Abstract: Sample extraction or trimming from an end strip of an elongated formed metal that is coiled in layers within a tensioned metal coil resting on driven rollers. A cut channel is formed across the material width. In some embodiments the cut channel is formed between the rollers and by cutting at an angle relative to the coil outer surface. Coil weight and/or a coil tensioner mechanism inhibits coil relaxation along the cut channel by maintaining tension on wrapped layers against each other when the coil is unbanded for sample extraction. The coil is rotated so that the cut channel clears the rollers laterally. Material downstream the cut is then separated from the coil. After trimming and/or sample extraction the coil maintains rolled tautness for ease of rebanding.

Abstract: A cutting apparatus and an associated method for slitting a tobacco sheet material into cut pieces used to form smoking articles are provided. The cutting apparatus includes a rotatable cutter assembly having a drum member configured to rotate about an axis defined thereby. The cutter assembly includes a plurality of knife members disposed about the periphery of the drum member and extending radially therefrom. A fixed counter-knife assembly is disposed adjacent to the periphery of the drum member and is configured to interact with the rotatable cutter assembly during rotation thereof about the axis. The counter-knife assembly includes a ledger member having a plurality of cutting insert members removably engaged therewith. The cutting insert members are configured to interact with the knife members during rotation of the cutter assembly with respect to the counter-knife assembly so as to slit the tobacco sheet material received therebetween into cut pieces.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a nicotine-containing mucoadhesive film, by preparing an aqueous solution at a pH of from 9.5 to 13, the solution including (i) a nicotine salt, (ii) an alkaline pH-regulating agent, and (iii) a film-forming agent including an alginate salt of monovalent cation or a mixture of alginate salts of monovalent cations, the film-forming agent having a mean guluronate (G) content of from 50 to 85% by weight, a mean mannuronate (M) content of from 15 to 50% by weight, a mean molecular weight of from 30,000 g/mol to 90,000 g/mol and being such that a 10% aqueous solution thereof at a temperature of 20° C. has a viscosity of 100-1000 mPas, as measured at a shear rate of 20 rpm by use of a Brookfield viscometer with a spindle No. 2; distributing the solution onto a solid surface; and permitting the solution to dry on the surface.

Abstract: In a process of manufacturing smokeless tobacco articles on a rod-making device, an endless tobacco web (1a), the filler web, is shaped into an endless rod (1b), preferably by use of a funnel-like formatting device (4). Another endless web (5a), the wrapper web, is provided as a wrapper and wrapped around the endless rod (1b). The endless wrapped rod is cut into individual cylindrical portions (11).

Abstract: A method of processing reconstituted tobacco which reduces the attrition of reconstituted tobacco and increases the capacity of a primary processing facility by bypassing several conventional primary processing steps. This improved process allows reconstituted tobacco to bypass the primary processing steps up through final cut tobacco drying by separately cutting conventional reconstituted tobacco using a tobacco cutting machine. The method also includes the steps of drying reconstituted tobacco in a pre-dryer, forming sheets of reconstituted tobacco, cutting the sheets to a pre-selected width, transferring the sheets of pre-selected width to a primary processing facility, feeding the sheets of pre-selected width to a tobacco cutting machine, the sheets being cut to a pre-selected size, and blending the pre-selected size cut reconstituted tobacco with conventional cut tobacco.

Abstract: A process of cutting reconstituted tobacco includes (1) rolling up single sheets of reconstituted tobacco into a plurality of single sheet rolls of reconstituted tobacco, unrolling said sheets and wherein the unrolled sheets are laid on top of one another; or, (2) stacking a plurality of sheets orientated in layers and feeding said sheets to a cutting machine. The cutting machine includes a rotary drum having a plurality of controlled strand cutting knives spaced at preselected intervals along an outer periphery of the drum.

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: In a method of adjusting and controlling a cutting device comprising two rollers counter-rotating about parallel axes and provided each with a set of blades where each blade of one roller combines with a blade of the other roller to create a scissor by which discrete pieces are cut from a continuous strip of material, heat is applied to raise the temperature of the cutting device to a selected value higher than the normal operating temperature of the machine; thereafter, having set the blades of each scissor initially by way of a system of adjusters associated with at least one of the two blades, the temperature of the cutting device during operation of the surrounding machine is maintained at a value substantially equal to the selected value by way of monitoring and control media.

Abstract: The invention provides a belt conveyor (34), particularly for feeding tobacco or similar material in a cutting machine, comprising a conveyor belt (10) formed of pivotally linked transverse slats and arranged around and between a drive roller (14) and an idler roller (15) to provide an upper and a lower run of the belt; further comprising a support plate (13) positioned immediately below and extending over substantially the whole area of the upper run of the belt, said plate having a series of apertures (16, 18) therein through which particulate material falling through the conveyor belt may fall or be swept, and means (20, 21) below the plate to collect such particulate material and remove it from the interior of the conveyor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a rotary drum (22) cutting machine for cutting or shredding lamina material such as tobacco leaf, comprising a support frame (10), means for compressing and feeding material to be cut, as a plug, to a mouth (14) mounted on the support frame, a cutter carriage (20) movably mounted on a track (23) on the support frame, a cutter drum (22) mounted for rotation on said cutter carriage, and drive means (26,27,51,52,28) arranged to move the cutter carriage between an open inoperative position with the cutter drum away from the mouth to a closed operative position to cut or shred material as it issues from the mouth.

Abstract: A slicing machine comprises a frame having a support surface (10) onto which the block of material to be sliced is placed, a cutter assembly (14) for moving in a cutting plane transversely of said support surface, said cutter assembly being movable between upper and lower positions (K, K1) and a pusher (11) for moving the block of material in stepwise fashion towards said cutting plane, said pusher being movable from a rearmost position (A) in a forward direction during successive slicing operations to a forwardmost position (A1) close to the cutting plane. A pivoted retainer (22) is pivotally connected to the frame and movable between a non-retaining position and a retaining position for retaining and supporting the last slide of the block. The retainer is actuated by a pneumatic rotary actuator. The pusher moves toward its rearmost position as soon as the last slice is in a retained and supported situation.

Abstract: A knife is provided for a tobacco cutting machine and comprises a plate having one surface bevelled to produce a cutting edge and a plurality of grooves formed at right angles to the cutting edge in the surface of the knife which is not bevelled thereby providing a crenellated cutting edge having alternate leading and trailing cutting edges. The groove sare spaced apart in such manner that the width of each leading cutting edge is small enough so that during cutting the induced strain on the cut strand in the region of each leading cutting edge is greater than 0.4.

Abstract: Each tobacco compacting chain of a tobacco shredding machine has several rows of block-shaped synthetic plastic links which are articulately connected to each other by transversely extending metallic pins receiving motion directly from the teeth of several coaxial sprocket wheels. The links form several endless rows, one for each sprocket wheel, and the links of neighboring rows are staggered relative to each other. Each pin extends through a pair of coaxial annular bearing elements at the inner side of one link in each of the rows and the end portions of the pins carry caps which are held thereon by screws and serve to hold the links against movement in the longitudinal direction of the respective pins.

Abstract: The transportation of a tobacco layer, in which the tobacco lamina or leaves are horizontally oriented, on a vertically-reciprocating conveyor surface to a cutting machine wherein tobacco shreds are formed from the tobacco in the layer is assisted, so that the orientation and juxtaposition of the tobacco in the layer is maintained to the cutting machine. Confining movable side walls are located at each side of the vibrating conveyor to engage the side edges of the tobacco layer. The movable side walls are moved in the direction of movement of the tobacco layer during transportation of the tobacco layer on the conveyor surface.

Abstract: The transportation of a tobacco layer, in which the tobacco lamina or leaves are horizontally oriented, on a vertically-reciprocating conveyor surface to a cutting machine wherein tobacco shreds are formed from the tobacco in the layer is assisted, so that the orientation and juxtaposition of the tobacco in the layer is maintained to the cutting machine.

Abstract: Tobacco shreds of substantially less impaired filling power result from a tobacco lamina shredding machine when the lamina are formed into a tobacco layer in which the lamina are horizontally oriented and which is precompacted without the use of any force other than gravity and vibration and the tobacco layer is fed to the cutting operation without any substantial change in tobacco lamina orientation.

Abstract: Apparatus for moving the knives relative to their rotary holder in a tobacco cutting machine has a crankshaft which is rotatable and is rotated once during several successive revolutions of the holder. The crankshaft is the input element of a step-down transmission whose output element is a ring gear meshing with pinions for transmission of motion to discrete displacing units, one for each knife. The ring gear is rotated at intervals by a gear which is coaxial with a freewheel. The latter is rocked back and forth by a lever which is pivoted by the crank pin of the crankshaft by way of a rod-like connector. One end portion of the connector is coupled to the lever by an adjusting device which can change the extent of pivotal movement of the lever and hence the extent of rotation of the ring gear whenever the lever is pivoted in one of two directions.