Lorillard Tobacco Company

Scw, Inc.

Lorillard--a Division of Loew's Theatres, Inc.

John R Wagner

Werner P Kirschstein

David A Grider

James G Williams, Iii

James R Knighton

Leroy G Webb

Floyd S Cowan

Ricky L Hughes

Neil A Thaggard

J E Smith

A tobacco expansion method is provided whereby cured tobacco is first moistened with a humectant solution, as is conventional in the industry, to increase the resident liquids thereof. Next, the prepared tobacco in shredded form is placed in a sealed chamber and the chamber evacuated to vaporize a portion of the resident liquids. Next, ethyl alcohol vapor is allowed to enter the pressure chamber below 70 mm (Hg) absolute to prevent a water-ethyl alcohol azeotrope from forming. Thereafter, a hydrocarbon vapor, such as n-pentane vapor, is directed into the chamber and the pressure restored to atmospheric. The n-pentane vapor diffuses into the cellular structure of the tobacco with the assistance of the ethyl alcohol, whereafter the tobacco is heated and the n-pentane and ethyl alcohol acts as a propellant to expand the tobacco.

Tobacco expansion method

A disinfestation system for agricultural products, for example recovered tobacco, comprises a disinfestation unit which is releasably connected to plural containers. The disinfestation unit supplies a disinfestation gas (CO.sub.2) through the conduit means to the container, and periodically withdraws sample gas from said container. A thermal conductivity detector produces an electrical signal representation of the level of CO.sub.2 in the container, which is supplied, along with a temperature dependent signal, to a computer. The processor controls the introduction of additional CO.sub.2 throughout the process. Preferably, the system also includes heater elements, and the processor generates control signals for controlling temperature in the container. The computer controls the disinfestation process of multiple containers such multiple disinfestation processes can be carried out simultaneously.

Disinfestation system for agricultural products

Tobacco is graded by size by separating a sample into size fractions using a rotary drum screen. The sample is characterized by two distribution curves, one for a finer portion and the other for a coarser portion. The crossing point of logarithmic plots of the percentage by weight vs. particle size distributions of the two portions provides a precise and sensitive descriptor, which can be termed as a 'percent desirable fraction,' for grading the size characteristics of threshed or cut tobacco.

Method and apparatus for determining the size distribution of tobacco

The pressure drop through and the circumference of filter rods for cigarette filters or the like are determined by a completely automated rod test station that consists of a measuring unit and a computer. The measuring unit has a transport system for rapidly moving a filter rod first into a pressure drop gauge and next into a pneumatic circumference gauge and then ejecting it. A single pressure transducer in the measuring unit detects the pressure drops across the standard, through the filter rod in the pressure drop gauge and through the annular passage between the rod and die in the circumference gauge. The analog electrical signals produced by the transducer are converted to digital signals which are input to a computer. The computer corrects the measured signals indicative of pressure drop in accordance with any error detected between the measured drop across the calibration standard and a stored internal constant representing the calibrated pressure drop for the standard during each test sequence. The computer also stores the calibration information for the circumference gauge and computes the circumference. The computer outputs are available for digital display or any other desired use. The computer also controls the operating cycle of the measuring unit.

Method and apparatus for determining the pressure drop and circumference

Growing community of inventors

Greensboro, NC, United States of America

John R Wagner