TH11682A - Tobacco leaf processing methods. - Google Patents

Abstract

Whole tobacco leaves are fed into a grinder, where a mixture of laminar pieces and long stems is produced. The laminar pieces, whether slightly or unreduced, can be fed into a cigarette-making machine. The stems can be discarded or processed conventionally.

Claims (45)

1. The method of processing tobacco material involves feeding whole tobacco leaves defined herein above through a grinder at a moisture content below their transition moisture content as previously defined. The arrangement of the said grinder and the operating conditions are such that the product exiting the said grinder is a mixture consisting of small lamina fragments and attached stem fragments. The lamina portion of the said product, after being separated from the attached stem fragments, is well homogeneous and does not require further reduction to make the lamina suitable for insertion into smoking containers. 2. The method under claim 1, which involves feeding long strands of lamina into the aforementioned grinder together with whole tobacco leaves. 3. A method under claim 1 or 2 in which the moisture content of a majority of the tobacco material fed into the grinder is lower than the transition moisture content as previously defined herein. 4. Any method under one of the preceding claims in which the tobacco material is fed into the aforementioned grinder by its gravity. 5. A method pursuant to one of the preceding claims in which the aforementioned crusher consists of size-reducing components in the first and second sections, a material flow channel between and across the surfaces of the aforementioned components, and a driving mechanism that produces relative motion between the aforementioned components. 6. The method under claim 5, which includes at least the first component mentioned above, is a circular disc. 7. The method under claim 5, where the aforementioned surface is a cone. 8. By means of claims 5, 6, or 7, the aforementioned component on its opposite surface consists of a projection. 9. The method under claim 8, whereby the aforementioned projections are generally linear in structure and are perpendicular to the direction of relative rotation between the aforementioned components. 10. Any of the methods described in Claims 5 through 9, in which the aforementioned driving mechanisms drive only one component. 11. Any one of the methods described in Claims 5 through 9 drives the two components mentioned above. 12. Any of the methods under Claims 5 through 11 in which the aforementioned relational motion is a rotational relational motion. 13. Any method under any of the preceding claims in which the lamina portion of the aforementioned product is not subjected to further grinding. 14. Any method under any of the preceding claims, during the passage of the blade material through the aforementioned crusher, involves the application of low-pressure steam to the blade material. 15. Any of the preceding claims in which the flow of sheet material through the said crusher is assisted by maintaining the product outlet of the said crusher at a low air pressure. 16. Any method under any prior claim, prior to feeding the leaf material into the aforementioned crusher, processes the aforementioned leaf material or a part of it with a smoke modifier. 17. Any method under one of the preceding claims in which the lamina of the aforementioned product is processed by tobacco leaf expansion. 18. In accordance with any of the preceding claims, the laminate portion of the aforementioned product is not included in the item for smoking. 19. The method under claim 18, where the object for smoking is a cigarette. 20. The method under claim 18, in which the item for smoking is a cigar. 21. The method under claims 18, 19 or 20 which feeds the aforementioned lamina portion into the machine for pumping. 22. The method under claim 21, prior to feeding into the aforementioned machine, did not involve further reduction of the lamina portion, or only involved a minor reduction. 23. In any of the methods under claims 18 through 22, prior to the inclusion of the aforementioned laminate in the pumping material, the laminate is homogeneously mixed with the other pumping material. 24. Items for smoking consisting of smoking materials which are products of any of the tobacco processing methods under Claims 1 through 17. 25. Items for smoking as per claim 24, and which are cigarettes. 26. Items for smoking as per claim 24 and including cigars. 27. A product consisting of a relatively similar mixture of lamina particles and stem fragments, a mixture resulting from the feeding of whole tobacco leaves as previously defined herein, at a moisture content lower than their transition moisture content as previously defined herein, through a grinder. The lamina portion of the aforementioned product, after being separated from the stem fragments and becoming well-homogenized, does not require further reduction to make the lamina suitable for inclusion in smoking products. 28. A product under claim 27 whose repositioning angle of its lamina portion after separation from the aforementioned rod portion is not more than 45 degrees to the horizontal. 29. The product under claim 28, whose reposting angle is not more than 35 degrees to the horizontal. 30. Products pursuant to claims 27, 28, or 29, which have a shape factor as defined herein above of approximately 70 percent or more, and a dust-free particle content of the lamina fraction of 0.5 or higher. 31. Products under claim 30 that have a shape factor as defined herein above of approximately 80 percent or more of the dust-free particles of the said lamina portion of 0.5 or higher. 32. Any product under claims 27 through 31 that has a laminate filling value less than that of a typical cut laminate cigarette filler material. 33. Items for smoking containing any of the products specified in Claims 27 through 32. 34. Items for smoking as per claim 33, and which are cigarettes. 35. Items for smoking as per claim 33 and as cigars. 36. Method of processing tobacco material to obtain a filler material for smoking utensils, in which whole tobacco leaves, as previously defined herein, with a moisture content lower than their transition moisture content as previously defined herein, are passed through channels defined by the interconnected protrusions of the first and second parts of the grinding component, with relative motion of the grinder, from the inlet of the said channels to the outlet of the channels further away from the said inlet, so that the product at the said outlet consists of a mixture of lamina particles and intact stem fragments. The lamina particles and stem fragments are separated, with the portion of lamina particles without stem fragments comprising the filler material, which does not require further size reduction to make it suitable for insertion into smoking utensils. 37. The method according to Article 36, where the aforementioned solution is located at a position which is a limiting position of the common width of the aforementioned section. 38. Filler material for pumping, which is a product of the method under claim 36 or 37. 39. Method of making the pumping material in which the fill material, a product of the method under claim 36 or 37, is fed into the pumping material making machine. 40. Items for smoking, which are products of the method under claim 39. 41. Fill material for pumping, which is a homogeneous material consisting of approximately 70 percent or more laminate particles with a shape factor as defined herein above, and a dust-free particle size of 0.5 or higher. 42. Method of manufacturing the pumping equipment, which feeds the fill material as per claim 41 into the pumping equipment. 43. Items for smoking, which are products of the method under claim 42. 44. A method of cigarette making that reduces tobacco material so that whole leaves are separated as previously defined herein. Whole leaves with a moisture content lower than their transition moisture content as previously defined herein are fed through a grinder, where the product exiting the grinder is a mixture consisting of small lamina pieces and relatively similar stems, separating the lamina and stem portions, and the homogeneous lamina portion is fed into a cigarette rolling machine without requiring further reduction. 45. Methods of processing tobacco leaves, as described in experiments 1 through 4 and 6 as detailed above, in order to obtain a mixture consisting of small lamina pieces and relatively similar stems directly.