US3678939A - Method of treating tobacco with flavorants in a pneumatic system - Google Patents

Method of treating tobacco with flavorants in a pneumatic system Download PDF

Info

Publication number: US3678939A
Authority: US; United States
Prior art keywords: tobacco; air; menthol; conduit; temperature
Prior art date: 1970-11-13
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.): Expired - Lifetime

Application number

US89296A

Other languages

English (en)

Inventor

Robert L Key

Melvin G Christy

Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)

Liggett Group LLC

Original Assignee

Liggett and Myers Inc

Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)

1970-11-13

Filing date

1970-11-13

Publication date

1972-07-25

1970-11-13 Application filed by Liggett and Myers Inc filed Critical Liggett and Myers Inc

1972-07-25 Application granted granted Critical

1972-07-25 Publication of US3678939A publication Critical patent/US3678939A/en

1987-03-30 Assigned to UNITED STATES TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK, AS COLLATERAL AGENT reassignment UNITED STATES TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK, AS COLLATERAL AGENT SECURITY INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: LEGGETT GROUP, INC.

1989-07-25 Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Status Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
- A24B—MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF TOBACCO FOR SMOKING OR CHEWING; TOBACCO; SNUFF
- A24B3/00—Preparing tobacco in the factory
- A24B3/12—Steaming, curing, or flavouring tobacco
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
- A24B—MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF TOBACCO FOR SMOKING OR CHEWING; TOBACCO; SNUFF
- A24B15/00—Chemical features or treatment of tobacco; Tobacco substitutes, e.g. in liquid form
- A24B15/18—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes
- A24B15/28—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes by chemical substances

Definitions

a further object of this invention is to provide a system which cools the hot cut tobacco prior to its treatment with additives, so that the tobacco is discharged from the system at about ambient conditions and can be made into cigarettes without the need for a conventional bulking treatment.
This invention is directed to a means for method tobacco with a flavorant or aromatic compound in liquid form or in solution and for controlling the temperature of the tobacco.
the tobacco is blown through a closed-loop conduit system which is in communication with a source of an additive, such as menthol in an alcohol solution.
the additive is preferably supplied to the conduit at a reduced portion thereof, or throat, where the venturi effect draws the additive solution into the conduit and disperses it onto the tobacco.
the hot tobacco which enters the system is cooled by recirculating air prior to troduced at the throat of the venturi.
the tobacco is separated from the airstream by a cyclone collector.
the air stream is recirculated and passed through a heat exchanger to control its temperature.
hot tobacco (l70-l80 F), previously cut and passed through a dryer of conventional design, is collected and uniformly fed into the tobacco inlet chute 1.
This tobacco drops into the vanes of a rotary valve 2 and is distributed into the feed inlet section 3.
An air stream provided by a blower 4 conveys said tobacco through a duct and into a venturi 5.
a spray nozzle 6 In the throat of this venturi is located a spray nozzle 6, which is constantly supplied with a metered amount of tobacco top flavoring from one inlet 7 and air from a second inlet 8.
the flavoring mentioned can be a combination of commonly employed flavoring compounds, including menthol, and is normally in an alcohol-water mixture.
the flavored tobacco is further conveyed by the air-stream into a cyclone collector 9, passed out through a rotary valve 10, and collected.
the tobacco exits at about 76-78 F and is ready to be made immediately into cigarettes with no bulking period required.
the air conveying the tobacco exits through the top of the cyclone and into the return air duct 12 which may be about eight inches in diameter, with a portion exhausted at an air exhaust port 11.
the return air passes through a heat exchanger 13 cooled by circulating a cooling medium, such as ice water or brine, into the bottom 14 and out the top 15 of the exchanger. This cooled air is returned to the intake side of the blower and constantly recirculated to cool the incoming hot tobacco.
the main control is the temperature of the air leaving the heat exchanger which is controlled by the cooling medium. This saturation temperature of the air leaving the exchanger determines the per cent water vapor remaining in the recirculating air. Further cooling, heating, or moisture addition to the air may be made downstream of the heat exchanger prior to the tobacco entry.
a baffle (not shown) may be positioned in the tobacco feed inlet section 3, slightly upstream from the feed inlet, to assist in dispersing the tobacco through the duct system.
the tobacco collected at the outlet of the cyclone was about 76 F. A portion of this tobacco was allowed to bulk overnight prior to being made into cigarettes, however, a second part was made immediately (within one hour) into cigarettes.
Trained flavor panelists could detect no significant differences between the two pneumatically processed samples and the rotary cylinder control cigarettes. These examples were then repeated with the same results.
EXAMPLE 11 those made from tobacco as normally processed in a rotary cylinder.
the menthol solution was introduced into the throat of a venturi located upstream of the cut tobacco inlet point in a duct system. Tobacco entered the system through a rotary valve and was drawn into the system by negative pressure below the valve. The negative pressure ,is created by air passing beneath a baffle plate between the tobacco and menthol inlet. The menthol solution injected upstream of the tobacco was not well dispersed in the air-stream and did not give a uniform application. As the solution entered the airstream, ethanol evaporation caused cooling and thereby brought about the crystallization of menthol prior to contacting the tobacco downstream. Only 0.03 to 0.08 percent menthol was deposited upon the tobacco.
the menthol feed mixture was introduced into a copper tube positioned directly behind a baffle upstream of, and adjacent to, the tobacco inlet in a duct system.
the results of this system are set forth in Examples V11 and VIII, Table 11; only 19.2 to 28.5 percent of the available menthol was adsorbed on the tobacco.
EXAMPLE lX 1n the operation of a plant unit for pneumatically conveying and mentholating cut tobacco, a closed-loop recirculation system was used in accordance with. the apparatus of the drawing, however, without the heat exchanger shown.
Air for the unit was supplied by an 800 cfm all aluminum, sparkproof blower. The air from this blower was passed through a 2 94 inch throat diameter venturi, creating 'a negative pressure at I the throat where cooled cut tobacco entered through a rotary valve.
the cut tobacco was fed from a conveyor belt feeder regulated by a weigh belt, and capable of controlling from 300 to 900 pounds of tobacco .per hour.
Atomized menthol solution was next contacted with the tobacco andmixed via a second venturi downstream, with a three inch diameter throat about six feet downstream.
the tobacco was conveyed through 25 feet of straight six-inch duct before entering a cyclone separator. This distance between the venturi and the separator should be several times the distance between the venturi and the tobacco inlet, for example, the'former distance should preferably be at least four times the latter distance.
the tobacco was separated in the cyclone, it exited through a rotary valve at the bottom. The air leaving the top of cyclone was recycled to the blower intake through an eight-inch return duct.
a portable combustible gas indicator (not shown) was used to monitor ethanol content and indicate magnitudes in terms of per cent of the lower explosive limit.
the system was maintained at or below percent of the lower explosive limit of ethanol at all times. To accomplish this the system was vented to the atmosphere through the outlet located just above the cyclone as necessary.
Blended tobacco was continuously feed into the system at 500 pounds per hour.
the tobacco was conveyed by an air stream moving at about 325 cubic feet per minute.
the sprayed solution contained 19.8 percent menthol by weight with the balance being mostly ethanol plus lesser amounts of water and flavoring.
the menthol solution was applied at a rate of 987 ml/ lbs. of tobacco.
At a tobacco throughput rate of 700 lbs/hr. an efficiency of 93.3 percent was recorded; for 900 LBSJHR. the efiiciency was 92.8 percent.
An advantage of higher throughput rates is that the tobacco filling power is slightly improved.
a typical menthol concentration check was made as follows: a watch glass containing menthol was placed in the bottom of the chamber and the top was secured; air circulation was begun through the chamber; the air was driven by a blower through a heated copper tube into the chamber and back to the blower; when the desired air temperature inside the chamber was reached, a sample was taken of the atmosphere inside the chamber with a syringe for menthol determination.
the system of this invention is based on the principle of dispersing an additive, such as menthol in an ethanol solution, into an airstream through which cut tobacco is being pneumatically conveyed.
an additive such as menthol in an ethanol solution
the air containing the remaining volatiles is preferably recycled back into the system.
the temperature of the air may be controlled by recirculating it through a heat exchanger.
the use of a cooled airstream eliminates the need to cool the tobacco to ambient conditions prior to entering feed inlet and eliminates the need for a bulking period after discharge of the tobacco from the system.

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Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
Toxicology (AREA)
Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
Manufacture Of Tobacco Products (AREA)

US89296A 1970-11-13 1970-11-13 Method of treating tobacco with flavorants in a pneumatic system Expired - Lifetime US3678939A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number	Priority Date	Filing Date	Title
US8929670A	1970-11-13	1970-11-13

Publications (1)

Publication Number	Publication Date
US3678939A true US3678939A (en)	1972-07-25

Family

ID=22216833

Family Applications (1)

Application Number	Title	Priority Date	Filing Date
US89296A Expired - Lifetime US3678939A (en)	1970-11-13	1970-11-13	Method of treating tobacco with flavorants in a pneumatic system

Country Status (8)

Country	Link
US (1)	US3678939A (de)
JP (1)	JPS506557B1 (de)
AR (1)	AR192585A1 (de)
BR (1)	BR7106141D0 (de)
CH (1)	CH534488A (de)
DE (1)	DE2156357A1 (de)
FR (1)	FR2114361A5 (de)
IT (1)	IT943655B (de)

Cited By (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number	Priority date	Publication date	Assignee	Title
US3800806A (en) *	1971-11-30	1974-04-02	Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp	Deposition of menthol on tobacco
US3991771A (en) *	1975-02-11	1976-11-16	Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation	Apparatus for deposition of flavorant vapor on tobacco
USRE29298E (en) *	1971-11-30	1977-07-12	Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation	Deposition of vaporized flavorant on tobacco
US4407306A (en) *	1981-12-17	1983-10-04	American Brands, Inc.	Method for expanding tobacco with steam at high temperature and velocity
FR2526639A1 (fr) *	1982-05-11	1983-11-18	Hauni Werke Koerber & Co Kg	Procede et dispositif pour augmenter le volume du tabac
US4449541A (en) *	1981-06-02	1984-05-22	R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company	Tobacco treatment process
EP0074059A3 (en) *	1981-09-05	1985-12-04	B.A.T. Cigaretten-Fabriken Gmbh	Method of improving the filling capacity of tobacco material
WO1994023597A1 (en) *	1993-04-20	1994-10-27	Comas - Costruzioni Macchine Speciali - S.P.A.	Process for flavouring shredded tobacco and apparatus for implementing the process
DE19855612C1 (de) *	1998-12-02	2000-03-30	Bat Cigarettenfab Gmbh	Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Additivzusetzung bei Tabakmaterialien
US6718988B1 (en) *	1999-09-24	2004-04-13	Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation	Pressurized tobacco drying process
US20040205978A1 (en) *	2001-11-26	2004-10-21	Yasuhiro Ohdaka	Flash dryer for particulate materials
WO2012123289A1 (en) *	2011-03-15	2012-09-20	British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited	Method and apparatus for imparting an organoleptic quality to a recipient product
US9723792B1 (en)	2014-03-05	2017-08-08	Kevin J. Kile	Concaves for an agricultural combine
US9723791B1 (en)	2014-03-05	2017-08-08	Kevin J. Kile	Concaves for an agricultural combine
US10440893B2 (en)	2014-03-05	2019-10-15	Kevin J. Kile	Concaves for an agricultural combine

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number	Priority date	Publication date	Assignee	Title
US2959176A (en) *	1957-01-05	1960-11-08	Svenska Flaektfabriken Ab	Pre-treating raw tobacco
SU135805A1 (ru) *	1960-04-04	1960-11-30	Ю.Н. Редька	Устройство дл ароматизации табака
US3010576A (en) *	1957-12-24	1961-11-28	Hauni Werke Koerber & Co Kg	Apparatus for separating or winnowing tobacco and other like fibrous material

1970
- 1970-11-13 US US89296A patent/US3678939A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
1971
- 1971-09-17 BR BR6141/71A patent/BR7106141D0/pt unknown
- 1971-09-27 AR AR238187A patent/AR192585A1/es active
- 1971-09-28 FR FR7134865A patent/FR2114361A5/fr not_active Expired
- 1971-10-20 JP JP46082534A patent/JPS506557B1/ja active Pending
- 1971-11-12 CH CH1645371A patent/CH534488A/de not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1971-11-12 DE DE19712156357 patent/DE2156357A1/de active Pending
- 1971-11-13 IT IT31064/71A patent/IT943655B/it active

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number	Priority date	Publication date	Assignee	Title
US2959176A (en) *	1957-01-05	1960-11-08	Svenska Flaektfabriken Ab	Pre-treating raw tobacco
US3010576A (en) *	1957-12-24	1961-11-28	Hauni Werke Koerber & Co Kg	Apparatus for separating or winnowing tobacco and other like fibrous material
SU135805A1 (ru) *	1960-04-04	1960-11-30	Ю.Н. Редька	Устройство дл ароматизации табака

Cited By (22)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number	Priority date	Publication date	Assignee	Title
US3800806A (en) *	1971-11-30	1974-04-02	Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp	Deposition of menthol on tobacco
USRE29298E (en) *	1971-11-30	1977-07-12	Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation	Deposition of vaporized flavorant on tobacco
US3991771A (en) *	1975-02-11	1976-11-16	Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation	Apparatus for deposition of flavorant vapor on tobacco
US4449541A (en) *	1981-06-02	1984-05-22	R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company	Tobacco treatment process
EP0074059A3 (en) *	1981-09-05	1985-12-04	B.A.T. Cigaretten-Fabriken Gmbh	Method of improving the filling capacity of tobacco material
US4407306A (en) *	1981-12-17	1983-10-04	American Brands, Inc.	Method for expanding tobacco with steam at high temperature and velocity
FR2526639A1 (fr) *	1982-05-11	1983-11-18	Hauni Werke Koerber & Co Kg	Procede et dispositif pour augmenter le volume du tabac
WO1994023597A1 (en) *	1993-04-20	1994-10-27	Comas - Costruzioni Macchine Speciali - S.P.A.	Process for flavouring shredded tobacco and apparatus for implementing the process
US5711320A (en) *	1993-04-20	1998-01-27	Comas-Costruzional Machine Speciali-S.P.A.	Process for flavoring shredded tobacco and apparatus for implementing the process
DE19855612C1 (de) *	1998-12-02	2000-03-30	Bat Cigarettenfab Gmbh	Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Additivzusetzung bei Tabakmaterialien
US6718988B1 (en) *	1999-09-24	2004-04-13	Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation	Pressurized tobacco drying process
US20040205978A1 (en) *	2001-11-26	2004-10-21	Yasuhiro Ohdaka	Flash dryer for particulate materials
EP1450122A4 (de) *	2001-11-26	2010-09-15	Japan Tobacco Inc	Luftstromtrockner für körniges material
US8522793B2 (en)	2001-11-26	2013-09-03	Japan Tobacco Inc.	Flash dryer for particulate materials
WO2012123289A1 (en) *	2011-03-15	2012-09-20	British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited	Method and apparatus for imparting an organoleptic quality to a recipient product
US20160073682A1 (en) *	2011-03-15	2016-03-17	British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited	Method for Imparting an Organoleptic Quality to a Tobacco Industry Product
US9723867B2 (en) *	2011-03-15	2017-08-08	British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited	Method for imparting an organoleptic quality to a tobacco industry product
US9844231B2 (en)	2011-03-15	2017-12-19	British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited	Method and apparatus for imparting an organoleptic quality to a recipient product
US9723792B1 (en)	2014-03-05	2017-08-08	Kevin J. Kile	Concaves for an agricultural combine
US9723791B1 (en)	2014-03-05	2017-08-08	Kevin J. Kile	Concaves for an agricultural combine
US10390490B1 (en)	2014-03-05	2019-08-27	Kevin J. Kile	Concaves for an agricultural combine
US10440893B2 (en)	2014-03-05	2019-10-15	Kevin J. Kile	Concaves for an agricultural combine

Also Published As

Publication number	Publication date
AR192585A1 (es)	1973-02-28
JPS506557B1 (de)	1975-03-14
DE2156357A1 (de)	1972-05-31
BR7106141D0 (pt)	1973-04-10
IT943655B (it)	1973-04-10
FR2114361A5 (de)	1972-06-30
CH534488A (de)	1973-03-15

Legal Events

Date

Code

Title

Description

1987-03-30

AS

Assignment

Owner name: UNITED STATES TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK, AS COLLAT

Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:LEGGETT GROUP, INC.;REEL/FRAME:004688/0579

Effective date: 19870325