Apparatus for sorting tobacco leaves

Claim 2

Apparatus for sorting tobacco leaves, comprising a conveyor for moving leaves, an end plate comprising a substantially horizontally disposed surface over which said leaves pass, said plate being arranged in cooperation with the forward end of said conveyor to receive said moving leaves therefrom, means for resiliently mounting said end plate to be movable away from said conveyor on accumulation of leaves between said conveyor and said end plate, said end plate being adapted to provide a preselected level of light reflection, a photoelectric sensor spaced above said end plate adapted to provide a signal indicative of the reflection of light from the leaves passing over said end plate and means responsive to said signal to classify said leaves.

Claim 3

A sorting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said end plate is arranged so that the rear end portion thereof projects over the front end portion of said conveyor belt.

Claim 4

A sorting apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said end plate portion is upwardly tiltable, with respect to the surface of said conveyor, the angle of said tilt being so chosen as not to interfere with the movement of the leaf passing from said conveyor belt onto said end plate.

Claim 5

Apparatus for sorting tobacco leaves, comprising a conveyor for moving leaves to a discharge end, an end plate comprising a substantially horizontally disposed surface arranged at the discharge end of said conveyor in cooperation therewith to receive said moving leaves passing thereover, said end plate being supported by a housing comprising a frame mounted at the end of said conveyor, said frame including a pair of laterally spaced side supports, and means for removably mounting said plate on said side supports.

Claim 6

Apparatus for sorting tobacco leaves, comprising a conveyor for moving leaves to a discharge end, an end plate comprising a substantially horizontally disposed surface arranged at the discharge end of said conveyor in cooperation therewith to receive said moving leaves passing thereover, said end plate being supported by a housing comprising a frame mounted at the end of said conveyor, said frame including a pair of laterally spaced side supports, and means for removably mounting said plate on said side supports.

Claim 7

A sorting apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said housing is mounted on said side supports for movement in a generally horizontal plane from an operative position at the discharge end of said conveyor to an inoperative position spaced axially therefrom for servicing and cleaning said apparatus.

Claim 8

A sorting apparatus according to claim 5 additionally including a microswitch for sensing the proper seating of said housing in said side supports and for sensing the forward movement of said housing resulting from leaf accumulation between said housing and said conveyor belt.

Claim 9

A sorting apparatus according to claim 6 including means responsive to said microswitch for providing a signal upon forward movement of said housing.

Claim 10

A sorting apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said signal is a visible signal.

Claim 11

A sorting apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said signal is an auditory signal.

Claim 12

Apparatus for sorting tobacco leaves comprising a linear conveyor for moving leaves, a housing mounted at the forward end of said conveyor, said housing having a pair of laterally spaced side supports, an end plate extending between said side supports on which said tobacco leaves are supported as they pass forwardly from said conveyor, a sensor spaced above said end plate adapted to provide a signal indicative of the reflection of light from said passing leaves, a plurality of first air jet nozzles secured to said housing below the front end portion thereof, said first nozzles being connected to a compressed air system responsive to a signal from said sensor to provide an air current in the forward direction through said nozzles.

Claim 13

Apparatus for sorting tobacco leaves comprising a linear conveyor for moving leaves, a housing mounted at the forward end of said conveyor, said housing having a pair of laterally spaced side supports, an end plate extending between said side supports on which said tobacco leaves are supported as they pass forwardly from said conveyor, a sensor spaced above said end plate adapted to provide a signal indicative of the reflection of light from said passing leaves, a plurality of first air jet nozzles secured to said housing below the front end portion thereof, said first nozzles being connected to a compressed air system responsive to a signal from said sensor to provide an air current in the forward direction through said nozzles.

Claim 14

A sorting apparatus according to claim 10 including a plurality of second air jet nozzles arranged above said housing at the rear end portion thereof, said second nozzles being connected to a compressed air system to provide an air current in the downward direction on said end plate.

Claim 15

A sorting apparatus according to claim 4 including a plurality of first air jet nozzles arranged below said housing at the front end thereof, said first nozzles being connected to a compressed air system so that an air current of adjustable force can be obtained in the forward direction through said nozzles for effecting the classifying of said leaves, and including a plurality of second air jet nozzles arranged above said housing at the rear end thereof, said second nozzles being connected to a compressed air system so that an air current of adjustable force can be obtained in the downward direction through said nozzles for cleaning said end plate.

Claim 16

A sorting apparatus according to claim 11 including electrically operable valve means responsive to a sensor signal indicative of a predetermined level of reflected light and interposed between said nozzles and said compressed air system.

Claim 17

A sorting apparatus according to claim 13 including control circuits connecting said sensor and said valve means for regulating the response of said valve means.

Claim 18

Apparatus for classifying tobacco leaves comprising a conveyor for moving leaves, a planar surface disposed in conjunction with said conveyor over which said leaves pass and a sensor spaced opposite said end plate to provide a signal indicative of the reflection of light from said leaves passing thereover, said planar surface being formed of three layers a. a topmost layer made of glass adapted for permitting maximum light diffusion, b. a middle layer which is black and which is perforated over its entire surface, and c. a bottom-most layer which is white and is provided with black markings arranged to coincide with the perforations of said middle layer when the middle layer and bottom layer are positioned in matched superposed relationship.

Claim 19

Apparatus for classifying tobacco leaves comprising a conveyor for moving leaves, a planar surface disposed in conjunction with said conveyor over which said leaves pass and a sensor spaced opposite said end plate to provide a signal indicative of the reflection of light from said leaves passing thereover, said planar surface being formed of three layers a. a topmost layer made of glass adapted for permitting maximum light diffusion, b. a middle layer which is black and which is perforated over its entire surface, and c. a bottom-most layer which is white and is provided with black markings arranged to coincide with the perforations of said middle layer when the middle layer and bottom layer are positioned in matched superposed relationship.

Claim 20

A sorting apparatus according to claim 15 wherein at least one of said middle and bottom layers is mounted in said frame for movement with respect to the other whereby the relationship of said perforations with respect to said black markings on said white bottom layer may be varied from a position where they completely coincide and provide an entire overall black appearance to one where only white is seen through said perforations to provide a generally whiter appearance.

Claim 21

A sorting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said end plate is formed of three separate layers, a. a topmost layer made of glass adapted for permitting maximum light diffusion, b. a middle layer which is black and which is perforated over its entire surface, and c. a bottom-most layer which is white and is provided with black markings arranged to coincide with the perforations of said middle layer when the middle layer and bottom layer are positioned in matched superposed relationship and wherein at least one of said middle and bottom layers is mounted in said frame for movement with respect to the other whereby the relationship of said perforations with respect to said black markings on said white bottom layer may be varied from a position where they completely coincide and provide a black appearance through said perforations to one where only white is seen through said perforations to provide a white appearance through said perforations.

Claim 22

A sorting apparatus according to claim 16 including gauge means for use in adjusting the position of one of said middle and bottom layers corresponding to the selected reflectivity of the desired leaf.

Claim 23

A sorting apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said topmost layer is etched glass.

Claim 24

A sorting apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said topmost layer is sand blasted glass.

Claim 25

A testing member for the quality of individual tobacco leaves and adapted for determining the reflectivity of the individual leaves comprising an end plate comprising a substantially horizontally disposed leaf supporting surface in combination with scanning or detector means mounted in vertically spaced relation over said end plate wherein said end plate is supported in a box-like housing comprising a frame including a pair of laterally spaced side supports with said end plate extending between said side supports, including a plurality of air jet nozzles arranged below said housing at the front end portion thereof, said nozzles being connected to a compressed air system so that an air current of adjustable force can be obtained in the forward direction through said nozzles for effecting classifying of said leaves, said end plate being formed of three separate layers, a. a topmost layer made of glass adapted for permitting maximum light diffusion, b. a middle layer which is black and which is perforated over its entire surface, and c. a bottom-most layer which is white and is provided with black markings arranged to coincide with the perforations of said middle layer when the middle layer and bottom layer are positioned in matched superposed relationship, and wherein at least one of said middle and bottom layers is mounted in said frame for movement with respect to the other whereby the relationship of said perforations with respect to said black markings on said white bottom layer may be varied from a position where they completely coincide and provide an entire overall black appearance to one where only white is seen through said perforations to provide a mixed white appearance.

Claim 26

A testing member for the quality of individual tobacco leaves and adapted for determining the reflectivity of the individual leaves comprising an end plate comprising a substantially horizontally disposed leaf supporting surface in combination with scanning or detector means mounted in vertically spaced relation over said end plate wherein said end plate is supported in a box-like housing comprising a frame including a pair of laterally spaced side supports with said end plate extending between said side supports, including a plurality of air jet nozzles arranged below said housing at the front end portion thereof, said nozzles being connected to a compressed air system so that an air current of adjustable force can be obtained in the forward direction through said nozzles for effecting classifying of said leaves, said end plate being formed of three separate layers, a. a topmost layer made of glass adapted for permitting maximum light diffusion, b. a middle layer which is black and which is perforated over its entire surface, and c. a bottom-most layer which is white and is provided with black markings arranged to coincide with the perforations of said middle layer when the middle layer and bottom layer are positioned in matched superposed relationship, and wherein at least one of said middle and bottom layers is mounted in said frame for movement with respect to the other whereby the relationship of said perforations with respect to said black markings on said white bottom layer may be varied from a position where they completely coincide and provide an entire overall black appearance to one where only white is seen through said perforations to provide a mixed white appearance.

Claim 27

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the surface of said end plate is a combination of colors substantially different from said tobacco leaves.

Claim 30

The system according to claim 23 wherein said photoelectric sensor is provided with means for restricting its response to a defined wave length range.

Claim 31

The system according to claim 24 wherein the means for restricting the response of said photo-sensor is limited to the sensing of light in a wave length band of substantially 660 to 680 millimicrons.

Claim 34

The system according to claim 26 wherein said photoelectric sensor is provided with means for restricting its response to a defined wave length range.

Claim 35

The system according to claim 26 wherein said members comprise plates arranged one above the other, the topmost plate being at least translucent and having a plurality of light reflecting indicia arrayed over its surface, the lower plate having a cooperating array of contrasting light reflecting indicia disposed over its surface, said plates being shiftably mounted with respect to each other to selectively vary the coincidence of the indicia on one plate with that of the other to adjust the level of light reflecting therefrom.

Claim 36

The system according to claim 28 wherein the contrasting light reflection indicia is of a color other than tobacco.