Tobacco grinding, sorting, and/or loading device
AssigneeZES Products, LLC
InventorZachary Elliott Spielman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Grinding apparatus for grinding substances, such as tobacco. In certain embodiments, grinding apparatus with a plurality of receptacles which can be selectively filled with a ground product, such as tobacco. In still other embodiments, a grinding apparatus with a cone lifting mechanism, vibration inducing mechanism and/or with a selector capability or mechanism for selecting one or more of a plurality of receptacles, or storage area(s), for delivery of a ground product.
Claims25
Apparatus comprising:
- a grinding chamber, including a grinder mechanism, for grinding a grindable material;
- an intermediate chamber for receiving ground material which has been ground by said grinder mechanism, said intermediate chamber including an aperture for delivery of ground material from said intermediate chamber to a selected delivery location;
- a plurality of receptacles for receiving ground material, ground by said grinder and contained within said intermediate chamber, each one of said plurality of receptacles defining a separate receptacle volume, each of said separate receptacle volumes each being separately, selectively alignable with said aperture of said intermediate chamber to thereby selectively receive ground material dispensed from said intermediate chamber;
- and
- a lifting ring assembly for lifting cones installed in said plurality of receptacles once they are filled with ground material.
Apparatus comprising:
- a grinding chamber, including a grinder mechanism, for grinding a grindable material;
- an intermediate body rotatable about a central axis;
- an intermediate chamber, located within said intermediate body, for receiving ground material which has been ground by said grinder mechanism, wherein the intermediate chamber includes a downwardly sloping bottom surface, for collecting and thereafter delivering received ground material, and a delivery aperture located proximal a bottom area of said downwardly sloping bottom surface, said delivery aperture being located offset from said central axis and configured and located to deliver ground material to a selected delivery location;
- a receptacle body rotatable about said central axis;
- a plurality of receptacles contained within said receptacle body for receiving ground material, ground by said grinder mechanism, each one of said plurality of receptacles defining a separate receptacle volume, each one of said plurality of separate receptacle volumes being located offset from said central axis, each one of said plurality of separate receptacle volumes being separately, selectively alignable with said delivery aperture to thereby selectively receive ground material dispensed from said intermediate chamber at a location offset from said central axis;
- wherein said intermediate body and said receptacle body are so designed and assembled so as to be rotatable, about said central axis, with respect to one another thereby to selectively align one of said plurality of receptacle volumes with said delivery aperture of said intermediate body, at a location offset from said central axis, to enable delivery of ground material from said intermediate chamber to said aligned receptacle volume via said delivery aperture;
- and
- a lifting ring assembly for lifting cones installed in said plurality of receptacles once they are filled with ground material.
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims including risers or elevators operable to oscillate up/down and/or to vibrate so that ground (or macerated) material loaded into the pre-installed cones settles more densely into the cone, prior to cone removal.
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims further including a storage chamber (or container) which is independently removeable and/or sealable.
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one of said receptacle volumes includes a bottom end which is at least substantially closed such that ground material may be retained, after grinding, in said receptacle volume.
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one of said receptacle volumes includes a wrapping paper in a cone or cylindrical form, nested within said at least one receptacle volume, for receipt of ground material ground by said grinder mechanism and delivered by said aperture of said intermediate chamber.
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one of said receptacle volumes is conical in configuration.
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said grinder mechanism is a manually operated grinder mechanism which grinds material located within said grinding chamber, when said grinder mechanism is operated by hand.
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said grinder mechanism is operated by a grinder motor, and wherein said grinder mechanism grinds material located within said grinding chamber, when said grinder motor is operated.
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims further including a removable tamping rod carried within a rod aperture.
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said grinding chamber is removably connected to said intermediate body;
- said intermediate body is removably connected to said receptacle body;
- and
- said receptacle body is removably connected to said storage body.
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims further including a vibration inducing mechanism which, when operated, induces vibration in at least said receptacle body and/or said intermediate body and/or in cones located in said receptacles.
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a provided vibration inducing mechanism aids in facilitating transmission of ground material from said intermediate chamber to at least one receptacle volume.
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims further including a storage chamber formed in a storage body, said storage body being located at and connected to said receptacle body;
- and
- wherein at least one receptacle volume includes an opening at a bottom end thereof for ground material to pass through to be delivered to and stored within said storage chamber.
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one receptacle volume includes a bottom end which is at least substantially closed such that ground material may be retained, after grinding, in said receptacle volume.
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one receptacle volume includes a wrapping paper in a cone or cylindrical form, nested within said at least one receptacle volume, for receipt of ground material ground by said grinder mechanism and delivered by said aperture of said intermediate chamber.
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one receptacle volume is conical in configuration.
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said grinding chamber is removably connected to said intermediate body;
- said intermediate body is removably connected to said receptacle body;
- and
- said receptacle body is removably connected to said storage body.
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the grinding mechanism utilizes a plurality of diamond shaped teeth with peaks along the inner circumferential surface of the grinder body to restrict material movement within the grinder mechanism and with apertures in the grinder bottom.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.