FR2719980A1 - Improvements to cigarette making machines. - Google Patents

Abstract

Machine for making cigarettes, comprising means (614) for raining tobacco on two suction strips (610, 612) in order to form tobacco sub-streams of similar widths on the respective strips, which are then merged so forming a stream of cigarette filling material, and which comprises rod forming means for enclosing the stream of cigarette filling material in a continuous envelope to form a continuous cigarette rod and, means (622) for forming or to deliver on at least one of the sub-currents, or between the sub-currents when they merge, or immediately before, a layer of a particle material forming a core which is narrower than each of the sub-currents and which is situated in the center with respect to the latter, so that the material forming the core is surrounded by tobacco in the finished cigarette rod.

Description

This invention relates to a number of improvements and / or

  modifications to the concept of the cigarette making machine which is described in US Patent No. 5,199,446, belonging to the present holder, according to which a stream of cigarette filling material is formed by bringing rain tobacco to two converging strips to form two tobacco streams which are then merged to form a single stream of

  cigarette filling material.

  In the present context, reference may also be made to US Pat. Nos. 5,141,003 and British Patent No. 2,269,975 also belonging to the present

holder.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method or a machine for manufacturing cigarettes having a core of tobacco or other particulate material different from tobacco which constitutes the rest of the filter of the

cigarette and that surrounds the nucleus.

  According to a method of manufacturing cigarettes, in accordance with this aspect of the invention, tobacco is delivered in rain on two suction strips in order to form two tobacco sub-streams of similar widths which are then merged to form a stream of cigarette filler material which is used to form a continuous cigarette rod, this method comprising the step of forming or delivering, on at least sub-streams, a continuous or substantially continuous layer of particulate material different from the tobacco of the sub-streams, or to deliver such a layer between the sub-streams when they merge, or just before this fusion, said layer or said layers being narrower than each of said sub-streams and being placed in the center with respect to

  these so that each of the sub-currents extends laterally

  beyond the side edges of the layer (s), and so that the layer (s) form a core in the stream of finished cigarette filler material, surrounded

by tobacco.

2 2719980

  Another aspect of the invention relates to a method or a machine for

  make cigarettes with denser end portions.

  Various examples of embodiment of machines for making cigarettes according to various aspects of this invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, these examples being devoid of any limiting character. In the drawings: - Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine used for the manufacture of cigarettes having denser end portions; - Figure 2 illustrates a variant of the machine shown in Figure 1; - Figure 3 is a schematic plan view of a machine for making 0io cigarettes having a central core; - Figure 4 is a section along line A-A of Figure 3; - Figure 5 is a section along line B-B of Figure 3; - Figure 6 is a schematic plan view of another machine according to the invention; - Figure 7 illustrates a variant, on an enlarged scale, of a part of the machine illustrated by Figure 6 and, - Figure 8 is a schematic plan view of another machine according to the invention. FIG. 1 represents a machine which comprises converging suction strips 510 and 512 on which tobacco is delivered in rain, substantially horizontally, from a rain supply channel 514. Tobacco sub-streams (not shown ) are formed on the strips 510 and 512 and they combine or merge when the strips move along parallel paths starting from a melting zone 516. The stream of cigarette filling material thus formed is enclosed in an envelope paper, in what

  can be a virtually standard garnish.

  Tobacco arriving in rain approximately along the middle of the channel 514 is used to form clusters of tobacco terminating in a denser manner, 518, on a strip 520. For this purpose, a channel is formed between a fixed wall 522 and a parallel strand of the strip 520, tobacco being attracted into the channel partially under the effect of an overpressure flap 524 produced in the bottom wall of the channel 514. Suction is applied through the strip 520 in order to hold the dense end portions 518 on the strip until they are ready to be released

3 2719980

  on the strip 510. The quantity of tobacco which is drawn into the channel in order to form dense ends can be controlled by controlling the level of the suction applied to the flap 524 and / or by controlling the level of the suction.

  applied across the strip 520.

  Rollers 526 and 528 are rotated in the directions shown so that the tobacco that would otherwise be caught by the edges of the fixed walls

  530 and 532, is directed as shown.

  The strip 520 is made of woven "Nylon", so as to be breathable over its entire length. However, a non-permeable support strip, inside the "Nylon" strip, is produced with openings at regular intervals which delimit the zones in which the dense end tobacco is collected on the "Nylon> strip. ". The support strip is kept under tension by a roller 534 and it returns by passing over a roller 536 while the "Nylon" strip extends beyond and returns by passing over a roller 538. The "Nylon" strip can also have a separate power-up system

  and it can be driven separately from the support strip.

  FIG. 2 illustrates a variant which differs in that the dense end tobacco is brought in rain directly on a strip 540 arranged so as to pass over rollers 542 and 544. As in FIG. 1, dense portions

  of tobacco end 546 are formed on the strip 540 and are delivered to the sub-

  stream carried by the 510 strip before the sub-streams conveyed by the strips 510 and 512 combine or merge to form the complete cigarette filler stream. A roller similar to roller 526 or

  528 of FIG. 1 can be incorporated at the junction of the two fixed walls 548 and 550.

  The strip 540 is inclined relative to the tobacco rain at an angle ac which can

be increased if desired.

  The strip 540 can be made of a non-porous material which has perforated zones in order to collect dense end portions of the tobacco. As a variant, as mentioned above with reference to FIG. 1, two bands can be provided, the internal band being non-porous and provided with openings at regular intervals while the external band is possibly made in

"Nylon" woven.

4 2719980

  Figure 3 shows a machine which is used for the manufacture of central core cigarettes. As described above, this machine comprises converging suction bands 610 and 612 on which tobacco is brought in rain, in this case through two separate channels 614 and 616 delimited by upper and lower parallel walls and by side walls 614A, 614B and 616A, 616B respectively. This tobacco forms a broad, shallow layer on each of the strips 610 and 612. FIG. 4 represents the layer of tobacco 618 which is formed on the strip 612 and which is maintained on this strip under the effect of the suction applied through tape from a suction chamber

  o 620. A similar provision applies to band 610.

  The wide layers formed on the strips 610 and 612 can be deburred using deburring devices 611 and 613, which are mounted in spaces

  constituted by walls 614B and 616B and additional walls 614C and 616C.

  As a variant, the thicknesses of the broad tobacco layers can be controlled or made uniform by any other means, for example, as described in the

  British patent application No. 94 22 581.

  Between the channels 614 and 616, which deliver the rain tobacco, there is provided a rain supply channel 622 through which an additional particulate material (from

  tobacco and / or other material) is delivered in rain to the two bands 610 and 612.

  In the regions where this additional particulate material arrives on the strip 612, the rain channel has a reduced width thanks to rails 624 and 626 (see FIG. 5) which have internal surfaces 624A and 626A which define the width of a layer 628 of the additional particulate material which forms along a central region of the tobacco layer 618. The same arrangement applies to

  The other half of the machine in the region of strip 610.

  Consequently, each layer 618 of tobacco arrives at a melting point situated between rollers 610A and 612B, carrying a layer, positioned in its center, of the additional particulate material. The two layers of this material are brought together and combined to form a core in the stream of finished cigarette filler material, which is surrounded by tobacco. Excess particulate material can be removed using a wheel fitted with spindles 630 which rotates about a horizontal axis and which is sheltered from the particulate material brought in rain by means of a cover 631 in V shape.

2719980

  By moving from the rollers 610A and 612A to other rollers 610B and 612B (which have concave peripheral straight sections), the strips gradually take a straight section of concave shape in order to wrap the portions of the lateral edges of the layers 618 around from the edges of the core and to give the stream of cigarette filling material a cross section tending to be circular. After passing over the rollers 610B and 612B, the bands gradually become flat in cross section, when they approach other rollers 610C and 612C and they remain flat when they move

  from these latter rollers to other rollers 610D and 612D.

  The stream of cigarette filling material thus formed can be transported in a conventional liner in which it is wrapped in a continuous strip of paper in order to form a continuous cigarette rod which is

  then cut into discrete lengths.

  Alternatively, the entire core layer can be formed on one of the bands

i5 610 or 612.

  According to yet another variant, the additional particulate material can be delivered in rain on a separate suction strip which is located between the converging strips 610 and 612 (for example like the strip 520 shown in FIG. 1), in order to form a narrow layer of additional particulate material which is then fed onto one of the tobacco streams on the web 610 or 612, before the tobacco streams reach the melting zone 630. Another possibility is that the material additional particles can be brought in rain on two converging bands located above or below the bands 610 and 612 in order to form a current which can be delivered between the layers of tobacco, in the region of the rollers 610A, 612A, under the effect of a suction wheel or

  through a guide tube.

  The additional particulate material may include, for example, relatively long clumps of low quality tobacco or other material which assist

  to prevent the ends of tobacco from escaping from finished cigarettes.

  As a variant or in addition, it may include logs or other large pieces of tobacco detached from the tobacco used, to make the layers of tobacco, or tobacco with any other additional substance desired, in order to modify

  one or more of the characteristics of finished cigarettes.

6 2719980

  FIG. 6 represents a machine which is similar in the sense that tobacco is brought in rain on suction strips 810, 812 via horizontal channels for bringing in rain 814, 816. The layers of tobacco thus formed on the strips can be deburred using deburring devices 811, 813 before being brought together while moving along elements of

  guide 838, 840 for the two bands.

  This embodiment differs from that described above with reference to FIG. 3 mainly in that the additional particulate material is brought in rain through a horizontal channel 822 which extends towards strips

  io additional converging suction 842, 844 to form two sub-

  separate streams of particulate material on the two bands, which merge when the two bands move along parallel paths beyond a melting point 846. The complete core current thus formed then passes through a nozzle 848 so as to penetrate into the gap between the layers of tobacco t5 which are formed on the strips 810, 812. As in the example in FIG. 9, the flow of the core material in this gap is helped by an axial air flow induced by suction of air through strips 810, 812, from distributors

suction 834, 836.

  The embodiment of the machine illustrated in FIG. 6 is preferably in accordance with FIG. 7. This figure represents layers of tobacco 810A and 812A which have been formed on the strips 810, 812 and between which the core current is injected when the bands 810, 812 move beyond the guide rollers

810 OB, 812B.

  The element 848 through which the core material passes before entering the space between the layers of tobacco, is in the form of a tube whose outer surface converges at its two ends so as to be finish at a relatively sharp edge. The strips 842, 844 carrying the fused stream of core material are delimited by suitably shaped guide elements (not shown) in order to diverge at 842A, 844A, when they approach the guide rollers 842B, 844B on the sides opposites

of the tubular element 848.

  The central bore in element 848 has a cross section, square or rectangular.

7 2719980

  Another possibility is that a layer of particulate core material can be formed on a suction strip and then be delivered (possibly after deburring) on one of the tobacco sub-streams. As a variant, two sub-currents of core material can be formed by bringing particulate material into rain, for example on two divergent suction bands,

  the two core sub-currents being respectively deposited on the sub-currents

  tobacco streams (preferably after they have been trimmed) before they merge, to form a completed stream of central core cigarette filler. By comparison with the example of embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, this last variant in fact involves bringing the material of the core through the channel 822 in rain on two short divergent bands, instead of

  of a feed on two converging strips 842, 844, so that each sub-

  core current can be deposited on its respective tobacco sub-current before the melting point; the cross section across each main strip, just

  i5 before the melting point, can be similar to that of figure 5.

  FIG. 8 represents a machine which is similar to that illustrated by FIG. 6 as indicated by the use of the same references. Additional references 814A, 814B, 822A, 822B, 816A and 816B identify the walls

  side of the rain channels 814, 822 and 816.

  FIG. 8 is different in that, instead of providing additional converging strips 842, 844 to form the core current, provision is made

  additional divergent suction strips 850 and 852 which form sub-

  streams of particulate material which is rained through channel 822.

  Each of the sub-streams is placed on the corresponding tobacco sub-stream carried by the suction strip 810 or 812 if necessary. Devices

  additional deburring 854 and 856 can be provided for deburring the

  core currents however we can remove these deburring devices or

deburring devices 811, 813.

  Another difference in this exemplary embodiment resides in that the suction strips 810, 812 approach each other when they move along a slightly pronounced curve delimited by fixed guides 858 and 860 These guides are perforated, or porous, so that air can be extracted through them from the suction distributors 834, 836 to maintain the

8 2719980

  sub-currents on the strips 810, 812, before they are brought together to the place where the strips move along rectilinear and parallel guide elements 838 'and 840'. In this embodiment, the suction is not extracted through the strips, in the region of the guide elements 838 ′ and 840 ′, since it is not necessary to have a flow of significant axial air capable of disturbing the sub-currents of the core when these move around the guides 858, 860. Furthermore, in order to avoid or minimize such an axial air flow, provision may be made for one or more openings in the upper wall or in the lower wall of the machine, above or below (and

  io in the center, between) fixed guides 858, 850, so that the air which is extracted above

  through strips 810, 812, in the region of guides 858, 860 crosses

  substantially perpendicularly the suction strips.

  Note that the additional strip 850 for the core material is longer than the strip 852 so that the core sub-currents may have slightly different thicknesses. Alternatively, the strips 850, 852 can be arranged differently so that core sub-currents

  identical are formed thereon.

  As already mentioned above, the deburring devices 811, 813 can be omitted. In this case, the side walls 822A and 822B would be removed and the strips 850, 852 would be made so as to be longer and they would be rearranged (that is to say separated from each other) in order to receive all the particulate material that is delivered in rain through the channel 822. Figure 9 illustrates a different embodiment of the machine for producing central core cigarettes. Tobacco is brought in rain on converging suction strips 710 and 712 via horizontal rain channels 714 and 716 in order to form identical layers of

  tobacco on the strips 710, 712, as in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3.

  Also as described above, the tobacco layers can be deburred by deburring devices 711 and 713 before the layers are brought

  together around a core of additional particulate material.

  In this embodiment, a stream of core material is brought in rain through a rain channel 722 which is constituted by

9 2719980

  upper and lower horizontal walls and by converging side walls 722A and 722B. Consequently, particulate material brought in rain through the channel 722 converges to form a core current at the downstream ends of the walls 722A and 722B and this core current enters a gap between the layers of tobacco transported by the bands 710 and 712. Tobacco arriving on the strips 710, 712 is maintained on the strips under the effect of the suction transmitted through the strips from suction distributors 730 and 732. The suction continues to be applied to the strips from other suction distributors 734, 736, while the strips move along lo slightly convergent paths and then along parallel paths which extend along guide walls 738, 740, those -this being perforated so that air can be extracted through them, from

  distributors 734, 736, as illustrated by the arrows indicating the air circulation.

  The air which is extracted through the strips in this region induces an axial flow of air which attracts the additional material in particles through the channel 722 and in

  the interval between the layers of tobacco formed on the strips 710, 712.

  The cross section of the guide walls 738, 740 can be concave, or it can become progressively concave so as to fold the side wall portions of the tobacco layers around the core, as described above with reference to FIG. 3. The stream of central core cigarette filling material thus formed can, as in the previous embodiment, be transported in a conventional packing using another suction strip (not shown) in order to allow the charging current to be sealed in a

continuous paper envelope.

  It remains to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the various examples of embodiment and implementation described and / or represented here, but

  that it encompasses all variants.

2719980

Claims (15)

  1 - Method of manufacturing cigarettes according to which tobacco is delivered in rain on two suction strips in order to form two tobacco sub-streams of similar widths which are then fused to form a stream of cigarette filling material which is used to form a continuous cigarette rod, this process comprising the step which consists in forming or delivering, on at least one of the sub-streams, a continuous or substantially continuous layer of material in particles different from the tobacco of the sub-streams, or to deliver such a layer between the sub-currents when they merge, or just before this fusion,   said layer or said layers being narrower than each of said sub-   currents and being placed in the center with respect to them, so that each of the sub-currents extends laterally beyond the lateral edges of the layer (s), and so that the layer (s) form a core in the current of   finished cigarette filler surrounded by tobacco.   2 - Process according to claim 1, comprising the step which consists in folding the lateral portions of the tobacco sub-streams around the sides of the core layer when the sub-streams and the layer are transported together before being enclosed in a continuous envelope to form a continuous rod cigarettes.   3 - Method according to one of claims 1 or 2 according to which the layer or   a portion of this is formed by bringing in rain the material of the nucleus in particles on one of the tobacco sub-streams between guides confining the material of the nucleus brought in rain, in order to form the layer substantially in the center,   along the sub-current and with a narrower width.   4 - Method according to one of claims 1 or 2 according to which the, or each   layer, is formed by bringing the core material in rain on one or more separate carriers.   - Method according to one of claims 1 or 2 according to which the layer is   formed by bringing the particle material of the core through a channel il 2719980 comprising converging walls which guide the material of the core towards a   interval between tobacco sub-streams.   6 - Method according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 5 according to which   of the particulate material forming the core in the finished cigarette is sucked in a gap between the tobacco sub-streams, at least partially by the action of an air flow induced by a suction applied through suction strips in a region where the undercurrents are transported along substantially parallel paths while being spaced from each other so to form the interval.   7 - Machine for making cigarettes comprising means (614, 618; 714, 716; 814, 816) for bringing tobacco in the rain on two suction strips (610, 612; 710, 712; 810, 812) in order to forming tobacco undercurrents (618) of similar widths on the respective strips, which are then fused to form a stream of cigarette filler material, and which includes rod forming means for enclosing the stream of cigarette filler material cigarettes in a continuous envelope to form a continuous cigarette rod and, means (622; 722; 822, 842, 844; 850, 852) for forming or delivering on at least one of the sub-streams, or between the sub-currents when they merge, or immediately before, a layer of a particulate material forming a core (628) which is narrower than each of the sub-currents and which is located in the center with respect to them, so that the material forming the   core is surrounded by tobacco in the finished cigarette rod.   8 - Machine according to claim 7 wherein the means for forming the layer of particulate material constituting the core comprises means (622;   722; 822, 842, 844; 850, 852) to bring the particulate material to rain.   9 - Machine according to claim 8, wherein the core material brought in rain is designed so as to form a layer (628) directly on the   minus one of the tobacco sub-streams (618).   - Machine according to claim 8, wherein the core material brought in rain is designed so as to form a layer on at least one   additional suction transformer (842, 844; 850, 852).   11 - Machine according to claim 10 wherein the material of the core brought in rain is designed so as to form layers on two carriers 12 2719980   of converging suction (842,844), said layers fusing before being   delivered in an interval (846) between tobacco sub-streams.   12 - Machine according to claim 10 wherein the core material brought in rain is designed so as to form layers on two divergent suction conveyors (850, 852), each of said layers being delivered on one tobacco undercurrents.   13 - Machine according to claim 8, wherein the rain-fed core material is designed so as to pass between converging fixed walls (722A, 722B) to form a stream of particulate material which is designed so as to be delivered directly in an interval between tobacco sub-streams. 14 - Machine according to claim 13, wherein the particulate material is designed so as to be drawn in the interval between the tobacco sub-streams, at least partially by the action of an air flow induced by the suction applied through the suction strips (710, 712) in a region where the undercurrents are transported along substantially parallel paths while   being spaced from each other to form the gap.   - Method for manufacturing cigarettes according to which tobacco is brought in rain on two suction strips in order to form two tobacco sub-streams of similar width which then merge to form a stream of cigarette filling material which is used to constitute a continuous cigarette rod, this method comprising the step of forming or delivering on at least one of the sub-streams, a continuous or intermittent layer of tobacco or other particulate material, by bringing said material to rain in particles on an additional suction strip and then to transfer the layer of particulate material onto the tobacco undercurrent formed on one of said strips   first mentioned.   16 - The method of claim 15 wherein the additional suction strip is designed and arranged so as to attract the particulate material towards it, only at locations corresponding to the end portions finished cigarettes.   17 - Cigarette making machine comprising means (514; 714, 716; 814, 816) for bringing tobacco in the rain on two suction strips (510, 13 2719980   512; 710, 712; 810, 812) in order to form tobacco sub-streams of similar widths on the respective strips, which then merge to form a stream of cigarette filler material, and which includes rod-forming means for enclosing the stream of cigarette filling material in a continuous envelope to form a continuous cigarette rod and means (722; 822) for delivering, on at least one of the sub-streams, a continuous or intermittent layer of tobacco or the like particulate material, by raining said particulate material on an additional suction strip (520; 540 - 842, 844; 850, 852) and then for transporting the layer 10 of particulate material on the tobacco undercurrent formed, on one of said   suction strips mentioned first.   18 - Machine according to claim 17 wherein the additional suction strip (520; 540) is designed and arranged so as to attract the particulate material towards it, only in locations which correspond to the   end portions of cigarettes finished.   19 - Machine according to claim 18 wherein the additional suction strip comprises a first strip (520) which is uniformly permeable to air at various locations along its length, and a second strip which circulates along and near the first strip in the region o of the particulate material brought in rain is received, and which is perforated in locations   longitudinally spaced o the particulate material must be attracted.