Abstract: A mixture of unsatisfactory fragments of tobacco ribs and shreds of tobacco leaf laminae and/or tobacco ribs which are bonded to each other and/or are clumped together and/or crimped is treated to loosen the coherent and/or clumped shreds and/or uncrimp individual shreds and to thereupon separate the fragments of ribs from the thus liberated and/or straightened shreds. The treatment involves heating the mixture with steam, thereafter cooling (if necessary) the mixture, and thereupon pneumatically separating the shreds from the fragments of tobacco ribs. The heating operation can take place simultaneously with moisturizing of the mixture and can be carried out in a rotary or vibratory conveyor.

Abstract: Bales of condensed relatively dry tobacco particles are broken up by subdividing each bale into slabs which are thereupon mechanically fragmentized, heated and moisturized with steam or steam and hot water, shredded while still heated, and thereupon subjected to one or more additional treatments. The bales are subdivided into slabs by cutting them transversely of the layers of compressed tobacco particles therein, and the heating and moisturizing steps can be carried out in a drum or in a closed tunnel of a vibratory conveyor.

Abstract: A method of converting particles of tobacco leaves, particularly bales or portions of bales of compacted tobacco leaf laminae, into cut tobacco involves admitting portions of and/or entire bales into a tobacco cutter while the temperature of compacted particles matches or exceeds the room temperature of 18.degree.-25.degree. C. and the moisture content of the particles is between 10 and 17 percent.

Abstract: Bales or portions of bales of relatively dry compressed tobacco leaf laminae or ribs are heated microwaves, or in an to a temperature not less than 50.degree. C., and are immediately admitted into a shredding machine without previous cooling and/or breaking up. The moisture content of the shreds is raised to between 12 and 13.5% for admission into a cigarette maker, or such moisture content is raised well above the optimum value for further processing in order to increase the filling power of the shreds. The shreds are thereupon dried to reduce their moisture content to between 12 and 13.5% prior to conversion into the filler of a cigarette rod. Two or more different types of shreds can be mixed prior to admission into the cigarette maker.

Abstract: Apparatus for puffing, drying or moisturizing tobacco has a conveyor defining an elongated channel with an inlet and an outlet for particles of tobacco. The conveyor is vibrated so that the particles advance toward the outlet, and the bottom wall of the conveyor has orifices which serve to discharge jets of hot air or steam into the channel in such orientation that the jets of admitted fluid medium are inclined to each other, to the direction of advancement of tobacco particles and/or to the vertical. The orifices receive fluid from a chamber which is provided beneath the bottom wall and is connected to a source of steam or hot air.

Abstract: Bales or portions of bales of relatively dry compressed tobacco leaf laminae or ribs are dielectrically heated by microwaves, or in an electric high-frequency field, to a temperature not less than 50.degree. C., and are immediately admitted into a shredding machine without previous cooling and/or breaking up. The moisture content of the shreds is raised to between 12 and 13.5% for admission into a cigarette maker, or such moisture content is raised well above the optimum value for further processing in order to increase the filling power of the shreds. The shreds are thereupon dried to reduce their moisture content to between 12 and 13.5% prior to conversion into the filler of a cigarette rod. Two or more different types of shreds can be mixed prior to admission into the cigarette maker.

Abstract: Fragments of tobacco ribs are puffed in an elongated tunnel which is vibrated to advance the particles from the inlet toward the outlet. The particles in the tunnel are contacted by streamlets of supersaturated or superheated steam at such temperature and pressure that the temperature of the particles is raised to between 100.5.degree. and 120.degree. C. To this end, steam is admitted at 2.5 to 25 bar absolute pressure and at a temperature of between 126.degree. and 400.degree. C. The thus heated particles of tobacco ribs are thereupon dried.

Abstract: Apparatus for expelling moisture from a continuous stream of tobacco which passes through a conditioning zone defined by a hollow rotary drum-shaped dryer has a control unit employing a computer whose output signal is indicative of the quantity of moisture to be expelled from tobacco per unit of time during travel through the dryer in order to ensure that the final moisture content of tobacco will match a predetermined value. The signal which is generated by the computer is used to regulate a valve in a conduit connecting the conditioning zone with a source of steam. The rate of steam admission or the pressure of admitted steam increases when the quantity of moisture which is contained in tobacco entering the dryer per unit of time decreases and vice versa. This ensures that the total quantity of moisture in the conditioning zone remains at least substantially constant even though the moisture content and/or the quantity of tobacco in the stream entering the dryer varies within a wide range.