Tobacco: Growing, Curing, & Manufacturing / A Handbook for Planters in All Parts of the World

by Unknown

Fig. 15.

Fig. 16.

Fig. 17.

Cutting.—Cutting is the process by which the damped leaves, whether stripped or not, are most extensively prepared for smoking in pipes and cigarettes. The tobacco-cutter which is in general use in this country is shown in Figs. 14 (side elevation), 15 (sectional elevation), 16 (front elevation), and 17 (plan). The main frames a are united by stretcher-bolts b; d is a wooden-surface feeding-roller, on which the tobacco is pressed and cut; c are the upper compressing- and feeding-rollers, mounted in e, carriage-plates extended backwards, forming the sides of the feeding-trough, and hinged to the axle m; f are levers; g, links by which the weight w presses down the upper rollers; h, a crank, and i, a connecting-link for working; j, the cross-head to which the knife k is fixed; l, side-levers or radius-bars for guiding the knife, hinged on the eccentric ends of the axle; m, an axle held in bearings at the back of the machine; on its middle part, which is concentric with its own bearings, are hinged the top roll carriage-plates e, whilst on its projecting ends, which are slightly eccentric, the knife-levers l are hinged; n is a worm-wheel segment; o, a worm; p, a hand-wheel for turning the eccentric spindle m through a part of a revolution in its bearings, for adjusting the contact of the knife with the nose-plate q; r, a worm; s, a worm-wheel; t, a worm-pinion for giving simultaneous movement to all the rollers; u, a spindle, “universal jointed” at both ends, for driving the upper rollers in positions varying with the thickness of the feed; v, a saw-toothed ratchet-wheel, moved intermittently by a catch x, link y, and stud-pin z, v being changeable, and the eccentricity of z variable, for the purpose of regulating the fineness of the cutting. Both ends of the knife move at the same speed, and its surface is made to clear the work by describing a slight curve. The knife is adjusted accurately to the nose-plate, while the machine is in motion, by varying the direction of eccentricity of the axis of the knife-levers to that of the roller-levers. The fineness of the cutting is regulated by varying the eccentricity of a movable stud-pin in a plate on the crank-shaft which gives motion, through a train of speed-reducing gear, to the several rollers. The knives are easily removed and replaced, and require sharpening after every 4–6 hours’ working. Two men attend the machine, one to keep the feed-rollers supplied, the other to watch that the knife is doing its work, and to remove the tobacco as fast as it is cut.

Drying.—The cut tobacco, as removed from the machine, is placed loosely in a layer several inches deep in a large trough, provided with a canvas false bottom; steam is introduced between the true and false bottoms, and finds its way up through the tobacco, which is thus rendered more easily workable. It is next transferred to a similar trough having no false bottom, but a steam-jacketed floor instead; here the tobacco is dry-heated, and at the same time lightened up by hand. Finally, it is taken to a third trough, where cold air is forced through the canvas false bottom, by means of a blower or fan. This last operation dries the tobacco ready for use in the course of some hours; but it has the disadvantage of dispersing part of the aroma, and is therefore generally resorted to only when time presses. In other cases, the drying is conducted on canvas trays. However performed, the drying operation needs the greatest attention, to prevent the moisture being extracted to such a degree as to destroy the profit which its presence confers upon the manufacturer. With drying, the preparation of cut tobacco for smoking in pipes is completed.

Cake or Plug.—The manufacture of “cake” or “plug” is little carried on in this country, as the Excise laws exclude the use of sweetening matters, except when carried on in bond. The process is sufficiently simple. Virginian leaf, with or without the addition of flavourings, is sweated for a day or two, to deepen the colour, worked into a soft mass, and next placed in moulds, and subjected to sufficient pressure to ensure the cohesion of the mass. Each cake is then separately wrapped in perfect leaf, and passes through a series of moulds, each smaller than the last, and under increasing pressure in steam-jacketed cupboard-presses, of which there are many forms. The combined effect of the heat and pressure is to thoroughly impregnate the whole mass with the natural juices of the leaf and the flavouring (if any has been used), and to produce a rich dark colour.

A machine for turning out plug-tobacco in ribbons, made by the McGowan Pump Co., New York, is shown in Fig. 18. The tobacco is first weighed out in the proper quantities, and spread in a box placed in spaces in a heavy iron table a. When the latter is filled, it is passed to and fro under the heavy iron wheels b, which are loose on the shaft, and which can be adjusted to exert any desired pressure. Twice passing through suffices. The ribbon is made in lengths of 10 feet, and either 5¾ inches or 2⅞ inches wide, as desired.

Fig. 18.