R.j. Reynolds Tobacco Company

Tony Dean Stewart

Hoyt Sturdivant Beard

Russell D Barnes

Dale Bowman Poindexter

Keith Rowan Guy

Douglas Edwin Wilhelm

Harold Eugene Richardson

Ricky Harris Laurence

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

Growing community of inventors

Winston-Salem, NC, United States of America

Tony Dean Stewart