Method and apparatus for delivering particles of tobacco to shredding machines

摘要

The channel between the convergent tobacco compacting upper and lower chain conveyors of a tobacco shredding machine receives particles of tobacco from one or more vibrating troughs which define paths extending in parallelism with the direction of travel of particles between the chain conveyors toward the cutting station. The troughs have stepped bottom walls to effect preliminary homogenization and compacting of particles on their way toward the rear portion of the lower chain conveyor which extends rearwardly beyond the upper chain conveyor. The quantity of tobacco particles in one or more troughs is monitored by one or more photocells whose signals are utilized to vary the speed of the motor for the chain conveyors, the frequency and/or amplitude of vibratory movements of the trough or troughs and/or the rate of feed of tobacco particles to the trough or troughs when the monitored quantity deviates from a desirable range of quantities.