Abstract: The leaf-stripping machine of the present invention is provided with a pair of leaf-stripping rollers, the length of which is substantially the same as a tobacco stalk. The leaf-stripping rollers include a horizontal longitudinal axis, extend parallel to and are in rolling contact with each other. A holding frame, on which the tobacco stalk is placed in parallel to the leaf-stripping rollers, is located above the leaf-stripping rollers. The holding frame includes holding rods arranged at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction of the leaf-stripping rollers. The central portion of each holding rod is curved toward the leaf-stripping rollers, and is cut in such a manner as to provide a gap smaller than the diameter of the tobacco stalk. A plurality of partitioning plates are arranged under the leaf-stripping rollers, such that they are spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of the leaf-stripping rollers.

Abstract: A sorting system according to the present invention comprises a leaf picking apparatus for picking off tobacco leaves from tobacco plants and dropping the leaves while the plants are being passed through the leaf picking apparatus, a collecting vessel disposed under the picking apparatus and adapted to receive and collect and picked and dropped tobacco leaves, a plurality of partition walls disposed in the vessel and dividing the inside thereof into a plurality of compartments successively arranged in a guide direction across the passing direction of the plants, a pair of inclined guide rails for guiding the collecting vessel in moving in the guide direction, and a rack and pinion for moving the collecting vessel in association with the transport of the tobacco plants.

Abstract: A leaf picking apparatus according to the present invention comprises a leaf picking disk of elastic material adapted to rotate in one direction. The disk has an opening in the center and a plurality of elastically deformable tongues spaced circumferentially and extending radially inward from the peripheral edge of the opening. Each tongue of the disk is fitted with a metallic plate piece for keeping the tongue curved to one side of the disk and twisted in the direction opposite to the rotating direction of the disk. The plate pieces project from the distal ends of their corresponding tongues. A cylindrical leaf picking tip is fixed to the projecting end of each plate piece. The tip has an axis across the longitudinal direction of its corresponding tongue, and its leading end, as viewed in the rotating direction, is located outside its trailing end with respect to the radial direction of the disk.