Patents by Inventor Wilson S. Bigham

Wilson S. Bigham 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: 5516573
    Abstract: An asphalt-based roofing product includes an asphalt-based substrate such as asphalt-saturated fiberglass or cellulose felt, a non-asphalt, thermoplastic, water-resistant adhesive on the surface of the asphalt-based substrate, and a plurality of roofing granules embedded in the asphalt such that the adhesive provides an interface between the asphalt and roofing granules. The adhesive is present in an amount sufficient to improve the adhesion of the roofing granules to the asphalt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1996
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Billy L. George, Stefan A. Babirad, Vincent J. Laraia, Jr., Wilson S. Bigham
  • Patent number: 5380552
    Abstract: A process for improving the adhesion of roofing granules to a hot asphalt surface in the manufacture of a roofing product. Onto an asphalt-based substrate having a hot asphalt surface, an amount of a non-asphalt adhesive effective for improving adhesion of roofing granules to the hot asphalt surface is applied and then roofing granules are embedded on the hot asphalt surface. The non-asphalt adhesive can be composed of or include as a component one or more of polyolefins, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, ethylene-ethyl acetate copolymers, ethylene-n-butylacrylate polymers, ethylene-methylacrylate polymers, styrene-containing block or graft copolymers, polyamide terpolymers, hydrocarbon rubbers, polyesters, polyurethanes, and siloxanes. The resulting roofing product includes an asphalt-based substrate with an asphalt surface having roofing granules imbedded thereon with a non-asphalt adhesive at the interface between the asphalt and roofing granules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1995
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Billy L. George, Stefan A. Babirad, Vincent J. Laraia, Jr., Wilson S. Bigham
  • Patent number: 5338368
    Abstract: A method for deoiling oil residues from surfaces of inorganic particles each having pigment in an outer layer thereon, comprising contacting the surfaces with a deoiling solution comprising a mixture of monocyclic terpene and aliphatic petroleum distillates in an amount and manner effective to wet substantially all the surfaces of the inorganic particles, whereby the deoiling solution removes substantially all the oil residues from the surfaces of the inorganic particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Robert B. Fletcher, Wilson S. Bigham, Phyllis F. Albert