Method of conditioning tobacco and apparatus therefore
US5161548A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 18, 1990 |
| Grant date | Nov 10, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 18, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA24B3/182
- WIPO fieldOther consumer goods
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A method of conditioning tobacco including the steps of: a) vibrating tobacco particles by means of a vibratory conveyor to produce a continuous stream to be transferred along a predetermined path, the conveyor being vibrated in such a manner that the stream of tobacco particles remains in contact with the supporting surface of the conveyor during transportation; b) contacting substantially all of the particles of tobacco with steam by continuously passing steam upwardly through perforations in said conveyor; and c) maintaining said steam at a pressure sufficient to enable the steam to diffuse into the interstices between the particles without causing said stream of tobacco particles to be lifted out of contact with the supporting surface of the conveyor, wherein the steam passing by way of the perforations includes a component of flow parallel with the supporting surface of the conveyor.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.