US2357801A - Cigarette kickout - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 12, 1944. c, ARELT 2,357,801

CIGARETTE KICK-OUT Filed July 1e, 1941 sheets-sheet 1 aww Sept.v 12, 1944. c. ARELT n CIGARETTE KICK-OUT Filed July 16, 1941 4 Shee'cs-SheeiI 2 n L AM n... sT N EN R LF. O RV ...1. mm A C m 8V y m 12. 1. ..4 OM. .JMG u J 4 am @f4 1T,- f r a IIL 1 Sept, l2,A 1944. c. 'ARELT CIGARETTE KICK-OUT Filed July 16, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 4

Sept. 12, 1944. C ARELT CIGARETTE KICK-OUT Filed July 16 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR CV-A'QLED ARE'LT BY NWN re MNN www

NNN RNW ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 12,1944

CIGARETTE xxcxou'r Charles Arelt, Richmond Hill, N. Y., assigner to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation oi' New Jersey Application July 16, 1941, Serial No. 402,651

4 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of cigarettes, more particularly to continuous rod cigarette machines. One of the main objects is the rejection or segregation of the cigarettes which do not conform to the desired standard.

Aifurther object is to associate in a cigarette machine with suitable apparatus for detecting portions of the cigarette rod varying from predetermined standard, mechanism controlled from said apparatus for ejecting or segregating the cigarettes severed from the portions of the cigarette rod which do not conform to a predetermined standard.

A suitable detecting apparatus for this purpose is shown in the co-pending application of U. A. Whitaker, 'Serial No. 386,487, filed April 2, 1941. The construction of the cigarette ejecting mechanism shown in Figs. 1-5 of said application constitutes a part of my invention and was illustrated in said application merely as a suitable embodiment of a cigarette ejecting apparatus controlled from the detecting apparatus shown in Fig. 6 thereof. In Fig. 6 of the present application there is shown a detecting apparatus corresponding to that shown in Fig. 6 of said application, but said detector forms no part of the present invention.

The condition of the cigarette rod may be determined by electrostatic apparatus comprising spaced pick-up plates sufficiently spaced to admit a cigarette rod therebetween and connected to a high frequency electric circuit which will be affected by the characteristics of the section of 4the cigarette rod between plates so as to vary the current in the circuit. In accordance with the invention, variations in this current are utilized to measure variations from normal in the density of the rod. The circuit may be adjusted by inserting a cigarette conforming to a predetermined standard between the pick-up plates and adjusting the current to respond to variations in the cagarette rod from said standard. It is believed that variations in this circuit result mainly from variationsin the moisture content of the tobacco in the rod. Thus if a cigarette rod having a predetermined moisture content is advanced past the plates, underlled or overfilled portions thereof will contain greater or less moisture and correspondingly vary the characteristics of the circuit and the current flowing therein.

Bythis means it is possible to detect underlled or overfllled spots which constitute a minor fraction of a cigarette length. Moreover no mechanical feelers are used, whose inertia must be overcome 'before discrepancies in the cigarette rod will be detected. It may be noted that meehanical feelers, which have been used heretofore. do not give a true determination of the condition of the cigarette, inasmuch as they tend to modify or compress the cigarette'being tested, and also due to the relatively great linear speed of the rod and this inertia of the feelers they are not sensitive to short low or high spots a fraction of a cigarette length long but tend to yride over such spots without responding to them.

Since the moisture content of the tobacco constitutes an index of the density of the tobacco, as it is proportional to the weight of a given mass of tobacco of uniform moisture content, variations in the density-of the cigarette rod may be detected and utilized to effect a segregation of defective cigarettes. It is noted that the moisture content of well prepared and mixed tobacco is ordinarily quite uniform throughout a given mass at a given time, due it is believed, in part, to the fact that tobacco is very hygroscopic and in the mass relatively dry parts tend to absorb moisture and damp parts to give up moisture until the moisture content of adjoining portions is substantially uniform.

With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view the invention consists in certain constructions and features hereinafter fully described and then specifically set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

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 side elevation of a continuous rod cigarette machine equipped with my cigarette ejecting mechanism;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the cigarette ejecting mechanism and the operating and timing device for the same;

Fig. 3 is a partial plan view taken on line 3-3 of the timing mechanism shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view of the timing and ejecting operating mechanisms;

Fig. 5fis a partial plan view partly in section of the timing device in an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 6 is a wiring1 diagram showing the circuit for the detector control unit of the cigarette .A

ejecting mechanism.

'I'he particular embodiment of the cigarette ejecting mechanism shown in Figs. 1-5 consists of a pair of ejector rods I5 mounted on a horizontal shaft IB (Figs. 1 and 2) supported by an arm Il loosely mounted on a shaft I8 supported in a bearing bracket I9, fastened to the bed 21 of the cigarette machine. On shaft I6 is fastened a gear 20 which is continuously driven from a gear 2| loosely mounted on shaft I8. To gear 2| is attached a sprocket 22 which is driven by achain 23 from a sprocket 24 mounted on a horizontal shaft 25 supported by a bearing bracket 26 attached to the lower portion of the bed 21.

To shaft 25 is mounted a bevel gear 28 meshing with another bevel gear 29 fastened to a shaft 30 which may be driven through a pair of intermeshing bevel gears 3|, mounted on shaft 30 and shaft 32 respectively, shaft 32 being driven through a pair of meshing spiral gears 33 (Fig. 1), one gear 33 being mounted on shaft 32 and the other on the main drive shaft 34 of the cigarette machine. On shaft 25 is also mounted agear 35 driving a gear 36 loosely mounted on a stud 31 held by the bed 21. To the hub of said gear 36 is fastened a timing disk 38, which is also loosely mounted on the stud 31. Said disk is equipped with a number of circumferentially spaced bosses ,39 in each of which is slidably mounted a timing plunger 40. On one end of each plunger 40 is provided a socket 4| into which is fitted one end of a compression spring 42, while the other end of said spring is seated in a corresponding indentation 43a of the web portion 43 of gear 36. The plungers 40 are normally held in a retracted position adjacent the gear 36 by lock fingers 44, each of which is Ipivoted on its corresponding boss 39 and provided with a tension spring 45. Normally the fingers 44 engage plungers 40 behind the socket portions 4| of their corresponding plungers, so that the shank portions of the plungers protrude slightly from their corresponding bosses 39.

The continuous cigarette rod R emerging from the cigarette rod former U, wherein adhesive is applied by paster V to the overlap edge of the cigarette paper and folded upon the underlap edge and then sealed by sealer S (Fig. 1) passes through a detector box D into the cut-ofi' mechanism C, which may be of construction similar to that shown in Patent No. 1,075,274, wherein a knife K cuts off individual cigarettes L which are delivered and pushed through a guide channel 46 on to a continuuosly driven collector belt 41. The guide channel 46 is held by a bracket 48 (Fig. 2) adjustably attached to a lug 49 fastened to the bed 21 of the cigarette machine. Belt 41 is driven from the main drive of the machine in a conventional manner (not shown). Within the detector box D are supported a pair of condenser plates 20| which may be connected by wires W to an electrostatic detector control unit mounted in a box 200 conveniently held on top of the bed. A suitable control circuit is disclosed in the wiring diagram shown in Fig. 6, and will be hereinafter described in detail. The rod R also passes through a detector Z consisting of condenser plates connected by Wires X to a control circuit (not shown) within box 300. The control circuit in box 300 is similar to that disclosed in the above mentioned Whitaker application, and through a Reeves drive (not shown) regulates the speed at which the sprocket chain 358 drives the shaft of the tobacco feed F.

The operation of the timing mechanism of the detector unit in general principle is as follows:

The cigarette rod R passes in between the two plates 20| of detector box D, and if the density of the tobacco in said rod equals the density to which the detector circuit is tuned and adjusted, no cigarettes will be rejected by the ejector mechanism. But whenever either an under-filled or an over-filled section of the cigarette rod passes between the plates 20|, an unbalanced condition of the detector circuit is created which results in the energization of the relay 225 whereby its armature 50 is attracted, causing a pin 5| on said armature to separate the contacts 226 in the detector circuit. When the armature 50 is swung inwardly during its attraction to the magnet 225,

it is mechanically locked by a lug 53 (Fig. 4) and held there until reset again. Lock lug 53 is mounted on a ilat spring member 54 adjustably clamped to a vertical stud 55 held by an arm 56 adjustably fastened on stud 31. On the outer endof arm 56 is supported the relay 225 and the armature 50 which is pivoted thereon. Spring member 54 is arranged in a position to keep the lock lug 53in contact with the end of armature 50. The latter is also provided with a projection 51 having a lug 58 which, when said armature is pulled inwardly, lies in the path of the protruding ends of lock fingers 44 as they move with the rotating timing disk 38. When the end of a lock finger 44 contacts said lug 58 it is tripped, thereby releasing its corresponding timing plunger 40. Then its compression spring 42 snaps the socket portion 4| into the recess 59 of the corresponding hub 39 and the protruding end of said plunger 40 contacts and displaces the lock lug 53 on spring member 54, causing a disengagement of said lock lug 53 with armature 50 and thus with the help of a retractile spring 60 (Fig. 5) effecting the mechanical resetting of the armature 50. In order to check the movement of the armature 50the projecting end 51 of the latter is equipped with a bifurcated lug 6| (Fig. 5) which engages with an adjustable stop screw 62 held by a supporting lug 63 on arm 56.

The protruding end of the released plunger 40 traveling with the timing disk 38 in anticlockwise direction will come in contact with a control arm 64 and continuing to travel will raise said control arm in an upward direction. Control arm 64 is pivoted to a stud 65 held by a bracket 66, mounted on one end ofbed 21. Said control arm is also provided with a hook-shaped lock lug 61 normally held in engagement with a lock pin 68 by means of a tension spring 69 (Figs. 2 and 4). Lock pin 68 is held by an arm 10 to which is secured another arm 1| forming a bellcrank 12 pivoted on a stud 13 held by a suitable lugY of bearing bracket 26. The free end of arm 1| carries a contact plate 14 (Figs. 2 and 4) which, when bell-crank lever 12 is locked by means of arm 64, hangs with but little clearance directly above a crank pin 15 of a crank shaft 16 supported by a bearing lug 11 of bracket 26. Crank shaft 16 is continuously rotated by means of a gear 18 fastened thereon and meshing with gear 35 on shaft 25. To arm 1| is pivoted one end of a connecting rod 19. The other end of the same is pivoted to the arm I1 which supports the rotating ejector rods I5 described heretofore. A tension spring (Fig. 2) anchored to arm |1 and bracket I9 urges arm I1, as well as arm 1|, downward; but as long as lug 61 of arm 64 remains in engagement with lock pin 68, this movement is checked. When the projecting end of one of the released plungers 40 lifts arm 64 and thereby disengages lug 61 from lock pin 68, the plate 14 of arm 1| is brought in contact with crank pin 15 and follows the rotating crank pin, thus also imparting oscillating motion to arm I1 with the result that the rotating ejector rods are lowered into position to sweep off the cigarettes L delivered at that moment from the guide channel 46 on to the collector plate 41. The cigarette to be ejected is caught by the ejector rods I in mid air and thrown into an ejector chute formed by a pair of guide plates 8| and 82 (Figs. 1 and 2) which are both adjustably attached to the bearing bracket I9.

The cigarette cut-oil mechanism C- (Fig. 1)

which is driven through shaft 83 and a pair of spiral gears 84 from the ma-in shaft 34, is timed with respect to the ejecting and timing mechanisms in such a manner as to deliver in the path of the ejector rods the particular cigarettes which -caused disturbance of the balanceof the elec- I thereby arrests arm 1| in a position at which plate 14 will clear the continuously rotating crank pin 15, to maintain the rotating ejector rods I5 out of the path of the stream of oigarettes which are delivered to the collector belt 41. In order to reset any released plungers before completion of their cycle, the projecting ends of the same after leaving arm 64 contact an angularly mounted resetting plate 85 (Figs. 2 and 3) and are gradually pushed back until the correspondiner lock nger 44 snaps behind thesocket portion 4I of the plunger, keeping said plunger retracted until said finger is tripped again.

In order to prevent damage to the ejector mechanisms in case the cigarette machine is turned backward by hand, the shaft 30 connecting the ejector mechanism with the main drive, is equipped with a one-way clutch 90 (Fig. 4) in which a spring-pressed pin 9| engages with a spiral jaw collar 92 allowing shaft 30 to be driven one way only. One section 30a of shaft 30 is fastened-to clutch 90 while the other section 30h carries the spiral jaw collar 92.

.Referring to Fig. 6, there is illustrated an electrostatic detector control circuit in which the capacity between the detector plates 20| is -balanced against the capacity of a variable (air) condenser 202. The detector circuit may be of the so-oalled universal, or A. C.-D. C. type, in which the power from the line passes through a half-wave rectifier tube 203 and a filter consisting of choke coil 204 and condensers 205. The cathode heaters H of the various tubes are connected in series across the line in the usual manner (not shown), but it will be understood that the cathodes may be directly heated if desired.

The tuned plate coil 206 of the high-frequency oscillator tube 201 is center tapped, with the tap connected to the positive output terminal of the iilter. Tuned grid-coil 208 is inductively coupled to the plate coil, and also capacitatively through a small condenser 209. Resistance 2|0 and condenser 2|I are the usual grid leak and condenser for limiting the oscillation of tube 201 to the straight portion of its plate-current curve. When the tube 201 oscillates, equal high frequency currents, 180 degrees out of phase, are generated on the two ends of coil 206. y

The tuned coil 2|2 is connected in the grid circiut of the high frequency amplifier tube 2|3, which is of the pentode type. Coil 2|2 is 4tuned to the same frequency as the oscillator and is coupled to 'both sides of coil 206, through condenser 202 and detector plates 20|. Condensers 2I4 are inserted in the leads to plates 20| to insulate the plates from line or D. C. power. If the capacity of condenser 202, and the capacitance between plates 20| is balanced, no voltage -will be impressed on coil 2 I2.

A tuned high frequency transformer 2|5 couples the plate circuit of amplifier tube 2|3 to the grid circuits of indicator tube 2|6 and output tube 2|1, through condensers 224. Indicator 2|5 is of the type in which a triode is combined with an electron-ray indicator. It is biased to zero shadow angle by resistor 2|8 inv series with the cathode. Resistor 235 is the grid-leak. lIfhe anode plate resistor 2 I 9 is by-passed by a condenser 220. Thus the triode acts as a biased detector, and the whole tube 216 as a zero-indicator.

Output tube 2|1 is a gas-filled, grid-controlled rectifier. By means of battery 22| and resistors 222 and 223, the grid is normally maintained at a sufficiently negative bias, to prevent the flow of plate current. When the H. F. output of transformer 2|5, which is connected to the grid of tube 2|1 through condenser 224, exceeds a certain limit, plate current starts to flow, and,

. once started, the grid has no further control over it, and it can only be stopped by interruption of the plate current. For this purpose thefrelay 225 shown in Fig. 5 is connected in series with the plate of tube 2|1, to -be energized and thereby attract the armature and open the normally closed contact 226. Resistor 221, in multiple with magnet 225 and contact 226 is of such high value that the current through it is insuillcient tov maintain ionization of the gas in tube 2I1 after contact 226 opens. Push button 228 is for manual interruption of the plate current. Av thermal time delay unit 229 prevents the ilow of plate current in tube 2|1 till the cathode is at full emission temperature.

A variable rheostat 230 in series with a xed j resistor 23| and the cathode of amplifier tube 2|3 regulates the degree of amplification of tube 2|3.

The shield 235a around the oscillator coils 206 `and 206, the shield 236 around grid coil 2|2, the

shield 231 around transformer 2|5 and the shields 238 around the leadsto plates 20| are connected to the negative side of the filter through condensers 232, which by-pass any H. F. currents, but reduce feed-back and interference from surges in the power line. Condenser 233 is connected across the power line, and condenser 234 between the negative side of the filter and ground, for the same purpose.

The operation of the circuit is as follows:

After all tuned circuits are aligned to the same frequency (500,000 cycles/second, has been found to be suitable) condenser 202 is adjusted till zero output is obtained from the amplifier 2|3, with a cigarette of the desired density between plates 20|. After that, whenever either an underlled or an overflled spoton the cigarette rod passes between the plates, an unbalance is caused which results in a high frequency voltage being imposed onthe grid of tube 2|1, and of tube 2|6. If this H. F. voltage is of `sufficient amplitudefit will trip tube 2|1 and energize relay 225. The

armature 50 of relay 225, on being attracted during energization of the latter, opens contact 225 and thereby breaks the plate current of tube 2|1, the armature 50 being mechanically locked in its upper position and held there till reset mechanically by mechanism described above.

The spread between the upper and lowerV reject limits is determined by the degree o! amplification, and by the amount of negative grid bias on tube 2H. 'I'he less the amplification and the greater the bias, the wider the spread becomes. By adjusting the circuit for a wide spread, and adjusting the balancing condenser 202 to zero output for a somewhat higher density than the described average, the unit can be made more sensitive for underfllled than overfllled spots, or the opposite way.

What is claimed is:

1. In a continuous rod cigarette machine having-a cutoff for severing the cigarette rod into cigarette lengths, the combination with a pivoted arm, of a continuously rotating member mounted on said arm and adapted to transversely push the cigarettes issuing from the cutoil', a device connected to said arm and adapted to lower the same into position wherein said member will intersect the path of the cigarettes issuing from the cutoff and push the same transversely from said path, and mechanism for preventing the operation of said device to permit the passage of cigarettes issuing from said cutoff without displacement.

2. In a continuous rod cigarette machine having a cutoff for severing the cigarette rod into cigarette lengths, the combination with a pivoted arm, of a continuously rotating member mounted on said arm and adapted to engage and transversely displace the cigarettes issuing from the cutoff, a device connected to said arm and adapted to lower the same into position wherein said member will intersect the path of the cigarettes issuing from the cutoff and displace the same transversely from said path, and mechanism for preventing the operation of said device to permit the passage of cigarettes issuing from said cutoff without displacement, said mechanism including a detent adapted to engage said device and thereby prevent the lowering of said arm, and means for periodically releasing said detent to cause said device to lower said arm in properly timed relation to permit transverse displacement of a cigarette issuing from the cutoff, by said member.

3. In a continuous rod cigarette machine having a cutoff for severing a cigarette rod into cigarette lengths and means for detecting abnormalities in the cigarette rod prior to severance thereof by the cutoff, the combination with mechanism controlled IVby said detector means for displacing from the path of the cigarettes issuing from the cutoi the defective cigarettes resulting from the severance of the abnormal portions of the cigarette rod, said mechanism including a member 'movable across the path of the cigarettes in properly timed relation to engage and push consecutive cigarettes transversely from said path, of a device normally operating to prevent the movement of said member across said path, and instrumentalities controlled from said detector means and set into operation by detection of abnormal cigarette rod portions for incapacitating said device when the defective cigarettes severed from the abnormal rod portions arrive-at a position'in the range of action of said member to permit the latter to push the defective cigarettes transversely from said path.

4. In a continuous rod cigarette machine having a cutoi for severing a cigarette rod into cigarette lengths and means for detecting abnormalities in the cigarette rod prior to severance thereof by the cutoff, the combination with mechanism controlled by said means for displacing from the path of the cigarettes issuing from the cutoff the defective cigarettes resulting from the severance of the abnormal portions of the cigarette rod, said mechanism including a rotary member adapted to engage and push cigarettes transversely from said path when moved into a predetermined position adjacent said path, of devices controlled from said detector means and set into operation by detection of abnormal cigarette rod portions for moving said member into said predetermined position for displacement of cigarettes from said path when the cigarettes severed from the abnormal rod .portions arrive at a position in the range of action of said member.

CHARLES ARELT.

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