Apparatus for treating or conditioning tobacco

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR TREATING TOBACCO WITH CONDITIONED AIR COMPRISING A CHAMBER, A SCREEN FIXEDLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID CHAMBER FOR THE SUPPORT OF TOBACCO LEAVES IN AN UPSTANDING POSITION TO FORM A BED OF TOBACCO LEAVES, AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS, SAID AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS INTRODUCING CONDITIONED AIR BELOW SAID SCREEN IN SAID CHAMBER AND INCLUDING MEANS DISCHARGING THE CONDITIONED AIR TOWARDS THE BUTTS OF THE LEAVES, AND MEANS TO RETURN AIR TO SAID CONDITIONING APPARATUS FROM THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID CHAMBER, A BY-PASS CONDUIT CONNECTING THE LOWER PORTION OF THE CHAMBER BELOW SAID BED TO THE UPPER PORTION OF THE CHAMBER AT A POINT REMOTE FROM SAID AIR RETURNING MEANS FOR PASSAGE OF BY-PASSED AIR ACROSS AND ABOVE SAID LEAVES AND TO SAID AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS AND A VALVE CONTROLLING FLOW THROUGH SAID CONDUIT.