US1532269A - Art of stemming tobacco - Google Patents

Description

F. C. SCHOFIELD ART OF STEMMING TOBACCO April 7, 1925.

Filed Deo. lO, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l www.

April 7,- 1925.

F. C. SCHOFIELD ART 0F STEMMING TOBACCO Filed Dec. 1o. 1921 2 sheets-sheet 2' CJD CK i

Patented 7, 1925.

UNETED S'li'l ES Per Enr cerros.

At-T 0F STEMMING TOBACCO.

Application filed December Campbell.andjState of Virginia,- have invented certa-in new and useful. lmprovements in the Jelrt of Stemmingrlilobaeco,r of

which the following is a specification;

rllhis invention 4relates to leafy stemming and more particularly to a method of and apparatus for ste-mining tobeeco leaves; and bas'speei -l reference to the provision of a leaf stem ne; method and apparatus of the type in which the weh. or lamina of the leaf is detached from the stem by ,stripping the leaf lamina from an intermediate point of i the stem towards itsepipo.J te ends.

@ne of the common classes of machines used for stemn'iing;` tobacco lea-Yes compre hends apparatus in which 'the principle is employed ofiscizing or gripping` the stem of the tobacco leaf andstripping' the Web or lamina of the leaf from the stem as by drawing the gripped leaf through stemming` or stripping; elements. According to one type of machine employing this general princi-ple, the leaf is seized or gripped at the butt end of the same 'and the leaf so` gripped is fed through stemming elements which strip the lamina from the butt end towardsrthe tip end of the leaf. Although in this type of machine the butt, being strong', toughv vend firm, may be securely gripped and the leaf efficiently fedthrough the stemming: elements, it is Well known that the detaching' of the lamina from the' stem 1s caA d on vlthconsiderahle d-ifliculty, the

y vstemminp,` from huit to tip ini being', with the grain of thc leef and in causing a crowd ing or bunehingg` of the lamina' about the stem heilig a fairly diflienlt operation. To overcome this disadvantage incident to stemming from butt to tip` another type of machine has been devised in. which the leaf is gripped or seized at the tip end and the stemming),` operation effected from the tip to- `wards the butt. The stemming` or stripping` from tip towards butt involves a stripping` .f'aihst the leaf grain and such stripping he effected with considerable ease and However, in the latter type of altlnianeh the stripping1 step may Considerable 10, 1921. Serial No. 521,319.

difliculty has been encountered in properly gripping the tip end of the leaf and feedingr the leaf from the stemming; elements bythe gripped tip end, thethin relatively frail and infirm. tip end of the leaf being liable; to tearingl and breaking when subjected. to a moderate negre-e of pulling strain. This disadvantage has been so serious at times that in some forms of vthis latter type of machine special meansl have had to bedevised for ehangingthe grippingpoint off the stem from thetip towards the tougher part yof the stem fibre as the leaf vis progres sively stripped therefrom. The type of inaiehine, therefore, Where thebutt endl of the .leaf is `seized and the leaf kstripped from hutt to tip: is open to the disadvantage of diilioult stripping orA steinniii'ig; and the type where the tip end is gripped and the leaf stripped from the tip to butt is open. to the equally serious disadvantage of insecure. and imperfect gripping and feeding. To eliminate the defects or disadvantages incident to such types of machines.` and to condi-ine tie 'desirable features there-of, a third type of machine has been devisedin Vwhich the leaf stem is grippedat` a point in termediate theends thereof and the lamina stripped from such point towardsthe opposite ends of the leaf. The intermediate point of the stem consists of a relatively tough fibre and sue-h part of the stem may be securely taken hold of and the leaf may be fed through stripping means with the stein sii-gripped Without the liability of the stein breaking; or tearing. Although part of the stemming', namely that from the gripped intermediate point towards the tip, is relatively diihcult, the stemming from L'- pped.intermediatepoint towards the butt is earriecl-onrarith ease. InV this manner relatively facile stripping `or stemming may he combined with eliicient ripping and feeding' operations,

Although this third type 'of stemming machine offers a `Way for generally eliminat` point were stripped in successive steps, special gripping, feeding` and stemming,` constructions had to be devised which were at once cumbersome in structure and intricate in operation. Where the parts of the leaf were stripped in opposite direction simultaneously from the intermediate point, in addition to providing several sets of stemming rolls active on such parts with the resulting increase in complexity of the machine structure, special means for gripping` the stem so as to talre up for differential strains in opposite directions had to be incorporated in the machine because of the necessity to equalize stripping` action in opposite directions, this being impossible of attainment without such means. because of the fact that stripping in the direction towards the butt requires less resisting` pull than stripping in the direction to vvards the stem, the draws in opposite direction being therefore unequal. Prior machines of this type, therefore, although logically correct in attacking the stemming problem on the broad principle of gripping` at an intermediate point and stemming towards the opposite ends of the leaf, do not supply the best solution from the viewpoint of accomplishing the desired ends with relatively simple apparatus so that gripping, feeding and stemming can be carried on with the facility and speed attainable in this type of machine.

My present invention primarily conteniplates the provision of an apparatus of the type last referred to in which the principle of gripping the stem at a point intermediate its ends and stripping the lamina or blade of the leaf from such point towards the opposite ends of the leaf is employed, my invention contemplating a novel method of and apparatus for gripping', feeding and stemmingthe blades, such method and apparatus not being` subject to the defects found in prior machines of this type.

The principal objects of my invention may be said to include, besides the provision of a method of and apparatus for stemming tobacco leaves of the kind referred to7 the provision of a method and apparatus in which the leaf is folded about the gripped point and the lamina detached from the resulting` folds; the provision of a method and apparatus of this type in which the leaf is folded and fed in folded condition through a set of stemming elementsQ the folds of the leaf being simultaneously acted upon by the same set of stemming rolls, the apparatus required being rela,- tively not only simple, but stemming being` carried on with a tendency towards equalisingopposing pulls or draws on the stem and with secure stem gripping and feeding effected; the still further provision of a method and apparatus in which the lamina of the leaf is removed from the folds and from the gripped portion of the stemz the latter being' effected by secondary stenun f elements; the further provision of novel secondary stemming elements; the still further provision of a novel method and means for positioningl the tobacco ica and for feeding the grippers thereto a the general provision of simple easily erated and controlled apparatus carrying on the various steps of the method.

To the accomplishment of thel fore and such other objects as may herein iter appear, my invention consists in the elements and their relation one to the otheix as hereinafter particularly described and sought to be defined in the claims7 reference beingy had to the accompanyingv crawings which show a preferred embodiment of my invention and in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view of my stemming' machine with parts brolrcn away to show the construction of the feedingr and stemming apparatus including the primary and secondary stemming' elements. 90

Figures 2 to 5 are views sl'iowing` successive stages of the stemming operationr` Figure G is a detached view of the secondary stemming' elements showing the saine in a stage of activity subsequent to that sl'iown in Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a rear end elevational view of the secondary str-mining1 elements, and

lfipjure 8 is a view of a detail.

As hereinbefore referred to. a prim-f.` dcsideratum of in i present inrention comprehends the provi in of a tobacco stemming; construction in which the tobacco leaves are folded about a point intermediate the cnvfls of t e leaf and the la iina or weh of the leaf is ipped 1 om the resulting1 folds. ln the present exmnplification of my invention the tobacco leaves, after being; unticd from the bundle or hand,77 are ilaced on a feed table and while in position on said table the leaves are seized or taken hold of by means of y ping elements fed to the table, the le@ f." being' gripped at a point or portion internodiate the ends of the leaf and the so gripped leaves are fed foiuvard to he stemmed. This exemplitication of mv invention is shown in. the drawings and riferr-ini;- to Figure l of the drawings, l show mounted on a bracket l0 forming` p the stationary framework ll a suppe and on the .iid support l provide the clined feed table 19%. lilpon the table 23 placed the individual leaves which are untied from a hand," the leaves heisa' posl lioned on the trlle so as to be capable oi" beingr sei'aed by grippii'ig means active on a point of the stem intermediate the ends thereof. To this end the table l?, is provided with a section or portion l-'llyinqj low the path of the grippers7 as will appear lll) n am n.. l

ies,

ill

itv of the gauge board being provided to the end of adaptingv the maclfiine to various lengths of tobacco leaves. The leaves l.' are placed on the table withthe butts prefer-r ably alined by the gauge board 15, as clearly shown. in Figure 1 of the drawings', the intermediate portion of the leaves being loeated in the space between the table 13 and its extended section 14.

To the end of4 providing means for 'rip-v pin the leaves and for feeding' them forwa ily, l preferably provide ii-'feeding apparatus of' the type shown in my prior laten'ts `blos." 1,268,392 of J une 1, 1918, and 1,286,191 of November 26, 1918`r the said .teefglingj'means comprising` generally endless companion carriers of the sprocket chain type, the said sprocket chains carrying' comiilemental vgripping` bars for seizing' and feeding the leaves through the stemmirrg` apparatus. Referring; to Figure 1 of the drawings, l show the sets of companion sprocket chains, one set being;` shown in the drawings and designated as 17 and 181espectively, the said sprocket chains being trained over opposed sprocket gears 19, 20, 21 and 22 respectively. he sprocket gears r9 to 22 are suitably journalled in bracketed stri tures Q3 and Q1 forming part of the narv fra'meworkv 11 ofthe machine, the

sin Wears beine` aositivelv actuated to) xY m D .i V be moiable in synchronism by any desirable mechanism;

Spacedly mounted in thesproclet chains 17 and 18 l provide sets of complemental ,gripp elements in the -form of guippirig,r hars the said" ggripinng barsbeing` fed into enactingr clan'iping condition for gripping; and feeding;` the tobacfo leaves. This is clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawings,

wherein is shown provided a series of spaced carrier bars 25' on the chain 18 and a series of con'iplen'iental clamping?, bars 2G on the endless chain 17. As the companion endless cnains are rotated by the synchronously operated sprocket gears,the co'mplemental endless gripper barsY Q5 and 26 are fed into reacting' condition, as clearly shown to the elt of Figure 1, the gripper bars 2 5 and 26 ,n ipping therebetween the leaves L at a 'den intermediateV the ends of the leaves, the .leaves so gripped being .thenfed from the feed table 13 forwardly for `the stemming operation withboth ends of the leaf The leaves after being gripped and fed forward inthe manner ,hereinabove referred to, arewthen forwarded and Vthe lamina or web of the leaves is stripped from the resulting` folds, For the purposeA of folding the leaves any suitable means may beV pro vided and l prefer, as shown in the present exemplication of my invention, to fold Vthe leavesby the act of feedingthe same through the stemming` elements, the drooping forward end of the leaf facilitating` the folding step. 'Referring again toligure 1 of the drawings, I show the provision of stemming' elements such as the opposed stemining` rolls 27 and 28, these stemming rolls being' prefer ably ofthe type surfaced with card clothing', the 'stemming rolls 27 and 28 being, suitably journalled inthe oseillatabie arms 29 and 80 respectively. The armQQ is suitably journalled in` the framework of the machine and' the arm 3() is journalled in the bracketed structure 31' f )1'1i1in2'part of the frame 11 of the'machine, such a censtruction being fully shown in myPatent No. 1,268,392 of June 45,1918. The arms 29 and 30 may be provided with adjustable tensioning elementsV as shown in my said patent. for the4 purpose of adjusting the` The tostemming action of the said rolls. bacco leaves gripped between a carrier bar .25 and a clamping bar 2G are fed by the endless chains to and between the card clothing rolls 27 and 28, these rolls separatingunder tension to perm-it the leaves to pass therebetween, the advance or butt end of the leaf beineY lapped or folded under the rear end ofthe leaf by the act of fee-5ling thesaid leaf between the stemming` rolls, The separation of the stemmingrolls? and 28 and the folding of tl'ieleaf therebetween is clearly shown in Figure of the drawings ln the onward movenient ofthe gripping bars Q5 and QG after thek latter pass the stemming rolls 27 and 28, the stemming rolls close upon the tobacco leavesv as clearly shownin Figure 3 of the drawings, the stripping; `action of the said stemming' rolls vcommencing` at such time. The bars 25 and 26 are given preferably a pear shaped configuration as shown in thel drawings, to the end that the rolls 27 anc 9,8 close for stemming activity immediately the said bars pass from underneath the rolls. The rolls 27 and 2S are rotated in opposite directions as indicated by the arrows in the figures, sui-table means being provided and connected to the other operating parts of the apparatus for imparting' the desired rotation tothe stemming rolls. lith the feeding forward of the bars and the rotation ofthe stemmingrolls 27 and 28, the lamina or web of the' leaf ll is stripped from the overlying folds of the leaf, the eoacting movement between the gripping' bars and the rolls effecting a sluiiing or wipmg'stripeffecting a lsimultaneous stripping; or de taching of the folds of the leaf from the stem, as clearly indicated in Figure el. of the drawings. Figure 5 shows the stage of operation after the lamina has been removed from the overlying folds of the leaf, the stem S being shown held between the bars 25 and 26 ivith the lamina stripped therefrom except for a part of the lamina at the gripping bars which remains attached to the leaf and which is stripped in a subsequentoperation, as will appear more in detail hereinafter.

For the purpose of effecting a secure gri}' ping of the bars 25 and 26 as the same are passed bet'vveen the stripping rolls 27 and 28, I may provide the opposing pressure shoes 32 and 33 acting on complemental bights or reaches of the companion chains 17 and 18, the shoe 32 being preferably stationarily mounted on the framework of the machine and the shoe 33 being vieldingly mounted on the same, the said slice 33 being` resiliently mounted for yielding movement by means of the adjustable spring pressure elements 3e' and 35 connecting opposite ends of the shoe 33 to upstanding bearings 3G and 37 respectively, the latter Yforming part of the framework of the machine.

l have found in the practice of the method carried out by the above described apparatus,` that the tobacco leaves may be folded about an intermediate point ivitnout breaking or snapping and that the leaf when so folded mav be effectively stemmed by the simple stripping apparatus herei above described. l have further found that by this method and means the stein may be securely gripped at a relatively tough portion thereof, and that When the leaf is folded about the gripped point and more particularly about the coiuplemental gr'ppe s with the lamina simultaneously stripped in the same direction by the opposing stemming rolls, that the tendency for the leaf and the stems to slip between the gripping bars during stripping action is effectively minimized with the resulting increase in stemming efficiency, the simultaneous action of the stripping rolls on the overlapping folds furthermore tending to equalize the pulling strains on the opposite folds, 'this being another factor' in preventing slipping of the stems between the gripper bars. lilith my method and apparatus, furthermore, the leaves L may be fed to the table 13 Without that degree of accuracy hitherto found necessary in prior machines Where the :dining of the butts involved 'the need for care and accuracy of feeding of the stems to the gripper elements, the leaves when in fact fed indiscriminately on the table 13 in my invention being properly talien hold of at some intermediate point by the-gripping bars 25 and 2G. ln prior machines Where the butts of the leaves are gripped and fed forwardly,

the improper positioning of the leaves on the table ofttimes results in a decreased productivity or yield of the apparatus for the re son that such improper feeding results in improper gripping by the bars` thus yielda high percentage of l trops and also resulting at times in missing the leaves and failing to feed them at all. ln the practice of my method, furthermore, it is unnecessary to preliminarily strip the leaf from vthe butt ends, preliminary butting apparatus being thereby eliminated. Moreover, with the appar-anis l provide, the leaves are fed in a simple manner through a set of stemming elements, the law of operation of the niachine being relatively simple with the resulting yielding of more consistent and uniform results.

To the end of preventing the folding of the leaf L about an intermediate point from causing the stem at such point to snap or break, the carrier bar about ivhich the leaf folded is eferably so contoured as to prevent the undue flexing of the stem to the breaking point. lo this end the bar is convened as shown in the figures of the draivings, Figure 8 of the drawings showing particularly one form in which my complemental bars may be made. Referring to this ligure the upper clamping bar 26 is squared at the. advancing side as shown at 38, the lo'vver orcarrierbar25being shown rounded or convened as at 39, both bars being shown rounded or convened as at 39, both bars being shown dished as at el() and Ll1 to pemit the stemming rolls to close immediately the bars iass from between the same. The bars 25 and 23 may also be provided ivith complemental corrugated or sinusoidal gripping surfaces, as sheivn at l2 and L13 respectively.

ln the feeding of the leaves through the stripping elements 27 and 23, the leaves may be completely stripped so as to effect stripping in a single operation, as shown in my co-pending application, Serial No. 521,320, tiled December 10, 1921, or the leaves after the lamina is stripped from the folds thereof may be fed for a subsequent stripping operation to detach that portion of the iveb or lamina adhering to the stem adjacent the gripped point thereof, the present exemplification of my invention coi'nprehending` a construction in which a secondary stripping action operative to remove the remaining portion of the Web is provided. This is shown in liigures 1, G and 7 of the draf-wings, and referring more particularly to Figure 1 of the drawings, show means for feeding the primarily stripped stein through secondarystripping or stemmiiig elements. To this end I provide, preferably journalled in the bracket 24, a rotating brush element til rotating clockwise as vieived in Figure 1 and as indicated by the arrow, thesaid brush element being active on the forward orbutt end ofthe stein toV throw the same npwafdly soithat thebutt end of the stein may glide or slide over a table which also may be jonrnalled in the` bracket stri? ture 24. Lifter Ine-ving over .the table the butt end ot the stern S` is received between and gripped by the opposed stem-I peripheral speed substantially equal to the rectilinear speed of the feed chains 17 and 18 and the gripper bars 25 and 26. The stemming rolls 46 and 47 rotate as indicated by the arrows in Figure l, the rolls always rotating in the saine direction and function.- ing first to forward the stein received from` the gripper bars 25 and 26 and func tioning subsequently, as will appear pref ently, for steniing or stripping the remain; ing lamina from the stein. Located in advance of the secondary stemmingrolls 46 and 47 vand also suitably journalled vin the bracketedv structure. 24 l provide the opposeddrawing rolls 48 and 49, the drawing roll 4S being jonrnalled for rotation and the drawing roll 49 being jonrnalled for rotation and for yielding movement to and from the drawing roll48. For the purpose of yieldingly mounted the drawing roll 49 I may provide the journal block 50 slidabie in suitable ways 5l forming part of the bracketed structure 24, an adjustable tensioning means 52 being provided for resiliently urging the journal block 50 and the roll 49 into coacting relation with the drawing rolli48. The

drawing rolls 48 and 49 are rotated in the directions indicated by the arrows in Figure l, these drawing rolls functioning to receive the stein S from the stemming rolls'46 and 47 and for moving the same forwardly.. The

drawing rolls 48 and 49, however, rotate at a speed greater than the speed of rotation of the stemming rolls 46 and 47, and when the stem S is received between the drawing rolls 48 and 49, the stem being released at this time by the gripping bars, is rapidly pulled through the stemming rolls 46 and 47 with the result that the stemming rolls now functioning for the purpose ofl stripping the remaining` attached lamina from the stein S, this stage of operation being particularly shown in Figure 6 of the drawings,

the resulting lamina being detached in flakes and falling into the receptacle 53 provided therefor, the completely stripped stems after being drawn by the drawing rolls 48 and 49 dropping into the adjacent receptacie 54.

For the purpose of allowing the carrier bars 25 to move past the table 45 the said table is prefer-ably pivotally mounted as shown at 57 and is weighted at 58 to the end of permitting the table 45 to resume its horizontal position after carrier bar lia passed the same.

For the purpose of lreep rolls 4G and 4i" free i preferably i structures to the ste by. the 'rev being shownin my December 5, ing blades andl 5G may t the stemming rolls and especially te Fig" 7 "i th sho-w the said ele rad mounted en the s" an shafts being snitablk jonrni..i l brackets 2s., the shafts being` pri'ivide end with the pinions Gl and @L r niesl'iing with the tively. The gear tr may be connecten to the G5 ofthe stemming reil47 and the gearb?) mayV be suitably jo'siinelled in e bracket support GG ached te. one the brackets Vflach of 'die gears may be connected to be operated -by' snitabie el drives, gear 64 being connected for op r tion by drive Chain G7, the ,e 63 being the purpose driv'en by drive chain S8. For of driving the-.stemming roll nonsly with the steinmine roll 4G may be driven from the roll j this end the sha-ft G9 carryinfy the ro provided with the gear TO l t carrying the roll 47 is prei/'ieee gear 7l -ineshing with the 70.

The practiee of my n'iethodv and the opera.- tion of my apparatus will, in the main, be apparent from the above detailed descripi tion thereof. rEhe leaves L, after being;` nntied from the bundle or thand,7 are plaeed on the table 13 and table section 14 with the butts of the leaves preferabiy alined by the gauge board. 15. Theieaves positioned :in this manner arelthen gripped at p' interniec iate 'the ends thereof betn n the gripper bars 25 and 26 with'the leaves then fed forwardly. is the leaves are advanced by the I.gripper bars the leaves are fed between the stennning rollsl' and QS., the

stemming rolls functioning to fold the advance portions of the leaves under the remaining portions of the leaves, the leaves so folded being then fed through the stripping rolls 27 and 28: for the rst or primary stemming operation. The leaves are securely `gripped by means'of thergripping' bars 25 and 26, the gripping being. si qacient to overcome the opposing pulls exerted on the stein by the stripping rolls, the strij'iping rolls in being operative simultaneously on opposite folds of the leaf tending to equalize the opposing pulls. rift-er the ianiina et' the leaf stripped from the foids, the stem with the lamina adjacent the erated upon by the secondary stripping elements 46 and i7 for reclaiming or salvaging the remaining adhering portions of the web.

From the above it will be apparent that l have provided an apparatus in which the leaves may be effectively gripped at an intermediate point and efficiently fed for the stripping step, the stripping apparatus being of relatively simple construct-ion and the cooperation of the feeding and stripping means being such as to permit of high speed of operation, efficient stemming, and easy control by an operator.

While l have shown my device in the preferred for it will be obvious that many changes and modifications may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, defined in the following claims.

I claim:

l. The method of leaf stemming which consists in gripping the leaf stem at a point intermediate its ends, in folding the leaf and in removing the lamina portions of the leaf from the folds.

2. The method of leaf stemming which consists in gripping the leaf stem at a portion intermediate its ends, in folding the lea-f, in removing the lamina portions of the leaf from the folds and in removing the lamina from said gripped stein portion.

3. The method of leaf stemming which consists in gripping the leaf stem at a point intermediate its ends, in folding the leaf and in removing the lamina portions of the leaf from the folds by drawing the same through stemming or stripping elements.

et. The method of leaf stemming which consists in gripping the leaf stem at a point intermediate its ends and in stripping the lamina portions Qf the leaf from such point towards the ends of the leaf by drawing the gripped leaf through a single set of stemming elements operating to strip both ends.

5. The method of leaf stemming` which consists in gripping the leaf stem at a portion intermediate its ends, in folding the leaf, in removing the lamina portions of the leaf from the folds by drawing the same through stemming elements and in then removing the lamina from the gripped portion of said stem.

6. The method of leaf stemming which consists in gripping the leaf stem at a portion intermediate its ends, in stripping the lamina portions of the leaf from such point towards the ends of the leaf by drawing the gripped leaf through a single set of stemming elements operating to strip both ends and in then drawing the stem through another set of stemming elements te remove the lamina from said gripped stem portion.

7. The method of stemming tobacco, which comprises folding the leaf at a point intermediate its ends, and stripping the lamina-J from the fold towards the ends of the leaf.

8. The steps in the process of stemming leaves which consist in folding the leaf about a point intermediate its ends and in removing the lamina from the resulting folds.

9. in apparatus for stemming leaves, comprising means for effecting a gripping of the leaf stem at a point intermediate its ends whereby the leaf may be folded and means for stemming the leaf in folded condition.

10.1Y`in apparatus for stemming leaves comprising means for effecting a gripping of the leaf stein at a point intermediate its ends whereby the leaf may be fed in folded condition, stemming elements and means for feeding the folded leaf through the stemming elements.

11,. An apparatus for stemming leaves, coinprisincr means for effecting a gripping of the lear stem at a point intermediate its ends whereby the leaf may he folded and means for stemming the leaf in folded condition, the gripping means comprising a gripping bar convexed at the advance end to permit folding of the leaf without breaking the stem thereof.

l2. ln an apparatus for stemming leaves, a gripping means comprising a gripping har convened at the advance end to permit folding of the leaf about the said har without breaking the stem thereof.

13. Anapparatus for leaf stemming comprising means for effecting a gripping of the leaf stem at a point intermediate its ends whereby the leaf may be folded, means for stemming the lamina from the resulting leaf folds and means for stemming the lamina from the gripped portion of the stem.

14e. An apparatus for leaf stemming comprising means for effecting a gripping of the leaf stem at a portion intermediate its ends whereby the leaf may be folded and means for removing the lamina from the leaf folds and from the gripped stem portion.

15.An apparatus for stemming leaves comprising means for effecting a gripping of the leaf stem at a. portion intermediate its ends whereby the leaf may be fed in folded condition, primary stemming elements and means for feeding the folded leaf through the primary stemming elements to remove the lamina from the folds, secondary stemming elements and means for feeding the stem through the secondary stemming elements to remove the lamina from the gripped stem poi-tion.

16. An apparatus for stemming tobacco comprising means for effecting a gripping of the leaf at a point intermediate its ends and feeding the same so gripped through stemming elements; the stemming elements functioning to fold the leaf and to strip the lamina from the resulting folds.

17. In an appa 'atus for stemming tobacco, a `gripper means, means for feeding the gripper' means, a feed table for tobacco leaves arranged to intersect the path of movement of the gripper means, the arrangement being such that the moving gripper means will take hold of a tobacco leaf on the feed table at a point intermediate the ends thereof.

18. In an apparatus for stemming tobacco, complement-al endless chain feeding means,

companion gripper bars carried by the chain` feeding means, a tobacco feed table associated with the feeding means, the said feed table comprising a gauge board intersecting the path of movement of the gripper bars, the construction being such that the tobacco leaf on the gauge board is gripped by the bars at a point intermediate the ends thereof.

19. An apparatus for stemming leaves comprising means for gripping the leaf stem at a point intermediate its ends whereby the leaf may be fed in folded condition, plurality of relatively movable stemming rolls having their axes in a vertical plane and means for feeding the folded leaf through the stemming rolls, thel gripping means comprising a plurality of gripping bars between which the leaf stem is held, one of the bars being convexed at the advance end thereof.

20. In an apparatus for stemming tobacco, means for effecting the gripping of the stem at a oint intermediate the ends thereof and for ceding the stem forward so gripped, stemming elements, means active on this advance end of the stem for directing the said end to the stemming elements, the stemming element-s being operative to feed the stem forward and drawing means receiving the stem from the stemming elements and operative to draw the same through Vthe stemming elements.

21. In an apparatus for stemming tobacco, means for effecting the gripping of the stem at a point intermediate the ends thereof and for feeding the same forward so gripped, stemming rolls, means active' on the advance end of the stem for dii1 eting the said end to the stemming rolls, the said means including a rota-ry brush, the stemming rolls being operative to feed the stem forward and drawing rolls receiving the stem from the stemming rolls and operative to draw the same through the said stemming rolls.

22. The method of simultaneously stripping the laminae from a point intermediate the ends of a tobacco leaf toward both ends withua single stripping device, which comprises folding the leaf, Vand drawing it through the stripping device in folded condition.

Signed at Lynchburg, inthe county of Campbell and State of Virginia, this 6th day of December A. D., 1921.

FREDERICK C. SCIIOFIELD.

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