Apparatus for separating threshed leaf tobacco

Apparatus for separating lighter particles from heavier particles in a mixture thereof which comprises

• a plurality of successive side-by-side separation chambers constructed and arranged to enable particles to be continuously moved therethrough from an initial end chamber downstream to a final end chamber, each of said chambers having a pair of opposite sides one of which is a projecting side and one of which is a receiving side with the receiving side of each chamber upstream of said final end chamber having an opening therein in immediate feed communicating relation with the projecting side of the next downstream chamber,
• a fan system constructed and arranged with respect to said chambers to establish a generally upward air flow in each of said plurality of separation chambers between the opposite sides thereof,
• a power driven particle projecting mechanism associated with each chamber disposed in the projecting side of the associated chamber,
• the power driven particle projecting mechanism associated with the initial end chamber being constructed and arranged to project particles of a mixture fed thereto into and across the generally upward air flow in the initial end chamber so that lighter particles are carried upwardly by the generally upward air flow within the initial end chamber and some particles including heavier particles move downwardly within the generally upward air flow in the initial end chamber,
• the power driven particle projecting mechanism associate with each chamber downstream of said initial end chamber being constructed and arranged to project particles fed thereto into and across the generally upward air flow in the associated downstream chamber so that lighter particles are carried upwardly by the generally upward air flow within the associated downstream chamber and some particles including heavier particles move downwardly within the generally upward air flow in the associated downstream chamber,
• the power driven particle projecting mechanism associated with each chamber downstream of said initial end chamber being constructed and arranged with respect to the adjacent upstream chamber so as to be disposed in immediate feed communicating relation with said opening in the receiving side of the adjacent upstream chamber,
• the power driven particle projecting mechanism associated with each chamber upstream of said final end chamber being constructed and arranged to project the particles fed thereto into and across the generally upward air flow in each upstream chamber in such a way that some particles reach the receiving side of each upstream chamber in a position to enter the opening therein in immediate feed communicating relation with the adjacent downstream power driven particle projecting mechanism so as to be immediately projected thereby into and across the generally upward air flow in the chamber associated therewith,
• a lighter particle receiving and moving assembly constructed and arranged with respect to said chambers to receive the lighter particles carried upwardly by the generally upward air flow within said chambers and move the same in such a way as to enable the lighter particles to be discharged from said chambers,
• a heavier particle receiving and moving assembly constructed and arranged with respect to said chambers to receive the particles including heavier particles which move downwardly within the generally upward air flow in said chambers and move the same in such a way as to enable them to be discharged from the chambers,
• said heavier particle receiving and moving assembly comprising a single endless foraminous conveyor extending from said initial end chamber to said final end chamber and between adjacent chambers below the associated opening thereof,
• said single endless foraminous conveyor having an operative flight constructed and arranged to move the particles received thereon in such a way as to be discharged into an outlet at the receiving side of the final end chamber,
• said operative flight including an extent which moves from the projecting side of each chamber to the receiving side thereof at a location which causes the generally upward air flow in the chamber to flow upwardly through the extent of the operative flight moving therethrough.

A method of separating lighter particles from heavier particles in a mixture thereof utilizing a separation chamber for continuous movement of particles therethrough, said chamber having (1) a pair of opposite sides one of which is a projecting side and one of which is a receiving side and (2) an extent of an operative flight of a foraminous conveyor extending therethrough from the projecting side to the receiving side thereof, said projecting side of said chamber having an inlet opening for receiving the lighter and heavier particles of the mixture with the receiving side of said chamber having an outlet opening therein disposed generally across from said inlet opening, said method comprising the steps of

• establishing a generally upward air flow in said separation chamber between the opposite sides thereof upwardly through the extent of the operative flight therein,
• projecting particles from the projecting side of said chamber into and across the generally upward air flow therein so that lighter particles are carried upwardly by the generally upward air flow in said chamber and particles including heavier particles move downwardly through the generally upward air flow in said chamber, the particles projected from the projecting side of said chamber being the lighter and heavier particles of the mixture,
• causing some of the particles projected from the projecting side of said chamber to reach the receiving side thereof and to pass through the outlet opening therein to be subsequently processed,
• receiving the lighter particles carried upwardly by the air flow within said chamber and moving the same in such a way as to enable them to be discharged from the chamber,
• receiving the particles including heavier particles which move downwardly within the generally upward air flow in said chamber and moving the same in such a way as to enable them to be discharged from the chamber below the outlet opening,
• the particles including said heavier particles which move downwardly through the generally upward air flow in said chamber being received on the extent of the operative flight in said chamber and moved thereon in such a way as to be discharged therefrom at a position below the outlet opening,
• the particles passing through the outlet opening are different from the lighter particles carried upwardly by the air flow and from the heavier particles which move downwardly through the upward air flow.

Apparatus for separating lighter particles from heavier particles in a mixture thereof which comprises

• a separation chamber constructed and arranged to enable particles to be continuously moved therethrough, said chamber having a pair of opposite sides one of which is a projecting side and one of which is a receiving side, said projecting side of said chamber having an inlet opening for receiving the lighter and heavier particles of the mixture with the receiving side of said chamber having an outlet opening therein disposed generally across from said inlet opening,
• a fan system constructed and arranged with respect to said chamber to establish a generally upward air flow in said chamber between the opposite sides thereof,
• a power driven particle projecting mechanism associated with said chamber disposed in the projecting side of the chamber,
• the power driven particle projecting mechanism being constructed and arranged to project particles of a mixture fed thereto into and across the generally upward air flow in the chamber so that lighter particles are carried upwardly by the generally upward air flow within the chamber and some particles including heavier particles move downwardly within the generally upward air flow in the chamber,
• the power driven particle projecting mechanism being constructed and arranged to project the particles fed thereto into and across the generally upward air flow in the chamber in such a way that some particles reach the receiving side of the chamber in a position to enter the outlet opening therein to be subsequently processed,
• a lighter particle receiving and moving assembly constructed and arranged with respect to said chamber to receive the lighter particles carried upwardly by the generally upward air flow within said chamber and move the same in such a way as to enable the lighter particles to be discharged from said chamber,
• a heavier particle receiving and moving assembly constructed and arranged with respect to said chamber to receive the particles including heavier particles which move downwardly within the generally upward air flow in said chamber and move the same in such a way as to enable them to be discharged from the chamber,
• said heavier particle receiving and moving assembly comprising a single endless foraminous conveyor disposed below the inlet and outlet openings in the chamber, said single endless foraminous conveyor including an extent which moves from the projecting side of the chamber to the receiving side thereof at a location which causes the generally upward air flow in the chamber to flow upwardly through the extent of the operative flight moving therethrough.