Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
'' ' 2126164
._ .
Rhône-Poulenc Rhodia Aktiengesellschaft Munich,
May 31, 1994
Method and arrangement for processing or reprocessing waste
material accumulating in the
production or processinq of ciqarettes
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus
intended to carry out said process for the recovery of
components from rod-shaped bodies from the tobacco-processing
industry.
In the production or reprocessing of cigarettes and
similar rod-shoped smoking items or bodies from the tobacco-
processing industry discarded material is produced, comprising
paper material, tobacco and/or at least one further component,
such as e.g. filter material or filter plugs, said paper
material wrapping the tobacco and possibly adhering to the
filter material.
In the production of cigarettes first filter rods are generated
from so-called filter tow strips which comprise cellulose
acetate filaments. The filter tow strip(s) is (are) pulled off
a pack or stack and further processed on a filter rod machine
to form filter strands around which is wrapped paper, whereupon
finally individual filter rods are generated by cutting the
filter strands. These filter rods are cylindrical units around
which is wrapped paper having a length of approximately 66 to
150 mm and a diameter of for example 4 mm to 10 mm. Each
filter rod normally comprises enough material for four or six
filter pieces or filter plugs which are wrapped with paper
(tipping) which are later adhered to the cigarette rods
containing paper-wrapped tobacco in order to generate filter
cigarettes.
In the production of filter strands and or filter rods by
filter strand manufacturing machines as well as in the
production of the actual filter cigarettes by cigarette
machines discarded material (reject) is frequently produced
for example when charging the machine. This discarded material
or "waste" comprises valuable substances or materials as
components, such as for example the filter material or the
filter plugs with tipping, the tobacco, wrapping paper for the
tobacco, etc.
In DE-AS 1 204 118 an apparatus for the recovery of components
from rod-shaped bodies is described which comprises a
disintegrating device in the form of a toothed wheels, which
disintegrate said bodies into their individual components, and
a separating device, which separates the individual
components. US-A-4 618 415 describes a separating apparatus
for tobacco, which separates light-weight parts of threshed
tobacco from heavier parts of the tobacco. US-A-4 651 757
describes an apparatus for the recovery of tobacco from
20 cigarettes, in which the cigarettes are disintegrated in
several steps in a centrifugal mill, whereupon the tobacco is
sieve~ l~y means of a sieving device. Similar apparatus are
also described in US-A-4 278 100 and in US-A-4 083 499.
It is the task of the present invention to suggest a process
and a respective apparatus which enable the recovery of the
components, especially the filter material and the tobacco,
from the rod-shaped bodies in a most careful and clean manner.
30 According to the present invention, there is provided a
process for the recovery of components from rod-shaped bodies
from the tobacco-proces~ing industry, said components being
paper, tobacco and or filter materials with tipping, wherein
the following process steps are essentially carried out:
- a disintegrating step, in which the bodies are
disintegrated in a mill into their individual components
i
3 ~ 4'
in dry-mechanical manner, the mill comprising a separating
chamber having an annular cross section, a cylinder-shaped
rotor being driven by motor, a stator, the separating
chamber being defined by the cylinder-shaped rotor within
the mill and by the stator surrounding the separating
chamber, an inlet leading to the separating chamber
through which the rod-shaped bodies enter the separating
chamber, and an outlet extending from the separating
cha~ber for outputting the components obtained from
lo disintegrating the rod-shaped bodies within the mill,
- the bodies during their disintegration passing one or
several radial jaws of the rotor, that project from a
circumferential surface of the rotor into the separating
chamber.and that, during operation of the mill, are
attached to the rotor in a rigid or movable manner,
- and one or several stationary jaws of the stator, that
project from the stator into the separating chamber and
that, during operation of the mill, are attached in a
rigid or movable manner,
- wherein the radial jaws and the stationary jaws each
having end faces that, when the radial jaws and the
stationary jaws are located opposite to each other, are
spaced at a distance to each other, and
- a subsequent separating step, in which the individual
components are separated from each other by:
- a sieving step, being performed by a swing sieve to
which the disintegrated components are fed from the
outlet of the mill, for sieving out the tobacco from the
disintegrated components being on the swing sieve,
- a sucking step, being performed by a blastdriven suction
device having a suction hood being arranged above the
swing sieve, for sucking off paper from the components
after tobacco is sieved out from the components by the
swing sieve and for leaving filter materiel with tipping
on the swing sieve.
7~
After the disintegration step it is the paper material, in
particular, which is detached from the other components, such
as the tobacco and the filters.
By "dry mechanical" is urderstood a mechanical action on the
bodies, in which for example through tearing, shearing and
impact actions the bodies are disintegrated into their
individual components, said disintegrating operation taking
place under dry conditions, i.e. without the use of a liquid
10 or fluid, and also said bodies are present in dry state.
The components recovered in the first step are still admixed
and are subsequently sieved to separate off the tobacco. For
this the components may be brought into oscillation or
vibration and spread out. From the thus spread components the
paper which has already been detached or separated from the
other material components, in particular the separated
tobacco, may be sucked off to separate or select the paper.
Before the sieving or the suction operation there is already
20 a disintegrated waste material present, i.e. that the paper,
the tobacco and e.g. the filter plugs with tipping are still
admixed, but due to the previously effected disintegration the
paper is no longer connected e.g. with the tobacco or the
filter material, so that an aspiration of the paper material
or a sievin~-out of the tobacco becomes possible.
According to the present invention, there is also provided an
apparatus for the recovery of components from rod-shaped
bodies from the tobacco processing industry, comprising:
- a disintegration device in the form of a mill, which
disintegrates said bodies into their individual
components, said components being paper, tobacco and/or
filter material with tipping, and a separation device,
which separates the individual components from each other,
- wherein the mill comprises a separating chamber having an
annular cross section, a cylinder-shaped rotor being
,d ' 3
~ ~s ~
driven by a motor, a stator, the separating chamber being
defined by the cylinder-shaped rotor within the mill and
by the stator surrounding the separating chamber, an inlet
leading to the separating chamber for which the rod-shaped
bodies enter the separating chamber, and an outlet
extending from the separating chamber for outputting the
components obtained from disintegrating the rod-shaped
bodies within in the mill,
- wherein the rotor of the mill comprises radial jaws that
project from a circumferential surface of the rotor into
the separating chamber and that, during operation of the
mill, are attached to the rotor in a rigid or movable
manner,
- wherein the stator of the mill comprises stationary jaws
that project from the stator into the separating chamber
and -'hat durlng operatiGn of the mill, are attached in a
rigid or movable manner,
- wherein the radial jaws and the stationary jaws each have
end faces that, when the radial jaws and the stationary
jaws are located opposite to each other, are spaced at a
distance to each other,
- wherein the separating device comprises:
- a swing sieve to which the disintegrated components are
fed from the outlet of the mill and for sieving out
tobacco from the disintegrated components being on the
swing sieve,
- a blastdriven suction device having a suction hood being
arranged above the swing sieve for sucking off paper
from the components after tobacco is sieved out from the
components by the swing sieve, and for leaving filter
material with tipping on the swing sieve.
Due to the specific design of the mill a very careful recovery
of the tobacco and also of the filter material with tipping
is achieved whereby the recovery of these components is
enabled.
A
~ 7 ~ 7~
5a
The distance of the jaws may be adjustable and preferably is
1 to 4 mm. Further the radial jaws and/or the stationary jaws
may be ~esigned 'o be &djustable.
The separation device is designed as a vibrating or swing
sieve or swing groove to which the disintegrated components
of the mill are fed and which further directs the components
along a plane which slants with respect to the direction of
the horizontal, the inclination angle being preferably 4 to
12~. The swing sieve may comprise several sieves arranged one
above the other.
The disintegration device comprises a blast-operated suction
device which sucks off the paper material. Said suction device
is provided with a suction dome or hood which is arranged
above the swing sieve.
The separation device may also comprise a blowing device which
blows an air stream onto the disintegrated waste material or
20 the components in the swing sieve or impinges them with an air
stream and which may be provided with a nozzle strip. Said
nozzle strip may be arranged in an area below the suction hood
of the suction device, the sieve extending between the suction
hood and the nozzle strip.
The suction device preferably comprises a separating device,
such as for instance a deflection separator, which separates
the sucked off paper material from the suction air stream.
Preferably a blow device is additionally used which admits an
30 air stream onto the disintegrated waste material which air
stream facilitates the removal of the paper material from the
waste material.
~ ~ ~ 6 ~ ~ 4
.~ . .
5b
Further advantages and utilities of the present invention may
be seen frorn the subsequent detailed description of an
embodiment of the present invention in connection with the
attached drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of an
/
/
....
2l26l6~
-6-
apparatus according to the present invention, and
Fig. 2 is a more prices side view of the swing sieve device in
which the embodiment according to Fig. 1 is used.
The embodiment according to the present invention illustrated
in Figures 1 and 2 essentially comprises a disintegrationg
device, to which a rod-shaped body in the form of cigarette
reject is passed, and a separating device, to which the
material processed in the disintegration device is passed for
further processing.
The disintegration device essentially comprises a mill 1, in
which there is a separating chamber 11 having an annular cross
section. To said separating chamber 11 of mill 1 leads a
funnel-shaped inlet 16 through which the waste material to be
processed or reprocessed enters the separating chamber 11 of
mill 1. The separating chamber 11 is defined by a cylinder-
shaped rotation part 14 (=rotor) within the mill 1 and by a
casing 17 of mill 1. The rotation part 14 is supported
horizontally.
On the circumference of the rotation part 14 are fastened
four radial jaws 12 or ribs or rotor tools, arranged equi-
distantly from one another which project from the
circumferential surface of the rotation part 14 into the
separating chamber 11. The rotation part 14 of mill 1 is driven
and rotated via a (not shown) drive by an electric motor. On
the casing 17 which forms the stator of mill 1 are attached
at a distance from one another two stationary jaws 13 or ribs
or stator tools which project from the casing 17 into the
separating chamber 11 of mill 1. When the radial jaws 12 on
212616~
-7-
rotation part 14 oppose one another, there is a distance in the
range of 1 mm and 4 mm between the stationary jaws 13 and the
radial jaws 12 rotating with the rotation part 14. The jaws
are designed so that this distance can be adjusted, and they
may be rounded.
From the separating chamber 11 extends an outlet 15 which is
depicted in Figure 1 as a pierced outlet port. Except for the
inlet 16 and the outlet 15, the separating chamber 11 is closed
off on all sides on the outside by the casing 17 and on the
inside by the rotation part 14.
The sorting separation device 2 to 9 of the apparatus
according to the invention essentially comprises a swing sieve
2 or a swing groove and a suction device 3 to 7.
The swing sieve 2 comprises a frame 27 of lateral metal
sheets. The frame 27 defines an essentially square space which
in the downward direction is confined by a bottom plate 23 and
in the upward direction is essentially open. In the space
between frame 27 and the bottom plate 23 are arranged a first
sieve 21 and a second sieve 22, the first sieve 21 extending
over the second sieve 22 at a distance from the second sieve
22. At the bottom plate 23 of the swing sieve 2 there are
arranged in Figure 1 and in Figure 2 successive outlets at a
distance from one another which are referred to as filter
outlet 24, residual paper outlet 25 and tobacco outlet 26. As
is evident in Figure 2, the swing sieve 2 is arranged on a
support 8. The support 8 is inclined at an angle a relative to
the horizontal which extends at right angles to the direction
of gravity so that there is also an inclination of swing sieve
2 relative to this horizontal. Thereby results also an
2126169
-8-
obliquity or inclination of the flat-surface sieves 21 and 22
which are essentially plane-parallel to one another. The swing
sieve 2 and also the sieves 21 and 22 arranged therein are
consequently arranged at a slant, the end segment of swing
sieve 2 arranged above being arranged below the outlet 15 of
mill 1 so that the waste material on the swing sieve 2,
processed in mill 1, can fall onto the first sieve 21 in the
region of the end segment arranged further above of the swing
sieve 2. The end segment region of the swing sieve 2 opposing
at a slant the end segment arranged above the swing sieve 2
comprises at the bottom plate 23 outlets 26, 25, and 24 wherein
the tobacco outlet 26 is followed at a distance by the residual
paper outlet 25, and finally the residual paper outlet 25 is,
in turn, followed at a distance by the filter outlet 24
arranged at the end of the swing sieve 2 at the end segment of
swing sieve 2 arranged further below.
~ .
The swing sieve 2 together with frame 27, bottom plate 23 and
sieves 21 and 22 is made to vibrate or oscillate by means of a
drive device not further shown here.
The first sieve 21 and also the second sieve 22 are designed
as essentially planar-surface sieves which each are relatively
slightly curved in the direction of the slanting end segment of
swing sieve 2, so that the inclination generated by the
inclination of the swing sieve of the first sieve 21 or the
second sieve 22 is further enhanced by the curving of the
respective sieve whereby the mass throughput is locally
increased in the direction toward the slanting end o~ the swing
sieve. The gap width or the dimensions of the sieve holes of
the first sieve or the second sieve 22 each are 5 mm or 2 mm
(square hole sieve).
21261 6~
'
-9-
The suction device comprises essentially a suction hood 3, a
suction line 4, a deflection separator 5, a blast line 6, and a
blast device 7.
The suction hood 3 is arranged above the surface of the first
sieve 21 of the swing sieve 2 at a distance to this surface and
is connected by the suction line 4 to the deflection separator
5 so that air from the suction hood 3 can reach the deflection
separator 5 via the suction line 4. The deflection separator 5
is connected at the outlet side with the blast line 6 which
connects the deflection separator 5 with the blast device 7 in
terms of flow.
The suction hood 3 of the suction device essentially comprises
a lower part 31 resembling a sheet metal box without a cover or
~ bottom, onto which is placed an essentially similar center
part 32 which passes into an upper part 33 whose walls taper
conically in the suction direction (indicated by A in Figure 1
and in Figure 2). As can be seen in Figure 2, the suction
cross-section of the lower part 31 is greater than the outlet
cross-section of the lower part 31 which is achieved by the
fact that the wall of the lower part 31 pointing to the end
segment of the swing sieve 2 arranged further above, extends
obliquely with respect to this end segment in order to widen
the cross-section of the lower part 31. The suction hood 3 is
arranged above the first sieve 21 at a distance to the end
segment of the swing sieve 2 arranged further above.
Below the first sieve 21 is arranged as a blowing device a
nozzle strip 9 in the region below the suction hood 3 of the
suction device. The nozzle strip 9 consists of a long nozzle
212616~
' -
-10-
body (not shown here) which comprises several nozzles designed
equidistantly one next to the other. The length of the nozzle
body of the nozzle strip 9 corresponds essentially to the width
of the first sieve 21 or the length of the suction hood 3, the
long nozzle body of the nozzle strip 9 being arranged
transversely to the first sieve 21. The nozzle strip 9 blows
air into the direction of the first sieve 21 extending above it
and consequently also into the direction of the inlet cross
section of the lower part 31 of the suction hood 3. The nozzle
strip 9 is arranged in the region below the oblique wall of the
lower part 31. The stream of air in the nozzle strip can be
generated either by the blast device 7 or by a separate blast
device.
Due to the curving of the first sieve 21 or of the second sieve
22 of the swing sieve 2 a different distance from the surface
~of the first sieve 21 to the inlet cross-ection of the suction
hood 3 results said distance increasing when viewed in the
direction of the end segment of the swing sieve 2 arranged
further below.
It is further assumed that the waste material fed to the mill 1
is cigarette reject from the production of filter cigarettes
containing as components tobacco, the tobacco-wrapping paper
material and filter plugs as filter material with tipping. This
waste material is fed to the mill 1 in the form of cut-up
reject cigarettes.
After filling or feeding the waste material into the funnel-
shaped inlet 16 of mill 1, the waste material reaches the
separating chamber 11 of mill 1 where the waste material, by
being taken along by the moving radial jaws 12, gets between
212616~
the radial jaws 12 and the stationary jaws 13 of the mill
wherein the waste material is disintegrated mechanically and
in the dry state and where, in particular, the paper material
wrapping the tobacco and still adhering to the filter plug of
the respective reject cigarette, is separated from these
material components of the waste material, i.e. the tobacco and
the filter plugs. The distances between the stationary jaws 13
and the radial jaws 12 of the mill 1 are adjusted so that the
paper material or the paper wrapping is largely removed or
detached from the filter material or the filter plugs, and, on
the other hand, the filter plugs are not destroyed by this
separating process in the mill, i.e. are not ground or pressed
too strongly or become frayed at their ends The jaws 12 and 13
of the mill are designed so as to be variably adjustable in
order to be adapted to particular specifications of the waste
material or the rod-shaped bodies. After passing the stationary
jaws 13 the thus disintegrated waste material is transported
via the separating chamber 11 of the mill 1 to the outlet 15 of
the mill 1 by the motion of the rotation part 14 and the
radial jaws 12, where it exits from outlet 15 and falls onto
the swing sieve 2 in the region of the end segment, arranged
further above of the oblique swing sieve 2 onto the surface of
the first sieve 21 of swing sieve 2. The waste material which
now is present on the first sieve 21 is made to vibrate by an
oscillation or vibration of the first sieve 21 or the entire
swing sieve 2, it spreads out over the width of the sieve
surface and, due to the inclination or obliquity of the first
sieve 21, moves on the surface of the first sieve 21 downward
in the direction toward the oblique end segment of swing sieve
2, which is arranged further down-stream, the direction of the
movement of the waste material on the first sieve 21 being
indicated by the direction of arrow B of Figure 1 or Figure 2.
~ 2l26l64
-12-
The waste material transferred from mill 1 to the swing sieve
2, i.e. the waste material which now rests upon the surface of
the first sieve 21, consists of tobacco, paper material and
S filter plugs, the paper material being separated from the
filter plugs and thus no longer adhering to the ~ilter plug
material, and also they are subsantially separated from the
tobacco.
By shaking or vibrating the first sieve 21 the waste material
on it is distributed over the entire width of the first sieve
21 and moves in downward direction. The tobacco which is
relatively fine compared to the paper material and the filter
plugs, falls through the sieve holes of the first sieve 21 onto
the surface of the second sieve 22 which extends below the
first sieve 21. On the first sieve 21 there mainly remain the
~ilter plugs and the paper material separated from the filter
plugs but which is still admixed with the filter plugs. This
mixture of filter plugs and paper material moves on the first
sieve 21 in the direction of arrow B under the suction hood 3
of the suction device. As soon as the paper material reaches
the suction region of the suction hood 3, it is picked up by
the suction action created below suction hood 3 by the blast
device 7, drawn into suction hood 3 and, via the air stream in
the suction line 4, fed to the deflection separator 5 in which
the paper-laden air stream is purified, i.e. the paper material
is separated. (Instead of the deflection separator 5 a
transverse or up-stream separator or a cyclone can
alternatively be used.)
The amplitude of the oscillation or vibration, the gap width or
sieve hole width and the inclination angle a of the swing sieve
,. 2126164
- -13-
2 are adjusted so that there is a mass stream of the waste
material ~paper sleeve and filter plugs with tipping) which
ensures an optimum suction of the paper material under the
suction hood 3. The adjustments are carried out so that
essentially a monolayer coating of the disintegrated waste
material is present under the suction hood 3 in order to ensure
the unhindered suction of the paper material from the filter
plugs. The air stream exiting from the nozzle strip 9 imparts
to the paper material and the filter plugs in the region below
the oblique wall of the lower part 31 of the suction hood 3 an
additional impetus upward into the region of the strong suction
air stream, the air stream coming from the nozzle strip 9 and
the suction air stream in the suction hood 3 being adjusted
relative to one another so that there is an aspiration or
suctioning action on the paper material into the suction hood
3; or else the filter plugs remain on the sieve surface of the
first sieve 21. The sucked-off paper material is deposited in
the deflection separator 5 whereas the filter plugs with
tipping migrate on the surfacce of the first sieve 21 further
into the direction of arrow B to the oblique end of the swing
sieve where they are withdrawn via the filter outlet 24 or
where they may be filled for example into an appropriate bag.
The fine tobacco which has fallen onto the surface of the
second sieve 22 is transported via the vibration and
oscillation motion and the inclination of the second sieve 22
into the direction of arrow C in Figure 1; there may still be
some residual paper into the tobacco. During the movement of
these waste components in the direction of arrow C on the
surface of the second sieve 22 the tobacco falls through the
sieve holes of the second sieve 22 onto the bottom plate 23,
whereas the residual paper remains essentially on the surface
.', ' 2l26l6~
-14-
of the second sieve 22 and migrates into the direction of the
residual paper outlet 25 where it iswithdrawn and may be filled
for example into a bag.
The tobacco material falling onto the bottom plate 23 below the
second sieve 22 is transported by the vibration and obliquity
of the bottom plate 23 into the direction of arrow D of Figure
1 in the swing sieve in order to be finally removed at the
tobacco outlet 26 and filled into appropriate bags.
An optimum result in the recovery of the individual material
components of the rod-shaped bodies is obtained when the volume
of the air stream which exits from the nozzle strip 9 is 4.5 m3
per hour and the volume of the air stream in the suction hood 3
of the suction device is 180 m3 per hour, the swing sieve
oscillating at a frequency of 50 Hertz with maximum amplitude
;and the inclination angle of the swing sieve relative to the
horizontal being 12~. The rotation of mill 1 is for example
1450 rotations per minute, the jaw distance is between 1 to 4
millimeter and the diameter of the mill may be for example 29.5
cm.
During the operation of mill 1 the jaws 12 of mill 1 are
rigidly or immoveably attached to the rotation part 14. As an
alternative thereto the jaws 12 may be attached to the
rotation part 14 by an articulated joint.
* * *
