Machine for shredding tobacco or the like

Abstract

A machine for shredding tobacco wherein the rear portion of the upper reach of the lower chain conveyor of the conveyor system which converts a continuous stream of tobacco particles into a continuous cake is located below the open lower end of an upright duct serving to deliver tobacco to the conveyor system. The rear wall of the duct is oscillated by an orbiting eccentric pin through the medium of a rod, a lever and a link, the latter being rigidly connected with the upper portion of the rear wall and being pivotable about the axis of a horizontal shaft disposed substantially centrally and transversely of the upper end of the duct so that a vertical plane which includes such axis intersects the upper reach of the lower chain conveyor in front of the forwardly curved spade-like lower portion of the rear wall. The rear wall performs an oscillatory movement of such nature that its upper portion moves substantially up and down to intermittently tamp the admitted particles of tobacco into the lower portion of the duct and that its lower portion performs forward and return strokes along a substantially horizontal path to thereby change the direction of movement of tobacco particles which issue from the lower end of the duct and to advance such particles along the rear portion of the upper reach of the lower conveyor and into the forwardly converging path between such upper reach and the lower reach of the upper chain conveyor of the conveyor system. This ensures that the flow of tobacco particles in the duct is not interrupted and that the cake which develops between the two chain conveyors is free of voids.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.