Patent GB-419595-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to tobacco leaf stemming machine
IPC: A24B5/06
Filed: 1933-04-13
Abstract: 419,595. Stripping tobacco leaves. TRIGGS, W. W., 57, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London.-(Standard Tobacco Stemmer Co. ; 511, 5th Avenue, New York, U.S.A.) April 13, 1933, No. 11080. [Class 130.] In a stemming machine in which the leaves are forwarded to a leaf-carrying mechanism including an endless series of travelling grippers, which grip the butt ends of the leaves and carry the leaves suspended from their butts through a stripping mechanism along a rectilinear path which is preferably inclined, the leaves are forwarded by a continuous movement along a horizontal rectilinear path to the leaf-carrying mechanism, the grippers of which form substantially continuous gripping surfaces parallel to the direction of movement, in order to grip the stem butts of the leaves in succession regardless of the spacing of the leaves. As shown in elevation in Fig. 1, the grippers are carried by an endless chain G and carry the leaves L, hanging vertically, between rotating- blade strippers H and carded or brush rollers I to an ejecting device J for removing the stripped stems from the grippers. The leaves are placed by hand on a horizontal feed belt A which advances them under a threshing mechanism B, for clearing the butt ends, to a butt separator C. This comprises belts 21, Fig. 7, running on upper and lower pulleys 20 at progressively increasing speeds, and delivery belts 29 which run over the pulleys 20<a> and over pulleys 30 on vertical shafts 31, in order to turn the butts from the horizontal position to the vertical, with the assistance of a curved guide. While being advanced by the belts 29, the leaves are subjected to the straightening and dirt loosening action of a pair of rotating beaters E and are cleaned and straightened in a suction device F. This consists of a narrow chamber 56, Fig. 8, open at the top and at both ends and connected by pipes 57, 58 with a fan or other suction device. The sides of the chamber are provided with screens 60, and loose leaves falling on the bottom of the chamber are withdrawn by a pair of rollers 62 and carried by a belt 66 to a position near the feed belt A. The gripper chain G, Figs. 10 and 11, comprises links 70 joined by pins 71 carrying rollers 72 running on rails 73<a>, Fig. 1. Arms 74, 75 carrying the gripper jaws 80 are pivoted on the links and carry rollers 76 held apart by springs 78. One jaw of each pair is carried by a fork 82 pivoted at 81 on the arm 75 in order to enable one gripper to hold tightly two stems of different thickness. Adjacent jaws form substantially continuous gripping surfaces and their edges are preferably stepped to prevent stems from being gripped insecurely at the junction between adjacent grippers. The jaws are opened, to receive and to release the stem butts, by the engagement of the rollers 76 with stationary cams 83, 85 adjacent to the chain wheels 68, 38. When the gripper jaws 80 are not stepped as shown in Fig. 10, butts may be located centrally of each pair of jaws by fingers 96 on a chain 95, Fig. 16, or by star-shaped flanges on a wheel. The ejecting device J for withdrawing the stripped stems from the grippers comprises a pair of elastic rollers 104 driven by a belt gear 107. The gripper jaws, while held open by the cam 85, are cleaned by stiff bristles on a vertical disc 109. Specification 16841 /09, [Class 130], is referred to.