GB417570A - Improvements in and relating to tobacco leaf stemming machines - Google Patents

Abstract

417,570. Stripping tobacco leaves. TRIGGS, W. W., 57, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London.-(Standard Tobacco Stemmer Co. ; 511, 5th Avenue, New York, U.S.A.) April 13, 1933, No. 14576/34. Divided out of 419,595. [Class 130.] In a stemming-machine having mechanism G by which the leaves are carried suspended by their stem butts to and through a mechanism H which strips the leaves from the butt ends towards the tip ends, the leaves suspended by their stem butts are first carried sideways through a leaf cleaning and straightening or disentangling mechanism positioned in advance of the stripping-mechanism H and are then carried, still suspended by their stem butts, to and through the stripping-mechanism. The leaves are placed by hand on a horizontal feed belt A which advances them to a butt separator comprising a succession of pairs of belts 21, 29 running on pulleys 20 driving at progressively increasing speeds. The delivery belts 29 run over the pulleys 20<a> and over pulleys 30 on vertical shafts driven from shafts 55, in order to turn the butts from a horizontal position to a vertical one, with the assistance of a curved guide plate. While being advanced by the belts 29, the leaves are subjected to the straightening and dirt-loosening action of a pair of rotating beaters E. These each consist of a pair of blades 49, Fig. 2, secured to a shaft 50 driven by a belt 53 from one of the shafts 55 ; the blades stroke the leaves downwards to give a straightening and dust-loosening action. The leaves are then cleaned and straightened in a suction device F consisting of a narrow chamber 56, Fig. 4, open at the top and at both ends and connected by pipes 57, 58 with a fan or other suction device. The sides of the chamber are provided with screens 60, and loose leaves falling on the bottom of the chamber are withdrawn by a pair of rollers 62 and carried by a belt 66 to a position near the feed belt A. The leaf-carrying mechanism G comprises pairs of grippers 71 carried by an endless chain 70 and opened, to receive the stem butts projecting from the belts 29, by the engagement of rollers 72 thereon with a stationary cam 83.