US 5,526,826 AGranted

Apparatus for removing surplus from a tobacco stream

AssigneeHauni Maschinenbau AG

InventorUwe Heitmann

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Abstract

Apparatus for removing surplus at one side of an unequalized tobacco stream includes a transporting unit with a pneumatic conveyor having an endless foraminous belt which overlies the stream and defines with two sidewalls a channel for advancement of the stream along an elongated path so that the surplus extends downwardly beyond a preselected distance from the underside of the belt. The mechanism for trimming the surplus off the moving stream comprises two disc-shaped gripping members which define a nip for the entry of successive increments of the stream directly above the surplus, and a rotary knife having a circular cutting edge which separates the surplus from the major portion of the stream immediately below the nip. The knife can form part of or can be disposed immediately above a coaxial rotary deflector which directs the severed suplus in a desired direction. A driven rotary paddle wheel can be installed upstream of the nip to remove some of the surplus, and a rotary device which compacts longitudinally spaced apart portions of the stream can be installed between the paddle wheel and the nip.

Claims16

Dependent claims

Apparatus for removing surplus from a stream of tobacco particles, comprising means for transporting the stream in a predetermined direction along a predetermined path including a pneumatic conveyor having means for advancing the stream along said path and two sidewalls flanking said path with the surplus extending beyond a predetermined distance and in a direction away from said advancing means;

means for trimming the surplus off the stream including two rotary gripping members spaced apart from said conveyor and having circular peripheral surfaces defining a nip which is disposed between said sidewalls at least substantially at said predetermined distance from said advancing means and receives successive increments of the stream between the surplus and the stream portion intermediate said nip and said advancing means, means for rotating said gripping members in opposite directions, and means for severing the surplus off the remainder of the stream at said nip including a rotary knife having a substantially circular cutting edge adjacent said gripping members with the gripping members disposed between said knife and said advancing means;
means for compacting spaced-apart portions of the stream upstream of and close to said nip, including a driven rotary holder and at least one projection provided on said holder and positioned to compact an adjacent portion of the stream during each revolution of the holder;
and means for directing the severed surplus in at least one predetermined direction, including a rotary deflector which is coaxial with said rotary knife, wherein said gripping members are disposed in a first plane and said cutting edge is disposed in a second plane adjacent and substantially parallel to said first plane.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.