US3659620A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process and device for cutting tobacco leaves
Assignee: Societe Nationale dExploitation Industrielle des Tabacs et Allumettes SAS
•
Filing: 1969-12-31
•
Granted: 1972-05-02
•
Expires: 1989-12-31
Abstract
Abstract In a process for obtaining from tobacco leaves fragments of substantially constant shape and more particularly the shape of a quadrilateral having parallel opposite sides, wherein the leaves are subjected to a cutting operation along parallel and equidistant cutting lines, the fragments obtained are subjected to an orientation operation so that the cutting lines should assume a first given direction and the fragments which are thus oriented are caused to undergo a recutting operation along equidistant recutting lines which are parallel to a second given direction, the step of separating from all the oriented fragments which are caused to undergo the recutting operation all those fragments whose projection on a line at right angles to said second direction is smaller in length than the distance between said recutting lines.
Inventors
- 👤 Andre Pietrucci
- 👤 Pierre Imbert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 06:26
CPC Classifications
A; A24; A24B; A24B7/00; A24B7/04; A24B7/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
132 words
In a process for obtaining from tobacco leaves fragments of substantially constant shape and more particularly the shape of a quadrilateral having parallel opposite sides, wherein the leaves are fed into a stream and subjected to a cutting operation along parallel and equidistant cutting lines, the fragments obtained are subjected to an orientation operation so that the cutting lines are intended to assume a first given direction and the fragments which are thus oriented are caused to undergo a recutting operation along equidistant recutting lines which are parallel to a second given direction, the step of separating from said stream all the oriented fragments prior to said recutting operation whose projection on a line at right angles to said second direction is smaller in length than the dIstance between said recutting lines.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
132 words
In a process for obtaining from tobacco leaves fragments of substantially constant shape and more particularly the shape of a quadrilateral having parallel opposite sides, wherein the leaves are fed into a stream and subjected to a cutting operation along parallel and equidistant cutting lines, the fragments obtained are subjected to an orientation operation so that the cutting lines are intended to assume a first given direction and the fragments which are thus oriented are caused to undergo a recutting operation along equidistant recutting lines which are parallel to a second given direction, the step of separating from said stream all the oriented fragments prior to said recutting operation whose projection on a line at right angles to said second direction is smaller in length than the dIstance between said recutting lines.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
In a process according to claim 1, the further step of subjecting again to orienting and recutting operations those fragments which have been separated from said stream prior to said recutting operation and at least one dimension of which is greater than the distance between two recutting lines.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
In a process according to claim 1, the further step of reintroducing in the stream of fragments which have been subjected to the recutting operation those fragments which have been separated from said stream prior to said recutting operation and one dimension of which is equal to the distance between two recutting lines.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
135 words
In a device for obtaining from a stream of tobacco leaves fragments of substantially constant shape and more particularly the shape of a quadrilateral having parallel opposite sides, comprising cutting means adapted to cut the leaves along parallel and equidistant cutting lines, means for orienting the fragments obtained and adapted to set their cutting lines in a first given direction, recutting means adapted to recut the oriented fragments along recutting lines which are equidistant and parallel to a second given direction and the means for conveying the oriented fragments to said recutting means, separating means adapted to separate from said stream of oriented fragments prior to the recutting operation all those fragments whose projection on a line at right angles to said second direction is smaller in length than the distance between said recutting lines.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
135 words
In a device for obtaining from a stream of tobacco leaves fragments of substantially constant shape and more particularly the shape of a quadrilateral having parallel opposite sides, comprising cutting means adapted to cut the leaves along parallel and equidistant cutting lines, means for orienting the fragments obtained and adapted to set their cutting lines in a first given direction, recutting means adapted to recut the oriented fragments along recutting lines which are equidistant and parallel to a second given direction and the means for conveying the oriented fragments to said recutting means, separating means adapted to separate from said stream of oriented fragments prior to the recutting operation all those fragments whose projection on a line at right angles to said second direction is smaller in length than the distance between said recutting lines.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
In a device according to claim 4, further comprising means for returning to said orienting means those fragments which have been separated by said separating means and at least one dimension of which is greater than the distance between two recutting lines.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
In a device according to claim 4, further comprising means for reintroducing in the stream of fragments, which have been cut by said recutting means, those fragments which have been separated by said separating means and one dimension of which is equal to the distance between two recutting lines.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
In a device according to claim 4, said orientation means being constituted by a vibrating grooved surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
In a device according to claim 7, said vibrating grooved surface comprising an endless belt having grooves oriented at right angles to the direction of forward travel of said belt and a vibrating device adapted to impart vibrations to said belt in a direction parallel to said grooves.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
78 words
In a device according to claim 4, said means for conveying the oriented fragments to said recutting means comprising a first assembly of moving parallel endless belts set at a distance from each other corresponding to the spacing of said recutting lines and a second assembly of moving parallel endless belts adapted to pass on the one hand between the belts of said first assembly and on the other hand between the cutting elements of said recutting means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-05-02 | 1975-11-01 | 1976-05-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-02 | 1979-11-01 | 1980-05-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-02 | 1983-11-01 | 1984-05-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |