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).

  • Publication number: 20180209068
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Gregory A. Holt, Thomas C. Wedegaertner
  • Patent number: 9945052
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: Cotton Incorporated, The United States of America Secretary of Agriculture
    Inventors: Gregory A. Holt, Thomas C. Wedegaertner
  • Publication number: 20150322591
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Inventors: Gregory A. HOLT, Thomas C. WEDEGAERTNER
  • Patent number: 9115446
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas C. Wedegaertner, Gregory A. Holt
  • Patent number: 8978292
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by The Secretary of Agriculture
    Inventors: Gregory A. Holt, Edward Lee, Watt Andy Ellis, III, Thomas C. Wedegaertner
  • Publication number: 20140230193
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Inventors: Thomas C. Wedegaertner, Gregory A. Holt
  • Patent number: 8752250
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Inventors: Thomas C. Wedegaertner, Gregory A. Holt
  • Publication number: 20130067690
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Inventors: Thomas C. Wedegaertner, Gregory A. Holt
  • Patent number: 8336170
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Cotton Incorporated
    Inventor: Thomas C. Wedegaertner
  • Publication number: 20120297579
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Inventor: Thomas C. Wedegaertner
  • Patent number: 7788847
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
    Inventors: Gregory A. Holt, Edward Lee, Watt A. Ellis, III, Thomas C. Wedegaertner
  • Patent number: 5750466
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: Cotton Incorporated
    Inventors: Thomas C. Wedegaertner, Thomas D. Valco, William F. Lalor