摘要:
Fragments of tobacco ribs are puffed in an elongated tunnel which is vibrated to advance the particles from the inlet toward the outlet. The particles in the tunnel are contacted by streamlets of supersaturated or superheated steam at such temperature and pressure that the temperature of the particles is raised to between 100.5.degree. and 120.degree. C. To this end, steam is admitted at 2.5 to 25 bar absolute pressure and at a temperature of between 126.degree. and 400.degree. C. The thus heated particles of tobacco ribs are thereupon dried.
摘要:
A method of and an apparatus for ascertaining the filling power of tobacco which forms a continuously moving stream by subjecting spaced-apart portions of the stream to the deforming action of two rollers in such a way that the deforming action of the downstream roller exceeds the deforming action of the upstream roller. The extent of deformation of tobacco below the two rollers is ascertained by monitoring devices serving to generate signals for transmission to a dividing circuit which forms the quotient of such signals. The quotient is indicative of the filling power of tobacco. The signal at the output of the dividing circuit can be modified by taking into consideration the moisture content and/or the temperature of tobacco and/or by involution of such signal with an exponent ensuring that the signal denoting the filler power is furnished in units suitable for immediate use in a machine which increases and/or regulates the filling power of tobacco.
摘要:
The moving parts of a tobacco cutting machine and the conveyor or conveyors which transfer tobacco to the cutting machine are driven by a variable speed motor whose speed is regulated in dependency on the volume of tobacco in a duct from which the conveyor or conveyors draw or receive tobacco for transfer into the machine. The height of the pile of tobacco in the duct is monitored by photoelectric cells which transmit signals to a speed regulator for the motor so that the speed of the motor increases and decreases when the height of the pile respectively increases and decreases. The duct receives tobacco from a magazine. Fluctuations of the height of tobacco pile in the duct are due to variations in the rate of tobacco feed from the magazine and/or to changes in size, moisture content and/or temperature of tobacco which is being supplied to the duct. The magazine can supply tobacco to the ducts of two or more discrete cutting machines and the apparatus then includes a distributor which feeds tobacco to all ducts at an equal rate. The outlets of the ducts are sealable by gates which close in response to stoppage of the respective motors. The remaining duct or ducts then receive tobacco at a higher rate which, in turn, results in acceleration of the respective motor or motors.
摘要:
Shredded tobacco is blended with expanded tobacco on the foraminous bottom wall of an elongated vibratory conveyor which receives overlapping streams of shredded and expanded tobacco at one end of the bottom wall in such quantities that the ratio of shredded tobacco to expanded tobacco remains constant. Blowers are provided to supply compressed hot and cool air against the underside of the bottom wall whereby streamlets of air pass through the perforations of the bottom wall and travel across the particles of tobacco in the vibratory conveyor to convert such particles into a fluidized bed of substantially constant height which advances toward the other end of the bottom wall. The speed of streamlets is reduced above the fluidized bed to prevent the ascending streamlets from entraining appreciable quantities of particles from the bed. The particles which form the fluidized bed are intimately mixed with each other before they leave the conveyor. A nozzle is provided to sprinkle atomized casing or top flavor onto the fluidized bed above the bottom wall.
摘要:
A hygroscopic commodity, such as a continuous stream of shredded tobacco, is transported past one or more sources of electrical energy and past one or more monitoring devices. One of the sources can expose the stream to the electric field of a capacitor in a high frequency oscillator circuit, and the other source can expose the stream to infrared waves or microwaves. The moisture in the stream influences the phase and/or the damping of oscillations of the electrical energy, and the monitoring device of devices ascertain the changes of such characteristics of the electrical energy and transmit corresponding signals to a processing circuit which processes the signals into moisture signals. The processing circuit can generate first quotient signals which are indicative of phase shift and damping of oscillations of electrical energy which has penetrated the stream, and second quotient signals denoting the phase shift and damping of waves which are reflected by the stream, and such first and second quotient signals are or can be averaged for processing into moisture signals. The moisture signals are not dependent upon the chemical and/or biological properties and/or upon the composition of the monitored commodity.
摘要:
Cigarettes are produced by gathering shredded tobacco into a stream which is moved longitudinally and is draped into a web of cigarette paper to form a rod which is subdivided into cigarettes of desired length. In order to impart to the cigarettes predictable characteristics, particularly hardness, draw resistance, number of puffs per cigarette, nicotine content, carbon monoxide content and tar content, the operation of the trimming device which removes the surplus from the stream prior to draping is regulated as a function of third signals which are generated on the basis of first signals denoting the monitored density of the stream, second signals denoting the monitored or calculated filling power of tobacco, and a number of functional equations which denote predetermined regular relationships between the parameters denoted by the first and second signals and the aforementioned characteristics of cigarettes.
摘要:
Tobacco ribs which are separated from laminae are contacted by steam at a temperature of approximately 150 degrees whereby the steam condenses on the surfaces of ribs and the thus released heat promotes the penetration of condensate into as well as gradual evaporation of initial moisture and condensate in the interior of ribs to thereby increase the specific volume of the ribs. The ribs are agitated during contact with and are caused to float in steam. Warm water is sprayed onto the ribs during contact with steam. The contact with steam prior to start of expansion takes up approximately one minute, and the ribs remain in contact with steam for another minute to effect expansion by evaporated moisture. The thus treated ribs are immediately rolled, severed and dried. The volume of ribs can be increased still further by contacting the severed ribs, prior to drying, with steam and water to bring about additional evaporation of moisture in the interior of severed ribs.
摘要:
The arrangement determines the moisture content of tobacco, in either leaf- or comminuted form, tobacco substitutes, other smokers' products, filter materials, cigarette and cigar papers and wrappings, related and analogous fibrous and other materials, and the like. The material in question is supported by a supporting arrangement. First and second electrodes are connected to an A.C. voltage source to form a capacitor. The electrodes are so disposed that the electric field joining the electrodes travels through the material being supported. The moisture of the material is determined by determining the effect upon the capacitor of the moisture in the material being supported and penetrated by the electric field. An arrangement is provided for compressing the material in question while the material is actually being supported and penetrated by the electric field.
摘要:
The moisture content of a stream of tobacco leaves is increased during travel through a rotary drum wherein the leaves are contacted by and exchange heat and moisture with a current of hot humid air which flows concurrent with the leaves. The moisture content of air is regulated in dependency on deviations of the final moisture content of tobacco leaves from a desired final moisture content by varying the temperature of a shower of water droplets across which the air current passes on its way into the inlet end of the drum. The temperature of air is normally constant but is changed when the initial moisture content of tobacco leaves exceeds the desired final moisture content. Tobacco leaves entering the inlet end of the drum are subjected to a preliminary moisturizing action of steam and/or atomized water, and such moisturizing action can be varied in dependency on fluctuations of initial and/or final moisture content of tobacco and/or in dependency on fluctuations in the rate of tobacco delivery into the drum. The preliminary moisturizing action requires no adjustment if the steam of tobacco leaves is equalized upstream of the drum.
摘要:
The ratio of different types of tobacco in a tobacco stream which is conveyed past a trimming device is monitored by monitoring the distance of the trimming plan from the conveyor for the stream while the mass flow of the stream is maintained at a constant value. Variations of the distance of the trimming plane from the conveyor are indicative of variations of the ratio of different tobaccos in the stream, and such variations are further indicative of fluctuations of filling power of tobacco which forms the stream.