US 4,021,928 A · Cross-flow modular tobacco curing system

Abstract

A curing module is provided of generally rectangular solid configuration of which the bottom is imperforate and includes runners to facilitate lifting by fork lift; the top is imperforate with means for minimizing air leakage between the tobacco and top inner surface; the rear wall is imperforate with horizontal ledges to support the ends of tines which penetrate the tobacco; the front is generally imperforate, but opens to facilitate loading and when closed enables insertion of sharp rods which penetrate the tobacco and provide vertical support; and two opposed perforate side walls which permit horizontal cross-flow of the curing gas. One wall of which may be hinged to permit mechanized unloading of the cured leaf. Also provided is a simplified curing structure to receive the modules which are stacked by conventional fork lift equipment and to direct curing air horizontally through the perforate sides of the modules at controlled temperature, himidity and velocity.

Claims4

Dependent claims

A method of curing or drying tobacco comprising;

a. placing tobacco to be cured in a container of rectangular solid configuration having gas impervious top and bottom walls, a pair of opposed generally impervious side walls and a pair of gas pervious opposed side walls;
b. supporting the tobacco in the containers by passing a plurality of rods therethrough with the axes of the rods parallel to the plane of the top and bottom walls;
c. stacking a plurality of the containers in a curing barn in at least one row with the row being spaced from a pair of opposed side walls of the barn to define a pair of isolated chambers between the opposed side walls of the barn and the air pervious side walls of the containers, and the chambers being generally coextensive with the row of containers;
d. directing a curing of drying gas stream into one of the isolated chambers;
and
e. withdrawing gas from the other of the isolated chambers whereby the curing gas stream flows generally horizontally and uniformly through the tobacco maintained in the containers of the row.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Cross-flow modular tobacco curing system

Life of this patent

Cross-flow modular tobacco curing system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims4