Method and apparatus for conditioning tobacco

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR TREATING A BULK PRODUCT SUCH AS TOBACCO TO ADJUST THE MOISTURE CONTENT THEREOF TO PROVIDE A UNIFORMLY HUMIDIFIED PRODUCT, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: A VACUUM CHAMBER ADAPTED TO RECEIVE TOBACCO THEREINTO AND FOR REMOVAL OF TOBACCO THEREFROM; VACUUM PRODUCING MEANS FOR REMVOAL OF VAPOR AND NON-CONDENSIBLES FROM SAID CHAMBER AND FROM SAID TOBACCO CONTAINING THEREIN, SAID VACUUM PRODUCING MEANS COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND STREAM EJECTORS, AND CONDENSER MEANS FOR CONDENSING STEAM DISCHARGED THROUGH ONE OF SAID STEAM EJECTORS; CONDUIT MEANS FOR INTRODUCING STEAM DIRECTLY INTO SAID VACUUM CHAMBER; PROBE MEANS FOR INTRODUCING STEAM DIRECTLY INTO SAID TOBACCO CONTAINED IN SAID CHAMBER; DUCT MEANS FOR DIRECT EVACUATION OF SAID CHAMBER AND CONDUIT MEANS FOR EVACUATION OF SAID CHAMBER INDIRECTLY THROUGH SAID TOBACCO CONTAINED THEREIN; AND MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY DIRECTING AND CONTROLLING PATHS OF STEAM INTRODUCTION INTO SAID CHAMBER AND INTO SAID TOBACCO AND PATHS OF EVACUATION OF SAID CHAMBER AND OF SAID TOBACCO CONTAINED THEREIN.