US1945771A - Device for the separating of stem parts from a tobacco mass - Google Patents

Description

1934- E. R. DAHLSTROM El AL 1,945,771

DEVICE FOR THE SEPARATING OF STEM PARTS FROM A TOBACCO MASS Filed Nov. 20, 1931 Patented Feb. 6, 1934 DEVICE PARTS FROM A FOR THE SEPARATING OF STEM TOBACCO MASS Ernst Ruben Dahlstriim, Alston, and Carl Georg Bertil Rcthelius, Stockholm, Sweden, assignors to Aktiebclagct Formator, Stockholm, Sweden, a joint-stock company of Sweden Application November 20, 1931, Serial No. 576,384,

and in Germany November 2'7, 1930 14 Claims.

The present invention refers to a device for the separating of stem parts from a tobacco mass, said mass being obtained by crushing tobacco leaves. The quality of the tobacco mass which is adapted for the producing of fillers is improved in a higher degree by using the device according to the invention than by using hitherto employed means for the separation.

The tobacco mass is treated in the device according to the invention in such a manner that it is conveyed by an air current through a channel which projects at least partly horizontally or upwards in the direction of said current, or the channel may be arranged in both ways. The air current is then accommodated so that the stem parts, which are heavier than the blades, fall down against the lower side of the channel, whereupon they slide down along said lower side into an opening or a collector.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing and Fig. 1 shows the device in a vertical longitudinal section.

Fig. 2 shows part of the device in a vertical front elevation and partly vertical cross section.

Figs. 3 and 4 show details of the device in a vertical longitudinal cross section respectively.

A jigger 1 projects from the front part of the housing of the device into the rear part of the housing. A fan 2 is arranged below the rear end of said jigger in such a way that its outlet opening 3 has an oblique direction upwards past the rear edge of the jigger. A separating air channel projects with its lower part 4 in a somewhat oblique direction upwards and backwards from an inlet opening 5 for tobacco mass formed between the lower part of the frontwall 6 of the channel and the rear edge of the jigger 1. Another opening 7 is formed between the rear edge of the jigger and the lower part 8 of the rear wall of the channel through which opening the fan communicates with the separator channel. An opening 9 is provided in the rear wall of the channel between an upper part 10 and the lower part 8 of said wall. The channel, which converges upwards in front of the opening 9, communicates through said opening 9 with a container 11, which latter projects also below the opening 7. In the front wall 12 of an upper forwardly bent part 13 of the channel is an opening 14 provided. The channel communicates through said opening by means of a channel 15 with a space above the jigger 1. The segment 13 of the channel diverges upwards in front of the opening 14.

Thereafter the channel is bent in a backward direction again and the rear wall 16 of the segment 1'7 is provided with an opening 18 in front of which the channel converges. The opening 18 communicates through a channel 19 with the container 11. Finally the channel is again bent 0 forwardly and the front wall 20 of the segment 21 is provided with an opening 22 in front of which the channel diverges.

The opening 22 communicates through a channel 23 with a space above the jigger and it is (as 5 Well as if desired also the channel 15) provided with a lid 24 pivoted at 25. Moreover an opening 26 is provided in a side wall of said channel. Thus, if desired, the upper part of the channel can by means of swinging the lid 24 toa position as shown in Fig. 2 be brought out of communication with the space above the jigger and into communication with another space. Then the bottom of the channel mentioned forms an oblique surface.

The segment 21 communicates through a final outlet 27 with the upper part of a drum 28 arranged behind the separated channel. Below the lower, open end of the drum 28 is arranged a container 29. A lattice or strainer 30 is provided in the rear wall of the drum.

The inclination of the different segments of the separating channel alter in such a way that the segment 21 runs steeper than the segment 17, which runs steeper than the segment 13, which latter runs steeper than the segment 4. Moreover the cross areas in front of the different openings are chosen in such a way, that the cross area at the upper diverging segment 21 is less than that at the lower diverging segment 13. The same is valid as to the converging part 17 in relation to the converging part 4 of the channel.

In order that the air currents may not form any whirls in the separating channel the latter is provided with screens which convey the air in a desired direction. Such a screen is shown in Figs. 1 and 4 and indicated by 50.

The openings of the separating channel are provided with devices for regulating the separating efficiency. In the Figures 3 and 4 is shown such a device arranged e. g. at the opening 18.

The regulating device consists of a lid 31 pivoted on a shaft 32. The lid as well as the opening has about the same width as the channel 17. The lid at its lower end is bent round the shaft 32 and lined to the same by means of a set screw 33. On an end 34 projecting out of the side wall 35 of the channel 17 an arm 36 is fixed. This arm is provided with a head 3'7 at its upper end, and said head contains a curved notch 38. A set screw 39 is screwed into a plate 40 attached to the side wall 35, and said plate is provided with three oblong notches 41, through which project bolts 42, fixed to the side wall 35, and provided with nuts 43 on their outer threaded ends. The two side walls of the channel 17 are provided with oblong holes 44, through which the shaft 32 penetrates. Said holes are covered by the plate 40, and a ring 45 respectively, which latter as well as the plate 40 fits closely to the shaft 32.

The suction tube 46 of the fan 2 is provided with a throttle valve 47, and it is driven from a motor or the like by a belt 48: running over a step pulley 49.

The separation of the stem parts from the tobacco mass is executed in the following manner.

The tobacco mass consisting of crushed blades and stems is delivered to the jigger 1 from the outlet opening of a breaker or the like. The jigger is imparted reciprocating movements (as shown by the arrows). The tobacco mass is then conveyed against the rear end of the jigger, and when it falls down therefrom through the opening 5 it is encountered by an air current through the opening '7 from the fan 2 and thrown up:- wardly through the separator channel. The heaviest stem parts, however, cannot be thrown upwardly but slide immediately down along the rear wall 8 through the opening 7 into the container 11.

The main part of the remaining stem parts is separated from the mass at the first curve of the channel counted in the direction of the air current and the stem parts separated out slide down along the rear wall 10 through the opening 9 into the container 11. As the cross area of the segment 4 decreases in the direction of the air current the rapidity of the latter increases and thus almost entirely stem parts leave through the opening 9, as they are heavier than the blades.

The tobacco mass with possibly still therein remaining stem parts thrown further upwardly through the segment 13, and as the cross area of this segment increases, the rapidity of the air current decreases, whereby as well stem parts as parts of blades leave through the opening 14, after having slided down along the wall 12, and descend through the channel 15 back to the jigger 1. These stem parts and blades are thus subjected to treatment in the separator channel at least once more. In other words, stem parts which have not been separated out in the channel segment 4 are automatically conveyed back to the inlet opening 5.

The remaining tobacco mass is conveyed by the air current further upwardly through the separating channel, and thrown against the wall 16, so that still remaining stem parts may slide back down along said wall into the opening 18 and fur ther descend through the channel 19 into the container 11. As the cross area of the segment 1'7 decreases, the rapidity of the air current increases, and entirely or at least almost entirely stem parts leave through the opening 18.

Thereafter the remaining tobacco mass ascends furtherupwardly through the channel segment 21, where it is thrown against the front wall 20. As the cross area of this segment increases upwardly in front of the opening 22, the rapidity of the air current decreases, and therefore as well blade parts as eventually still in the massremaining stem parts Slide down along the wall 20 and further through the opening 22 and the channel 23 back to the jigger 1, whereafter it is subected to the separating operation again.

According to the fact that the cross areas of the diverging respectively converging segments diminish in relation to each other counted in the direction upwards the loss of air caused by leakage, etc., is counteracted. Moreover, as losses of air on account of leakage cannot be avoided, the force of the current is less in the upper part of the channel than in the lower part. Therefore the resistance to the current is continuously decreased by drawing the separator channel more steep at its upper part than at its lower part.

If it is proved that the mass which falls down through the channels 15 and 23 consists almost entirely of stem parts, said channels may be shut by a lid 24 such as shown in the channel 23 in the drawing and the opening 26 be brought into communication with the upper part of said channels. Then the stem parts slide down on the oblique surface of the lid and are thus conveyed out of the channel.

The tobacco mass freed from stem parts passes through the final outlet 27 of the separator channel into the upper part of the drum 28 and falls down through said drum into the rear container 29. The air leaves the drum through the strainer 30.

By means of the screens 50 it is possible to attain even air currents. If e. g. on account of uneven pressure in the channel tobacco mass tends to accumulate at certain places, air currents are directed by means of the screens to such places and clogging of the channel is avoided.

By means of the regulation devices provided at the outlet openings, it is possible to adjust the areas of said openings as desired. Thus, at a constant air-current through the separator channel, the output of stem parts which leave through the openings is diminished or increased by diminishing or increasing the areas of the openings. The best separating eificiency is then obtained at a certain position of the lids'3l. If the area then is increased or decreased, said eificiency is impaired. It is then possible to meet alteration of the capacity of the fan, as well as alterations in the composition of the tobacco mass, i. e. if its contents of stem parts varies. It is of very great importance to obtain such an adjustment of the separating efficiency of the device because a single type of apparatus can be manufactured, adapted for several different kinds of tobacco and adjusted after testing the apparatus to the best separating efficiency for each special kind of tobacco.

The adjustment of the openings is attained by swinging the lid 31 into a desired position after the screw 39 has been loosened, whereupon the screw is fastened again so that the arm 36 is fixed .to the plate 40 in a certain angular position. The position of the lid 31 is adjusted at the same time because it is firmly connected to the arm 36 through the rotatable shaft 32. It is also possible to change the vertical position of the lid in relation to the opening, and this is attained by loosening the nuts 43, whereupon the plate 40 may be conveyed upwardly or downwardly together with lid 31 to a desired position, whereafter it is fixed again to the side wall 35 by fastening the nuts 43.

The separating eificiency may also be regulated by changing the number of revolutions of the fan or by adjusting the throttle valve 47. The regulatingof the velocity of the fan is obtained the shaft 32 and the Instead of providing a fan at the inletopening of the separator channel, it is often more convenient to connect the suction side of a fan for the circulation of the air to the final outlet of the separating channel. Thereby is also the advantage obtained that even the smallest particles of the tobacco mass are collected, as the aircirculation is practically closed. Besides, the

advantage is obtained that the circulating air is saturated with moisture and aroma, and the quality of the tobacco is thereby improved.

The channel may also if desired be provided with more curves and with more than two channels for returning tobacco mass together with stem parts. If desired, the channel may have the same direction from the inlet opening to the final outlet opening in the drum, whereat the channel suitably projects leaning over the inlet opening. The channel may also be composed by horizontal as well as vertical or inclined segments, and the outlet openings may be replaced by collectors in the form of cavities or the like which are eventually provided with boxes or the like adapted to slide or to be tilted.

The lids 31 for regulating the separating efliciency may also be slidably arranged on the injner side of the inclined separator channel preferably on the inclined surface above the outlet opening.

What we claim is:-

1. A device for separating stem parts from a mass consisting of crushed tobacco leaves having a feeding device and an air-channel provided with a supply port for tobacco mass to be treated, a discharge port for tobacco mass freed from stem parts, and a return-outlet located between 1 said supply port and said discharge port, said return-outlet communicating with the supply port.

2. A device for separating stem parts from a mass consisting of crushed tobacco leaves having a feeding device and an air-channel provided with a supply port for tobacco mass to be treated, a discharge port for tobacco mass freed from stem parts, and return-outlets located between said supply port and said discharge port, said return-outlets communicating with the supply port.

3. A device for separating stem parts from a mass consisting of crushed tobacco leaves having a feeding device and an air-channel provided with a supply port for tobacco mass to be treated, a discharge port for tobacco mass freed from stem parts, a return-outlet located between said supply port and said discharge port and communicating with the supply port, and an escape 5 outlet for stem parts located between said returnoutlet and said supply port.

4. A device for separating stem parts from a mass consisting of crushed tobacco leaves having a feeding device and an air-channel provided i with a supply port for tobacco mass to be treated,

a discharge port for tobacco mass freed from stem parts, a return-outlet located between said supply port and said discharge port, and communicating with the supply port, and other out- ;lets located between said return-outlet and said supply port, part of them communicating with the pp P 5. In a device for separating stem parts from a mass consisting of crushed tobacco leaves having a feeding device, a substantially inclined 8Q air-channel provided with a supply port for tobacco mass to be treated, a discharge port for tobacco mass freed from stem parts, and outlets located between said supply port and said discharge port, the uppermost of said outlets communicating with the supply port.

6 A device for separating stem parts from a mass consisting of crushed tobacco leaves having a feeding device and'a substantially inclined air--v channel provided with a supply port for tobacco mass to be treated, a discharge port for tobacco mass freed from stem parts, and a return outlet located in the lower wall of an upwardly inclined part of said channel between said supply port and said discharge port, said return-outlet communicating with the supply port.

7. A device for separating stem parts from a mass consisting of crushed tobacco leaves having a feeding device and a substantially inclined airchannel provided with a supply port for tobacco 106 mass to be treated, a discharge port for tobacco mass freed from stem parts, and return outlets located each in the lower wall of an upwardly inclined part of said channel between said supply port and said discharge port, said return-outlets communicating with the supply port.

8. A device for separating stem parts from a mass consisting of crushed tobacco leaves having a feeding device and a substantially vertical zigzag air-channel provided with a supply port for lid tobacco mass to be treated, a discharge port for tobacco mass freed from stem parts and returnoutlets located each in the lower wall of a segment of said channel between said supply port and said discharge port, said return-outlets communicating with the supply port.

9. A device for separating stem parts from a mass consisting of crushed tobacco leaves having a feeding device and an air-channel provided with a supply port for tobacco mass to be treated, a discharge port for tobacco mass freed from stem parts and a return-outlet located between said supply port and said discharge port at an extension of said air-channel and communicating with the sup ly port.

10. A device for separating stem parts from a mass consisting of crushed tobacco leaves having a feeding device, and an air-channel provided with a supply port for tobacco mass freed from stem parts and with a return-outlet located between said supply port and said discharge port, and a. return channel connecting said return outlet with the supply port.

11. A device for separating stem parts from a mass consisting of crushed tobacco leaves having a feeding device and a substantially inclined air-channel provided with a supply port for tobacco mass to be treated, a discharge port for tobacco mass freed from stem parts and returnoutlets located between said supply port and said 1459 discharge port, and communicating with the supply port, said channel having a sharper incline at a return-outlet at a higher level than at the nearest underlying return-outlet.

12. A device for separating stem parts from a mass consisting of crushed tobacco leaves having a feeding device and a substantially inclined air-channel provided with a supply port for tobacco mass to be treated, a discharge port for tobacco mass freed from stem parts and returnoutlets located between said supply port and said discharge port, and communicating with the supply port, said channel having a smaller crosssectional area at a return-outlet at a higher level than at the next underlying return-outlet.

13. A device for separating stem parts from a mass consisting of crushed tobacco leaves having a feeding device, and an air-channel provided with a supply port for tobacco mass to be treated, a discharge port for tobacco mass freed from stem parts and a return-outlet located between said supplyport and said discharge port, and communicating with the supply port, a regulating means being provided in said return-outlet and means for actuating said regulating means.

ERNST RUBEN DAHLSTRM. CARL GEORG BERTIL ROTHELIUS.

Images