US 12,214,471 B2
Recirculation of wet abrasive material in abrasive waterjet systems and related technology
Ernst H. Schubert, Snoqualmie Pass, WA (US); and Axel H. Henning, Black Diamond, WA (US)
Assigned to OMAX Corporation, Kent, WA (US)
Filed by OMAX Corporation, Kent, WA (US)
Filed on Nov. 28, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/522,184.
Application 18/153,961 is a division of application No. 15/839,708, filed on Dec. 12, 2017, granted, now 11,577,366, issued on Feb. 14, 2023.
Application 18/522,184 is a continuation of application No. 18/153,961, filed on Jan. 12, 2023, granted, now 11,872,670.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/433,167, filed on Dec. 12, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2024/0198484 A1, Jun. 20, 2024
Int. Cl. B24C 7/00 (2006.01); B24C 1/04 (2006.01); B26F 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC B24C 7/0023 (2013.01) [B24C 1/04 (2013.01); B24C 1/045 (2013.01); B24C 7/00 (2013.01); B24C 7/003 (2013.01); B26F 3/004 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An abrasive liquid jet cutting system, comprising:
a cutting head configured to emit a jet, including a slurry of abrasive material and liquid, to cut through a workpiece;
a catcher downstream from the cutting head and configured to receive the slurry and fines, wherein the fines include abrasive fines from the abrasive material and/or workpiece fines from a kerf in the workpiece;
a fluidizer operably associated with the catcher and configured to inject liquid into the abrasive material and the fines received by the catcher to fluidize the abrasive material and the fines received by the catcher;
a holding tank configured to receive at least a portion of the slurry and the fines from the catcher and separate at least a portion of the fines from the slurry; and
a conduit configured to return at least a portion of the slurry from the holding tank to the cutting head.