US2353424A - Charge transfer - Google Patents

Description

y 1944- H. H. WHEELER 2,353,424

CHARGE TRANSFER Filed April 10, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Q I E INVENTOR HENRY H.WHEELER Patented July 11, 1944 UNITED STATES i ATENT OFFICE 2 ,353,424" I f l p p v CHARGE TRANSFER Henry H. Wheeler, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to International Cigar Machinery Company, a

I corporationof New Jersey Application April 10, 1941', Serial No. 387,898

I 6 Claims. ('01. 131 -38) This invention relates to improvements in cigar machines, more particularly to the bunch charge transfer'thereof.

Heretofore in the type of machine shown in my co-pending'application, Serial Number 304,299, filed November 14, 1939, on which Patent No. 2,311,011 was granted February 16, 1943, the bunch charge was ejected from the charge trans fer upon a portion of the bunch-rolling apron which was raised into contact with the charge transfer and then lowered, preparatory to rolling of the charge within the binder, by a suction platform to which the portion of the apron carrying the charge adhered. Since the downward movement of the ejector of said charge transfer stopped when the ejector reached thebottom of the transfer pocket, the charge was not thereafter held on the apron during the relatively sudden descent of the suction platform and apron away from said transfer and at such time was liable to become disturbed; and this tended to impair its uniformity particularly at the fishtails" on its head and tuck ends. Moreover the adhesion of the apron to the suction platform Was sometimes insuflicient to pull the apron all the way down with the charge deposited thereon. Since the ejector of the present charge transfer serves to press the charge on the apron until the suction platform has descended to its lowermost position, disturbance of the bunch charge is avoided and the apron will be pulled down to the proper position for rolling the cigar bunch.

Accordingly, one of the objects of the invention is to press the charge against the apron until the apron has descended to its lowermost position to I prevent disturbance of the charge, and a further object is to assure descent of the apron to the proper position for rolling a cigar bunch.

.In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and in which like characters of reference indicate the same or like parts:.

Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation on line II of Fig. 2 of a portion of a cigar machine showing the improved charge transfer;

Figure 2 isa cross-section of the charge transfer;

Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation from line 8--3 of Fig. 2, showing the charge transfer at chargereceiving position, together with the mechanism for displacing the charge transfer to delivery position, the charge ejecting plunger of the transfer being shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a partial plan view of a cigar machine with the improved charge transfer; and

Fig; 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the charge transfer taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 4, the leaf tobacco is placed in a feed channel formed by a horizontal endless belt II5 and two vertical endless belts I20 and I2I, to form a layer T of the proper thickness. These belts may be driven and controlled to advance the layer T'under a pressure foot I22 (corresponding to the pressure foot- 228 shown in Fig. 15 of Patent 2,311,011 and a reciprocable knife I84 (corresponding to the knife 84 shown in Fig. 15 of Patent 2,311,011) on to the cutting platform Iii. The knife I84 is attached to a reciprocable bar I corresponding to the bar 225 shown'in Fig. 15 of Patent 2,311,011, and is raised to permit passage of the layer T. The foot I22 is supported from the bar I85 in the same manner in which the foot 228 is supported in Fig. 15 of said patent. The platform #0, which is provided with longitudinal slots I2, is mounted on the head or platform Id of a plunger I3 supported in a slide I8. Reference may be had to said patent for the details of the construction of the mechanism for driving belts I I5, I 20 and I2I, and the construction of the platform I4 and plunger I6. As shown in the above mentioned patent, slide I8 receives vertical reciprocatory motion from a suitable cam operated rodlnot shown) of the machine. The tobacco layer is forwarded in each cycle from the feed channel on to the cutting platform It by incremerits corresponding to the desired bunch length. Side walls 28 extending at either side of the platform I0, confine the tobacco layer thereon. The platform I4 is then raised, thus forcing a knife I86 fastened on the inner end of the platform against the knife I84, which is moved downwardly to clamp the tobacco layer against knife I85, and'thereby cutting the section advanced upon the platform from the remainder of the tobacco layer.

Above the'platform in a position aligned with the side walls 20, as shown in Fig. 1, is located a charge transfer 22 having a pocket within which is located a plunger 24 engaging the side walls 26 'of the pocket. The side walls 26 are suspended from a cover 28 having an extension 30 (Fig. 2) at one end thereof to which is fastened a slide 32 engaging with a stationary horizontal guide rail 34 equipped with a separate gibrail 35. The opposite end of cover 28 supports a slide 38 engaging a stationary guide rail 48 which is part of a bracket 42. The slide 32 is attached to a link 44 extending upwardly from an endless chain 46 running over sprockets I08 and I09. The mechanism for driving the chain .46 is similar to that disclosed in Fig. 12 of the above-mentioned Patent No. 2,311,011 and comprises a pinion II2 mounted on the shaft III] of sprocket I08, shaft I I being supported in pedestal III and pinion IIZ meshing with a rack H3. The rack I I3 is slidably mounted in pedestal III and connected by a link II4 to a cam lever H5. The rack H3 is guided in pedestal III by cover H6 and its upper end is protected by a housing II'I secured to the upper end of the pedestal. The chain III is thus driven to move the transfer horizontally from charge-receiving position to charge-delivery position. The sprocket I09 is supported on a shaft I I8 carried by a bracket H9 secured to rail 34 and adjustable thereon by adjusting screw I20.

With the charge transfer 22 in. charge-receiving position as shown in full lines (Fig. 1), the platform I4 is raised to its upper position, lifting the severed bunch length intothe charge transfer pocket and against the ejector or plunger 24, and compressing the bunch length therein. The plunger 25 is attached to the lower end of a rod 4& sliding in a hub or boss 50 of cover 28, the upper end 52 of rod 4% being smaller in diameter and thereby forming a shoulder 54 which is normally held against the inner face of the crownknob 55 by compression springs 58- se-ated against the cover 28 and engaging collars. 60 fastened on rods 62 passingthrough the cover and. fastened to plunger 24. Thus the plunger 24 is held in an upper position corresponding to the desired thickness of the charge. The knob 55 is threaded on to the threaded portion 63 of the boss and by turning the knob 55 the point at which the upward movement of plunger 24 will be stopped can be varied to produce different thicknesses of charges tosuit small or large cigar bunches. The knob 56 is kept from accidental turning by means of a spring'wire G4 snapped i-ntoone of its grooves.

With the charge transfer pocket loaded, a horizontal oscillating knife blade 66, Fig. 4, which may be supported and actuated in the same manner as described in my PatentNo. 2,311,011, moves forward to sever the charge inserted in the pocket. Supporting fingers ISI (Fig. 4) move into slots I2 in the cutting platform It which is now at raised position. The platform I4 then returns to its down position leaving the surplus cut filler sections on the said fingers at the position I6I" thereof, shown in Fig. 3. When the platform againascends with a cut filler section the fingers are withdrawn from the position in which they support the surplus tobacco, thereby leaving this surplus tobacco on top of the newly cut section being elevated by the platform. The mechanism for actuating the supporting fingers is similar to that shown in said Patent No. 2,311,011.,

The measured charge lodged in the charge transfer 22 is then slid across the plate 6! to a position adjacent the rolling table 68 of the machine, by the movement of the chain 46, to the dotted position shown in Fig. 1. At this latter position the charge is deposited on the rolling apron 59 which has been raised to its upper position by the suction box or lifter platform 70'. Since the construction of the lifter platform, apron and rolling table and the mechanism (not shown) for applying suction to the interior of the platform is similar to that shown in Patent No. 2,311,011, further description thereof is deemed unnecessary except to note that the air is exhausted from suction chamber Id through a hollow nipple 2I4 slidable in a bore of socket 2I5 which communicates with a duct 2I6 formed in the base of the machine, duct 2I6 being connected through pipes similar to the pipes 2H and 2I8 of Patent N0. 2,311,011 to the suction system of the machine. Moreover one end of the apron is fastened to the remote end of the table and the other apron end is secured to the drum I2 which is suitably operated as shown in said Patent No. 2,311,011 to slacken the apron sufficiently to permit the formation of a loop therein during the ejection of the bunch charge. However it will be noted that the top of the platform 10 is perforated as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 to produce suctional adhesion of the apron to the platform during the descent of the latter.

An arm I4 is mounted on shaft I6 supported in bracket 42 and is provided with a cam block I8 having an inclined face I9 whose lower edge is arranged to engage the roller on the upper end 52 of rod 48 when the charge transfer is at delivery position above the rolling apron to displace the plunger 24 downwardly and eject the charge while the underlying portion of the apron is descending. On the shaft 65 is also fastened an arm 82 connected by a link 84 to an arm 86' fastened on shaft 88. The arm is connected to a rod 90 which is actuated by a cam lever (not shown) corresponding to the cam lever 224 of the above mentioned patent, and an arm 92 fastened on shaft 88 is connected by link 94 to platform It. Thus when the rod 9 3 is displaced downwardly the cam block I3. forces the rod A8 downwardly to eject the charge from the charge transfer pocket and the platform I0 descends with the apron 69 which adheres suctionally to the platform. While the plunger 24 is expelling the tobacco charge from the pocket on to the apron 69, it serves to hold the charge on the descending portion of the apron until it comes to rest. The charge transfer is then moved horizontally to return it tocharge-receiving position, and the roller 80 rides along the inclined cam face I8 as springs 58 return the plunger 24 to its upper position within the transfer pocket.

The expelled charge on the rolling apron 69 is now ready to be rolled into a cigar bunch by the action of rolling pin 98 which is provided with trunnions suitably supported and actuated as shown in the above-mentioned patent to swing the plate 6-1, which is fastened on the trunnions of the rolling pin, over upon the charge deposited upon the apron where it remains during the forward movement of the rolling pin and is later returned to its initial position.

The plunger 24, Fig. 1, is provided with corrugated extensions I09 corresponding in shape to the fishtail ends of the underlying charge, and thereby holding the fishtail ends of the charge in orderly fashion when delivered to the pocket and also when expelled on to the apron 69, and interengaging similarly shaped cut-outs in a plate I02. The plate H32 is suspended on rods I04, which are slidably mounted in the cover 28 in a manner similar to the studs 248' shown in Fig.

15 of my Patent 2,311,011, and urged downwardly by compression springs I08 which are coiled about the rods and act to keep plate I02 in the position shown in Fig. 2 hereof below the plunger 24, except when raised by the bunch length cutting knife I84, as the latter ascends prior to its d'escent into position to clamp the filler layer on the knife fastened on platform I4.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cigar machine, the combination with a bunch rolling apron, of a charge transfer movable horizontally from charge-receiving position to charge-delivery position and provided with a pocket having an open bottom through which a bunch charge may be vertically inserted, a device underlying said open bottom for maintaining the charge in said pocket as said transfer moves from charge receiving position toward delivery position, said transfer being provided with in said pocket with an ejector adapted to eject the charge therefrom, a member having a horizontal face underlying said apron, means for moving said member to carry said apron upwardly into contact with the bottom of said transfer at the delivery position'thereof and then lowering said member with the apron during the ejection of the charge, and mechanism for displacing said ejector downwardly through said pocket at the charge-delivery position of said transfer to eject the charge upon the apron and press the charge thereon until the apron descends with said member into its initial position.

2. In a cigar machine; the combination with a bunch rolling apron; of a charge transfer movable from charge-receiving position to chargedelivery position and provided with a pocket having an open bottom through which a bunch charge may be inserted, said transfer being provided within said pocket with an ejector adapted to eject the charge therefrom; members for maintaining said charge in said pocket as the transfer moves from charge receiving position toward delivery position means for moving said apron upwardly into contact with the bottom of said transfer and lowering the apron during the ejection of the charge; and mechanism for displacing said ejector downwardly through said pocket at the charge-delivery position of said transfer to eject the charge upon the apron and press the charge thereon until the apron descends into its initial position; said ejector having a portion protruding from the top of said pocket; and said mechanism including a movable, member arranged to engage said protruding portion at the charge-delivery position of said transfer, and displace said ejector downwardly through the pocket for ejection and pressing of the charge upon the apron, and a device for urging said ejector upwardly in said pocket; and said means including a movable hollow element adapted to be connected to a source of suction and having a perforated face engaging the under face of the portion of the apron engaging said plunger, to suctionally retain the apron on said perforated face during the descent of said element and a device for raising and lowering said element.

3. In a cigar machine, the combination with a bunch rolling apron, of a charge transfer movable horizontally from charge-receiving position to charge-delivery position and provided with a pocket having an open bottom through which a bunch charge may be vertically inserted, a device underlying said open bottom for maintaining the charge in said pocket as said transfer moves from charge receiving position toward delivery position, said transfer being provided within said pocket with an ejector adapted to eject the charge therefrom, a member having a horizontal face underlying said apron, means for moving said member to carry said apron upwardly into contact with the bottom of said transfer and then lowering said member with the apron during the ejection of the charge, mechanism for displacing said ejector downwardly through said pocket at the charge-delivery position of said transfer to eject the charge upon the apron and press the charge thereon until the apron descends with said member into its initial position, and yielding devices normally maintaining said ejector within said pocket.

4. In a cigar machine, the combination with a bunch rolling apron, of a charge transfer movable from a charge-receiving to a charge delivery position overlying said apron and adapted to transfer a bunch charge to said charge-delivery position, means for moving said apron upwardly into ,pOSitiOll to receive the charge therefrom and then downwardly with the charge deposited thereon, said means including a suction platform on which said apron is suctionally retained and which is vertically movable to raise and lower the apron, and mechanism for pressing the apron against said platform during the descent of the latter to assure adhesion of the apron thereto.

5. Transfer mechanism for a cigar bunch making machine of the kind in which a bunch charge is separated from the upper end of a tobacco column within a transfer device which is then movable horizontally to a charge delivery position at which the charge is ejected from the device on to the raised portion of a bunch rolling apron, said mechanism comprising a horizontally movable transfer device having a vertically movable ejector, means normally holding said ejector in a predetermined upper position within said device, and actuating means operative in the charge-delivery position of said transfer device to move said ejector downwardly a substantial distance beyond the bottom of the transfer device, for the purpose of holding the charge securely upon said apron portion during the return of the latter to its lower initial rolling position.

6. Transfer mechanism for a cigar bunch making machine of the kind in which a bunch charge is separated from the upper end of a tobacco column within a transfer device which is then movable horizontally to a charge delivery position at which the charge is ejected from the device on tothe raised portion of a bunch rolling apron, said mechanism comprising a horizontally movable transfer device having a vertically movable ejector, spring means normally holding said ejector in a predetermined upper position within said device, and actuating means operative in the charge-delivery position of said transfer device to move said ejector downwardly a substantial distance beyond the bottom of the transfer device, for the purpose of holding the charge securely upon said apron portion during the return of the latter to its lower initial rolling position, said actuating means being located at the chargedelivery position and a part of the ejector being brought into operative relation to said means by the movement of the transfer device into said delivery position, and said actuating means including a pivoted lever swingable upwardly and downwardly, a plate secured to the free end of said lever, and a roller secured to said ejector, said plate being adapted to engage said roller and provided with an upwardly inclined surface with which said roller coacts as the transfer device starts to return for charge-receiving position to control the return upward movement of the ejector to the predetermined upper position in which it is held by said spring means.

HENRY H. WHEELER.

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