Tobacco – Plug or compressed shape making – Continuous sheet type
Patent
1990-03-23
1991-08-20
Millin, V.
Tobacco
Plug or compressed shape making
Continuous sheet type
131118, 198841, 1988601, A24C 102
Patent
active
050405497
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to an improvement in conveyors for cutting machines which are particularly but not solely for cutting or shredding tobacco.
The type of machine to which the invention might be used for cutting the tobacco is of a well known type per se in which the tobacco leaf is fed into a convergent throat or rectangular cross section formed by two parallel plates and two converging conveyor belts. At the convergent end of the throat is a mouthpiece. The tobacco leaf to be cut is fed into the throat at the large or entry end and is driven by the conveyor belts towards and through the mouthpiece. The leaf is out as it issues from the mouthpiece either by a single knife caused to reciprocate across the mouthpiece or by one or more rotary knives arranged in a outer drum which rotates on an axis either transverse or parallel to the width of the throat, so that the cutting edge of the knife or knives is caused to pass across the mouthpiece The convergence of the throat compresses the leaf sufficiently so that t may be cut and not pulled from the mouthpiece. One of the two conveyors usually the upper, is free to move and force is applied to it so that the degree of compression of the leaf can be regulated.
The cutting machines of this kind are described for example in United Kingdom Patents Nos. 1195163 1067442, 1494439 and 1498667.
The conveyor belts, particularly the lower one. comprise a series of pivotally connected transverse slats which pass over a toothed drive roller and an idler roller. A problem has occurred with such conveyors because particles of tobacco gravitate through the spaces between the slats and clog the inside of the conveyor mechanism and particularly the spaces between the teeth of the drive roller and thus impede the smooth running of the conveyor belt.
An object of the present invention is to overcome this problem.
Accordingly the present invention provides a belt conveyor particularly for feeding particulate material in a cutting machine, comprising a conveyor belt, a drive roller and an idler roller said conveyor belt being formed of pivotally linked transverse slats and arranged around and between the drive roller and the idler roller to provide an upper and a lower run of the belt further comprising a support plate positioned immediately below and extending over substantially the whole area of the upper run of the belt, said plate having a series of apertures therein through which particulate material falling through the conveyor belt may fall or be swept, which apertures are in the form of transverse slots which each extend over a portion of the width of the conveyor from a point inside a side edge of the plate, and means below the plate to collect such particulate material and remove it from the interior of the conveyor
In order to promote a full understanding of the above and other aspects of the present invention an embodiment will now be described, by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a side view of a typical tobacco cutting machine to which the invention may be applied;
FIG. 2 is a view oF the rotary cutter of the machine of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a schematic side elevation of the lower conveyor of the machine of FIG. 1 arranged in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 4 is a schematic cross sectional view, the left hand half of which is taken on the plane A-A on FIG. 3 and the right hand half of which is taken on the plane BB on FIG. 3; and
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the conveyor of FIGS. 3 and 4.
In the rotary machine as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 which is of known type per se, tobacco is fed onto a space 32 between two converging conveyors 34 and 36 which carry the tobacco from the space 32 to a mouthpiece 38 and at the same time compress it so that it is driven through the mouthpiece as a plug of tobacco. As the plug emerges it is shredded by a series of knives 40 carried in holders 42 in bearings carried by arms 47. The cutting edges of the knives all lie on an imaginary cylindrical surface; and may be sharpened by a co
REFERENCES:
patent: 4724953 (1988-02-01), Winchester
GBE International plc
Millin V.
Reichard L.
LandOfFree
Conveyors particularly for cutting machines does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Conveyors particularly for cutting machines, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Conveyors particularly for cutting machines will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1001686