Christopher Valentine Lanning

US Patent:

7987776, Aug 2, 2011

Filed:

Dec 15, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/969125

Inventors:

David N. Lanning - Federal Way WA, US
James H. Dooley - Federal Way WA, US
Christopher J. Lanning - Federal Way WA, US
James L. Fridley - Seattle WA, US

Assignee:

Forest Concepts, LLC - Auburn WA

International Classification:

B30B 13/00
B30B 15/22

US Classification:

100 35, 100 50, 100218

Abstract:

A woody biomass baler having a baling chamber adapted to receive woody biomass material, a compression system adapted to compact the material into a rectangular bale in the chamber, and an ejection system adapted to move the bale from the chamber, wherein the baling chamber has a front wall consisting of a reciprocating compression platen corresponding in dimensions to the width W and height H of the bale, opposing upper and lower walls corresponding in dimensions to the length L and either of the W and H of the bale, and opposing sidewalls corresponding in dimensions to the L and the other of the W and H of the bale, wherein each chamber wall selected from among the upper wall, the lower wall, and each of the sidewalls can withstand a minimum distributed force perpendicular to the selected wall of between (0. 11×Pp psi×Aw) pounds and (0. 5×Pp psi×Aw×SF) pounds, wherein Pp is the maximum pressure that the compression system can apply to the material, Aw is the area of the selected wall expressed in square inches, and SF is a safety factor calculated by dividing the design failure load of the compression platen by Pp.

US Patent:

7987777, Aug 2, 2011

Filed:

Jan 26, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/013929

Inventors:

David N. Lanning - Federal Way WA, US
James H. Dooley - Federal Way WA, US
Christopher J. Lanning - Federal Way WA, US
James L. Fridley - Seattle WA, US

Assignee:

Forest Concepts, LLC - Auburn WA

International Classification:

B30B 13/00

US Classification:

100 35, 100 50

Abstract:

A biomass baler having a baling chamber adapted to receive tall grass biomass material, a compression system adapted to compact the material into a rectangular bale in the chamber, and an ejection system adapted to move the bale from the chamber, wherein the baling chamber has a front wall consisting of a reciprocating compression platen corresponding in dimensions to the width W and height H of the bale, opposing upper and lower walls corresponding in dimensions to the length L and either of the W and H of the bale, and opposing sidewalls corresponding in dimensions to the L and the other of the W and H of the bale, wherein each chamber wall selected from among the upper wall, the lower wall, and the sidewalls can withstand a minimum distributed force perpendicular to the selected wall of at least (0. 22×Pp×Aw) pounds, wherein Pp is the maximum pressure that the compression platen can apply to the material and Aw is the area of the selected wall expressed in square inches.

US Patent:

8359974, Jan 29, 2013

Filed:

Apr 24, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/454819

Inventors:

David N. Lanning - Federal Way WA, US
James H. Dooley - Federal Way WA, US
Christopher J. Lanning - Federal Way WA, US
James L. Fridley - Seattle WA, US

Assignee:

Forest Concepts, LLC - Auburn WA

International Classification:

B65B 13/02
B30B 13/00

US Classification:

100 3, 100 35

Abstract:

A biomass baler having a baling chamber adapted to receive tall grass biomass material and a compression system adapted to compact the tall grass biomass material into a parallelepiped bale in the chamber, wherein the baling chamber has a front wall consisting essentially of a reciprocating compression platen corresponding in dimensions to the width W and height H of the bale, opposing upper and lower walls corresponding in dimensions to the length L and either of the W and H of the bale, and opposing sidewalls corresponding in dimensions to the L and the other of the W and H of the bale, and wherein the compression system is adjustable by conventional controls to apply at least one operator-selectable compression platen pressure of between 22 psi and 30 psi to the tall grass biomass material in the chamber.

US Patent:

8430025, Apr 30, 2013

Filed:

Aug 1, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/195374

Inventors:

David N. Lanning - Federal Way WA, US
James H. Dooley - Federal Way WA, US
Christopher J. Lanning - Federal Way WA, US
James L. Fridley - Seattle WA, US

Assignee:

Forest Concepts, LLC - Auburn WA

International Classification:

A01F 15/02

US Classification:

100 50, 100245

Abstract:

A biomass baler having a baling chamber adapted to receive tall grass biomass material, a compression system adapted to compact the material into a rectangular bale in the chamber, and an ejection system adapted to move the bale from the chamber, wherein the baling chamber has a front wall consisting of a reciprocating compression platen corresponding in dimensions to the width W and height H of the bale, opposing upper and lower walls corresponding in dimensions to the length L and either of the W and H of the bale, and opposing sidewalls corresponding in dimensions to the L and the other of the W and H of the bale, wherein each chamber wall selected from among the upper wall, the lower wall, and the sidewalls can withstand a minimum distributed force perpendicular to the selected wall of at least (0. 22×Pp×Aw) pounds, wherein Pp is the maximum pressure that the compression platen can apply to the material and Aw is the area of the selected wall expressed in square inches.

US Patent:

7992491, Aug 9, 2011

Filed:

Sep 11, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/584810

Inventors:

Christopher J. Lanning - Federal Way WA, US
David N. Lanning - Federal Way WA, US

Assignee:

Forest Concepts, LLC - Auburn WA

International Classification:

B30B 15/30

US Classification:

100215, 100188 R, 100245

Abstract:

A baler for making compacted bales of a cellulosic and preferably woody biomass material, the baler comprising: a housing defining a compaction chamber therein, wherein the housing comprises a top wall, an infeed opening defined in the top wall for introducing the material into the compaction chamber, and a hopper system comprising: first and second doors pivotably attached to the housing in opposing array over the infeed opening, wherein each door comprises a pivot having a plurality of fingers extending in planar array therefrom and defining a plurality of recesses disposed therebetween, and wherein the fingers of the first and second doors are staggered such that the fingers of each door are positioned opposite to and receivable by the recesses of the other door, and actuator means for pivoting the doors upwardly to form a chute for directing the material toward the infeed opening, and downwardly to intermesh and preferably interlock the fingers and substantially cover the infeed opening.

US Patent:

8205546, Jun 26, 2012

Filed:

Aug 8, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/204898

Inventors:

Christopher J. Lanning - Federal Way WA, US
David N. Lanning - Federal Way WA, US

Assignee:

Forest Concepts, LLC - Auburn WA

International Classification:

B30B 15/30

US Classification:

100215, 100188 R, 100245

Abstract:

A baler for making compacted bales of a cellulosic and preferably woody biomass material, the baler comprising: a housing defining a compaction chamber therein, wherein the housing comprises a top wall, an infeed opening defined in the top wall for introducing the material into the compaction chamber, and a hopper system comprising: first and second doors pivotably attached to the housing in opposing array over the infeed opening, wherein each door comprises a pivot having a plurality of fingers extending in planar array therefrom and defining a plurality of recesses disposed therebetween, and wherein the fingers of the first and second doors are staggered such that the fingers of each door are positioned opposite to and receivable by the recesses of the other door, and actuator means for pivoting the doors upwardly to form a chute for directing the material toward the infeed opening, and downwardly to intermesh and preferably interlock the fingers and substantially cover the infeed opening.

US Patent:

20120067229, Mar 22, 2012

Filed:

Sep 22, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/887916

Inventors:

David N. Lanning - Federal Way WA, US
James H. Dooley - Auburn WA, US
Christopher J. Lanning - Federal Way WA, US
James L. Fridley - Seattle WA, US

Assignee:

Forest Concepts, LLC - Auburn WA

International Classification:

B30B 9/30

US Classification:

100 8

Abstract:

A woody biomass baler having a baling chamber adapted to receive woody biomass material, a compression system adapted to compact the material into a rectangular bale in the chamber, and an ejection system adapted to move the bale from the chamber, wherein the baling chamber has a front wall consisting of a reciprocating compression platen corresponding in dimensions to the width W and height H of the bale, opposing upper and lower walls corresponding in dimensions to the length L and either of the W and H of the bale, and opposing sidewalls corresponding in dimensions to the L and the other of the W and H of the bale, wherein each chamber wall selected from among the upper wall, the lower wall, and each of the sidewalls can withstand a minimum distributed force perpendicular to the selected wall of at least (0.11×Ppsi×A) pounds, wherein Pis the maximum pressure that the compression system can apply to the material and Ais the area of the selected wall expressed in square inches, and wherein the compression system can apply at least one platen pressure between 26 psi and 126 psi to the material. Preferably the compression system can apply at least one platen pressure between 46 psi and 86 psi to the woody biomass material in the baling chamber. Most preferably, the compression system can apply at least one platen pressure between 50 psi and 71 psi to the material. The baling chamber may be open-ended, or closed by a back wall corresponding in dimensions to the front wall. One of the side walls can be reversibly opened as an ejection door, in which case the ejection system should apply a force greater than or equal to (P×w)(1.2h+0.132l) pounds to move the bale from the chamber through the opened sidewall door, wherein w is the width of the compression platen, h is the height of the compression platen, and l is the length of the chamber.

US Patent:

20120070262, Mar 22, 2012

Filed:

Mar 7, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/041546

Inventors:

David Neil Lanning - Federal Way WA, US
James H. Dooley - Federal Way WA, US
Christopher J. Lanning - Federal Way WA, US
James L. Fridley - Seattle WA, US

Assignee:

FOREST CONCEPTS, LLC. - Auburn WA

International Classification:

B60P 3/00

US Classification:

414787

Abstract:

A transport system including a fleet of semi-trailer trucks, wherein a plurality of the semi-trailer trucks are loaded with rectangular bales of tall grass biomass, wherein the total weight of the bales is greater than 80% of the sum of the maximum transport weight capacities of the loaded semi-trailer trucks, wherein the total volume of the bales is greater than 80% of the sum of the maximum transport volumes of the loaded semi-trailer trucks, and wherein the bales on at least one of the plurality of loaded semi-trailer trucks have a net energy value of at least 244 million Btu. The trucks are preferably loaded to at least 85%, and most preferably to at least 90%, of their legal payloads.