Tobacco leaf stripper

Claim 1

A tobacco stripper for removing dried and cured tobacco leaves from a tobacco stalk severed from the ground, comprising: (a) a base; (b) at least four radially spaced and aligned rotatable pulleys having parallel axes of rotation supported upon said base; (c) a pair of radially aligned counter-rotating endless belts rotatably carried by said pulleys, at least two of said pulleys engaging the interior surface of each of said belts, said belts have a plurality of impact teeth on their exterior surfaces, said teeth being separated from each other in the direction of belt movement by an interposed spacing adapted to accommodate the diameter of a tobacco stalk, said teeth and interposed spacing extending transversely across the entire width of the belts in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of belt movement, at least one pulley engaging the interior surface of each belt, said at least one pulley being separated to form a spaced nip between the belts adapted to accommodate a tobacco stalk; and (d) drive means associated with at least one pulley engaged with each belt, said drive means being operative to produce counter-rotating movement of said belts.

Claim 10

A method of stripping dried and cured tobacco leaves from a tobacco stalk severed from the ground, comprising: (a) rotating a pair of radially aligned counter-rotating endless belts having a plurality of spaced impact teeth on their exterior surfaces spaced extending substantially transversely to the direction of belt movement and so as to form a nip therebetween; (b) advancing a tobacco stalk severed from the ground with dried and cured tobacco leaves thereon into the nip from the bottommost leaves toward the tip of the stalk in a direction substantially parallel to the axes of rotation of said counter-rotating belts; (c) impacting the leaves with the impact teeth on the rotating belts so as to separate the leaves from the stalk; and (d) collecting the separated leaves.

Claim 11

A method of stripping dried and cured tobacco leaves from a tobacco stalk severed from the ground, comprising: (a) rotating a pair of radially aligned counter-rotating endless belts having a plurality of spaced impact teeth on their exterior surfaces spaced extending substantially transversely to the direction of belt movement and so as to form a nip therebetween; (b) advancing a tobacco stalk severed from the ground with dried and cured tobacco leaves thereon into the nip from the bottommost leaves toward the tip of the stalk in a direction substantially parallel to the axes of rotation of said counter-rotating belts; (c) impacting the leaves with the impact teeth on the rotating belts so as to separate the leaves from the stalk; and (d) collecting the separated leaves.