US 4,883,077 AGranted

Apparatus for transporting and treating particles of tobacco and the like

AssigneeDecoufle S.A.R.L.

InventorPierre Irigoyen

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Abstract

A stream of air is circulated by a blower along an endless path a portion of which is defined by an upright duct having an air inlet at its lower end, an air outlet at its upper end, and an inlet for comminuted tobacco particles intermediate its air inlet and air outlet. The particles of tobacco which are admitted into the duct are classified according to weight by the ascending air stream which advances satisfactory particles toward the outlet where the particles are attracted to a driven foraminous belt conveyor to form a growing tobacco stream. The air inlet of the duct contains a rotary impeller which distributes the inflowing air across the full width of the duct so that the thus formed air stream ensures a predictable classifying action and the formation of a homogeneous shower of satisfactory particles which are advanced toward the stream growing zone.

Claims10

Dependent claims

Apparatus for transporting and treating particles of tobacco and analogous fibrous material in a rod making machine of the tobacco processing industry, comprising a duct having an air admitting first inlet, an air outlet remote from said inlet, and a second inlet intermediate said first inlet and said outlet;

means for evacuating air from said duct by way of said outlet;
means for admitting air into said first inlet so that a stream of air flows from said first inlet, past said second inlet and toward said outlet;
means for distributing the air stream across the duct in the region of said first inlet, including a rotary impeller extending substantially transversely of the direction of flow of the air stream from said first inlet toward said outlet;
and means for feeding into said duct by way of said second inlet fibrous material containing lighter and heavier components so that the stream entrains at least the lighter components from said second inlet to said outlet.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.