R.j. Reynolds Tobacco Company

Hoyt Sturdivant Beard

Robert Calvin Johnson

James Edward Lovette

Lucas J Conrad

Donald A Newton

J Edward Crook

Hamid Neshan

Denise Fox

Marvin G Woempner

Franklin Allan Stump, Jr

Jackie L White

Thomas A Perfetti

Mark L Raker

Russell D Barnes

Dale Bowman Poindexter

Robert Eugene Grubbs

Daniel G Williard

Richard G Haberkern

Keith Rowan Guy

Franklin Allan Strump, Jr

Douglas Edwin Wilhelm

Tony Dean Stewart

Harold Eugene Richardson

Ricky Harris Laurence

Jerry R Joyce

James M Mitchell, Jr

A method of and an apparatus for expanding tobacco, particularly tobacco impregnated with solid carbon dioxide are disclosed. The apparatus comprises an arcuate, generally C-shaped duct for conveying the tobacco material in a hot gaseous medium to sublimate the solid carbon dioxide and expand the tobacco. The duct has a non-circular cross-section, preferably a rectangular cross-section, with a high width-to-depth ratio and an increasing depth from the inlet to an intermediate portion of the duct then a decreasing depth from the intermediate portion to the outlet of the duct. A winnower device infeeds the tobacco material into the duct adjacent the throat of a venturi section connected to the inlet of the conveying duct. A tangential separator with an adjustable baffle at the inlet thereof for controlling velocity in the separator is used to separate the expanded tobacco from the gaseous medium.

Method of and apparatus for expanding tobacco

An apparatus for impregnating tobacco with an expansion agent includes a chamber for confining a charge of tobacco under elevated pressure conditions. An accumulator connected to the chamber maintains a supply of an expansion agent in fluid form under conditions of elevated temperature and pressure but less than the desired tobacco impregnation temperature and pressure. The expansion agent is forcibly and rapidly moved from the accumulator and introduced into the chamber under conditions such that the pressure and temperature of the expansion agent are increased to the desired impregnation temperature and pressure, preferably including a pressure approaching or above the supercritical pressure thereof.

Tobacco expansion processes and apparatus

A tobacco expansion process and apparatus is provided to form a tobacco batch having a predetermined amount of tobacco, contact the batch with steam, load the batch onto a spool assembly, and impregnate the batch with an expansion agent. A double conduit apparatus is provided to load two simultaneously formed tobacco batches onto opposing sides of the impregnation spool. The tobacco batch is formed within a batch forming chamber comprising a vertically adjustable screen to accommodate different operating parameters and/or different tobacco types and/or forms. The batch is directed through a pneumatically separable zone to a precompaction and heating zone. The separable zone is defined by sequentially operating members, at least two of which form barriers to impede seepage of the expansion agent from the impregnating zone. In the precompaction zone the batch is precompacted against a permeable barrier, steamed, and then loaded onto a spool assembly for impregnation with an expansion agent.

Process and apparatus for tobacco batch preparation and expansion

This invention provides tobacco expansion processes and apparatus that can be employed for expanding tobacco at rapid throughput rates employing high pressure tobacco impregnation conditions. The processes and apparatus of the invention are particularly useful in tobacco expansion processes employing cycle times of less than 20-30 seconds; the use of preheated, prepressurized expansion agent such as propane; preheating of tobacco batches; and/or compression of tobacco within a high pressure impregnation zone for greatly improving use of available space in a high pressure impregnation vessel.

A tobacco expansion apparatus is provided to form a tobacco batch having a predetermined amount of tobacco, contact the batch with steam, load the batch onto a spool assembly, and impregnate the batch with an expansion agent. A double conduit apparatus is provided to load two simultaneously formed tobacco batches onto opposing sides of the impregnation spool. The tobacco batch is formed within a batch forming chamber comprising a vertically adjustable screen to accommodate different operating parameters and/or different tobacco types and/or forms. The batch is directed through a pneumatically separable zone to a precompaction and heating zone. The separable zone is defined by sequentially operating members, at least two of which form barriers to impede seepage of the expansion agent from the impregnating zone. In the precompaction zone the batch is precompacted against a permeable barrier, steamed, and then loaded onto a spool assembly for impregnation with an expansion agent.

Cigarette rods and filter rods are provided by manufacturing rods from tobacco cut filler and a circumscribing paper wrap, and then subjecting the rods to conditions such that the cut filler undergoes volume expansion while within the paper wrap. For example, the tobacco rods can be exposed to propane under supercritical conditions within a pressure chamber followed by a venting of the gaseous fluid to expand the tobacco cut filler. The resulting rods are very firm, have good integrity, and frequently do not undergo any noticeable visible change. The resulting rods which contain the volume expanded tobacco can be used as smokable rods for cigarettes or as cigarette filters.

Process for the manufacture tobacco rods containing expanded tobacco

An apparatus for determining the stem content of a mass of plant leaves including a size reduction and classifying mechanism for separating the leaves into a stem and lamina portion and a means for introducing the leaves into the reduction and classifying mechanism. A dryer is utilized to reduce the moisture to a proper content for separation and classifying. The separated stem and lamina portions are transported to a scale mechanism which weighs the separated stem and lamina portions to permit calculation of the stem content of the leaf mass.

Method and apparatus for determining stem content of baled tobacco

A system, apparatus and method is proposed according to which a tobacco mass is proportioned for primary processing. The system and method provide for a controlled selection handling and proportioning of the tobacco mass, and for conditioning of the tobacco mass before further primary processing. The apparatus provides for conditioning an entire tobacco mass or for selected proportioning of the tobacco mass into smaller predetermined portions prior to conditioning. The system and method allow for blending different types of tobacco masses while utilizing the proportioning apparatus on selected tobacco masses.

System, apparatus, and method for preparing a quantity of tobacco for

Dry, compacted masses of tobacco are conditioned by inserting an array of parallel perforated probes into the mass and passing high pressure steam through the probes and probe perforations into the tobacco mass as the probes are inserted and withdrawn. The conditioning apparatus includes a frame supporting a probe array and a ram for moving the array toward and away from a tobacco mass supported by a conveyor. The probes are flexibly mounted to prevent bending, and extend through a stripper plate which is supported from the array by way of a latching mechanism. The stripper plate holds the tobacco mass in place to prevent lifting of the mass upon withdrawal of the probes.

Growing community of inventors

Winston-Salem, NC, United States of America

Hoyt Sturdivant Beard