Patent ID: 8991142
Filing Date: 2015-03-31
Classification: A24B,A24F,B65B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for dispensing tobacco, said apparatus comprising: a container operable to hold a supply of tobacco material; a dosing assembly comprising a movable element and a fixed element, said movable element movable between a retracted and a closed position, said movable element defining a loading chamber for receiving a predetermined quantity of tobacco material and a dosing chamber, wherein the predetermined quantity of tobacco fills a portion of the loading chamber and the movable element compresses the predetermined quantity of tobacco into the dosing chamber upon moving into the closed position; a tobacco feed system comprising a dual screw feeder and a tobacco feed drive, the tobacco feed system operable to transfer the predetermined quantity of tobacco material from the container to the loading chamber of the dosing assembly; and a dosing air source communicating with the dosing chamber and operable to deliver compressed air to the dosing assembly so as to move a compressed tobacco material from the dosing chamber through a discharge opening, wherein the compressed tobacco material is retained in a fixed position over a dosing tube until discharged into the dosing tube via a pulse of the compressed air from the dosing air source, and wherein the dosing tube is in communication with the discharge opening and configured to deliver the compressed tobacco from the dosing assembly to a pouching apparatus.