EP0474602A1 - Distributor - Google Patents

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Publication number
EP0474602A1
EP0474602A1 EP91810692A EP91810692A EP0474602A1 EP 0474602 A1 EP0474602 A1 EP 0474602A1 EP 91810692 A EP91810692 A EP 91810692A EP 91810692 A EP91810692 A EP 91810692A EP 0474602 A1 EP0474602 A1 EP 0474602A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
tobacco
distributor
chamber
flotation chamber
deflector
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP91810692A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Otto Hagmann
Bernard Tallier
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Philip Morris Products SA
Original Assignee
Fabriques de Tabac Reunies SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Fabriques de Tabac Reunies SA filed Critical Fabriques de Tabac Reunies SA
Publication of EP0474602A1 publication Critical patent/EP0474602A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
    • A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
    • A24C5/14—Machines of the continuous-rod type
    • A24C5/18—Forming the rod

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a feed distributor of a machine for manufacturing products of the tobacco industry and particularly of a machine for manufacturing cigarettes.
  • the distributor of a cigarette manufacturing machine is a very important organ of said machine, since it fulfills several functions essential to its operation: it is responsible first of all for ensuring the transport of tobacco from a storage tank to 'With the machine responsible for making the tobacco rod of the cigarette, then to dose the quantity of tobacco according to the speed of production of said rod while ensuring an intermediate buffer stock, and this without damaging the tobacco strands.
  • the tobacco stored in the tank mentioned above is not absolutely pure; it is accompanied in particular by tobacco dust, ribs, that is to say hard segments originating from the ribs of the tobacco leaf, or even particles absolutely foreign to tobacco, such as metal particles, wood waste or the like. .
  • tobacco dust ribs
  • particles absolutely foreign to tobacco such as metal particles, wood waste or the like.
  • the two applications GB-A-2,165,136 and GB-A-2,216,768 also describe distributors but which each comprise at least three air flow inlets; the multiplicity of these air flows generates vortices inside the separation chamber, which is detrimental to good separation of the waste from the tobacco flow and on the other hand by increasing the amount of air introduced into the chamber, the difficulties to extract it from this separation chamber are all the more increased.
  • the first of these last two documents describes a dispenser whose tobacco recovery chimney becomes thinner which favors the creation of plugs, while the last of these documents, by the circulation system of The air described creates a lot of tobacco dust and therefore consumes a significant amount of tobacco which will not be found in the finished products.
  • the object of the invention is therefore to propose a distributor supplying a machine for manufacturing tobacco industry products, in particular a machine for manufacturing cigarettes, not encountering the drawbacks of the devices known from the prior art, being particularly suitable for transporting, dose and store the tobacco necessary to feed the manufacturing machine continuously so that the tobacco is well ventilated and there is no need to card again at the entrance of the machine, as the dust as well as the ribs and the various wastes being mixed with the tobacco flow entering the dispenser are effectively separated from the useful tobacco strands, and that any tobacco strands carried with the waste can be recovered and reintegrated into the useful tobacco flow, without damaging the strands tobacco used to make cigarettes or any part of the dispenser or machine.
  • the dispenser according to the invention has the characteristics mentioned in the claims.
  • the operation of the dispenser according to the invention is particularly understandable on examination of the single figure which is in a schematic side view in a cross section.
  • the distributor 1 is preceded upstream by a storage tank (not shown), a supply line 10 brings the tobacco 20 loaded with dust, ribs and possibly foreign bodies to the distributor 1.
  • the transport of the tobacco 20 by the line 10 between the tank and the rotary valve 11, which forms the upper part of the distributor 1, is made using an air current generated by the turbine 11a which sucks the tobacco 20 from the storage tank and eliminates the air used for its transport as well as the tobacco dust by an axial evacuation duct; the tobacco 21 from which the dust has therefore been removed then falls into a compartment drum 11b responsible for dosing the quantity of tobacco supplied to the hopper 12.
  • This rotary lock device is described in detail in the patent application mentioned above, and since it is not part of the present invention, it will not be described further here.
  • the filling level of the hopper 12 is controlled by the two level probes 12a and 12b, respectively indicating a maximum level and a minimum level and controlling, by a device not shown, the pivoting of the compartment drum 11b in order to pour the tobacco 21 in the hopper 12 to the level required to form a buffer stock.
  • the level probes 12a and 12b, as well as the control device are of any type known in the art. This arrangement allows a continuous supply of the hopper 12, the tobacco flow remaining aerated in said hopper and not being packed there. This arrangement also makes it possible to dispense with a tobacco transport mat at the entrance to the dispenser.
  • the hopper 12 widens down in order to avoid clogging and leads to a device of spiked drums 13a and 13b, the first drum 13a, of large diameter, obstructs the bottom of the hopper 12.
  • This spiked drum 13a rotates at low speed, of the order of 1 to 2 rpm, and determines the flow of tobacco 21 through the machine.
  • the second spiked drum 13b of diameter much smaller than the diameter of the first, rotates in the same direction as the first at a much higher speed, ie 100 to 150 rpm.
  • Each of these drums consists of a cylinder on which a plurality of pins have been fixed radially; the pins of one and the other of the drums are offset so that the pins of the first drum 13a can cross those of the second drum 13b without coming into contact.
  • the tobacco 21 is gently extracted from the hopper 12, driven tangentially by the pins of the drum 13a, the opposing action of the pins of the drum 13b then coming to extract the tobacco strands, as well as the ribs and the foreign bodies, caught between the pins of the drum 13a.
  • These two drums are driven in rotation at a speed controlled by motors and devices not shown in the figure.
  • the tobacco 21 After having been extracted from the drum 13a by the drum 13b, the tobacco 21 arrives in the flotation chamber 14 where it will be separated from its ribs and any foreign bodies it contains. For this, and so that this separation takes place without damaging the tobacco strands, the tobacco 21 "floats" in this flotation chamber 14, being supported by a strong current of air 14a introduced by one of the faces of the chamber 14. It is when this tobacco is supported by the air current that its separation from the ribs and foreign bodies 22 can take place; indeed, these being heavier than the tobacco strands, they will tend to descend by gravity to the bottom of the chamber while the purified tobacco strands 23 will tend to remain at the top of the chamber 14 and to escape by the chimney 15.
  • the flotation chamber 14 is provided with a deflector 14b defining two circulation channels inside the chamber.
  • the first channel lets down the eliminated waste 22 also comprising a certain amount of tobacco strands to be recovered.
  • this flow arrives at the bottom of the deflector, it arrives in a region of the chamber where there is a certain depression which will tend to extract the light particles from the flow, namely the strands of tobacco to be recovered, and will circulate them through the second channel to join the main stream of purified tobacco 23.
  • the pressure and depression conditions at the interior of the chamber 14 are mainly determined by the shape of the walls of the chamber as well as by the shape and the position of the deflector 14b inside the chamber. This is why, given that the conditions for separation of the ribs and foreign bodies from the tobacco flow, then separation of the tobacco strands to be recovered from the waste flow and then the recombination of the recovered tobacco strands with the flow of purified tobacco, depend essentially characteristics of said tobacco, humidity, length of the strands, etc., the position of the deflector 14b inside the chamber 14 must be able to be adjusted in order to obtain the right pressures and depressions so that the various operations mentioned above can be do correctly, or that the maximum of ribs and foreign bodies is eliminated from the tobacco flow by losing the minimum of tobacco and this without damaging the tobacco strands.
  • the deflector 14b position adjustment system can be designed in various ways, either, according to a preferred embodiment, by providing the deflector 14b with a transverse axis around which it can pivot and by adjusting the angular position of the deflector. around this axis, either by providing a number of positioning notches for the ends of the deflector in the side walls of the chamber and by installing the deflector in one or other of these notches, or by any position adjustment means; it is also possible, when this device is intended to operate with a well-defined quality of tobacco, to provide a fixed deflector inside the chamber, the position of this deflector having been previously optimized by any means.
  • the debris 22 comprising the ribs and the foreign bodies will then be deposited in a recovery tank 14c disposed at the bottom of the flotation chamber 14, while the stream of purified tobacco 23 escapes through the chimney 15, transported by the air flow 14a.
  • a new rotary lock 16 is responsible for eliminating air used for the transport of tobacco, via the turbine 16a, while as before, the drum with compartment 16b regulates the flow tobacco 23.
  • the tobacco passes through a new device of spiked drums 17a and 17b, operating as that described above, in order to separate the tobacco strands from one another and prevent them from agglomerating between them.
  • the tobacco then falls on a conveyor belt device 18 which brings it to a clipping and compression device 19, which may be of the type described in patent applications CH 3013 / 88-8, corresponding to European application A1 .0.354.874 and to patent US-A-5,003,996, and CH 2121 / 90-7, corresponding to European application 91810480.3 and to application US-07/682 248; this device is not described further here.
  • a clipping and compression device 19 which may be of the type described in patent applications CH 3013 / 88-8, corresponding to European application A1 .0.354.874 and to patent US-A-5,003,996, and CH 2121 / 90-7, corresponding to European application 91810480.3 and to application US-07/682 248; this device is not described further here.
  • openings 12c and 12d make it possible to recycle tobacco coming in particular from clipping or from any other place in the production cycle where tobacco strands are would have escaped from the main stream; as this recycling takes place before the separation of the waste, possible impurities in the recycled tobacco will also be eliminated.
  • the dispenser according to the invention associated with a cigarette machine, fulfills the usual functions of such a machine member, namely the transport, metering and intermediate storage of tobacco, but moreover, by the aerodynamic design particular of its flotation chamber, the ribs and foreign bodies to the tobacco are completely eliminated from the main flow of tobacco, this minimizing the loss of tobacco and avoiding damaging the tobacco strands as well as the mechanical sections of the machine such as pins, needles, etc.
  • the addition of a dispenser according to the invention to a cigarette machine significantly increases its yield and reduces production costs.

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  • Manufacturing Of Cigar And Cigarette Tobacco (AREA)

Abstract

The distributor, associated with a cigarette machine, makes it possible not only to carry out its usual functions of conveying, metering out and forming an intermediate stock of tobacco, but also to separate out the leaf veins and foreign objects from the main stream of tobacco. This operation is performed without damaging the strands of tobacco. To achieve this, the distributor (1) comprises a flotation chamber (14) into which a strong draught of air is blown (14a) and which is separated into two parts by a deflector (14b). In this way, the main stream of tobacco (23) floats to the top of the chamber, whereas the veins and foreign bodies (22) escape under gravity and drop to the bottom of the chamber (14c). The adjustable position of the deflector inside the chamber makes it possible to create high-pressure and low-pressure areas, so that strands of tobacco entrained with the waste can be recovered. <IMAGE>

Description

La présente invention concerne un distributeur d'alimentation d'une machine de fabrication de produits de l'industrie du tabac et particulièrement d'une machine de fabrication de cigarettes.The present invention relates to a feed distributor of a machine for manufacturing products of the tobacco industry and particularly of a machine for manufacturing cigarettes.

Le distributeur d'une machine de fabrication de cigarettes est un organe très important de ladite machine, puisqu'il remplit plusieurs fonctions essentielles à son fonctionnement: il est chargé tout d'abord d'assurer le transport du tabac depuis un réservoir de stockage jusqu'à la machine chargée de confectionner le boudin de tabac de la cigarette, puis de doser la quantité de tabac selon la vitesse de production dudit boudin tout en assurant un stock tampon intermédiaire, et ceci sans endommager les brins de tabac.The distributor of a cigarette manufacturing machine is a very important organ of said machine, since it fulfills several functions essential to its operation: it is responsible first of all for ensuring the transport of tobacco from a storage tank to 'With the machine responsible for making the tobacco rod of the cigarette, then to dose the quantity of tobacco according to the speed of production of said rod while ensuring an intermediate buffer stock, and this without damaging the tobacco strands.

Généralement, le tabac stocké dans le réservoir mentionné plus haut n'est pas absolument pur; il est accompagné en particulier de poussières de tabac, de côtes, c'est-à-dire de segments durs provenant des nervures de la feuille de tabac, voire de particules absolument étrangères au tabac, telles que particules métalliques, déchets de bois ou autres. La présence de ces divers composants non désirés ainsi que de ces éléments étrangers provient principalement des conditions de fabrication et de manutention du tabac jusqu'à ce qu'il arrive dans le réservoir de stockage.Generally, the tobacco stored in the tank mentioned above is not absolutely pure; it is accompanied in particular by tobacco dust, ribs, that is to say hard segments originating from the ribs of the tobacco leaf, or even particles absolutely foreign to tobacco, such as metal particles, wood waste or the like. . The presence of these various unwanted components as well as these foreign elements comes mainly from the conditions of manufacture and handling of tobacco until it arrives in the storage tank.

Il est essentiel, afin d'assurer une production de cigarettes de qualité, de retirer l'ensemble des ces impuretés avant qu'elles n'atteignent l'élément de la machine chargé de fabriquer le boudin de tabac; à côté du fait que la cigarette terminée doit être exempte de tout corps étranger, il est nécessaire de les retirer au plus tôt afin d'éviter des colmatages, et des dégâts du distributeur causés par la présence de ces impuretés, ces dégâts entraînant généralement un blocage de la machine, nécessitant un démontage de la partie bloquée. La présence de ces corps étrangers dans le tabac entraîne donc une diminution de la cadence de production et corrélativement une augmentation des coûts de production.It is essential, in order to ensure the production of quality cigarettes, to remove all of these impurities before they reach the element of the machine responsible for manufacturing the tobacco rod; besides the fact that the finished cigarette must be free of any foreign body, it is necessary to remove them as soon as possible in order to avoid blockages, and damage to the dispenser caused by the presence of these impurities, this damage generally resulting in a blockage of the machine, requiring disassembly of the blocked part. The presence of these foreign bodies in tobacco therefore leads to a decrease in the production rate and correspondingly an increase in production costs.

Le problème de l'élimination des poussières de tabac a déjà été résolu, en particulier en disposant une écluse tangentielle à l'entrée du distributeur, comme décrite dans la demande de brevet CH 4450/87-6 correspondant à la demande européenne A1.0.317.504. et au brevet US-A-4.932.423; l'adjonction d'un tel dispositif à l'entrée du distributeur permet en outre une alimentation de tabac en continu, le flux de tabac étant ainsi plus aéré que si l'alimentation se fait par lots, comme dans la plupart des distributeurs de l'art antérieur, ce qui a pour conséquence néfaste de tasser le tabac. Il n'en reste pas moins que les distributeurs actuels ne permettent pas de séparer efficacement les côtes du tabac ainsi que d'éliminer les corps étrangers qui pourraient s'y trouver, ceci sans créer de bouchons de tabac obturant l'une ou l'autre partie du distributeur et surtout sans endommager les brins de tabac.The problem of eliminating tobacco dust has already been resolved, in particular by having a tangential lock at the entrance to the distributor, as described in patent application CH 4450 / 87-6 corresponding to European application A1.0.317 .504. and to US-A-4,932,423; the addition of such a device to the inlet of the dispenser also allows a continuous supply of tobacco, the tobacco flow being thus more aerated than if the feeding is done in batches, as in most distributors of the prior art, which has the harmful consequence of packing tobacco. The fact remains that current distributors do not allow effective separation of the ribs from tobacco as well as the elimination of foreign bodies which may be there, without creating tobacco plugs blocking one or the other. other part of the dispenser and above all without damaging the tobacco strands.

Divers essais ont été tentés afin d'obtenir un distributeur de ce type, mais tous comportent un certain nombre de défauts les empêchant de fonctionner convenablement. En particulier, dans ceux décrits dans les brevets GB-A-1.204.910 et FR-A-2.087.812 où un flux d'air devant séparer les côtes et déchets du flux de tabac s'oppose directement à la circulation desdites côtes et déchets, ce qui crée un bouchon bloquant le fonctionnement du distributeur. De plus, dans le premier de ces deux documents, l'arrivée du tabac directement en face d'un déflecteur augmente les risques de création d'un bouchon à cet endroit, alors que dans le deuxième de ces documents, le tabac étant fortement projeté par l'intermédiaire d'une roue dentée contre une paroi faisant face à l'orifice d'entrée du tabac, il s'ensuit une forte dégradation des brins de tabac. Un autre distributeur est décrit dans la demande de brevet publiée GB-A-1.037.695 où la séparation des déchets d'avec le flux principal se fait dans une chambre ne comportant pas de déflecteur et où les brins de tabac entraînés avec les déchets ne sont pas récupérés. Un autre inconvénient du dispositif décrit ici tient du fait que le tabac est projeté dans un canal étranglé, ce qui crée un bouchon. Les deux demandes GB-A-2.165.136 et GB-A-2.216.768 décrivent elles aussi des distributeurs mais qui comportent chacun au-moins trois entrées de flux d'air; la multiplicité de ces flux d'air engendre des tourbillons à l'intérieur de la chambre de séparation, ce qui est néfaste à une bonne séparation des déchets du flux de tabac et d'autre part en augmentant la quantité d'air introduit dans la chambre, on augmente d'autant les difficultés pour l'extraire ensuite de cette chambre de séparation. D'autre part, le premier de ces deux derniers documents décrit un distributeur dont la cheminée de récupération du tabac va en s'amincissant ce qui favorise la création de bouchons, alors que le dernier de ces documents, de par le système de circulation d'air décrit, crée beaucoup de poussière de tabac et consomme donc une quantité importante de tabac quine se retrouvera pas dans les produits finis.Various attempts have been made to obtain a distributor of this type, but all of them have a certain number of defects preventing them from operating properly. In particular, in those described in patents GB-A-1,204,910 and FR-A-2,087,812 where an air flow which has to separate the ribs and waste from the tobacco flow directly opposes the circulation of said ribs and waste, which creates a plug blocking the operation of the dispenser. In addition, in the first of these two documents, the arrival of tobacco directly in front of a deflector increases the risk of creating a plug at this location, whereas in the second of these documents, the tobacco being strongly projected by the intermediary of a toothed wheel against a wall facing the orifice of entry of the tobacco, it follows a strong degradation of the tobacco strands. Another distributor is described in published patent application GB-A-1,037,695 where the separation of the waste from the main flow takes place in a chamber having no deflector and where the tobacco strands entrained with the waste do not are not recovered. Another drawback of the device described here stems from the fact that the tobacco is projected into a throttled channel, which creates a plug. The two applications GB-A-2,165,136 and GB-A-2,216,768 also describe distributors but which each comprise at least three air flow inlets; the multiplicity of these air flows generates vortices inside the separation chamber, which is detrimental to good separation of the waste from the tobacco flow and on the other hand by increasing the amount of air introduced into the chamber, the difficulties to extract it from this separation chamber are all the more increased. On the other hand, the first of these last two documents describes a dispenser whose tobacco recovery chimney becomes thinner which favors the creation of plugs, while the last of these documents, by the circulation system of The air described creates a lot of tobacco dust and therefore consumes a significant amount of tobacco which will not be found in the finished products.

Le but de l'invention est donc de proposer un distributeur alimentant une machine de fabrication de produits de l'industrie du tabac, en particulier une machine de fabrication de cigarettes, ne rencontrant pas les inconvénients des dispositifs connus de l'art antérieur, étant particulièrement apte à transporter, doser et stocker le tabac nécessaire pour alimenter la machine de fabrication en continu afin que le tabac soit bien aéré et qu'il ne soit pas nécessaire de le carder à nouveau à l'entrée de la machine, que les poussières ainsi que les côtes et les divers déchets se trouvant mélangés au flux de tabac entrant dans le distributeur soient efficacement séparés des brins de tabac utiles, et que les éventuels brins de tabac emportés avec les déchets puissent être récupérés et réintégrés au flux de tabac utile, ceci sans endommager les brins de tabac servant à la fabrication des cigarettes ni aucune pièce du distributeur ou de la machine.The object of the invention is therefore to propose a distributor supplying a machine for manufacturing tobacco industry products, in particular a machine for manufacturing cigarettes, not encountering the drawbacks of the devices known from the prior art, being particularly suitable for transporting, dose and store the tobacco necessary to feed the manufacturing machine continuously so that the tobacco is well ventilated and there is no need to card again at the entrance of the machine, as the dust as well as the ribs and the various wastes being mixed with the tobacco flow entering the dispenser are effectively separated from the useful tobacco strands, and that any tobacco strands carried with the waste can be recovered and reintegrated into the useful tobacco flow, without damaging the strands tobacco used to make cigarettes or any part of the dispenser or machine.

Afin d'atteindre ce but, le distributeur selon l'invention possède les caractéristiques mentionnées dans les revendications.In order to achieve this object, the dispenser according to the invention has the characteristics mentioned in the claims.

Le fonctionnement du distributeur selon l'invention est particulièrement compréhensible à l'examen de la figure unique qui est en une vue de côté schématique selon une coupe transversale.The operation of the dispenser according to the invention is particularly understandable on examination of the single figure which is in a schematic side view in a cross section.

Le distributeur 1 est précédé en amont d'un réservoir de stockage (non représenté), une conduite d'alimentation 10 amène le tabac 20 chargé de poussières, de côtes et éventuellement de corps étrangers au distributeur 1. Le transport du tabac 20 par la conduite 10 entre le réservoir et l'écluse rotative 11, qui forme la partie supérieure du distributeur 1, se fait à l'aide d'un courant d'air engendré par la turbine 11a qui aspire le tabac 20 du réservoir de stockage et élimine l'air ayant servi à son transport ainsi que les poussières de tabac par un conduit axial d'évacuation; le tabac 21 auquel les poussières ont donc été retirées tombe ensuite dans un tambour à compartiments 11b chargé de doser la quantité de tabac fournie à la trémie 12. Ce dispositif d'écluse rotative est décrit en détail dans la demande de brevet mentionnée précédemment, et vu qu'il ne fait pas partie de la présente invention, il ne sera pas décrit plus à fond ici.The distributor 1 is preceded upstream by a storage tank (not shown), a supply line 10 brings the tobacco 20 loaded with dust, ribs and possibly foreign bodies to the distributor 1. The transport of the tobacco 20 by the line 10 between the tank and the rotary valve 11, which forms the upper part of the distributor 1, is made using an air current generated by the turbine 11a which sucks the tobacco 20 from the storage tank and eliminates the air used for its transport as well as the tobacco dust by an axial evacuation duct; the tobacco 21 from which the dust has therefore been removed then falls into a compartment drum 11b responsible for dosing the quantity of tobacco supplied to the hopper 12. This rotary lock device is described in detail in the patent application mentioned above, and since it is not part of the present invention, it will not be described further here.

Le niveau de remplissage de la trémie 12 est contrôlé par les deux sondes de niveau 12a et 12b, indiquant respectivement un niveau maximum et un niveau minimum et commandant, par un dispositif non représenté, le pivotement du tambour à compartiments 11b afin de déverser le tabac 21 dans la trémie 12 jusqu'au niveau requis afin de former un stock tampon. Les sondes de niveau 12a et 12b, ainsi que le dispositif de commande sont d'un des types quelconques connus de la technique. Cette disposition permet une alimentation en continu de la trémie 12, le flux de tabac restant aéré dans ladite trémie et n'y étant pas tassé. Cette disposition permet en plus de s'affranchir d'un tapis de transport du tabac à l'entrée du distributeur.The filling level of the hopper 12 is controlled by the two level probes 12a and 12b, respectively indicating a maximum level and a minimum level and controlling, by a device not shown, the pivoting of the compartment drum 11b in order to pour the tobacco 21 in the hopper 12 to the level required to form a buffer stock. The level probes 12a and 12b, as well as the control device are of any type known in the art. This arrangement allows a continuous supply of the hopper 12, the tobacco flow remaining aerated in said hopper and not being packed there. This arrangement also makes it possible to dispense with a tobacco transport mat at the entrance to the dispenser.

Comme représenté sur la figure, la trémie 12 s'évase vers le bas afin d'éviter les colmatages et débouche sur un dispositif de tambours à picots 13a et 13b, dont le premier tambour 13a, de diamètre important, obstrue le fond de la trémie 12. Ce tambour à picots 13a tourne à faible vitesse, de l'ordre de 1 à 2 t/min, et détermine le débit du tabac 21 à travers la machine. Le second tambour à picots 13b, de diamètre nettement inférieur au diamètre du premier, tourne dans le même sens que le premier à une vitesse nettement supérieure, soit 100 à 150 t/min. Chacun de ces tambours est constitué d'un cylindre sur lequel une pluralité de picots ont été fixés radialement; les picots de l'un et de l'autre des tambours sont décalés afin que les picots du premier tambour 13a puissent croiser ceux du second tambour 13b sans entrer en contact. Ainsi, le tabac 21 est doucement extrait de la trémie 12, entraîné tangentiellement par les picots du tambour 13a, l'action antagoniste des picots du tambour 13b venant ensuite extraire les brins de tabac, ainsi que les côtes et les corps étrangers, pris entre les picots du tambour 13a. Ces deux tambours sont entraînés en rotation à vitesse contrôlée par des moteurs et dispositifs non représentés sur la figure.As shown in the figure, the hopper 12 widens down in order to avoid clogging and leads to a device of spiked drums 13a and 13b, the first drum 13a, of large diameter, obstructs the bottom of the hopper 12. This spiked drum 13a rotates at low speed, of the order of 1 to 2 rpm, and determines the flow of tobacco 21 through the machine. The second spiked drum 13b, of diameter much smaller than the diameter of the first, rotates in the same direction as the first at a much higher speed, ie 100 to 150 rpm. Each of these drums consists of a cylinder on which a plurality of pins have been fixed radially; the pins of one and the other of the drums are offset so that the pins of the first drum 13a can cross those of the second drum 13b without coming into contact. Thus, the tobacco 21 is gently extracted from the hopper 12, driven tangentially by the pins of the drum 13a, the opposing action of the pins of the drum 13b then coming to extract the tobacco strands, as well as the ribs and the foreign bodies, caught between the pins of the drum 13a. These two drums are driven in rotation at a speed controlled by motors and devices not shown in the figure.

Après avoir été extrait du tambour 13a par le tambour 13b, le tabac 21 arrive dans la chambre de flottaison 14 où il sera séparé de ses côtes et des éventuels corps étrangers qu'il contient. Pour ceci, et afin que cette séparation se fasse sans endommager les brins de tabac, le tabac 21 "flotte" dans cette chambre de flottaison 14, étant supporté par un fort courant d'air 14a introduit par l'une des faces de la chambre 14. C'est lorsque ce tabac est soutenu par le courant d'air que sa séparation d'avec les côtes et corps étrangers 22 peut se faire; en effet, ceux-ci étant plus lourds que les brins de tabac, ils auront tendance à descendre par gravité au fond de la chambre alors que les brins de tabac épurés 23 auront tendance à rester au sommet de la chambre 14 et à s'échapper par la cheminée 15. Lorsque les déchets à éliminer 22 se séparent du tabac 21 comme indiqué, ils entraînent avec eux un certain nombre de brins de tabac qu'il peut être avantageux de récupérer; pour ceci, la chambre de flottaison 14 est munie d'un déflecteur 14b définissant deux canaux de circulation à l'intérieur de la chambre. Le premier canal laisse descendre les déchets éliminés 22 comprenant aussi une certaine quantité de brins de tabac à récupérer. Lorsque ce flux arrive au bas du déflecteur, il arrive dans une région de la chambre où règne une certaine dépression qui aura tendance à extraire les particules légères du flux, soit les brins de tabac à récupérer, et les fera circuler par le second canal afin de rejoindre le flux principal de tabac épuré 23. Les conditions de pression et de dépression à l'intérieur de la chambre 14 sont principalement déterminées par la forme des parois de la chambre ainsi que par la forme et la position du déflecteur 14b à l'intérieur de la chambre. C'est pourquoi, vu que les conditions de séparation des côtes et corps étrangers du flux de tabac, puis de séparation des brins de tabac à récupérer du flux des déchets et ensuite de recombinaison des brins de tabac récupérés au flux de tabac épuré, dépendent essentiellement des caractéristiques dudit tabac, humidité, longueur des brins, etc, la position du déflecteur 14b à l'intérieur de la chambre 14 doit pouvoir être ajustée afin d'obtenir les bonnes pressions et dépressions pour que les différentes opérations mentionnées plus haut puissent se faire correctement, soit que le maximum de côtes et de corps étrangers soit éliminés du flux de tabac en perdant le minimum de tabac et ceci sans endommager les brins de tabac. Le système d'ajustage de position du déflecteur 14b peut être conçu de diverses manières, soit, selon une forme d'exécution préférentielle, en munissant le déflecteur 14b d'un axe transversal autour duquel il peut pivoter et en réglant la position angulaire du déflecteur autour de cet axe, soit en prévoyant un certain nombre d'encoches de positionnement des extrémités du déflecteur dans les parois latérales de la chambre et en installant le déflecteur dans l'une ou l'autre de ces encoches, ou par n'importe quel moyen d'ajustage en position; il est aussi possible, lorsque ce dispositif est destiné à fonctionner avec une qualité bien déterminée de tabac, de prévoir un déflecteur fixe à l'intérieur de la chambre, la position de ce déflecteur ayant été auparavant optimisée par n'importe quel moyen.After having been extracted from the drum 13a by the drum 13b, the tobacco 21 arrives in the flotation chamber 14 where it will be separated from its ribs and any foreign bodies it contains. For this, and so that this separation takes place without damaging the tobacco strands, the tobacco 21 "floats" in this flotation chamber 14, being supported by a strong current of air 14a introduced by one of the faces of the chamber 14. It is when this tobacco is supported by the air current that its separation from the ribs and foreign bodies 22 can take place; indeed, these being heavier than the tobacco strands, they will tend to descend by gravity to the bottom of the chamber while the purified tobacco strands 23 will tend to remain at the top of the chamber 14 and to escape by the chimney 15. When the waste to be eliminated 22 separates from the tobacco 21 as indicated, they carry with them a certain number of tobacco strands which it may be advantageous to recover; for this, the flotation chamber 14 is provided with a deflector 14b defining two circulation channels inside the chamber. The first channel lets down the eliminated waste 22 also comprising a certain amount of tobacco strands to be recovered. When this flow arrives at the bottom of the deflector, it arrives in a region of the chamber where there is a certain depression which will tend to extract the light particles from the flow, namely the strands of tobacco to be recovered, and will circulate them through the second channel to join the main stream of purified tobacco 23. The pressure and depression conditions at the interior of the chamber 14 are mainly determined by the shape of the walls of the chamber as well as by the shape and the position of the deflector 14b inside the chamber. This is why, given that the conditions for separation of the ribs and foreign bodies from the tobacco flow, then separation of the tobacco strands to be recovered from the waste flow and then the recombination of the recovered tobacco strands with the flow of purified tobacco, depend essentially characteristics of said tobacco, humidity, length of the strands, etc., the position of the deflector 14b inside the chamber 14 must be able to be adjusted in order to obtain the right pressures and depressions so that the various operations mentioned above can be do correctly, or that the maximum of ribs and foreign bodies is eliminated from the tobacco flow by losing the minimum of tobacco and this without damaging the tobacco strands. The deflector 14b position adjustment system can be designed in various ways, either, according to a preferred embodiment, by providing the deflector 14b with a transverse axis around which it can pivot and by adjusting the angular position of the deflector. around this axis, either by providing a number of positioning notches for the ends of the deflector in the side walls of the chamber and by installing the deflector in one or other of these notches, or by any position adjustment means; it is also possible, when this device is intended to operate with a well-defined quality of tobacco, to provide a fixed deflector inside the chamber, the position of this deflector having been previously optimized by any means.

On remarque sur la figure que les différents flux décrits plus haut ne vont jamais dans un sens opposé entre eux; ceci provient de la forme aérodynamique de la chambre de flottaison 14, de la position du déflecteur 14b disposé relativement vers le bas de ladite chambre ainsi que du fait que la flottaison du tabac et la séparation des déchets et côtes se fait par un seul flux d'air 14a. De cette manière, on augmente l'efficacité de la séparation tout en ménageant les brins de tabac et on évite les possibilités de création de bouchons.Note in the figure that the different flows described above never go in an opposite direction between them; this comes from the aerodynamic shape of the flotation chamber 14, of the position of the deflector 14b disposed relatively downwards of said chamber as well as of the fact that the flotation of tobacco and the separation of waste and ribs is done by a single air flow 14a. In this way, the efficiency of the separation is increased while preserving the tobacco strands and the possibilities of creating plugs are avoided.

Les débris 22 comprenant les côtes et les corps étrangers vont ensuite se déposer dans un bac de récupération 14c disposé au fond de la chambre de flottaison 14, alors que le flux de tabac épuré 23 s'en échappe par la cheminée 15, transporté par le courant d'air 14a. Après avoir passé par la cheminée 15, une nouvelle écluse rotative 16 est chargée d'éliminer d'air ayant servi au transport du tabac, par l'intermédiaire de la turbine 16a, alors que comme précédemment, le tambour à compartiment 16b régularise le flux de tabac 23. Le tabac passe par un nouveau dispositif de tambours à picots 17a et 17b, fonctionnant comme celui décrit plus haut, afin de séparer les brins de tabac les uns des autres et éviter qu'ils ne s'agglomèrent entre eux. Le tabac tombe ensuite sur un dispositif de transport à courroie 18 qui l'amène à un dispositif d'écrêtage et de compression 19, pouvant être du type décrit dans les demandes de brevet CH 3013/88-8, correspondant à la demande européenne A1.0.354.874 et au brevet US-A-5.003.996, et CH 2121/90-7, correspondant à la demande européenne 91810480.3 et à la demande US-07/682 248; ce dispositif n'est pas décrit plus à fond ici.The debris 22 comprising the ribs and the foreign bodies will then be deposited in a recovery tank 14c disposed at the bottom of the flotation chamber 14, while the stream of purified tobacco 23 escapes through the chimney 15, transported by the air flow 14a. After passing through the chimney 15, a new rotary lock 16 is responsible for eliminating air used for the transport of tobacco, via the turbine 16a, while as before, the drum with compartment 16b regulates the flow tobacco 23. The tobacco passes through a new device of spiked drums 17a and 17b, operating as that described above, in order to separate the tobacco strands from one another and prevent them from agglomerating between them. The tobacco then falls on a conveyor belt device 18 which brings it to a clipping and compression device 19, which may be of the type described in patent applications CH 3013 / 88-8, corresponding to European application A1 .0.354.874 and to patent US-A-5,003,996, and CH 2121 / 90-7, corresponding to European application 91810480.3 and to application US-07/682 248; this device is not described further here.

Sur les côtés de la trémie 12, des ouvertures 12c et 12d permettent de recycler du tabac provenant en particulier de l'écrêtage ou de tout autre endroit du cycle de production où des brins de tabac se seraient échappés du flux principal; vu que ce recyclage se fait avant la séparation des déchets, d'éventuelles impuretés dans le tabac recyclé seront aussi éliminées.On the sides of the hopper 12, openings 12c and 12d make it possible to recycle tobacco coming in particular from clipping or from any other place in the production cycle where tobacco strands are would have escaped from the main stream; as this recycling takes place before the separation of the waste, possible impurities in the recycled tobacco will also be eliminated.

Ainsi, le distributeur selon l'invention, associé à une machine à cigarettes, remplit les fonctions habituelle d'un tel organe de machine, soit le transport, le dosage et le stockage intermédiaire du tabac, mais de plus, de par la conception aérodynamique particulière de sa chambre de flottaison, les côtes et corps étrangers au tabac sont complètement éliminés du flux principal de tabac, ceci en minimisant la perte de tabac et en évitant d'endommager les brins de tabac ainsi que les sections mécaniques de la machine tels que les picots, les aiguilles, etc. L'adjonction d'un distributeur selon l'invention à une machine à cigarettes augmente de façon notable son rendement et diminue les coûts de production.Thus, the dispenser according to the invention, associated with a cigarette machine, fulfills the usual functions of such a machine member, namely the transport, metering and intermediate storage of tobacco, but moreover, by the aerodynamic design particular of its flotation chamber, the ribs and foreign bodies to the tobacco are completely eliminated from the main flow of tobacco, this minimizing the loss of tobacco and avoiding damaging the tobacco strands as well as the mechanical sections of the machine such as pins, needles, etc. The addition of a dispenser according to the invention to a cigarette machine significantly increases its yield and reduces production costs.

Claims (10)

1-Distributeur (1) associé à une machine de fabrication de produits de l'industrie du tabac, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend une chambre de flottaison (14) dans laquelle des côtes du tabac ainsi que des objets étrangers au tabac (22) sont séparés d'un flux de tabac épuré (23) par gravité, ledit flux de tabac épuré étant transporté par un flux d'air (14a), ladite chambre de flottaison étant alimentée par un seul flux d'air, et en ce que ledit flux d'air n'est jamais à contre-courant d'un flux de tabac ou d'un flux de côtes et corps étrangers au tabac. 1- Distributor (1) associated with a machine for manufacturing tobacco industry products, characterized in that it comprises a flotation chamber (14) in which ribs of tobacco as well as objects foreign to tobacco (22 ) are separated from a stream of purified tobacco (23) by gravity, said stream of purified tobacco being transported by an air stream (14a), said flotation chamber being supplied by a single air stream, and in this that said air flow is never against the flow of a tobacco flow or a flow of ribs and bodies foreign to the tobacco. 2-Distributeur selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend en outre une première écluse rotative (11) à l'entrée dudit distributeur. 2- A distributor according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a first rotary valve (11) at the entrance of said distributor. 3-Distributeur selon la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce qu'il n'est pas alimenté en tabac par un tapis de transport. 3- A dispenser according to claim 2, characterized in that it is not supplied with tobacco by a conveyor belt. 4-Distributeur selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que la séparation des côtes du tabac ainsi que des objets étrangers est faite avant que ceux-ci ne puissent pénétrer dans la machine de fabrication de produits de l'industrie du tabac. 4- A dispenser according to claim 1, characterized in that the separation of the ribs of the tobacco as well as foreign objects is made before they can enter the machine for manufacturing products from the tobacco industry. 5-Distributeur selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que la chambre de flottaison est séparée en deux parties par un déflecteur (14b). 5- Distributor according to claim 1, characterized in that the flotation chamber is separated into two parts by a deflector (14b). 6-Distributeur selon la revendication 5, caractérisé en ce qu'un flux d'air pénètre par une portion latérale de ladite chambre de flottaison, ledit déflecteur déterminant des zones de surpression et de dépression à l'intérieur de la chambre de flottaison. 6- Distributor according to claim 5, characterized in that an air flow penetrates through a lateral portion of said flotation chamber, said deflector determining zones of overpressure and depression inside the flotation chamber. 7-Distributeur selon la revendication 6, caractérisé en ce que la position dudit déflecteur à l'intérieur de la chambre de flottaison est ajustable, sa position étant choisie selon les conditions d'écoulement relatives du tabac et des parties à séparer. 7- A dispenser according to claim 6, characterized in that the position of said deflector inside the flotation chamber is adjustable, its position being chosen according to the relative flow conditions of the tobacco and the parts to be separated. 8-Distributeur selon la revendication 6, caractérisé en ce que la position dudit déflecteur à l'intérieur de la chambre de flottaison est fixe. 8- A distributor according to claim 6, characterized in that the position of said deflector inside the flotation chamber is fixed. 9-Distributeur selon la revendication 5, caractérisé en ce que les brins de tabac entraînés avec les côtes et corps étrangers sont récupérés et retournés au flux de tabac épuré, en passant par la seconde partie de la chambre de flottaison. 9- A dispenser according to claim 5, characterized in that the tobacco strands entrained with the ribs and foreign bodies are recovered and returned to the stream of purified tobacco, passing through the second part of the flotation chamber. 10-Distributeur selon l'une des revendications précédentes caractérisé en ce qu'il est associé à une machine de fabrication de cigarettes. 10- Distributor according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that it is associated with a cigarette manufacturing machine.
EP91810692A 1990-09-07 1991-08-30 Distributor Withdrawn EP0474602A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH2915/90A CH683883A5 (en) 1990-09-07 1990-09-07 cigarette machine distributor.
CH2915/90 1990-09-07

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EP1285592A2 (en) 2001-08-16 2003-02-26 Hauni Maschinenbau AG Apparatus for forming a tobacco rod in a rod making machine
EP1447015A1 (en) * 2003-02-15 2004-08-18 Hauni Maschinenbau AG Zig-Zag classifier for a product flow

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US3173861A (en) * 1960-06-22 1965-03-16 American Tobacco Co Feeding mechanism for cigarette-making machine
US3255764A (en) * 1962-03-12 1966-06-14 American Mach & Foundry Cigarette maker
GB1037695A (en) * 1962-06-11 1966-08-03 American Mach & Foundry Tobacco feed for automatic cigarette making machines
GB1204910A (en) * 1966-12-09 1970-09-09 Hauni Werke Koerber & Co Kg Arrangement for feeding tobacco
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GB2216768A (en) * 1988-03-29 1989-10-18 Koerber Ag Method of and apparatus for eliminating irregularities from a stream of fibrous material

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1285592A2 (en) 2001-08-16 2003-02-26 Hauni Maschinenbau AG Apparatus for forming a tobacco rod in a rod making machine
EP1447015A1 (en) * 2003-02-15 2004-08-18 Hauni Maschinenbau AG Zig-Zag classifier for a product flow

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