Machine to strip tobacco leaves from their stalk - supports stalk as each leaf is pulled away between nip rollers

摘要

The stalk of the plant is advanced axially in a support tube while the leaves extend to be gripped between nip rollers. The nipped leaves are pulled at an oblique angle to the axis of the advancing stalk. The length of the nip between the rollers is pref. at least equal to the width of a leaf before being pulled. The stalk is pref. pulled through the support tube by a pair of rotating feed rolls which grip the stalk from opposite sides. The feed rolls pref. advance the stripped stalk to a cutter partic. a rotary knife, which chips the stalk into short axial lengths. The support tube is pref. rotated on its longitudinal axis as the stalk is drawn through by the feed rolls. Detached leaves pref. fall on to a flat belt conveyor. High productivity in that a single workman can strip as many leaves in an hour with this machine as he could by hand in a day. The machine is compact, light wt. simple to operate and requires little power. Delicate leaves are removed without damage. Stripped stalks are chopped up small enought to be used as agricultural fertiliser.