Patents by Inventor J. Edward Crook

J. Edward Crook has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Tobacco expansion processes and apparatus
    Patent number: 5669397
    Abstract: This invention provides tobacco expansion processes and apparatus that can be employed for expanding tobacco at rapid throughput rates employing high pressure tobacco impregnation conditions. The processes and apparatus of the invention are particularly useful in tobacco expansion processes employing cycle times of less than 20-30 seconds; the use of preheated, prepressurized expansion agent such as propane; preheating of tobacco batches; and/or compression of tobacco within a high pressure impregnation zone for greatly improving use of available space in a high pressure impregnation vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Hoyt S. Beard, Lucas J. Conrad, J. Edward Crook, James E. Lovette, Robert Calvin Johnson, Donald A. Newton, Hamid Neshan
  • Tobacco expansion processes and apparatus
    Patent number: 5653245
    Abstract: This invention provides tobacco expansion processes and apparatus that can be employed for expanding tobacco at rapid throughput rates employing high pressure tobacco impregnation conditions. The processes and apparatus of the invention are particularly useful in tobacco expansion processes employing cycle times of less than 20-30 seconds; the use of preheated, prepressurized expansion agent such as propane; preheating of tobacco batches; and/or compression of tobacco within a high pressure impregnation zone for greatly improving use of available space in a high pressure impregnation vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Hoyt S. Beard, Lucas J. Conrad, J. Edward Crook, James E. Lovette, Robert Calvin Johnson, Donald A. Newton, Hamid Neshan
  • Tobacco expansion processes and apparatus
    Patent number: 5469872
    Abstract: This invention provides tobacco expansion processes and apparatus that can be employed for expanding tobacco at rapid throughput rates employing high pressure tobacco impregnation conditions. The processes and apparatus of the invention are particularly useful in tobacco expansion processes employing cycle times of less than 20-30 seconds; the use of preheated, prepressurized expansion agent such as propane; preheating of tobacco batches; and/or compression of tobacco within a high pressure impregnation zone for greatly improving use of available space in a high pressure impregnation vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Hoyt S. Beard, Lucas J. Conrad, J. Edward Crook, James E. Lovette, Robert C. Johnson, Donald A. Newton, Hamid Neshan