a solvent for cellulose such as amine oxide. The shredding operation creates both fine particles of cellulosic material ("pulp dust") and large particles of cellulosic material. The shredded cellulosic material is passed through a separator to separate the pulp dust from the large particles of cellulosic material and the pulp dust is subsequently recovered in a filtering process.

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Inventors:	Gray; Gary E. G. (Westwood Heath, GB), Pennicott; Philip (Poynton, GB)
Assignee:	Courtaulds Fibres (Holdings) Limited (London, GB2)
Appl. No.:	08/067,427
Filed:	May 24, 1993 An object of the present invention is to return or recycle pulp dust, created during shredding and comminuting of cellulosic material, to the larger comminuted particles or flakes of pulp of cellulosic material produced during shredding.  In practice we have found that in order to produce high quality cellulose mixtures having a relatively high solids contents, it is desirable for cellulosic material, e.g. from rolls or sheets of wood pulp or wood pulp flock, to be shredded into relatively large flakes or particles, e.g. from 1 to 20 cm.sup.2, with the cellulosic material being compressed as little as possible at its cut edges. However we have found that typically, in the process of shredding and comminuting the cellulosic sheet material, a significant amount, e.g. up to about 2% by weight, of the cellulosic sheet material is converted into pulp dust which is conventionally lost to the process.

Wykes, Quigley Patent (1993)

United States Patent	5,526,840
Wykes ,   et al.	June 18, 1996

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Emergency dump tank for congealable materials 

Abstract A dump tank for receiving congealable material vented from a chemical process, the dump tank having two access doors covering two access ports, both doors being openable for cleaning purposes so that congealable material vented into the tank can be pushed out of one access port from the other port.

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Inventors:	Wykes; Katharine A. (Wellesbourne, GB), Quigley; Michael C. (Meriden, GB)
Assignee:	Courtaulds Fibres (Holdings) Limited (London, GB2)
Appl. No.:	08/066,999
Filed:	May 24, 1993 By the present invention there is provided an emergency dump tank for the retention of a congealable material, said tank having defining walls and at least one entry line for said material and a vapour vent line, said vent line being connected to a vapour exit port located in the upper region of said dump tank and having a vent exit open to the atmosphere, a seal to prevent the atmosphere entering said tank via said vapour vent line during non-emergency rest conditions of said tank, said seal being openable under the action of pressure in said dump tank so as to permit said vapour exit to be in gaseous communication with said surrounding atmosphere, an inert atmosphere being maintained in said tank in use, there being at least two openable access ports in said walls so as to permit congealable material in said tank to be removed from said tank by opening both of said access ports so that material can be pushed out of one of said ports via the other of said ports.

The Gray, Jack Pumping Patent (1993)

Pub. No.:    WO/1994/028216    International Application No.:    PCT/GB1994/001105 Publication Date: 08.12.1994 International Filing Date: 20.05.1994 Chapter 2 Demand Filed:    25.11.1994
IPC:	D01D 1/02 (2006.01), D01F 2/00 (2006.01)
Applicants:	COURTAULDS FIBRES (HOLDINGS) LIMITED [GB/GB]; 50 George Street, London W1A 2BB (GB)
Inventors:	GRAY, Gary, Edward, George; (GB). JACK, Iain, Richard; (GB)
Agent:	NEWBY, Martin, John; J.Y. & G.W. Johnson, Furnival House, 14-18 High Holborn, London WC1V 6DE (GB). NEWBY, John, Ross; J.Y. & G.W. Johnson, Furnival House, 14-18 High Holborn, London WC1V 6DE (GB)
Priority Data:	08/067,430 24.05.1993 US
Title	(EN) PUMPING OF CELLULOSE CONTAINING MIXTURES (FR) POMPAGE DE MELANGES CONTENANT DE LA CELLULOSE
Abstract:	(EN)A method of conveying a relatively viscous, cellulose containing mixture, such as a premix comprising cellulose dispersed in a solution of amine oxide and water, with the use of a reciprocating piston pump, e.g. a so-called concrete pump.

Cellulose containing mixtures are well known in different fields of application. In the wood processing and paper making industries there is a need to convey fiber suspensions of pulp having a relatively high consistency (i.e. percentage by weight of dry cellulose material in solution). In other industries, such as the textile industry, there is the need to convey cellulose containing solution to a shaping station where the solution is adapted to be shaped and subsequently regenerated into a cellulosic product, such as a fiber or filament or cellulosic rod, tubing, plate or film.

The Urwin, Jack Feedstock patent (1993)

Pub. No.:    WO/1994/028234    International Application No.:    PCT/GB1994/001103 Publication Date: 08.12.1994 International Filing Date: 20.05.1994 Chapter 2 Demand Filed:    25.11.1994
IPC:	D21B 1/06 (2006.01)
Applicants:	COURTAULDS FIBRES (HOLDINGS) LIMITED [GB/GB]; 50 George Street, London W1A 2BB (GB)
Inventors:	URWIN, Philip, John; (GB). JACK, Iain, Richard; (GB)
Agent:	NEWBY, John, Ross; J.Y. & G.W. Johnson, Furnival House, 14-18 High Holborn, London WC1V 6DE (GB)
Priority Data:	08/067,432 24.05.1993 US
Title	(EN) IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE MANUFACTURE OF FEEDSTOCK FOR A PROCESSING OPERATION (FR) AMELIORATIONS APPORTEES A LA CREATION D'UNE CHARGE UTILISEE DANS UNE OPERATION DE TRAITEMENT
Abstract:	(EN)A method of making feedstock from material supplied in rolls of flexible sheet material which comprises the steps of creating a pluri-layer web of 'n' different layers of sheet material, each layer being selected with regard to some known parameter property of the sheet material whereby the pluri-layer web has an aggregate value of the selected parameter which lies within a chosen range of values of said parameter property. Conveniently the feedstock is created by disintegrating the pluri-layer web to create a mass of comminuted pieces of sheet material.

In the production of cellulosic fibres it is known to use as raw material wood pulp wound in stock rolls of sheet material, to break up the sheet material in a mechanical pulp mill and to convey the broken pieces of sheet material from the mill to a subsequent processing station. The subsequent processing can be critically dependent on the aggregate properties of the mass of broken pieces. This invention, in its different aspects, relates to a novel way of feeding individual layers of sheet material as a pluri-layer web of raw material capable, on comminution in the mill, of producing a mass of broken pieces of the required aggregate properties.

In the case of stock rolls of sheet-formed wood pulp, suppliers grade the sheet-formed material on a roll, inter alia, on the basis of the viscosity of a liquid product produced in a pre-determined manner from the wood pulp and supply the roll to the end user with a viscosity rating. The end user can then select from the range of stock rolls available those having viscosity ratings which he wishes to use for a particular feedstock material.

In accordance with this invention, prior to creating the feedstock material from a plurality of different stock rolls of selected viscosity rating, the sheet materials from a number of stock rolls are drawn together to create a pluri-layer web which is fed as such to a pulp mill for comminution to create the required feedstock material .

The Gray, Jack Comminuting patent (1993)

Pub. No.:    WO/1994/028233    International Application No.:    PCT/GB1994/001098 Publication Date: 08.12.1994 International Filing Date: 20.05.1994 Chapter 2 Demand Filed:    25.11.1994
IPC:	D01F 2/00 (2006.01), D21B 1/06 (2006.01)
Applicants:	COURTAULDS FIBRES (HOLDINGS) LIMITED [GB/GB]; 50 George Street, London W1A 2BB (GB)
Inventors:	GRAY, Gary, Edward, George; (GB). JACK, Iain, Richard; (GB)
Agent:	NEWBY, John, Ross; J.Y. & G.W. Johnson, Furnival House, 14-18 High Holborn, London WC1V 6DE (GB)
Priority Data:	08/066,544 24.05.1993 US
Title	(EN) IMPROVEMENT IN COMMINUTING WOOD PULP SHEETING (FR) AMELIORATIONS APPORTEES A LA REDUCTION EN POUDRE DE CARTONS DE PATE
Abstract:	(EN)Wood pulp sheeting used as feedstock in a cellulosic fibre production plant is comminuted by hooking laminated platelets of wood pulp from a pluri-layer web of such sheeting and agitating the platelets in a fan generating a conveying gas stream to delaminate the platelets and individually separate them into torn pieces of wood pulp sheeting.

The Quigley, Jack and Gray Tencel Patent (1993)

United States Patent	5,456,748
Quigley ,   et al.	October 10, 1995

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Premix storage hopper

Abstract A premix storage hopper for storing a hot, viscous, paste-like mixture containing cellulose dispersed in a solution of tertiary amine oxide and water, comprises a vertical contain having a central shaft rotatable about a vertical axis and carrying stirring members and heating means for heating side walls of the container.

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Inventors:	Quigley; Michael C. (Meriden, GB), Jack; Iain R. (Nuneaton, GB), Gray; Gary E. G. (Westwood Heath, GB)
Assignee:	Courtaulds Fibres (Holdings) Ltd. (London, GB)
Appl. No.:	08/067,429
Filed:	May 24, 1993

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A method of moving a hot viscous pastelike mixture formed in a pre-mixer and containing cellulose dispersed in an amine oxide solvent for the cellulose to a subsequent processing stage without separation of mixture components which comprises introducing said mixture into a storage hopper, retaining the mixture in said hopper while stirring said mixture by a plurality of separate stirring members rotating about a common vertical axis and sweeping out different annular paths spaced throughout the height of the hopper and then pumping said mixture to said further processing stage. 

First Lenzing Lyocell patent (1991)

This appears about 8 years after the first Courtaulds NMMO patent and furthermore after the design of the Mobile plant had been finalised.

United States Patent	5,094,690
Zikeli ,   et al.	March 10, 1992

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Process and arrangement for preparing a solution of cellulose

Abstract There is disclosed a process for preparing solutions of cellulose in aqueous tertiary amine oxides from a suspension of cellulose in an aqueous solution of the tertiary amine oxide by supplying heat at a reduced pressure. The suspension is transported over a heating surface, spread in layers or coats, until a homogenous solution of the cellulose has formed, which has a viscosity of between 50 and 15,000 Pas.s. Feeding of the suspension and drawing-off of the homogenous solution are carried out continuously. The solutions are prepared in an indirectly heated evacuatable vessel provided with a stirring device. The vessel is designed as a cylindrical container including a centrically mounted stirring shaft having agitators joined thereto, the radial distance of the agitators from the internal wall of the container being 20 mm at the most. There are provided an intake for the cellulose suspension in the upper part of the container and an outlet for the homogenous collulose solution in its lower end.

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Inventors:	Zikeli; Stefan (Regau, AT), Wolschner; Bernd (Vocklabruck, AT), Eichinger; Dieter (Vocklabruck, AT), Jurkovic; Raimund (Lenzing, AT), Firgo; Heinrich (Vocklabruck, AT)
Assignee:	Lenzing Aktiengesellschaft (Lenzing, AT)
Appl. No.:	07/742,093
Filed:	August 2, 1991 see also: A 2036/88 Austria 1988-08-16 Click here for full patent

The Wykes-Quigley Patent (1993)

After  10 years of "silence" the patents on the Tencel process begin to emerge.  
  

United States Patent	5,354,371
Wykes ,   et al.	October 11, 1994

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Transport of solutions of cellulose through pipes



AbstractA method for transporting a solution of cellulose in aqueous N-methylmorpholine N-oxide through a pipe, the temperature in degrees centigrade of said solution in the center of said pipe being controlled at 1000/(X+0.98 x.sqroot.D) and/or the temperature of said solution at the interior wall of said pipe being controlled at 1000/(Y+1.15 x.sqroot.D) where D represents the internal diameter of the pipe in inches, X represents a value equal to or greater than 5.0, and Y represents a value equal to or greater than 5.4.

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Inventors:	Wykes; Katharine A. (Wellesbourne, GB), Quigley; Michael C. (Meriden, GB)
Assignee:	Courtaulds Fibres (Holdings) Limited (London, GB2)
Appl. No.:	08/069,184
Filed:	May 28, 1993 Click Here for the Full Patent

The Viskase Food Casings Patent (1992)

Nine years have elapsed since the last "Courtaulds" and "Amine oxide" patent was filed and this one is from Viskase, reminding us that we jointly developed a food casings film from the Tencel dope for sausage skins. However, there are no Courtaulds personnel among the inventors.  We started patenting soon after this one. Did Viskase encourage us? Did they also use Tencel dope to make a fibre-reinforced film for the wurst casings?

United States Patent	5,277,857
Nicholson ,   et al.	January 11, 1994

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Method of making a cellulose food casing



AbstractA cellulosic food casing formed by extruding a nonderivatized cellulose solution composed of cellulose pulp and an amine solvent into a seamless tube, contacting the inner and outer surfaces of the seamless tube with a nonsolvent liquid to precipitate a tube of nonderivatized cellulose and thereafter contacting the same with a water soluble softener. Apparatus for forming the food casing and a food casing of nonderivatized cellulose also are disclosed.

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Inventors:	Nicholson; Myron D. (Lemont, IL), Kajiwara; Edward M. (Skokie, IL), Ducharme, Jr.; Paul E. (Tinley Park, IL), McCallister; Merlan E. (Clarendon Hills, IL), Walta; Joseph R. (Lagrange, IL)
Assignee:	Viskase Corporation (Chicago, IL) Courtaulds Fibres Limited (Coventry, GB2)
Appl. No.:	07/822,506
Filed:	January 17, 1992

Click here for the full patent

Pete Laity's patent (1983)

This is the first patent from a search with Courtaulds as the assignee name and "amine oxide" in the text.  The GB Patent had a priority date of June 1982 and the PCT was published in 1983.  The next patent with the same search terms came 10 years later. (I'm using USP's because they're easiest to cut and paste)

United States Patent	4,581,072
Laity	April 8, 1986

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Polymer solutions



Abstract Shaped articles, such as fibres and films, are obtained from a polymer solution comprising cellulose, a solvent for the cellulose comprising a cyclic tertiary amine N-oxide and water, and a stabilizer for the solution selected from the group consisting of sodium hexametaphosphate, disodium hydrogen phosphate, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, hydroxy-ethylidene diphosphonic acid, aminoethyl diphosphonic acid, and complexes of such compounds with occluded metal ions present in the polymer solution. The stabilizer is present in an amount sufficient to stabilize the solution against thermal degradation which causes loss of solvent and discoloration of solvent and dissolved cellulose.

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Inventors:	Laity; Peter R. (Keresley, GB2)
Assignee:	Courtaulds PLC (London, GB2)
Appl. No.:	06/579,886
Filed:	February 8, 1984
PCT Filed:	June 07, 1983
PCT No.:	PCT/GB83/00151
371 Date:	February 08, 1984
102(e) Date:	February 08, 1984
PCT Pub. No.:	WO83/04415
PCT Pub. Date:	December 22, 1983

The full patent is at 

4,581,072