GB1198179A - Method and apparatus for Forming a Strand of Tobacco - Google Patents

Abstract

1,198,179. Feeding tobacco. B. A. T. CIGARETTEN-FABRIKEN G.m.b.H. 11 June, 1968 [24 June, 1967], No. 27769/68. Heading A2C. A method of forming a strand of tobacco, from tobacco cut in the form of fibres which is fed continuously from a tobacco distributer, comprises forming a dense first strand having the fibres placed substantially mutually parallel, but transversely to the direction of travel of the strand whilst said strand is moved continuously forward, and continuously removing tobacco fibres from the front end of said strand while retaining their alignment, and transporting said fibres onward in close succession as a second strand in a direction parallel to the said alignment. Tobacco showered from a distributer (12) on to a conveyer belt (14) is fed into a suction hopper (16) leading to a channel 20. The channel 20 is bounded at its sides by two air permeable conveyer bands (26, 27) backed by suction applied perpendicularly to the bands (26, 27) which cause the tobacco to be compacted in the channel 20 with its fibres lying transverse to the direction of travel. The compaction point, as detected by light barrier elements 40, 42, is held within that part of the channel lying between said elements by control of the distributer (12) feed. The compacted tobacco stream is then stripped from the end of the channel 20 by a spiked wheel 56 and passes into a channel 60, while the fibres maintain their alignment. The fibres are then delivered to the channel 90, which is set at right angles to the channel 20, to form a second tobacco strand with its fibres parallel to its direction of movement. A vacuum chamber 68 underlies an air permeable conveyer belt 62 in the first half of the channel 90 and a vacuum chamber 78 overlies a similar conveyer belt 72 in the second half of the channel 90. The second tobacco strand, on leaving the channel 90 is deposited on a continuous paper band P and wrapped in conventional manner.