Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus for separating tobacco stem particles from a mixture containing such particles and tobacco stalk particles obtained in a threshing and separating process employed in a tobacco stemmery includes a hollow drum having a longitudinal axis, the hollow drum being mounted for rotational movement about its axis and the axis being disposed at a slight angle with respect to the horizontal so as to establish a higher inlet end and a lower outlet end of the hollow drum. A mixture handling structure is constructed and arranged with respect to the inlet end of the hollow drum to feed a supply of a mixture containing tobacco stem particles and tobacco stalk particles obtained in the threshing and separating process into the inlet end of the hollow drum. The hollow drum has a periphery formed of a foraminus structure that includes a plurality of generally axially extending parallel bars spaced apart a distance sufficient to allow the passage of tobacco stem particles therethrough while substantially preventing the passage of tobacco stalk particles therethrough. A power operated assembly rotates the hollow drum about its axis at a speed sufficient to cause a portion of the mixture entering the inlet end and falling on the lowermost bars which has not passed through the spaces between the bars to be carried through a cycle which includes an upward movement with the movement of the bars and a falling movement downwardly onto the lowermost bars at a position downstream and a repetition of the cycle until the remaining mixture is moved out the lower outlet end of the hollow drum. A tobacco stem handling structure below the hollow drum receives the tobacco stem particles passing through the spaces between the bars as the particles of the mixture are cycled within the rotating hollow drum and moves the tobacco stem particles away. A tobacco stalk particle handling structure at the outlet end of the hollow drum receives the remaining mixture moved out of the lower outlet end of the hollow drum and moves the remaining mixture away.

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First Claim