US1266309A - Machine for incising plug-tobacco. - Google Patents

Description

I. PETERSON.

MACHINE FOR INCISING PLUG TOBACCO.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.28, 1917. I

Patented May 14, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- M M& ATTIJRNEY J. PETERSON.

' MACHINE FOR INCISING PLUG TOBACCO.

APPLICATION man SEPT. 2a. 1912.

1,66,309. Patented May14,1918.

2 SHEEIS-SHEET 2.

5 4 2' j l p llWf/VTUR ATTORNEYS.

JONATHAN PETERSON, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOR INGISING PLUG-TOBACCO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1%, 1918.

Continuation of application Serial No. 130,822, filed November 11, 1916. This application filed September To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JONATHAN PETERSON, a citizen-of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Incising Plug-Tobacco, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for producing a plug of tobacco such as is set forth in my Patent No. 1,217,496, dated February 27, 1917, and furthern'iore, the present application is in the nature of a continuation of my application for machine for incising plug tobacco, filed November 11, 1916, Ser. No. 130,822, patented Dec. 4:, 1917, Patout No. 1,248,540.

In my Patent No. 1,217,496, aforesaid, I have shown and described a plug of tobacco which is divided into small sections or portions of a size suitable for chewing, for instance, by cutting or incising the plug from opposite sides in such manner that a cut or incision on one side of the plug terminates short of, or does not meet an adjacent cut or incision on the opposite side of the plug. so that a web or unitary strata results which extends substantially throughout the center or centrally of the plane of the plug, and the various sections formed or marked out by the incisions, will be united by this web. \Vhen the user desires a portion of the tobacco plug, it is only necessary, with the exercise of but very little force or effort, to break or separate such piece from the remainder of the plug, the action of bending or breaking of course tea-ring that portion of the web which unites the particular section to the plug. Such an incised plug is illustrated in Fig. 4c of the present drawings.

In my co-pending application, No. 130,822, aforesaid, I have shown and described, and broadly claimed, a machine for producing such a plug, and therefore, in the present application I will direct the claims to the specific type of machine shown herein, inasmuch as I have included in said earlier ap plication claims generic to both types of machines.

In the present instance. it is my purpose to provide machine which will embody the desired features of simplicity, compactness, durability and strength, and through the agency of which plugs of the character de- Serial No. 193,689.

sired may be rapidly, continuously and economically produced in great quantities. Furthermore, the present machine will opcrate with great certainty and accuracy, the various parts going to make up the machine cooperating positively and in proper timed relation to form the incisions or cuts at the desired points in the plug.

With the above recited objects and others of a similar nature in view, my invention consists in the construction, combination and arangement of parts set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through a plug slitting machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a slit or incised plug of tobacco, such as is produced by the machine, one section of the plug being removed or torn away.

Referring now to the accompanying draw ings in detail, the standards of the machine are shown at 1 and support a bed-plate 2 having mounted thereon a frame A which supports the operating mechanism of the machine. Mounted on this frame A is a table or platform 3 adapted to receive the plugs to be out, said plugs being shown at P in Fig. 1. The forward end of this table 3 is preferably attached to vertical side bars 4 forming a part of the frame A while the rear end of the table is supported by suitable braces 5 extending between the bedplate and the bottom of the table. In order to feed the plugs P from the table to the machine, any suitable mechanism may be employed, and. in the present instance I make use of a sliding pusher bar 6 composed of spaced parallel slats, one lying above and the other beneath the slotted bottom board of the table, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. To reciprocate the pusher bar 6, I connect'the ends of the lowermost slat thereof, as at 7 to the pusher rods 8, the opposite ends of said rods being pivoted as at 9, to the links 10, connected at 11 with the upper ends of the angular arms 12 of the rocking segmental plug clamping and feeding member B, by the ends of the tie rod 28. There are two of these rocking segmental plug clamping members, the other being indicated by the letter C, and these segmcntal'clamping members are formed with conrerr plugclamping faces which are oppositely disposed, and these clamping members are geared together as hereafter described, so that as the plugs are pushed one at a time from the table 3, they drop downward and are directed by a guide formed of the curved arms 13 and 13' and the deflector board it at the lower ends of the arms 13 to a position to be clamped and fed by the oppositely disposed convex faces of the clamping members and to be cut by the cutters. Any suitable means may be employed for guiding the plugs to the machine other than that shown herein.

The clamping member B comprises a pair of angular arms 12 formed intermediate their lengths with the bearing collars 15, by means of which the arms are mounted upon and made fast with the rock shaft 16. This rock shaft extends transversely of the machine above the bed-plate thereof and each end of such shaft is journaled in a sleeve bearing 17 forming the upper end of a yieldingly mounted post 18. Each post 18 is bifurcated at its lower end as at 19 to fit over a web 20 forming a part of the frame A and at its bifurcated portion is pivoted as at 21 to such web. Each of such arms 18 is also formed with a lateral extension bored for the reception of the bolt 23 which passes loosely therethrough, a spring 2% being coiled about the shank of the bolt and interposed between the extension and the block 25 bolted as at 26 to the adjacent part of the frame of the machine. A nut 27 is threaded on to the end of the shank of the bolt which projects above the extension 22, with the result that the arm 18 is tensioned, and such tension may be adjusted as desired. Furthermore, these yielding arms 18 by means of the pivot mounting and tension spring just described, will yield to the desired degree when necessary to permit the passage between the clamping members B and C of plugs of dilferent thicknesses. The alining ends of the arms 12 are connected by horizontal tierods 28, these tie-rods passing through and supporting the abutting heads 29 of the series of curved or bowed, spaced slats 30, which form the plug-engaging section of the plug clamping member B. One of the arms 12 carries a segmental rack gear 31, which meshes with a similar but oppositely disposed rack gear 32 of the companion clamping member C. Like the clamping member l3 this clamping member C in cludes a pair of angular arms 12, one of which carries this segmental rack gear These arms 12 are also formed with collars 15" intermediate their ends by means of which the arms are mounted upon and made fast with the rock shaft 16, the latter being journaled in sleeve bearings 17 formed on the frame A. The alining ends of these arms .12 are also connected by horizontally eX- In order to actuate the clamping members B and C, or to impart. a rocking plugfeeding and clamping action thereto, any suitable train of power mechanism may be empl yed. in the present instance, the power shaft driven from the belt pulley 35, carries at one end a crank 36 which is in turn connected with a crank arm 37 through a link 38. The crank arm 37 is made fast with one end of the shaft 16 of the clan'iping member C, and the result is that as the power shaft turns a rocking motion will be imparted through the link connection to the shaft 16 in, turn rocking the clamping member C, which being geared with the clamping member B will rock the latter back and forth, so that, as will be understood by reference to Fig. 1, as the plugs are fed or dropped downward between the two clamping members B and C, they will be gripped by the slatted walls or sections of these clamping members, and fed past the two cutting mechanisms D and E, at which time the cutting or incising of the plug takes place.

The cutting mechanism D which is associated with the clamping member B oomprises in the present instance a plurality of sets of circular cutte' disks 36 mounted upon a rotating shaft 37, the disks of each set being held in suitable spaced relation by means of small collars 38. In the present instance, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 2,there are three sets of these cutter disks 36, there being disks to each set, and one set is spaced apart from the other' by spacing collars 39, but it will of course be understood that there may be any number of these disks arranged in any desired manner. Suitable retaining nuts it) are adjustable on the threaded section d1 of the shaft 37 so that proper adjustment and positioning of the cutte disks may be made, as will be readily understood. The en of the shaft 37 are inounted in eccentric bearing sleeves 42, which are fitted into the bearings 43, forming part of the frame land by turning these eccentric sleeve bearings, the shaftmay be adjusted to adjust-the cutters relative to the clamping face or section of the member B, or relative to the descending plug. The circular blades of the cutters 36 lie in the spaces between the slats 30 so as to project slightly beyond the outer clamping faces of the slats or into position to cut plugs, as will be clearly understood by reference to Fig. 3, and by adjusting the shaft with the eccentric sleeve bearings, as before mentioned, the cutting edges of the blades may be caused to pro ect through the slats to a greater or lesser degree, as may be desirable.

Likewise, the cutting mechanism E is in the nature of the gang cutter, that is to say on the rotary cutter shaft 37 I mount a plurality of spaced rotary cutters 36 corre sponding in number and arrangement to the cutters 36 and positioned so as to cooperate therewith in the cutting or incising of the plug, these cutter disks 36 being spaced by the collars 38 and 39, and areheld in position and adjusted by the nuts A0 threaded on the threaded sections 41' on the shaft 37. Likewise, the shaft 37 is mounted in eccentric bearings 42 tted in the bearings A3 forming an adjacent part of the frame A. In other words, these two sets of cutting mechanisms, D and E, are similar in structure, and arrangement and the like, one set operating on one side of the plug while the other set operates on the opposite side, and

in the operation of the present machine for the purposes of forming a plug, such as is shown in Fig. 4, care should be taken that the two cutting mechanisms should be so adjusted relative to each other and relative to the segmental clamping members B and C with which they are associated, so as to cut the plug on both sides, but not so deep as to cause the cuts to meet or to entirely sever the plug sections. The cutter shafts 37 and 37 may be driven in any suitable manner, and in the present instance I mount upon the power shaft 34: the sprocket AA driving an endless chain belt 45, this belt passing over an idler L6, thence around the sprocket 47 upon the shaft 37 of the cutting mechanism D, thence over a sprocket 47 of the cutting mechanism E, the endless chain being driven, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the shafts 47 and 47 will of course be driven in opposite directions to cause the cutters of the mechanisms D and E to rotate in 0pposite directions, while cutting the plug. As the plug passes down and is clamped by the clamping members B and C it is fed through and to these cutters where it is incised or cut on both sides to produce the plug shown in Fig. 4., and the plug so incised or,

cut, then drops by gravity onto the concave delivery chute F which is formed of a series of curved, spaced slats L8 fastened together by tie- bars 49 and 50, the plugs sliding down this chute to a. suitable point of discharge.

As will beseen by reference to Fig. 1, the plugs may be so placed on table 3 that with the reciprocation of the pusher bar 6, a rear plug will push a forward plug down the guideway to position to be operated upon by the convex faces of the clamping members B and C, by which the plug will be carried into position to be cut by the rotary cutters, and the depth of the cuts or incisions made in the plug may be regulated by adjusting the cutter shafts, as hereinbefore described. The operation of cutting or incising the plugs may be carried on with great rapidity and accuracy as to depth and location, the cutters being kept clean or free from shreds of tobacco and the like by small, flexible scrapers 51. It will further be noted that plugs of varying thickness may be uniformly operated upon by the machine, as owing to the yielding nature of the mounting of the clamping member B, the supports 18 for the latter will yield when a thick plug is passing therethrough, thus obviating the jamming of the plug while when a relatively thin plug is passing through the machine these arms 18 will be forced by the springs in the opposite direction to throw the clamping section or face of the member B toward the member C to insure the proper gripping of the plug.

As heretofore mentioned, and as Will be noted by reference to Figs. 2 and 3, the cutters are in the nature of gangs, each comprising a plurality of spaced cutting disks. As is well known, the ordinary tobacco plug as packed for shipment to the retailer is in the form of an oblong or rectangular bar or piece, and when cutting such a plug with this machine, it may be fed broad-side to the cutters so that all of the sets will operate simultaneously upon the plug, thereby making the incisions throughout the entire width of the plug. Or if desired, as in making cross cuts on the plug, or forming the incisions lengthwise thereof, the plug may be fed between a single set of opposing cutters. In other words, the plug may be so fed as to cause all of the cutters to simultaneously operate thereon, or may be fed so as to simply cause an opposing pair of sets of cutters to operate on the plug.

While I have herein shown and described one particular embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to all the precise details of construction herein set forth by way of illustration, as modification and variation may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine for incising plug tobacco to provide a plug having a plurality of integrally united sections, the combination with a pair of rocking members having opposed convex clamping faces operative to clamp and release a plug therebetween, of cutting mechanism located adjacent said clamping members and constructed to incise the plug "while such plug is clamped between the convex faces of said members.

2. In a machine for incising plug tobacco to pro *ide a plug having a plurality of integrally united sections, the combination with a pair of curved, rocking clamping members having convex clamping faces and geared together to move into and out of plug-clamping relation and clamp a plug between their convex faces, and cutting mechanism mount-ed adj acent the clamping members and constructed to operate upon aplug of tobacco while the latter is held between the convex faces of the clamping members, to provide a plurality of spaced incisions extending from the face of the plug partly therethrough.

3. In a machine for incising plug tobacco, the combination with a pair of rocking, segmental clamping members having opposed convex clamping faces adapted to clamp and release a plug of tobacco, of rotary cutters mounted adjacent the clamping members and constructed to operate upon a plug of tobacco while the latter is held between the convex faces of the clamping members to provide a plurality of spaced incisions in the face of the plug.

Tl. In a machine for incising plug tobacco, the combination with a plurality of rocking, segmental clamping members having convex clamping faces and geared together and adapted to clamp and release a plug therebetween, of a plurality of angs of rotary cutters located adjacent the clamping members and adapted to incise a plug while the latter is held between the clamping members.

In a machine for incising plug tobacco, the combination with a pair of rocking curved clamps, each having the plug clamping section thereof formed of spaced mem bers, of cutters mounted adjacent the clamps and having portions projecting through the spaces between the members of the clamp and adapted to operate upon a plug held between the clamps to form. incisions in such plug.

6. In a machine for incising plug tobacco, a rocking, segmental clamp having a plug clamping section formed of a plurality of spaced. members, cutting mechanism projecting through the spaces between the members, and means for operating with, the clamp for holding the plug in position to be incised by the cutting mechanism.

7. In a machine for incising plug tobacco, the combination with a pair of rocking segmental clamping members having convex clamping faces, of means for feeding a plug tothe clamping members, and cutting mechneecnoe auism operating upon the plug while clamped between the convex faces to form incisions in opposite faces of such plug.

8. In a machine for incising plug tobacco,

the combination with a pair of rocking, seg- 7 mental clamping members geared together and adapted to clamp and release a plug therebetween, of gangs of rotary cutters faces of the plug through part of its thickness while such plug is clamped by the clamping members, a guide for feeding the plugs into position between the clamping members to be operated upon by the cutters and means for delivering the incised plugs from the machine.

10. In a machine for incising plug tobacco, a yieldable support, a clamping member mounted to rock on said support, a sec ond clamping member cooperating with the first mentioned clamping member, said clamping member having opposed convex clamping facesand adapted to clamp a plug of tobacco therebetween and means for incising the plug clamped by the clamping members.

11. In a machine for incising plug tobacco, the combination with a yieldably mounted rocking segmental clamping memher, a second rocking segmental clamping member cooperating with the first mentioned clamping member and adapted to clamp a plug of tobacco, a plurality of gangs of rotary cutters located adjacent the clamping members and adapted to incise opposite sides of the plug of tobacco held by the clamping members, and means for successively feeding the plugs to the clamping members.

12. In a machine for incising plug tobacco, the combination with a yieldably mounted rocking segmental clamping member, a second rocking segmental clamping member cooperating with the first mentioned clamping member and adapted to'clamp a plug of tobacco, a plurality of gangs of rotary cutters located adjacent the clamping members and adapted to incise opposite sides of the plug of tobacco held by the clamping members, and a pusher member pivotally connected to one of said clamping members and adapted to feed plugs of tobacco into position to be clamped by the clamping members.

13. In a machine for incising plug tobacco, a plurality of segmental rocking clamping members geared together and adapted to clamp a plug therebetween, a feeder device connected with one of said clamping members and adapted to feed the plugs to the clamping members, a guide for directing the plugs from the feeder device to the clamping members, a plurality of gangs of rotary cutters located adjacent the clamping members and adapted to project therethrough and to incise opposite faces of a plug held by the clamping members, means for adjusting the gangs of cutters, a delivery chute for conducting the incised plugs from the cutters to a point of discharge, power transmission mechanism between the power shaft and one of the geared clamping members for imparting movement to the clamping members, and power transmission mechanism interposed between the power bacco, a plurality of segmental rocking clamping members geared together and adapted to clamp a plug therebetween, one of said clamping members being yieldably mounted to move toward and from the others, each of said clamping members having a plug clamping section comprising a plurality of curved, spaced slats, a feeder device connected with the yielding clamping members and adapted to feed plugs to the clamping members, a plurality of gangs of spaced rotary cutters located adjacent the clamping members and having the cutting edges thereof projecting through the spaces between the slats whereby to incise oppositefaces of the plug held by the clamping members, and power transmission mechanism for operating the clamping members and rotating the cutters.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JONATHAN PETERSON.

Copies 0! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of intents, Washington, D. 0.

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