Importance

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Abstract

The apparatus and method for delaminating tobacco in the form of slices from a layered parcel comprise conveyor means for delivering a parcel of tobacco to a separating location and a rotatable tine assembly mounted on an axis extending at right angle to the conveyor means and parallel the layering of the parcel. The rotatable tine assembly includes a plurality of tines which are pointed and profiled to extend in the direction of rotation of the tine assembly and are driven at a speed greater than that of the conveyor means. The tines are adapted to enter the parcel at an entering location in a direction substantially parallel to the layering of the parcel and to accelerate a layer away from the parcel for effecting separation of the layer of tobacco from the parcel. The axis of the tine assembly is arranged at a distance above the parcel such that the line from the axis of the tine assembly to the entering location forms an angle between 14 and 24° with the horizontal and the peripheral speed of the tine assembly is about three to five times the linear speed of the conveyor means.

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First Claim