# US 4,398,548 A · Method and apparatus for moistening bundles of flexible material in particular bundles of tobacco leaves

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- Number: US 4,398,548 A
- Document ID: US4398548A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/205,248
- Filed: 1980-11-10
- Granted: 1983-08-16
- Earliest claimed: 1980-11-10
- Assignees: Machinefabriek Wegra B.V.
- Inventors: Cornelis J. M. van Weert
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4398548A

## CPC

- A24B 3/04: Humidifying or drying tobacco bunches or cut tobacco (A24B3/12 takes precedence)
- A24B: MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF TOBACCO FOR SMOKING OR CHEWING; TOBACCO; SNUFF

## Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for moistening tobacco leaves (31) by passing bundles of leaves (31) through a space (7) containing atomized water which bundles according to the invention are passed through said space (7) while being suspended from the base thereof with the leaves hanging downwardly which bundles to this end are clamped with the base of the bundle in spaced apart clamping means (8) which are freely rotatably connected to an endless conveyor chain (2) said clamping means (8) during their passage through the said moisture containing space (7) are rotated by frictional engagement with one or more endless belts (11,11') while the nozzles (21,22) which atomize the water create turbulence in said space (7).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of moistening bundles of leafy vegetation by placing the bundles at the base thereof into a clamping means and passing the same through a moistening space in which there is atomized a liquid, characterized in that said bundles are passed through said space while being suspended from the base thereof and being rotated about the vertical axis of said base.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, characterized in that during the passage through said moistening space the direction of rotation is altered.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1, 2)

The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a turbulent motion is imparted to the air within said moistening space.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method according to claim 3 characterized in that the turbulent motion is imparted to the air by means of air jets for atomizing the liquid.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the leafy vegetation is tobacco leaves.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1, 5)

The method of claim 1 or 5 wherein the liquid is water.