US3655043A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pneumatic tobacco classifying apparatus
Assignee: Körber AG
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Filing: 1970-06-05
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Granted: 1972-04-11
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Expires: 1990-06-05
Abstract
Abstract A pneumatic tobacco classifying apparatus wherein a tower contains adjustable walls and a partition defining upper and lower classifying chambers connected by two discrete channels. An adjustable chute admits a mixture of tobacco ribs and tobacco leaf laminae into the range of an accelerating device, such as a driven winnower roller or an air-discharging nozzle, which is mounted in the lower chamber and serves to propel the particles of the mixture across the lower chamber against one of the adjustable walls to thus break up agglomerations of ribs and laminae. An ascending air current entrains the laminae and some ribs into the upper chamber, mainly by way of the channels, whereby the entrained ribs descend mainly by way of the other channel and are again propelled by the accelerating device. The heavier ribs descend immediately into and are evacuated from the bottom zone of the lower chamber. The laminae are separated from the air current after leaving the upper chamber.
Inventors
- 👤 Waldemar Wochnowski
- 👤 Heinz Friebel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 08:34
CPC Classifications
B; B07; B07B; B07B4/00; B07B4/02; B07B4/025; A; A24; A24B; A24B5/00; A24B5/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
159 words
Apparatus for segregating lighter particles from a mixture of lighter and heavier tobacco particles, comprising a housing provided with an upper and a lower classifying chamber and a pair of channels connecting said chambers; air circulating means for conveying through said housing a current of air flowing from said lower chamber mainly through one of said channels and into and from said upper chamber; feeding means for admitting into said lower chamber below the other of said channels a mixture of lighter and heavier tobacco particles; and accelerating means provided in said lower chamber underneath said feeding means to propel the particles of the admitted mixture across the air current whereby the air current entrains lighter particles and some heavier particles but permits the remaining heavier particles to descend in said lower chamber by gravity, the entrained heavier particles being decelerated on entry into said upper chamber to descend, at least in part, by way of said other channel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
159 words
Apparatus for segregating lighter particles from a mixture of lighter and heavier tobacco particles, comprising a housing provided with an upper and a lower classifying chamber and a pair of channels connecting said chambers; air circulating means for conveying through said housing a current of air flowing from said lower chamber mainly through one of said channels and into and from said upper chamber; feeding means for admitting into said lower chamber below the other of said channels a mixture of lighter and heavier tobacco particles; and accelerating means provided in said lower chamber underneath said feeding means to propel the particles of the admitted mixture across the air current whereby the air current entrains lighter particles and some heavier particles but permits the remaining heavier particles to descend in said lower chamber by gravity, the entrained heavier particles being decelerated on entry into said upper chamber to descend, at least in part, by way of said other channel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said accelerating means comprises a mechanical accelerating device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said air circulating means includes a foraminous wall provided in said lower classifying chamber adjacent to said accelerating means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said accelerating means comprises a rotary winnower.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
65 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said feeding means comprises a chute defining an inclined path for directing the mixture of lighter and heavier tobacco particles into the range of said accelerating means, a conveyor for supplying a stream of such mixture, and a metering device for transferring the particles of said mixture at a substantially constant rate from said conveyor to said chute.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said chute is adjustable so as to change the inclination of said path.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said accelerating means comprises a pneumatic accelerating device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said pneumatic accelerating device comprises at least one adjustable air discharging nozzle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said housing includes partition means disposed at a level between said chambers and flanked by said channels.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 9, further comprising means for adjusting the position of said partition means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising movable walls provided in said housing and means for adjusting the positions of said walls with reference to said housing to thereby change the cross-section of at least one of said chambers and at least one of said channels.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said air circulating means comprises supply conduit means having two air-admitting outlets communicating with spaced portions of said housing to admit said air current into said lower chamber.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein one of said outlets admits air in quantities exceeding those admitted by the other of said outlets.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 12, further comprising air permeable walls provided in said housing between said lower chamber and said outlets.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said walls diverge toward said upper chamber and flank said lower chamber.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said air circulating means comprises conduit means receiving said air current from said upper chamber and admitting said air current to said lower chamber and means for moving the air current through said conduit means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 16, further comprising means for removing lighter tobacco pArticles from the air current in said conduit means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the means for moving the air current comprises a blower and said removing means is disposed upstream of said blower.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-04-11 | 1975-10-11 | 1976-04-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-04-11 | 1979-10-11 | 1980-04-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-04-11 | 1983-10-11 | 1984-04-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |