Method and apparatus for increasing the volume of tobacco or the like
AssigneeHauni-Werke Korber & Co. KG
InventorsWaldemar Wochnowski, Willi Thiele
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Shreds of tobacco are conveyed across a rising stream of saturated steam and in a shower of hot water droplets so that the temperature and moisture content of shreds increase to a value at which the shreds are pliable. The shreds are thereupon introduced into a drying unit wherein they rise and fall while moving across a rising stream containing a mixture of superheated water vapors and hot air to be alternately subjected to more and less pronounced drying action which causes pronounced crimping of the shreds. The dried shreds are immediately cooled to room temperature prior to admission into the magazine of a cigarette maker.
Claims38
A method of increasing the filling capacity of fibers which consist of smokable material, particularly tobacco, prior to confinement of fibers in containers, such as wrappers of cigarettes, comprising the steps of raising the moisture content of and simultaneously heating the fibers to thus increase the pliability of fibers;
- and thereupon drying the fibers including alternately expelling from the fibers moisture at a higher and lower rate per unit of time in rapid sequence.
Apparatus for increasing the filling capacity of fibers which consist of smokable material, particularly tobacco, prior to confinement of fibers in containers, such as wrappers of cigarettes, comprising a conditioning unit including means for raising the moisture content of and for simultaneously heating the fibers to thus increase the pliability of fibers;
- and a drying unit including means for alternately expelling from the heated and moisturized fibers moisture at a higher and lower rate per unit of time in rapid sequence.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.