Patent ID: 7810506
Filing Date: 2010-10-12
Classification: A24B

Abstract:
1. Apparatus for delaminating tobacco in the form of slices from a layered parcel, comprising: conveyor means for delivering a parcel of tobacco to a separating location, and a rotatable tine assembly mounted on an axis extending at a right angle to a direction of movement of the conveyor means and parallel to the layering of the parcel, the rotatable tine assembly having a plurality of axially spaced apart paddle wheels, and wherein each paddle wheel includes a plurality of tines which are pointed and profiled to extend in the direction of rotation of the tine assembly and are driven at a speed greater than that of the conveyor means, each of the tines having an inner part extending radially from the shaft and an outer part extending approximately tangentially to the direction of rotation of the tine assembly, such that the tines enter the parcel at an entering location in a direction substantially parallel to the layering of the parcel, and wherein a tip of each tine when entering the parcel has a horizontal component, which coincides with a horizontal movement of the parcel, and as the rotation of the tine assembly continues, the tines accelerate a layer away from the parcel for effecting separation of the layer of tobacco from the parcel, characterized in that the axis of the tine assembly is arranged at a distance above the parcel such that the line from the axis of the tine assembly to the entering location forms an angle between 14 and 24° with the horizontal and in that the peripheral speed of the tine assembly is about three to five times the linear speed of the conveyor means during separation of the layer of tobacco from the parcel.