GB2229079A

GB2229079A - Incorporating additives into cigarette rods

Info

Publication number: GB2229079A
Application number: GB8905856A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Kenneth Stanbridge
Original assignee: Rothmans International Tobacco Ltd
Current assignee: Rothmans International Services Ltd
Priority date: 1989-03-14
Filing date: 1989-03-14
Publication date: 1990-09-19
Also published as: GB8905856D0

Abstract

A process for flavouring tobacco includes opening a channel in a moving stream of tobacco during formation of a cigarette rod, depositing a flavour or additive and closing the channel. Fig 2 shows a garniture having a tongues provided with a plough which opens a channel in tobacco 2 on a garniture tape 3. <IMAGE>

Description

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR ADDING A FLAVOUR OR ADDITIVE TO TOBACCO This invention relates to a process and apparatus for adding a flavouring or additive to tobacco in a moving Stream, for example whilst passing through or entering the garniture of a cigarette making machine.

According to the present invention a process for flavouring tobacco includes opening a channel in a moving stream of tobacco during formation of a cigarette rod, depositing a flavour or additive and closing the channel.

Thus, the process can be employed in a moving stream of tobacco in or adjacent to a cigarette making machine.

The process may include depositing the flavour or additive by spraying, for example in the form of a liquid, suspension in a liquid or a foam.

Alternative or additionally the flavour or additive can be deposited in the form of a powder or granules.

In one process the additive or flavour is deposited along the full length of the tobacco steam and in another the flavour or additive is deposited at predetermined positions along the length of the tobacco stream.

A convenient process includes depositing the flavour or additive into the tobacco stream in the garniture of a tobacco rod forming machine.

The invention also includes apparatus for carrying out the process set forth above which comprises means for inserting plough means into a moving stream of tobacco to form a channel therein, means for supplying and depositing a flavour or additive into said channel, and means for subsequently closing the channel in the tobacco.

With this arrangement the means for depositing the flavour or additive is in the form of an injector provided on said plough means.

In an alternative construction the means for supplying and depositing the flavour or additive comprises an applicator for depositing powder or granules through or adjacent to said plough means.

In any case, the plough means preferably include means to assist in closing the channel.

The plough means may be provided in combination with the cigarette forming machine in front of or in the garniture thereof.

The invention therefore provides a process and apparatus to add flavour or additives to a cigarette in a controlled manner in a cigarette making machine while tobacco is travelling along its garniture or suction rail.

The flavours or additives may be applied to any section of a cigarette among its length by metering or pulsing the flavour or additive feed to the tobacco.

Preferably the plough means can be adjustable so that flavours or additives can be added to various positions within the cigarette cross-section by changing its location.

The invention can be performed in various ways and some embodiments will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the plough means according to the invention located on the tongue of a garniture of a cigarette making machine; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view through the garniture of a cigarette making machine showing the tongue in position; Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the tongue; Figure 4 is a rear end view of the tongue shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a front view of the tongue shown in Figure 3; Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view through an applicator for supplying a flavour or additive in the form of powder or granules; Figure 7 is an end elevation of the applicator shown in Figure 6; and, Figure 8 is a diagram showing the general layout of a suitable assembly.

In the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2 a garniture of a cigarette making machine is indicated by reference numeral 1. Tobacco 2 is passed in a continuous stream on a garniture tape 3 which acts as a conveyer whilst the tobacco is formed into a rod. The wrapping paper is indicated by reference numeral 4 and the tongue which assists in forming the rod is indicated by reference numeral 5. The construction of the garniture will not be described in further detail because such devices are well known in themselves, suffice to say that the tobacco carried by the garniture tape 3 is shaped into a tobacco rod by the converging sides of the garniture until it is of circular cross-section and the wrapping paper 4 is then glued in place to provide a continuous cigarette rod which is subsequently cut into appropriate lengths in the making machine.

According to the present invention the tongue 5 is provided with a tobacco opening device in the form of aplough 6 which is shown in more detail in Figures 3, 4 and 5. This plough 6 has a pointed forward edge 7 and an inwardly fluted rear edge 8, the flutes being indicated by reference numeral 9. An injection channel 10 extends downwardly through the plough 6 and provides means to supply a flavour or additive in the manner to be described.

The plough acts to open a channel in the flowing tobacco 2 and simultaneously injects or sprays flavour or additive into the tobacco. As the tobacco leaves the plough the flutes act to close the tobacco over therefore placing the additive close to the centre of the cigarette rod.

Adjustment upwards or downwards of the tongue 5 allows the flavour to be injected into other areas of the crosssection in the formed cigarette.

Figure 8 shows the general layout of an assembly for operating the invention and a method of controlling the flow of the flavour or additive. Similar reference numerals are used to indicate similar parts as in Figures 1 and 2. From this drawing it will be seen that the garniture tape 3 passes through the garniture 1 as a travelling conveyer and is passed around rollers 12, 13 and 14. The tobacco (not shown) is delivered as a continuous stream to the tape 3 and travels through the garniture in the direction of the arrow 15. The tongue 5 with its plough 6 opens the tobacco and a flavour or additive is sprayed in through the injection channel 10 as indicated at 16.Flavour or additive is supplied from a control system which, for example, comprises a pressure vessel 17 through a cam operated valve 18 which is driven from a suitable cam attached to the printing section of the apparatus and indicated by reference numeral 19. Reference numeral 20 indicates a flow meter by which the flow of additive can be monitored and the material then passes through a solenoid valve 21 and proceeds through suitable piping 22 to the channel 10 in the plough 6. The solenoid valve 1 is electrically connected, as indicated by reference numeral 23, to a glue gun (not shown) so that when the glue gun, which supplies glue to the paper for the cigarette, is switched off the solenoid valve 21 is simultaneously closed.

The above layout provides control apparatus for the flow of additive or flavour and employs an injection/spray technique.

The invention can also be supplied from a flavour/additive metering and control device.

As shown in Figure 8 the plough 6 is located at the entrance to the garniture but it could, alternatively, be located at any point between the ecreteur trimmers and the garniture tongue. Thus, from this it will be appreciated that the plough 6 need not necessarily be located on the garniture tongue itself but could be a separate construction.

Figure 6 shows a construction which can be used for injecting powders or granules into the tobacco stream. In this arrangement the plough 6 is again mounted on a tongue 1 which forms part of a garniture but in this case the rear end of the tongue 6 is of an elongated shape as indicated by reference numeral 25. A hopper 26 is provided in which the flavour or additive powders or granules are placed and they are delivered into the channel formed in the tobacco by the plough 6 by a rotating castellated wheel 27. The castellations 28 are arranged so that they deliver the powders or granules at a metered rate from the hopper 26 and into the channel in the tobacco. The precise position of the metered material in the tobacco will depend.upon the depth of groove cut by the plough 6 and thus means (not shown) are provided for adjusting the height of the tongue 1.

In the arrangements described above the outlined techniques will allow flavour and additives to be placed in the tobacco stream either along the full length-of- each cigarette or at predetermined points along the length of the tobacco rod. This can be achieved, for example, by a particular operation of the valve 18 in Figure -8 or by arranging for an interrupted drive to the wheel 27 in Figure 6. It will also be appreciated, as set forth above, that the invention is not limited to the provision of the plough on the tongue of the garniture. The material can be applied to the tobacco at any convenient area along the tobacco flow path, the use of the garniture tongue as described above is merely a convenient construction.

Claims

1. A process for flavouring tobacco which includes opening a channel in a moving stream of tobacco during formation of a cigarette rod, depositing a flavour or additive and closing the channel.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1 which includes depositing the flavour or additive by spraying.

3. A process as claimed in claim 2 in which the flavour or additive is in the form of a liquid, suspension in a liquid, or a foam.

4. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the flavour or additive is deposited in the form of a powder or granules.

5. A process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 1 - 4 in which the flavour or additive is deposited along the full length of the tobacco stream.

6. A process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 1 - 4 in which the flavour or additive is deposited at predetermined positions along the length of the tobacco steam.

7. A process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims which includes depositing the flavour or additive into the tobacco stream in the garniture of a tobacco rod forming machine.

8. Apparatus for carrying out the process set forth in claim 1 which comprises means for inserting plough means into a moving stream of tobacco to form a channel therein; means for supplying and depositing a flavour or additive into said channel, and means for subsequently closing the channel in the tobacco.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which the means for depositing the flavour or additive is in the form of an injector provided on said plough means.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which the means for supplying the flavour or additive comprises an applicator for depositing powder or granules through or adjacent said plough means.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, claim 9 or claim 10 in which said plough means includes means to assist in closing the channel in the tobacco.

12. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the claims 8 - 11 in which said plough means is provided in combination with a cigarette forming machine in front of or in the garniture thereof.

13. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 8 - 12 including means for metering or pulsing the flavour or additive feed to the tobacco.

14. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 8 - 13 in which said plough means is adjustable so that flavours or additives can be added to selected positions within the cigarette cross section.

15. A process substantially as disclosed herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying claims.

16. Apparatus for flavouring tobacco substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings