US3664034A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tobacco bulk curing system with improved curing air flow rate control
Assignee: R H BOULIGNY Inc
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Filing: 1970-09-23
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Granted: 1972-05-23
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Expires: 1990-09-23
Abstract
Abstract A system of curing flue-cured tobacco in bulk including a barn structure having perforated floor defining a curing air inlet space therebelow and tobacco loading and curing space thereabove for receiving and supporting a plurality of bulk curing racks disposed in side-by-side relation and in a plurality of vertically spaced tiers, a return air space above the loading space and a curing air conditioning and circulating assembly including a housing having an inlet communicating with the upper return air space, an outlet communicating with the lower curing air space, damper controlled fresh air inlets adjacent the upper end thereof, an air heater, a blower and an improved air throttling mechanism for controlling the amount of curing air circulated throughout the cure so that (1) the yellowing of the leaves is accomplished with the curing air at the desired temperature and relative humidity flowing at a relatively slow rate within an operative range of between 10 and 50 cubic feet per minute for each square foot of effective curing area, and within a preferred range of 40 to 45 cfm and (2) drying of the leaves is accomplished with the curing air at the desired temperatures and relative humidities flowing at a relatively high rate within an operative range of 50 to 120 cfm for each square foot of effective curing area with an increase of at least 10 percent of the flow rate during yellowing and within a preferred range of 55 to 75 cfm and an increase of at least 30 percent.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert W Wilson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 12:03
CPC Classifications
A; A24; A24B; A24B1/00; A24B1/02; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S432/00; Y10S432/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
500 words
An apparatus for bulk curing tobacco comprising a plurality of bulk curing racks, each of said racks including means for receiving and supporting a multiplicity of tobacco leaves in initially compressed bulk form, a barn structure comprising means defining a curing air inlet space, a return air space and a vertically confined tobacco loading and curing space therebetween, means within said loading and curing space for receiving and supporting a plurality of bulk curing racks therein in a position with respect to the leaves supported thereby so that the flat surfaces thereof extend generally vertically and with respect to each other so as to form vertically spaced tiers of leaves horizontally filling said loading and curing space throughout an effective horizontal curing area, housing means within said barn structure defining a circulatory curing air flow path extending from said housing means to said air inlet space vertically therefrom through said tobacco loading and curing space and then through said return air space back to said housing means, said housing means having an inlet opening communicating with said return air space, fresh air inlet opening means communicating with said circulatory path adjacent said inlet opening, damper means mounted within said fresh air inlet opening means for movement into different positions controlling the amount of fresh air flowing inwardly into said circulatory path through said fresh air inlet opening means, air exhaust means communicating said circulatory path with the atmosphere for discharging a quantity of curing air from the flow path generally equal to the amount of fresh air flowing through said fresh air opening means in accordance with the position of movement of said damper means, heating means within said housing means downstream from said fresh air inlet opening means for controllably heating the air in said circulatory path, blower means within said housing means downstream from said fresh air inlet opening means rotatable to establish a flow of air in said circulatory path, constant speed motor means operatively connected with said blower means for continuously rotating the same, and air flow throttling means mounted within said housing downstream of said fresh air inlet opening means for movement into (1) a flow restricting position wherein said blower means is operable to establish a flow of curing air within said circulatory path at a rate of between 10 to 50 cfm per square foot of said effective horizontal curing area for curing the tobacco supported in said loading and curing space through an initial yellowing stage without premature drying or bruising and (2) a substantially unrestricted flow position wherein said blower means is operable to establish a flow of curing air within said circulatory path at a rate of between 50 to 120 cfm per square foot of effective horizontal curing area with an increase of at least 10 percent of the flow rate during the initial yellowing stage for curing the tobacco within the loading and curing space through subsequent leaf drying and stem drying stages efficiently in terms of time.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
500 words
An apparatus for bulk curing tobacco comprising a plurality of bulk curing racks, each of said racks including means for receiving and supporting a multiplicity of tobacco leaves in initially compressed bulk form, a barn structure comprising means defining a curing air inlet space, a return air space and a vertically confined tobacco loading and curing space therebetween, means within said loading and curing space for receiving and supporting a plurality of bulk curing racks therein in a position with respect to the leaves supported thereby so that the flat surfaces thereof extend generally vertically and with respect to each other so as to form vertically spaced tiers of leaves horizontally filling said loading and curing space throughout an effective horizontal curing area, housing means within said barn structure defining a circulatory curing air flow path extending from said housing means to said air inlet space vertically therefrom through said tobacco loading and curing space and then through said return air space back to said housing means, said housing means having an inlet opening communicating with said return air space, fresh air inlet opening means communicating with said circulatory path adjacent said inlet opening, damper means mounted within said fresh air inlet opening means for movement into different positions controlling the amount of fresh air flowing inwardly into said circulatory path through said fresh air inlet opening means, air exhaust means communicating said circulatory path with the atmosphere for discharging a quantity of curing air from the flow path generally equal to the amount of fresh air flowing through said fresh air opening means in accordance with the position of movement of said damper means, heating means within said housing means downstream from said fresh air inlet opening means for controllably heating the air in said circulatory path, blower means within said housing means downstream from said fresh air inlet opening means rotatable to establish a flow of air in said circulatory path, constant speed motor means operatively connected with said blower means for continuously rotating the same, and air flow throttling means mounted within said housing downstream of said fresh air inlet opening means for movement into (1) a flow restricting position wherein said blower means is operable to establish a flow of curing air within said circulatory path at a rate of between 10 to 50 cfm per square foot of said effective horizontal curing area for curing the tobacco supported in said loading and curing space through an initial yellowing stage without premature drying or bruising and (2) a substantially unrestricted flow position wherein said blower means is operable to establish a flow of curing air within said circulatory path at a rate of between 50 to 120 cfm per square foot of effective horizontal curing area with an increase of at least 10 percent of the flow rate during the initial yellowing stage for curing the tobacco within the loading and curing space through subsequent leaf drying and stem drying stages efficiently in terms of time.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said throttling means comprises damper means mounted within said housing means between said fresh air inlet opening means anD said blower means for movement into said flow restricting position and said substantially unrestricted flow position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said throttling means includes an actuating lever operatively connected with said damper means for effecting movement of the latter and releasable latching means for releasably maintaining said actuating lever in positions corresponding with the flow restricting position and unrestricted flow position respectively of said damper means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said adjustable throttling means further includes means cooperating with said releasable latching means for releasably retaining said damper means within a plurality of positions intermediate said flow restricting position and said substantially unrestricted flow position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
113 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said housing means comprises a vertically extending housing of generally rectangular horizontal cross-sectional configuration and wherein said blower means includes a squirrrel cage blower mounted within the lower end portion of said housing for rotational movement about a horizontally extending axis and a casing surrounding said rotor having axial inlet openings on opposite sides of said rotor and a tangentially extending outlet opening, said throttling means comprising a pair of pivotally mounted damper means mounted within opposite sides of said housing in generally horizontally extending parallel relation in a position between the inlet openings of said blower casing and the upper end of said blower casing.
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) | 1975-05-23 | 1975-11-22 | 1976-05-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-23 | 1979-11-22 | 1980-05-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-23 | 1983-11-22 | 1984-05-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |