ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 5 -- United States Patent no. 12,274,961, issued on April 15, was assigned to Smith & Loveless Inc. (Lenexa, Kan.).
"Apparatus with improved grit removal" was invented by Lilunnahar Deju (Overland Park, Kan.), John K. Kelly (Overland Park, Kan.), Alexander P. Zuzelski (Lenexa, Kan.) and Rodney S. Mrkvicka (Leawood, Kan.).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A grit removal system with an annular grit removal chamber and a central hopper beneath the chamber bottom, including an opening through the chamber bottom to the hopper. Influent and effluent channels direct wastewater with grit into and out of the grit removal chamber. A plate over the chamber bottom opening has a first po...