US20020014243A1 - Apparatus for advancing streams of particles of smokable material - Google Patents

Apparatus for advancing streams of particles of smokable material Download PDF

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Publication number
US20020014243A1
US20020014243A1 US09/888,651 US88865101A US2002014243A1 US 20020014243 A1 US20020014243 A1 US 20020014243A1 US 88865101 A US88865101 A US 88865101A US 2002014243 A1 US2002014243 A1 US 2002014243A1
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United States
Prior art keywords
conveyor
walls
belt
wall
path
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Abandoned
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US09/888,651
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English (en)
Inventor
Hans-Heinrich Muller
Uwe Heitmann
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Koerber Technologies GmbH
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Individual
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Assigned to HAUNI MASCHINENBAU AG reassignment HAUNI MASCHINENBAU AG ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: HEITMANN, UWE, MULLER, HANS-HEINRICH
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Publication of US20020014243A1 publication Critical patent/US20020014243A1/en
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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
    • A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
    • A24C5/14—Machines of the continuous-rod type
    • A24C5/18—Forming the rod

Definitions

  • the invention relates to the making of rod-shaped products which contain flowable particulate material, such as fragments of tobacco leaves, artificial tobacco and/or reconstituted tobacco. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in apparatus for advancing and simultaneously influencing (such as reshaping, condensing, changing the speed of and/or changing the direction of advancement of) streams or flows of particles of smokable material.
  • a modern cigarette making machine (e.g., the machine known as PROTOS which is distributed by the assignee of the present appication) comprises a conveyor which gathers particles of tobacco leaves and/or other combustive tobacco smoke producing material (such particles will be referred to as tobacco particles) into at least one rod-like filler ready to be trimmed and thereupon draped into a running web of cigarette paper or other suitable wrapping material.
  • the conveyor includes a duct defining an elongated path arranged to receive a continuous shower of tobacco particles. The shower is converted into an elongated stream by an elongated stretch or reach of an endless foraminous belt.
  • the shower of tobacco particles is caused to rise into the duct to form a stream at the underside of the lower reach of the foraminous belt.
  • the lower reach of such belt constitutes one wall of the duct, and the duct includes stationary additional walls serving to flank the sides of the path beneath the lower reach of the belt and being in continuous contact with the moving tobacco particles.
  • a drawback which is common to presently known conveyors of the above outlined character is that the stationary walls which come in contact with tobacco particles are subject to extensive wear due to continuous pronounced uninterrupted frictional engagement with the advancing stream of comminuted tobacco. This affects the useful life of the conveyor. Moreover, such pronounced frictional engagement can exert adverse influence upon the the consistency and/or configuration of the growing tobacco stream in the duct.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide a conveyor which is constructed and assembled in such a way that all stationary parts which come into extensive contact with moving tobacco particles exhibit several desirable properties, especially a pronounced resistance to wear and a low resistance to sliding of tobacco particles therealong.
  • Another object of the instant invention is to provide a conveyor wherein the stationary walls which come in direct contact with the conveyed tobacco particles and/or with the moving belt are subject to less pronounced wear than in conventional conveyors.
  • a further object of the invention is to increase the area of contact between the moving belt and the tracks which guide the belt for movement along a desired path in a cigarette rod making machine.
  • An additional object of the present invention is to provides a novel and improved method of prolonging the useful life of the belt and/or of other parts in a conveyor of the above outlined character.
  • Still another object of this invention is to provide a cigarette making machine which employs one or more conveyors exhibiting the above-enumerated desirable characteristics.
  • a further object of our invention is to provide a conveyor which can be utilized with advantage in modern high-speed cigarette rod making machines which are designed to turn out huge quantities of cigarettes or analogous rod-shaped smokers' products per unit of time.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a conveyor which can be utilized in machines designed to turn out a single continuous cigarette rod as well as in machines which can turn out simultaneously a plurality of continuous cigarette rods.
  • the invention resides in the provision of a conveyor for flowable particulate material of the tobacco processing indsutry, wherein a duct defines a path for the flowable material and has walls bounding the path, i.e., being in direct contact with moving particulate material.
  • a duct defines a path for the flowable material and has walls bounding the path, i.e., being in direct contact with moving particulate material.
  • at least one of the walls consists at least in part of a ceramic material, i.e., such ceramic material comes in direct contact with the moving particulate material.
  • the at least one wall is or can be stationary, and such at least one wall can constitute a lining having a surface adjacent the path and consisting of ceramic material.
  • the duct of such conveyor can comprise a back support for the lining; the lining is affixed to the back support in such a way that it is disposed between the back support and the path for moving particulate material.
  • the lining can be bonded (such as by a suitable adhesive) to its back support and the thickness of such lining can be between about 0.05 mm and 0.5 mm.
  • the lining can be applied to the back support in molten state, and such molten material can be poured or sprayed onto the back support.
  • That surface of the at least one wall of the duct which is adjacent the path for and is contacted by the moving particulate material can have a consistency or configuration resembling that of an orange peel or rind.
  • Another wall of the duct can constitute a portion (e.g., an elongated lower reach or stretch) of a conveyor belt which is arranged to advance particulate material along the path.
  • a third wall of such duct can be installed to confront the at least one wall and is preferably disposed at that side of the belt portion which faces the at least one wall.
  • the third wall consists, or can consist, at least in part of a ceramic material, e.g., of a material identical with that of the at least one wall.
  • Two additional walls of such duct can be disposed at the other side of the aforementioned portion of the belt and are or can be designed to provide (i.e., establish or constitute) tracks or guideways for the aforementioned portion of the belt.
  • At least one of the additional walls can be provided with one or more projections (e.g., with substantially trapeziform arms or the like) which abut the other side of the elongated portion of the belt.
  • the additional walls can be provided with surfaces each of which is adjacent and extends lengthwise of a different one of the two elongated marginal portions (edge faces) of the elongated portion of the belt. The latter is or can be located at a level above the path, i.e., at a level above the at least one wall and the third wall of the duct.
  • the duct can form part of a cigarette rod making machine.
  • FIG. 1 is a transverse sectional view of a conveyor which embodies one form of the present invention and employs a total of four walls made at least in part of a wear-resistant ceramic or ceramic-containing material;
  • FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a detail in the structure of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a plan view of certain parts in a modified conveyor.
  • FIG. 1 shows a portion of a conveyor 2 which embodies one form of the present invention and includes an elongated channel or duct defining an elongated path 1 for reception and advancement of successive increments of a continuous ascending shower of tobacco particles forming a stream at the underside of the lower reach or stretch 20 of an endless foraminous belt being driven in a manner not shown in the drawings to advance tobacco particles in a direction at right angles to the plane of FIG. 1.
  • 5,072,742 to Heitmann which shows a conventional conveyor having an endless foraminous belt 61 including a lower reach located below the perforated bottom wall 59 of a suction chamber 61 and above the open upper end of a tubular guide 52 for an ascending shower of tobacco particles.
  • the ascending shower of tobacco particles gathers into a continuous stream which is advanced along an at last substantially horizontal path and past a surplus removing or equalizing device.
  • the resulting rod-like filler 78 c is draped (at 89 ) into a web 91 of cigarette paper to form therewith a continuous cigarette rod ready for repeated severing of its leader to yield a succession of discrete plain cigarettes of unit length or multiple unit length.
  • the structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the present application is a cross-sectional view of the novel conveyor 2 taken at right angles to the plane in FIG. 3 of the patent to Heitmann.
  • the lower reach 20 of the endless belt is located at a level below two confronting sidewalls or cheeks 8 , 10 mounted in a housing 4 .
  • the sidewalls 8 , 10 are connected to each other and form part of a holder 6 which is bolted, screwed or otherwise affixed to the two halves of the housing 4 .
  • These sidewalls are respectively provided with elongated grooves 12 , 14 for discrete inserts or walls 16 , 18 respectively adjacent the lateral marginal portions or edge faces 30 , 32 of the lower reach 20 of the belt.
  • the inserts 16 , 18 are respectively provided with guide surfaces 22 , 24 for the respective edge faces 30 , 32 .
  • the configurations of the surfaces 22 , 24 bounding the grooves or cutouts 12 , 14 are such that the lower reach 20 of the endless belt is compelled to advance in an accurately defined plane extending at least substantially at right angles to the plane of FIG. 1 or 2 .
  • the suction chamber 48 in the interior of the housing 4 above the lower reach 20 of the endless belt attracts the fragments of tobacco particles in a manner to form a stream which is entrained by the lower reach 8 .
  • the upper side of this lower reach is propped by the surfaces 25 of several rollers 28 rotatably mounted in the suction chamber 48 on horizontal shafts 26 .
  • the shafts 26 are installed in the cheeks 8 and 10 .
  • the inserts or walls 16 , 18 are further provided with parallel surfaces 34 , 36 which are adjacent the edge faces 30 , 32 of the lower reach 20 .
  • the duct of the conveyor 2 further includes parallel walls 44 , 46 which flank the channel or path 1 and are respectively borne by back supports 38 , 40 secured to and depending from the respective portions of the housing 4 .
  • Each of the walls 44 , 46 is bonded (such as glued) to the respective back support 38 , 40 .
  • Those surfaces of the back supports 38 , 40 which are adjacent the walls 44 , 46 are provided with pairs of shallow recesses 42 which can receive the adhesive.
  • This adhesive can be of the type known as Delo Automix 1895 distributed by the Firm Delo in Landsberg am Lech, Federal Republic Germany.
  • Each of the walls or linings 44 , 46 can consist of a series of successive panels or plates which are placed next to each other to jointly form composite linings extending beneath the lower reach 20 of the endless belt in a direction at right angles to the plane of FIG. 1 or 2 .
  • the path 1 is bounded by a total of three walls which actually contact, guide and entrain the tobacco particles rising into the duct, namely by the lower reach 20 of the endless belt, by the wall constituted by the composite lining 44 , and by the wall including the composite lining 46 .
  • at least the wall 44 but preferably also the wall 46 , and most preferably also the walls or inserts 16 , 18 is or are made of a ceramic material.
  • the friction coefficient of the ceramic material of the linings 44 and 46 is low or very low, i.e., the exposed surfaces of these linings offer only a relatively small or negligible resistance to sliding movement of tobacco particles therealong. This ensures that the quality of cigarettes which have rod-like fillers built up in a machine embodying the structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is not unduly affected by the walls 44 , 46 because these walls do not unduly interfere with the distribution (in the duct 1 ) of tobacco particles in a manner as determined by the means for propelling tobacco particles into the duct from below, by suction in the chamber 48 and/or by the speed of forward movement of the lower reach 20 of the belt.
  • the making of the inserts or walls 16 , 18 of a ceramic material is desirable and advantageous but optional.
  • the making of the walls 44 , 46 from a ceramic material is highly desirable and constitutes an unexpectedly advantageous feature of the present invention.
  • the ceramic material of portions of or of the entire walls 44 , 46 is or can be the same as that of the portions of or of entire inserts or walls 16 and 18 .
  • the neighboring panels of a composite ceramic lining (such as 44 or 46 ) can be properly (such as form-lockingly) interfitted with each other by mechanical means, e.g., by providing neighboring edge faces of such panels with mating teeth or with otherwise configurated overlapping parts (such as ledges or the like).
  • Ceramic or partly ceramic linings 44 , 46 can be applied to the back supports in presently known or utilized panels of metal or the like.
  • all that is necessary to significantly improve a conventional conveyor is to replace standard linings with novel linings of the type shown, e.g., in FIGS. 1 and 2.
  • Such undertaking can significantly lengthen the useful lives of existing standard conveyors.
  • the spacing between the surfaces 34 , 36 of the inserts or walls 16 , 18 is such that the surfaces 34 , 36 need not come into contact with the lower reach 20 of the endless belt; this greatly reduces the likelihood of excessive wear upon the edge faces of the foraminous belt including the lower reach 20 .
  • a cigarette making machine which can employ a conveyor with two paths (or two discrete conveyors each defining a path 1 ) is disclosed, for example, in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,640 granted Jan. 16, 1990 to Heitmann et al. for “MULTIPLE-ROD CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE”.
  • FIG. 2 shows, drawn to a larger scale, those portions of the conveyor 2 which surround the lower reach 20 of the endless belt that surrounds the suction chamber 48 .
  • FIG. 3 is a plan view of a portion of a conveyor 2 a which constitutes a modification of the conveyor 2 shown in FIG. 1. All such parts of the conveyor 2 a which are identical with or plainly analogous to those of the conveyor 2 are denoted by similar reference characters each followed by the letter “a”.
  • the cheeks 8 a , 10 a on the holder 6 a in the conveyor 2 a flank a suction chamber 48 a and respectively carry rows of ceramic or partly ceramic sections 16 a , 18 a replacing the one-piece walls or inserts 16 , 18 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
  • the sections 16 a , 18 a respectively include substantially trapeziform extensions or projections 51 , 52 which overlie relatively small portions of the upper side of the lower reach 20 of the endless belt (not shown in FIG. 3) to prop the lower reach of this conveyor from above but to still permit the suction chamber 48 a to draw tobacco particles into the path 1 a and against the underside of the continuously advancing lower reach of the endless belt.
  • the projections 51 alternate with the projections 52 , as seen in the longitudinal direction of the path 1 a , and at least some of their exposed surfaces have configurations corresponding to those on the exposed surface of the rind of an orange, lemon or an annalogous fruit. This is indicated in FIG. by the dots 50 on the projections 51 , 52 and on the major parts of the inserts or walls 16 a , 18 a .
  • Such configuration of surfaces contacting the running endless belt and the advancing stream of tobacco particles in the path 1 a greatly reduces the likelihood of extensive and/or rapid wear upon the surfaces of the walls 16 a , 18 a and their respective projections 51 , 52 (if any).

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  • Manufacturing Of Cigar And Cigarette Tobacco (AREA)
  • Preliminary Treatment Of Fibers (AREA)
US09/888,651 2000-06-27 2001-06-26 Apparatus for advancing streams of particles of smokable material Abandoned US20020014243A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE10030296A DE10030296A1 (de) 2000-06-27 2000-06-27 Vorrichtung zum Fördern eines Stranges der tabakverarbeitenden Industrie
DE10030296.3 2000-06-27

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US20020014243A1 true US20020014243A1 (en) 2002-02-07

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ID=7646342

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US09/888,651 Abandoned US20020014243A1 (en) 2000-06-27 2001-06-26 Apparatus for advancing streams of particles of smokable material

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US (1) US20020014243A1 (pl)
EP (1) EP1169926B2 (pl)
JP (1) JP2002051760A (pl)
CN (1) CN1237918C (pl)
AT (1) ATE256975T1 (pl)
DE (2) DE10030296A1 (pl)
ES (1) ES2211699T3 (pl)
PL (1) PL203742B1 (pl)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1389430A1 (de) * 2002-08-12 2004-02-18 Hauni Maschinenbau Aktiengesellschaft Vorrichtung zum Fördern eines Stranges der tabakverarbeitenden Industrie
FR2861957A1 (fr) * 2003-11-12 2005-05-13 Jose Valderrama Plafond de couloir tabac circulaire ou polygonal
CN100393250C (zh) * 2004-11-05 2008-06-11 上海烟草（集团）公司 涂层烟舌
US20110259351A1 (en) * 2010-04-23 2011-10-27 Rj Reynolds Tobacco Company Tobacco rod manufacturing apparatus

Families Citing this family (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1464594B1 (de) * 2003-04-04 2006-06-07 Hauni Maschinenbau AG Lager
DE10354745A1 (de) * 2003-11-21 2005-06-30 Hauni Maschinenbau Ag Kanalwange
DE102006055873B8 (de) * 2006-11-23 2012-01-05 Hauni Maschinenbau Ag Kanalwandelement
DE102009031858A1 (de) 2009-07-03 2011-01-05 Hauni Maschinenbau Ag Kanalwange einer Strangfördereinrichtung einer Maschine der Tabak verarbeitenden Industrie
DE102010039099A1 (de) 2010-08-09 2012-02-09 Hauni Maschinenbau Ag Vorrichtung und Verfahren zum Fördern eines Stranges der tabakverarbeitenden Industrie
DE102010054992A1 (de) 2010-12-17 2012-06-21 Hauni Maschinenbau Ag Vorrichtung und Verfahren zum Fördern von Strängen aus Fasern der tabakverarbeitenden Industrie
DE102010054991A1 (de) * 2010-12-17 2012-06-21 Hauni Maschinenbau Ag Vorrichtung zum Fördern eines Stranges aus Fasern der tabakverarbeitenden Industrie

Family Cites Families (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB629853A (en) * 1947-12-16 1949-09-29 Desmond Walter Molins Improvements in or relating to garnitures for cigarette-making machines
GB885485A (en) * 1958-10-15 1961-12-28 Frederick David Davies Improvements in the manufacture of ceramic industrial articles
US3139972A (en) * 1959-06-13 1964-07-07 Hauni Werke Koerber & Co Kg Rotary suction conveyor
GB974821A (en) † 1960-02-29 1964-11-11 Molins Machine Co Ltd Improvements in or relating to tobacco-manipulating machines
US4899765A (en) † 1988-07-19 1990-02-13 R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Process for manufacturing cigarette rods
US5076293A (en) † 1989-06-19 1991-12-31 R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Process and apparatus for the treatment of tobacco material
US5290507A (en) † 1991-02-19 1994-03-01 Runkle Joseph C Method for making tool steel with high thermal fatigue resistance
DE4215059A1 (de) * 1992-05-07 1993-11-11 Hauni Werke Koerber & Co Kg Vorrichtung zum Fördern eines Tabakstrangs
DE19733443A1 (de) * 1997-08-02 1999-02-04 Hauni Maschinenbau Ag Vorrichtung zum Fördern eines Stranges der tabakverarbeitenden Industrie

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1389430A1 (de) * 2002-08-12 2004-02-18 Hauni Maschinenbau Aktiengesellschaft Vorrichtung zum Fördern eines Stranges der tabakverarbeitenden Industrie
FR2861957A1 (fr) * 2003-11-12 2005-05-13 Jose Valderrama Plafond de couloir tabac circulaire ou polygonal
EP1530911A1 (fr) * 2003-11-12 2005-05-18 José Valderrama Couloir tabac à plafond sphérique ou polygonal
CN100393250C (zh) * 2004-11-05 2008-06-11 上海烟草（集团）公司 涂层烟舌
US20110259351A1 (en) * 2010-04-23 2011-10-27 Rj Reynolds Tobacco Company Tobacco rod manufacturing apparatus
US9445627B2 (en) * 2010-04-23 2016-09-20 R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Tobacco rod manufacturing apparatus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP1169926B2 (de) 2008-05-28
EP1169926A1 (de) 2002-01-09
DE50101253D1 (de) 2004-02-05
CN1237918C (zh) 2006-01-25
JP2002051760A (ja) 2002-02-19
PL203742B1 (pl) 2009-11-30
CN1329856A (zh) 2002-01-09
ES2211699T3 (es) 2004-07-16
ATE256975T1 (de) 2004-01-15
EP1169926B1 (de) 2004-01-02
DE10030296A1 (de) 2002-01-10
PL348289A1 (en) 2002-01-02

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AS Assignment

Owner name: HAUNI MASCHINENBAU AG, GERMANY

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:MULLER, HANS-HEINRICH;HEITMANN, UWE;REEL/FRAME:014729/0779

Effective date: 20010614

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION