GB872039A - Improvements in or relating to tobacco manipulating machines - Google Patents

Abstract

872,039. Weight control using elementary particles. MOLINS, D. W., and MOLINS MACHINE CO. Ltd. March 25, 1958 [March 28, 1957], No. 10184/57. Class 40(3) [Also in Groups VI and XXIV] A conveyer 5, Fig. 1, receiving tobacco shreds from a hopper 1 via a carded conveyer 2 and a bladed wheel 3 throwing stem portions clear of a shoot 4, has its speed varied inversely to the mass per unit length of tobacco thereon as sensed by a radiation gauge 7, 8, Fig. 2, so as to deliver at a substantially constant rate to a conveyer 6 associated with a conveyer 11 and moving three times as fast as the conveyer 5 so as to reduce the stream cross-section. Suction means 9, 10, 12 may assist orderly delivery. The tobacco stream may be formed into a cigarette filler on the conveyer 6 or a further conveyer moving three times as fast as the conveyer 6 and to which the tobacco is transferred by a picker wheel or suction roller. As applied to a continuous-rod machine, Fig. 4, a main shaft 20 powered by a motor 22 is connected to the hopper mechanism drive belt 52 via a chain drive (not shown) to a shaft 41 having a pulley 55 which is manually adjustable and comprises coned flanges, respectively axially fixed and screw-threadedly movable, carrying slidable slats engaging the belt 52. The shaft 20 drives the belt 5 via gearing 65, a belt 63 and a variable-speed gear 80 as in Specification 618,774 and controlled by a reversible electric motor 66 actuated by the gauge 7, 8 as shown in Fig. 7 wherein 67 is a balance gauge scanning a given absorber 68. The difference between the gauge outputs develops across a resistor 70 a D.C. voltage which is converted to A.C. by a dynamic condenser, is amplified and reconverted to D.C. at 72 and is fed to a relay 73 controlling the motor 66, a feedback resistor 74 being incorporated. According to the Provisional Specification, the tobacco stream may contain filter mouthpiece portions.