Patents by Inventor Thomas C. Wedegaertner
Thomas C. Wedegaertner 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).
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Publication number: 20180209068Abstract: Systems and methods for removing material, e.g., linters, from seeds, e.g., ginned cottonseeds, are provided. The systems and methods involve rotating the seeds in a rotatable drum having a plurality of longitudinal brushes. The centrifugal force created by the rotation of the drum and the plurality of longitudinal brushes urge the seeds against an interior surface of the drum that is lined with brushes or the like. In this way, work is performed that removes the material from the exterior of the seeds. A pre-conditioner may be used to prepare the seeds for introduction and a linter off-take chute may be used to remove linters. Other embodiments are presented.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2018Publication date: July 26, 2018Inventors: Gregory A. Holt, Thomas C. Wedegaertner
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Patent number: 9945052Abstract: Systems and methods for removing material, e.g., linters, from seeds, e.g., ginned cottonseeds, are provided. The systems and methods involve rotating the seeds in a rotatable drum having a plurality of longitudinal brushes. The centrifugal force created by the rotation of the drum and the plurality of longitudinal brushes urge the seeds against an interior surface of the drum that is lined with a brush insert. In this way, work is performed that removes the material from the exterior of the seeds. The material is removed using reduced pressure and the processed seeds are removed. The system may include a brush insert that is easily removed from the rotatable drum. Other systems and methods are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2015Date of Patent: April 17, 2018Assignees: Cotton Incorporated, The United States of America Secretary of AgricultureInventors: Gregory A. Holt, Thomas C. Wedegaertner
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Publication number: 20150322591Abstract: Systems and methods for removing material, e.g., linters, from seeds, e.g., ginned cottonseeds, are provided. The systems and methods involve rotating the seeds in a rotatable drum having a plurality of longitudinal brushes. The centrifugal force created by the rotation of the drum and the plurality of longitudinal brushes urge the seeds against an interior surface of the drum that is lined with a brush insert. In this way, work is performed that removes the material from the exterior of the seeds. The material is removed using reduced pressure and the processed seeds are removed. The system may include a brush insert that is easily removed from the rotatable drum. Other systems and methods are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2015Publication date: November 12, 2015Inventors: Gregory A. HOLT, Thomas C. WEDEGAERTNER
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Patent number: 9115446Abstract: Systems and methods for removing material, e.g., linters, from seeds, e.g., ginned cottonseeds, are provided. The systems and methods involve rotating the seeds in a rotatable drum having a plurality of longitudinal brushes. The centrifugal force created by the rotation of the drum and the plurality of longitudinal brushes urge the seeds against an interior surface of the drum that is lined with a brush insert. In this way, work is performed that removes the material from the exterior of the seeds. The material is removed using reduced pressure and the processed seeds are removed. The system may include a brush insert that is easily removed from the rotatable drum. Other systems and methods are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2014Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Inventors: Thomas C. Wedegaertner, Gregory A. Holt
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Patent number: 8978292Abstract: Value-added compositions such as mulches, insulation, and animal bedding may be produced from cotton waste. These compositions are formed from mixtures of at least two cellulosic, biofiber components, wherein one or both of the components are fiberized. The compositions of this invention include mixtures of: a. a first cellulosic component of cotton byproducts, and b. a second cellulosic component which is visible to the naked eye, and which includes hay, grass, kenaf, straw, plant residue remaining following the harvest of crops such as cereal grains, rice, soybeans, and grass seed, wood, sawdust, wood pulp, paper, or mixtures of any of the above, wherein one or both of the first or second cellulosic component are fiberized and the fibers of the fiberized component are intermixed with and entangled about the other component in a 3-dimensional matrix.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2010Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by The Secretary of AgricultureInventors: Gregory A. Holt, Edward Lee, Watt Andy Ellis, III, Thomas C. Wedegaertner
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Publication number: 20140230193Abstract: Systems and methods for removing material, e.g., linters, from seeds, e.g., ginned cottonseeds, are provided. The systems and methods involve rotating the seeds in a rotatable drum having a plurality of longitudinal brushes. The centrifugal force created by the rotation of the drum and the plurality of longitudinal brushes urge the seeds against an interior surface of the drum that is lined with a brush insert. In this way, work is performed that removes the material from the exterior of the seeds. The material is removed using reduced pressure and the processed seeds are removed. The system may include a brush insert that is easily removed from the rotatable drum. Other systems and methods are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2014Publication date: August 21, 2014Inventors: Thomas C. Wedegaertner, Gregory A. Holt
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Patent number: 8752250Abstract: Systems and methods for removing material, e.g., linters, from seeds, e.g., ginned cottonseeds, are provided. The systems and methods involve rotating the seeds in a rotatable drum having a plurality of longitudinal brushes. The centrifugal force created by the rotation of the drum and the plurality of longitudinal brushes urge the seeds against an interior surface of the drum that is lined with a brush insert. In this way, work is performed that removes the material from the exterior of the seeds. The material is removed using reduced pressure and the processed seeds are removed. The system may include a brush insert that is easily removed from the rotatable drum. Other systems and methods are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2012Date of Patent: June 17, 2014Inventors: Thomas C. Wedegaertner, Gregory A. Holt
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Publication number: 20130067690Abstract: Systems and methods for removing material, e.g., linters, from seeds, e.g., ginned cottonseeds, are provided. The systems and methods involve rotating the seeds in a rotatable drum having a plurality of longitudinal brushes. The centrifugal force created by the rotation of the drum and the plurality of longitudinal brushes urge the seeds against an interior surface of the drum that is lined with a brush insert. In this way, work is performed that removes the material from the exterior of the seeds. The material is removed using reduced pressure and the processed seeds are removed. The system may include a brush insert that is easily removed from the rotatable drum. Other systems and methods are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2012Publication date: March 21, 2013Inventors: Thomas C. Wedegaertner, Gregory A. Holt
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Patent number: 8336170Abstract: Systems and methods for removing linters from ginned cottonseeds are provided. The systems and methods involve rotating the cottonseeds in a rotatable drum having a plurality of longitudinal brushes. The centrifugal force created by the rotation of the drum and the plurality of longitudinal brushes urge the cottonseeds against an interior surface of the drum that is lined with a flexible abrasive member. In this way, work is performed that removes the linters from the cottonseeds. The linters are removed using reduced pressure and the processed seeds are removed. Other systems and methods are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2011Date of Patent: December 25, 2012Assignee: Cotton IncorporatedInventor: Thomas C. Wedegaertner
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Publication number: 20120297579Abstract: Systems and methods for removing linters from ginned cottonseeds are provided. The systems and methods involve rotating the cottonseeds in a rotatable drum having a plurality of longitudinal brushes. The centrifugal force created by the rotation of the drum and the plurality of longitudinal brushes urge the cottonseeds against an interior surface of the drum that is lined with a flexible abrasive member. In this way, work is performed that removes the linters from the cottonseeds. The linters are removed using reduced pressure and the processed seeds are removed. Other systems and methods are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 27, 2011Publication date: November 29, 2012Inventor: Thomas C. Wedegaertner
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Patent number: 7788847Abstract: Value-added compositions such as mulches, insulation, and animal bedding may be produced from cotton waste. These compositions are formed from mixtures of at least two cellulosic, biofiber components, wherein one or both of the components are fiberized. The compositions of this invention include mixtures of: a. a first cellulosic component of cotton byproducts, and b. a second cellulosic component which is visible to the naked eye, and which includes hay, grass, kenaf, straw, plant residue remaining following the harvest of crops such as cereal grains, rice, soybeans, and grass seed, wood, sawdust, wood pulp, paper, or mixtures of any of the above, wherein one or both of the first or second cellulosic component are fiberized and the fibers of the fiberized component are intermixed with and entangled about the other component in a 3-dimensional matrix.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2008Date of Patent: September 7, 2010Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of AgricultureInventors: Gregory A. Holt, Edward Lee, Watt A. Ellis, III, Thomas C. Wedegaertner
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Patent number: 5750466Abstract: Linter-bearing cottonseed covered with a coat of starch optionally containing one or more biologically related materials selected from vitamins, feed supplements, oils, fats, urea, rodent repellants, insect repellants, medications, anti-germination agents, and preservatives, and a method for preparing it is taught herein. Starch coated cottonseed is useful as an animal feed and as planting stock. The starch coating allows the cottonseed to be used in conventional feed handling and seed planting equipment.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 1996Date of Patent: May 12, 1998Assignee: Cotton IncorporatedInventors: Thomas C. Wedegaertner, Thomas D. Valco, William F. Lalor