US42482A - Sheet-tobacco press - Google Patents

Description

llnrrnn @rares l Artnr @mirent SHEET-TOBACCO PRESS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. QPL-fl QQ, dated April 2G, 1864.

To @ZZ whom it may concern/r Be it known that I, EDWARD Hommoox, Jr., of Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and Improved Sheet-Tobacco Machine, and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part` of this specification, in which- Figure l is an end elevation of my improved machine.' Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3`is a vertical central section of same, the planev of sectiongbeing indicated by the line x x. Fig. 4 is a vertical section in the line y y. i

Similar letters of reference indicate correspending parts in the several figures.

The objectlof this invention is to produce a machinein which stemmed leaf-tobacco may be rapidly and economically compressed into compact sheets of uniform thickness, these sheets being subsequently severed into slabs and lumps by suitable cutting-machines.

To this end the invention consists in the employment of a press of peculiar construction, which may be operated by hydraulic or other power, and which is provided with movable,V walls to admit of the ready insertion and removal ofthe tobacco, all as will be hereinafter fully explained.

In order that others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may be enabled to fully understand and use the same, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation. v

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the upper wall A A the adjustable side walls, and A2 the bottom, of a press, which is inclosed Within a retainer, the various parts of which latter are represented by the letters B B.`

C G represent right and left screws, which pass through the walls A A A of the press, and which are employed in connection with a compound crank, D, by means of which the screws may be turned in such manner as to move the walls A A in opposite directions, thus increasing the space between the latter and allowing the boards E E', with their charge of tobacco, to bepassed into the press without interception, which done, the crank D may be operated reversely, so as to cause the walls A to approach each other until they come in contact with the said boards E E. The tobacco is arranged between these boards in a flat mass or body on a feeding-table that may be employed in connection with the compressing-machine, and passed into the latter in one, two, or more separate quantities, each of which is to be compressed into a sheet, and the boards E E are lubricated or moistened with proof-spirit or analogous material, in

order to prevent the gummy matter of the tobacco from accumulating thereon, and permit the tobacco to readily slide therefrom after having been pressed into sheets.

The bottom A2 of the press constitutes a follower, the same being formed with a projection or piston, A3, which enters a receiver, F, into which latter water or other liquid may be injected through a pipe, f, and aperture f. Liquid being introduced into the receiver F, the follower A2 ascends with great force and compresses into compact sheets the tobacco, which is placed between the same and the upper wall, A. After the successive sheets supplied to the press are acted upon in this way, the liquid in the receiver F may be allowed to pa-ss out at a suitable valve, when the follower AZ falls to its lower position. This operation of elevating and loweringthe follower A2 may be performed as rapidlyas the workman can supply the tobacco from the feedingtable.

G G represent friction-rolls, which are journaled in strong arms G G,secured to the platform AL.- Being thus situated,they are adapted to rise simultaneously with the follower A2, and bear firmly against the walls A, thereby constituting effectual braces for the latter.

u may-rep resent casters,which, when the fol` lower A2 is in its lower position, project above the same and permit theboards EF/,with their respective charges of tobacco, to be slid out of the press at the opposite side from that at which it is introduced therein. These casters occupy cavities a in the follower A2, and are mounted upon spindles a', which pass loosely through corresponding apertures in the follower, and which rest upon the flanges A5 when said follower is in its lower position, so as to support the weight of the tobacco in the press, for the purpose explained. Fach cavity c is sufficiently capacious to contain or receive the y struction is that this medium is in general more available and less expensive than any other of an adequate character;4 and an additional advantage is that the same liquid may be repeatcdly injected into the receiver F to elevate the platform At, s0 that the machine may even be used Vat scarcely any expense in this respect, even though the liquid employed be expensive.

By preference l employ hydraulic powerto operate my improved press 5 but it is manifest that steam may be employed with the same result, so far as power is concerned; and it is also obvious that the press may be adapted for use in connection with any desirable mechanical power. i

The following may be mentioned among the advantages of my invention: First, tobaccosheets thus formed are of equal compactness throughout,which adapts them to remain in a continued state of preservation, whereas the cylindrical lumps into which the tobacco has hitherto been formed are continually liable to mold and decay in consequence of the leaves being less closely united at the periphery ofthe lump than at the center, thus allowing the free penetration ofthe air; second, sheets of tobacco formed byvmy improved process, being very rm and compact, requirebut one wrapper,

and this may be applied with facility,whereas the cylindrical lumps require two wrappersp which cannot be applied without considerable" labor; third, it does not require a skilled or experienced person to arrange the tobacco in the flat form described, preparatory to being pressed into the sheets, whereas to form the cylindrical bodies it requires a person who has been taught and who has had considerable practice.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The movable walls A A', in combination with the upper wall, A, and follower A2, arranged and operating in any manner, substantially as specified,

2. The rolls G G, adapted to ascend with the follower A2 and brace the walls A A', substan- 'tially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the follower 'A2 and receiver F,when employed in connection with the press A A A', as and for the purpose explained.

4.. The right and left screws C C,en1ployed, in connection with the crank D, to open and close the walls A A', asvdescribed.

5. In combination with the follower A2, the self-adj usting wheels or rollers ,arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth. o

EDVARD HOLBROOK, JR. Vitnesses:

Oc'rAvUs KNIGHT, GHAs. T. DU Bois.

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