US3838698A

US3838698A - Treatment of tobacco

Info

Publication number: US3838698A
Application number: US00166665A
Authority: US
Inventors: W Dickinson
Original assignee: WH Dickinson Engineering Ltd
Current assignee: WH Dickinson Engineering Ltd
Priority date: 1971-07-28
Filing date: 1971-07-28
Publication date: 1974-10-01
Anticipated expiration: 1991-10-01

Abstract

A bale of tobacco is conditioned by being fed towards a straight hollow probe which extends into the advancing front face of the bale and passes moist air or steam through a layer of the front face while tobacco is continuously removed from the front face.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Dickinson 1 1 Oct. 1, 1974 1 TREATMENT OF TOBACCO 3,366,126 1/1968 V6162, Sr. 131/138 3,369,554 2/1968 Olofs on 131/92 [75] Invent: Henry Charles 3,372,703 3/1968 Conaid, .11 131/135 x Southampton, England 3,494,367 2 1970 Maguire 131/136 x [73] Assignee: Dickinson Engineering FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Llmlted Southampton England 1,027,577 4/1958 Germany 131/149 [22] Filed: July 28, 1971 1,130,345 5/1962 Germany 131/149 1,143,557 2/1969 Great Britain 131/149 [21] Appl. No.: 166,665

' Primary ExaminerJames H. Czerwonky [52] US. Cl 131/136, 131/135, 131/149 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Craig & Antonelli [51] Int CI. ...A24b 3/02, A24b 3/06 [58] Field Of Search 13/136, l35,12l,;1-1944l3982, 57 ABSTRACT A bale of tobacco is conditioned by being fed towards [56] References Cited 21 straight hollow probe which extends into the advancing front face of the bale and passes moist air or steam UNITED STATES PATENTS through a layer of the front face while tobacco is con- 2,597,620 5/1952 Coley 131/138 tinuously removed f the from face 2,767,717 10/1956 Schlossmacher 131/136 2,869,556 1/ 1959 Rowell 131/135 26 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENIEUBEI 1 1974 INVENTOR WILLIAM HENRYCHARLES DICKINSON A oRNeYs 1 TREATMENT or TOBACCO This invention is concerned with conditioning bales of tobacco by adding moisture to the tobacco. In this context the term bale applies particularly to blocks of compressed tobacco of approximately rectangular cross-section, but it is also intended to include blocks of circular or other different cross-sections, for example what are commonly termed hogsheads.

According to the present invention apparatus for conditioning bales of tobacco comprises a straight hollow probe with one or more openings, means for feedings a bale continuously in the direction of the probe so that the probe extends into the front face of the advancing bale, means for continuously removing tobacco from the front face of the advancing bale, and means for passing moist air or steam through the front face via the probe.

In the preferred arrangement moist air is delivered continuously to a space at the front of the bale, and a source of suction is connected to the probe, so that the moist air is sucked into the front face. As an alternative, however, the direction of flow could in principle be reversed; for example moist air at above atmospheric pressure could be delivered into the probe to pass outwards through the end face of the bale.

An example of apparatus according to this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings. In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a section on the line IIII in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a modified probe;

FIG. 4 shows how a hogshead may be conditioned; and

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing an arrangement for driving two modified probes.

In the apparatus shown in the drawings bales 2 of tobacco are gripped between upper and lower conveyor bands 4 and 6 which are driven at the same speed, for example 90 mm per minute, and feed the bales continuously in the direction of a hollow probe 8. Four rotary doffers 10 extend horizontally across the front face of the leading bale and rotate continuously so as to remove tobacco from the front face; the doffers are driven by a motor 12 and may rotate at for example 70 r.p.m. The tobacco removed by the doffers falls through an outlet 13.

As shown in FIG. 2, each doffer may consist of two or more rods 14 each formed into a helix. Alternatively the doffers may for example each consist of a shaft with radially projecting spikes. There may be more or fewer doffers than shown in the drawings.

The probe 8 preferably has a closed and sharpened point to facilitate penetration into the compressed tobacco. Elsewhere the probe is formed with numerous small holes in its wall thorugh which air drawn through the tobacco can pass into the probe. It will be seen that the part of the probe which extends into the tobacco bale is straight. The pipe forming the probe may be extended, as shown, to a source of suction in the form of a centrifugal exhauster fan 16; alternatively a separately formed pipe may connect the probe to the fan. The fan 16 produces a vacuum of approximately 20 centimetres of mercury gauge in the probe. Moist air is thus sucked into the probe from a space 18, passing through the front face of the leading bale and also through the exposed parts of the upper and lower and rection shown by the arrows in FIG. 1. The air is moistened (and heated) by steam injected into the pipe 20 through a nozzle 22 under the control of a temperature sensor 21 which responds to the temperature in the space 18 and operates a valve 23 controlling the admission of steam at the nozzle 22 so as to keep the temperature in the space 18 substantially constant. Alternatively, or in addition, water may be injected at a point 24 into the pipe connected to the probe.

Above the band 4 and below the band 6 there are seals 5 and 7 to isolate the space 18 from the atmosphere. In addition there are preferably side seals (not shown) each consisting of a member which extends vertically up one side of the bale, in line with the seals- 5 and 7, and is spring-loaded into contact with the bale. The tobacco outlet 13 also includes an air seal; for example it may consist of a rotary device (e.g. a bladed wheel) which feeds the tobacco downwards while preventing free communication between the space 18 and the atmosphere;

The pressure in the space 18 may be approximately atmospheric or slightly below or above atmospheric.

As shown in FIG. 1, the upper band 4 passes round three

pulleys

26, 28 and 30 of which the pulley 30 is set at a higher level than the other two so as to provide a lead-in for the bales of tobacco. The bands 4 and 6 grip the bales between them so as to drive them forwards with the necessary force. The surfaces of the bands which engage the bale may be formed with lateral ridges or ribs to facilitate the drive between the bands and the tobacco.

The lower band 6 passes round two pulleys 32 and 34.

Bales are delivered one at a time on to the band 6 by means of a lifting device pivoted about the axis of the pulley 34. This device consists of a frame 36 which carries two lifting forks 38 and a pair of narrow conveyor bands 40; the bands 40 pass round pulleys coaxial with the pulley 34 and around further pulleys 41. Movement of the lifting device is controlled by a jack 42 which has its casing pivotally mounted on a fixed post 44 and has its extendable piston rod pivotally connected to the frame 36 of the lifting device.

Each bale in turn is placed on the lifting forks 38 in an upright position. The jack 42 (which may be fluidpowered) is then extended to move the lifting device to the position shown in chain-dotted outlines in FIG. 1, in which position the conveyor bands 40 can deliver the bale smoothly on to the band 6. The bands 40 may be driven continuously at the same speed as the band 6, for example by a motor 54 shown in FIG. 5, and there may be means to time the lifting of each bale so that there is virtually no gap between successive bales; for example, there may be a photo-electric cell in line with a beam of light which passes across the rear face of the last bale on the band 6 when the lifting device is required to operate, the operation of the lifting device being initiated by a signal from the photo-electrical cell.

In a factory requiring two or more systems such as that shown in the drawings, there may be a single exhauster fan which serves all the systems.

FIG. 3 shows, on an enlarged scale, a probe which is basically like that shown in FIG. 1, except that it is in addition formed with a screw thread. The probe 8 has a closed conical leading end 8A. The main cylindrical body of the probe is formed with holes 8B through which moist air is drawn in the manner already described. In addition the probe is formed in the region of the leading end, with a screw thread 8C consisting of a strip bent into a helix and welded or otherwise secured to the body of the probe.

During use the probe is rotated slowly, for example by means of a chain 53, or other drive, from the motor 54 which drives the bands 4 and 6, see FIG. 5. The pitch of the thread 8C and the speed of rotation of the probe are preferably so related to the forward speed of the bands 4 and 6 that the thread 8C enters smoothly into the oncoming bale without tearing at the tobacco in the bale. In other words, if the forward speed of the bands 4 and 6 is S centimetres per minute, and if the pitch of the thread 8C is P centimetres, then the probe is driven at a speed of S/P revolutions per minute. The chains 53 rotate the probes 8 by means of sprockets 55. Each of the probes 8 is connected to a stationary pipe 56 which communicates with the fan 16. Suction may be transmitted to the interior of each probe 8 from the corresponding pipe 56 through a rotary union contained within the sprocket 55.

Instead of one probe being used to condition each bale, there may be two or more probes which may all be connected to a common fan 16, as shown, for example in FIG. 5.

FIG. 4 shows how cylindrical hogsheads of tobacco may be conditioned. A hogshead is formed of layers lying normal to the axis of the hogshead, as shown in a somewhat exaggerated manner in FIG. 4,the axis of the hogshead 46 being along the probe 48. Each hogshead in turn is pushed obliquely upwards towards the probe by means of a plate 50 which is being supported by a cradle 51 while doffers 52 remove tobacco from the circular front face 46A of the hogshead.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for conditioning bales of tobacco by passing moistening fluid through the tobacco, comprising means defining a conditioning chamber, means for continuously advancing a succession of bales of tobacco towards and into the conditioning chamber in a predetermined direction, means mounted in the conditioning chamber for continuously removing tobacco from the leading face of the bale in the conditioning chamber, and fluid conduit means mounted in said apparatus for passing moistening fluid uninterruptedly through a layer forming the said leading face via the conditioning chamber and the fluid conduit means while the bales are moved continuously into said conditioning chamber, said fluid conduit means including at least one port past which the bale moves and through which fluid may be conveyed, which port is situated in relation to said predetermined direction permanently behind the leading face of the bale at said tobacco removing means, and means for creating a pressure difference between said port and said conditioning chamber across said leading face, to effect the transfer of moistening fluid thereacross.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the 6 means for creating a pressure difference comprises an exhauster fan having an air outlet, and including supply means for supplying moistening fluid into the conditioning chamber, the supply means comprises a supply conduit connected to the air outlet of the exhauster fan.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 including means for injecting steam into the air delivered to the conditioning chamber by the supply conduit.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 including upper and lower substantially horizontal conveyor bands for engaging and gripping the top and bottom surfaces of the bales to move the bales successively towards and into the conditioning chamber.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which both bands are arranged to extend substantially all the way to the leading face of the bale in the conditioning chamber.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 including means for feeding bales continuously, one after the other. to a position between the bands.

7. Apparatus for conditioning bales of tobacco by passing moistening fluid through the tobacco, compris ing means defining a conditioning chamber, means for continuously advancing a succession of bales of tobacco towards and into the conditioning chamber in a predetermined direction, means mounted in the conditioning chamber for continuously removing tobacco from the leading face of the bale in the conditioning chamber, a hollow probe mounted in the conditioning chamber and arranged to extend past the tobacco removing means, in a direction opposite to the said predetermined direction, to penetrate into and beyond the leading face of the bale at the conditioning chamber, a portion of the probe extending past, and spaced from, the tobacco removing means and being formed with at least one port for the passage of the said moistening fluid, the said port being, in relation to the said predetermined direction, situated permanently behind the said leading face of the bale, and serving to pass moistening fluid uninterruptedly through the said leading face via the conditioning chamber and the probe while the bales are moved continuously in the said predetermined direction.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 in which the point of the probe is closed and conical in shape to facilitate entry into the advancing bale and in which an adjacent portion of the probe is formed with a plurality of ports spaced around the circumference of the probe for the passage of the moistening fluid.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7 including a plurality of similar parallel probes which are all arranged to enter the leading face of the bale and provide a plurality of separate flow paths for the moistening fluid.

10. Apparatus for conditioning bales of tobacco, comprising a. means defining a conditioning chamber;

b. a fan arranged to deliver air into the conditioning chamber;

0. means for injecting steam into said air;

d. parallel bands for gripping a bale between them and for advancing it towards and into the conditioning chamber;

e. means for feeding bales continuously, one after the other, to a position between thebands;

f. at least one hollow probe mounted in the conditioning chamber and extending between and parallel to the bands and with a closed pointed end to penetrate through the leading face and into the bale fed onto it by the parallel bands, the part of the probe which lies behind the pointed end and which in use"'is embedded in the tobacco being formed with a plurality of holes for the passage of conditioning air;

g. means connecting the probe to the suction side of the fan so as to draw conditioning air through the leading face of the bale and into the tobacco behind it;

h. means for continuously removing conditioned tobacco from the leading face of the bale in the conditioning chamber.

11. Apparatus for conditioning bales of tobacco. comprising means defining a conditioning chamber; parallel conveyor bands for engaging top and bottom surfaces of successive bales and for advancing the bales continuously towards and into the conditioning chamber; a plurality of vertically-spaced rotary doffers mounted in the conditioning chamber for continuously removing tobacco from the front face of the leading bale in the conditioning chamber, the said front face being adjacent to the downstream ends of both band conveyors; a perforated hollow probe mounted in the conditioning chamber and extending from the conditioning chamber between and parallel to the conveyor bands to penetrate into the advancing bale, at least one rotary doffer being above the probe and at least one being below the probe; means for delivering moistening fluid into the conditioning chamber; and suction means connected to the probe to suck the moistening fluid inwards through the leading face of the bale adjacent to the rotary doffers.

12. Apparatus for conditioning bales of tobacco, comprising means defining a conditioning chamber, means for feeding bales of tobacco towards and into the conditioning chamber along a predetermined path, means mounted in the conditioning chamber for continuously removing tobacco from the front face of the bale in the conditioning chamber, fluid conduit means mounted in said apparatus at a position along the path of the bales upstream of the leading face of the bale at the tobacco removing means, fluid propelling means for producing a pressure differential between the fluid conduit means and the conditioning chamber whereby fluid propelled by said fluid propelling means flows uninterruptedly along a path extending between the fluid conduit means and the conditioning chamber, substantially all of said fluid passing through a layer forming the front face of the bale in the conditioning chamber, and including means for continuously injecting moistening fluid into the said fluid flow for moistening each section of each bale before it reaches the tobacco removing means.

13. A method of conditioning bales of tobacco, comprising the steps of continuously advancing a succession of bales of tobacco towards and into a conditioning chamber, continuously removing tobacco from the leading face of the bale in the conditioning chamber, creating a continuous pressure difference across said leading face between the conditioning chamber and the interior of the section of the bale behind the leading face through a fluid conduit means mounted behind said leading face in relation to the direction of movement of the bales and continuously passing moistening fluid through a layer forming the said leading face by means of said pressure difference to moisten the tobacco of each section of each bale before it is removed from the bale.

14. A method according to claim 13, comprising delivering moistening fluid continuously into the conditioning chamber and drawing the moistening fluid into the leading face by means of suction applied to the said fluid conduit means behind the leading face.

15. A method of conditioning bales of tobacco comprising continuously advancing a succession of bales towards and into a conditioning chamber and through a hollow perforated probe extending towards the bales from the conditioning chamber in the direction of movement of the bales, and penetrating the leading face of said advancing bales, passing moistening fluid between the conditioning chamber and the probe along a path extending through the leading face of the bale at the conditioning chamber to moisten the tobacco of each successive section of each bale, and continuously removing tobacco from the leading face of the bale in the conditioning chamber.

16. A method according to claim 15, comprising delivering moistening fluid into the conditioning chamber and applying suction to the probe to draw moistening fluid inwards through the said leading face.

17. A method of conditioning bales of tobacco, comprising continuously feeding a succession of bales towards and into a conditioning chamber, past a fluid conduit means which, in relation to the direction of movement of the bales, is situated permanently behind the leading face of the bale in the conditioning chamber, continuously removing tobacco from the leading face of the bale in the conditioning chamber, creating a pressure differential between the fluid conduit means and the conditioning chamber to produce an uninterrupted flow of fluid along a path extending between the fluid conduit means and the conditioning chamber and through a layer forming the said leading face of the bale, and continuously injecting moistening fluid into the said flow of fluid for moistening each section of each bale before it reaches the tobacco removing means.

18. Apparatus for conditioning bales of tobacco, comprising a straight hollow probe having one or more openings therein, means. for feeding a bale continuously in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said probe so that the probe extends longitudinally into the front face of the advancing bale, means for continuously removing tobacco from the front face of the advancing bale, and means for passing moist air or steam through the front face via said probe.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18, further including means for delivering moist air continuously to a space at the front face of the bale, and a source of suction connected to the'probe, so that the moist air is sucked into the front face of the bale by the suction applied to the interior of the bale via said probe.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said means for delivering moist air comprises a fan which also forms the suction source connected to the probe.

21. Apparatus according to claim 19, further including means for adding moisture to said air by the injection of steam.

22. Apparatus according to claim 18 including paral? lel bands for gripping the bale between them and for driving the bale towards the probe.

23. Apparatus according to claim 22, including means for feeding bales continuously, one after the other, to a position between the bands.

26. A method of conditioning a bale of tobacco comprising the steps of feeding the bale towards and in the direction of the longitudinal axis of a straight hollow probe so that the probe extends longitudinally into the front face of the advancing bale, removing tobacco continuously from the front face of the advancing bale, and passing moist air or steam through the front face of the bale via the probe while the probe extends into UNITED STATES PATENT ;v CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 838,698 D d October 1, 1974 Inventor(s) William Henry CharlesDickinson It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Title a e, insert the following:

Foreign Application Priority Data July 29; 1970 Great Britain.... 36.729/70 Signedpand sealed this 14th day of January 1975.

(SEAL) Arrest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. c. MARSHALLDANN Attesting Officer v Comissioner of Petents FORM PO'WSO uscoMM-Dc sows-Pea U.S. GOVERNMENT PIINYING OFFICE 9G9 0-35-334

Claims

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the means for creating a pressure difference comprises an exhauster fan having an air outlet, and including supply means for supplying moistening fluid into the conditioning chamber, the supply means comprises a supply conduit connected to the air outlet of the exhauster fan.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 including means for feeding bales continuously, one after the other, to a position between the bands.

7. Apparatus for conditioning bales of tobacco by passing moistening fluid through the tobaccO, comprising means defining a conditioning chamber, means for continuously advancing a succession of bales of tobacco towards and into the conditioning chamber in a predetermined direction, means mounted in the conditioning chamber for continuously removing tobacco from the leading face of the bale in the conditioning chamber, a hollow probe mounted in the conditioning chamber and arranged to extend past the tobacco removing means, in a direction opposite to the said predetermined direction, to penetrate into and beyond the leading face of the bale at the conditioning chamber, a portion of the probe extending past, and spaced from, the tobacco removing means and being formed with at least one port for the passage of the said moistening fluid, the said port being, in relation to the said predetermined direction, situated permanently behind the said leading face of the bale, and serving to pass moistening fluid uninterruptedly through the said leading face via the conditioning chamber and the probe while the bales are moved continuously in the said predetermined direction.

10. Apparatus for conditioning bales of tobacco, comprising a. means defining a conditioning chamber; b. a fan arranged to deliver air into the conditioning chamber; c. means for injecting steam into said air; d. parallel bands for gripping a bale between them and for advancing it towards and into the conditioning chamber; e. means for feeding bales continuously, one after the other, to a position between the bands; f. at least one hollow probe mounted in the conditioning chamber and extending between and parallel to the bands and with a closed pointed end to penetrate through the leading face and into the bale fed onto it by the parallel bands, the part of the probe which lies behind the pointed end and which in use is embedded in the tobacco being formed with a plurality of holes for the passage of conditioning air; g. means connecting the probe to the suction side of the fan so as to draw conditioning air through the leading face of the bale and into the tobacco behind it; h. means for continuously removing conditioned tobacco from the leading face of the bale in the conditioning chamber.

11. Apparatus for conditioning bales of tobacco, comprising means defining a conditioning chamber; parallel conveyor bands for engaging top and bottom surfaces of successive bales and for advancing the bales continuously towards and into the conditioning chamber; a plurality of vertically-spaced rotary doffers mounted in the conditioning chamber for continuously removing tobacco from the front face of the leading bale in the conditioning chamber, the said front face being adjacent to the downstream ends of both band conveyors; a perforated hollow probe mounted in the conditioning chamber and extending from the conditioning chamber between and parallel to the conveyor bands to penetrate into the advancing bale, at least one rotary doffer being above the probe and at least one being below the probe; means for delivering moistening fluid into the conditioning chamber; and suction means connected to the probe to suck the moistening fluid inwards through the leading face of the bale adjacent to the rotary doffers.

18. Apparatus for conditioning bales of tobacco, comprising a straight hollow probe having one or more openings therein, means for feeding a bale continuously in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said probe so that the probe extends longitudinally into the front face of the advancing bale, means for continuously removing tobacco from the front face of the advancing bale, and means for passing moist air or steam through tHe front face via said probe.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18, further including means for delivering moist air continuously to a space at the front face of the bale, and a source of suction connected to the probe, so that the moist air is sucked into the front face of the bale by the suction applied to the interior of the bale via said probe.

22. Apparatus according to claim 18 including parallel bands for gripping the bale between them and for driving the bale towards the probe.

24. Apparatus according to claim 18, in which the leading end of the probe is closed and pointed to facilitate entry into the advancing bale, the part of the probe which lies behind the pointed end and is embedded in the bale during use being formed with a number of holes for the passage of air or steam.

25. Apparatus according to claim 18, including two or more parallel probes which are all arranged to enter the front face of the bale and to pass moist air or steam through the bale.

26. A method of conditioning a bale of tobacco comprising the steps of feeding the bale towards and in the direction of the longitudinal axis of a straight hollow probe so that the probe extends longitudinally into the front face of the advancing bale, removing tobacco continuously from the front face of the advancing bale, and passing moist air or steam through the front face of the bale via the probe while the probe extends into the bale.