US1666720A - Tobacco-stripping machine - Google Patents

Description

April 17, 1928.

2 sheets-$1158: 1

Filed April 24, 1925 INVENTOR JR 5 c0 2/ LZZ, BY

ATTORNEY April 17, 1928.

J. P. SCOVILL TOBACCO STRIPPING MACHINE Filed April 24, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

INVENTOI} JPSCm/LZZ, BY "495% ".1 N

Patented Apr. 17, 1928,

} c n-{ED STA ES PATENT 'oFFicE... I

JAMES P. SCOVILL, or 'rnom'iv'nw YORK, ASSIGNOR 'r-o PEERLESS ,MAoHiiiE Con :PoRA'rIoN, or new YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION or ELA AR TOBACCO-STRIPPING MACHINE.

Application filed April 24, 1925. Serial No. 25,517,

This invention is an improvement in tobacco stripping machines, and more particularly in machines foi stripping the lamina from the stem cleanly and in relatively large pieces; i

In the usual construction of stripping or stemming machine of this character the leaf is grasped by the butt of" the stem, and,

moved through stemming devices,--which strip the lamina from the stem while it is so. held. The lamina does not strip readily in this direction, for several reasons, among which, may be mentioned the disposition of the stem branches, and the. close tenacious unioirbetween the lamina andthe stem at the point Where the side edges of the lamina merge into the stem, near the butt. I

At this point the union between thestem and the leaf is strong and tough offering a relatively large tensile resistance to any stress tending toward separation of the lamina and stem. It is impracticable however, to strip toward the butt The tip of the stem is not strong enough to withstandthe pullingstress of the, stripping operation,

and moreover since a relatively large part of the liner stem portionis capable of utili-.

zation for all purposes for Which theleai' is used, it is desirable that in the stripping operation a portion of the stem tip be left with the stripped lamina, and that this portion of the leaf be exposed to as littlechance of mutilation as possible in ,the stripping operation. 7 I

In stripping or stemming machines wherein the stem butt is-held during the stripping operation,-there isusually a relatively largeproportion of drops, that-,isof leaves not tightly enough grasped bythe transporting means to resist the pull otthe strippingdevices, and which pass through-the machine unchanged, to :be later stripped manually fully described hereinafter, illustratedin the accompanying drawings, and pointed" p out in the claims appended hereto, it .being' understood' that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of. conor in some other manner;

treatment-,tor bring them into proper case for-the separation off-the lamina and stem without breaking. or shattering fragment-a be resorted to Without departing from, the

spirit of the invention. p

tion of the leaf, it is desirable. that the strip-' ping operation beasnearly complete as, pos sible While the tobacco is in such a condition, and that the-dropping of'the leaves from any cause be avoided, or at .least greatly limited. I

It is also desirable that the stripping operation be as nearly as possible in one direction, and substantially continuous, and while theleafiis grasped by a single grasping means, so far atle'ast concerns the stripping of the body portion of the leaf, thus to avoid the liability vto breakage, of the stem from re-handling j" The stripping operation is usually performed bycooperating leaf transporting mechanism and stripping devices, which operate on diverging lines, so that While the leaf is moved laterally by the transporting means, there is in addition'relative movement of the leaf andstripping devices longi-r the action of tudinally of theileaf. i

With such. an arrangement, the stripping devices, upon the closely adherent portion of the lamina at the buttis not sufficiently violent'nor of a duration to ,eificiently break this connection.

An objectpf the present invention. isthe Y provision oi: a machine having means to primarily break the lamina transversely of the leaf on each side of the stem}, near thev butt, prior to the stripping operation.

Another object is the provision in such a machine of mechanism operating along a selected line transversely of, the leaf over a lengthrof time, and with. a sufiicient violent action to thoroughly break up the strong connection, ,betvveen the leaf andthestem near the butt. I g

vAnother object] is ;the' provision of mechanism for more firmly grasping. the butt-s1 of' the stems as they are fed through the ma:

chine, thereby to reduce the proportion of} drops. 1 To the accomplishment of the foregoiiig and such other objects. as may hereinafter.

appear, the invention. consists .ingthec'onstruction and novel "combination of parts struction within the scope of the claims, may;

5.105 a plan View of, the improved connected with the extension.

Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are plan views of a leaf showing its condition at the end of the several stages of the operation.

Figs. 6 and 7 are sections on the line 66 and 77 respectively, of Fig. 2.

In the present embodiment of the invention, a suitable supporting frame 1 is pro vided, having at one end an extension 2, in which is journaled a pair of rollers 3 and 4t, and an endless feed belt 5 is supported by the rollers Sand 4. The upper run of the said belt moves over a table 6 which is adjustably mounted on laterally extending arms 7 from the extension, the adjustment being provided by slot and screw connections indicated at 8. This table carries at the edge adjacent tothe extension 2, a butt plate 9, in the form of an upstanding flange, against which the leaves are butted, as they are moved over the table by the feed belt.

As the leaves leave the feed belt 5, they are delivered to the transporting mechanism, which carries them past the stripping devices. The transporting mechanism in the I present instance is constituted by a pair of upper and lower chains 10 and 11 respectively, the chains being so arranged that the lowerrun of the upper chain and the upperrun of the lower chain move in contact along a horizontal line, parallel with the length of the butt plate 9.

The lower chain is supported by sprocket wheels on shafts 12 and 13 respectively, the former'being journaled transversely of the main frame 1, and on the rear end thereof,

While the latter is a stub shaft journaled in the extension 2. This chain is driven in a manner to be presently described, and it in turn drives the upper chain, which is supported by sprocket wheels on shafts 14 and 15, the formed being just above the shaft 12 while the latter is above and in rear of the stub shaft 13. The upper chain is tensioned by means of a wheel 16 carried by a plate 17, which is adjustably connected to a bracket 18 extending upwardly from the main frame. The adjustment is provided by means of a slot in the plate, and a bolt on the bracket, the parts indicated at 19.

The stub shaft 13 also drives the feed belt 5 through a. sprocket chain 20 mounted on sprockets on the stub shaft and on the shaft 3 respectively, and the upper run of the chain is supported by a grooved roller 21' connected with the extension 2. The shaft 3 is adjustable longitudinally of the extension. Referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the extension is longitudinally slotted at 22 to receive the shaft, and that a plate 23 mounted on the shaft is adjustably The plate has bolts at its ends, which move in slots 24: in the extension, and it will be evident that when the bolts are tightened, the shaft will be anchored in adjusted position, it bethat on the cooperatingruns of the chains the concavities of the links of the two chains face each other, and the runs are so spaced that the convex portions of each chain, that is the pivoted ends of the links will engage Within the concave portions of the other chain. Thus there is a close engagement throughout the length of the runs and a positive driving connection between the lower and the upper chain.

The chains 10 and 11, as before stated,

constitute the transporting mechanism for the leaves, to carry them past the stripping devices, which'in the present instance are composed of upper and lower rotating members having their axes in the same vertical plane, which is lnclmed with respectto'the travel of the cooperating runs of the chains,

at an acute angle, and diverges from the direction of the travel of the leaves.

The upper member is composed of a shaft 25 journaled in bearings 26 on the main frame. A hub member or bushing 27 is mounted on the shaft, and a plurality of stripping brushes is supported by the bushing, which is rectangular in cross section, the brushes being supported on the four faces of the bushing. The brushes are arranged in pairs, eachpair consisting of a main brush 28, and an auxiliary brush 29,

arranged in front of the main bruslnand posltioned to engage the leaf prior to the engagement of the main brush.

Each-of the brushes 28 is carried by a channel. shaped member 30, backing against one face of the'hub 27, and havingv an extension 31 fitting that face of the hub which considered with relation to the direction of travel is at the front of the channel mem' ber. Each brush 29 is carried by a channel member 32, having extensions 33 and 3&-

lapping on the extension 31. Oneofithese extensions 34 in the present instanceis sl0tted, and engaged by a screw bolt 35 to adjustably connect the brush to the extension The brushes 28 are oppositely arranged, and the bristle of each brush'are of such length that when the brushes'are vertical, the

longest bristle of the lowermost brush will be. at or above the level of the meeting lineo't the adjacent runs of the chains 10 and '11.

The brushes 29 are so arranged, that when the brushes 28 are in the positionjust described,

the bristles ofthe brushes will: be substanbut lateral to a plane through the axis of the carriers for the blades 36 are'on opposite faces of. the hub. Rounded members 39, segmental in cross section, are arranged on the remaining faces of the hub, the whole constituting a ledger member for cooperation with the brushes. Referring to Fig. 1 itwill be noticed that the shafts 25 and37 are inclined with respect to the direction of travel of the chains, 10-11, diverging from the plane of the chains and the direction of travel of the tobacco leaves. The shaft 25 is provided with fast and loose pulleys 40,

which may be connected by means of a belt with a suitable source of power. The shaft has a driving connection with the shaft 37 through gear wheels 41.

The shaft 25 also drives a counter shaft 42 journaled in bearing arms 43 at the rear of the main frame, through a miter gear connection 44. The shaft-42 drives the shaft 4 through a miter gear connection 45, and the shaft 12 through a similar connection 46. Thus the shaft drives the chains 10 and 11, the feed belt 5, andthe-stripping devices.

In orderto insure the entrance of the leaves between the stripping devices, that end of the blade carrier adjacent to the chains10-1.1 is tapered or conical, and spi-' rally grooved or threaded as indicated at 47,

this arrangement tending to feed the leaves into position between the stripping devices. To facilitate the smooth feeding of the butts from the feed table 5, between the cooperating runs of the chains 10-11, a guide plate and deflector 47 is connected to the extension at the entrance end of the chains.

run of the lower chain, and guided into po-' sition between the chains. Upper and lower sets of guide and guard plates 48 are supported above and below the path traversed by the stem butts as they are carried through the machine, the said plates extending from near the butt plate to near the discharge end .gaging the upper run.

the leaf is shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5.

versely on each side of the stem, as shown in Fig. 3. The said mechanism comprises a fixed and a rotatable brush, shown more particularly in Fig. 6. The fixed brush con sists of a plurality ofbristles 51 held in a channel member 52 which has an extension 53 slotted vert1cally, to permit ad ustable connection withthe mam frainel. Screws -54 are passed through the slots into engage.- ment with theframe, and it will be evident thatwhen the screws are loosened, the plate and the brush may be adjusted vertically. Normally the free ends of the bristles are at about the level of the meeting line of the adjacent runs of the leaf carrying chains 10 and 11. The brush is spaced away from the chains, a little distance as shown, so that the break made by the brush and the cooperating rotary brush to be described will be spaced a slight distance from the chains.

The rotary brush is securedvto a shaft 56 journaled in bearing arms 57 extending laterally from a bracket 58 forming a part of the main frame, and extending longitudi-. nally thereof. This bracket also. supports the bearing arms 43 before mentioned, and the angle plates 50. The shaft 56 is driven by a sprocket chain 57 connecting registering sprocket wheels on the shafts 42, 56, and the bristles of the brushes 51 and are relatively stiff, and adapted to exert a somewhat harsh action on the lamina thereby to insure a clean transverse break of each side of the stem. The engaging surface of the brush moves away from the carrier chains, and the saidbrush together with the brush 51 will breakthe lamina transversely in each side of the stem, thereby initiating the stripping The sequence of operations performed on In Fig. the leaf is shown after it passes the .stem 62, near the butt, the lamina being.

thus divided into two portions The stripping devices 28 2936 strip the lamina on each side of the stem away from the break 61. andtoward'the tip, leaving'the portion above the break intact. Usually cuttir'ig mechanism is provided for cutting the main stem near the tip, since the finer portion of the. stem is'utilizable. The lamina thus severed from the stem is discharged, and the stelnwith the adhering portions 63 is car leaf butts. The said mechanism comprises a pair of chains 64: and similar to the chains ranged that the loiver run of the chain 64 cooperates with the upper run of the chain 65 in the same manner as the adjacent runs of the chains 10-11 cooperate. The forward ends of the chains 64 and 65 are carried by the shafts l2 and 14;, While the rear ends are carried by shafts (56 and GTjourP naled in the main frame, and parallel With the shafts 12 and The shaft 1 1 is connected to the shaft 36 by :i sprocket chain 68, which engages registering sprocket Wheels on the shafts. A tension roller (59 is provided for tensioning the chain 68. Thus the chain 64: is driven, and the chain 65 is driven frictionally thereby. The to bacco leaves are transferred from the chains 10 and 11 to the chains and (35, which are spaced laterally from the plane of the chains 10 and 11, and grasp the stems of the leaves some distance aivayfroni the portions 63 of the lamina. I

The butt cleaning mechanism is arrai 2d adj acent to the cooperating runs of the chains 6 i65, the said mechanism, rm. 7, comprising a fixed and rotatable brush. The fixed brush is similar to the brush 51, and similarly mounted being adjustably connected with the bracket 58 as indicated at 71. The rotary brush 72 is secured to a shaft 73 jour naled longitudinally of the bracket 58. The shaft 73 is driven from the shaft 4-2 by means of a sprocket chain 74, engaging registering Wheels on the two shafts.

A holding plate 75 is arranged on the opposite side of the chains t3l65 from the brushes, the plate being supported by a bracket arm 76 extending from a cross bar 77 which connects a pair of arms 78 supported by the main frame. These arms 78 carry a cross plate 79 at the free ends thereof Which are adjacent to the chains fiat-65, and the cross plate is directly be low the edge of the plate 75, and spaced apart slightly therefrom. Because of the resilientmounting of the plates "75.79, they may move apart from each other to compensate for stems of larger size, or bunched stems, but the said plates tend to hold the stems perpendicular to the plane of the chains, and to the operating line of the brushes. lVhen the portions have been cleaned from the stems, the stems are discharged from the machine.

Means is provided for cleaning the chains 11, 64 and 65. Brushes 8081 are sup ported by a common carrier 82 slidably stems broken, or Weak, which in the usual.

operation are discardedat some stage in the operation, either because the stem is not of a length, or in proper position to be grasped by the transporting mechanism, or because it is broken or becomes broken before or after it reaches the stripping mechanism. Such discarded. leaves are known as drops, and are usually stemmed manually.

In the present invention, the preliminary breaking mechanism Will eject all leaves with defective or stems too Weak to Withstand the stripping operation, since the action of the preliminary breaker is usually harsher than that of the stripping mechani m, and always suiiicient to eject loose or partially loose leaves. Thus the preliminary breaking mechanism is a testing device, for testing the strength of the stems, as to whether or not they are strong enough to pass through the stripping mechanism.

1 claim:

1. in a tobacco stemming machine, means to preliminarily separate the leaf lamina transversely of the stem into two portions, and means to strip the portions from the stem, the first named means comprising cooperating fixed and rotating brushes.

2. In a tobacco stemming machine, means to grasp the buttsof a succession of leavesand transport them in one direction, means to break the lamina of the leaves transverse ly of the stems close to the transporting means, means to strip the lamina from the break toward the tip of the leaf, a second transporting means receiving from the first, and arranged to grasp the butts near the break, and a second stripping means for stripping the lamina towards the butts, While the leaves are held by the second transporting means, the breaking means having parts moving at right angles to thedirection of travel of the leaves.

Signed at Troy, in the selaer and State of New day of April, A. D. 1925.

JAMES P. SCOVILL.

county of Bens- Yorl, this 20th

Images