R.j. Reynolds Tobacco Company

James Edward Lovette

Lucas J Conrad

Hoyt Sturdivant Beard

Robert Calvin Johnson

Donald A Newton

J Edward Crook

Hamid Neshan

Denise Fox

Robert Eugene Grubbs

Franklin Allan Stump, Jr

Wayne David Detwiler

John Edward Crook

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

A process and apparatus for tobacco expansion is employed for expanding tobacco at rapid throughput rates. The apparatus includes a spool and shell assembly wherein the spool is moveable within the shell between loading, impregnating, and unloading positions. In the impregnating position, sealing assemblies seal the radial clearance between shell and the end members of the spool to provide a pressure vessel for tobacco impregnation. The sealing assemblies includes at least one elastically deformable sealing ring associated with the circumferential exterior of the end member. A pressure applying member is operatively associated with an axial end of each of the sealing members to releasably impart axial pressure onto the axial end of the sealing member when the spool is in the treating position to cause radial expansion of the deformable sealing ring and thereby accomplish sealing of the spool within the shell.

Spool and shell with pressurizing fluid activated seal

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.

Tobacco expansion processes and apparatus

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.

A process and apparatus for tobacco expansion is employed for expanding tobacco at rapid throughput rates. The apparatus includes a spool and shell assembly wherein the spool is moveable into and out of the shell between loading, impregnating, and unloading positions. In the impregnating position, sealing assemblies seal the radial clearance between the spool and shell to provide a pressure vessel for tobacco impregnation. The sealing assemblies include at least one elastically deformable sealing ring and an annularly shaped axial pressure applying member to releasably impart axial pressure to the sealing ring. The axial pressure applying member receives fluid pressure from a hydraulic fluid and preferably receives additional fluid pressure from the expansion agent used to expand the tobacco.

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Winston-Salem, NC, United States of America

James Edward Lovette