Abstract: An apparatus with a projection defining first and second openings and a channel between the openings. An interior surface adjacent the channel tapers inwardly from the first opening to the second opening, and a shearing edge is positioned adjacent the second opening. A method of using the apparatus to separate protuberances of a plant from an elongate portion of the plant by pulling the elongate portion through the channel. Another apparatus with first and second counter-rotating rollers. Each roller having alternating projecting portions and valleys and oriented so that projecting portions of one roller are aligned with valleys of the other roller as the rollers rotate. A method of using the rollers to deform an elongate portion of a plant between the projecting portions of one roller and the valleys of the other roller.

Abstract: The invention describes a tobacco substitute composition comprising leaves of coffee plants having no detectable amount of nicotine or nicotine related compounds; the method for the preparation of the said composition and the tobacco-like articles prepare from the said composition. The said composition is useful in the manufacture of smoking products such as cigarettes, cigars and pipe material as well as in the manufacture of chewable tobacco-like products. The said composition may be use without any tobacco at all or in combination with different tobacco amounts, thus providing tobacco products having variable amounts of nicotine and useful in controlling the nicotine contents and in methods to reduce or quitting the use of tobacco products.

Abstract: Size reduction equipment is added at the feed end of a cigarette maker to take separated winnowers and other overages from a tobacco feed to the maker, cut or shred the overages to appropriate size and reintroduce the cut or shred overages into the lamina stream from a tobacco feed hopper for the cigarette maker. The winnowers may be pneumatically or mechanically conveyed back into the feed stream in the cigarette maker.

Abstract: In a process to reduce fines and objectionable stem from tobacco in a smoking article, a humectant, particularly glycerin, is added to whole leaf tobacco prior de-stemming. After de-stemming, stems are separated from lamina and the stems and lamina are further processed for use in smoking articles, particularly cigarettes.

Abstract: An apparatus for threshing tobacco includes a rotatable stripper and a feeder which includes a pair of cooperating counter-rotatable elements for delivering tobacco leaves to the stripper. The feeder and the stripper are arranged such that, in use, the tobacco leaves experience shearing forces as they pass from between the counter-rotating elements to the rotating stripper. These forces at least partially strip the lamina from the stems.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for removing tie elements from hands of tobacco leaves on a conveyor belt involve a rotating drum having radially emergent cutting blades that contact the tie elements without contacting the belt. The axle of the drum is disposed at an angle to the direction of belt travel, and the blades are disposed at a compensatory angle with respect to the axle, whereby the drum provides an advancing effect on the leaves, yet the blades cut along the mid-rib of the leaves.

Abstract: Apparatus for slicing tobacco bales comprising a plurality of parallel sharp prongs or lances (1) which can be moved to penetrate the bale (7) in a horizontal plane while the bale is supported on a lift device (14). A retractable pusher (9) is arranged to be movable parallel to the prongs so as to separate the slice from them after cutting and has downwardly dependent sharpened teeth (10) attached to its lower edge so as to extend between the prongs.

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 system for controlling the lamina size in a raw material treatment process for tobacco leaves comprising measuring means for measuring the production rate of the laminae larger than a given size in the raw material treatment process in which the tobacco leaves which have been provided with a water content and temperature by a humidity controller are stripped into laminae and ribs by means of rib removing machines capable of changing a mechanical impact force applied upon the tobacco leaves by changing the rotational number of grid or threshing gear and are then separated by means of separating machines, and operational control means for receiving measurement signals from said measuring means as a feedback signal for searching a water content, temperature and rotational number of grid or threshing gear which minimize the production rate of the laminae not larger than a given size by a hill-climb method using the water content and temperature provided by the humidity controller and the rotational number of gr

Abstract: A loose leaf chewing tobacco product is prepared from leaf tobacco by removing the stems and major veins, then cutting the leaves across the grain of the remaining veins in a uniform manner with the cuts being spaced no greater than 1/4 inch apart, then casing the leaves with a casing mixture and finally drying the cased leaves.

Abstract: A tobacco separator is provided for separating light fractions (laminae) from heavy fractions (mid-rib or stem) from threshed tobacco.The separator comprises a separating chamber (10) having an upper first inlet (8) for receiving the material to be separated or classified, and a lower second inlet (9) for receiving a flow of air directed transversely of the material path from the first inlet, a plurality of channels (14-17) are disposed one above the other to receive the tobacco laden air from said inlet, a vertical air passage (20) in communication at its lower end with the lowermost of said channels; and an outlet passage (19) in communication with all said channels.

Abstract: The disclosure is of a method and apparatus for stripping leaf lamina from tobacco leaf stems. The apparatus comprises two pairs of opposed rollers in tandem relationship. The first set of rollers is driven at a fixed speed and serves to engage and feed tobacco leaf to the second set of rollers which are driven at a relatively higher speed. When the second pair of rollers engages the stem of the tobacco leaf, the stem is yanked away from the leaf lamina, which is held back by its engagement with the first pair of feed rollers. In this way stripping of the leaf lamina occurs. The disclosure is also of a method of destemming tobacco leaf, employing the apparatus of the invention. The method simulates the desirable results of hand stripping without an expenditure of hand stripping labor. The method is also advantageous in that it permits one to destem tobacco leaves having relatively low moisture content and at ambient temperatures, thereby effecting a considerable savings in energy expenditure.