EP1138214B1 - Device for self-rolling cigarettes - Google Patents

Abstract

The arrangement has a cigarette conveyor (30), a tobacco strand shaper (20), a tobacco strand conveyer, a casing alignment device, electric motors for the driven parts, and preferably an electronic process controller which monitors the operating state of the equipment with the aid of sensors, regulates it and displays it. Independent claims are also included for a cigarette conveyor, tobacco strand shaper, tobacco strand conveyer and casing alignment device.

Description

The present invention relates to a cigarette maker and its components, e.g. a sleeve or cigarette conveyor with one Lifting device, a tobacco rod shaping device with a plucking roller, a tobacco rod conveyor with a spring tappet and a sleeve aligner with a narrow insertion gap for the sleeve.

Crgarette self-made devices are small, for example Hand stuffing devices are known in which a tobacco blank by means of a Sliding device is inserted into an externally placed sleeve. Such Small devices require a relatively high level of manual effort and therefore also a relatively long production time if several cigarettes are manufactured should. Furthermore, the quality of the cigarettes produced is very strong depends on the skill of the operator and it is often rejected produced.

In order to solve these problems, automatic cigarette filling machines have been proposed as they are known for example from DE 33 43 500 C2 and which automate the self-production of cigarettes as much as possible. Such Automatic cigarette filling machines are known from DE 33 47 966 C2, DE 33 47 967 C2, DE 33 47 968 C2 and DE 32 47 370 A1 and EP 0 144 060 B1 known.

As far as tobacco dosing is concerned, at the above-mentioned level Technology uses a hopper, underneath which a crushing or conveyor is arranged. This crushing or Conveyors consist, for example, of single or double provided knife shafts or pin shafts that contain the long-fiber stuffed tobacco disadvantageously stress and crush. From DE 425 478 a cigarette stuffing device with several spiked rollers known in which the first roller directly under a completely closed hopper attachment is arranged.

Regarding the sleeve feed is in the state of the art periodically either suggested the sleeves away from an inclined plane simply drop it into a receptacle from which it then axially to one Receiving cone are conveyed or the sleeves by means of a gripping device from a sleeve magazine, which is pivoted and the empty one Passes sleeve here. Because empty sleeves deform easily and in one obliquely arranged sleeve magazine not always in parallel one after the other are arranged, exists in both above-mentioned sleeve conveyors after The prior art has the disadvantage that it cannot always be guaranteed can that exactly one undeformed sleeve is passed on to the tamping process. The separation of the sleeves in the undeformed state and thus a a smooth process can hardly be guaranteed, since at slightest misalignments or in case of sleeve deformation Jamming a crushing of the empty sleeve section and thus enforced shutdown will occur. Also, the sleeves always have to be axially conveyed to a cone-like with their open forehead Device to be applied. This can damage the sleeve respectively. DE 241 698 proposes to lift out a cigarette tube from a sleeve magazine, the bottom of which is articulated on one side to pivot; this means that, as far as the separation of the sleeves is concerned special complicated devices can be arranged.

To insert a preformed tobacco rod into an empty tube used according to the prior art plunger, such as in the EP 0 144 060 proposed an insertion aid at its front end (Scoop). The scale spoon is disadvantageous according to the the above European patent rigidly arranged at the front end of the ram, so that while he is together with the tobacco rod in the pod the tobacco expansion is hampered. If completely without insertion aid is working, it proves difficult to make a tobacco rod with axial insert homogeneous packing density into the sleeve, because during this process a relatively disordered longitudinal compression will occur. From DE-OS 22 09 862 a manual cigarette tamping device is known which has a slide and a piston having a batch of tobacco and a filter in one predetermined order shifts.

DE-93 17 497 U1 describes a device for the self-production of Cigarettes that have a bore with a coaxially arranged guide rod for Includes recording a cigarette tube.

It is the object of the present invention a cigarette self-manufacturing device or to improve its modules so that the aforementioned Disadvantages of the prior art are overcome as far as possible.

Here is at least part of the object of the present invention therein, a sleeve or cigarette conveyor for a cigarette-making device to provide the pods reliably sporadically and if possible, feeds the tamping process without deformation.

Another object of the present invention is a tobacco rod shaping device to provide a gentle treatment of the long-fiber stuffed tobacco.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a Tobacco strand conveyor available for a cigarette-making device to ask the expansion of the tobacco in the cigarette tube after the Insertion does not hinder and ensures that cigarettes are homogeneous Packing density arises.

The invention is also intended to provide a sleeve aligner with which deformed Cigarette tubes in a simple and reliable way back in one processable state can be brought.

Finally, the present invention is intended to be a self-made cigarette maker provide the mentioned disadvantages of the state technology overcomes.

The aforementioned objects of the present invention are achieved by the Objects of the independent claims solved. The subclaims describe advantageous embodiments of the invention.

• ein Hülsenmagazin zur Aufnahme eines Vorrats leerer Cigarettenhülsen,
• eine Austragsvorrichtung für eine mit einem Tabakmaterial zu füllende Hülse,
• eine Halteeinrichtung zum Halten der Hülse während des Füllvorgangs, und
• ein Cigarettenmagazin zur Aufnahme der gefüllten Cigaretten.

An inventive sleeve or cigarette conveyor for a cigarette-making device has the following elements:

• a cartridge magazine to hold a supply of empty cigarette tubes,
• a discharge device for a sleeve to be filled with a tobacco material,
• a holding device for holding the sleeve during the filling process, and
• a cigarette magazine to hold the filled cigarettes.

According to the present invention, the discharge device is a lifting device, which lifts a sleeve from below out of the sleeve magazine, the Lifting device has a slide, the upper edge of which is a longitudinal trough (sub-format) Has.

The advantage of this sleeve or cigarette conveyor is in particular that by lifting the sleeve out of a magazine in which the sleeves normally lie loosely next to each other, no stresses occur that prevent production Can cause deformations. The ones located above the sleeve to be lifted out other sleeves in the sleeve magazine simply slide on the sleeve to be lifted out and due to their low weight, they cannot remain Generate deformations.

The slide in the sleeve magazine is preferably arranged so that the longitudinal trough in the lowered state part of the ground at the lowest point of the Sleeve magazine forms. This is the only point of the sleeve magazine a cigarette tube which, when lowered, into the longitudinal recess "fall in". The longitudinal trough engages around the sleeve from below without deforming Powers are exercised. This can ensure when moving the slider up that the sleeve comes up without damage, and in particular, that only a sleeve is arranged in the longitudinal trough. In particular if there are relatively few sleeves in the sleeve magazine, this will already be Arrangement ensure that after opening the sleeve this is the only one undeformed sleeve is driven to the place and is held in a form-fitting manner where it is to be filled with tobacco.

The slide can preferably be arranged on a straight wall of the sleeve magazine on which he drives up, with bumpers on the upper part of the wall are arranged, all of the pods except for the one in the trough of the slide is able to convey back into the sleeve magazine.

The advantage of this embodiment is particularly evident when there are many sleeves in the sleeve magazine. When the slider is raised the straight wall of the sleeve magazine forms a stable system for the on the Longitudinally lying sleeve to be raised, while possibly still lying on this other sleeves are stripped at the latest when the upper edge of the slide is driven into the upper area of the wall. This ensures that also at full sleeve magazine, the sleeve separation is easily possible.

The deflectors can be at least one and preferably two pivotably arranged Have clips that run transversely to the longitudinal recess of the slide and at The slider first comes to rest on the lifted sleeve, while continuing to boot up past the sleeve into slots in the Slide the slider so that they are below the sleeve and when descending the filled cigarette into the cigarette magazine. In this way, the deflectors are also used as forwarding devices for the filled cigarette can be used, which this when moving the slide out Lift out the longitudinal recess so that the cigarette automatically enters the cigarette magazine falls.

In an embodiment described above, the clips are preferably on one common pivot axis arranged and by means of a lever weight in the direction of rotation so biased that when lifting the sleeve with its middle Sections first press lightly on these while their front sections reject further sleeves. One of the clasps advantageously comes on the filter a filter sleeve where the force generated by the lever weight is none Deformation of the cigarette allowed. Because of the connection of both clips In this state, the other clasp becomes the empty cigarette paper do not deform the sleeve.

In one embodiment of the sleeve or cigarette conveyor according to the invention the holding device for holding the sleeve during the filling process trough-like wrap (top format) on the sleeve or the cigarette from above her at least partially includes. The longitudinal recess of the slide (sub-format) in raised state together with the trough-like encirclement of the Holding device substantially completely enclose the sleeve during the filling process.

According to the invention, the cigarette tube is opened after the slide is opened held in place by a wrap from the outside during the tamping process. It is no longer necessary, the sleeve axially by means of a displacement device to drive onto a conical nozzle, as is done in the prior art.

Advantageously, this saves the entire movement facial expressions and moreover the risk of deformation during such a movement can be eliminated. The encirclement in the holding device can possibly open pre-deformed sleeves gently brought back into a circular shape.

In a preferred embodiment, the holding device has sensors in particular a light barrier that detects the presence of a sleeve or cigarette or detect the empty state of the holding device. This creates a control mechanism made available, which ensures that only then another sleeve is inserted into the holding device when the cigarette that was previously manufactured has been ejected.

In a further development of the sleeve or cigarette conveyor according to the invention the sleeve magazine and / or the cigarette magazine are designed as drawers, wherein in particular the bottom is designed like a grid. Since not always to be excluded is that tobacco remains in the pod magazine or the cigarette magazine can best be kept free of such tobacco residues, if these remnants just fall through the floor. This is possible if this floor is designed like a grid, for example as a wire grid. If a removable one below the sleeve magazine and / or the cigarette magazine Falling container is provided, the fallen tobacco can without problems be eliminated.

This makes the design of the sleeve or cigarette magazine as a drawer easier Insert the pods or remove the cigarettes.

• einen trichterartig ausgebildeten Tabakmaterial-Einbringabschnitt,
• eine Vereinzelungsvorrichtung für das Tabakmaterial, und
• eine Tabakstrang-Preßeinrichtung.

A tobacco rod shaping device according to the present invention, which can be provided in particular for a cigarette-making device, has the following components:

• a funnel-like tobacco material introduction section,
• a separating device for the tobacco material, and
• a tobacco rod press.

The separating device is partially surrounded by a housing Roller with plucking devices arranged on the circumference of the roller, in particular one Plucking roller with plucking pins, by means of which the tobacco material is pressed into the tobacco rod is promoted. This is between the housing and the roller a gap is formed through which the portion formed from the funnel-like plucked tobacco is placed in the press. By plucking it is a gentle treatment of tobacco is advantageously guaranteed, the Long-fiber stuffed tobacco is not used as in the prior art (knife rollers) excessively torn and crushed. This has a positive effect on the filling capacity of the Tobacco.

According to the funnel-like insertion section has at least one radial to the roll axis directed wall section, in particular a Wall section is pivotally mounted so that it from a fixed Working position can be tilted away from the roller. Radially to the roller attached wall section can the tobacco in the funnel-shaped introduction section be plucked well. If a wall section can be tilted away, can for example after making a number of cigarettes from excess tobacco can be easily removed below the roller, preferably in a removable catcher can fall.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the tobacco rod press device has a tobacco chamber that opens and closes from at least one side can be, the movable side part of the chamber preferably by means of an eccentric against spring preload from the open to the closed Position is shifted and the opening width of the chamber preferably by means of a Actuator can be adjusted.

The wall sections encompassing the tobacco rod to be formed are according to the invention advantageously provided with an anti-stick coating, whereby pushing the tobacco out of the tobacco chamber can be facilitated.

The roller can be used removable. It is also preferably made of a corrosion-resistant material, for example aluminum, with an AlO ₂ surface layer.

The tobacco rod conveyor for a cigarette maker according to the The present invention has a pestle in a tobacco rod containing chamber can extend and retract, the plunger is an outer tube has, in turn, a guide rod that can run on its Front end has an insertion aid for the tobacco material. This training has the advantage that the insertion aid on the guide rod in the tubular pestle can be withdrawn while the tobacco is already located in the cigarette tube, while the outer tube is still attached to the Cigarette holder is in contact. In this condition, the tobacco that is in the Tobacco press chamber to a slightly smaller diameter than that Inner diameter of the cigarette tube is pressed after insertion into the Cigarette sleeve perform an expansion process that is not by the Insertion aid is hindered. The open tip of the cigarette is from End of the outer tube completed, so that a homogeneous tobacco distribution is made possible in the cigarette and thus essentially at all points is immediately pressure-resistant. The fact that the insertion aid at the end of tobacco Retracting sleeve adjacent outer tube is also prevented Spread the tobacco crumbs out of the cigarette when the insertion aid is extended become.

In one embodiment, the guide rod can Tobacco rod conveyor have at their rear end an approach with which against the pressure of a spring on the outer tube can be pulled out. The insertion aid for the tobacco material runs here into the outer tube. If the guide rod in such a configuration after the cigarette tube has been filled, this remains Outer tube, if it is suitably blocked, initially in contact with the front end of the cigarette. In order to pull the outer tube away from the cigarette, the blocking only has to be released so that the outer tube snaps back. The cigarette tube or the filled cigarette must therefore Filling process and are not moved until after its completion.

An insertion aid that can be used according to the invention has essentially the length of the tobacco rod and has a shape that pushes the tobacco rod only supported in the direction of conveyance. For example, it can be considered in one direction toothed leaf or be formed as a scoop.

As for the previously mentioned advantageous blocking of the outer tube in the position at the open end of the cigarette, there is an advantageous one Training in that the plunger at its rear end by means of a Eccentric drive is pushed back and forth, preferably one with the eccentric drive engaging bracket, in particular a retaining lever, the Outer tube when pulling out the guide rod after conveying the Holds tobacco rod in position.

The case aligner according to the invention, in particular on a cigarette-making device can be provided, has a recording for the Sleeve on, which consists of a circular gap between a housing and an Housing attached mandrel is made. The circular gap essentially shows that axial length of a cigarette tube on and at the introducer is a device provided with which the circular gap can be narrowed. Through the Narrowing of the round gap after inserting a deformed one The cigarette tube becomes a smoothing effect when this tube is pulled out effects, so that the cigarette tubes so treated again without further ado Cigarette manufacturing can be used. Advantageously, one such alignment of the sleeves can be carried out with a few hand movements.

In a preferred embodiment of the sleeve aligner, the narrowing device has a screw that can be screwed onto the introducer and arranged between mandrel and housing jaws, the gap between the jaws and the mandrel by turning the Clamping screw is narrowed.

In the area of the clamping jaws, an O-ring can be provided around the mandrel are, on which an adapter ring is preferably arranged for fixation is. With such a configuration, the centering of the O-ring can be used facilitate the insertion of the sleeves into the sleeve aligner using the adapter ring.

A cigarette self-manufacturing device according to the invention has one or several of the assemblies described above, namely a sleeve or Cigarette conveyor, a tobacco rod shaping device, one Tobacco rod conveyor or a case aligner. It shows the advantages associated with these assemblies as described above.

The cigarette self-manufacturing device can also be used for motors, in particular electric motors, have for the components to be driven and preferably one electronic sequence control, which uses sensors to determine the respective operating status of the device monitors, regulates and in particular by means of displays makes it recognizable to the outside.

The ram of the tobacco conveyor, the tobacco press chamber, the tobacco rod shaping device and the sleeve holding device for holding the sleeve during the filling process in a cigarette self-manufacturing device according to the invention arranged in a line, these components so are formed that when removing the plunger a through hole in this line exists. Such a through hole simplifies the Cleaning the device in the area of the tobacco chamber; this can be done in simpler Wise an elongated brush or a device like a pipe cleaner be pushed through.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Außenansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Cigaretten-Selbstverfertigungsgerätes;

Fig. 2

eine perspektivische Explosionsansicht der drei Hauptbaugruppen des Cigaretten-Selbstverfertigungsgerätes, nämlich eines Hülsen- bzw. Cigarettenförderers, einer Tabakstrang-Ausformeinrichtung und eines Tabakstrangförderers;

Fig. 3

einen schematischen Querschnitt durch eine Tabakstrang-Ausformeinrichtung;

Fig.4A bis 4D

eine schematische Darstellung eines Ablaufes der Tätigkeit eines erfindungsgemäßen Tabakstrangförderers;

Fig. 5

einen Längsschnitt durch einen erfindungsgemäßen Tabakstrangförderer mit den in Förderlinie des Tabakstrangs anliegenden Bauteilen;

Fig. 6A bis 6E

die Betriebszustände des Hülsen- bzw. Cigarettenförderers während der Fertigung einer Cigarette;

Fig. 7

die Darstellung aus Fig. 6E mit der Vergrößerung einer Einzelheit zur Sichtbarmachung der einzelnen Bauteile; und

Fig. 8

einen erfindungsgemäßen Hülsenausrichter.

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of a preferred embodiment of a cigarette-making device. In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1

an external perspective view of a cigarette-maker according to the invention;

Fig. 2

a perspective exploded view of the three main assemblies of the cigarette-making device, namely a sleeve or cigarette conveyor, a tobacco rod shaping device and a tobacco rod conveyor;

Fig. 3

a schematic cross section through a tobacco rod shaping device;

Fig.4A to 4D

a schematic representation of a sequence of activities of a tobacco rod conveyor according to the invention;

Fig. 5

a longitudinal section through a tobacco rod conveyor according to the invention with the components in the conveying line of the tobacco rod;

6A to 6E

the operating states of the sleeve or cigarette conveyor during the manufacture of a cigarette;

Fig. 7

6E with the enlargement of a detail to make the individual components visible; and

Fig. 8

a sleeve aligner according to the invention.

In the external perspective view of FIG. 1 is a self-made cigarette maker according to the invention can be seen as a whole, each with the housing or cladding sections 10, 20 and 30.

In the housing section 10 is the tobacco rod conveyor, from which a lens two components can be seen, namely the wheel 120 and the lever 110 of the eccentric drive. Furthermore, a button 60 is on the housing Commissioning of the device is provided as well as display devices 50, which the indicate the respective operating state, namely the plucking of the tobacco, the Pressing the tobacco rod and inserting the tobacco rod into the sleeve.

In the middle is the housing 20 for the tobacco rod shaping device, which will be explained in more detail below. Below the A view window provided in the housing 20 is also removable Collection container for tobacco residues is provided, which on its aperture 22 after can be pushed out at the front. With the help of the lever 62 can be the front Fold away wall section 214 to the front, and close it later Descriptive plucking roller 220 sits to empty the tobacco magazine 210 in rotation. With the help of the bayonet lock 61, the plucking roller be taken out, which will also be described later. On the right The case or cigarette conveyor section is located on the side of the housing 20 30, a sleeve magazine 310, a slide 340, an upper format 320 as well has a cigarette magazine 330.

Like the housing 20, the sleeve or cigarette conveyor has a lower one Collection container for tobacco material, which with the help of the panel 32 after can be pulled out at the front. The sleeve magazine 310 is a drawer executed and can be removed on the side wall 34. It is the same Cigarette magazine 330 designed as a drawer, which in turn on the Side wall 36 can be removed.

The individual functional assemblies of the cigarette-making device according to the illustrated embodiment are in Fig. 2 shown in perspective in an exploded view. On the left is here the tobacco rod conveyor 100 shown as an axially displaceable ram is trained. Of the tappet in Fig. 2, the outer tube 130 and the serrated sheet 150 visible, which serves as an insertion aid for the tobacco rod. axial the plunger is moved back and forth by means of an eccentric drive which emerges from the Eccentric disc 120 and the lever 110 is made. There is also a retaining lever 160 with a front locking projection 162 and a rear lever extension 164 is provided, which can run over an edge 112.

The tobacco rod shaping device 200 is shown in the middle of FIG. 2. she consists of a tobacco hopper 210 with the opposite upper funnel wall parts 212 and the radially arranged lower Funnel wall parts 214 and 216. The side wall part 214 is shown individually and can be tilted in the direction of the arrows to look down on tobacco the funnel 210 to clean.

Below the funnel 210, the housing 240 is arranged, in which one Plucking roller 220 is rotatably mounted, which has plucking pins 222. Between the There is a gap 230 in the peripheral wall of the roller 220 and the housing 240, through which the tobacco plucked from the hopper 210 is conveyed downward becomes. Below the roller is a tobacco chamber 270 into which the like subsidized tobacco previously described falls. The in the drawing of FIG. 2nd front side wall of the tobacco chamber is operated by a press slide 250 formed in the lower housing part towards the central axis of the tobacco chamber 270 and can be moved away from it, by means of an eccentric 260. When the press slide 250 is fully moved towards the central axis The tobacco chamber 270 is made from the tobacco that is in through the plucking roller 220 the tobacco chamber 270 is inserted, a tobacco rod is pressed. 3 is such a pressed tobacco rod 70 in the cross-sectional view of FIG The tobacco rod shaping device is shown after being pressed by means of the press slide 250 was formed. 3 is only used here to illustrate the Shape and location of the pressed tobacco rod 70 used. The eccentric 260 is only shown schematically and rotated by 90 ° for better illustration. In the event of a real tamping process taking place, the slide valve 250 would in its position on tobacco rod 70 remain until it is pushed out.

Finally, in Fig. 2 on the right side in the unclad state Sleeve or cigarette conveyor 300 shown. Its main components are Sleeve magazine 310, the sleeve pusher 340 with the sub-format 342, the is formed as a longitudinal trough on the top of the slide 340, the Oversize 320 and the cigarette magazine 330.

The electric motors required to drive the respective components are not shown and operation control, but by means known in the art Measures are implemented. For example, the top format has 320 at its rear end a light barrier, which determines whether a Cigarette tube or a filled cigarette is available in the format. The electronic control then ensures that a new tamping sequence only then begins when the top format 320 is empty again.

Before further details are described, the general sequence of cigarette production by means of a cigarette-making device according to the invention be shown.

First, long-fiber tobacco is introduced into the hopper 210 and emptied Filter sleeves are, as shown in Fig. 2, with the open end towards of the tobacco rod shaping device 200 is inserted into the sleeve magazine 310. After the device has been started up, for example using the button 60 (Fig. 1), an empty cigarette tube is removed from the Sleeve magazine 310 lifted up so that it is between sub-format 342 and format 320 is held. Here, the sleeve "in shape brought ", i.e. any deformations are eliminated so that the sleeve has a substantially completely round cross section.

After the sleeve is firmly positioned on the top format, the plucking roller 220 rotated, about a turn in the conveying direction and then to Clearing tobacco jams at the gap opening of the lower hopper wall 216 back a quarter turn. Tobacco is made from the Funnels 210 are plucked and placed in tobacco chamber 270. The tobacco will treated with care; it remains long-fibred. This funding process is like this often performed as required to adequately fill the tobacco chamber 270 necessary is. This also automatically ensures that in the longitudinal direction the tobacco chamber 270 has essentially the same amount of tobacco everywhere is present, because excess tobacco in places that are filled first, is again conveyed upwards over the plucking roller, while in places at who have less tobacco at first, tobacco in the course of the rotations is refilled. The number of rotations required can be preset.

After there is sufficient tobacco in the tobacco chamber 270, the Press slide 250 over the eccentric 260 in the direction of the axial line pushed together so that a pressed tobacco blank is formed. The The diameter of this tobacco blank is slightly smaller than the inner one Sleeve diameter.

In the aforementioned pressing process and even when the tobacco is introduced into the tobacco chamber 270 is the toothed sheet 150 in the tobacco chamber. After this has been moved together, the press slide 250 remains a certain period of time in its approached state.

After the above-mentioned dwell time, the tobacco is extracted using the Tobacco rod conveyor 100 pushed axially forward into the cigarette tube; this process will be explained in detail later.

After the tobacco compact has been inserted into the sleeve, this remains serrated sheet 150 for a certain period of time in the cigarette so that the Tobacco can expand and there is sufficient friction on the Inside of the sleeve developed before the tobacco conveyor is withdrawn.

After the above process, the slide 340 moves down again and by means of The deflector devices, which will also be described in detail later, will be the finished cigarette transported into the cigarette magazine 330. The making of a Cigarette is finished and the next cigarette is made can start. The individual processes mentioned above advantageously take place one after the other, i.e. it is always either the sleeve or Cigarette conveyor, the tobacco rod conveyor or the tobacco rod shaping device in operation, so the processes do not overlap.

With regard to the tobacco rod production, reference is now made to FIGS. 4A to 4D and 5 to explain details. 5 is the Tobacco strand conveyor 100 shown in detail. It consists of an outer tube 130 and a guide rod axially displaceable in this outer tube 130 140. On the front face of the guide rod 140 is the toothed sheet 150 attached, the teeth are inclined forward so that they a Pushing a tobacco rod forward allows a relatively simple one Allowed to slide out of a stuffed tobacco compact.

The guide rod 140 is in the outer tube 130 by means of a spring 132 biased, so that the guide rod and outer tube in the powerless Condition. The guide rod 140 can against the spring force 5 to the left in FIG. 5 are pulled out of the outer tube 130.

Also shown in Fig. 5 is the tobacco chamber 270 in which the toothed Sheet 150 and the subsequent sleeve format 320 (Upper format) and 342 (lower format). A sleeve 40 is in sleeve format arranged.

An eccentric drive ensures the to-and-fro movement of the tobacco rod conveyor 100 with an eccentric disc 120 and a lever 110, which at its lower End is fixed and a at its upper end by means of a bracket engages rear paragraph 142 of the guide rod 140. When rotating the The tobacco rod conveyor (ram) 100 moves over eccentric disc 120 Back and forth guided tours.

Furthermore, the retaining lever 160 is shown in FIG Latching extension 162 ensures that the outer tube 130 after retracting the Tobacco compact in the sleeve in the format 320, 342 during the backward movement of the Guide rod 140 initially remains in position. To do this, the Latching extension 142 the left end of the outer tube 130. When the The guide rod on the attachment 142 thus initially moves the toothed blade 150 in the outer tube until the lever 110 with an inner edge 112 over again the lever extension 164 slides, which locks the retaining lever 160 with the pipe 130 releases, so that this due to the spring force again in the in Fig. 5 shown location can snap back. The feather indicated 166 ensures that the locked state of the lever 160 is maintained remains until it by means of the lever extension 164 passing the edge 112 is solved.

How this aforementioned process looks in more detail is shown in FIGS. 4A to 4D shown again. 4A to 4D are only schematic representations; the component shapes are not exactly the same as the real ones Refinements. So the cavity 270 is closed Comparable tobacco chamber, if you imagine that part 250 can be moved to. The trough 342 is comparable to the sub-format of the slide 340.

4A shows the state in which tobacco in tobacco chamber 270 was pressed, whereby, as also shown in FIG. 5, the toothed sheet 150 is already in the tobacco chamber 270. The outer tube 130 is from the tappet and the rear extension 142 of the guide rod 140 (not visible here) see.

Now the tobacco compact is inserted into the sleeve and the condition after this process is shown in Fig. 4B. The outer tube 130 is moved together with the toothed sheet 150 for this until the front end of the outer tube 130 at the transition between the tobacco chamber and sleeve format comes to rest. The plunger now remains in this position for some time so that the tobacco can expand in the pod and one exerts sufficient friction on the inner sleeve part.

After this period, the guide rod 140 is now from the Pulled the outer tube 130 backwards until the toothed blade 150 is complete disappears in the outer tube 130. Because the front face of the outer tube still pressing against the tip of the cigarette, no tobacco can come out of it Cigarette fail. When pulling out the guide rod 140 it will Outer tube 130 locked in position by means of the retaining lever 160, such as was previously described with reference to FIG. 5.

Then the outer tube 130 jumps back to the pressure of the spring 132 Approach 142 back so that the state shown in Fig. 4D occurs in which the tobacco chamber 270 can be refilled.

6A to 6E show in detail the operational sequence for the sleeve or Cigarette conveyor. In Fig. 6A the state is shown before a sleeve 40 the Darning process is supplied. The slide 340 has one on its upper side Longitudinal trough on, which serves as sub-format 342 when the slide is complete has come down, it is located at the lowest point of the sleeve magazine 310 and takes up an empty tube in sub-format 342. 6B now shows the State in which this sleeve 40 is started up, via the state 6C to the state in FIG. 6D where subformat 342 and Oversize 320 hold the cigarette tube in place so that the tobacco compact can be introduced into this.

In Fig. 6C there is already a clip 334 of a separator on the sleeve 40 attached to see, the later in function and design in more detail is described.

After the cigarette has been filled with the tobacco compact, the slide 340 moves back down and the cigarette is in the state of Fig. 6E in the cigarette magazine 330 promoted.

The state shown in FIG. 6E is enlarged again in FIG. 7 played. In the enlarged detail shown on the right is now also clearly recognize the rejection device. It consists of the other Top edge of wall 332 has clips 334 attached to the joint Longitudinal axis 336 sit and by means of a lever weight in the direction of rotation are biased. The clips can be countersunk in slots 344 in the slide 340 become. They are rotatably mounted and can therefore be raised when the sleeve is raised 40, in which they are initially above these sleeves 40, on this past and slide into slots 344. They are now in the position shown in Fig. 7 shown state, namely when the slide 340 is lowered underneath the sleeve 40, so that it slants into the top of it Cigarette magazine 330 can fall down.

The front ends of the deflectors 334 serve when the sleeve is raised (see Fig. 6B) also as a deflector for any other raised Cigarette tubes, so that it is ensured that only a single tube for Upper format 320 is driven up. A clasp lies in the middle Section preferably on the filter of the sleeve so that deformations be avoided.

8 now shows a further component, namely a sleeve aligner shown, together for straightening overly deformed sleeves can be made available with the cigarette maker. The sleeve aligner consists of a receiving sleeve 410, one Mandrel 420, jaws 430, one at the front end of the Receiving sleeve attached external thread 460 and a clamping screw 440, which by means of a clamping lever 470 and a ball 480 can be screwed. There is an O-ring at the inner end of the clamping jaws intended.

An adapter ring can also be provided around the O-ring 450 centered this O-ring 450 and thus for easier insertion of the Sleeves can provide.

A sleeve is in the open state of the clamping screw 440 and thus also the jaws 430 from the right over the mandrel in the circular gap between Insert sleeve 410 and mandrel 420 inserted. After that the Clamping screw slightly tightened on thread 460 using clamping lever 470, so that the gap between the jaws 430 and the mandrel 420 narrows becomes.

Simply by pushing the sleeve onto the arbor, the round Form of the cigarette tube essentially restored. If now the Constriction is performed on the jaws, the sleeve is slightly clamped and can turn from the Sleeve aligners are pulled out, fixing the aligned State of the sleeve takes place. The sleeve aligner is relative in this form small and can be used as an independent assembly in a previously described Cigarette-making device can be installed, so that also strong deformed sleeves are prepared for the self-production of cigarettes can. The sleeve aligner is very easy and quick to use.

With the cigarette maker and the in an advantageous way Modules designed according to the invention can be used in a relatively short time low manual effort a large number of high quality Cigarettes are made. Because of the removable copper roller and because after removing the plunger, a through hole through the Tobacco chamber is present, the cigarette maker is according to of the present invention easy to clean and maintain.

Claims (12)

1. A do-it-yourself cigarette maker with a tobacco rod shaping means, comprising:

   a funnel-shaped tobacco material in-feed section (210),

   a singling device (220, 222, 230, 24) for said tobacco material, and

   a tobacco rod compression means (250, 260, 270),

   said singling device being a roller (220), partly surrounded by a housing (240), with plucking means (222) arranged at the circumference of said roller, in particular a plucking roller with plucking pins, by means of which said tobacco material is conveyed into said tobacco rod compression means, characterised in that a wall section (216) is pivot-mounted so that it can be pivoted out of the way of said roller (220) from a secured working position in order to remove excess tobacco downwards, where it can preferably drop into a removable catchment means.
2. The do-it-yourself cigarette maker as set forth in claim 1, characterised in that said funnel-shaped in-feed section comprises at least one wall section (216) orientated radially to said roller axis.
3. The do-it-yourself cigarette maker as set forth in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said tobacco rod compression means comprises a tobacco chamber (270) which can be opened up and closed from at least one side, the travelling side part (280) of said chamber (270) preferably being shifted by means of a cam (260) from the opened position into the closed position, in overcoming a spring pre-load, and the opening width of the chamber is preferably settable by means of a positioner.
4. The do-it-yourself cigarette maker as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that said wall sections, surrounding said tobacco rod to be shaped, are provided with an anti-stick coating.
5. The do-it-yourself cigarette maker as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that said roller (220) is inserted removable.
6. The do-it-yourself cigarette maker as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that said plucking roller (220) is made of a material resistant to corrosion, for example aluminium, preferably with an AlO₂ surface finish.
7. A do-it-yourself cigarette maker as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 6, with a tobacco rod conveyor comprising a tappet, for shuttling in and out of a chamber (270) containing a tobacco plug (70), characterised in that said tappet comprises an outer tube (130), in which a guide rod (140) runs, said guide rod comprising at its front end an insertion aid (150) for said tobacco rod (70).
8. The do-it-yourself cigarette maker as set forth in claim 7, characterised in that said guide rod (140) comprises at its rear end an appendage (142) by which it can be withdrawn in overcoming the pressure of a spring (132) provided in said outer tube (130), said insertion aid (150) for said tobacco material thereby entering said outer tube (130).
9. The do-it-yourself cigarette maker as set forth in any one of claims 7 or 8, characterised in that said insertion aid (150) has substantially the length of said tobacco rod (70) and is shaped so as to assist pushing of said tobacco rod (70) only in the conveying direction, and is configured, for example, as a toothed blade, a shingled scoop or spiral guide.
10. The do-it-yourself cigarette maker as set forth in any one of claims 7 to 9, characterised in that said tappet is shifted back and forth at its rear end by means of an eccentric drive (110, 120), preferably a support engaging with said eccentric drive (110, 120), in particular a retaining lever (160), holds said outer tube in position upon removal of said guide rod after conveyance of said tobacco rod.
11. The do-it-yourself cigarette maker as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that it furthermore comprises motors, more particularly electric motors for said components to be driven, as well as a preferably electronic sequence control which, with the aid of sensors, monitors and regulates the operating condition in each case and in particular provides an external indication thereof by display means (50).
12. The do-it-yourself cigarette maker as set forth in any one of claims 7 to 11, characterised in that said tappet of said tobacco conveyor, said tobacco compression chamber of said tobacco rod shaping means, and said tube holding means for holding said tube during said filling procedure are all arranged in line, these components being configured so that, upon removal of said tappet, a through hole exists in this line.

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