GB441781A - Improvements in or relating to the moistening of tobacco - Google Patents

Abstract

441,781. Conditioning tobacco. QUESTER, E., 141, Wullnerstrasse, Lindenthal, Cologne, Germany. July 26, 1934, No. 21899. [Class 130] Tobacco is moved intermittently or continuously through a moistening chamber 1 in containers 9 which can be placed upon or removed from, the conveying means. As shown in Fig. 1, each container is formed by one or more trays having perforated sheet metal or wire gauze walls and is suspended by a link 6 from a roller 5 mounted on a rail 4. The containers are drawn through the chamber 1 by an endless chain 7 driven by a motor 13. In a modified form the containers are arranged in a tiered carriage which is drawn across the floor of the chamber. The chamber 1 may contain several conveying means and be provided with several measuring points. In Fig. 7, the containers are weighed by providing the rail 4 with a separate spring- pressed part 21, which yields as the roller 5 passes over it, and through a link 22 swings an arm 27 about a pivot 24. The oscillation may be read through a window 20, Fig. 1, and the conveyer speed or supply of moisture regulated manually, or the arm 27 may move over contacts 28 to actuate a relay 30 to vary the speed of the conveyer or the supply of moisture. Automatic regulation may also be obtained by measuring the electrical conductivity of the tobacco which increases with the moisture content of the tobacco. The sides 35, 36 and bottom 37, Fig. 8, of the containers are separated by insulating material and current supplied to a contact 33, under which moves a conductor 32 on the container, passes through the moistened tobacco before actuating a relay. To ensure uniform moistening, the tobacco is turned during its conveyance through the chamber 1 either by racks which engage spur wheels carried by the containers to invert them or to empty full containers into empty containers or by dividing the container 45, Fig. 11, into compartments 47 by partitions 46 which are intermittently or continuously rotated by a rack 50 which engages a spur wheel 49.