Apparatus for separating threshed leaf tobacco and method

Abstract: A separation device for separating threshed leaf tobacco includes a housing defining a separation chamber (16). A fan circulation system (26) having an improved varibale flow plural flow path arrangement (68,72) establishes a generally upward air flow through the separation chamber. A tobacco supply inlet (28) is disposed at an inlet side (18) of the separation chamber for receiving a supply of threshed leaf tobacco downwardly therethrough and a threshed leaf tobacco projecting winnower (30) is disposed below the tobacco supply inlet for projecting the supply so that the lighter particles are generally carried upwardly by the air flow within the separation chamber and the heavier particles move generally downwardly through the air flow. An improved system (32) is provided for receiving and discharging the lighter particles carried upwardly by the air flow within the separation chamber (16). A heavy particle outlet (36) on an outlet side (20) of the separation chamber is provided for receiving heavy particles downwardly therethrough. The inlet (28) and outlet (30) are positioned and constructed such that the separation device can be mounted in side by side relation to a similar separation device having a similar inlet such that the heavier particles moving downwardly through the outlet (36) of the separation device pass downwardly through the simlar inlet (28) of the similar separation device.

Description: The invention relates to apparatus for and a method of separating threshed leaf tobacco, and more particularly to apparatus of this type which will improve the separation characteristics while minimizing damage to the lamina particles. The invention is particularly concerned with the separation of threshed tobacco leaves by air stream separation into (1) lighter particles such as lamina with little or no stem, and (2) heavier particles such as stem with or without attached lamina. Air flotation type separation apparatus is known, and basically includes a separation chamber having opposed sides and a closed fan system for establishing a generally upward flow of air within the chamber between the sides thereof. Successive particles from a supply of threshed leaf tobacco are projected from one side of the chamber across the chamber so that (1) lighter particles are carried upwardly by the airflow within the chamber, and (2) heavier particles move by gravity downwardly through the airflow within the chamber. A discharge system is provided in the upper portion of the chamber for receiving the upwardly carried lighter particles and discharging them from the chamber, and a separate discharge system is provided in the lower portion of the chamber for receiving the heavier particles moving downwardly by gravity and discharging the same from the chamber. In US-A-4,465,194, there is disclosed an apparatus of this type in which means are provided for further handling and separating projected particles which travel entirely across the chamber and for effecting a final separation of lighter particles entrained with the particles received in the heavier particle discharge system. The tobacco separator has a primary and a secondary air separation chamber. Two winnowers are provided in the primary chamber for tossing tobacco mixture back and forth across the chamber. A generally upward airflow is established which, combined with inertial and gravitational effects, functions to separate lighter particles from heavier particles by entraining the lighter particles in the upward airflow. A conveyor assembly is positioned across the bottom of the primary chamber and extends into the secondary chamber of the separator. In US-A-3,308,950 (Harte) there is disclosed an apparatus for separating lighter particles from heavier particles in a mixture of tobacco leaf particles, by introducing a continuous thin stream of lighter and heavier particles into an ascending non-vertical high velocity current of air; reducing the speed of the stream by permitting gradual expansion of the current whereby some of the heavier particles descend by gravity and leave the air current; and dividing the remainder of the mixture into a plurality of partial streams which intercept with each other to achieve further separation. The overall separator assembly includes a plurality of separators positioned side by side. In US-A-4 915 824 (Surtees) a pneumatic classifier for separating light tobacco leaf particles from heavier stem particles is disclosed. The mixed particles are propelled across a vertical separator chamber of the classifier while forced air is directed upwardly through the intermixed particles to separate the lighter particles from the heavier stem particles. The mixture is propelled into and across the separator chamber by a rotor to a discharge outlet tube on an opposite side of the chamber. Lighter particles move upwardly in the upwardly directed airstream, and heavier particles sink towards an air permeable screen, through which the upwardly directed air flow is directed. A discharge outlet chute for particles other than those carried upwardly by the air stream, leads to a stem discharge conveyor belt outside the chamber to remove the separated stem particles away from the classifier. It is said that the classifier can be adapted for any particular position in the various stages of separation in a plant where a large number of classifiers may be operating in a complete threshing line, but there is no disclosure of how to combine two or more classifiers together in an operational relationship. It is often the case that the heavier particle fraction discharging from a separating apparatus contains lighter particles clumped therewith which did not get separated in the operation of the apparatus. Consequently it is often the practice to set up an intervening power-operated system for delivering the heavier particle discharge from one apparatus to the inlet of a similar apparatus as the threshed leaf tobacco supply thereof. In this way, a better final separation can be achieved. However, due to the additional handling by the intervening power-operated system, it is achieved in a manner which tends to effect damage to the lamina. There is, therefore, a need to provide a separating apparatus capable of cooperating with a similar apparatus without the need to provide a lamina-damaging intervening power-operated system. According to the present invention there is provided a method of separating lighter particles from heavier particles in a mixture of threshed leaf tobacco comprising: moving particles to be separated through at least two successive separation chambers; and in each separation chamber effecting the steps of: establishing a generally upward air flow in the separation chamber between opposite sides thereof comprising an inlet side and an outlet side; projecting particles to be separated from the inlet side of the chamber into and across the generally upward air flow therein so that lighter particles, forming a first fraction of the projected particles, are carried upwardly by the generally upward air flow and other particles including heavier particles, forming a second fraction of the projected particles, move downwardly through the generally upward air flow; receiving the said lighter particles and discharging the same from the chamber; and receiving the said other particles including heavier particles and discharging the same from the chamber; characterised in that successive separation chambers are positioned in directly communicating, side by side relationship, and that the method includes: in the or each chamber upstream of the final chamber of the successive separation chambers, causing a third fraction of the particles projected from the inlet side to reach the outlet side and to pass through an opening therein which is disposed in immediate feed communicating relation with the inlet side of the next downstream chamber to immediately become particles projected from the inlet side of the said next downstream chamber into and across the generally upward air flow in that said next downstream chamber; in the final chamber, projecting particles received directly from the opening of the preceding chamber and causing a third fraction of those projected particles to reach an outlet at the outlet side of the final chamber in a single pass across the chamber and to be discharged through that outlet at the outlet side of the final chamber; and in each chamber receiving the said second fraction of particles including the heavier particles, on an extent of an operative flight of a foraminous conveyor extending through the chamber from the inlet side to the outlet side thereof, and moving said particles on said conveyor in such a way as to discharge said particles from the chamber, said generally upward air flow in the chamber being arranged to pass upwardly through the said extent of the operative flight of the foraminous conveyor. It is to be appreciated that where features of the invention are described with reference to a separating method, such features may also be provided in accordance with a corresponding separating apparatus, and vice versa. In particular there may be provided in accordance with the invention apparatus for separating lighter particles from heavier particles in a mixture of threshed leaf tobacco comprising: at least two separation chambers arranged for particles to be separated to move through successive separation chambers; each separation chamber having: means for establishing a generally upward air flow in the separation chamber between opposite sides thereof comprising an inlet side and an outlet side; power-driven projecting means in the inlet side of the chamber for projecting particles fed thereto into and across the generally upward air flow in the chamber so that lighter particles, forming a first fraction of the projected particles, are carried upwardly by the generally upward air flow and other particles including heavier particles, forming a second fraction of the projected particles, move downwardly within the generally upward air flow, lighter-particles receiving and moving means for receiving the said lighter particles and discharging from the chamber; and heavier-particles receiving and moving means for receiving the said second fraction of particles including heavier particles and discharging the same from the chamber; characterised in that successive separation chambers are positioned in directly communicating, side-by-side relationship, with the outlet side of the or each chamber upstream of the final chamber having an opening therein in immediate feed communicating relation with the power-driven projecting means in the inlet side of the next downstream chamber; in the or each chamber upstream of said final end chamber, the power driven projecting means being operable to project the particles fed thereto into and across the generally upward air flow in the chamber in such a way that a third fraction of the projected particles reach the outlet side of the chamber in a position to enter the opening therein in immediate feed communicating relation with the adjacent downstream power-driven projecting means so as to be immediately projected thereby into and across the generally upward air flow in the next downstream chamber; in the final chamber, said power driven projecting means being arranged to project particles received directly from the opening of the preceding chamber and to cause a third fraction of those projected particles to reach an outlet at the outlet side of the final chamber in a single pass across the chamber and to be discharged through that outlet on the outlet side of the final chamber; and in each chamber, said heavier particle receiving and moving means comprising an extent of an operative flight of a foraminous conveyor extending through the chamber from the inlet side to the outlet side thereof, for moving said particles on said conveyor in such a way as to discharge said particles from the chamber, said generally upward air flow in the chamber being arranged to pass upwardly through the said extent of the operative flight of the foraminous conveyor. In some preferred forms of the invention there may be provided an apparatus for separating threshed leaf tobacco into (1) lighter particles such as lamina containing little or no stem and (2) heavier particles such as lamina with attached stems or naked stems which comprises a housing structure defining a separation chamber having horizontally spaced and opposed tobacco inlet and outlet sides and vertically spaced lower air inlet and upper air outlet ends. A fan system is provided for establishing a generally upward air flow from the lower air inlet end through the separation chamber and outwardly through the upper outlet end thereof. A tobacco supply inlet is disposed at the inlet side of the separation chamber for receiving a supply of threshed leaf tobacco downwardly therethrough. A threshed leaf tobacco projecting mechanism is provided below the tobacco supply inlet for receiving the supply of threshed leaf tobacco moving downwardly through the inlet and for projecting the supply of threshed leaf tobacco across the generally upward air flow within the separation chamber so that (1) the lighter particles are generally carried upwardly by the air flow within the separation chamber and (2) the heavier particles move generally downwardly through the air flow within the separation chamber. A lighter particle receiving and discharging system is provided for receiving and discharging the lighter particles carried upwardly by the air flow within the separation chamber and discharging the lighter particles therefrom. A heavy particle outlet is provided on the outlet side of the separation chamber for receiving heavy particles downwardly therethrough. A heavy particle contacting system is provided for directing heavier particles moving downwardly through the upward air flow into the outlet. The inlet and outlet are positioned and constructed such that the separation chamber can be mounted in side by side relation to a similar separation chamber having a similar inlet such that the heavier particles moving downwardly through the outlet of the separation chamber pass downwardly through the similar inlet of the similar separation chamber. In conjunction with the use of the endless heavy particle foraminous conveyor through which the upward air flow passes, it has been found desirable in order to minimize clumping to provide for the direction of the upward air flow along a plurality of separate flow paths, the proportional amount of air in which can be varied. Accordingly, in some forms of the invention it may be arranged that an endless heavy particle discharging foraminous conveyor is provided within the lower air inlet end of the separation chamber having openings therein of a size to allow the upward air flow to pass upwardly therethrough while preventing heavier particles moving downwardly through the upward air flow from passing downwardly therethrough. A pressure side duct assembly is provided for communicating the pressure side of fan with the lower inlet end of the separation chamber which includes an upwardly diverging downstream duct section extending to the heavy particle conveyor and an upstream duct section extending from the pressure side of the fan and connected with the downstream duct section. An upstream portion of the main upstream duct section confines the full pressure side flow of air of the fan and duct divider walls are mounted within the downstream duct section having a downstream ending at the downstream end of the downstream duct section. The duct divider walls extend from the downstream ending thereof downwardly within the downstream duct section and into a downstream portion of the main upstream duct section to an upstream ending thereof so as to divide the air flowing thereby into a plurality of separate flow paths. Air vanes are provided immediately upstream of the upstream ending of the duct divider walls for varying the proportional amount of the full pressure side flow of air in the upstream portion of the main upstream duct section directed into the separate flow paths so as to establish a distribution of air flow upwardly from the downstream duct section which tends to reduce clumping of tobacco particles projected across the upward air flow to thereby facilitate the carrying upward of the lighter particles with the upward air flow and the downward movement of the heavier particles through the upward air flow. In some forms of the invention, it may be arranged that an improved mechanism is provided for receiving the lighter particles carried upwardly by the air flow within said chamber and discharging said lighter particles therefrom. The lighter particle receiving and discharging mechanism comprises an exit chamber adjacent the upper portion of the separation chamber, an endless foraminous conveyor having a lower operative flight extending across the upper portion of the separation chamber and into the exit chamber. The fan system is mounted so that the pressure side thereof is operable to establish the generally upward air flow within the separation chamber and the suction side thereof is operable to cause air in the upper portion of the separation chamber to move upwardly through the operative flight of the endless foraminous conveyor whereby the lighter particles moving upwardly within the separation chamber are biased thereby to be engaged on downwardly facing surfaces of the operative flight of the endless foraminous conveyor. The endless foraminous conveyor is driven in a direction to cause the lighter particles engaged on the downwardly facing surfaces of the operative flight thereof to be moved from the separation chamber into the exit chamber where the engaged lighter particles are no longer biased into conveyor fight engagement by upwardly flowing air and are moved downwardly from conveyor flight engagement for discharge from the exit chamber by gravity. Preferably, a barrier system is provided for permitting movement of the operative flight of the endless foraminous conveyor with engaged lighter particles between the separation and exit chambers while providing a barrier to the flow of air therebetween. The barrier system comprises a paddle wheel winnower mounted between the separation and exit chambers in a position below the operative flight of the endless foraminous conveyor. The paddle wheel winnower is rotated so that an upper periphery thereof moves generally at the speed and in the direction of the operative flight of the endless foraminous conveyor. Preferably, the exit chamber is provided with a power-operated paddle wheel winnower operatively associated with the leading end of the portion of the operative flight therein for (1) positively removing particles remaining in engaged relation with the downwardly facing surfaces thereof, and (2) moving the same downwardly. These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent during the course of the following detailed description and appended claims. An illustrative embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a front elevational view of an apparatus embodying the present invention with certain parts broken away for purposes of clear illustration; Figure 2 is an elevational view of the apparatus taken from the outlet side thereof, with certain parts broken away for purposes of clear illustration; Figure 3 is an isometric view illustrating the system for dividing the lower inlet end of each separation device into a plurality of separate flow paths and for varying the amount of air directed to each separate flow path, the view being shown with parts broken for purposes of clear illustration; Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating the inlet and adjustable tobacco projecting system of the present apparatus; and Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the lighter particle receiving and discharging mechanism of the apparatus of the present invention. Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown therein an apparatus, generally indicated at 10, for separating threshed leaf tobacco into (1) lighter particles such as lamina containing little or no stem, and (2) heavier particles such as lamina with attached stem or naked stems. The apparatus 10 includes two separation devices, generally indicated at 12 and 14, which are of similar construction. Each separation device 12 and 14 is capable of operating in cooperating side-by-side relation with a similar device. Thus, while two separation devices 12 and 14 are shown, it will be understood that the invention contemplates that the apparatus 10 can include more than two similar separation devices. Set forth below is a description of the structure of the separation device 12 and its mode of operation in conjunction with the similar separation device 14. It will be understood that, since the separation devices 12 and 14 are similar, a description of separation device 12 will be sufficient to provide an understanding of the construction and operation of the separation device 14. Accordingly, the same reference numerals utilized in the description of separation device 12 will be applied to separation device 14. As shown, the separation device 12 provides a housing structure defining a separation chamber 16 having a tobacco inlet side 18, an opposite tobacco outlet side 20, a lower air inlet end 22, and an upper air outlet end 24. A variable plural path fan circulating system, generally indicated at 26, is mounted exteriorly of the separation chamber 16 with its suction side connected with the upper air outlet end 24 thereof and the pressure side connected with the lower air inlet end thereof. The fan system 26 is operable to establish a generally upward flow of air within the separation chamber 16. Mounted in the tobacco inlet side 18 of the separation chamber 16 is an inlet 28 for receiving a supply of threshed leaf tobacco downwardly therethrough. The inlet 28 delivers the supply of threshed leaf tobacco downwardly into cooperating relation with a threshed leaf tobacco projecting mechanism, generally indicated at 30, operable to project the supply of threshed leaf tobacco from the tobacco inlet side 18 of the separation chamber 16 toward the opposite tobacco outlet side 20 thereof, so that (1) lighter particles are carried upwardly by the flow of air within the separation chamber 16, and (2) heavy particles move by gravity downwardly through the flow of air within the separation chamber 16. A lighter particle receiving and discharging system, generally indicated at 32, is provided in the upper air outlet end 24 of the separation chamber 16 for receiving the lighter particles carried upwardly by the flow of air within the separation chamber and discharging the lighter particles therefrom. A heavier particle receiving and discharging system, generally indicated at 34, is provided in the lower air inlet end 22 of the separation chamber 16 for receiving the heavier particles moving by gravity downwardly with the upward air flow and discharging them from the separation chamber 16. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the discharging means of the system 34 is an outlet 36 formed in the outlet side 20 of the separation chamber 16 for receiving heavier particles downwardly therethrough. It will be noted that the lower end of the outlet 36 is at a vertical level slightly above the vertical level of the upper end of the inlet 28 so as to deliver the heavier particles downwardly from the outlet 36 directly into the inlet 28 of a similar device, such as the device 14. The heavier particle receiving and discharging system 34 also includes an endless foraminous conveyor mechanism, generally indicated at 38, having openings of a size (1) to enable the upward air flow to pass therethrough and (2) to receive and prevent passage of heavier particles therethrough. The conveyor mechanism 38 is operable to deliver heavier particles received thereon downwardly into the outlet 36. It will also be noted that the outlet 36 is disposed in a position to receive threshed leaf tobacco projected by the threshed leaf tobacco projecting system 30 which has not been (1) carried upwardly by the air flow in the separation chamber 16 and received as lighter particles by the lighter particle receiving and discharging system 36 or (2) moved downwardly through the upward air flow in the separation chamber and received as heavier particles by the heavier particle conveyor mechanism 38. The separation chamber 16 may be formed of any desirable construction. In the drawings, the separation chamber 16 is schematically illustrated to be formed of sheet metal. It will be understood that a rigid framework for retaining the sheet metal (not shown) normally would be provided. As shown, the separation chamber 16 is of generally rectangular configuration with the lower portion being somewhat enlarged, and the upper portion being generally of upwardly tapering design configuration which aids in separating the lighter particles by increasing the velocity of the upward air flow as it passes therethrough. The fan circulating or airflow establishing system 26, as shown, includes a fan blade assembly 40, suitably journalled for rotational movement about a vertical axis within a housing of conventional fan configuration. The fan blade assembly 40 is driven by a suitable variable speed motor 42 through a suitable motion transmitting mechanism, such as a belt and pulley assembly 43. The fan housing includes an arcuate peripheral wall 44 which extends somewhat less than 360° so as to provide for a tangential discharge chute 46 which constitutes the pressure side of the fan blade assembly 40. The lower end of the suction side of the fan blade assembly 40 communicates directly with the upper end of the upper air outlet end 24 of the separation chamber 16, and a top wall of the fan section closes the upper end thereof. The tangential discharge 46 of the fan blade assembly 40 is connected with the upstream end of a generally vertically elongated C-shaped main pressure side duct section 48 (Figure 2), the downstream horizontal end portion of which connects with the upstream end of a downstream outlet duct section 50 (Figure 1) which has a downstream ending just below the endless heavier particle conveyor mechanism 38 and which discharges thereto through a suitable perforated or apertured diffusing plate or screen 52, such as shown in Figure 3. As best shown in Figure 2, the main pressure side duct section 48 includes adjustable dampers 54 which can be used for controlling the amount of flow in the duct section downstream thereof in lieu of the variable speed fan motor 42. Moreover, a bleed off duct section 55 is provided at the tangential discharge chute 46 so as to bleed off about 10% of the full capacity of the fan to maintain a negative pressure on the system and remove dust for product and environmental purposes. It will be understood that a manually controlled fresh air inlet (not shown) may be provided in the system 26 preferably on the suction side of the fan 40. Referring now more particularly to Figure 3, there is shown therein an adjustable air flow dividing system, generally indicated at 56. As shown, the system 56 includes a vertically extending divider wall 58 having an upstream end within the horizontal downstream end portion of the main duct section 48 and a downstream end which terminates just below the diffusing plate 52. The diffusing plate 52, like the conveyor 38, slopes upwardly from the inlet side 18 of the separation chamber 16 to the outlet 36 therein adjacent the outlet side 20. The outlet duct section 50 diverges upwardly in a direction toward the inlet and outlet sides of the separation chamber 16. The vertical divider wall 58 divides the full flow within the main duct section 48 into two divided paths one at the inlet side 18 of the separation chamber 16 and the other at the cutlet side 20 thereof. The system 56 also includes a pair of divider walls 60 on opposite sides of the vertical divider wall which divides each of the aforesaid two paths into two paths. The horizontal divider walls 60 extending horizontally from their upstream ends adjacent the upstream end of the vertical wall 58 and curve upwardly at the downstream ends into abutting relation to a pair of vertical divider walls 62. The divider walls 58, 60 and 62 thus serve to divide the full air flow within the main duct section 48 into four separate air flow paths which are in quadrant formation at the downstream end thereof at the diffusing plate 52. The system 56 includes means at the upstream end of these four separate flow paths for varying the proportion of the full air flow within the main duct section 48 which is directed to the four separate paths. Figure 3 illustrates the flow proportion varying means as including a vertical vane 64 pivoted, as at 66, adjacent the upstream end of the vertical divider wall 58 and a horizontal vane 68 pivoted, as at 70, adjacent the upstream end of the horizontal divider walls 60. In order to accommodate the horizontal vane 68, the vertical vane has an angular section 72 removed therefrom. Referring now more particularly to Figure 4, it will be noted that the heavier particle endless foraminous conveyor 38 which is illustrated schematically as an endless screen type conveyor in Figure 1 preferably is an endless conveyor of the type which includes a pair of transversely spaced endless chains 74 each trained about a pair of sprocket wheels 76 and a plurality of perforated metal slats 78 pivotally interconnected, as by piano hinges, and extending transversely between the links of the chains. The perforations in the slats enable the flow of air upwardly therebetween, first through a lower return flight and then upwardly through an upper operative flight. The size of the perforations in the slats 78 is such that heavier particles moving downwardly within the upward air flow as it enters into the lower air inlet end 22 of the separation chamber 16 cannot pass therethrough. In this way, heavier particles received on the upper operative flight of the endless foraminous conveyor 38 will be carried thereon toward a discharge position above the outlet 36, as the endless conveyor passes over the outlet side sprocket wheel 76. Every second slat 78 has a metal cleat 79 on the outside to lift and carry the heavy particles which come into contact with the conveyor. Figure 4 also shows that the inlet 28 for the threshed leaf tobacco supply is defined by spaced walls 80 and 82. The wall 80 has its lower end portion curved to form part of a peripheral housing for the threshed leaf tobacco projecting mechanism which preferably is in the form of a paddle wheel type rotary winnower 30. An adjustable peripheral wall section 84 is disposed in cooperating relation with the curved portion of the wall 80 and includes a tangential discharge end which serves to determine the direction that the threshed leaf tobacco is projected from the inlet side 18 of the separation chamber toward the outlet side 20 thereof. The discharging wall section 84 is adjustable about the axis of rotation of the rotary winnower 30 through a limited angular range so as to adjust the angle of projection. Finally, it will be noted that wall 82 provides a fixed peripheral wall section for the winnower 30. The construction of the inlet 28 is therefore to direct the supply of threshed leaf tobacco received downwardly therein, downwardly into cooperating relation with the winnower 30. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the rotary winnower 30 is driven by a suitable variable speed motor 86 through a suitable motion transmitting mechanism such as belt and pulley assembly 88. A fixed speed motor 90 is also provided for driving the endless foraminous conveyor 38 through a suitable motion transmitting assembly, such as belt and pulley assembly 92. Referring now more particularly to Figures 1 and 5, the lighter particle receiving and discharging system 32 includes an exit chamber 94 communicating with the outlet side of the associated separation chamber 16 at the upper air outlet end 24 thereof. The lighter particle receiving and discharging system 32 also includes an endless foraminous conveyor, generally indicated at 96, similar to the conveyor 38. Here again, the conveyor 96 is shown schematically in Figure 1 as an endless screen. It is within the contemplation of the present invention that the conveyor 96 be self contained within each device 12 or 14 in a manner similar to conveyor 38. However, it is preferable that the plural conveyor assemblies 96 be integrated into one. As shown, the device 12 includes laterally spaced structures for mounting laterally spaced pairs of spaced sprocket wheels in each device, one pair of spaced sprocket wheels 98 are mounted in the inlet side 18 of the device 12 and one pair of sprocket wheels 100 are mounted in the outlet side 20 of the device 14. Each sprocket wheel 98 and associated sprocket wheel 100 has a link chain 102 trained thereabout and a series of perforated slats 104 are pivotally interconnected, as by piano hinges and extend transversely between the links of the chains 102 so as to define a lower operative flight extending horizontally through the separation chamber 16 and exit chamber 94, of the device 12 and then through the separation chamber 16 and exit chamber 94 of the device 14. The integrated endless foraminous conveyor 96 is driven by a variable speed motor 106 (Figure 2) through a suitable motion transmitting mechanism, such as a belt and pulley system 108 connected with a shaft 110 on which both sprocket wheels 100 are fixed. The motor moves the foraminous conveyor 96 in a direction wherein the lower operative flight moves from left to right as shown in Figures 1 and 5. The perforations in the conveyor slats 104 are sufficient to allow for the upward flow of air therethrough and sufficiently small to prevent the movement of lighter particles therethrough. The lamina or lighter particles which move upwardly within the separation chamber 16 by the upward air flow therein are received on the operative flight of the foraminous conveyor 96 for movement therewith from the separation chamber 16 into the adjacent exit chamber 94. A suitable barrier system is provided for enabling the lower operative flight of the foraminous conveyor 96 with attached lamina to move from each separation chamber 16 into the associated communicating exit chamber 94. As shown, the barrier system includes a power-driven paddle wheel type winnower 112 between the separation chamber 16 and the adjacent exit chamber 94 in a position below the operative flight of the foraminous conveyor 96. The paddle wheel winnower 112 is mounted for power-driven rotation about a horizontal transverse axis by a suitable variable speed motor 114 through a suitable motion transmitting mechanism, such as belt and pulley assembly 116. Each paddle wheel winnower 112 is mounted in a position such that its upper periphery is disposed in cooperating relation with the downwardly facing surfaces of the lower operative flight of the endless foraminous conveyor 96. Each paddle wheel winnower is driven by its motor 114 in a direction such that the upper periphery thereof will move at the speed and in the direction of the operative flight,so that lighter particles such as lamina which are moved upwardly in the associated separation chamber 16 by the flow of air therein are caused to move upwardly into engagement with the downwardly facing surfaces of the operative flight of the endless foraminous conveyor 96 by virtue of the direct communication of the suction side of the associated fan blade assembly 40 directly above the operative flight and the associated return flight. These lighter particles which are engaged on the downwardly facing surfaces of the operative flight of the conveyor 96 are thus movable with the operative flight past the associated paddle wheel winnower 112, each of which serves to prevent flow of air between the associated separation chamber 16 and exit chamber 94 at a position below the operative flight. Each barrier system may also include upper baffle members 118 and box-like baffle members 120 between the operative flight and the return flight of the conveyor 96 to block the flow of air therebetween. Finally, it will be noted that a stripping paddle wheel winnower 122 is mounted in the exit chamber 94 of the device 14 adjacent the leading end of the operative flight therein. The exit chamber 94 of the device 14 is completed by an end structure 124. The winnower 122 is power-driven in an opposite direction to that of the associated winnower 112 so as to strip any lamina that might adhere to the downwardly facing surface of the operative flight of the endless foraminous conveyor 96. It will be noted that, since there is no upward flow of air in any of the exit chambers 94, there is no longer air flow bias maintaining the lamina in engagement with the downwardly facing surfaces of the operative flight of the endless foraminous conveyor 96 as is the case in the separating chambers 16. Consequently, as the lighter particles move into the exit chambers 94, these lighter particles are free to move downwardly by gravity from the operative flight within the associated exit chamber 94. Mounted in the bottom portion of each exit chamber is an endless conveyor 126 which includes an upper horizontally operative run on which the lamina are deposited. Each endless conveyor 126 is powered by a fixed speed motor 128 which serves to move the operative run in a direction to discharge the lamina supported thereon. The particles received downward within the outlet 36 of the device 12 which includes heavier particles and lighter particles which have not been carried upwardly within the separation chamber 16 and been received and discharged therefrom by the associated lighter particle receiving and discharging system 32 forms the threshed leaf tobacco supply for the device 14 which moves directly downwardly into the inlet 28 thereof for direction into cooperating relation with the projecting winnower assembly 30 thereof. The arrangement whereby the particles discharging from the outlet 36 of the initial device 12 pass directly into the inlet 28 of the next adjacent device 14 ensures a minimum damage with respect to any lamina or lighter particles which pass with the heavier particles through the outlet 36 of the initial device 12.

Claims: A method of separating lighter particles from heavier particles in a mixture of threshed leaf tobacco comprising: moving particles to be separated through at least two successive separation chambers (16); and in each separation chamber (16) effecting the steps of: establishing a generally upward air flow in the separation chamber (16) between opposite sides thereof comprising an inlet side (18) and an outlet side (20); projecting particles to be separated from the inlet side (18) of the chamber into and across the generally upward air flow therein so that lighter particles, forming a first fraction of the projected particles, are carried upwardly by the generally upward air flow and other particles including heavier particles, forming a second fraction of the projected particles, move downwardly through the generally upward air flow; receiving the said lighter particles and discharging the same from the chamber (16); and receiving the said other particles including heavier particles and discharging the same from the chamber (16); characterised in that successive separation chambers are positioned in directly communicating, side by side relationship, and that the method includes: in the or each chamber (16) upstream of the final chamber of the successive separation chambers (16), causing a third fraction of the particles projected from the inlet side (18) to reach the outlet side (20) and to pass through an opening (36) therein which is disposed in immediate feed communicating relation with the inlet side (18) of the next downstream chamber (16) to immediately become particles projected from the inlet side (18) of the said next downstream chamber (16) into and across the generally upward air flow in that said next downstream chamber (16); in the final chamber (16), projecting particles received directly from the opening (36) of the preceding chamber (16) and causing a third fraction of those projected particles to reach an outlet at the outlet side (20) of the final chamber in a single pass across the chamber and to be discharged through that outlet at the outlet side of the final chamber; and in each chamber (16), receiving the said second fraction of particles including the heavier particles, on an extent of an operative flight of a foraminous conveyor (38) extending through the chamber from the inlet side to the outlet side thereof, and moving said particles on said conveyor in such a way as to discharge said particles from the chamber (16), said generally upward air flow in the chamber (16) being arranged to pass upwardly through the said extent of the operative flight of the foraminous conveyor. A method according to claim 1 in which the step of projecting particles in the or each separating chamber (16) upstream of the final chamber, comprises projecting the particles in an upwardly inclined direction into the said generally upward air flow across the separating chamber. A method according to claim 1 or 2 in which in the or each chamber (16) upstream of the final chamber, the said opening (36) in the outlet side (20) of the chamber is positioned at a higher level than the location at the inlet side (18) from which the particles are projected. A method according to any preceding claim in which in the or each chamber (16) upstream of the final chamber, the step of moving the said second fraction of particles including heavier particles, comprises moving the particles in an upwardly inclined direction on the said operative flight of the foraminous conveyor (38). A method according to any preceding claim in which in the or each chamber (16) upstream of the final chamber (16), the step of moving said second fraction of particles including the heavier particles, includes moving said particles on said conveyor in such a way as to discharge said particles into said opening (36) in the outlet side of the chamber (16) to immediately become particles projected from the inlet side (18) of the next downstream chamber (16). A method according to any preceding claim in which in the final chamber (16) the step of moving the said second fraction of particles including heavier particles includes moving said particles on said conveyor in such a way as to discharge said particles from the chamber (16) through the said outlet on the outlet side (19) of the chamber. Apparatus for separating lighter particles from heavier particles in a mixture of threshed leaf tobacco comprising: at least two separation chambers (16) arranged for particles to be separated to move through successive separation chambers; each separation chamber (16) having: means (26) for establishing a generally upward air flow in the separation chamber (16) between opposite sides thereof comprising an inlet side (18) and an outlet side (20); power-driven projecting means (30) in the inlet side of the chamber (16) for projecting particles fed thereto into and across the generally upward air flow in the chamber so that lighter particles, forming a first fraction of the projected particles, are carried upwardly by the generally upward air flow and other particles including heavier particles, forming a second fraction of the projected particles, move downwardly within the generally upward air flow, lighter-particles receiving and moving means (32) for receiving the said lighter particles and discharging from the chamber; and heavier-particles receiving and moving means (34) for receiving the said second fraction of particles including heavier particles and discharging the same from the chamber; characterised in that successive separation chambers (16) are positioned in directly communicating, side-by-side relationship, with the outlet side (20) of the or each chamber upstream of the final chamber having an opening (36) therein in immediate feed communicating relation with the power-driven projecting means (30) in the inlet side of the next downstream chamber (16); in the or each chamber upstream of said final end chamber, the power driven projecting means (30) being operable to project the particles fed thereto into and across the generally upward air flow in the chamber in such a way that a third fraction of the projected particles reach the outlet side (20) of the chamber in a position to enter the opening (36) therein in immediate feed communicating relation with the adjacent downstream power-driven projecting means (30) so as to be immediately projected thereby into and across the generally upward air flow in the next downstream chamber (16); in the final chamber (16), said power driven projecting means (30) being arranged to project particles received directly from the opening (36) of the preceding chamber (16) and to cause a third fraction of those projected particles to reach an outlet at the outlet side (20) of the final chamber in a single pass across the chamber and to be discharged through that outlet on the outlet side (20) of the final chamber; and in each chamber (16), said heavier particle receiving and moving means (34) comprising an extent of an operative flight of a foraminous conveyor (38) extending through the chamber from the inlet side to the outlet side thereof, for moving said particles on said conveyor in such a way as to discharge said particles from the chamber, said generally upward air flow in the chamber (16) being arranged to pass upwardly through the said extent of the operative flight of the foraminous conveyor. Apparatus according to claim 7 in which in the or each separating chamber (16) upstream of the final chamber, the projecting means (30) is arranged to project the particles in an upwardly inclined direction into the said generally upward air flow. Apparatus according to claim 7 or 8 in which in the or each chamber (16) upstream of the final chamber, the said opening (36) in the outlet side (20) of the chamber is positioned at a higher level than the location at the inlet side (18) from which the particles are projected. Apparatus according to claim 7, 8 or 9 in which in the or each chamber upstream of the final chamber said operative flight of the foraminous conveyor (38) is inclined in an upward direction towards the outlet side (20) of the chamber. Apparatus according to any of claims 7 to 10 in which in the or each chamber (16) upstream of said final chamber, said operative flight of said foraminous conveyor (38) is arranged to move said particles on said conveyor in such a way as to discharge said particles into said opening (36) in the outlet side of the chamber to immediately become particles projected from the inlet side (18) of the next downstream chamber (16). Apparatus according to any of claims 7 to 11 in which in the final chamber (16), the said operative flight of the foraminous conveyor (38) is arranged to discharge said particles from the chamber (16) through the said outlet at the outlet side (20) of the chamber.

Inventors: COLEMAN G A JOHN, COLEMAN, G. A. JOHN
Applicants: UNIVERSAL LEAF TOBACCO CO, UNIVERSAL LEAF TOBACCO COMPANY INCORPORATED
Application year: 1991
Main classification: A24B5
IPC codes: A24B1, B07B4, A24B5