GB1103929A - Apparatus for disassembling filter and cigarette assemblies - Google Patents

Abstract

1,103,929. Disassembling filter cigarettes. R. J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO CO. 15 July, 1966, No. 32030/66. Heading A2C. In an apparatus for disassembling defective filter and cigarette assemblies each having two cigarette sections and a double length filter between them, the cigarette assemblies are, while travelling along an arcuate path, severed transversely just outside either end of the filter section by a pair of essentially parallel knife means spaced apart a distance at least as great as the length of the filter section. In one embodiment, cigarette-filter-cigarette assemblies 20 are conveyed by a drum 22a to a drum assembly 21 on which they are held by suction through orifices 26 in cradling means 25. While transported by the drum 21, in a clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 1, the assemblies 20 are tested by air pressure applied through retractable sleeves 110 (Fig. 2). Detection of a defective assembly 20 actuates a solenoid 35 which engages a finger 30 of a valve operator 27 to thus switch the appropriate orifices 26, associated with the defective assembly 20, from suction to positive air pressure. The turning of the valve operator 27 also causes a cam portion 31 to be repositioned so as to engage a cam follower 49 as it passes it at position 50. The thus actuated cam follower 49 causes a pair of knives 55 to sever the assembly 20 on either side of the filter portion 20a. A circumferential guide bar 36, acting against the filter portion 20a, retains the defective assemblies 20 on the drum 21 from the point where the suction is replaced by positive air pressure until the assembly is cut. The cigarette portions 20b, 20c then fall away into two shoots and, on clearing the end 36a of the guide bar 36, the filter portion 20a falls into another shoot. Where acceptable assemblies are detected the appropriate valve operator is not turned and they are thus retained uncut on the drum 20 to be subsequently transferred to a conveyer drum 22b. In other embodiments; (A) the knives are solenoid actuated with a suitable delay; (B) defective assemblies are transferred to a smaller drum where they are cut with circular rotating knives; (C) circular solenoid actuated knives are used; (D) sprung knives are released by a solenoid actuated trigger and reset by a cam track on the drum 21; (E) defective assemblies 20 are ejected on to star wheels which drive the assemblies 20 into a pair of rotating circular knives; (F) the defective assemblies are discharged on to an inclined ramp leading to a roller and knife assembly, the knives being double eccentric in outline with a pair of radial knife edges; (G) cutting is effected on a ramp with circular rotating knives; (H) as in (G) but assisted by star wheels.