Patents by Inventor Raeford Elkins

Raeford Elkins 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).

  • Patent number: 6383544
    Abstract: A method of preparing mash for extrusion into animal feed pellets is provided. The method includes conveying the mash along the length of a pre-conditioning chamber while injecting steam at a first temperature into the pre-conditioning chamber to heat and pre-condition the mash. The pre-conditioned mash is then transferred from the pre-conditioning chamber to a conditioning chamber and is conveyed along the length of the conditioning chamber while injecting steam at a second temperature into the conditioning chamber. In one embodiment, the steam injected into the conditioning chamber is superheated steam and the second temperature is higher than the first. In another embodiment, the steam injected into the pre-conditioning chamber is superheated steam and the first temperature is higher than the second. The mash is discharged from the conditioning chamber for delivery to a pellet mill for being extruded into feed pellets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Mountaire Corporation
    Inventor: Raeford Elkins