US1017713A - Tobacco-treating machinery. - Google Patents

Description

J. M. VAUGHAN.

TOBACCO TREATING MACHINERY.

APPLIOATION FILED APR.26,1911.

1,017,713. Patented Feb.20,1912,

G SHEETS-SHEET 1v J. M. VAUGHAN. TOBACCO TREATING- MACHINERY.

APPLICATION FILED APB. 26, 1911.

Patented Feb. 2o, 1912.`

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mN QN J. M. VAUGHAN. TOBACCO TRBATING MACHINERY.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

J. M. VAUGHAN.

TOBACCO TREATING MACHINERY.

APPLIoATIoN FILED APR. ze, 191'1.

Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

J. M. VAUGHAN. ToBACco TBBATING MAGHINERY.

APPLIATION FILED APR. 26, 1911. 1,017,713, Patented Feb.20, 1912.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5A y J. M. VAUGHAN. TOBACCO TREAJHNGy MACHINERY.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2B, 1911.

Patented Feb. 20, 1912.v

@SHEETS-SHEET 6.

' tobacco treating apparatus embodying the JAMES M. VAUGHAN, 0F OWENSBORO, KENTUCKY,

TQBACCO-TREATINZG MACHINERY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led April 23, 1911.

Patented Feb# 29, 1912. serial No. 623,473,

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. VAUGHAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Owensboro, in 'the county of Daviess vand State of Kentucky,havezinvented certain new and, useful Improvements in Tobacco- Treating Machinery, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention comprehends certain new and'useful improvements in tobacco treating machinery, and relates particularly to an improyed construction o apparatus of the continuous type, the parts of which are' so arranged that the tobacco, fedinto one end of the machine, may be carried continuously therethrough so as to be dried by the action of heated air, subsequently cooled to the required temperature, and finally ordered by the actionof jets of live steam.

The invention has for one of its objects an apparatus of this character in which the heated air may be maintained at all times at a predetermined or requisite temperature, in which said air may be -kept pure and thereby assist in producing a better product, and in which the air will have extracted therefrom the particles of nicotin taken np from the tobacco and held in suspension, this not only keeping the air pure, .but saving this valuable by-product.

With this and other objects in View as will more fully appear as the-description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions, arran ements Aand .combinationsof the parts tat I'shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding'of the invention, reference is .to be hadcto the following description and 'accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is' av longitudinal vertical sectional view of the feed end or portion of a prlnciples and Improvements of my invention; Fig. 1 isa similar view of an intermediate portion ofthe machine;Fig. l is a corresponding view of the discharge end o1' portion of t e machine; Fig. 2 is a verticalljitransverse sectional view, the section being't'taken substantially on the line 2--2 of AFig. 1, lookingin the direction of the arrows; Fig. is a detailed sectional View line 3-3 of Fig. 1"; Fig. 4 is a lan is shown in longitudinal section in Fig. la; and, Fig. 5 is an end view opposite tothe end illustrated in Fig. 2. ,f

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in 'all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.'

Extending longitudinally in the main framework orhousing of the apparatus are any desired number of endless chain carriers 1, the number thereofdepending, manifestly, upon the size of the plant or apparatus, there being three pairs of Athese carriers in the present embodiment of the invention (see Fig. 2). The chain carriers 1 embody hooked inks, the hooks being designated 2 and being designed for engagement with sticks 3 extending transversely as s own and on which the bunches of tobacco may be sus ended.

Within t e upper and lpwer stretches of the several chain carriers 1, an endless foraminous or reticulated carrier. 4 is mounted, preferabl extendin for a lo'ng tudinal movement rom one side of the gang of'chain conveyers to the other. In the present. instance, the conveyer-4 is made or built up of any desired number of laterally joined strips of woven Wire. The upper stretch of the conveyer 4 lies below the upper carrying stretch or stretches of' the endless chain conveyers 1, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1, and isprimarily designed to support and carry along loose leaves or port-ions thereof that may be broken or dropped from thevbunches suspended on the sticks 3, although it is of course to be understood that the tobacco, in its loose leaf or other co'ndition, 'may `be laid directly upon the upper stretch of the conveyer 4.

The main housing or framework of the apparatus includes a bottom Wall 5 which may be the oor of the roomin which'the apparatus is located', longitudinally extending vertical side walls 6, a main or top roof 7, and partition or-lower false roof 8 which, with inner or false side Wa1ls-9, divide the -housing from one eind tothe other into a` main middle compartment A and side co1 partments B which are designed for the circulation of heated airand in which'steam radiators 10, or other heating devices, are mounted. The side compartments B communicate atthe lower edges `of the inner false side walls 9 with the botsired intervals longitudinally thereof and in each of these openings there is mounted a down-'draft fan 12 suspended to rotate about a vertical axis on the lower end of a vertical y shaft 13, said shafts extending up through or main roof 7 and being driven in the to any dpesired wav, as by bevel pinions 14 meshing with corresponding pinions 15 on a main line or drive shaft 16 extending n a median line along the top of the roof 7 y and journaled in any suitable bearings. In this connection, 1t is to be 'understood that while Figs. 1 and la' show diierent portions of the drying p ortion of the apparatus, such portions are not continuous in the accompanying drawings; for the sake of brevity and to reduce the `number of sheets 'of drawings used, an intermediate` ortion of the drfing part of the apparatus s been omitte be of any desired length an embody any desired number of the down-draftans 12 arranged at an desired distances apart. At this oint, I eem it advisable .to describe for -t e sake of clearness, the operationof roducing circulation of heated air lin the ryin 'portion of the machine. Itwill be seen t at the fans 12 serve to create or maintain a circulation of air downwardly from the top chamber C onto and through the tobacco-carried by the conveyers 1 and 4, and

that such air currents, after passin through throu h draft or suction fans. 17 that are two 1n number in the present instance and that'are 'mounted at. the topof an up-draft chamber or compartment D separated from the compartment 4C by a transversely extending ver tically dis osed partition 18. In the present. embo `iment of the invention, the updraft fans 17 are driven by transverse countershafts 19 that have a common driving connection with the shaft 16 at one end of the latter. d

- It is here to be particularly noted that the f ans 17 are interposed between the outlet opening 20 of the up-draft compartment D `Suiice it 't0- say-that this portion ofthe a paratus may the vopposlteside walls 6, whereby the cdi! ition of the diiferent compartments, that is,

and any desired number of coils 21 of any desired number of convolutions, said coils separating the fans from the final discharge passage 22 which leads to the atmosphere and which may be provided with any desired form` and construction of damper 23. In the resent instance, the damper is controlled by means of a cord 24 connected at one end ,thereto and leading downwardly to a point within convenient reach of the attendants. It is intended that cold water shall be circulated through'the coils 21, being passed thereto from a supply pipe 25 and discharged therefrom through a pipe 26, on opposite sides of the machine. Hence, as the air, heavily laden with nicotin, is sucked up 4,from the 'compartment D and caused to pass through the coils 21 through which the cold water is flowing, the nicotin 4will be condensed andV fall into laterally extending pans or troughs 27 which in the present instance are two in number extending in opposite directions as best seen in Fig. 2, the nicotin, which is a valuable byproduct for a variety of uses well known to l those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, being thereby collected and saved, while at the same time the air is purified, which not only promotes hygienic conditions in the room 1n which the apparatus is located, but also insures a purer and sweeter product in the treated tobacco, this result bein secured by means which I shall now descri e.

" ,Leading rearwardly from the coils21 are any desired number of fines 28, these being two in vnumber in the present instance in order to provide a middle space on 'the roof 7 for the accommodation of the line shafting and other driving parts. By closing the damper 23, the entire 'volume of air passed-"through the coils 21 may becaused to iow through the lines 28, said fiues terminating in and covering openings 29 that are formed in the to 30 of the middle cooling chamber E of t 1e machine. A main -fan 31 is mounted in the chamber E, said' fan being a down-draft fan and drawing the air from theilues 28 down into the main middle compartment A a'bove the upper stretch of Vthe chain 1. Thus a continuouscirculation may be maintained, the air being 'purified repeatedly as it passes throughthe coils 21, this operation also insuring that the proper temperature may at all times be maintained, as by actuating or adjusting the damper 23 or any desired number of dempers 32 arranged at any desired intervals apart at the upper ends of the compartment `B above the heating coils or radiators 10, the dampers 32 being controlle in' any desired way, asby cables 33. j '34 desi ates doors that are provid "n the temperature thereof, and the condition lof the tobacco may be determined at any ment E borders upon the ordering or discharge portion of the apparatus. The main middle compartment A and the sirle compartment B and top compartments C are all included in this portion of the-appa-l ratus, the false roof 8 which separates the middle compartment A from the to-p compartment C beingv4 formed with any desired number of openings 35 in which down-draft fans 35 are mounted, said fans being carseparately driven as by belts 38 from a main lses y their length, the ,flues 47 are formed with ried by vertical ,shafts 37' operatively connected to the main line shafting l6a'which corresponds to and which is arranged in longitudinal alinement with the shafting 1 6 before mentioned. The shaft 3la which carries the fan 31 is also operated by theshafting 16a, and it is to be particularly noted that the two lines of shafting 16,16a are drive' shaft 39, independently operable clutches 40 being connected with the band wheels 4l for the driving belts 38, .whereby one line of shafting may be drivenA and the otherI held in an moperative position, according to the particular requirements of the case. The tobacco, as it passes through this rear-portion of the machine, is acted upon by air heated by live jets of steam passing inwardly into the compartment A at the bottom thereof from heaters 42 that are mounted in pockets 43 constructed on the outer side of the main housing or framework, the steam passing through orifices 44 formed inthe side walls of the housing, as

Abest illustrated in Fig. 3. The air is cir,

culated, by means of the down-draft fans 36, down throughv the tobacco and is, laden with the'live steam, thencepassed upwardly and inwardly so as to maintain alateral circulation, while at the same time these air currents are drawn toward the rear end of the machine by any desired lnumber of 11p-draft fans 45 secured to shafts 46 and.

operatively connected to the line shafting 16a. The fan or fans 45 force the air into fines 47 that open at theirforward ends into the compartment C adjoiningthe compartment E; At. intermediate points in cold air intake passages 49 controlled by dampers 50, and at other points in their length, for instance, at their rear ends, said flues 47 are formed with steam exhaust passages 51 controlled by dempers 52 operateftl-bymea-ns of cables or cords 53; It will vthus-be understoodthat if conditions in the ordering compartment justify it, I might notl wish to exhaust steam or' take in cold as to permit steam to exhaust and the damper 50 may be opened to any desired extent according to conditions present or requirements of the case, so as toexhaust some of the steam and take in freshl air.

As the operations of the different parts o f the apparat-us have been described in con# nection with the constructionv and operation thereof, I deem no further description of the operation necessary.

The conveyers may, of course, 'be driven in anyl desired way, that is by any desired mechanism; In the present embodiment of the invention, they are driven only at the rear or discharge end of the apparatus, the drum shaft 56 for the rear end of theconveyer 4 carrying a sprocket wheel 57 which is connected by a sprocket chain 58to a corresponding wheel 59 onthe rear shaft 60 of the upper stretchofthe conveyerl. This shaft 6() also carries a worm gear 61 which meshes with a worm`62 on the lower end of a lvertically disposed` shaft 63, it being of vcourse understood that there are`three of these shafts 63v and related parts, owing to the fact that there are three pairs of endless chainconveyers l. Each of the shafts 63 carriesv at its upper end a worm gear 64, said gears meshing with worms 65 on a shaft, 66, which receives itsy motion from a stub shaft 67 driven as by a belt 68 from a driv` ing shaft 69 supported kin suitable hangers from the ceiling of the room.

When the tobacco is laid directly upon the upper stretch of the conveyer 4, and not suspendedffrom the sticks on the conveyer l,

VI preferably employ end doors 70, atboth ends of the machine, said doors being swung downwardly to partially inclose the ends of the housing above the upper stretch of the` .conveyer ,4 and the spaces between the adjoining side edges of the door being lclosed by laterally swinging sections71.

Itis to be understood that my invention I is notl limited to the use of cold water pipes to produce the condensation of ,the nicotin, but that any cold surface may be employed for this purpose; and that various other changes may be made in the construction', larrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.`

`Having thus described the invention, what is-claimed as new is:

1. An apparatus of the character described, embodying a compartment for the tobacco, means for establishing a circula- I tion of heated air through the compartment,

and means for condensing the nicotin' from the circulating air.

2..,An apparatus of the character vdescribed., embodying a compartment for Vthe tobacco, means for establishing and maintaining a circulation ofheated air in said compartment, and a nicotin condenser mounted in said compartment in the path of the current of air. 3. An vapparatus of the character described, embodying a compartment for the tobacco,-means for maintaining a circulation of heated air in said compartment, said means including down-draft fans, a flue connected at its ends to the compartment, a nicotin condenser in said flue, and an up draft fan interposed' in said liue between the condenser and the communicating end of the compartment.

4. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a compartment for the tobacco, a .Hue connected at its ends to the compartment, the flue being provided with a damper controlled discharge passage, a

lnicotin condenser interposed between said passage and the adjoining end yof the compartment, and means for establishing a circulation of air through the Hue andcompartment, said air passing through the condenser. y

5.` An apparatus of the character described, embodying ax'compartment for the tobacco, a flue connected at its ends to the top of the compartment, said fiile being provided With'a damper controllid dischar e passage, a nicotin condenser comprising co d water pipes mounted in said' Hue, a trough underneath said pipes, and means for establishing a` circulation of heated air through the flue and compartment.

InV testimony whereof, I aix my signature in presence of tWoyWitnesses.` Y

y.minas M. VAUGHAN. [L sy] y" Witnesses: y

J. G. WEILL, J. M. MA'rrrNGLY.

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