Method of and apparatus for monitoring the quality of a tobacco stream
First Claim
1. A method of monitoring the quality of a stream which is a blend of several tobaccos, which is transported by a conveyor and which contains a surplus of tobacco, comprising the steps maintaining the mass flow of tobacco on the conveyor at an at least substantially constant value;
- removing the surplus from the stream on the conveyor; and
monitoring the ratio of several tobaccos in the blend.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The ratio of different types of tobacco in a tobacco stream which is conveyed past a trimming device is monitored by monitoring the distance of the trimming plan from the conveyor for the stream while the mass flow of the stream is maintained at a constant value. Variations of the distance of the trimming plane from the conveyor are indicative of variations of the ratio of different tobaccos in the stream, and such variations are further indicative of fluctuations of filling power of tobacco which forms the stream.
11 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of monitoring the quality of a stream which is a blend of several tobaccos, which is transported by a conveyor and which contains a surplus of tobacco, comprising the steps maintaining the mass flow of tobacco on the conveyor at an at least substantially constant value;
- removing the surplus from the stream on the conveyor; and
monitoring the ratio of several tobaccos in the blend. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
- removing the surplus from the stream on the conveyor; and
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8. A method of monitoring the quality of a stream which is a blend of several tobaccos, which is transported by a conveyor and which contains a surplus of tobacco, comprising the steps removing the surplus from the stream on the conveyor including equalizing the stream in a plane which is located at a variable distance from the conveyor, depending upon the quantity of surplus in the stream on the conveyor;
- and monitoring the filling power of tobacco in the stream, including monitoring the distance of said plane from the conveyor.
- View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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11. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of ascertaining the extent of standard deviations of said distance from an average value.
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16. Apparatus for monitoring the quality of a stream which is a blend of several tobaccos and contains a surplus of tobacco, comprising means for transporting the stream along a predetermined path;
- means for removing the surplus from the stream in a predetermined portion of said path; and
means for monitoring the ratio of tobaccos in the blend. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
- means for removing the surplus from the stream in a predetermined portion of said path; and
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22. Apparatus for monitoring the quality of a stream which is a blend of several tobaccos and contains a surplus of tobacco, comprising means for transporting the stream along a predetermined path;
- means for removing the surplus from the stream in a predetermined portion of said path, said removing means including means for equalizing the stream in a predetermined plane and for varying the distance of said plane from said transporting means in dependency upon the quantity of surplus in said portion of said path; and
means for monitoring the filling power of tobacco in the stream, including means for ascertaining the distance of said plane from said transporting means. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
- means for removing the surplus from the stream in a predetermined portion of said path, said removing means including means for equalizing the stream in a predetermined plane and for varying the distance of said plane from said transporting means in dependency upon the quantity of surplus in said portion of said path; and
Specification