Plant for processing plant material, especially tobacco

Abstract

Plant for processing loose bulk plant material, in particular tobacco, into a fine cut suitable for cigarette production, with at least one conveying device through the plant, which has at least one input (1), and with at least one alignment station (9, 9', 13, 13') downstream of the input (1) for aligning material to be conveyed to a cutting station (17) for cutting, wherein Each input (1) is designed as an approximately vertical shaft (10, 10') which has an input opening at the top and an approximately horizontal bottom belt of a belt conveyor (5, 6) of a conveying line (3, 4) in the bottom area, and that each conveying line (3, 4) includes conveying paths (7, 7') and (8, 8') into which the alignment stations (9, 9', 13, 13') are integrated characterized in that the outlet (12) of the drop shaft (10, 10') is arranged above a conveyor belt (14, 14') conveying to at least one second alignment station (13, 13'), which ends before an inlet to a feeding device (16) for the cutting station (17), and that the second alignment station (13, 13') has at least one damming element (19) blocking the transport path of the material to be cut caused by the conveyor belt (14, 14'), which is designed to be actuated with regard to its damming effect.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a system for processing loose bulk plant material, in particular tobacco, into a fine cut suitable for cigarette production, comprising at least one conveying device through the system which has at least one input, and at least one alignment station downstream of the input for aligning material to be conveyed to a cutting station for shredding.

[0002] Especially when smoking tobacco is to be produced, the most complete possible utilization of high-quality tobacco leaves is crucial for economic reasons. This is particularly true when the tobacco is to be processed into a fine cut, as used in the production of cigarettes.

[0003] Stems and ribs of tobacco leaves can have adverse effects during cigarette production. Therefore, when shredding the tobacco, it is essential to ensure that stems and ribs are always cut crosswise, never lengthwise, to obtain material that can be easily processed into cigarettes.

[0004] To achieve this, it is necessary to align larger parts in the material being cut, especially the stems and ribs, so that they lie as parallel as possible to their feed movement leading into a cutting station and thus ultimately perpendicular to the cutting edges of the shredding knives of a cutting station.

[0005] The conventional processing of tobacco leaves into fine-cut tobacco for subsequent cigarette production begins with loosening delivered bales of tobacco leaves in a suitable unwinding station. From there, the tobacco, or rather the tobacco leaves, are conveyed as a loose bulk in a continuous flow of material, undergoing predetermined processing steps, such as sieving and / or sifting.

[0006] The tobacco also reaches the shredding process mentioned earlier in a continuous flow of material, which contains a mixture of plant parts, for example, leaves from tobacco plants with both stems and ribs. For optimal cutting, it is important that the material cannot escape the cutting pressure. This escape can be at least partially counteracted by compressing the material before cutting.

[0007] It is therefore necessary to subject the continuous flow of material to a constant pressure. For this purpose, known cutting stations can have constrictions in the conveying path on the feed side, i.e., in the area of ​​their loading stations. The material flow must pass through these constrictions, where it is continuously compressed, i.e., "pressed".

[0008] It is obvious that the friction of the material being conveyed in the conveyor flow against the wall of such constrictions increases with the pressure applied.

[0009] This results in areas with different levels of compaction within the material fed to the cutting station, which can ultimately have a negative impact on the homogeneity of the fine cut produced.

[0010] DE 32 40 674 A1 discloses a system for aligning elongated material to be cut, in particular tobacco leaves, which performs both a singulation of the supplied material to be cut and an alignment of the individual parts of it approximately perpendicular to the knives of a downstream cutting machine.

[0011] DE 35 00 944 C1 discloses a further device for aligning tobacco leaves intended for cutting, in particular for the production of shag tobacco. This device includes a throwing roller extending over the width of a shaft, which throws the tobacco leaves against an impact wall from which the tobacco leaves slide off.

[0012] DE 962 683 B describes a plant for unbundling tobacco bales, wherein the tobacco bales are freed from their wrapping on a feed table and then fed onto a vibrating conveyor by means of a roller conveyor. Tobacco leaves are then passed through a grate.

[0013] The invention is based on the objective of creating a system that makes it possible to convey plant parts with stems and / or ribs in a conveying flow that is as homogeneous as possible, so that, aligned in this way, they can then be continuously fed to a cutting shredding station.

[0014] This problem is solved according to the invention by the features of claim 1. Further developments and advantageous embodiments of the solution according to the invention are set out in claims 2 to 10.

[0015] The plant material to be cut is initially in a loose bulk, obtained, for example, from bales, which is to be fed into the system designed according to the invention. This is done by placing the loose bulk into an inlet of a transport device conveyed by the system. According to the invention, such an inlet is designed as an approximately vertical shaft.

[0016] The shaft is open at the top, so that the material to be cut can be continuously fed in from above, for example by means of suitable transport equipment such as belt or screw conveyors.

[0017] During free fall through the shaft-shaped inlet of the system, the plant parts present in the supplied cutting material are subject to loosening and a certain orientation.

[0018] The material being cut, thrown into the infeed, remains on the approximately horizontal conveyor belt and is preferably continuously conveyed out of the infeed. The layer of material lying on the conveyor belt retains the orientation resulting from the fall, and, particularly advantageously, the thickness of the layer of material lying on the conveyor belt and thus conveyed out of the infeed remains constant.

[0019] The layer thickness can in turn be controlled by the amount of material being cut and the transport speed of the outgoing conveyor belt.

[0020] The input thus advantageously fulfills the function of a volumetric dosing unit for the material being cut, with correspondingly positive effects on the prescribed pressures of the conveying flow in the area of ​​the feeding device for the cutting station.

[0021] The essentially vertical orientations of the plant parts in the conveying stream, resulting from the free fall within the input, remain in the system designed according to the invention even during the further transport of the conveying stream through the individual stations or processing steps within the system.

[0022] This is ensured, for example, by distributing the flow of material away from the input or through the system to several conveying lines.

[0023] Each floor conveyor of the respective input is integrated into a respective conveyor line. Each conveyor line has at least one belt conveyor.

[0024] Each conveying line includes at least one conveying path.

[0025] Each conveying path leads through a drop shaft in which, as in the input, the vertical orientation is renewed, or the existing orientation is further reinforced or, if necessary, partially renewed.

[0026] Designing the conveying paths as steep conveying paths offers the advantage that the flow of material being cut can be easily lifted onto the feed points for the different levels of the system, without affecting the layer thickness or volume of the material being conveyed and thus without adversely altering it. The composition and volume of the material being cut therefore remain unchanged along the conveying paths from the input point to the feeding device for the cutting station.

[0027] The plant material to be cut and shredded is first subjected to a preliminary alignment in a first alignment station. According to the invention, a flow of material is fed into the first alignment station by means of suitable transport devices, specifically conveyor belts. The first alignment station comprises a drop chute through which the material falls from top to bottom. By means of the cascade-like arrangement of guide plates, the material is loosened, separated, and partially aligned so that the more robust plant parts in the flow of material are inclined relative to the path of transport.

[0028] Since the outlet of the drop chute is located above a conveyor belt conveying material to a second alignment station, the flow of material being cut, with some components already roughly aligned, reaches this second station. There, all elongated components that are not yet aligned with the conveyor path are continuously aligned. These are the plant parts that, having been brought from the first alignment station, are already lying more or less at an angle to the path of movement or the conveying line of the conveyor belt to be transported by the second alignment station.

[0029] According to the invention, plant parts that are not yet correctly positioned are subjected to a desired alignment before being fed into a cutting station by being pushed against a damming element that blocks the transport path. Because the conveyor belt continues to run continuously, the plant parts held by the damming element, which lie more or less obliquely to the path of movement of the conveyor belt passing beneath it, rotate. The rotation takes place in the plane of the support on the conveyor belt about an axis of rotation perpendicular to this support plane.

[0030] Plant parts oriented perpendicular to the moving conveyor belt thus remain in front of the lower edge of the damming element.

[0031] At predetermined time intervals, the blocking element that obstructs the transport path of the material being cut is activated, thereby either lifting its blocking effect or, after the corresponding lifting, resuming it.

[0032] It is quite possible to arrange several second alignment stations next to each other or one behind the other in order to increase the capacity of the device according to the invention accordingly.

[0033] A structurally simple actuation of the accumulating elements of the second alignment stations is possible after further development by providing the accumulating element with a rotating body aligned parallel to the transport plane and perpendicular to the transport path of the conveyor belt, which has accumulating paddles positioned approximately radially to its axis of rotation. By means of appropriate actuating devices, for example an electric motor with gearbox, the rotating body with the radially projecting accumulating paddles can be rotated, thereby moving the accumulating paddles into their accumulating position or into a position in which the accumulating function is not possible. The accumulating paddles can also be designed as hinged flaps.

[0034] Aligned plant parts located in front of the correspondingly positioned damming paddle are conveyed away by the moving conveyor belt as soon as the rotating body has moved the corresponding damming paddle so that its damming effect is released. The accumulated collection of already aligned plant parts is then moved further by the conveyor belt. Simultaneously, a second damming paddle is moved from its release position to a damming position by an 18° rotation of the rotating body, in which its lower free edge is almost flush with the conveyor belt.

[0035] The arrangement is such that the free outer edge of each paddle protrudes against the surface of the conveyor belt, leaving a gap of 0.1 to 3 mm.

[0036] Furthermore, the device according to the invention is advantageously characterized by the fact that at least one collection container is arranged in the discharge area of ​​the conveyor belt.

[0037] This collection container gathers aligned plant parts, and the contents of several collection containers can in turn be used to create a conveying flow.

[0038] This flow of plant parts, which is ultimately fed to a cutting station, consists, due to the orientation according to the invention, almost entirely of plant parts that lie more or less in the transport direction of the conveyor belt and are oriented with their longitudinal axis transverse to the knives of the cutting station.

[0039] Each collection container is shaped like a chute and has hinged walls inclined towards each other in a funnel shape, as well as actuating elements for the hinged walls.

[0040] This design of the collection containers makes it possible to place the contents of the collection containers onto a conveyor belt and convey them to the inlet of the cutting station.

[0041] With particular advantage, the collection containers, due to their chute-shaped design and funnel-shaped inclined hinged walls, ensure that the aligned plant parts do not lose their predetermined orientation towards the inlet of the cutting station, or maintain it during handling with the collection containers.

[0042] This is achieved by each folding wall being a concave, bowl-shaped panel section.

[0043] Each plate section is designed to be rotatable around a horizontal folding axis, so that, with appropriate actuating elements, it can perform a folding movement, through which aligned plant parts collected in the collection container can slide or fall out of the collection container and be placed on a corresponding conveyor belt in the entrance area of ​​the cutting station.

[0044] Each collection container is advantageously equipped with conveying devices for directing the material to predetermined collection compartments of the cutting station's feed unit. The contents of each collection container can be discharged into these compartments by appropriately controlling the actuating elements for its hinged walls. Thus, only those coarse plant parts that are oriented in the desired direction towards the cutting blades of the cutting station reach the feed unit's collection compartments.

[0045] The drive mechanism, the actuating mechanism for the hinged walls, and the actuating mechanism for the rotating body of the second alignment station are linked to each other via a programmable controller. This ensures that the individual movement sequences for aligning the plant parts run flawlessly by means of the corresponding program control and result in a continuous flow of the cutting material, so that ultimately an optimal cutting product is present at the outlet of the cutting station.

[0046] An embodiment of the invention, from which further inventive features emerge, is shown in the drawing. The figures show: Fig. 1: a schematic top view of a plant for processing plant material, especially tobacco; Fig. 2: a view of the plant according to Fig. 1 on average along line AA in Fig. 1; Fig. 3: a view of the plant according to Fig. 1 on average along line BB in Fig. 1; Fig. 4: a sectional view of the plant according to Fig. 1 in the section plane CC in Fig. 1 and Fig. 5: a schematic view of the area circled in Fig. 2 marked details.

[0047] Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic top view of a plant for shredding tobacco.

[0048] The plant material is in loose bulk and is fed into input 1. This input has a distributor 2, which divides the flow of the loose bulk material onto two parallel conveying lines 3 and 4. Conveying lines 3 and 4 have belt conveyors 5 and 6.

[0049] Each belt conveyor 5 and 6 consists of two conveying paths 7 and 8 or 7' and 8' respectively, where the horizontal conveying paths are designated 7 and 7' ( Fig. 2) and the steep conveying paths are labelled 8, 8'.

[0050] In particular, the steep conveying paths 8, 8' lead the respective stream of material to a first alignment station 9, 9' with a drop shaft 1 or 1' respectively.

[0051] In the first alignment station 9, 9', a first rough alignment of the material to be cut, especially the coarser tobacco components, takes place. Each of the first alignment stations 9, 9' has a drop chute 1, 1'. Each drop chute 1, 1' is equipped with overlapping impact elements 11 that project alternately into the fall path of the material to be cut through the drop chute in a cascade-like fashion, as are found particularly in Fig. 2 are clearly shown in their design and arrangement.

[0052] Each drop shaft has an outlet 12 at its lower end ( Fig. 2) Each outlet 12 is arranged above a conveyor belt 14 or 14' leading to a second alignment station 13 or 13' respectively.

[0053] Aligned plant parts are fed to a cutting shredding unit via conveyor belt 15. The conveyor belt 15 is part of the feeding device 16 of the cutting station 17.

[0054] The feeding device 16 conveys the material to be cut to the funnel-shaped inlet nozzle 18 of the cutting station 17. There, the material to be cut is compressed and continuously pressed into the cutting area of ​​the knives of the cutting station 17 by a corresponding feed movement.

[0055] Fig. Figure 2 illustrates in particular the arrangement and design of the drop shaft 1' of the first alignment station 9' in relation to the conveyor belt 14' conveying to the second alignment station 13'. The second alignment station 13' is located within the area indicated by a circle with a dashed line and is in Fig. 5 is shown schematically as a detail.

[0056] The second alignment station 13 or 13' has at least one damming element 19 that blocks the transport path of the material being cut caused by the conveyor belt 14 or 14' ( Fig. 2), which is optionally designed to be actuated with regard to its damming effect.

[0057] Each accumulating element has a rotating body 2 aligned parallel to the transport plane and transverse to the transport path of the conveyor belt 14 or 14', which has accumulating paddles 21 positioned approximately radially to its axis of rotation, and a rotary drive with which the rotating body 2 can be rotated about its axis of rotation. The axis of rotation runs parallel to the surface of the conveyor belt 14 or 14'.

[0058] In the discharge area of ​​the conveyor belt 14 or 14', at least one collection container 24 is arranged, which is subsequently in Fig. 5 is described in more detail.

[0059] Fig. Figure 3 shows a schematic representation in section BB in Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 a view in section CC in Fig. 1.

[0060] Identical components are identified by the same reference numbers as in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 is designated.

[0061] Fig. Figure 5 shows a view of a detail marked by a dashed line in Fig. 2.

[0062] The second alignment station 13 is shown in the area of ​​the end of the conveying path of the conveyor belt 14'. The conveyor belt 14 is of a similar design. The conveyor belt 14' has an upper section with which plant parts, here labeled 30 and 31, are conveyed in the direction of travel of the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt runs around the end roller 32, dropping off any plant parts it carries. These fall into a collection container 24, which has funnel-shaped hinged walls 25 and 26 inclined towards each other, as well as actuating elements 27 and 28, for example in the form of axle drives, to which the hinged walls 25 and 26 are attached.

[0063] The second alignment station has a damming element 19 that blocks the transport path of the material to be cut caused by the conveyor belt 14', which here is designed as a damming paddle 21 standing approximately radially to the axis of rotation of a rotating body 2.

[0064] A second dam paddle is designated 21'. The rotating body 20, with its dam paddles 21 and 21' positioned approximately radially to its axis of rotation, can be rotated in 180° increments. As indicated here, the arrangement is geometrically configured such that the free outer edges of each dam paddle 21, 21' project towards the surface of the upper section of the conveyor belt 14', leaving a gap of 0.1 mm to 3 mm. In the position shown here, the plant material moving towards the end roller 32 on the upper section of the conveyor belt 14' will collide with the dam paddle 21 and thus be dammed up accordingly. Longitudinally lying plant parts, such as the plant part 31 indicated here, will bump against the dam paddle 21 with one end and, as the conveyor belt continues to move, will be folded over until, like the plant parts 30, they lie perpendicular to the conveyor belt 14' and are held against the dam element 21.

[0065] At regular intervals, which can be predetermined by a control program, the rotating body 20 with its dam paddles 21 and 21' can be rotated by an increment of 18° in the direction of the indicated arrows. During this rotation, the dam paddle 21 releases from its dam position and releases the plant parts 30 lying in front of it, which it had previously held, and which are then deposited into the collection container 24. There, the plant parts settle in the orientation indicated here, which corresponds to their orientation in front of the dam paddle 21.

[0066] Each collection container 24 can, also program-controlled, assume or approach its designated position within the feeding device for the cutting station 17, which can be done by means of a drive device that is designed to be movable.

[0067] To discharge the plant parts collected in the collection container, the hinged walls 25 and 26 are folded into the position indicated by dashed lines by means of suitable actuating elements 27 and 28, at which point the collection container releases the plant parts it contains. The released plant parts fall into the feeding device 15 of the cutting station 17, where, after passing through the inlet nozzle 18, they are cut into cuttings.

Claims

[1] Plant for processing loose bulk vegetable cutting material, in particular tobacco, into a fine cut suitable for cigarette production, with at least one conveying device through the plant, which has at least one input (1), and with at least one alignment station (9, 9', 13, 13') downstream of the input (1) for aligning material to be conveyed to a cutting station (17) for cutting, wherein Each input (1) is designed as an approximately vertical shaft (10, 10') which has an input opening at the top and an approximately horizontal bottom belt of a belt conveyor (5, 6) of a conveying line (3, 4) in the bottom area, and that each conveying line (3, 4) includes conveying paths (7, 7') and (8, 8') into which the alignment stations (9, 9', 13, 13') are integrated characterized by, that the outlet (12) of the drop shaft (10, 10') is arranged above a conveyor belt (14, 14') conveying to at least one second alignment station (13, 13'), which ends before an inlet to a feeding device (16) for the cutting station (17), and that the second alignment station (13, 13') has at least one damming element (19) blocking the transport path of the material to be cut caused by the conveyor belt (14, 14'), which is designed to be operable with regard to its damming effect. [2] Plant according to claim 1, characterized by, that the conveying paths (8, 8') are steep conveying paths, to which, viewed in the conveying direction, a first alignment station (9, 9') is subordinate, which has a drop shaft (10, 10') that loosens the passing material being cut and thereby subjects it to a rough alignment, in which impact elements (11), such as guide plates, are arranged alternately projecting into the fall path of the material being cut through the drop shaft (10, 10') and thereby overlapping each other in a cascade-like manner. [3] Plant according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized by , that the damming element (19) has a rotating body (20) aligned parallel to the transport plane and transverse to the transport path of the conveyor belt (14, 14'), which has damming paddles (21, 21') positioned approximately radially to its axis of rotation, and a rotary drive. [4] Plant according to claim 3, characterized by , that each rotating body (20) has paddles (21, 21') offset from each other by 180°. [5] Plant according to claim 4, characterized by, that the free outer edge of each stashing paddle (21, 21') protrudes against the surface of the conveyor belt (14, 14') leaving a gap 0.1 mm to 3 mm wide. [6] Plant according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by , that at least one collection container (24) is arranged in the discharge area of ​​the conveyor belt (14, 14'). [7] Plant according to claim 6, characterized by , that each collection container (24) is designed in a chute shape and has hinged walls (25, 26) inclined towards each other in a funnel shape, as well as actuating elements (27, 28) for the hinged walls (25, 26). [8] Plant according to claim 7, characterized by , that each folding wall (25, 26) is a concavely curved barge-shaped plate section. [9] Plant according to any one of the preceding claims 6 to 8, characterized by, that each collection container (24) has a drive device for approaching predetermined collection compartments of the feed device (16), into which the contents of the respective collection container (24) can be discharged by appropriate control of the actuating elements (27, 28) for its hinged walls (25, 26). [10] Plant according to claim 9, characterized by , that the drive device, the actuating device for the folding walls (25, 26) and for the rotary body (20) of the second alignment station are coupled to each other via a programmable control.

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