Process for packaging leaf tobacco
OwnerEldon D. Goodeninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of treating leaf tobacco for storage includes removing the stems from the tobacco leaves, tightly packing the leaves in a container that is non-conductive and while the leaves have a relatively high moisture content; subjecting the packed leaves to a heat treatment by exposing the packed container to an electromagnetic field to heat the leaves to a temperature of approximately 180.degree.; subsequently subjecting the packed leaves to a high vacuum to reduce the moisture content thereof and to reduce the temperature of the leaves; the packed container may also be subjected to a low temperature treatment while being subjected to the vacuum.
Claims12
A method of treating leaf tobacco for storage comprising the steps of:
- (a) tightly packing the leaves in a container that is non-conductive and with the leaves having a relatively high moisture content;
- (b) subjecting the packed leaves to a heat treatment by exposing the packed container to an electromagnetic field to heat the leaves to a temperature of approximately 180.degree. F. to thereby drive off a portion of the moisture in the leaves;
- (c) subsequently, subjecting the packed leaves to a high vacuum to further reduce the moisture content thereof and to reduce the temperature of the leaves, and
- (d) the method further including the step of removing the stems from the tobacco leaves prior to packing the leaves in the container.
A method of treating leaf tobacco for storage comprising the steps of:
- (a) tightly packing the leaves in a container that is non-conductive and with the leaves having a relatively high moisture content;
- (b) subjecting the packed leaves to a heat treatment by exposing the packed container to an electromagnetic field to heat the leaves to a temperature of approximately 180.degree. F. to thereby drive off a portion of the moisture in the leaves;
- and
- (c) subsequently, subjecting the packed leaves to a high vacuum to further reduce the moisture content thereof and to reduce the temperature of the leaves;
- said electromagnetic field being generated by applying high frequency alternating current to spaced conductive plates, one located on one side of the container and the other located on the opposite side thereof;
- the method including prior to step (b), the step of using three conductive plates and inserting a container of tobacco leaves between a first and second plate and another container of tobacco leaves between the second and third plates.
A method of treating leaf tobacco for storage comprising the steps of:
- (a) tightly packing the leaves in a container that is non-conductive and with the leaves having a relatively high moisture content;
- (b) subjecting the packed leaves to a heat treatment by exposing the packed container to an electromagnetic field to heat the leaves to a temperature of approximately 180.degree. F. to thereby drive off a portion of the moisture in the leaves;
- and
- (c) subsequently, subjecting the packed leaves to a high vacuum to further reduce the moisture content thereof and to reduce the temperature of the leaves;
- the method further including the steps of subjecting the packed leaves to the heat treatment in a first chamber at atmospheric pressure and moving the packed leaves to a second chamber and subjecting the packed leaves to the vacuum in said second chamber.
A method of treating leaf tobacco for storage comprising the steps of:
- (a) tightly packing the leaves in a container that is non-conductive and with the leaves having a relatively high moisture content;
- (b) subjecting the packed leaves to a heat treatment by exposing the packed container to an electromagnetic field to heat the leaves to a temperature of approximately 180.degree. F. to thereby drive off a portion of the moisture in the leaves;
- and
- (c) subsequently, subjecting the packed leaves to a high vacuum to further reduce the moisture content thereof and to reduce the temperature of the leaves;
- the method further including the step of, while subjecting the packed leaves to a vacuum, subjecting the leaves to another heat treatment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.