Abstract: A pneumatic conveyor draws particles of tobacco from a vibrating trough by causing an air stream to flow from its intake end, which is adjacent to the trough, to its intake end which is connected to a suction generating device. A cyclone separator is installed in the conveyor to segregate the particulate material from the air stream and to discharge such material into a duct which feeds the material by gravity to an intermittently operated cell wheel evacuator. The latter drops batches of particulate material into the magazine of the distributor in a cigarette rod making machine. The conveyor has an elongated diffusor which is disposed upstream of the cyclone separator to decelerate the air stream, and such diffusor is followed by an arcuate portion whose radius of curvature is greater than the radius of the cylindrical wall surrounding the chamber of the cyclone separator.

Abstract: Particles of a continuous tobacco stream are intimately contacted with and thus conditioned by finely distributed solid or fluid additives in a rotary drum into which the additives are supplied by one or more spray nozzles. Tobacco particles are propelled into the drum by a rotary winnower or by an impeller nozzle which discharges a current of compressed air. The flight spans of tobacco particles can be varied by changing the speed of the winnower or by changing the pressure of air which issues from the impeller nozzle. The weight of tobacco which is being fed to the winnower or impeller nozzle per unit of time is measured, and the results of such measurements are used to regulate the flight spans of propelled tobacco particles and the quantity of additives which are admitted into the drum per unit of time.