Improvements in Tobacco Cutting Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 25th Nov.,
1899
[Communicated from abroad by THE AMERICAN MACHINE COMPANY, of Roanoke,
Virginia, U.S.A.]
Improvements in Tobacco Cutting Machines.
I. JOHN WILLIAM MACKENZIE, of the Firm of Wheatley & Mackenzie, Engineers
and Patent Agents, of 40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., 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: -
My invention relates to tobacco cutting machines; and more particularly to that
class of inventions for granulating tobacco; and it consists in certain features of
construction and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described
and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings in which I have illustrated the preferred embodi-
ment of my invention:
Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the machine.
Figure 2 is a cross sectional view on the linear of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a top plan view of the cutter head and cutter bar, comprising the
cutting mechanism.
In the drawings, 1 denotes two supporting standards, preferably rectangular in
construction, and each comprising the two horizontal pieces a-a, the two vertical
pieces b. and the legs cc. The front and the rear of the standards are boarded
up, as are also the sides, which are provided with removable panels d-d, to afford
convenient access to the interior of the frame. In the upper portion of the box-
like frame thus constructed, are journaled two shafts 2, that support an endless
conveyor or apron 3. At the rear of the apron is the cutting mechanism com-
prising the cutter bar 4 and the co-operating cutter head 5. A spring actuated
roller 11 is arranged above the rear shaft 2, and insures the delivery of the
tobacco to the cutting mechanism in a smooth even mass.
As these parts in themselves form no part of the present invention, further
description of the same will not be given, except in connection with the descrip-
tion of the general operation of the machine.
After the tobacco has been fed to the cutting mechanism by the apron 3, and is
chopped into grains or flakes, the mass falls upon a vibratory separator A, sus-
pended from hangers pivoted to the sides of the frame, and the mass is thrust in
the direction of the arrow 6. This separator consists of an open framework, to the
upper face of which is secured a coarse screen 7, and to the lower face of which
is secured a finer screen 8. Secured within the frame at its forward end and in
advance of the forward end of the separator A, is a pan 9, and working in this
pan is a conveyor 10, preferably, but not necessarily, of the bucket type. This
conveyor is designed to remove the contents of the pan 9 and discharge them upon
the conveyor 3.
11 denotes a shaker-board located beneath the separator A and designed to receive
the screened grains of tobacco and carry them rearwardly in the direction of the
arrow 12. This shaker-board is supported upon pivoted hangers, in the usual
manner.
13 denotes a second vibratory separator suspended from hangers 14. This

page_text: separator consists of the two side pieces 15, the forward end piece 16, and the
screens 19 and 20, the former of coarser mesh than the latter, and both of finer
mesh than the screens of the separator A. The action of this separator is to feed
the mass of granulated tobacco in the direction of the arrow 21. The rear end
of the screen 20 terminates short of the rear end of the screen 19, for a purpose
hereinafter to appear.
22 denotes a brushing mechanism located beneath the separator 13, and consist-
ing of three sprocket chains 22ª supported upon sprocket wheels 23 keyed to
shafts 24, and connected by transversely extending brushes 25, which on their
upper run, loosen the dust from the meshes of the screen 20, and on their lower
run, sweep the fallen dust from the pan 26 at the bottom of the machine. The
direction of movement of the brushes is indicated by the arrow 27.
29 denotes a valve pivoted below and at the rear end of the separator 13.
30-31 denote two discharge hoppers having conducting pipes 32-32 that project
through the floor. 33 denotes blowers arranged at the rear end of the machine,
below and at the rear of the shaker board 11, and above and at the rear of the
separator 13.
34 denotes a deflecting chute, which is stationary.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-
Leaves of the tobacco are placed upon the apron 3, and are fed thereby to the
cutting mechanism. The granulated mass now falls upon the vibratory separator A,
the coarser particles lodging upon the screen 7, and the finer passing therethrough
and lodging upon the screen 8, and the dust and still finer particles of tobacco
falling through the screen 8 upon the shaker board 11. The mass caught and
retained by the screens 7 and 8 is fed in the direction of the arrow 6 to the pan 9,
and from thence is conveyed back to the cutting mechanism by the conveyor 10
and apron 3, where a complete and final granulation is effected. The mass which
fell through the screens 7 and 8 upon the shaker board 11 is composed of fine
tobacco flakes, dust, grit and the like, and as this mass is shaken off the rear
end of the. shaker board 11, it falls into the air current or blast created by the
blower, which is so regulated that the dust and flakes or grains of tobacco are
separated from the stems, flint and the like, and are blown over upon the forward
end of the separator 13, while the stems and foreign matter, being of greater
specific gravity than the dust and tobacco grains, fall upon the deflecting chute,
the stems upon the lower board 35 of the chute, and the foreign matter, which is
heavier than the stems, upon the upper board 36. Receptacles may be placed at
the lower end of the chute, one to receive the stems and the other the grit, etc.
The mass of tobacco and dust separated from the grit and stems, and blown
over upon the separator 13, is now fed in the direction of the arrow 21, the finer
particles of tobacco and dust falling through the screen 19 upon the screen 20,
and the dust falling through the screen 20 into the pan 26, from which it is
removed by the lower run of the brushes 25.
"
If it is desired to keep the tobacco upon the screen 19, which is of the "first
grade," separate from the tobacco upon the screen 20, which is of the "second
grade," the valve 29 is moved to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, thus
allowing the tobacco from the screen 19 to fall into the hopper 31, and the tobacco
from the screen 20 to fall into the hopper 30, both of which lead to a room below.
If, however, it is desired to mix the tobacco, the valve is moved to the position
shown in dotted lines, thus allowing the tobacco to discharge into the hopper 31.
To adapt my machine for the granulation of scrap tobacco, I place a
hopper B upon the top of the machine, over the cutting mechanism, and mount
below the said hopper an endless carrier belt C, which forms the bottom of said
hopper. The "
scrap is emptied into the hopper, and is carried by the belt C
under the edge of the adjustable board D, which regulates the feed of tobacco.
Arranged at the rear end of the machine, and below and at the rear of the carrier
belt C, is a blower E, and below the blower and under the discharge end of the
carrier belt C, an inclined chute F.
"

page_text: #
The operation of the device, when used for granulating scrap" tobacco is as
follows:
The scrap pieces are placed in the hopper B, and are fed by the endless belt C
rearwardly and dropped down behind the cutting mechanism and within the
blast created by the blower E. The heavier particles, such as stems, flint and.
foreign matter in general, being much heavier than the tobacco particles, fall into
the inclined chute F, and are conducted away from the machine, while the lighter
particles of tobacco are blown upon the separator A. Those particles small enough
to go through the meshes of the screens of the separator fall upon the shaker-
board 11 and are operated upon in the manner hereinbefore described, while the
coarser particles are led off and emptied into the pan 9 and from this point con-
ducted to the cutting mechanism by the conveyor 10 and apron 3, and this opera-.
tion continues until all of the stems, grit and foreign matter have been separated
and the tobacco led from the machine in commercial form.
It is of course understood that when I granulate first class tobacco; that is,
the leaves, the blower E and apron C are thrown out of gear with the driving
mechanism of the machine. The hopper B is removed, thus permitting of the
apron C to be used as a table upon which the bunches and leaves of tobacco are
placed by the assistant, within easy reach of the operator who feeds at the forward
end of the machine.
The directions of movement of the several parts, as well as the direction of
movement of the tobacco in its passage through the machine, are illustrated by
arrows, and any well known or approved system of gearing may be employed for
transmitting movement from any suitable source of power to said parts, but as the
same forms no part of my invention, I do not deem it necessary either to illustrate
or describe it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is: --
1. In a tobacco cutter, the combination with the main frame, of a cutting
mechanism, a vibratory separator located below said cutting mechanism, a second
vibratory separator arranged below, the first named separator, a deflecting chute
arranged at the rear end of the machine at the rear of the second named vibratory
separator and below the rear end of the first named vibratory separator, a shaker-
board located between the two separators and adapted to discharge the material
at a point above the chute, and a blower arranged at the rear of the deflecting
chute and under the rear end of the first named vibratory separator, substantially
as set forth.
deflect-
2. In a tobacco cutter, the combination with the main frame, of a cutting
mechanism, a vibratory separator located below said cutting mechanism, a pan
or receptacle located at the forward or discharge end of said vibratory separator, a
conveyor for removing the contents of said pan or receptacle a second conveyor
for receiving the discharge from the first conveyor and conducting it back to the
cutting mechanism, a shaker board arranged below the vibratory separator, a
second vibratory separator arranged below the shaker board, a
ing chute arranged below the shaker board and at the rear of the second named
vibratory separator, and a blower arranged below and at the rear of the shaker
board and at the rear of the deflecting chute, substantially as shown and described.
3. In a tobacco cutter, the combination with the main frame, of cutting
mechanism, a vibratory separator located below said cutting mechanism and con-
sisting of two screens, the upper one of which is coarser than the lower one, a pan
or receptacle located at the forward or discharge end of said vibratory separator,
a conveyor for removing the contents of said pan or receptacle, a second conveyor
for receiving the discharge from the first conveyor and conducting it back to the
cutting mechanism, a shaker board arranged below the vibratory separator, a
second vibratory separator arranged below the shaker board and consisting of two

page_text: screens, the
upper one of which is coarser than the lower one, said screens being.
of finer mesh than the screens of the first named separator, substantially as set
forth.
4. In a tobacco cutter, the combination with the main frame, of a cutting
mechanism, and the upper separating, mechanism, of the lower separating
mechanism arranged below the upper separating mechanism, the lower separating
mechanism consisting of a vibratory upper and lower screen, the former of larger
mesh than the latter, and the latter terminating short of the rear end of the
former, brushing mechanism located below the lower screen, a pan located below
the brushing mechanism, a valve arranged at the discharge end of the screens
and adapted to either direct the combined contents of the two screens into one
receptacle, or separate the contents and direct them into separate receptacles, a
deflecting chute arranged at the rear end of the lower separating mechanism and
below the rear end of the upper separating mechanism, and a blower arranged at
the rear of the deflecting chute and below the rear end of the upper separating
mechanism, substantially as set forth.
11
1
1000
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.