GB778196A - Arrangements for blending tobacco - Google Patents

Abstract

778,196. Mixing apparatus. QUESTER, W. May 22, 1953, No. 14457/53. Class 86 [Also in Group VI] In means for blending tobacco, layers of tobacco leaves of different kinds are deposited in a container 7, one on top of another, by an-endless belt conveyer 10, Figs. 1 and 2, which moves backwards and forwards across the container and the resultant pile of tobacco is moved slowly by a conveyer 8, forming the bottom of the container, towards a stripping conveyer 11 having projecting pins 12 which move across the end face of the pile to strip away transverse sections thereof. Each layer of tobacco in the container 7 is formed by leaves of one kind placed on a conveyer 1 by operators 2, which leaves pass through a suction conduit 4 on to a conveyer 6 feeding the reciprocating conveyer 10. The apparatus preferably comprises two containers 7, 7<SP>1</SP>, Fig. 2. side by side in one of which the pile of tobacco is built up whilst the previously formed pile in the other is being delivered to its associate stripping conveyer 11, from which the tobacco is delivered on to separate conveyers 17, 17<SP>1</SP> which deliver it on to a conveyer 14 feeding a conveyer 15 which further blends the tobacco by travelling backwards and for wards over a container 16 to spread the mixed tobacco in layers therein. In a modification the tobacco leaves are passed through a humidifier before reaching the operators 2 and the conveyer 14 delivers the tobacco into a mixing drum prior to its delivery on to the belt 15. In Figs. 1 and 2 the conveyer 11 is arranged to move downwards across the end face of the tobacco pile and the pins 12 are arranged in rows with one pin in each row longer than the remaining pins to prevent tobacco building up at the bottom edge of the tobacco pile. The conveyer is pivoted about its top roller so that it can swing backwards to avoid jamming due to a build up of tobacco. In a modification, Fig. 7, the stripping conveyer 43 is arranged triangularly so that the conveyer moves upwards across the end face of the tobacco pile 42, travels horizontally and then has an inclined portion off which the tobacco drops on to conveyer 45. The top of the tobacco pile is held rigid by a rake 44' and the back of the pile is prevented from collapsing by a removable wall or rake 46a.