Patents by Inventor Terry Leonard Bullins

Terry Leonard Bullins 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).

  • Sheet material cutting apparatus, and associated method
    Patent number: 9808952
    Abstract: A cutting apparatus and an associated method for slitting a tobacco sheet material into cut pieces used to form smoking articles are provided. The cutting apparatus includes a rotatable cutter assembly having a drum member configured to rotate about an axis defined thereby. The cutter assembly includes a plurality of knife members disposed about the periphery of the drum member and extending radially therefrom. A fixed counter-knife assembly is disposed adjacent to the periphery of the drum member and is configured to interact with the rotatable cutter assembly during rotation thereof about the axis. The counter-knife assembly includes a ledger member having a plurality of cutting insert members removably engaged therewith. The cutting insert members are configured to interact with the knife members during rotation of the cutter assembly with respect to the counter-knife assembly so as to slit the tobacco sheet material received therebetween into cut pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Timothy Franklin Tilley, James Phillip Hollandsworth, Terry Leonard Bullins, Mark Allen Vernon
  • Sheet Material Cutting Apparatus, and Associated Method
    Publication number: 20150202789
    Abstract: A cutting apparatus and an associated method for slitting a tobacco sheet material into cut pieces used to form smoking articles are provided. The cutting apparatus includes a rotatable cutter assembly having a drum member configured to rotate about an axis defined thereby. The cutter assembly includes a plurality of knife members disposed about the periphery of the drum member and extending radially therefrom. A fixed counter-knife assembly is disposed adjacent to the periphery of the drum member and is configured to interact with the rotatable cutter assembly during rotation thereof about the axis. The counter-knife assembly includes a ledger member having a plurality of cutting insert members removably engaged therewith. The cutting insert members are configured to interact with the knife members during rotation of the cutter assembly with respect to the counter-knife assembly so as to slit the tobacco sheet material received therebetween into cut pieces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Inventors: Timothy Franklin Tilley, James Phillip Hollandsworth, Terry Leonard Bullins, Mark Allen Vernon
  • Sheet material cutting apparatus
    Patent number: 9016284
    Abstract: A cutting apparatus and an associated method for slitting a tobacco sheet material into cut pieces used to form smoking articles are provided. The cutting apparatus includes a rotatable cutter assembly having a drum member configured to rotate about an axis defined thereby. The cutter assembly includes a plurality of knife members disposed about the periphery of the drum member and extending radially therefrom. A fixed counter-knife assembly is disposed adjacent to the periphery of the drum member and is configured to interact with the rotatable cutter assembly during rotation thereof about the axis. The counter-knife assembly includes a ledger member having a plurality of cutting insert members removably engaged therewith. The cutting insert members are configured to interact with the knife members during rotation of the cutter assembly with respect to the counter-knife assembly so as to slit the tobacco sheet material received therebetween into cut pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Timothy Franklin Tilley, James Phillip Hollandsworth, Terry Leonard Bullins, Mark Allen Vernon
  • SHEET MATERIAL CUTTING APPARATUS, AND ASSOCIATED METHOD
    Publication number: 20110100383
    Abstract: A cutting apparatus and an associated method for slitting a tobacco sheet material into cut pieces used to form smoking articles are provided. The cutting apparatus includes a rotatable cutter assembly having a drum member configured to rotate about an axis defined thereby. The cutter assembly includes a plurality of knife members disposed about the periphery of the drum member and extending radially therefrom. A fixed counter-knife assembly is disposed adjacent to the periphery of the drum member and is configured to interact with the rotatable cutter assembly during rotation thereof about the axis. The counter-knife assembly includes a ledger member having a plurality of cutting insert members removably engaged therewith. The cutting insert members are configured to interact with the knife members during rotation of the cutter assembly with respect to the counter-knife assembly so as to slit the tobacco sheet material received therebetween into cut pieces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Inventors: Timothy Franklin Tilley, James Phillip Hollandsworth, Terry Leonard Bullins, Mark Allen Vernon