US3348551A

US3348551A - Cigarette making machine

Info

Publication number: US3348551A
Application number: US453025A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jesse R Pinkham
Original assignee: AMF Inc
Current assignee: AMF Inc
Priority date: 1961-07-18
Filing date: 1965-05-04
Publication date: 1967-10-24
Anticipated expiration: 1984-10-24

Description

Oct. 24, 1967 J. R. PINKHAM CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 4, 1965 INVENTOR JESSE R- PINKHA 1967 J. R. PINKHAM 3,348,551

CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE Filed May 4, 1965 Y 5 she ts-sheet z INVENTOR JESSE R- PINKHAN ATTORNEY Oct- 24, 1967 1 J. R. PINKHAM 3,348,551

CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE INVENTOR JESSE a man" an ATTORNEY United States Patent O Filed May 4, 1965, Ser. No. 453,025 Claims. (Cl. 131-84) This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 124,954, filed July 18, 1961, now abandoned, and claim is made to all of the equitable and legal benefits derivable therefrom. I

This invention relates to improvements in the production of cigarettes whereby the individual cigarettes are caused to approximate more nearly than heretofore a desired normal or standard tobacco content, and the tobacco in each cigarette is caused to be distributed more evenly.

It has been usual in the past to feed loose tobacco through a feed throat of predetermined width, the throat being provided between a carded feed drum and a carded refuser drum. The two drums are driven in the same direction of rotation, and therefore have their confronting parts traveling in opposite directions, the arrangement being such that the feed drum carries the tobacco stream through the throat, while the refuser drum limits the depth of the tobacco stream which can be passed by the throat.

With the feed drum traveling at uniform speed and the tobacco stream limited to a definite depth in the feed throat, factors which might produce significant deviations from a normal or standard rate of feed are (1) the tendency of the refuser drum to do its work unevenly by at times picking tufts or burls out of the tobacco stream rather than the usual loose shreds of tobacco, and (2) the arrival of tobacco of varying density at the feed throat. In an effort to avoid the second of these deficiencies, tampers have commonly been provided for packing the tobacco loosely into the carding of the feed drum.

These instrumentalities have resulted in the production of cigarettes of sufficient uniformity to satisfy the demands of the smoking public. It is known to cigarette manufacturers, however, that substantial variations of tobacco density do occur, and that an improvement in the uniformity of tobacco feed would substantially improve the quality and uniformity of the resulting cigarettes.

In accordance with the present invention a tobacco stream is produced as outlined above, or in some equivalent way, which varies somewhat in cross-sectional bulk but which has at every point at least substantially the normal or standard amount of tobacco for the kind of cigarette being made. For improving the uniformity of tobacco distribution, supplemental mechanism is provided which includes means for crowding tobacco along a confined path to a trimming station while compressing the confined stream to a definite cross-section and to a substantially uniform density, in combination with a trimmer which acts continuously to trim off the surplus tobacco and return it to the tobacco source.

In accordance with a further important feature of the invention, means is provided for adjustively altering the cross-sectional area of the portion of the tobacco stream which is below the trim line at the trimming station, the alteration being in adirection and to an extent calculated to compensate for, and to correct observed long term deviations from the normal.

To this end, measuring means is provided for determining the weight of a definite number of cigarettes, together with automatic means responsive to such measuring for effecting a compensatory adjustment of the cross-sectional area of the stream of retained tobacco at the trimming station.

'ice

In another aspect the invention has to do with a method of producing a cigarette filler of improved uniformity, so that each cigarette will be substantially uniform in tobacco density and content from end to end, and one cigarette will contain substantially the same amount of tobacco as every other cigarette, according to which a tobacco filler stream is provided which varies somewhat in cross-sectional bulk but which includes at all points a cross-sectional bulk of tobacco equal at least to substantially the normal or average bulk required for the type of cigarette being made, causing the filler stream to travel at uniform velocity past a trimming station, partially confining the filler stream and progressively reducing the cross-sectional area of the stream as it approaches the filler station to compress the stream to a predetermined cross-sectional area and put it under substantially a predetermined pressure, and at said station trimming off and removing the tobacco which stands above a predetermined trim line.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawing forming part of this specification,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of a portion of an illustrative cigarette making machine which embodies features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of the stream carrying belt, the section being taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of the stream carrying belt, the section being taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 1, but of a second illustrative embodiment of the invention;

FIGURES 5 and 6 are, respectively, sectional views through the belt and cooperative stream guiding means, the sections being taken on the lines 55 and 6-6 of FIGURE 4, looking in the direction of the arrows;

' FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of an automatic mechanism for raising and lowering the trimmer and the cooperative ledger plate to adjust the trim line;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view, similar to FIGURE 1 of a further modified form of mechanism embodying features of the invention;

FIGURE 9 is a divided, half-plan, half-sectional view taken on the line 9-9 in FIG. 8 and looking in the direction of the arrows, of the stream guiding and confining structure associated with the trimmer of FIGURE 8; and

FIGURES 10 and 11 are sectional views taken, respectively, on the lines 10-10 and 11-11 of FIGURE 8.

In FIGURE 1 disclosure is made of a tobacco feed belt 10' which runs at constant speed in the direction indicated by the arrow. The belt 10 runs over end and intermediate rollers such as roller 12 and is driven by suitable drive rollers well known in the art.

' Belt 10 is spread out flat and has loose tobacco showered uponit at a portion beyond the right end thereof as seen in FIG. 1, at a substantially constant rate from a picker wheel or other suitable source (not shown). The tobacco shower on the belt 10 forms a filler stream for supplyingv a single continuous filler to cigarette making instrumentalities of. the continuous rod type. An endless band of cigarette paper P is shown trained over a roller 14 in position to receive the filler as it is delivered from the belt 10', and to carry the filler forward for wrapping and then severance into individual cigarettes, all at the same rateoftravel at which it is received.

Belt 10 is caused to run through a trimming or metering unit 16 which comprises belt guiding and shaping instrumentalities 18 and a rotary trimmer 20. The trimmer 20 is provided at a trimming station, being located substantially midway of the length of the device 16.

The instrumentalities 18' define a guideway through which the belt margins are turned upward and displaced inward, first to collect all the tobacco in the middle of the belt, and then to crowd the tobacco upward and cause surplus tobacco to stand above the effective operating level of the trimmer.

The guiding and shaping instrumentalities 18, comprises a central bar 22 which has a concave upper face 24. Side guide supporting blocks 26 are secured to opposite sides of the bar 22. Blocks '26 also support respective guide blocks or bars 28, which have respective narrow deformable sections 32. Afiixed upon each block 26 is a block 29. Each block 29 has threaded through it a pair of adjusting screws 30 (one shown), which bear against the deformable section 32 disposed adjacent thereto. By tightening screws 30, sections 32 can be slightly deformed or flexed for varying the transverse spacing therebetween.

The bar 22 and the

blocks

26 and 28 jointly define the channel for guiding the belt and controlling the crosssectional area of the tobacco path. The screws 30 are provided for widening and narrowing the belt defining the tobacco stream channel as may be required for more nearly approximating the desired average tobacco content per cigarette.

It is important not only for the tobacco stream to be reduced in cross-sectional area at the trimmer, but also for it to be under a substantially definite pressure at the trimming station, so that the rate at which retained tobacco passes the trimming station will uniformly conform to the standard or normal rate desired, or nearly so. This does not require a heavy pressure, but it does require a pressure sufiicient to compress the tobacco to a substantially more compact form than it would have if acted upon by gravity alone.

The compacting of the tobacco as indicated is important in order to avoid short weight of tobacco in some regions, notwithstanding the precaution of starting out with substantially at least the normal quantity of tobacco at each point of the steam. With no other pressure than gravity, comparative voids, or at least deficiencies can persist in the stream, and these will force too much of the tobacco above the trimming level where it will be trimmed away and removed.

The configurations and relative dimensions of the bar 22 and the blocks 28 are so chosen as to bring about the required pressure and the required uniformity of tobacco density at the trimming station. The bar and blocks jointly force the belt to define a channel of flasklike configuration in cross-section, with a bulbous body portion surmounted by an elongated narrow neck which is open at the top. At the location illustrated in FIGURE 2, the channel has the configuration referred to with the bulbous body portion comparatively large and the neck comparatively short. At the location illustrated in FIGURE 3, the channel has the same general characteristics but the bulbous body portion has been substantially reduced in area and the neck has become more elongated. The change of shape occurs progressively and smoothly so that the tobacco is crowded together more and more as the trimming station is approached.

As a result of the crowding, the tobacco in the bulbous portion of the channel is compressed and is forced upward under pressure into the neck, thus causing the tobacco in the neck to exert an increasing resistance to the forcing upward of the underlying tobacco. Since the pressure in the lower portion of the channel is steadily increased, however, the tobacco continues is steadily increased, however, the tobacco continues to be forced upward into and along the neck above the trim line.

It will be observed that whenever a considerable surplus of tobacco comes along, some of the surplus will be forced above the trim line early in the travel along the channel and before any substantial resistance has been developed in the neck. Where the surplus is but slight, however, the early disposal of a substantial part of it above the trim line will not occur and most of it will remain below the trim line until all voids or substantially all voids have been overcome. In this connection it should be noted that as the tobacco is put under pressure in the channel, the tobacco, like a liquid, tends to press outward in all directions from the region of maximum pressure. Some of the tobacco in the more heavily supplied sections of the stream, therefore, presses into adjoining leaner sections of the stream, thus tending to effect a redistribution and thereby overcome possible local deficiencies of tobacco. The trimmer 20 comprises a trimming wheel 34 which is rotated at constant speed in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 1, and a ledger plate 36 which cooperates with the wheel. A stationary mounting block or bar 38 constitutes a common support for the shaft 40 of the wheel 34 and for the ledger plate. The ledger plate 36 is fixed in position on the bar 38 by means of a pair of screws 42. The wheel shaft 40 extends horizontally in a direction at right angles to the direction of travel of the belt 10. The trimmer wheel 34 extends well down into the neck 44, between the upturned margins of the belt 10. The ledger plate 36 has its lower boundary flush with the trim line and its lower upstream or right hand edge 46 disposed in proximity to the path of the teeth 48 of the wheel 34. A concave upstream face of the ledger plate extends along an are adjacent to the path of the trimmer teeth. The ledger plate, of course, stands between the sides of the belt 10 and limits approach of the belt margin toward one another.

The ledger plate in this form of the invention includes an integral tail portion 50* in the form of a presser bar which substantially fills the neck portion 44 down to the trim line and maintains the tobacco in a collected and compact condition. The presser bar 50 extends beyond the downstream end of the bar 22 and the

blocks

26 and 28. A unitary channel block 52 stands in abutting relation to the bar 22 and to the

blocks

26 and 28, and continues to hold the belt sides upturned and the tobacco collected beneath the tail portion 50. Just beyond the downstream end of the tail portion 50, belt 10 carries the tobacco past a forming disc 54 which is formed with a transversely concave periphery. The forming disc 54 compresses the tobacco, not to the extent that it will be compressed in the cigarette, but sufficiently to cause it to retain a rodlike shape as it passes from the belt 10 onto the cigarette paper P. After the forming station, the block 52 permits the belt to flatten out. After delivery of the tobacco onto the cigarette paper, the cigarettes are completed by conventional mechanism in the conventional way.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG- URES 4 to 6 is in many respects like the embodiment of FIGURES 1 to 3. As before, a belt 10a has tobacco showered upon it at an even rate and delivers the tobacco onto a cigarette paper web Pa which runs over a roller 14a. The belt 10a, as before, has its margins folded in and up by channel forming members which consist of a bottom bar 22a, side supporting blocks 26a, and side guiding blocks 28a. The bar 22a has a concave upper face as before, but the channel has straight vertical sides, as illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6. A compressor bar 60 stands in the channel, being affixed to one of the side blocks 28a by screws 62 (one shown) which are disposed above the path of travel of the belt 10a. The compressor bar is spaced inward from both sides of the channel defined by the belt. The lower face of the compressor bar 60' slopes downward continually, reducing the height of the tobacco path and thereby reducing the path of the tobacco as the trimmer wheel 34a is approached. This causes the tobacco to be progressively crowded together and compressed, the cross-section of the tobacco path being reduced from a cross-section like that shown in FIG. 5 near the introductory end of the channel, to a cross-section like that shown in FIG. 6 at or near the trimming station.

In this form of the invention, because the compressor bar is spaced inward between guide blocks 28a, too narrow neck portions may be provided, one at each side of the compressor bar, through which tobacco can be forced upward after it has entered the channel. There is also an evening out of the tobacco flow at the entrance to the channel where tobacco peaks will be held back by the end of bar 60 and leveled out into following valleys. As the tobacco is progressively compressed beneath the sloping bottom surface of the bar 60, there is a tendency for the bottom and the sides of the bar to frictionally hold back the tobacco at the more highly compressed sections of the tobacco stream, and thus further to even out the distribution. The result is that the tobacco reaches the trimming station while confined to a channel of definite cross-sectional area and under a nearly uniform predetermined pressure. When the tobacco is trimmed, there-fore, the resulting filler has a greatly improved uniformity of distribution as compared with the stream as received upon the belt a.

As before, the trimming wheel 34:: and the ledger plate 36a may be fixed in position, the shaft 40a and the screws 42a being carried by one of the block 2811. The compressor bar 60 is a laminated structure, composed of two opposed elongated

metallic members

64 and 65 separated by a filler plate 66 which terminate near the right-hand portion of the trimmer as seen in FIGURE 4. A laminated tail portion comprising metallic side portions and a filler 68 is provided to the left of the ledger plate 36a which performs the same hold-down function as the tail portion 50 of FIGURE 1. The wheel removes the tobacco from above the trim line. The structure of FIGURES 4 to 6 also includes a channeled block 52a and a forming wheel or disc 54a.

The channel member 64 also carries in fixed position, a pin 70 which extends through the ledger plate 36a. As the structure of FIGURE 4 has been described the pin 70 performs no function of any importance, serving merely to reinforce to screws 42a. Pin 70 serves an important function in another embodiment of the invention which is provided with means pivoted on pin 70 for adjusting the height of the trimming line. In this embodiment, member 28a may be so formed as to permit the insertion of the height-adjusting mechanism shown on FIGURE 7. With the screws 42a withdrawn, however, and the shaft 40a turned around so that it does not extend into the block 28a, but protrudes at the side nearer to the observer, the pin 70 may be caused to form a common pivotal support for the ledger plate 36a and the drive shaft 40a upon which the trimming wheel 34a. is carried. With this modified arrangement, the ledger plate 36a and the trimming wheel 34a may be adjusted up or down in unison to raise or lower the trimming line as the desirability of corrective adjustment is indicated by overweight or underweight of a large, predetermined number of cigarettes. For this purpose the mechanism illustrated in FIGURE 7 is provided, which comprises a block 69 integral with an arm 72 in which is mounted the shaft 40a of trimmer 34a.

Having withdrawn the screws 42a and turned the shaft 40a, the mechanic would align bores 71 of block 69 with the respective bores of the ledger plate formerly occupied by the screws 42a, the new screws 71 being large enough to thread into the ledger plate bores, in contrast with the screws 42a shoe threaded portions passed freely through the bores. The block 69 supports at the side remote from the ledger plate, a roller 74 which rides upon a normally stationary cam 76; The cam 76 is fast upon the output shaft 78 of a servomotor 80, which servomotor may be of the selsyn or Autosyn type.

Servomotor 80 has a weight accumulator 130 with a counter 132, as schematically shown in FIG. 7. Counter 132 counts a prescribed number of cigarette fillers produced, and accumulator 130 accumulates and weighs said cigarette fillers. Accumulator 130 has a conduit 134, which is electrically coupled to servomotor 80. At the completion of said weighing operation, accumulator 130 energizes servomotor 80 and rotates shaft 78 and cam 76 for adjusting the trimming line of the stream.

For example, if the accumulated weight is below the desired total, accumulator 130 will bring a high part of the cam 76 beneath the follower 74, and this will have the effect of raising the trimmer 34a and the ledger plate 36a, causing the trimming level to be raised and the crosssectional area of the retained tobacco stream to be increased. The greater the total weight, the farther clockwise will be the position to which the cam 76 is turned, and the lower will be the part of the cam which is set to be effective throughout the next counting period. The details of the mechanism for ope-rating the servomotor 80 may take any form that produces the result outlined in the foregoing.

In FIGURES 8 and 9 still another illustrative embodiment of the invention is disclosed. This form of mechanism resembles the forms already described in many respects and the description will be confined chiefly to the features of difference.

As before, the belt 10b, which is driven at constant speed over the end roller 12b, receives tobacco at a somewhat variable but generally adequate rate in a flat run, and delivers it onto a web Pb of cigarette paper which travels around a roller 14b at the tobacco transfer station.

In this case a trimming unit 16b comprises belt guiding and shaping instrumentalities 18b and a rotary trimmer 34b. The trimmer 34b is located substantially midway of the length of the device 16b.

The instrumentalities 18b define a guideway through which the belt margins are turned upward and displaced inward.

The guiding and shaping instrumentalities 18b comprise a central bar 22b which has a transversely concave upper face 24b. The groove formed by the concavity of the face 24b is comparatively wide and deep at the introductory end and tapers in width and depth as it approaches the trimming station, where the trimming wheel 34b is located. Side-guide-supporting blocks 26b are fixedly secured to opposite sides of the bar 22b. Stationary rigid blocks are fixed upon the blocks 26b by suitable means (not shown) and have threaded adjustment screws 92 screwed through them for engagement with side guiding blocks 94. The blocks 94 have massive ends which rest upon the blocks 26b and which, in turn, support upon their upper faces neck defining side bars 96. Each assembly consisting of a supporting block 90, a guide block 94, and a bar 96 is held together by a pair of screws 98. Each block 94 has massive end portions which are connected to one another through a narrow deformable web portion 102.

When the weight of a large number of cigarettes, say 25,000, is significantly greater or less than the normal or indicated weight, the screws 92 are adjusted in or out to increase or relax the deforming pressure applied to the webportions 102, thereby to narrow or widen the lower portion of the belt guiding channel at, and in the vicinity of, the trmming station. Narrowing of the channel forces more tobacco above the trim line, while widening of the channel has the opposite effect.

The blocks 94 and the bars 96 are both shaped so that corresponding members converge toward one another as the trimming station is approached, the convergence of the blocks 94 causing the lower bulbous portion of the channel to be narrowed progressively and the convergence of the bar 96 causing the neck portion of the channel to be narrowed progressively and to a more marked degree.

At the introductory end of the channel, the bars 96 are formed with beveled faces which gradually taper to vanishing points. The channel has substantially the configuration illustrated in FIGURE 10 at the introductory end, and the configuration illustrated in FIGURE 11 near the trimming station. The change of contour and the reduction of cross-sectional area occur progressively and substantially evenly between the sections of FIGURES 10 and 11.

As a section of the belt 10b enters the composite channel it will generally be able to contain all the tobacco between the belt edges, but as the tobacco progresses along the channel the tobacco will be progressively crowded upward above the belt edges. Tobacco which extends above the belt edges will tend to slow down and shift relative to the general stream so that it forms an available reserve for supplementing the tobacco supply in a following section of the belt.

As the belt travels toward the trimming station the tobacco in the throat between the faces 96a of the bars 96 become more firmly packed, but the tobacco deeper down also becomes more crowded and compressed and tends to force its way upwards into the throat, andthereby to expel tobacco upward beyond the belt edges. The tendency to confine the underlying tobacco is a progressive one, since the tobacco can be quite readily displaced upward between the plates 94 to collect upon them where the space between the plates is broad, but i yieldingly held down with progressive firmness as the neck becomes narrower. Any tobacco which is simply retained loosely on the travelling stream by statonary tobacco accumulated between the bars 94 will have little tendency to affect the pressure within the neck and in the underlying body of the stream.

Beyond the trimmer the bars 96 have mounted upon them a stationary cover plate 108 which extends from the trimming station to the discharge end of the composite channel. The plate 108 is held in place by two of the screws 98. The plate 108 includes a downwardly protruding, convex boss or rib 110 which forms with the bars 96, inclined slots 112 in which marginal portions of the belt 10b may travel.

A unitary channel block 52b stands in abutting relation with the

members

22b, 26b and 94 of the device 16b. Raised side walls of the block 5211 continue to keep the belt sides upturned for keeping the tobacco collected until after a driven forming roller 54b is passed.

The trimmer 34b includes a series of blades 48b which are carried on a shaft 40b. The trimmer shaft 40b is carried in a T-shaped bearing bracket 116, the supporting arm of which is clamped in the upper end of a stationary standard 118. The standard 118 is fixedly secured to one of the blocks 26b. Although the shaft 40b is inclined, the blades are so arranged that they extend directly downward as they cross the center line of the belt, and have their edges set to cross the upper inner edge of the bar 96 which is nearer to the observer in FIGURE 9, with all points of the outer edges of the blades substantially in contact with said bar. The bar 96 just referred to is hardened, at least in the portion located at the cutting station, so that it may serve as a ledger plate for cooperation with the blades.

In each form of the invention the tobacco removed by the trimmer is returned by suitable means, not shown, to the tobacco source.

The invention hereinabove described may, therefore, be varied in construction within the scope of the claims, for the particular devices selected to illustrate the invention are but some of many possible embodiments of the same. The invention, therefore, i not to be restricted to the precise details of the structure shown and described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cigarette making machine having a conveyor belt adapted to receive tobacco from a feeding means adapted to feed tobacco thereon in excess of that required to form a filler stream and means to move the belt and filler stream toward a trimming device through guide means adapted to cause the belt and the stream thereon to have a channel shaped section including an arcuate lower portion' which merges with vertically extending parallel spaced planar side walls, thereby forming a channel with an open upper extremity, the improvement wherein the trimming device includes means for mounting a wheel and a ledger plate adjacent thereto in the channel between said side walls, said wheel having an axis arranged transversely of the path of travel of the stream and including plural blades extending radially of the axis and having a width such that the blade may be rotated between said channel side walls, said ledger plate extending across said channel between said side walls and downstream of the wheel with respect to the direction of travel of said stream, said ledger plate including guide means providing a straight edge extending across the channel, said ledger means permitting a desired quantity of tobacco in said stream to pass thereunder while excess tobacco propelled by the blades is guided so as to be separated from the stream, and said means for mounting said ledger plate and said wheel in said channel being such that said plate and wheel may be moved simultaneously about a pivot thereby controlling the size of the portion of the stream permitted to pass under the ledger plate, and means for so adjusting the position of the wheel and ledger plate.

2. A cigarette machine, comprising mechanism for controlling the cross-sectional area and density of a tobacco stream and delivering it to a cigarette paper web for introduction into a cigarette rod former, said stream containing at least enough tobacco in each transverse elemental cross section to form the required cigarette rod, said mechanism comprising:

an endless belt carrying said stream;

a belt guide supporting said belt having a pair of transversely-spaced oppositely-facing resilient sidewalls forming a groove in said belt;

a trimming wheel having a shaft supported by said belt guide and having radial blades received in said belt groove and adapted for trimming said stream along a trim line;

said belt guide having clamp means bearing against said sidewalls and adapted for varying the stream width for a rough adjustment of the trim line height; and

said wheel shaft having an adjustable connection supported by said belt guide adapted for setting the space between the blades and the belt guide for adjustments of the trim line height.

3. A tobacco feeding and regulating mechanism as set forth in claim 2, in which said wheel has its axis of rotation disposed substantially at right angles to the direction of motion of said feed belt, and in which said adjustable shaft connection includes a ledger plate disposed between said sidewalls, said plate having an edge disposed adjacent to and coacting with said blades, and said plate having an arcuate surface disposed substantially symmetrically about said wheel axis and disposed adjacent to and radially outwardly of said blades for forming conveyor pockets between each pair of adjacent blades and said arcuate surface.

4. Tobacco feeding and regulating mechanism for cigarette making machines of the continuous rod type comprising, in combination, a constant speed tobacco conveying belt adapted to receive loose tobacco, to form a filler stream with varies in transverse cross-sectional area and in density, but which possesses at all points a cross-sectional area and density at least substantially equal to the cross-sectional area and density required for the type of cigarette being made, and means for adjusting the cross-sectional area and density of the stream to substantially provide the same, said means including a trimmer disposed at a trimming station to remove all tobacco above a determined trim line, a belt and tobacco guiding means cooperative with the belt progressively to turn the sides of the belt up and displace the margins thereof inwardly so that the belt is caused to define a tobacco confining passage of changing shape and progressively diminishing cross-section as the trimming station is approached, with said passage at the trimming station having a cross-section configuration including a substantially circular lower portion surmounted by at least one narrow elongated upper portion which is open at the top, the construction and arrangement being such that the tobacco is confined against accidental spilling over by the narrowness and height of the upper portion, but any surplus tobacco in excess of the normal amount will be forci-' bly pushed up into the upper portion and above the trimming level, and caused to be trimmed off by the trimmer, in which the trimmer comprises a plurality of blades and means driving the trimmer rotatively about a transverse horizontal axis, the trimmer being disposed to extend down into the lower part of the upper portion of the tobacco path between the belt margins, and which further includes a ledger plate cooperative with the trimmer, the ledger plate having its lower edge adjacent the trimmer also disposed in the lower part of the upper portion of the tobacco path between the margins of the belt.

5. Tobacco feeding and regulating mechanism for cigarette making machines of the continuous rod type comprising, in combination, a constant speed tobacco conveying belt adapted to receiveloose tobacco, to form a filler stream which varies in transverse cross-sectional area and in density, but which possesses at all points a cross-sectional area and denity at least substantially equal to the cross-sectional area and density required for the type of cigarette being made, and means for adjusting the crosssectional area and density of the stream to substantially provide the same, said means including a trimmer disposed at a trimming station to remove all tobacco above a determined trim line, a belt and tobacco guiding means cooperative with the belt progressively to turn the sides of the belt up and displace the margins thereof inwardly so that the belt is caused to define a tobacco confining passage of changing shape and progressively diminishing cross-section as the trimming station is approached, with said passage at the trimming station having a cross-section configuration including a substantially circular lower portion surmounted by at least one narrow elongated upper portion which is open at the top, the construction and arrangement being such that the tobacco is confined against accidental spilling over by the narrowness and height of the upper portion, but any surplus tobacco in excess of the normal amount will be forcibly pushed up into the upper portion and above the trimming level, and caused to be trimmed off by the trimmer, in which the trimmer comprises a plurality of blades and means driving the trimmer rotatively about a transverse horizontal axis, the trimmer being disposed to extend down into the bottom part of the upper portion of the tobacco path between the belt margins, which further includes a ledger plate cooperative with the trimmer, having its lower edge adjacent the trimmer also disposed in the bottom part of the upper portion of the tobacco path between the margins of the belt, and guide means disposed immediately after the trimmer for engaging the belt margins and spacing them from one another sufficiently to safeguard against contact of the trimmer blades with the belt.

6. Tobacco feeding and regulating mechanism as set forth in claim which further includes a common support for the trimmer and the ledger plate, and means for adjustably setting the support to select the trimming level of the trimmer and the ledger plate, thereby to control the cross-sectional area of the retained-tobacco path at the trimming station.

7. Tobacco feeding and regulating mechanism as set forth in claim 5 in which the ledger plate and the trimmer are secured in fixed bodily relation to one another and are supported for movement in unison about a transverse horizontal axis, and which further includes means for adjusting the ledger plate and the trimmer about said axis, to change the trimming level and thereby to adjust the crosssectional area of the retained tobacco path at the trimming 1 station.

8. Tobacco feeding and regulating mechanism as set forth in claim 5 in which the ledger plate and the trimmer are secured in fixed bodily relation to one another and are supported for movement in unison about a transverse horizontal axis, and which further includes a rotary cam mechanism for varying the angular positions of the trimmer-ledger-plate combination, and means automatically adjusting the rotative position of the cam in order to effect a corrective adjustment of the trimming level.

9. A tobacco feeding and regulating mechanism for cigarette making machines of the continuous rod type comprising, in combination, a tobacco conveying belt, adapted to receive loose tobacco to form a variable filler stream, said stream containing at least enough tobacco in all elemental cross-sections of its length to form the required cigarette rod, means for adjusting said quantity to the quantity desired, said means including a trimmer disposed at a trimming station to remove all tobacco above a determined trim line, guiding means cooperative with said belt, progressively to turn the sides of the belt up and to displace the margins thereof inwardly so that the belt is caused to define a tobacco confining passage of changing shape and progressively diminishing cross-section as the trimming station is approached, with said passage at the trimming station having a cross-section including an arcuate lower portion surmounted by at least one narrow elongated portion which is open at the top, the construction and arrangement being such that the tobacco is confined against accidental spilling by the excess height of the narrow elongated portion over the height attained by the tobacco therein, as the surplus tobacco in excess of the required amount is forcibly pushed up into the narrow elongated portion and above said trim line, and caused to be trimmed off by the trimmer, in which the trimmer comprises a plurality of blades and means driving the trimmer rotatively about a transverse horizontal axis, the trimmer being disposed to extend down into the neck portion of the tobacco path between the belt margins, which further includes a ledger plate cooperative with the trimmer, having its lower edge adjacent the trimmer also disposed in the neck portion of the tobacco path between the margins of the belt, and guide means disposed immediately after the trimmer for engaging the belt margins and spacing them from one another sufficiently to safeguard against contact of the trimmer blades with the belt, which further includes a common support for the trimmer and the ledger plate, and means for adjustably setting the support to select the trimming level of the trimmer and the ledger plate, thereby to control the crosssectional area of the retained tobacco path at the trimming station.

10. A tobacco feeding and regulating mechanism for cigarette making machines of the continuous rod type comprising, in combination, a tobacco conveying belt, adapted to receive loose tobacco to form a variable filler stream, said stream containing at least enough tobacco in all elemental cross-sections of its, length to form the required cigarette rod, means for adjusting said quantity to the quantity desired, said means including a trimmer disposed at a trimming station to remove all tobacco above a determined tn'm line, guiding means cooperative with said belt, progressively to turn the sides of the belt up and to displace the margins thereof inwardly so that the belt is caused to define a tobacco confining passage of changing shape and progressively diminishing cross-section as the trimming station is approached, with said passage at the trimming station having a cross-section including an arcuate lower portion surmounted by at least one narrow elongated portion which is open at the top, the construction and arrangement being such that the tobacco is confined against accidental spilling by the excess height of the narrow elongated portion over the height attained by the tobacco therein, as the surplus tobacco in excess of the required amount is forcibly pushed up into the narrow elongated portion and above said trim line, and caused to be trimmed off by the trimmer, in which the trimmer comprises a plurality of blades and means driving the trimmer rotatively about a transverse horizontal axis, the trimmer being disposed to extend down into the neck portion of the tobacco path between the belt margins, which further includes a ledger plate cooperative with the trimmer, having its lower edge adjacent the trimmer also disposed in the neck portion of the tobacco path between the margins of the belt, and guide means disposed immediately after the trimmer for engaging the belt-margins and spacing them from one another sufiiciently to safeguard against contact of the trimmer blades with the belt, in which the ledger plate and the trimmer are secured in fixed bodily relation to one another and are supported for movement in unison about a transverse horizontal axis, and which further includes rotary cam mechanism for varying the angular positions of the trimmer-ledger-plate combination, and means automatically adjusting the rotative position of the cam in response to the measured weight of the tobacco in a large, predetermined number of cigarettes, thereby to effect corrective adjustment of the trimming level.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Ruau 131-66 Koerner 13184 Herrmann 13l66 Podmore 13166 Herrmann 131-84 Rault 131-84 Lanore 13184 X Lanore 131-84 Labbe 13184 X FOREIGN PATENTS 5/1960 France.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH S. REICH, Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE HAVING A CONVEYOR BELT ADAPTED TO RECEIVE TOBACCO FROM A FEEDING MEANS ADAPTED TO FEED TOBACCO THEREON IN EXCESS OF THAT REQUIRED TO FORM A FILLER STREAM AND MEANS TO MOVE THE BELT AND FILLER STREAM TOWARD A TRIMMING DEVICE THROUGH GUIDE MEANS ADAPTED TO CAUSE THE BELT AND THE STREAM THEREON TO HAVE A CHANNEL SHAPED SECTION INCLUDING AN ARCUATE LOWER PORTION WHICH MERGES WITH VERTICALLY EXTENDING PARALLEL SPACED PLANAR SIDE WALLS, THEREBY FORMING A CHANNEL WITH AN OPEN UPPER EXTREMITY, THE IMPROVEMENT WHEREIN THE TRIMMING DEVICE INCLUDES MEANS FOR MOUNTING A WHEEL AND A LEDGER PLATE ADJACENT THERETO IN THE CHANNEL BETWEEN SAID SIDE WALLS, SAID WHEEL HAVING AN AXIS ARRANGED TRANSVERSELY OF THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF THE STREAM AND INCLUDING PLURAL BLADES EXTENDING RADIALLY OF THE AXIS AND HAVING A WIDTH SUCH THAT THE BLADES MAY BE ROTATED BETWEEN SAID CHANNEL SIDE WALLS, SAID LEDGER PLATE EXTENDING ACROSS SAID CHANNEL BETWEEN SAID SIDE WALLS AND DOWNSTREAM OF THE WHEEL WITH RESPECT TO THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF SAID STREAM, SAID LEDGER PLATE INCLUDING GUIDE MEANS PROVIDING A STRAIGHT EDGE EXTENDING ACROSS THE CHANNEL, SAID LEDGER MEANS PERMITTING A DESIRED QUANTITY OF TOBACCO IN SAID STREAM TO PASS THEREUNDER WHILE EXCESS TOBACCO PROPELLED BY THE BLADES IS GUIDED SO AS TO BE SEPARATED FROM THE STREAM, AND SAID MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID LEDGER PLATE AND SAID WHEEL IN SAID CHANNEL BEING SUCH THAT SAID PLATE AND WHEEL MAY BE MOVED SIMULTANEOUSLY ABOUT A PIVOT THEREBY CONTROLLING THE SIZE OF THE PORTION OF THE STREAM PERMITTED TO PASS UNDER THE LEDGER PLATE, AND MEANS FOR SO ADJUSTING THE POSITION OF THE WHEEL AND MEANS FOR SO ADJUSTING THE POSITION OF THE WHEEL AND LEDGER PLATE.