An Improved Method and Apparatus for Stemming Tobacco Leaves.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 16th July, 1898-Accepted, 28th Jan., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method and Apparatus for Stemming Tobacco Leaves.
We, GEORGE PIERCE BUTLER, and WILLIAM HENRY BUTLER, Manufacturers,
of 31, Broad Street, New York City, State of New York, United States of
America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
This invention relates to the art of, and a machine for, stemming tobacco
leaves.
Our improvement in the art consists in first incising the web of a leaf; second,
detaching a part of the web between the line of incision and the butt of the
leaf; and finally, severing the stem.
Our improved machine includes, broadly, as one of its features, mechanism for
first incising the web of a leaf between its ends, and second, for detaching that
part of the web located between the line of incision and the butt of the leaf.
The leaf to be treated is first supplied, either by hand or mechanically, to
means which preferably grip and advance it to the incising mechanism, which
parts the web without cutting or otherwise injuring the stem, that is to say, the
blade and veins which constitute the web of the leaf are incised. After the
web is incised the leaf is conducted to the stemming mechanism, which detaches
or strips from the stem that part of the web located between the line of incision
and the butt of the leaf, and the stem not having been injured in the prior treat-
ment this operation is performed with facility and without the risk of unevenly
tearing the web, the line of separation closely following the stem. After the
web is thus stripped by the machine from the stem the latter is severed close to
the place at which the transverse incision was primarily made in the leaf, and,
although this last-mentioned operation may be done by hand, mechanism auto-
matically co-operative with the incising and stemming means is provided in the
machine for this purpose.
By stripping the web from the stem and toward the butt of the leaf, com-
mencing preferably at an incision formed at a convenient place in the length of
the leaf, a large saving of material follows, as these stemming-machines which
work toward the tip of the leaf frequently bruise and mash the web around the
tip to such an extent as to render such portion of the leaf unfit for use in manu-
facturing the better qualities or grades of tobacco articles.
Another feature of our invention resides in mechanism for forming in the leaf
a multiplicity of punctures to produce an incision or cut in the web of the leaf
and for severing the veins lying across the cut. In the present case these
punctures are formed in alinement transversely in the leaf, and we prefer to
employ, in connection with the leaf-puncturing and vein-severing means, mech-
anism operable to engage a vein or veins lying across the incision made in the
leaf by the puncturing mechanism and to force said vein or veins into contact
with the vein-severing means.
In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification, Figure 1
is a side elevation of our improved tobacco-stemming machine. Fig. 2 is a plan

page_text: view of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are transverse sections, on an enlarged scale, taken
in the lines - and y-y, respectively, Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the
arrows. Fig. 5 is a right-hand side elevation, on an enlarged scale, showing the
train of leaf-puncturing, vein-deflecting, and vein-severing devices. Fig. 6 is an
opposite side elevation of the driving mechanism for operating the devices shown
in the preceding views. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the
vein-cutting mechanism. Fig. 8 is an under side view of the stemming mech-
anism and adjacent parts. Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the leaf-gripping means
and knife for cutting the stems, the leaf-gripping jaws being shut. Fig. 10 is
a substantially similar view, the leaf gripping jaws being shown open. Fig. 11
is a sectional elevation of a leaf-puncturing device, its driving means, and inter-
mediate parts. Fig. 12 is a similar view of part of the feed-driving mechanism.
Fig. 13 is a side elevation of a leaf-puncturing device. Figs. 14 and 15 are
similar views of the vein-deflecting, vein-cutting, and stem-separating devices.
Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the several leaf-carrying belts and their driving
means. Figs. 17 to 23, inclusive, are views showing the leaf as it is taken from
a "hand," illustrating the successive treatments thereof and the separated mer-
chantable stock.
Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.
As hereinbefore stated our improvement in the art of stemming leaves con-
sists first, in incising the web of the leaf; second, in detaching that part of the
web located between the line of incision and the butt of the leaf; and finally,
in severing the stem; and it is to be understood that we do not limit our inven-
tion to any particular mode of practising this art, as it is apparent that one or
all of the steps thereof could be carried out by hand, although we have devised
and will hereinafter describe efficient mechanism for expeditiously treating the
leaf in accordance with our said improvement in the art.
Neither do we limit our invention to any mechanism for first transversely
incising the web of the leaf and then stripping the web from the line of incision
toward the butt, nor to any particular means or mechanism for severing the
stem after the web has been detached.
The incising mechanism includes in the present case a series of co-operating
vein-puncturing and vein-severing devices, preferably successively effective, and
in connection with these devices we prefer to employ, vein-deflecting means so
constructed as to force a vein or veins lying across an incision in the leaf against
or in contact with the vein-severing mechanism.
After the leaf has been treated by this set of devices, which form a transverse
incision in the web, the leaf is acted upon by the stemming mechanism, which
consists preferably of a pair of superposed rolls disposed diagonally to the line of
travel of the leaf, said rolls being equipped with card-clothing or other materiai
common in this art and having their surfaces running in contact so that as the
leaf is carried past and through the same said rolls can wipe or brush the web
from the stem, commencing at the place of incision.
The framework for supporting the various sets of devices may be of any suit-
able kind. It is shown consisting of the longitudinal beams 2 and 4, joined at
intervals by cross-bars or braces, each designated by 3. Puncturing devices dis-
posed in a train and designated, respectively, by 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 first operate
upon the leaf, and notwithstanding that six of these devices are represented it
is obvious that the number may be increased or diminished to any desired extent,
although it is found in practice that the number specified will produce a com-
plete incision extending entirely across the blade of the leaf. These puncturing
devices consist in the present case of wheels disposed in alinement, which are
supported for rotation and are adapted to be driven in unison with the leaf-
carrying means, so that in action they do not retard or cause that part of the
leaf being apertured to lag behind the remainder of said leaf. These punctur-
ing-wheels are carried by the shafts or arbors 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17, sup-

page_text: ported by suitable bearings on the framework, and each consists of a hub or
body portion 18, secured to its shaft in some convenient manner, and a series of
puncturing-points or perforators, as 19. Each of these puncturing-points or per-
forators consists of a shank or stem 20, one end of which may be secured in a
notch in the perimeter of the hub 18, and a spear or other properly-shaped
head 21, secured to the opposite or outer end of said stem. As a leaf is advanced
by the feeding mechanism these spear-heads form in the blade of said leaf a
multiplicity of apertures, the spaces between which gradually decrease as the
leaf approaches the end of the train of wheels, a complete incision being formed
in said blade when the leaf passes out of contact with the last puncturing device
of the series.
The puncturing or perforating points 19 are preferably separated and are
laterally yieldable, so that as the leaf is advanced the stem of such leaf, by reason
of its rigidity, may enter the space between two adjacent puncturing-points so
as to be beyond the range of action of the spear-heads, which are intended merely
to puncture the blade of the leaf, it being essential that the stem should not be
injured.
To assure the entrance of the stem between the shanks of the points 19, said
shanks are made of resilient or flexible material, so that they yield slightly when
a stem strikes a spear-head. When the leaf passes out of contact with two
adjacent shanks 20, they, by reason of their resiliency, resume at once their
primary positions, and by reason, also, of the resiliency of the shanks stems of
varying sizes can be freely entered between the same without breaking any of the
parts.
,,
Suitable means is provided for conducting the leaf to the incising mechanism,
said leaf being laid across the carrying mechanism in the condition it is in when
detached from a hand" or bunch of leaves. The carrying mechanism may
consist of a plurality of endless conveyors, which present the leaf sidewise to
the several sets of devices which successively act upon said leaf, the latter being
usually gripped near its opposite ends just before it reaches the first puncturing
device described.
A series of parallel belts, constituting a convenient means for the purpose just
described, is shown at 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29, respectively, and the upper runs
of these belts, upon which the leaf is laid, are in alinement, and all the belts
travel in the same direction to advance the leaf to the puncturing mechanism.
The belts 25 and 26 are carried at their inner ends by the grooved drum 30,
the inner ends of the belts 27, 28, and 29 being passed around a similar but longer
drum 31. Said drums are fixed to the transverse shaft 32, supported between
the beams 2 and 4. The inner ends of the several carrying-belts are passed
around the rolls or drums 33. 34, 35, 30, and 37, the shafts of which are rota-
tively supported by bearings upon the framework. The working or upper runs
of the several belts are preferably driven at the same speed, so that the leaf can be
squarely advanced after it is placed upon the entering ends of said belts by an
attendant, and the surface-speeds of the several devices composing the incising
mechanism are the same as that of the belts, so that the leaf is not delayed at any
point in its traverse through the machine.
The belt 25 is a comparatively short one, it being simply long enough to sus-
tain the tip of the leaf until the latter is seized, as will hereinafter appear, by
independent means.
The belt 26, which forms one of the leaf-supporting-and-carrying parts, con-
tinues to the end of the machine.
The belts 27, 28, and 29 are of substantially the same length and continue only
to the stemming mechanism, as the butt or larger end of the leaf need not be
supported beyond this point.
The belt 28 serves as a driving-belt, it moving in the direction of the arrow
in Fig. 2, and said belt on its return run engages the driver 38 on the shaft 39,
and it passes over a series of idlers, as 40, and it serves to operate the other belts

page_text: of the series to move their working runs in a similar path. The cross-shaft 39
carries a sprocket-wheel 41, connected by the sprocket-chain 42 with the driven
sprocket-wheel 43 on the shaft 44, carried by bearings on the framework. The
shaft 44 is provided with the gear 45, meshing with the gears 46 and 46' on the
shafts 48 and 48. which gears in turn mesh with the pinions 47 and 471.
The driver 49 on the shaft 39 may be connected by a chain, as C, if a sprocket-
wheel, with a suitable main driver, hereinafter described, and, being turned in
the direction represented, will act, through the intermediate mechanism just
described, to move the upper runs of the several carrying-belts simultaneously
forward.
The belt 26 co-operates with another belt, as 50, the lower run of which is
adapted to travel in contact with the upper run of said belt 26 for the greater
part of the length of the latter, by reason of which the contiguous runs of said
belts can seize the tip of the leaf and carry it through and beyond clamping
mechanism running in unison therewith said clamping mechanism gripping
the leaf near where it is held by said belts and while it is passing by the several
sets of devices.
The belt 50 is supported by the rolls 51 and 52, whose shafts 53 and 54 are
carried by suitable brackets on the framework, and said belt also passes over a
series of idlers, as 55, the shafts of which are mounted at suitable intervals on
the framework, the roll 551 bearing against the upper face of the lower
run of the belt 50, near the entering end of the latter, so as to hold it against
the upper run of the belt 26 and thus obtain a firm purchase upon the leaf."
It should be here stated that the mechanism which grips the leaf near its tip
and feeds it forward is not of our invention.
The contiguous runs of the belts 26 and 50 pass between the jaws of leaf-clamp-
ing mechanism and beyond the same, whereby they can detach the leaves or tip
ends thereof from said clamping mechanism, if the leaves should adhere to the
latter.
The shaft 54 of the belt 50 is furnished with a gear 56, meshing with a corre-
sponding gear 57 on the shaft 58 of the belt 26, whereby the lower run of the
belt 50 can be driven in the proper direction.
The two belts 26 and 50, whose inner ends travel in a corresponding direction
and in contact, serve to grip the leaf near its tip, the belt 27, in connection with
another belt, operating to hold the leaf nearer its butt, and the different devices,
which successively act upon the leaf to incise the same and before the web is
stripped, are situated between these two pairs of belts for operation.
The belt which co-operates with the belt 27 is designated by 60, and the adja-.
cent runs of these two belts travel in contact, and the outer or working surfaces
thereof are faced with rubber or analogous material, as at 61 and 62, and the lower
belt is corrugated longitudinally, by reason of which the stem may be firmly
held by said belts.
The belt 60 may be driven as follows: It is passed over the pulleys 63 and 64
on the framework and also around the idlers 55, against which the belt 50 travels
and by which it is operated. A rotary motion is imparted to the idlers 55 by
the moving belt 50, being transmitted in turn to the belt 60, so that the leaf-
clamping runs of the two pairs of belts can be moved in the same direction.
The leaf is placed by an attendant upon the inner ends of the parallel feed-
belts 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29, which moving in the direction of the arrows indi-
cated in Fig. 2, conduct said leaf forward until it is seized by the two pairs of
belts 26 and 50 and 27 and 60, which preferably clamp the leaf at different points
in its length and advance it first to the train of puncturing devices whose
peripheries or working surfaces are driven in unison with the said belts. The
centers or shafts of the several leaf-puncturing wheels 5 to 10, inclusive, are
disposed alternately at opposite sides of the line of feed of the leaf, by reason
of which they can be brought into closer relation and so as to prevent the points

page_text: of the successive wheels from entering the punctures made by a previous wheel,
whereby the complete incision of the blade of the leaf is assured. The peripheries
of the several puncturing-wheels project across the line of feed of the leaf a
sufficient distance to insure their passing entirely through the leaf and without
permitting the stem to enter too far in a space between two of the points of a
wheel, and said wheels are disposed in alinement so that their points form in
the leaf a multiplicity of alined apertures. The respective puncturing-wheels
are reversely movable alternately and operate in unison with the feeding mech-
anism, and those wheels lying above the plane of feed of the leaf move in one
direction, while those wheels below said plane move in the opposite direction,
by reason of which each wheel as it operates will impart to the middle of the
leaf a slight feed movement, so that this portion of the leaf which is under treat-
ment cannot lag behind the remainder thereof, as in the latter case the leaf might
be torn or otherwise ruined.
"The means shown for driving the several puncturing-wheels will be herein-
after described, they being preferably positively driven to insure a better action,
although they could very well be rotated by the advancing leaf.
We prefer to employ, in combination with a puncturing device, a device which
serves to feed and guide and also uphold the leaf adjacent to the place at which
it is being perforated, and a series of these devices is preferably employed, each of
which engages the leaf at different points in its length and embodies working
surfaces which support the leaf and between which a puncturing device operates..
These feeding and guiding devices are designated, respectively, by 70, 71, 72,
73, 74, and 75, and they co-operate and are disposed substantially in vertical line
below and above the puncturing-wheels 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. Each of said
devices consists of a pair of separated disks, as 76, fixed to the respective shafts 77,
78, 79, 80, 81, and 82, and the peripheries of these devices are roughened, milled,
or toothed to prevent the leaf from slipping as it comes in contact therewith, and
said disks project a short distance across the line of feed of the leaf. Said feed-
and-guiding devices are preferably mechanically rotated, although they may be
turned by the advancing leaf, and it will be understood that they are situated
between the points at which the leaf is clamped. When the leaf comes into
engagement with the first device of the series, and as said leaf is fed onward, it
will be slightly elevated and thereby placed under tension, so that the points 19
of the first puncturing-wheel can readily pass through the blade of the leaf with-
out crumbling or tearing it. The first puncturing-wheel of the series forms in
the blade of the leaf a multiplicity of alined perforations, this operation being
repeated alternately on opposite sides of the leaf by the succeeding wheels, the
distance between the punctures gradually decreasing until the leaf leaves the last
one of the series, at which time a clean incision will have been formed in the
blade, although the stems and veins will not have been broken or otherwise
injured.
It will be understood that as each puncturing-wheel acts upon a leaf it is
tightened by the feeding-and-guiding devices to which we have referred, and
is thereby prevented from crumbling.
A's the leaf comes into contact with the puncturing-wheel the stem of said leaf,
by reason of its rigidity and the resiliency of the shanks 20, carrying the spear-
heads 21, can be thrust into a space between two adjacent shanks, in virtue of
which the stem cannot be reached by said spear-heads.
The contiguous runs of the belts 26 and 50 pass between the fixed and stationary
jaws 83 and 84, respectively, of a series of clamping devices on the endless
carrier C, the said jaws, when locked along the upper run, serving to hold the
leaf under treatment, and the carrier preferably moving in synchronism with the
two belts. The fixed jaws 83 of the respective clamping devices are secured
to the links 85 of a sprocket-chain, serving as a carrier which passes around the
sprocket-wheels 87 and 88. The working runs of the two belts 26 and 50, which
pass between the jaws of the several clamping devices, continue beyond the dis-

page_text: charging end of said carrier C, so that when the jaws of the clamping
devices are successively opened the two contacting-belts which grip the leaf can
detach the same from a fixed or under jaw in case it should adhere thereto, said
jaw generally having a roughened surface. The movable jaws of the series are
pivoted, as at 89, to the fixed jaws, respectively, and are locked shut to clamp a
leaf by toggle mechanism.
The toggles consist of the links 90 and 91, pivoted to the movable jaws and
the chain-links, respectively, the upper link 90 in each case being furnished
with a projection, as 92, carrying a roll at its free end. As the several jaws
start on the upper or horizontal run of the carrier C the arms 92 successively
strike a fixed cam, as 93, on the framework, which forces the several toggle-
pivots across a dead-center line, thereby locking the clamping-jaws, and when the
clamping-jaws pass toward the lower run of the carrier the arms or projections 92
successively strike a second cam, as 94, also on the framework, (see Fig. 9), which
unlocks the toggle and consequently permits the jaws to be opened.
The jaws preferably are swung open by coiled springs, as 93, having the
extensions, as 96 and 97, which act against the respective fixed and stationary
jaws, said springs encircling the pivots 89 between the jaws, so that they can be
held in place.
The mechanism for advancing the tip end of the leaf has been briefly
described, and, as hereinbefore stated, is not of our invention. This mechanism
seizes the leaf just before it is acted upon by the first puncturing-wheel and
carries said leaf substantially to the end of the machine.
After the blade of the leaf has passed out of contact with the last puncturing-
wheel 10 of the series it has a transverse cut therein, although, as hereinbefore
stated, the veins extending across the gap and stem have not been injured. (See
Fig. 18). The veins are severed after the blade is incised, and while the leaf
is passing by the train of vein-severing devices-which, like the puncturing-
wheels, are preferably disposed in alinement-it is imperative that the stem
should not be cut. To prevent the severance or cutting of the stem at this
stage, the leaf is put under tension, preferably applied at a point just before
said leaf reaches the first vein-severing device, a series of these latter being pre-
ferably employed to insure the parting of all the veins extending across the
opening. We provide means for applying tension to the leaf, preferably longitu-
dinally thereof, so that the stem is stretched very tight and is thereby moved
out of the path of the successive vein-severing devices or cutters. To apply the
proper amount of tension to said leaf between the points at which it is held by
the gripping mechanism, a belt, as 100, against which suitable pressure means
act, may be provided, and this belt may be passed around rolls, as 101, and the
idlers 55, so that the horizontal run of said belt 100 may move in a path corre-
sponding with that of the other belts hereinbefore described.
The lower or horizontal run of the belt 100 is forced firmly into contact with,
and preferably into, a concavity or depression, as 102, extending throughout the
length of the outer surface of the wide belt 27; and it will be evident that when
a leaf enters between the two belts it will be sunk by the upper belt into the
concavity or depression in the lower belt, due to the pressure applied to the
belt 100, by reason of which the stem of the leaf is tightened to such an extent
as to prevent its being touched by the vein-cutters.
The working run of the belt 100 is of such a length that the leaf is retained
under tension while it is travelling past the vein-severing mechanism, and any
suitable means may be employed for forcing said run into the concavity or
pocket 102 of the adjacent belt. We have shown for this purpose a series of
spring-actuated rollers, as 103, pivoted to the carriers 104, which in turn are
pivoted, as at 105, to the framing of the machine. The several rolls are forced
tightly against the belt 100 by a series of coiled springs, as 106, attached,
respectively, to the framework and to the arms 107 of the roll-carriers.
In connection with the vein-severing mechanism we preferably employ means

page_text: for deflecting or pressing the vein or veins extending across the incision or gap
in the leaf by the puncturing mechanism, into contact with the vein-severing
mechanism, and to prevent the vein-deflecting means from also acting against
the stem when the stem and vein are in very close relation we also provide vein-
and-stem-spacing mechanism.
To insure the complete cutting of all of the veins, a plurality of vein-deflecting,
vein-severing, and stem-spacing devices are used, these being arranged in a train
of sets, one device of each kind being in each set.
The devices that separate the stem and veins of the leaf are designated by 110,
111, 112, and 113, and they are carried upon the shafts 114, 115, 116, and 117
and are similar in construction to the puncturing-wheels, although their working
portions are disposed in a different plane--that is to say, such working portions
of the spacing-wheels are set farther inward than the working portions of the
puncturing-wheels, so that the former are brought opposite the transverse cut
in the leaf, it being evident that the line of incision is shifted when the tension
herein before alluded to is applied to said leaf.
Each of these spacing-wheels consists of a hub or body portion 118, fixed to
its shaft and from which the series of reciliant shanks 119 extend, said shanks
having the heads 1201 pointed or beveled to form the angular guide-faces 1211
and 1221 at opposite sides thereof.
When a vein of the leaf reaches the first spacing-wheel 110, it will come into
contact with one of the angular guide-faces of the spear-head 1201, or that spear-
head that is on the line of feed, and as the leaf is advanced in unison with the
rotation of said wheel said vein will be guided into space between two adjacent
shanks 119 as the wheel rotates, and the stem will be likewise entered between
two adjacent points on the wheel when it comes into contact with another point,
by reason of which the arms or shanks 119 serve to hold the vein and stem apart,
whereby the vein can be pressed by a vein-deflecting device beyond the plane of
the stem and into contact with a vein-cutter.
The primary vein-deflecting devices are designated, respectively, by 120 and
121, they being yieldingly mounted so that when struck by the stem of the leaf
they give slightly and will not abrade said stem. Each of the vein-deflecting
devices is in the form of a toothed wheel, the teeth being designated by 122
and 123 and having the pockets or concavities 124 and 125 at their outer ends
for a purpose that will hereinafter appear.
These vein-deflecting devices are pivoted to the carriers 126 and 127, respec-
tively, and to the arms 128 and 129 of said carriers the springs 130 and 131 are
connected, said springs being also attached to the framework, and said carriers
are held against the stops or set-screws 132 and 133, respectively.
The vein-severing devices which co-operate with the respective vein-deflect-
ing devices 120 and 121 consist in the present case of saws, the direction of
rotation of which is indicated by the arrows.
The several vein-severing devices or cutters, which are situated, respectively,
between the spacing-wheels and vein-deflecting devices, are designated by 150
and 151, 152, and 153, their arbors being supported by the frame-work, said
cutters being driven in a direction reverse to that of the several spacing-wheels
so as to clip the veins as the latter touch the cutters.
As the leaf is carried forward by the feeding mechanism the veins and the
stem will be separated and held apart as described by the first spacing-wheel
of the series, and the leading vein will pass into a pocket 124 on a tooth 122
of the deflecting-wheel 120, or that tooth which is in line with the path of the
leaf, said teeth being set closely together to insure this result. As the leaf
moves forward the vein is operable to turn the deflecting-wheel so that the end
of that tooth in which the leading vein is situated will be lowered to force said
vein against the periphery of the cutter 150, thereby to sever said stem, and a
second tooth on the opposite side of the wheel will similarly seek out and force a

page_text: second vein into contact with the cutter. The spaces between the tooth-deflect-
ing wheel, while quite narrow, are preferably wide enough to accommodate the
stem of the leaf as it travels past the same. Two or more veins having been
severed the leaf is advanced to the second set of devices for further treatment,
except that the vein-deflector 121 elevates the vein above the plane of feed
of the leaf into contact with the superposed cutter 151.
In tobacco-leaves a series of four veins sometimes crosses the incision made
into the middle of the leaf and they extend diagonally from the stem, two veins
in this case being situated at each side of the stem, and it is found in practice
that all of these veins are generally cut by the primary set of severing devices.
It happens, however, occasionally that the leading vein lies very close to, and
below and consequently out of the path of, the primary devices, in which case
a second set of vein-deflecting devices or wheels of slightly different construction
than those previously described is employed to meet the contingency pointed out.
The secondary vein-deflecting devices are designated by 155 and 156, and
they co-operate, respectively, with the spacing-wheels 112 and 113 and the
saws 152 and 153. The teeth of the deflecting-wheels 155 and 156 and the
pockets therein, together with the carrying mechanism therefor, are designated
by the same characters applied to corresponding parts in the primary vein-
deflecting wheels.
It will be observed that the teeth of the deflecting-wheels 155 and 156 are of
irregular or curved shape, and that in addition to having concavities in their
outer faces they are equipped with hooks or toes, as 157.
When the leaf reaches the third vein-and-stem spacing-wheel of the series.
the vein, should there be one close to the stem, will enter, together with the
stem, into a space between two of the points of said wheel as the latter rotates
during the feed of the leaf. The vein-deflecting wheel being rotative and
yieldingly mounted will recede slightly as the stem comes in contact therewith,
and said stem with the vein can enter the space between two adjacent teeth of
the vein-deflecting wheel when opposite said space, and as the leaf is fed forward
the deflecting-wheel will be caused to rotate thereby, and the hook of the stem-
straddling tooth will seek out the vein and force it into contact with the
cutter 152. Should said vein lie near and over the stem on the opposite of the
latter and still remain uncut, the vein-deflector 156 or straddling tooth will
force the vein against the cutter 153 in a manner similar to the wheel 155, but
the stem being under high tension cannot be pressed against said cutter.
The shafts 47 and 471 carry the pulleys 167 and 168, respectively, which serve
to operate the several leaf-treating devices.
A belt is represented as 169, passed around the pulley 167, and it runs in con-
tact with the pulleys 171, secured to several of the leaf-treating devices, a similar
belt 172 being passed around the pulleys 1721, secured to the remainder of said
shafts and also around the pulley 168. The two belts also engage the pairs of
idlers 1681 and 1681 at opposite sides of the shaft 44. The belts are so placed on
the several pulleys as to secure the motion of the different leaf-treating devices
in the proper direction.
The shafts 150¹. 151, 152, and 153', carry gears (designated, respectively, by
190) meshing with co-operative gears 191, respectively secured to the several
shafts 191 on the framing of the machine, each of said shafts carrying a roll,
as 192. The several rolls are driven by the belt 193, passed around the same and
also around a series of fixed and idle pulleys 194 and 195, respectively, the belt
being so placed on the several rolls and pulleys as to secure the rotation of the
cutters in the directions indicated by the arrows in Fig. 7.
After the leaf has passed the saw or cutter 153 a complete incision will have
been formed transversely in the web of the leaf, and the leaf is carried bevond
this point so as to remove the part of the web lying between the line of incision
and the butt or large end of the leaf.
For detaching the portion of the leaf just mentioned we prefer to employ

page_text: the ordinary superposed stemming-rolls, such as A and B, diagonally disposed
to the path of the leaves. These rolls consist, as usual, of a wooden core or
body and card-clothing or similar material wound on the same, the cloth of the
two rolls intermeshing as is customary. The shafts 175 and 176 of the two rolls.
are supported by suitable bearings on the framing. The entrant end of said
rolls is in proximity to the place at which the leaf emerges from the incising
mechanism, and the line of contact of said rolls is substantially coincident with
the path of the leaf, so that the latter can be fed straight through the rolls, the
latter, as they reversely rotate, wiping or brushing the web from the stem as the
leaf advances, the separated web, which is in two pieces, falling from the rolls
into a suitable receptacle.
The shafts 175 and 176 of the stemming-rolls A and B carry the meshing gear-
wheels 180 and 181, respectively, and the shaft 175 is provided with a pulley 182,
which may be connected by a belt with a suitable driver, the construction de-
scribed constituting a convenient means for reversely rotating the two stemming-
rolls.
After the web is separated the partially-stemmed leaf is carried forward, and
during this stage the stripped stem is cut close to the non-separated portion of
the leaf, and any convenient form of device may be employed for thus cutting
the stem. The cutter for this purpose is designated by 177, and it is mounted
on the framework for rotation, it being in the form of a disk and having a
beveled cutting edge, which touches the flat surface of a disk 178, pivotally
mounted on the frame-work or a bracket thereon. The point of contact between
these two parts coincides with the path of the leaf, so that the stem can be carried
between the peripheries of the two disks, the cutter severing said stem, which
drops to be disposed of in the usual manner.
The non-separated portion of the leaf, or that part around its tip, is then
advanced until the belts 26 and 50 detach such portion from a pair of clamping-
jaws, said portion of the leaf being discharged at the extreme outer end of the
two belts 26 and 50.
The operation of the herein before-described machine is as follows: The leaf
is placed upon the working runs of the feed-belts 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29, which
conduct the same to the puncturing mechanism, consisting of the wheels 5, 6, 7,
8, 9, and 10, which form transversely in the leaf a multiplicity of alined per-
forations or apertures, the distances between the same gradually decreasing
When the leaf
as the leaf approaches the last puncturing-wheel of the series.
passes beyond the last puncturing-wheel, a transverse incision will have been
The leaf is then conducted to the vein-
produced in the blade or lamina thereof.
deflecting and vein-severing devices heretofore described, the vein-severing de-
vices serving to cut the veins lying across the transverse incision of the leaf.
When the leaf passes. beyond the last cutter 153 of the series, a transverse inci-
sion or gap will have been formed in the web, extending oppositely from the
stem. The leaf is then fed. forward with the butt-end between the surfaces of
the stemming-rolls A and B, which detach that part of the web lying between
the incision and the butt of the leaf. At a point slightly beyond this stage the
stem is carried against the cutter 177, which severs the same close to the non-
separated portion of the leaf, said cut portion of the stem dropping. The non-
separated portion is then advanced to the discharging end of the carrying
mechanism.
In Figs. 17 to 23 I have illustrated a leaf as it comes from the "hand" and
the successive operations performed on said leaf. a represents the leaf as it
comes from the "hand," and b, c, d, e, f, and g show it after it has received
the successive treatments. Said leaf is first punctured transversely to form a
multiplicity of incisions: the veins lying across the incision are then cut, the
web then being detached and the stems severed to produce the three merchant-
able pieces of leaf, as indicatd at g, Fig. 23.

page_text: We have illustrated, and herein before described, efficient means for treating a
tobacco-leaf in accordance with our invention, but we do not limit said inven-
tion to the employment of such means, nor to any particular mechanism such as
that herein before set forth for operating the several devices which successively
act on the leaf, for other means clearly within the scope of our invention might
be substituted therefor and the same advantageous results secured.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is-
1. A leaf-stemming machine including means for first transversely incising
the web of a leaf, and, second, for detaching that part of the web located between
the line of incision and the butt of the leaf.
2. A leaf-stemming machine including means for transversely incising the
web of a leaf; means for detaching that part of the leaf located between the line
of incision and the butt of the leaf; and means for feeding the leaf past the
web-incising and web-detaching means.
3. A leaf-stemming machine including means for transversely incising the
web of a leaf; means for detaching that part of the web located between the line
of incision and the butt of the leaf; and means for severing the stem.
4. The combination, with means for first transversely incising the web of a
leaf, of means for detaching that part of the web located between the line of
incision and the butt of the leaf, and means for gripping said leaf near its
opposite ends for advancing it sidewise for treatment.
5. The combination, with means for transversely incising the web of a leaf,
of means for carrying the leaf past the incising means, and stemming mechanism
diagonally disposed to the line of feed of the leaf.
6. The combination, with means for transversely incising the web of a leaf,
of means for carrying the leaf to and past the incising mechanism, and stemming
mechanism consisting of a series of superposed clothed rolls diagonally disposed to
the line of feed of the leaf.
7. A machine of the class specified including means for forming in the blade
of a leaf a multiplicity of punctures or apertures 'to produce an incision in said
blade.
8. A machine of the class specified including means for forming in the blade
of a leaf a multiplicity of punctures or apertures to produce an incision in said
blade, and for severing the veins lying across the incision.
9. A machine of the class specified including means for first forming trans-
versely in the blade of a leaf a multiplicity of punctures or apertures to produce
an incision in said blade; second, for severing the veins lying across the inci-
sion and, finally for detaching the web located between the incision and the
butt of the leaf.
10. The combination, with leaf-puncturing means including a device compris-
ing a body portion and a series of puncturing-points secured to said body portion
and serving to form in the blade of the leaf a multiplicity of punctures to produce
an incision, of means for detaching that part of the web located between the
incision and the butt of the leaf.
11. The combination, with leaf puncturing and carrying means, of an inde-
pendent device for guiding and feeding a leaf while it is being punctured.
12. The combination, with leaf-puncturing and carrying means, of a device
for guiding and feeding a leaf while it is being punctured, said guiding-and-
feeding device having two working surfaces between which the puncturing means
is disposed.
13. The combination, with leaf-carrying means, of a leaf-puncturing device:
a device for guiding and feeding the leaf while under treatment; and means for
driving said several parts in unison.
14. The combination, with leaf-carrying means, of a leaf-puncturing device

page_text: and a leaf-feeding device projecting across the line of feed of the leaf, and means
for driving said several parts in unison.
15. The combination, with a vein-severing device, of a co-operative device in
position to engage, and to force, a vein into contact with the vein-severing
device.
16. The combination, with means for puncturing the blade of a leaf, to pro-
duce an incision, of a vein-severing device; means for forcing therein the vein
or veins lying across the incision into contact with said severing device; and
means for guiding the leaf.
17. The combination, with means for incising a leaf for cutting the veins, of
an independent vein-severing device; means for forcing the vein or veins lying
across the incision into contact with the vein-severing device; and a device for
separating the veins and stem.
GEORGE PIERCE BUTLER.
WILLIAM HENRY BUTLER.