The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 07, 1994
Filed:
Feb. 19, 1992
Richard M Henderson, Winston-Salem, NC (US);
Roger A Foote, Winston-Salem, NC (US);
Aubrey L Swofford, Greenwood, SC (US);
Henry H Warren, Jr,, Clemmons, NC (US);
D Randall McHone, Winston-Salem, NC (US);
R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Winston-Salem, NC (US);
Abstract
A method of and an appratus for automatically determining the moisture content of a tobacco sample and for then automatically determining the stem content of the tobacco sample are disclosed. The apparatus utilizes a dryer, such as a rotary drum dryer with internal agitating vanes, for applying heat to remove moisture and volatiles from the sample and for reducing the sample to lamina and stem portions. Electronic scales are used to weigh the sample before and after drying to determine and store the 'wet' and 'dry' weights of the sample. Based on the stored wet and dry weights the moisture content is determined. The stem portions are classified into two categories and weighed to determine the stem content by weight of the sample.