IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TOBACCO AND OIL, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN.
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John William Gibson, of Dundalk, Civil Engineer,
James Patrick Kennedy, Tobacco Manufacturer, of Cavan, and
Alexander Prior, Accountant, of Cavan, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TOBACCO AND OIL, AND IN APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREIN.
"
Sealed the 23rd October 1874, and dated the 30th April 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John William Gibson,
James Patrick Kennedy, and Alexander Prior at the Office of the:
Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 30th April
1874.
We, JOHN WILLIAM GIBSON, of Dundalk, Civil Engineer, JAMES
PATRICK KENNEDY, Tobacco Manufacturer, of Cavan, and ALEXANDER
PRIOR, Accountant, of Cavan, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ManufacTURE OF TOBACCO AND OIL, AND
IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows :-
This Invention relates to the heating, pressing, and cooling operations
in the manufacture of roll or coil tobacco, the apparatus employed for the
purpose being equally applicable to the manufacture of oil, and consists of

page_text: hollow or cellular chambers into which steam, hot air, or hot water is
introduced for the purpose of heating.
The tobacco or oil to be heated is encircled either by a cylinder or
ropes; the said cylinder may be either in two parts bolted together or in
one piece; a screw passes through the chambers, and tobacco, or substance
from which the oil is to be expressed, and by which screw it is pressed
so that in lieu of conducting the manufacture as usual in an ordinary
press it is done in sections.
The cooling process is accomplished by the admission of compressed
air from a receiver or reservoir to the chambers; the receiver may be
immersed in a current of cold water to effect a rapid reduction of tem-
perature, or cold water may be made. to circulate through the chambers,
or the heating chambers may be replaced by cold plates. Tobacco
manufactured by this process assumes an annulated form, the unsaleable
core being dispensed with.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John William Gibson, James Patrick Kennedy,
and Alexander Prior in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th October 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
WILLIAM GIBSON, of Dundalk, Civil Engineer, JAMES PATRICK KENNEDY,
Tobacco Manufacturer, of Cavan, and ALEXANDER PRIOR, Accountant,
of Cavan, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of April, in the year of 2
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said John William Gibson, James Patrick
Kennedy, and Alexander Prior, Her special licence that we, the said
John William Gibson, James Patrick Kennedy, and Alexander Prior, a
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the
said John William Gibson, James Patrick Kennedy, and Alexander
Prior, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time.

page_text: agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TOBACCO AND OIL, AND IN
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said John William Gibson, James Patrick Kennedy, and
Alexander Prior, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John William Gibson, James
Patrick Kennedy, and Alexander Prior, do hereby declare the nature
of our said Invention; and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement and accompanying Drawings, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to the heating, pressing, cooling, and curing
of roll or coil tobacco, the apparatus employed being equally applicable
for the manufacture of oil, and consists of hollow or cellular chambers,
one upper and one lower, each having a central aperture or eye; into
these chambers steam, hot air, or hot water is introduced for the purpose
of heating.
The tobacco or oil to be heated is encircled either by a cylinder or
ropes (the said cylinder may be either in two parts bolted together, or a
single cylinder), a screw, tube, pipe, or sheath fixed to a bottom plate
passes through the chambers and tobacco (or substance from which the
oil is to be expressed through the lower chamber, the sheath, and the
upper chamber a bolt is passed, an aperture being made in the bench
supporting the chambers to admit of so doing, and by means of a nut
and spanner this bolt is made to press the tobacco, the sheath rising in
the upper chamber as that chamber is brought down by the pressure, so
that in lieu of conducting the manufacture as usual in an ordinary press
it is done in sections.
The cooling process is accomplished by the admission of compressed
air from a receiver or reservoir to the chambers; the receiver may be

page_text: immersed in a current of cold water to effect a rapid reduction of the
temperature, or cold water may be made to circulate through the
chambers; or the heating chambers may be replaced by cold plates; or
the tobacco may be allowed to cool gradually between the steam
chambers. Tobacco manufactured by this process assumes an annulated
form, the unsaleable core being dispensed with.
Having now described the nature of the Invention, we will proceed to
explain the mode and process of manufacture by aid of the accompanying
Drawings, of which Fig. 1 is a plan of an apparatus embodying our
Invention; Fig. 2, a section of the same; Fig. 3, a plan of a bench for
the presses; Fig. 4, a transverse section of part of the bench; and Fig. 5,
a section of the sheath and bottom plate or disc, which latter being pro-
vided with a central hole the tube, pipe, or sheath is screwed therein at
right angles.
The lower hollow chamber A, Figs. 2 and 4, is placed on the bench B,
Figs. 3 and 4, and firmly secured to it. The tobacco to be treated is
placed or wound round the tube or sheath B' shown in section, Fig. 5,
and in the case of coil tobacco is alternated with metal plates, between
which and the coils are placed thin wooden discs of a size to match the
plates; these wooden discs are stamped out with a knife like that used
in making envelopes from a thin wooden chip, veneer, or scaleboard,
and with a central eye or hole corresponding with that in the plates;
and between each such chip and coil at a convenient place on the surface
of the same a thin metal plate bearing the manufacturer's name, abode,
trademark, or mark of quality is placed; the roll is similarly placed,
save that the scalcboard or chip discs, name plates, and metallic discs
are only placed at the top and bottom. The sheath B¹ with the plate
supporting and passing through the tobacco chips and discs is now
placed on the under chamber and encircled by a cylinder C or ropes in
the usual way. Over this is placed the top chamber A' which fits into
the cylinder or over the ropes, and the eye or hole of which admits and
encircles the upper end of the sheath. Through the under chamber,
the sheath, and the top chamber a bolt is now passed (an aperture being
made in the bench for its admission below), and by means of a nut and
spanner this bolt is made to press the tobacco, the sheath rising in the
upper chamber as that chamber is brought down by the pressure. The
steam, hot water, or hot air is then admitted by means of india-rubber
tubing or metallic pipes a, Fig. 4, into both chambers A, a pipe being

page_text: provided to carry off the condensed steam, and the tobacco is heated and
may be pressed again, or the pressure relaxed as required. When the
tobacco has been sufficiently heated steam is shut off and cold water. or
compressed air is made to circulate through the chambers, by means of
the pipe 6, Fig. 4, cooling the tobacco; or this may be done by removing
the tobacco to plates fitted exactly similarly to the steam chambers, save
that they are solid instead of hollow and that wooden ones may be used.
The tobacco being placed between these a bolt is passed through and
pressure is put on as with the steam chambers, or the tobacco may be
› allowed to cool gradually between the steam chambers. Thus the manu-
facture is carried on in sections, each roll or suitable number of coils
being separately treated, the practice heretofore being to treat in the
aggregate a number of such rolls or of such quantities of coils and to
press them by a driving screw instead of a screw in tension which is
5 less liable to break except-when made of cast iron.
When the tobacco las cooled down sufficiently it is removed, and the
sheath pipe being withdrawn by gentle pressure the metallic discs, scale-
board discs, and name tablets are separated from the tobacco and the
tobacco is found to be impressed with the name or mark from the
6 tablets, the rest of its surface having the impress of the wooden dise
smooth or showing the grain of the timber. The tobacco then thoroughly
cured and pressed is fit for sale, being done in a much shorter time. than
by the ordinary process, and assumes an annular form, the unsaleable
core being dispensed with..
Instead of the wooden chip or scaleboard, calico, canvas, or other
textile fabric, or millboard, papier maché, or other suitable substance
may be used for placing between the metallic dise and the tobacco, such
being cut of suitable shape and size as heretofore mentioned, or if the
tobacco is made up very dry and of strong quality the metallic disc may
be placed in immediate contact with it, the wooden chip or substitute
being dispensed with in that case.
:
The eye of the top chamber or cooling plate is by preference made to
fit over and admit the sheath, but we do not confine ourselves to that
position as we can reverse the sheath with attached plate and make it
run down into and be partly encircled by the lower chamber or cooling
plate. The chambers, plates, and discs we construct by preference of
circular shape, but they can be made rectangular for the manufacture

page_text: of stick tobacco or cavendish, or they can be elliptical for the manu-
facture of roll or coil tobacco if desired.
In the manufacture of oil the substance from which it is to be
expressed is placed between the discs and heat, and pressure applied as
required. A little groove is added in the discs and along the cylinder to
carry the oil into a receiver.
Having thus described our Invention, and the mode of carrying the
same into effect, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent
is, the improved process and mode of manufacturing tobacco whereby
the tobacco assumes an annular form with a central aperture or eye, the
characteristic feature of which is that the unsaleable core is dispensed
with and the manufacture carried on in sections; each roll or suitable
number of coils being separately treated, the coils or rolls being pressed
by a screw in tension, the apparatus for effecting which consisting of
cellular chambers, one upper and one lower one, having central apertures
or eyes, and through which chambers steam, hot air, or water is intro-
duced for heating the tobacco, which latter is encircled by a cylinder or
ropes; a screw, tube, pipe, or sheath fixed to a bottom plate passing
through both the chambers and tobacco, a bolt being passed through
the lower chamber, the sheath, and the upper chamber, a nut and
spanner causing the tobacco to be pressed, the sheath rising in the upper
chamber as it is brought down by the pressure, the cooling process being
effected by the admission of compressed air from a receiver or reservoir,
in the manner and for the purposes precisely as herein mentioned.
In witness whereof, we, the said John William Gibson, James
Patrick Kennedy, and Alexander Prior, have hereunto set our
hands and seals, this Twenty-second day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.