Flushing device in machines for manufacturing single pouches of cohesionless material and in systems for portioning and packaging tobacco molasses

Abstract

Machines manufacturing pouches of a smokeless tobacco product or other cohesionless material, and systems for portioning and packaging tobamel type smoking mixtures, can be fitted with a flushing device that uses a number of spray nozzles ( 12, 31 ) positioned in close proximity to units ( 6, 30 ) by which the smokeless and smoking tobacco products are conveyed and processed; with the machine or system in operation, a cleansing fluid held in a tank ( 14, 33 ) is supplied under pressure to the nozzles ( 12, 31 ) by a pump ( 15, 34 ) and directed onto internal parts of the units ( 6, 30 ) in order to remove deposits of the product that tend to accumulate in the course of the processing steps, and thus avoid the need for frequent cleaning and maintenance stoppages.

1 ) A flushing device in machines for manufacturing pouches of cohesionless material, of the type in which the material is directed through a take-up, primary processing and feed unit ( 6 ),
 characterized in that it comprises flushing means ( 100 ) positioned to coincide with the take-up, primary processing and feed unit ( 6 ) and designed to remove deposits of the cohesionless material.   
   
   
       2 ) A flushing device as in  claim 1 , wherein washing means ( 100 ) comprise a plurality of spray nozzles ( 12 ) connected to a tank ( 14 ) filled with a cleansing fluid. 
   
   
       3 ) A flushing device as in  claim 2 , comprising a pump ( 15 ), associated with the tank ( 14 ), by which the cleansing fluid is supplied under pressure to the nozzles ( 12 ). 
   
   
       4 ) A flushing device as in  claim 1 , applicable to a take-up device equipped with a dispensing wheel ( 7 ), a feed outlet ( 10 ) from which the cohesionless material is released to conveying means ( 3 ) to be directed toward a transfer station ( 4 ), and a pair of contrarotating rollers ( 11 ) interposed between the wheel ( 7 ) and the feed outlet ( 10 ), by which the material is pretreated and conveyed toward the selfsame outlet ( 10 ), wherein the flushing device comprises flushing means ( 100 ) positioned to coincide with the take-up unit ( 6 ) and designed to remove deposits of the cohesionless material. 
   
   
       5 ) A flushing device in systems for manufacturing a tobacco mixture, typically comprising a unit ( 30 ) by which the mixture is conveyed and unloaded,
 characterized in that it comprises flushing means ( 101 ) positioned to coincide with the conveying and unloading unit ( 30 ) and designed to remove deposits of the tobacco mixture.   
   
   
       6 ) A flushing device as in  claim 4 , wherein flushing means ( 101 ) comprise a plurality of spray nozzles ( 31 ) connected to a tank ( 33 ) filled with a cleansing fluid. 
   
   
       7 ) A flushing device as in  claim 6 , comprising a pump ( 34 ), associated with the tank ( 33 ), by which the cleansing fluid is supplied under pressure to the nozzles ( 31 ). 
   
   
       8 ) A flushing device as in  claim 4 , applicable to a conveying and unloading unit ( 30 ) equipped with a first transport wheel ( 24 ), a second unloading wheel ( 25 ) operating in conjunction with the first wheel ( 24 ), and means ( 28 ) by which to extrude the tobacco mixture, wherein the flushing device comprises flushing means ( 101 ) positioned to coincide with the conveying and unloading unit ( 30 ) and designed to remove deposits of the tobacco mixture. 
   
   
       9 ) A machine for manufacturing pouches of cohesionless material, equipped with a flushing device as in  claim 1 . 
   
   
       10 ) A system for manufacturing a tobacco mixture, equipped with a flushing device as in  claim 5 .