TOBACCO BALE SEPARATION

Abstract: For tobacco bale separation, a bale (10) is presented by a conveyor (18) at a separating location between spaced separating paddles. Each of the latter comprises a blade (26) mounting arcuate blade members (28) which are curved in a direction of rotation of the blade (26). The blade members (28) extend into the path of movement of the bale (10) in a direction substantially parallel to the layering so as to penetrate behind a layer (34). Continued movement of the bale (10) and rotation of the blades (26) causes further penetration of the blade members (28), the curvature being such that the outer ends of the blade members (28) accelerate in a direction endwise of the bale (10) to separate the layer (34) therefrom. The layer (34) continues to be accelerated away from the bale (10) into a conditioning unit.

Description: This invention relates to apparatus for separating tobacco from bales thereof. Tobacco is usually supplied to cigarette manufacturers in the form of bales. These bales are usually layered due to the tobacco leaves having been laid flat one on top of each other and subsequently compressed. It is usual to separate these bales prior to conditioning of the tobacco. The problem with separating out these bales is that it often results in considerable degradation of the tobacco leaves. The conditioning can be carried out on batches of tobacco, but it is preferable to carry out conditioning in a continuous mode. US-A-4, 532,946 discloses the use of a 'doffer' to separate slabs of tobacco from a bale. The doffer comprises a rotatable shaft aligned parallel to the layering of the bale from which extends a purality of rows of radial spikes engageable in the bale. This specification also discloses the use of a 'toggle' comprising a pair of linked wedges insertable into the bale, the linking being such as to permit the wedges to be slid apart separating the slab from the bale. DE-B-1 139 419 discloses apparatus for separating tobacco from a bale comprising an endless chain carrying cutting wedges. The wedges in a first downward vertical pass of the chain engage in the bale to cut a slice therefrom. It is an object of this invention to provide apparatus usable with continuous tobacco conditioning for separating bales of tobacco in such a manner as to reduce degradation of the tobacco leaves. According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for separating tobacco from a bale, the apparatus comprising means for presenting a bale of tobacco at a separating location, blade means adapted to enter the bale in a direction substantially parallel to the layering of the bale and means for effecting relative movement between the blade means and the bale at the separating location, whereby to enable separation of a layer of tobacco from the bale, characterised in that the blade means comprises at least one rotatable blade assembly mounted on an axis extending parallel to the layering of the bale, and peripherally presenting a plurality of members which are profiled to at least partly extend in the direction of rotation of the blade assembly, so as to accelerate the layer away from the bale. The invention thereby provides apparatus for separating layers of tobacco from a bale with reduced degradation of the tobacco. As opposed to DE-B-1 139 419 the only part of the apparatus which contacts the freshly cut face of the bale is the blade assembly. The blade assembly also provides for an advantageous acceleration of the cut layer away from the bale. The or each blade assembly may comprise at least one blade peripherally presenting a plurality of arcuate blade members which are similarly curved in the direction of rotation of the blade. Preferably also the delivery means comprises a conveyor for delivering the bale to the separating location, and means may be provided for tipping a bale of tobacco onto the conveyor so that the layering is generally at right angles to the conveyor. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which :- Fig. 1 is a side view of part of a separating apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic side view of an arrangement including the apparatus of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a side view of part of a separating apparatus according to another embodiment of the invention. Referring to the drawings, bales 10 of tobacco are transported on trolleys 12 to a delivery assembly 14 which includes a conveyor 18. Each bale 10 is formed of substantially parallel, stacked layers of tobacco, layering being substantially horizontal on the trolley 12. Each bale 10 is then tipped over by a tipper unit 16 onto the conveyor 18 so that the layering is substantially at right angles to the conveyor surface. The bales 10 are carried on the conveyor 18 successively to a location adjacent to a separating assembly 22. The latter comprises a pair of shafts 24 extending substantially horizontally at right angles to the movement direction of the conveyor 18, and spaced apart such that the shafts 24 are respectively above and below the bales 10 moving past the delivery end 20 of the conveyor 18. Each of the shafts 24 is driven at a speed equal to that of the conveyor and mounts a plurality of paddles along the shaft, each paddle being in the form of a generally circular blade 26 having, on an outer peripheral section, a plurality of arcuate blade members 28, the latter each being similarly curved in the direction of rotation of the blade 26 and extending into the path of movement of the bales 10. When a respective one of the bales 10 has been moved along the conveyor 18 to the location of the separating assembly 22, an outer end of a respective blade member 28 of each of the blades 26 enters the bale 10 at a location 30 towards the forward end, in a direction substantially parallel to the layering so as to penetrate behind a layer 34. Continued movement of the bale 10 by the conveyor 18, with consequent rotation of the blades 26, causes the respective blade members 28 to accelerate and penetrate further into the bale 10 (see location 32). At the same time the following blade members 28 initially penetrate the bale 10. Upon further movement of the bale 10, the curvature of the respective blade members 28 is such that the outer ends of the latter accelerate in a direction endwise of the bale 10 to separate the layer 34 of tobacco from the bale 10, and subsequently continue to accelerate the layer 34 away from the bale 10 into a conveyor feeding into a conditioning unit 38. In the apparatus shown, the rotary blades 26 are made of stainless steel and each comprises fifteen blade members 28 which penetrate a maximum of six inches into the bale, producing layers of tobacco two inches thick. The conditioning unit 38 conditions the tobacco in a conventional way, and the conditioned tobacco is delivered onto a discharge conveyor 40. As an alternative, only one shaft 24 with paddles may be provided, selectively above or below the bale 10. When a single shaft 24 is provided, a roller may be located on the other side of the bale 10 whereby to engage against the tobacco in the bale at said other side while the paddles operate to separate the layers of tobacco. In a further alternative a shaft with paddles may be located to engage the tobacco from one or both sides of the bale 10, and these paddles may be provided in addition to paddles above and below the bales 10 or instead of paddles above and below the bales. In a modification the or each shaft may have only one paddle for engagement with the tobacco. In yet another modification, the or each paddle may comprise a blade having blade members arranged in a star configuration or indeed any other suitable configuration. Another embodiment is shown in Fig. 3, where like parts to the embodiments of Figs. 1 and 2 have like reference numbers. In this embodiment the or each paddle comprises a hub 42 mounting profiled tines 44 which, upon rotary movement, accelerate into and endwise of the bale 10 to hold, penetrate and separate the layers of tobacco in the same way as the previous embodiment. It is envisaged that the or each separating paddle may be moved longitudinally of the bale while the latter remains stationery, so as to separate the tobacco layers. There is thus provided apparatus for separating out bales of tobacco along the layers inherent in such bales, thus reducing degradation of the tobacco. The apparatus may be simply and relatively cheaply produced and is suitable for use with continuous conditioning. Various modifications may be made without departing from the invention. For example rotary blades made from a different material or with different numbers of blade members which may be arranged to penetrate to a different depth and to produce tobacco layers of a different thickness, may be used. The rotary blades may be driven at a speed greater than that of the conveyor or not driven at all.

Claims: Apparatus for separating tobacco from a bale, the apparatus comprising means for presenting a bale of tobacco at a separating location, blade means adapted to enter the bale in a direction substantially parallel to the layering of the bale and means for effecting relative movement between the blade means and the bale at the separating location, whereby to enable separation of a layer of tobacco from the bale, characterised in that the blade means comprises at least one rotatable blade assembly (26-28,44) mounted on an axis extending parallel to the layering of the bale (10), and peripherally presenting a plurality of members (26,44) which are profiled to at least partly extend in the direction of rotation of the blade assembly, so as to accelerate the layer (34) away from the bale (10). Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterised in that the or each blade assembly comprises at least one blade (26) peripherally presenting a plurality of arcuate blade members (28) which are similarly curved in the direction of rotation of the blade (26). Apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the bale presenting means comprises a conveyor (18) for delivering the bale (10) to the separating location, and means (16) are provided for tipping a bale of tobacco onto the conveyor (18) so that the layering is generally at right angles to the conveyor (18). Apparatus according to any of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the bale presenting means is stationery, and the blade means is movable relative thereto in a longitudinal direction of the bale. Apparatus according to Claim 4, characterised in that the blade means comprises a plurality of blades mounted on and projecting from bale presenting means in the form of a conveyor, the latter being adapted to deliver a bale to the separating location whereat the bale moves beyond the conveyor and a layer of tobacco falls away from the bale to effect separation.

Inventors: SPRINGTHORPE, ROY
Applicants: NTM LTD.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: A24B3
IPC codes: A24B3