Claims
- 1. A method of conditioning tobacco, comprising the steps of transporting a continuous stream of tobacco particles at a constant rate and in a predetermined direction along a predetermined path; measuring the initial moisture content of successive increments of the stream in a first portion of said path; increasing the moisture content of the particles in a second portion of said path downstream of said first portion, as considered in said direction, when the measured initial moisture content is below a predetermined value; and drying the particles of said stream in a third portion of said path downstream of said second portion.
- 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of heating the particles of tobacco during transport along said second portion of said path.
- 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of agitating the particles of tobacco in said second portion of said path.
- 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of conveying a hot fluid transversely across the stream in said second portion of said path.
- 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of agitating the particles of tobacco in said second and third portions of said path.
- 6. Apparatus for conditioning tobacco comprising means for transporting a stream of tobacco particles at a constant rate and in a predetermined direction along a predetermined path; monitoring means for measuring the initial moisture content of successive increments of the stream in a first portion of said path; means for moisturizing successive increments of the stream in a second portion of said path downstream of said first portion, as considered in said direction, when the measured initial moisture content is below a predetermined value; and means for drying successive increments of the stream in a third portion of said path downstream of said second portion.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising means for heating the particles of tobacco in said second portion of said path.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising means for agitating the particles of tobacco in said second portion of said path.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a source of hot gaseous fluid and means for conveying streamlets of hot fluid from said source and transversely across the stream in said second portion of said path.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said transporting means comprises a substantially tunnel-shaped conveyor which defines said second portion of said path and includes an apertured wall along which successive increments of the stream are transported in said second portion, and further comprising a source of steam and means for connecting said source of steam with said apertured wall so that jets of steam issue from the apertures of said wall and traverse the tobacco stream in said conveyor.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said conveyor defines a channel for said stream and includes a heated wall bounding at least a portion of said channel to heat the particles of tobacco in said second portion of said path.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising means for vibrating said conveyor.
Priority Claims (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2103671 |
Jan 1971 |
DEX |
|
2132226 |
Jun 1971 |
DEX |
|
2335970 |
Jul 1973 |
DEX |
|
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS AND PATENTS
This is a division of our copending application Ser. No. 037,995 filed May 9, 1979, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,346,524 granted Aug. 31, 1982, which is a continuation-in-part of our copending application Ser. No. 922,575 filed July 6, 1978, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,515 granted Dec. 30, 1980. The application Ser. No. 922,575 is a continuation of Ser. No. 448,949 filed Mar. 7, 1974, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,471 granted Mar. 13, 1979. The application Ser. No. 448,949 is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 220,599 filed Jan. 25, 1972, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,799,176 granted Mar. 26, 1974.
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
3799176 |
Wohnowski et al. |
Mar 1974 |
|
4346524 |
Wochnowski et al. |
Aug 1982 |
|
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
037995 |
May 1979 |
|
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
448949 |
Mar 1974 |
|
Continuation in Parts (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
922575 |
Jul 1978 |
|
Parent |
220599 |
Jan 1972 |
|