Tobacco moistening process

Claim 1

THE PROCESS OF MOISTENING A BODY OF TOBACCO COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: INSERTING A PERFORATED PROBE INTO THE BODY OF TOBACCO IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE CENRAL AREA THEREOF AND POSITIONING SAID PROBE WITHIN SAID BODY SUCH THAT IT EXTENDS THERETHROUGH SUBSTANTIALLY THE FULL DEPTH OF SAID BODY, THE PERFORATIONS ON SAID PROBE EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THE FULLY LENGTH OF THE PROBE; PLACING THE PROBE BEARING BODY OF TOBACCO INTO AN ENCLOSED CHAMBER, SAID CHAMBER BEING CONSTRUCTED TO FACILITATE THE CREATION AND MAINTENANCE OF SUBATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE THEREIN; EVACUATING SAID CHAMBER WITHIN WHICH THE BODY OF TOBACCO IS PLACED TO A SUBSTMOSPHERIC PRESSURE TO REMOVE SUBSTANTIALLY ALL AIR FROM SAID CHAMBER; AND, INTRODUCING STEAM INTO SAID ENCLOSED CHAMBER WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY EVACUATING SAID CHAMBER THROUGH SAID PRFORATED PROBE, AND CONTINUING SAID STEAMING WITH EVACUATION THROUGH SAID PROBE SIMULTANEOUSLY TO THEREBY MOVE SUSTANTIALLY PURE STEAM THROUGH SAID BODY OF TOBACCO FOR A PERIOD OF TIME UNTIL THE BODY OF TOBACCO IS SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORMLY TREATED TO A PREDETERMINED MOISTURE LEVEL.