FR2527052A1 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HASHING TOBACCO - Google Patents

Abstract

THE INVENTION RELATES TO THE FEEDING OF TOBACCO CHOPPING MACHINES. IT RELATES TO A MACHINE IN WHICH THE TOBACCO CHOPPING STATION 12 IS POWERED BY A CONVEYOR ASSEMBLY WHICH INCLUDES A 32 HORIZONTAL CONVEYOR AND 80 SIDE CONVEYORS, 82 VERTICALLY PLACES, ALL THESE CONVEYORS MOVED AT THE SAME HIGH SPEED. THE SPEED OF THE FEEDING CONVEYOR BELTS OF THE CHOPPING DEVICE 12. THE TRANSPORT OF THE TOBACCO LAYER IS THEREFORE NOT INTERRUPTED ON THE EDGES AND THE PRODUCT OBTAINS A BETTER QUALITY. APPLICATION TO THE PREPARATION OF SMOKING TOBACCO.

Description

1 2527052

  The present invention relates to the tobacco feed of the chopping machines, and in particular to a method and

a tobacco chopper.

  A known type of tobacco shredder comprises a rotatable support of one or more knives that chop tobacco strips for use in the manufacture of cigarettes, on the front side of a continuous mass of compressed tobacco. compressed is formed and then the tobacco, in compressed form, is transmitted by a feed device comprising upper and lower conveyors in advance which delimit a convergent or narrower path, starting from a source of pieces of tobacco shredded and joining a cutting station at which the front face of the compressed mass is clamped between pressing elements

  upper and lower ones controlled by pneumatic cylinders.

  c; the mass then reaches the work area of the

knives that turn.

  French patent application NI 80-26,479 filed

  December 12, 1980, describes an improved method of trans-

  Tobacco Mission to Upper and Lower Feeders That Compress Tobacco As reported in

  patent application, a layer of tobacco is first of all

  the tobacco being oriented practically in the direction of

  layer of tobacco is then manufactured and the

  tray is distributed substantially uniformly throughout the layer The tobacco layer is then densified and the sheets interleaved into each other by applying forces of grevvity and vibration, with simultaneous transport of tobacco to the upstream end of the converging conveyors , with virtually no change in the orientation and juxtaposition of tobacco in the layer The densified layer

  then reaches the lower converging

  the orientation and juxtaposition of tobacco in the densified layer. Thus, the orientation and juxtaposition of tobacco are

  Initial formation of the layer to the chopping devices.

  The formation and transport of tobacco from this

  to the compression carriers cause compression that is less than that to be achieved

  in the tobacco layer for the same tobacco

  conventional apparatus, and much less pressure must be applied to the compressed tobacco presented to the chopper to prevent the leaves from being

  ripped out, compared to conventional methods.

  As the compressive force that must be applied

  leaves by carriers is reduced and as

  the compressive force has an effect on the filling factor

  wise of the cut tobacco, the preliminary compression caused by

  the gravity and the interlocking assured according to the invention makes it possible

  In addition, since compression-compressed tobacco experiences a physical force for a shorter time than in-the

  usual facilities, a larger part of the factor -

filling is retained.

  In a first method of implementing a method

  written in the aforementioned application for a patent, a

  translationally displaceable, is disposed in a substantially horizontal direction from the upstream end of the compression conveyors A relatively thick layer of tobacco containing the amount to be transmitted to the

  chopping station is formed at the upstream end of the transpor-

  by forming a steady rain of tobacco, this one

  being in the form of whole leaves or shredded leaves

  the rain formed being uniform over the entire length of the conveyor, so that the tobacco accumulates to the desired thickness of the layer in the longitudinal direction of movement of the conveyor. The tobacco in the form of a relatively thick layer is practically oriented in the

  plane of the diaper and is distributed almost

  shape following the width of the layer.

  The tobacco layer is subjected to vibrations when on the conveyor, due to a vertical displacement in translation of the transport surface when

  the layer is transported to the compressor carriers

  sion, under the action of displacement in translation of the surface

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  of the conveyor The vibrations cause a densification of the tobacco of the layer without use of a force other than

  that of gravity, during the transport of the diaper by

  translation of the conveyor to the chopping station with practically no change in the orientation and juxtaposition of the layer tobacco This orientation and this juxtaposition are maintained when the layer is transmitted from the vibrating conveyor to the lower convergent conveyor. tobacco does not vary from the initial formation of the diaper to the chopping station, and tobacco is not at risk

  so not to change orientation and juxtaposition.

  This operation is very different from that described in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,244,382 and 4,254,781, which describe a carrier.

  discontinuous which is subject to vibration in two directions.

  The discontinuous form of the conveyor shows that the speed of the tobacco particles varies abruptly when a thin layer formed initially forms a thick layer at the moment

  o The conveyor feeds compression conveyors.

  According to these patents, the thick layer of tobacco particles to be transmitted to the chopping apparatus is formed by tumbling particles from a thin current.

  during the formation of the thick layer, so that the orientation

  tation and juxtaposition of particles are modified.

  The carriers mentioned in these documents are intended for

  treatment of the material containing the ribs, because this

  In the process described in the above-mentioned French patent application, a thick layer is formed from a rain of whole leaves or pieces of tobacco leaves, the particles taking their orientation.

and their final juxtaposition.

  The invention relates to process improvements.

  described in the aforementioned patent application, so that the

  operation is improved According to the invention, the transport

  vibrator which moves in translation to side walls

  in contact with the sides of the tobacco layer and

  in translation at the same speed as the

  brant. The invention thus relates to a training method

4 Z 52? 052

  strips of chopped pieces of tobacco from a compressed layer formed by arranging a layer of tobacco

  in the form of whole leaves or large pieces of

  shredded, the tobacco having a substantially flat orientation in the cup, the sheets being nested and the

  tobacco is distributed almost uniformly throughout the

  then by densification of the tobacco layer by applying

  cation of gravity and vibration forces to the layer with simultaneous transport of the layer in a substantially horizontal direction without practical modification of the orientation and juxtaposition of the tobacco in the layer, and compression

  densified tobacco The process is characterized by the delimitation of

  the tobacco layer on its sides and by moving the bounding surfaces in the direction of movement

of the tobacco layer.

  The use of moving side-walls with the vibrating conveyor eliminates any tendency of snagging

  tobacco by a fixed side wall, which can alter the direction

  tation and / or juxtaposition of tobacco.

  In an advantageous embodiment of the invention,

  the transport surface of the tobacco layer is disposed substantially horizontally towards the upstream end of the converging transport surfaces, the tobacco layer is formed at the upstream end of the transport surface, and the latter moves according to a straight path, from

  the upstream end to the downstream end Formation-of the cou-

  tobacco at the upstream end of the transport surface may be provided by free falling tobacco towards the upstream end of the transport surface, and by diverting the falling tobacco so that it is evenly distributed over a portion of the transport surface The combined effect of this uniform drop of tobacco and the linear displacement of the tobacco layer on the transport surface ensures the formation of a tobacco layer having a rear surface inclined towards

  the top, in the direction of displacement of the layer.

  Preferably, the falling tobacco arrives in sufficient quantity that the angle of the rear surface

2527052

  sloping upwards, formed by the layer of tobacco, approximately equal to the angle of repose of the layer but not exceeding it, so that the tobacco distributed after its fall is arranged in a plane in the layer and Do not fall or tumble on the back surface of the diaper. Thus, the thickness of the tobacco layer is approximately equal to the maximum value that can be obtained on a

  as short as possible from the surface of the transpor-

  tor. Tobacco is usually seized at the downstream end of converging transport surfaces during the chopping of pieces of tobacco from the front end of the tobacco.

  compressed layer The speed of movement of

  convergent factors determines the speed of the tobacco layer along its entire path from its formation on the surface of

  transport to the downstream end of the converging surfaces.

  Preferably, the bounding surfaces, and the surface

  of transport move at a slightly higher speed than

  than the converging surfaces so that the orienta-

  tion and juxtaposition of tobacco in the layer are always

  days conserved, from the formation of the diaper to

  the downstream end of the converging conveyors.

  The vibration forces that are applied to the tobacco layer carried by the transport surface can decrease uniformly from a maximum value at the upstream end of the transport surface to a minimum value at the transport surface. Downstream end of this surface Thus, the tobacco undergoes the highest forces when they are most necessary and that is to say during the initial compression and nesting of the tobacco, and it undergoes a force

  reduced when compressed to a tight state.

  ration can be achieved by mounting the trans-

  port so that it can pivot around a horizontal pivot

  placed at its downstream end and that it can move vertically

  in translation, with displacement of the end

  upstream of the transport surface so that it deviates from the pivot.

  The invention also relates to an apparatus for

  the implementation of the aforementioned method and which includes trans-

  upper and lower tobacco carriers that converge to a downstream end, a hash device placed near the downstream end of the converging conveyors and for

  to chop the tobacco held at the downstream end, and a trans-

  substantially horizontal vibrating carrier for transporting a layer of tobacco at the upstream end of the conveyors

  converge and apply displacement forces in trans-

  The device is characterized by movable sidewalls which are placed on either side of the vibrating conveyor

  they are in contact with the sides of the tobacco layer.

  In the apparatus according to the invention, the side walls

  Mobile demarcating ribs are preferably vertically placed conveyor belts disposed on either side of the vibrating conveyor and substantially the entire length thereof, the belts being mounted on rotating rollers.

  have been mounted in a fixed position in relation to the trans-

  vibrating carrier so that they move vertically

in translation with him.

  The vibrating conveyor is advantageously arranged in a substantially horizontal direction, the transport surface of the tobacco being able to move in a rectilinear manner.

  transport area is usually formed by a cour-

  preferably, the transport surface and the

  downstream end joint on a pivot so that the alternating vertical vibration forces decrease uniformly along the vibrating conveyor, from a maximum value at the upstream end thereof to a zero value at its end.

downstream end.

  In one embodiment, the conveying surface has, in section, a substantially flat central portion disposed

  over a large part of the width, and inclined

  born downwards and protruding from the flat part towards the

edges of the conveyor belt.

  In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the vibrating conveyor and the movable side wall form several elements. In this embodiment, a frame

  placed horizontally is mounted at a longitudinal end

  the, so that it can pivot near the upstream end of converging conveyors around a substantially horizontal axis and transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vibrating conveyor A first conveyor belt is mounted on the frame and is arranged horizontally in the so that it carries the tobacco layer from a location near the other longitudinal end of the frame to the first longitudinal end thereof A second and a third conveyor belt are mounted on the frame and are disposed vertically therein, one on each side of the first conveyor, so that they are in contact with the sides of the tobacco layer during transport

  of it on the first conveyor belt

  a positive positive conveys the tobacco contact surfaces of the conveyor belts to the articulated end of the frame at substantially the same speed, so that the orientation and juxtaposition of the tobacco in the layer are practically unaffected when transport by the

  first conveyor belt A device for

  bration is connected to the other longitudinal end of the chassis and provides rapid

  of the chassis, so that it causes the vibration of the first

  The conveyor belt and the layer of tobacco that it carries The frame can be supported elastically near its other longitudinal end so that the vibrations

  The sides of the first conveyor belt are

  can cooperate with the second and third belts

  conveyors near their lower edges.

  The apparatus according to the invention preferably comprises a tobacco supply device for forming a tobacco rain, in the form of whole sheets or shredded pieces, the rain being arranged uniformly over a portion of predetermined length. of the vibrating carrier, so that the tobacco layer accumulates on a trunk of

  predetermined length conveyor The feeding device

  tobacco may include a conveyor belt

  placed above the upstream end of the conveyor belt.

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  and allowing the tobacco to fall at its end, with a dispenser that distributes tobacco that falls as a rain containing a uniform amount of tobacco

  in longitudinal and transverse directions.

  Other features and advantages of the invention

  tion will be better understood from reading the description

  FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic overall elevation of one embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention.

  Figure 2 is a perspective view of a food apparatus

  tobacco smoking of a chopper according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 3 is a section of the carrier of the

  Figure 2 is taken from line 3-3 of this one.

  In the drawings which represent a way of realizing

  advantageous embodiment of the invention, a device 10 hash

  tobacco has a chopper station 12 having transporters

  and upper and lower 14 and 16 which converge to a downstream neck with two upper and lower pressure plates 18 and 20 mounted so as to exert pressure on the compressed mass of tobacco 22

  placed between them A rotary drum 24 for transport has

  26 chopping knives mounted on its periphery and des-

  designed to chop Labac 28 strips into the mass 22.

  A thick layer of tobacco that can be formed

  whole leaves or shredded pieces, is carried out

  mounted on the vibrating surface 32 for transporting a conveyor 34, by means of a uniform rain of tobacco 36 which is distributed over a certain length of the transport surface 32 at its upstream end, that is to say at distance from the chopping station 12, and substantially uniformly across the width The details of the construction of the conveyor 34

  are shown in Figures 2 and 3.

  The distribution of tobacco from rain 36 on a

  the surface of the surface 32 allows the tobacco to accumulate

  than the desired thickness along the length of that section of the

  surface 32, the strips or pieces of leaves being

  placed in the substantially horizontal direction, the thickness corresponding to the amount to be received by the hashing machine 12 for the desired flow rate of tobacco This latter preferably comes in the form of a rain 36 in an amount such that the rear face 37 of the layer 32 tobacco makes an angle inclined upward which is approximately equal to but not exceeding the angle of slope of the layer Thus, the tobacco particles do not fall or do not undergo a tonnage backwards , able to modify the ornamentation

and the juxtaposition.

  The vertical alternative vibrations of the transport surface 32 cause the tobacco to nest and compress, and they nevertheless retain their juxtaposition

  to each other and their orientation The forces of vibra-

  the carrier 32 and the force of gravity are the

  only forces applied to tobacco that cause compression.

  Since the conveyor 32 is articulated at its lower end

  As indicated in more detail in the rest of this specification, the amplitude of the vibrations decreases uniformly from the maximum value at the upstream end to a zero value at the downstream end. Thus, the vibrations decrease when

  the tobacco layer is compressed.

  The moving surface 32 carries the thick layer

  30 h the mouths of carriers 14 and 16 at the level of

  thick layer 30 reaches the carrier

  The layer 30 is transported at a constant speed

  aunt * over its entire length from its formation at the upstream end of the surface 32 to the neck delimited at the end

  downstream of transporters 14 and 16 Thus, the horizontal orientation

  The velocity of displacement of the layer 30 is determined by the speed of transport of the converging conveyors 14 and 16. The surface 30 is advanced by the initial velocity of the tobacco leaves and their juxtaposition in the thick layer 30. preferably at a speed slightly greater than that of the conveyors 14 and 16 so that it causes a sliding of the surface 32 and the layer 30, ensuring the conservation of the orientation

  and the juxtaposition of the tobacco in the thick layer 30.

  This operation allows a significant reduction

  the pressure that must be applied to the mass 22 in order to

  fetch the leaves, for the same flow of tobacco, compared to the known process For example, the pressure of the

  pneumatic cylinder can be reduced from approximately 275 kPa

  Viron 35 k Pa This gives a better filling factor.

  wise of tobacco strips 28 formed after the hashing.

  We now consider Figures 2 and 3 which

  present details of the construction of the conveyor 34.

  It has a continuous belt 32 mounted on horizontal rollers 38 and 40 which are themselves mounted on members

  the sides 42 and 44 of the frame These bodies 42 and 44 are

  at the downstream end of the conveyor 34 on

  fixed positions of the chassis of the chopping station 12.

  The conveyor belt 32 is deformed on unrepresented supports so that, in section, it has portions 46 and 48 inclined downwards, on either side of a flat central portion 50. This construction appears clearly in FIG. This deformation of the belt 32 allows a more even distribution of the tobacco on any

  the width of the mass 22 as in the case of known machines.

  The members 42 and 44 are supported at the end opposite the pivot by supports 52 and 54 having springs

  compression and which are mounted on a support table 56.

  A cross member 58 is placed between the members 42 and 44 and is attached thereto. A crank 60 is hinged to the cross member 58 and is mounted on an axle 62 so that it is driven.

  eccentrically with respect to the axis 62.

  tralné by a motor 64, via a belt

  66 passing on pulleys 68 and 70.

  When the motor 64 enters the axis 62, the crank moves eccentrically about the axis 62 and causes the lifting and lowering of the members 42 and 44, thus the belt 32 The springs 54 dampen the vibrations induced by the movement of the crank 60 The motor 64 # 2527052 rotates at such a rate that the layer of tobacco placed

  on the surface of the conveyor belt 32 undergoes vibra-

  continuous amplitude decreases uniformly

  the layer 30 is transported by the belt 32.

  Upper bodies 72 and 74 of the connected chassis

  cross-members 76 and 78 are placed at a distance from the

  42 and 44 are connected to them and 82 are connected between the pairs of members 42 and 72 on the one hand and 44 and 74 on the other hand on the rollers 84 and

  86, only the rollers of the belt 80 being shown.

  Carriers 80 and 82 are in contact with the sides of the tobacco layer and are driven to the same location.

  the speed of the belt 32 by a suitable mechanism of

  tra tion schematically identified by reference 88.

  The fact that the moving side belts 80 and 82 are in contact with the tobacco layer 30 maintains the relative orientation and juxtaposition of the tobacco sheets of the diaper 30, so that they do not tend to to hang on fixed walls delimiting the conveyor, such a hanging that may cause a disturbance of the

  tobacco layer and a loss of orientation and juxtaposition

position of the leaves.

  A tobacco supply mechanism 90 is

  It is intended to form tobacco rain 36 in which the tobacco is uniformly distributed both transversely and longitudinally with respect to the conveyor 34. The mechanism 90 has a belt 92 in advance over which the tobacco leaves 94 or pieces of shredded leaves are transported to a location that is above

  the upstream end of the belt 32 A plate 96 is articulated

  The plate 96 comes into contact with the tobacco leaves 94 when they fall down from the belt end 92 so that it can move in translation under the action of a feed mechanism 98. end of the trans carrier 92 and the reciprocating movement causes the formation

rain 36 ede tobacco.

  Although there is shown the conveyor belt 92 arranged coaxially with the conveyor 34, it is possible to obtain

  the same result by arrangement of the belt 92 direc-

  perpendicular to conveyor 34, so that tobacco

  94 comes from the side on the carrier 34.

  The conveyor 34 thus allows the formation and transport of the tobacco layer 30 to the mechanism 14

  shredding The tobacco from layer 30 is oriented practically

  in a plane, it is densified when it is trans-

  worn by the belts 32, 80 and 82, and it retains its

  orientation and its juxtaposition during transport.

  In summary, the invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for forming and transporting a

  layer of tobacco to a hash machine.

  Of course, various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art to the devices and methods which have just been described solely as examples.

  non-limiting, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (7)

  A process for forming chopped tobacco strips by chopping pieces of tobacco with a compressed layer (22) formed by arranging a layer of tobacco (30) in the form of sheets or shredded pieces of sheets, the tobacco of the layer being oriented substantially in a plane, being imbricated and being distributed substantially uniformly transversely to the layer, by densification   tobacco from the layer (30) by application of gravitational forces.   and vibration with simultaneous transport of the   tobacco in a substantially horizontal direction without   significant influence of the orientation and the juxtaposition of the tobacco in the layer, andby compression of the densified tobacco, said method being characterized in that it comprises the delimitation of the tobacco layer (30) on its sides and the displacement of the surfaces. delimitation (80, 82) in the   direction of movement of the tobacco layer.   Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the transport surface (32) which supports the tobacco layer (30) and the boundary surfaces (80, 82) move at a slightly higher transport speed.   at the speed of movement of the tobacco layer (30).   3. Method according to one of claims 1 and 2,   characterized in that the vibration forces applied to the tobacco layer (30) decrease uniformly according to its length.   Process according to any one of the claims   8 to 3, characterized in that the tobacco layer (30) is formed from a downward rain (36) of tobacco and is formed with a rear surface (37) inclined upwardly at an angle which is roughly equal to the slope angle   of the layer but which does not exceed it.   An apparatus for forming ground tobacco, of the type which comprises upper and lower conveyors (14, 16) converging towards a downstream end, a device   hashing (12) located near the downstream end of the conveyors   convergent and intended to chop tobacco -2527052   the downstream end, and a substantially horizontal vibrating conveyor (32) for transporting a tobacco layer (30) to the upstream end of the converging conveyor (14, 16), and applying vertical alternating forces during transportation of the layer of tobacco (30) on this conveyor, said apparatus being characterized in that it comprises movable lateral walls (80, 82) delimiting placed on either side of the vibrating conveyor (32) and intended   to be in contact with the sides of the tobacco layer (30).   Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the movable boundary sidewalls are conveyor belts (80, 82) positioned vertically on each side of the vibrating conveyor (32) and substantially the entire length thereof, and rotating rollers   (84, 86) on which the conveyor belts are mounted.   7 Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the vertical conveyor belts (80, 82) and the vibrating conveyor (32) are mounted in a frame (34) itself mounted on a pivot (38) at the downstream end vibrating conveyor (32) and having a device (60) for   in vibration connected to the other end.   Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that a motor (88) is adapted to drive the side belts (80, 82) and the vibrating conveyor (32) so that they   all be trained at the same speed.