US2642878A

US2642878A - Tobacco feeding device

Info

Publication number: US2642878A
Application number: US161939A
Authority: US
Inventors: Zint George
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1950-05-15
Filing date: 1950-05-15
Publication date: 1953-06-23
Anticipated expiration: 1970-06-23

Description

- lllllllllll I N VE N TOR 675026 E Z 1N7;

ATTOR N EYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1- G ZINT TOBACCO FEEDING DEvIc-s June 23, 1953 Flled May 16, 1950 June 23, 1953 G. ZINT TOBACCO FEEDING DEVICE.

2 Sheets-Shegt 2 Filed May 15, 1950 I c 3 2 0 0 H 2 00000 2 00 0 2 h. 8 a u 2 00 0 N 14 2 a "w ATTORNEYS INVENTOR. Geo/e65 Z/N Patented June 23, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOBACCO FEEDING DEVICE George Zint, Wapakoneta, Ohio v Application May 15, 1950, Serial No. 181,939

6 Claims. (01. 131-44) This invention relates to tobacco feeding devices for hand-actuated cigarette rolling machines, and more particularly to improvements in the device of my Patent No. 2,389,398, granted November 2c, 1945.

While the device of that patent operates satisfactorily with some forms of granulated tobacco. it requires too much time to measure and feed other forms, and particularly tobacco which is shredded and has its strands intermingled or interengaged. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide in the device, a cutting means which quickly and efiectively cuts oil the measured quantity of tobacco from the supply.

A. further object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind which is less expensive to produce and at the same time more effective in operation.

The above and other objects and advantages are attained by the novel construction, combina-- tion and arrangement of parts in the improved device shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view showing the movable cutting knife in its retracted position;

Fig, 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view substantially on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2, but show- The present preferred form of the improved feeding device has been illustrated and will be specifically described with the understanding, however, that within the scope of the invention as claimed, variations may be made.

The device comprises a substantially fiat casing it from the rear of which rises a tobacco supply hopper ii, an intermediate feeding hopper l2 into which the tobacco gravitates from the main hopper ii, and ameasuring chamber or hopper it which is filled from the hopper l2 and the bottom of which is formed by a plunger M movable forwardly and rearwardly in the flat bottom portion of the casing. of the casing is adapted for insertion into the tobacco receiving channel it formed by a loop of The open front end I" the usual belt I! of a conventional cigarette machine IS. The casing Ill which is'open at both ends comprises a bottom Wall 9, a fixed top wall section 20, a movable top wall section 2| and side walls 22, which at the rear, are extended upwardly to form the side walls of the supply hopper Projecting from the rear of the plunger is a hand loop 22* or other suitable operating handle.

The measuring chamber I3 extends across the width of the casing and its ends are formed by g the walls 22. The front wall 23 of the measuring chamber or hopper is stationary and extends vertically from the front section to a horizontal transverse plate 34. The rear wall 25 of the measuring chamber extends vertically between the section 2| and a plate 26, the parts 2|, 25 and 26 forming a slide positioned between the walls 22 and adjustable forwardly and rear wardly so that the wall 25 may be moved toward or from the wall 23 to vary the size or capacity of the measuring hopper. From the opposite edges of the slide rise flanges 21 whichare in sliding contact with the inner faces of the walls 22. The slide extends rearwardly through an opening I I in the rear Wall 1 of the hopper H at the bottom thereof. At the rear extremity of the plate 26 may be formed a downturned portion or finger piece 28 to facilitate adjustment of ing the device operatively positioned with respect 3 the Slide 110 change the capacity of the measuring hopper.

Extending through the slide is a reciprocatory cutting blade or knife 29 which has a diagonally extending forward cutting edge 36. The blade is beveled along its upper edge to forma sharpened edge and is made of a plate of thin steel or other metalthat will hold a good cutting edge and may "be resharpened. The blade 29 slides on the plate 26 between the flanges 21, and its projecting rear end may be rolled or otherwise provided with a suitable handle 3|. To limitthe forward and rearward movement of the knife blade, it may be provided with a stop screw 32 whichmoves in longitudinal slot 33 formed in the plate 26-. When the screw is removed, the blade may be pulled out of the device for sharpening.

The blade 29 moves across the top of ie measuring hopper and I preferably provide a co acting stationary cuttingblade or knife 34. The latter is in the form of an L-shaped plate with a shortarm 31 as seen in Fig. 6. The long arm of the plate or blade has a beveled and sharpened cutting edge 35 on its under face, as show in Fig. 6. To cause the tobacco to be more effectively cut Iprovide above the blade 34 an L-shaped abutment plate 36 with a short arm 31 so that the diagonal cutting edge of the movable blade enters between the two plates or

blades

34 and 36. These two plates as above stated are made L-shaped and have their short arms 3! and 3'! extending rearwardly so that the point 28 of the blade 29 will remain between the two plates even when the blade 29 is in its rearmost position. The movable blade will thus be guided between main portions of the two plates. In order to provide the clearance for the blade 29, the upper plate 35 of the stationary cutter is supported in the slightly inclined position shown by two thin wedge-shaped strips or spacers 38 arranged at the ends of the main portions of the

plates

34, 35 between the short arms 31 and 31. The

parts

34, 36 and 38 are fastened together by pairs of screws 39 threaded into openings in outwardly extending flanges 40 formed on the walls 22. Since the cutting edge 35 will need resharpening, it is desirable to make the blade 34 adjustable by forming it as seen in Fig. 6, with slots 4| through which the screws pass as seen in Fig. 5. The short arms 31 and 31* are formed with notches 42 to slidably receive one of the flanges 2i and permit adjustment of the slide. It will be understood that the space between the

thin metal plates

34, 35 along the rear edges of their main portions is just sufiicient to receive the thickness of the movable blade The latter is very thin and its side edge adjacent its point 2!! slides between the arms 3'! and ill inward of the notches 42 as seen in Fig. 2. Because of the thinness of the blade 29 the outer portions of the arms 31 and 31 will be in contact or substantially in contact as seen in Fig. 1. In a device of this kind where the cutting blade must be pushed through the tobacco by the fingers, it is important that there be very little frictional resistance to the movement of the blade, and also that the blade be thin and have a sharp cutting edge. The structure shown and described has been found to be very effective since the blade 29 may slide freely between the flanges 2'1 and on the wall or plate 26; its only other bearing 1 contacts being at the rear of the hopper at H and between the

plates

34 and 35. Only the longer side edge of the blade 29 is in contact with rearwardly extending arms 3'! and 31 of the abutment plate 36 and the stationary blade 34 at the beginning of the tobacco cutting stroke, and those extensions 3! and 3'! are necessary for a very thin blade with a diagonal edge forming the point 29. The blade 29 is thus effectively guided since it never leaves the abutment 3! and 31 The disclosed structure also permits both cutters to be removed for resharpening, and further permits the adjustment of the

slide

2 i, 25, 26 to vary the size of the chamber 13.

The feeding hopper or chamber 12 is formed by a U-shaped member 43 disposed horizontally above the lower portion of the casing and around the cutting blades so as to hold the tobacco above the measuring hopper. The two arms 44 of this member engage the outer faces of the walls 22 adjacent the opening li formed below the bottom edge of the front wall ll of the hopper II; and they ar secured by the same fastenings which hold the slide in its adjusted position. These fastenings are preferably in the form of bolts 45 which pass through openings 44 in the arms 44 and openings 22 in the walls 22 and through longitudinal slots 2'! in the flanges of the slide. Nuts 46 with milled heads are applied to the threaded outer ends of the bolts to draw their flat faced heads 41 against the flanges 21. The bolts are prevented from rotating by the engagement of the fiat portions of their heads with straight shoulders 48 formed by bending inwardly the upper edges of the flanges 21. It will be seen that when the nuts 46 are loose, the slide may be shifted by manipulating the finger piece 28 in a direction to either enlarge or reduce the size of the measuring hopper I3. I preferably provide on the inner face of one of the arms 44 a scale 49 to coact with a vertical edge 5! of one of the flanges 21, as seen in Fig. 3, to indicate the adjustment and to facilitate readjustment according to the desire of the user.

It is believed that the operation of the device will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description, but it may be noted that cigarette tobacco of any kind may be easily fed from the supply hopper to the holding or feeding hopper above the measuring chamber. Normally, the plunger will close the bottom of the chamber [3 and the movable blade will be retracted so that the tobacco will drop into the measuring hopper and fill the same. The blade or knife 29 is then projected forwardly to out the measured quantity from the supply. The front end of the casing is then inserted into the tobacco receiving channel it of the rolling machine. The plunger 44 is then moved rearwardly from beneath the hopper i3 so that the tobacco therein may drop down into the casing in advance of the plunger. The plunger is then pushed. forwardly to move the measured quantity of tobacco into the channel l8. Then, while holding the plunger against rearward sliding, the rest of the device is slid rearwardly, leaving the tobacco in the channel It. When the plunger is removed, the machine it may be operated in the usual manner after the proper positioning of the gummed cigarette paper.

My improved device may be operated quickly and effectively with all kinds of tobacco, and its construction is such that it may be manufactured at a relatively low cost.

Excellent results have been obtained from the construction shown and described and it is, therefore, preferably followed. However, attention is again invited to the possibility of making variations within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A filling device for a cigarette rolling machine having a tobacco receiving channel co1nprising a casing having a substantially flat lower portion with an open front end for insertion into said tobacco receiving channel of the rolling machine, a tobacco supply hopper rising from the rear portion of said lower portion and having side walls and a front wall with an open lower portion, a tobacco-confining, U-shaped member disposed above the flat lower portion of said casmg and having its arms overlapping the inner faces of the side walls of said supply hopper adjacent the open lower portion of said front wall of the latter, a tobacco measruing hopper positioned between said member and said flat lower portion of the casing, said measuring hopper having a stationary front wall, a slide beneath said supply hopper and forming the rear wall of said measuring hopper, said slide having upright side flanges contacting with the inner faces of said side walls of the supply hopper and formed with opposed longitudinal slots, said side walls and arms having openings, screw-threaded fastenings passing through said slots and through said openings in said side walls and in said arms to fasten said member and to secure said slide in an adjusted position, a reciprocable cutting blade slidably mounted on said slide and having a cutting edge movable across the top of said measuring hopper, and a plunger in said lower portion of said casing and reciprocable across the bottom of said measuring hopper.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said threaded fastenings are bolts having nuts on their outer ends and flat faced heads on their inner ends, and in which said flanges on said slide have straight shoulders engaged by the fiat faces of said bolt heads.

3. The structure of claim 1 in which the cutting edge of said cutting blade is diagonally arranged to provide the blade with a forward point at one oi its sides, together with a stationary cutter plate arranged 0n said casing above said stationary front wall, an abutment plate spaced above said stationary cutter plate a distance to receive said blade between them, said plates being formed at one end with superimposed rearward extensions between which the side edge of said blade adjacent the point of the latter slides, the rear ends of said extensions being formed with slots to receive the adjacent upright side flange of said slide to permit adjustment of the latter.

4. The structure of claim 3 in which said side walls have outwardly extending flanges and in which the end portions of said stationary cutter plate are formed with forwardly andrearwardly extending slots, and screw threaded fastenings passed through said abutment plate and said last mentioned slots, and into the outwardly extending flanges of said side walls to permit adjustment of said stationary cutter plate.

5. A filling device for a cigarette rolling machine, comprising a casing having a substantially flat and rectangular lower portion with an open front end for insertion into a tobacco receiving channel of the rolling machine, tobacco holding means on the upper rear part of said casing including a supply hopper having front and rear walls with openings at their lower ends and parallel side walls with forwardly extending portions, a tobacco measuring hopper extending across said casing and in open communication at its top with said tobacco holding means and at its bottom with said flat lower portion, the latter having a top wall composed of a stationary forward section Which forms the front wall of said measuring hopper and a forwardly and rearwardly movable slide which forms the rear wall of said measuring hopper, the side walls of said measuring hopper being formed by said extended portions of the side walls of said supply hopper, said slide being disposed beneath the opening in the bottom of the front wall of said supply hopper and having at its opposite sides upstanding flanges in slidable contact with the inner faces of said extended side walls, means for securin said slide in an adjusted position, a generally rectangular movable cutter blade slidably mounted on the top of said slide between its said flanges, said blade forming the bottom of said supply hopper and having its rear portion slidable through the opening at the bottom of the rear wall of said supply hopper, said blade having a diagonally extending cutting edge such that the said cutting edge and one side form a point, a stationary cutter plate disposed on said stationary top wall section and having a cutting edge disposed over the stationary front wall of said measuring hopper, an abutment plate spaced above said stationary cutter plate a distance permitting the cutting edge of said movable blade to enter between said plates, said plates being formed at one end with Vertically-spaced rearwardly extending arms between which the point of said movable cutter blade is guided when said blade moves rearwardly over the top of said measuring hopper, and a plunger in said lower portion of the casing and reciprccable across the bottom of said measuring hopper.

6. The structure of claim 5 in which said side walls have outwardly extending flanges. and in which the end portions of said stationary cutter plate have forwardly and rearwardly extending slots, and screw threaded fastenings passed through said abutment plate and said last-mentioned slots, and into the outwardly extending flanges of said side walls to permit adjustment of said stationary cutter plate.

GEORGE ZINT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 209,246 Gallagher Oct. 22, 1873 305,247 Sternberg Sept. 16, 1884 364,701 Beckert June 14, 1887 422,000 Williams Feb. 25, 1890 707,767 Ferrari Aug. 26, 1902 2,378,133 Durning June 12, 1945 2,389,398 Zint NOV. 20, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 6,612 Great Britain of 1899