Method and apparatus for producing a sheet of a material containing alkaloids

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a sheet of a material containing alkaloids, the method comprising: —mixing a material containing alkaloids with water (6) to form a slurry (11); —forming a sheet (10) from the slurry (11); —compressing the sheet (10) between a first (307) roller and a second (308) roller, said rollers (307, 308) forming a gap (311) therebetween where the sheet (10) is inserted, to form a compressed sheet (10) having a desired thickness (t); and —changing the diameter (17) of the first roller (307) in order to change the desired thickness (t) of the compressed sheet (10). The invention also relates to an apparatus for producing a sheet (10) of a material containing alkaloids.

1 . Method for producing a sheet of a material containing alkaloids, the method comprising:
 mixing a material containing alkaloids with water to form a slurry;   forming a sheet from the slurry;   compressing the sheet between a first roller and a second roller, said first roller and second roller forming a gap therebetween where the sheet is inserted, to form a compressed sheet having a desired thickness; and   changing the diameter of the first roller in order to change the desired thickness of the compressed sheet.   
     
     
         2 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein changing the diameter of the first roller includes changing a width of the gap. 
     
     
         3 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein changing the diameter of the first roller includes inflating or deflating the first roller. 
     
     
         4 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein at the beginning of the step of compressing the sheet, a water content of the sheet is comprised between about 60 percent and about 85 percent of the total weight of the sheet. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , including the step of:
 changing the diameter of the first roller or of the second roller as a function of a desired thickness of the sheet containing alkaloids.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , including the step of:
 drying the sheet during the compression step between the first roller and second roller.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , including the step of:
 regulating a temperature of the first roller or of the second roller.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , including the step of:
 further compressing the sheet compressed by the first roller and second roller between a third roller and fourth roller.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , including the step of:
 inserting a rigid element between said first roller and the sheet;   
       and wherein the step of changing the diameter of the first roller includes:
 changing the pressure exerted by the first roller onto the rigid element. 
 
     
     
         10 . Apparatus for producing a sheet of a material containing alkaloids, comprising:
 a tank adapted to contain a slurry formed by a material containing alkaloids and water;   a sheet forming device to form a sheet from the slurry;   a first roller and a second roller, said first roller and second roller forming a gap therebetween where the sheet is inserted to compress the sheet;   a diameter changing device to change the diameter of the first roller.   
     
     
         11 . Apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said diameter changing device includes a pressurized fluid supply. 
     
     
         12 . Apparatus according to  claim 10  any of  claim 10 , wherein the sheet forming device includes a casting apparatus or an extruding apparatus. 
     
     
         13 . Apparatus according to  claim 10 , including a third roller and a fourth roller forming a second gap therebetween wherein the sheet can be inserted, the third roller and fourth rollers being positioned downstream the first and second roller in the direction of movement of the sheet. 
     
     
         14 . Apparatus according to  claim 10   3 , including a thickness sensor to measure a thickness of the sheet, said diameter changing device changing the diameter of the first roller or of the second roller on the basis of an output signal of said thickness sensor. 
     
     
         15 . Apparatus according to  claim 10 , including a rigid element positioned in the gap between the first roller and second roller, so that the sheet is inserted between the second roller and the rigid element.