A method of detecting and eliminating foreign bodies in a flow of tobacco

摘要

In a method of detecting and eliminating foreign bodies in tobacco, a flow (7) of tobacco advances first through a preparation zone (18) where it is gathered into a continuous ribbon (19) of tobacco filler, then through a forming station (20) at which the filler is used to fashion a continuous cigarette rod (21), and finally through a cutter device (29) that divides the rod into cigarette sticks (2); the advancing flow is directed at a given point through a detection device (30) and exposed to electromagnetic radiation of microwave frequency emitted and received in such a way as to generate output signals (34; 37) reflecting any variations in moisture content along the flow (7) of tobacco, caused by the inclusion of foreign bodies and associated with given portions of the flow (7) each coinciding with a singly identifiable cigarette stick (2). <IMAGE>