US3030965A - Tobacco manipulating machines - Google Patents

Tobacco manipulating machines Download PDF

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US3030965A
US3030965A US738805A US73880558A US3030965A US 3030965 A US3030965 A US 3030965A US 738805 A US738805 A US 738805A US 73880558 A US73880558 A US 73880558A US 3030965 A US3030965 A US 3030965A
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tobacco
particles
filler
air
conveyor
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US738805A
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Labbe Francis Auguste Maurice
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Usines Decoufle SA
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Usines Decoufle SA
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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
    • A24C5/52—Incorporating filters or mouthpieces into a cigarette rod or a tobacco rod
    • 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 tobacco particles are commonly distributed in shower-like fashion on to a belt of woven fabric having a flat or trough-like cross-section and to which a rapid motion is imparted, the tobacco particles forming thereon a continuous, loose charge; this charge is subsequently compressed andthen deposited on to a paper web which wraps the tobacco to form, after the gluing operation, a continuous rod which is finally cut to cigarette-size sections.
  • Patented Apr. 24, 1962 (4) Distributing or transferring the filler on to the cigarette-paper web without allowing the former to increase its volume to a substantial extent as this would be detrimental to its cohesion.
  • the invention provides that the velocity of the air stream, and the manner in which the tobacco particles are introduced into it, are such that tobacco particles are violently accelerated by the air stream, in such a way as to ensure that they
  • the quantity of tobacco contained by the cigarette manufactured according to this conventional method is not quite uniform in that some cigarettes are over-filled and other cigarettes under-filled with tobacco.
  • the invention also provides means whereby tobacco particles which, in order to be introduced into the fast air stream, are fed towards the latter in a path transverse to the path in which they are to be carried by the fast air stream, are caused to move in a general arcuate path from the first said path to the second, by applying to the particles a generally centripetal force, which latter may be provided by air directed against the tobacco particles.
  • the air so directed may be drawn by suction across the path of the particles and through a perforated guard member which acts as a barrier against,
  • the invention further provides means whereby tobacco being fed to a conveyor band so as to form a filler thereon is given a component of movement in the direction of movement of the band, the said component having a velocity substantially equal to that of the band.
  • This may be accomplished by conveying the tobacco to the band by an air stream which is guided, for example, by vanes, at a suitable angle to the length of the band, and which has sufiicient velocity to enable the tobacco to move towards the band with a component in the direction of movement of, and having substantially the same velocity as, the band.
  • the invention also provides means whereby a tobacco filler may be formed on a porous conveyor band through which suction means act to compress the filler laterally, for example to a density at least half that required in the final cigarette rod, and whereby this compressed filler may be carried by the conveyor band into engagement with a paper web at a position where the latter is curved in cross-section so that the filler is laterally controlled during transfer.
  • Control means may be located immediately beyond the conveyor band to engage the filler when the latter has been transferred to the paper, and a compression tongue and paper-folding means may be located so as to continue the lateral control of the filler and prevent it from expanding laterally or substantially increasing its volume at any time.
  • FIGURES 1 and 2 are schematic views showing in longitudinal section two alternative forms of embodiment
  • FIGURE '3 is a fragmentary view showing on a larger scale a constructional detail of the arrangement of FIG- URE 2, i.e. a device for distributing the filler on to the paper web;
  • FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a tobaccodistributor with ascending air draught
  • FIGURE 5 is a sectional end view of a modified apparatus for feeding tobacco and forming a filler
  • FIGURE 6 is a side view taken in the direction of the arrow VI, FIGURE 5, and partly broken away;
  • FIGURE 7 is an end view showing diagrammatically a system of air supply
  • FIGURE 8 is a sectional side view showing mechanism for transferring a tobacco filler to a paper web
  • FIGURES 9 to 15 are sections taken on the lines 9-9 to 15-15, respectively, of FIGURE 8;
  • FIGURE 16 is a plan view, greatly enlarged, of a frag ment of a perforated plate
  • FIGURE 16a is a section on the line AA, FIG- URE 16;
  • FIGURE 17 shows an alternative construction to that shown in FIGURE 5.
  • FIGURE 18 shows an arrangement for feeding mouthpiece portions.
  • FIGURE 19 shows, to a greatly enlarged scale, a fragment of a perforated conveyor band.
  • the tobacco particles are carried along downwardly through a passage or duct 1 by the air-stream produced through a perforated endless belt 2 passing over rollers 3, 4 adjacent to the inlet and outlet of the passage, respectively, and also over a roller 5 disposed above an endless paper web 6, and finally over a return roller 7.
  • the tobacco particles subjected to a strong suction, are pressed against the endless belt 2 without having the possibility of agglomerating in the passage 1 and forming tufts or bundles; the density of the filler formed at the outlet of this passage is greater than half the density of the tobacco in the finished cigarettes.
  • This filler is then held on the endless belt by the airsuction produced through this belt both around the rollers 4, 5 and in the sloped zone between these rollers; a positive drive is constantly applied to the filler, firstly between the rollers 3, 4 and 4, 5 by the endless belt 2, then over one portion of the periphery of roller 5, both by the endless belt 2 and by the paper web 6; the thickness of the tobacco filler is calculated to cause it to engage simultaneously the endless belt 2 and the paper web 6; finally, the tobacco filler is carried along by the paper web 6 alone.
  • the tobacco particles are subjected to a vertical upward suction in the passage 1 due to the high-speed air-stream passing through the endless perforated belt 2 supported at the inlet side of the passage by the roller 8 and beyond the outlet side thereof by the roller 5.
  • the tobacco is deposited as already described on to the endless paper web 6 so that its drive is constantly positive.
  • FIGURE 3 illustrates on a greater scale the roller 5 on which the endless perforated belt 2 travels above the endless cigarette-paper web 6 driven by an endless belt 9. Adjustment means makes it possible to position the roller 5 so that its level above the paper web 6 enables the tobacco filler to be driven under constantly positive conditions.
  • FIGURE 2 may be arranged in the manner shown by way of example in FIGURE 4, ie to comprise a cylindrical carded drum 10, a refuser roller 11 and a picker roller 12 adapted to spread the tobacco particles over a relatively fast-moving conveyor belt 13.
  • the belt 13 is carried by a roller 14 and another picker roller 15 rotating at high speed in the same direction as the roller 14 is provided for projecting the tobacco particles across the upper part 16 of the passage, at a level thereof where the air-stream produced by a suction nozzle 17 has already reached a sufiiciently high speed; the air exhausted through the nozzle 17 is admitted through a duct 19.
  • the stems and foreign substances in the tobacco are not drawn up by the air-stream and they fall into a collector 20 provided for this purpose at the lower end of V the lower part 21 of the passage.
  • the perforated belt 2 travels past the upper end of the part 16 of the passage in close vicinity to its region of minimum width.
  • the distributor illustrated and described is particularly suitable for manufacturing filter-tip cigarettes; in fact, as will be described later with reference to FIGURE 18, it will be sufficient to place the filter tips at suitably spaced intervals on to the endless belt so that they will retain this initial and proper spacing due to the airstream produced, the tobacco-filler sections forming themselves automatically only between the adjacent ends of the filter-tips; then the cigarettes may be manufactured and completed in the usual fashion, the tobacco-feeding arrangements being adjusted to supply the required quantity of tobacco, due allowance being made for the filtertips.
  • the apparatus shown comprises means for feeding cut tobacco from a hopper and introducing the tobacco into a passage through which it is conveyed by a stream of air to a perforated conveyor band, on which the tobacco forms a filler which is held on the moving band by suction.
  • the drum 31, the roller 32, and a wall 33 form the lower part of the tobacco hopper disclosed in the above-mentioned application.
  • a fast-rotating picker-roller 34 having picker pins 35, is arranged to pick tobacco from the carding of the drum 31, a comb 36 being provided to control the tobacco at the region where it is picked.
  • a guide plate 37 is located beneath the picker roller to guide tobacco particles in a desired direction as they are impelled over the guide plate by the pins 35.
  • the plate 37 is partly supported by a member 38 having a concave surface close to the carding of the drum 31.
  • the picker roller 34 is arranged to rotate at a speed of 1000 revolutions per minute, and its diameterthat is, the distance between the ends of diametrically opposite pins 35is about 3.7 inches.
  • a concave guide 39 having a concave extension 40 and a straight extension 41, extends beneath and partly round the drum 1.
  • the extension 41 projects beneath and is spaced from the member 38 in such a way that air can pass upwardly between the concave surface of the member 38 and the carded surface of the drum, as will be explained later.
  • an air duct 42 which communicates with suction means as will shortly be described.
  • the air duct is divided into three sections 43, 44 and 45 which extend upwardly from the entrance to the air duct, and then sideways.
  • FIGURE 7 the air duct 42 is shown diagrammatically as extending upwardly.
  • a perforated cylinder 46 At the entrance to the air duct 42 is a perforated cylinder 46, 4 inches in diameter which is arranged to be rotated, in the direction indicated by the arrow, FIG- URE 5, and at a speed of 500 revolutions per minute, about two fixed members 47 and 48. Sealing strips 49' and 50 extend to the surface of the cylinder from walls 51 and 52, respectively, of the air duct, so as to bear against the cylinder surface at positions where the cylinder passes over the fixed members 47 and 46. Thus air can enter the air duct only through the perforated cylinder and between the members 47 and 48.
  • duct 42 Alongside the duct 42 is a long, narrow passage 53 defined by opposed side walls 54 and 55 and between end walls 74 (FIGURE 6).
  • a thin scraper blade 56 made of doctor blade steel is fixed to the lower part of the wall 54 and bears against the surface of the perforated cylinder 46.
  • Between the walls 51 and 54 is a narrow channel 57 open to atmosphere at its upper end.
  • the passage 53 between the end walls '74 is of'substantial length and at its lower end coincides substantially in length with the length of i the drum 31 and the perforated cylinder 46 and the opening to the duct 42.
  • the purpose of the passage 53 is to guide upwardly a stream of air by which tobacco particles are conveyed towards a perforated conveyor band 58 on which they form a filler.
  • the band 53 runs through a trough formed by opposed walls 58c which converge in a direction away from the band.
  • a suction chamber 59 is located above the band 53 to draw air through the band.
  • the conveyor band 58 is an endless metal band which in the particular construction being described is 9 millimetres wide and is made of nickel, and provided with holes to the number of 700 per square inch of band, each hole having a diameter of 0.026 to 0.028 inch. This arrangement of holes gives a perforated or open area amounting to approximately 30% of the area of the band.
  • FIGURE 5 air reaches the duct 42 and the passage 53 by way of two separate supply ducts 6t and 61, from which air is delivered into and through discharge orifices 62 and 63.
  • a curved plate 64 Extending from the orifice 62 to one wall of the orifice 63 is a curved plate 64, which guides upwardly the air discharged from the orifice 62.
  • a further curved plate 65 Above the plate 64 is a further curved plate 65, which has apertures 66; these are shown in FIGURE 5 as plain apertures but in practice the plate 65 which is made of expanded aluminium, is formed with apertures as shown in the greatly enlarged views in FIGURES 16 and 16a.
  • each of the perforations 66 is bounded at one side by an upwardly sloping part 131 and at the other side by a downwardly sloping part 132, so that the sloping parts in effect from louvres by which air flowing upwardly through the apertures 66 is directed somewhat towards the right as viewed in FIGURES 5, 16 and 16a.
  • a curved, perforated plate 67 extends from the plate 37 to a. receptacle 68, which latter is positioned to receive heavy tobacco particles, such as fragments of tobacco stem, which as will be explained later tend to travel past the entrance to the passage 53 and so fall into the receptacle.
  • a shutter 69 is mounted on pivoted arms 76 which can be swung about a pivot 71 to cause the shutter to cover a greater or less area of the perforated plate 67, in order to regulate the how of air through the latter.
  • the shutter has an extension 69a, movable with it, which bears resiliently against a plate 72 so as to seal ofi all that part of the perforated plate 67 which extends'to the left of the shutter, as viewed in FIGURE 5.
  • Adjacent the entrance to the passage 53 is a series of side-by side vanes 73, which are curved as shown in FIGURE 6 in order to direct the air entering the passage towards the left in FIGURE 6tha-t is, to give the air a component of movement in the direction of movement of the conveyor band 58.
  • the end walls '74 of the passage 53 are set at an appropriate angle of inclination to the length of the conveyor band 56 to allow for this forward component of movement of the ascending air stream.
  • FIGURE 7 shows on a small scale the general layout 6 shown in FIGURE 5 and illustrates diagrammatically the arrangements by which air is supplied to and drawn through the air duct 42 and passage 53.
  • Air is drawn from the duct 42 through a pipe 75 by a low pressure fan 76, which blows the air at a pressure of 4 inches water gauge.
  • the greater part of the air from the fan 76 passes through a screen 77 of expanded metal similar to that shown in FIGURES 16 and 16a, and thence through the pipe 61 to the discharge orifice 63.
  • a small proportion of the air, with most of the dust, is deflected by the screen and passes through a dustremoving cyclone 78 by way of a pipe 78a.
  • the air which passes upwardly through the passage 53 is drawn through the band 58 into the suction chamber 59 and from there through a pipe 79 by a high-pressure fan 80 which exerts a pressure of 34 inches water gauge.
  • the air blown by the fan 80 passes through a dust-separating device 81 comprising a conical tube of louvred metal.
  • the greater part of the air, having been substantially freed from dust by the separating device 81, is discharged through the pipe 60 and orifice 62, past a manually controlled regulating valve 81a.
  • That part of the air which does not escape through the perforations of the louvred tube in the device 31 is led from the latter through a pair of dust-removing cyclones 82, which have a high efficiency, and thence escapes into the atmosphere;
  • the reason for allowing some air to escape to atmosphere is that some air is drawn through the conveyor band into the suction chamber 59 at a position to the left of the passage 53 as viewed in FIGURE 6, at which position the conveyor band is open to atmosphere.
  • the air which passes through the cyclone 78 is led by the pipe 78a into the pipe 79 as shown.
  • cut tobacco is carried forward by the carding of the drum, surplus tobacco being brushed back by the refuser roller 32.
  • the tobacco carried past the roller 32, in the form of a carpe is picked from the teeth of the carding by the pins, 35 of the picker roller 34, which rotates at high speed, for example 1000 revolutions per minute as stated above.
  • the pins 35 impel the tobacco across the guide plate 37 at considerable speed, and in a substantially separated condition-that is to say, to a considerable extent in tube form of discrete particles.
  • the tobacco thus impelled is travelling in a path which is transverse to the path in which it is to be conveyed towards the conveyor band 58, and it is necessary to change its direction of movement.
  • the tobacco should be delivered to the conveyor band 58 as farras is practicable in the form of separated particles, for reasons which will be mentioned when the formation of the filler is described. It is accordingly necessary to efiect the change of direction of the tobacco in such a way as to avoid, as far as is practicable, any reduction in the speed of the tobacco particles during or immediately after such change.
  • the change of direction is efiected by directing air against the particles (as they approach the entrance to the passage 53), in such a direction or directions, and at such velocity of velocities, in relation to the velocity of the tobacco impelled towards the said entrance, as to cause the particles to move through a generally arcuate path.
  • the air discharged upwardly through the perforated plate 67 is drawn partly through the passage 53 and partly through the perforated cylinder 46 into the duct 42. That part of the air which passes through the perforated cylinder 46 moves at a speed of about feet per second in a direction or directions such that at any rate a substantial proportion of the air can be said to move approximately radially in respect of the axis of the perforated cylinder 46.
  • some of the air may move in a substantially vertical direction through the said axis.
  • the fixed member 48 is shaped to guide air which flows past it in an approximately radial direction.
  • the air which is drawn across the path of the tobacco particles into the duct 42 can be said to move in converging directions so as to apply an external and generally centripetal force to the tobacco particles, the average value of this force, in relation to the velocity of the particles, being such as to cause the latter to move through a generally arcuate path which leads them into the passage 53.
  • the term external force as used above is to be understood as meaning a force other than that which would be exerted by the reaction of a solid surface, such as an arcuate guide surface. It may be pointed out here that an arcuate guide surface would for the present purpose be an unsatisfactory means of changing the direction of the tobacco particles, since their speed would necessarily be reduced by friction between the particles and the curved surface, and as pointed out above, reduction of the tobacco speed is to be avoided as far as practicable. The reason for this is that any such reduction in speed must have the effect of reducing the separation of the particles one from another, with a consequent risk that some of the particles may become intertwined or interlinked, thus forming clumps or bunches, which it is desired to avoid.
  • the perforated cylinder acts as a guard member to prevent undue inward movement of the particles, and is rotated at a high speed, for example 500 revolutions per minute, such that its surface speed, for example about 8.5 feet per second, is in excess of the speed of the tobacco particles, which move past the cylinder at a speed of about 8 feet per second.
  • a high speed for example 500 revolutions per minute
  • its surface speed for example about 8.5 feet per second
  • any particle touches the cylindrical surface of the cylinder it is likely to be thrown ed, to be again constrained by the air to move through a substantially arcuate path.
  • the force exerted by the air is sufiicient to change the direction, in the manner described above, of most of the tobacco particles, but relatively heavy particles, such as pieces of tobacco stern, are not deflected by the air, but tend to continue more or less in their original path by reason of their greater momentum. These heavy particles move past the entrance to the passage 53 and fall into the receptacle 68 which is suitably placed to receive them.
  • the perforated plate 67 acts as a guard to prevent any tobacco particles from falling downwardly.
  • tobacco dust such as is usually present in cut tobacco
  • the holes in the cylinder 46 are 0.026 inch in diameter and number 625 holes per square inch of the cylinder circumference.
  • This channel is open to atmosphere in order to allow air to be drawn through it downwardly, and between the cylinder 46 and the scraper 56, by the suction exerted by the fast moving stream of air passing up into the passage 53.
  • the purpose of this is to provide a flow of air past the cylinder surface in order to assist the scraper 56 in removing from the cylinder any particles of tobacco which may be clinging to it, and to urge any such particles into the air stream passing into the passage 53.
  • the perforated cylinder 46 has a radius of 2 inches, and this may beconsidered as the minimum radius of the generally arcuate path through which the tobacco particles are caused to move.
  • the velocity of the tobacco approaching the entrance to the passage 53 is about 8 feet per second, while the velocity of the air directed substantially radially against it and drawn into the suction duct 42 is about 15 feet per second.
  • Va mean velocity of air directed substantially radially against the tobacco
  • Vt mean velocity of tobacco particles whose direction is to be changed
  • Vl limiting or terminal velocity of tobacco falling freely in air, which on the average is found to be in the neighborhood of 4 to 5 feet per second,
  • 0 the angle made by the tangent of the trajectory of the tobacco particles with the horizontal.
  • the passage 53 as can be seen in FIGURE 5, is very narrow, and the air drawn into it is therefore greatly accelerated and caused to move towards the conveyor band 58 at high velocity. In the particular example being described, this may be within the range of 40 to 45 feet per second.
  • the tobacco fed and impelled by the picker pins 35 in a substantially separated condition has been guided and led into the passage 53 without any substantial reduction in its velocity, it tends to reach the entrance to the passage in substantially the same condition of separation as it had when leaving the picker pins.
  • the tobacco As the tobacco enters the stream of air which is moving upwards into and through the passage at high velocity, it is immediately and violently accelerated by the faster-moving air, and thus the spacing between tobacco particles is in most cases increased.
  • particles which are linked to one another tend, on enter- 1 separated condition.
  • the picker pins 35 impel the tobacco across the guide plate 37 in a substantially It will, however, be understood that the tobacco so picked and impelled is not necessarily in a completely separated condition, even at the instant when the tobacco particles are picked from the drum 31 and thrown forwardly, since a picker pin may engage and throw an interlinked group of particles. Moreover, friction between the tobacco and the plate 37 will retard those particles which engage the plate, and in general, the tobacco, by the time it is acted on by the generally centripetal force exerted by the air flowing through the perforated cylinder, has lost some of its initial velocity. This retardation of the tobacco may tend to cause interlinking of particles.
  • the tobacco when coming within the range of action of the high-speed air stream which carries it through the passage may well include a considerable proportion of particles which are interlinked in groups and which should, in order to obtain the best results, as far as is practicable be separated by the accelerating force exerted on them by the high-velocity air stream.
  • references herein to the tobacco being impelled substantially in the form of separated particles, or in a substantially separated condition are intended to include the case where the particles are not completely separate and discrete, for reasons such as have just been explained.
  • the presence of a fairly high proportion of interlinked particles of tobacco necessitates a high acceleration of the tobacco in the passage in order to pull the particles apart as well as to maintain separation of particles. Accordingly the change of direction of the tobacco from its first path into the second path can be effected without greatly accelerating the tobacco during this change of direction and before it enters the passage.
  • the tobacco as it moves past the cylinder 46. has a speed of about 8 feet per second in the region markedA in FIGURE 5, and in the region marked B Where it has changed its direction of movement, its velocity is about 17 feet per second.
  • FIGURE 17 shows an alternative construction to the apparatus shown in FIGURES 5 and 6.
  • tobacco picked from the carding of the drum 31 by the picker roller 34 is impelled by the pins 35 so as to fall on to a.
  • Wide endless band 137 instead of being impelled over a plate such as the plate 37 in FIG- URE 5.
  • the band 137 whose width extends the whole length of the drum 31 and of the perforated cylinder 46, is arranged to move at a speed of about 4 feet per second.
  • the drum 31 rotates with a surface speed much less than thisfor example depending on the rate of tobacco feed, is about one-tenth of the speed of the band 137. Accordingly tobacco particles picked from the carding of the drum 31 tend to be generally sparsely distributed over the surface of the band 137.
  • the band 137 passes about a roller 138, and the tobacco particles on leaving the band are immediately subjected to the generally centripetal force exerted by the air flowing towards and through the cylinder 46, and coni 1 1 sequently move in a generally arcuate path towards and through the entrance to the passage 53.
  • the particles carried by the band 137 are, as pointed out above, generally sparsely distributed.
  • their forward speed is very much less than the surface speed of the perforated cylinder, and accordingly the air flowing through the perforated cylinder can if desired be caused to move with such velocity as to draw the bulk of the tobacco on to the surface of the cylinder, to be carried by that surface in an arcuate path in order to change its direction.
  • a scraper 56 can strip off any tobacco still in contact with the cylinder at that point in substantially the same way as in the construction described with reference to FIGURE 5.
  • portions of stem can be caused to be separated from the tobacco coming from the band 137, generally in a similar manner to that adopted for such separation in the arrangement shown in FIGURE 5.
  • the tobacco particles being fed transversely into the stream are, by the nature of things, whether linked or otherwise, subjected to a sudden and violent acceleration. This is because the particles must necessarily enter the passage with a relatively low velocity in the direction of the fast air stream which flows through the passage.
  • results can be and are, in fact, obtained by subjecting the tobacco shreds to a very rapid air-draught such that they cannot agglomerate or form tufts or bundles.
  • the particles coming from the picker or band are already to some material extent interlinked, then it is important to ensure that such particles are separated by the application of an external force. That is to say, a force must be exerted on each group of interlinked particles which should be greater than the resistance that can be offered, by two or more pieces of the group, to the force trying to separate them.
  • the extent of that resistance tending to hold them together depends on length, curvature, thickness, moment of inertia of section of tobacco, shape of edges and various other factors.
  • the degree of interlocking of particles of a particular blend or mixture of tobacco which is to be used on a machine will, of course, vary quite considerably, since the strands can take up so many varying positions relative to one another.
  • the force which is to be applied to separate interlinked particles will always be great enough to separate as far as practicable all different combinations of interlinking that are likely to be experienced with that type of tobacco under the conditions in which it is likely to arrive at the entrance to the passage carrying the fast air-stream. That force which is to be applied to separate the particles will, for convenience hereinafter be referred to as the separating force.
  • the tobacco particles are not all discrete nor are they all interlinked, and as will be explained later in connection with the particular example being described, the particles coming from the Picker are accelerated for the purpose of, first, reducing the natural tendency for the interlinkage to increase and second, to
  • One practical way in which the separating force can be provided is to ensure that the machine has fans, motors and air ducts so arranged that a sufficient acceleration Will be given to the tobacco particles by a high-velocity airstream to ensure and maintain separation in the case where the particles are already fed separately to the high-velocity air-stream.
  • a sufficient acceleration Will be given to the tobacco particles by a high-velocity airstream to ensure and maintain separation in the case where the particles are already fed separately to the high-velocity air-stream.
  • velocities varying between 30 to 50 feet per second will usually suffice for this purpose, with most types of tobacco, especially in cases such as the present where the tobacco being fed towards the fast stream is fed transversely to the direction of movement of that stream.
  • the stream maybe approaching the passage 53 at a speed of about 8 feet per second, as is the case in the arrangement shown in FIGURE 5.
  • the tobacco vparticles are carried on the endless band 137 at a speed of about 4 feet per second.
  • the tobacco is brought into the direction of movement of the air up the passage 53, by causing the tobacco to travel in an arcuate path. In moving around that path a certain acceleration is given to the tobacco in each of the two examples described.
  • the velocity of the tobacco increases from about 8 feet per second at position A to about 17 feet per second at the position B.
  • This is a relatively small acceleration, and the difference between the velocity of the tobacco in the direction of the fast air stream (namely about 17 feet per second at the position B) and the velocity of the fast airstream itself I at that point, is great enough to provide effective acceleration of the tobacco such as to cause the necessary separation of particles, with most kinds of cigarette tobacco, when the air is travelling through the passage 53 at a speed of 4-0 feet per second or more.
  • the tobacco particles Due to the relatively narrow thickness of the tobacco stream, and its manner of introduction to the fast stream, the tobacco particles are rapidly brought completely under the influence of the fast-moving stream.
  • the velocity of the tobacco particles in the direction of the fast air stream is maintained at 4 to 8 feet per second up to their delivery into the fast air stream, the acceleration given to each particle of tobacco as it enters the fast air stream is sufficiently violent, even where the air velocity is as low as 30 feet per second, to effectively separate interlinked particles of most mixtures of cigarette tobacco encountered in practice, when picked, separated and delivered as shown in FIGURES 5 and 17.
  • the separating force required can, however, be determined by ascertaining experimentally the maximum force needed to pull apart typical samples of interlinked groups of particles of the tobacco to be used, and increasing this force by a suflicient factor to provide a separating force as discussed above. The various velocities required can then be calculated.
  • the required velocities can be calculated. It is found by the present inventor that the force exerted on any part of the tobacco by the air-stream varies as a function of the square of the difference between the l 4 velocity of the air and the velocity of the tobacco in the direction of movement of the air.
  • Vt velocity of tobacco in the direction of movement of the air stream
  • Vl limiting or terminal velocity of tobacco falling freely in air, which on the average is found to be in the neighbourhood of 4 to 5 feet per second,
  • m average mass of a tobacco particle
  • the expression :mg relates to the two alternative cases in which the air stream is directed upwardly and downwardly respectively. (In the construction being described, the air is of course directed upwardly, and the appropriate expression is mg.) Since, however, the expression img is very small relatively to the first expression, namely,
  • This compression of the filler during its formation gives it a strength, firmness and rigidity sufiicient to enable it to withstand the bombardment to which it is subjected by the fast-moving tobacco particles, even though some of these particles may be heavier than normal (for example occasional pieces of stem may be carried into the passage 53) or some groups or bunches of particles may reach the filler in an interlinked condition.
  • the air entering the passage 53 is guided by the curved vanes 73 in a direction inclined to the length of the conveyor band 58, as viewed in FIGURE 6, and the end walls 74 of the passage are suitably inclined to assist the air to flow in the desired direction, namely a direction such that the air has a component of movement in the direction of movement of the conveyor band 58 which is substantially equal in velocity to the forward speed of the conveyor band.
  • the velocity of the air stream through the passage is 40 to 45 feet per second (giving a resultant upward tobacco velocity of approximately 35 to 40 ft./ sec.), while the angle between the direction of the air stream and tobacco approaching the conveyor, and the perpendicular to the conveyor, is 9.
  • an appropriate speed for the conveyor band is approximately 5.5 to 6.25 feet per second. If higher velocities of the conveyor band are required in order to increase the rate of cigarette production, the velocity of the air through the passage can be suitably increased so as to maintain the desired forward component of movement of the tobacco, without having to alter the angle of 9 mentioned above.
  • the conveyor band 58 passes about a drive roller 101, FIGURE 8, and a further roller 102 which is shown in FIGURE 6. As seen in both FIGURE 6 and FIGURE 8, the band is slightly inclined to the horizontal so as to slope downwardly in the direction in which it carries the filler.
  • the suction chamber 59 extends to a position beneath the drive roller 101, beyond which point no positive suction is exerted on the band 58.
  • a substantial length of the conveyor band extends over a paper web 103 which is led over guide rollers 104 and 105 to run horizontally towards the left, FIGURE 8, being supported and carried by an endless garniture tape 106 which passes over a roller 107 to run through a garniture trough 108. It will be seen from FIGURE 8 that the conveyor band 58 and the paper web 103 move in convergent paths in the region where they overlap.
  • the paper Web is arranged to move at the same speed as the perforated conveyor band.
  • the walls 58a of the trough which confine the filler laterally, are suitably tapered OK, as illustrated in FIG- URE 8, to allow the conveyor band and paper web to converge.
  • holes 109 are provided in the walls 58a to allow air to be drawn in through the conveyor band.
  • the garniture trough 108 changes gradually in crosssectional shape from the roller 105 to the position just beyond the end of the suction chamber 59. This change in shape is illustrated in FIGURES 9 to 11, from which it can be seen that the trough gradually narrows so as to form the garniture tape 106 to a cross-section which approaches U shape.
  • FIGURE 10 The cross-sectional shape of the trough 108 at this point is shown in FIGURE 10.
  • a curved metal spring element 110 is located in the trough 108 between the paper web 103 and the conveyor band 58, in order to restrain the paper web from being drawn up too far by the pressure of the air which is still, at that region, being drawn through the conveyor band 58. This is in order to prevent the paper from curling up around the walls 58 and covering the air-holes 109.
  • This element 110 extends a distance a little behind the position at which the suction from the suction chamber 59 is cut oif from the band 58, which position is indicated in FIGURE 8 by the reference 00.
  • the paper web is free to curl up about the trough walls 58a, as illustrated in FIGURE 10 at which position (as stated above) the tobacco filler is already engaged and pressed by both the conveyor band 58 and the paper web.
  • the filler is controlled from above and below and is thus unable to expand downwardly, and is also controlled at both sides by the paper web which has been drawn by suction against the sides of the filler and prevent the filler from expanding sideways.
  • the positive suction by the suction chamber has ceased, there still exists a substantial static depression in the filler which therefore continues the suctional effect on the paper web and presses it against the filler.
  • a compression shoe 112 (see FIGURE 12) has an edge which touches the band 58 as the latter passes around the roller 101 and acts to strip the tobacco filler from the band.
  • the shoe 112 has a fiat upper surface at that end which is adjacent the band 58, but as can be seen from FIGURE 8 this surface gradually changes to the cross-sectional shape shown in FIGURE 13.
  • a compression tongue 113 which continues the lateral compression of the filler.
  • FIGURE 15 shows one side of the paper folded down by the folder 114 while the other side is still upstanding.
  • the tobacco filler formed on the perforated conveyor band in the way which has already been described, and compressed by suction acting through the band to a density at least half that required in the final filler rod, is trans fen-ed to the paper web, and carried along by the latter, without being given any opportunity to expand laterally to any material extent.
  • the rigidity and firmness given to the filler by the suctional compression during its formation enables the transfer to be effected with little if any disturbance or disarrangement of the tobacco, so that it is possible to preserve, to a great degree, the uniformity of filling and density of the filler.
  • an unwrapped tobacco filler as formed on a conventional machine has a cross-section considerably in excess of that required in the wrapped cigarette rod, and must be reduced in size before the paper is wrapped and secured around it. Most of this reduction is commonly effected by mechanical compression exerted on the tobacco filler, as it moves lengthwise, by fixed mem bers, such as the usual compression tongue, which physically engage the tobacco and compress it. Such mechanical compression is accompanied by varying degrees of displacement of tobacco lengthwise of the filler, with consequent disturbance of whatever degree of uniformity the filler possesses. 1
  • the filler is precompressed and densified by suction to a material extent before it is engaged by any mechanical compressor devices, and this suctional compression, which does not displace tobacco except transversely of the length of the filler, thus relieves the mechanical compressor devices of a substantial proportion of the work they would otherwise have to do on the filler in compressing and shaping it to the desired crosssectional size and shape.
  • FIGURE 18 illustrates diagrammatically an arrangement whereby mouthpiece portions, such as filter plugs, are incorporated in the filler formed on the conveyor band 58.
  • a stub-feeding device comprising a wheel 261 provided on its periphery with pushers 2G2, and an intermittently rotatable fluted drum 2% each of whose flutes contains a double-length mouthpiece portion.
  • each pusher 202 passes through a fiute and pushes a mouthpiece portion from it, and feeds it upwardly over a guide 2&4 towards the band 58;
  • a stripper member 205 slotted at 266 to enable the pushers 2% to pass, ensures that the mouthpiece portions leave the wheel 2%
  • the top edge of the wall 74 is spaced a suitable distance from the band 58 to allow the mouthpiece portions to pass it.
  • the filler which in this arrangement is formed on theband 58 is a composite one consisting of tobacco portions alternating with mouthpiece portions, and it is to be understood that where herein reference is made to a tobacco filler, or a continuous tobacco filler, such reference is intended, where the context permits, to include a composite filler of this character as well as a filler consisting wholly of tobacco.
  • apparatus for forming a tobacco filler rod comprising a narrow conveyor on which the filler rod is formed and which is arranged to move lengthwise, means defining a delivery zone extending a substantial distance lengthwise of and spaced from the conveyor, tobacco feeding means arranged to deliver tobacco particles.
  • opposed Walls defining a narrow passage extending from the delivery zone to the conveyor and extendingalong the whole length of the delivery zone and along a substantial length of the conveyor, means to cause a stream of air to flow at high velocity through the said passage from the delivery zone toward the conveyor so as to carry the tobacco particles toward the conveyor to form a filler rod thereon, the velocity of the air stream being such as to impart acceleration to the tobacco particles on their entry into the air stream to ensure that the tobacco particles reaching the filler rod formed on the conveyor are in substantially separated form, said conveyor being air-pervious to permit flow ofair therethrough, whereby a pressure differential is established at opposite sides of the filler to compress the latter to a density at least half that of the finished cigarette, and devicesfeeding a paper web toward and into engagement with that side of the filler away from the conveyor to grip the filler betweeh the paper web and the conveyor and thereby to continue without interruption the compression of the filler.
  • means to feed lengthwise a continuous web of cigarette paper at subtantially the speed of the conveyor said conveyor being arranged to carry the compressed filler suctionally on the underside of the conveyor and to extend a substantial distance over the paper web and to move in the general direction of movement of the paper web for transfer to the latter of the compressed filler, the conveyor and paper web being spaced apart at the position of transfer by a distance such as to enable the compressed filler to be engaged simultaneously by the conveyor and the paper web, and means associated with the paper web immediately beyond the conveyor to engage the filler when the latter has been transferred to the paper web, the conveyor, the paper web and the said last-named means all being arranged to cooperate to maintain the filler in its compressed state, thereby ensuring that the filler does not substantially increase its volume at any time.
  • a machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein the conveyor and the paper web are arranged to move in convergent paths in the region where the conveyor extends over the paper web.
  • a machine as claimed in claim 3 comprising cigarette rod forming mechanism which has the usual compression tongue, and wherein the said means associated with the paper web includes said tongue, and comprising a guide element from which the paper web extends towards the rod forming mechanism, and wherein the said conveyor is arranged to transfer the compressed: filler to the paper web at a position along the latter between said guide element and said rod forming mechanism immediately in front of the said compression tongue.
  • apparatus for forming a composite filler rod comprising tobacco portions and mouthpiece portions in alternation, comprising a perforated conveyor on which the filler rod is formed and which is arranged to move lengthwise, a suction device to apply suction to the said conveyor, means to feed mouthpiece portions to the conveyor to be suctionally held thereon at desired spaced intervals along its length, a delivery zone extending a substantial distance lengthwise of and spaced from the conveyor, tobacco-feeding means arranged to deliver tobacco particles to the said delivery zone along the whole length of the latter, opposed walls defining a narrow passage extending from the delivery zone to the conveyor and extending along the whole length of the delivery zone and along a substantial length of the conveyor, and means including said suction device to cause a stream of air to flow at high velocity through the said passage from the delivery zone towards the conveyor so as to carry the tobacco particles towards the conveyor to form thereon, between the said mouthpiece portions, the tobacco portions of the tiller rod, the velocity of the air stream being such
  • a cigarette-making machine of the continuous rod type comprising a continuous narrow perforated conveyor, means to feed mouthpiece portions to the said conveyor at desired spaced intervals along its length, means to feed tobacco particles to the said conveyor between the mouthpiece portions, so as to form a composite filler rod on said conveyor, said last named means including a suction device arranged to draw air through said conveyor so as to exert pressure on the said composite filler rod such as to hold it against the band and to compress the tobacco portions to a density at least half that required in the final cigarette rod, means to feed lengthwise a continuous web of cigarette-paper at substantially the speed of the conveyor, said conveyor being arranged to carry the composite filler rod suctionally on the underside of the conveyor and to extend a substantial distance over the paper web and to move in the general direction of movement of the paper web for transfer to the latter of the filler rod, the conveyor and paper web being spaced apart at the position of transfer by a distance such as to enable the filler rod to be engaged simultaneously by the conveyor and the paper Web, and means associated with the
  • Apparatus for forming a tobacco filler on a moving conveyor comprising means defining a delivery zone spaced from and extending lengthwise of the conveyor, means to deliver tobacco particles to said delivery zone, means to direct a stream of air through said delivery zone toward said conveyor so as to impart to said tobacco particles a force which rapidly accelerates them and impels them at high velocity towards the conveyor, and guide means to direct the said air stream towards the con-veyor at such an angle to the length of the band, relatively to the velocities of the particles and of the conveyor respectively, that the particles approach the conveyor with a component of movement in the direction of movement of the conveyor, the velocity of the said component being substantially equal to that of the conveyor.
  • a continuous rod cigarette-making machine having means for forming a tobacco filler and transferring it to a continuous cigarette-paper web, said machine comprising a porous conveyor on which the filler is conveyed, suction means acting through said conveyor to compress the filler laterally, means to feed said cigarette paper web lengthwise, and means to form the said web to curved cross-section, the conveyor being arranged to carry the filler into engagement with the paper web at a position where the latter is curved in cross-section whereby the filler is laterally controlled and prevented from expanding laterally to any material extent during and after transfer to the paper web.
  • Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, comprising a control member located immediately beyond the said conveyor arranged to engage the filler when the latter has been transferred to the paper web, and to press the filler against the paper web, wherein the said control member has a concave surface which engages the filler and acts to impart a convex cross-sectional shape to that part of the filler which it engages, and further comprising a compression tongue located immediately beyond the said control member, and folding means for the paper web located immediately beyond the said tongue, Whereby the fiiler is continuously pressed against the paper web by the conveyor, the control member, the compression tongue and the folding means in succession, and thereby prevented from substantially increasing its volume at any time.
  • Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, comprising a trough of which the said porous conveyor forms a part, said trough having side walls which latter confine the filler laterally and extend over the paper web, the said side walls being provided with lateral apertures to admit air to the trough at a position where the latter extends over the paper web, and wherein a guard member is provided to hold the marginal portions of the paper web away from the said walls so as to prevent the paper from being pressed against the walls by suction acting through the said apertures.
  • Process for forming the tobacco filler in a cigarette making machine comprising a tobacco feeder, means defining a narrow substantially vertical passage having at one side an opening to which the tobacco is delivered from the feeder, means defining a channel at one end of the passage, and an endless conveyor moving in said channel and designed to carry the tobacco filler formed upon it to a paper web which is to enclose said filler to form a cigarette rod, the method comprising in sequence, feeding continuously separate shreds of tobacco into said passage through said opening, causing air to fiow continuously in said passage toward said conveyor at sufficiently high velocity to subject such separated shreds to acceleration to increase their separation, transporting them at high speed in said passage, depositing them on said conveyor, pressing them against the conveyor with a force sufficient to create a coherent layer of tobacco of a density greater than half that of the tobacco in the 21 cigarette, carrying without slippage by said conveyor said layer of tobacco constituting the tobacco filler, and holding said filler with the same force against said conveyor while depositing said filler on the paper web.
  • a continuous rod cigarette making machine apparatus for forming a tobacco filler rod, comprising a narrow conveyor .on which the filler rod is formed and which is arranged to move lengthwise, opposed walls defining a passage extending in depth to the conveyor and extending in length along a substantial length of said conveyor, means to move air continuously through said passage as a stream flowing toward said conveyor, means defining an inlet to said passage extending along substantially the whole length thereof, means to feed tobacco in the form of substantially separated particles toward the said inlet in a direction out of line with the direction in which the air stream flows through the said passage, and means to apply to tobacco particles moving toward the said inlet a generally centripetal force, acting in directions transverse to the said direction in which the said air stream flows through the said passage, and such as to constrain the said particles to change their direction by moving in a substantially arcuate path and to enter the passage generally in the direction of movement of the air stream in the said passage, and such that the speed of the particles while the latter are changing their direction is at least maintained.
  • suction means including a suction duct outside the said passage and adjacent the said inlet and arranged to draw air
  • Apparatus as claimed in claim 20 comprising a perforated guard member having, perforations through v which the air is drawn and located between the said generally arcuate path of the tobacco particles and said suction means, said perforations being too small for the tobacco particles to pass through, whereby the said guard member acts as a barrier against excessive inward movement of tobacco particles in the direction of movement of the air.
  • the said cleaning element being arranged to remove tobacco particles which may lodge on the surface of said guard member.
  • apparatus for forming a wrapped cigarette rod comprising a conveyor by which tobacco is received to form a filler, means conveying a paper web at a position to receive the tobacco filler, opposed walls defining a passage extending in depth to, and in length along, a substantial length of the said conveyor, means to move air through said passage in the direction of its depth as a stream a2 4 flowing toward the conveyor, means extending along substantially the whole length of the passage to feed to bacco particles into said air stream to be impelled thereby to the conveyor, and guide means arranged to direct substantially the whole of the air stream in a direction obliquely inclined to the length of the conveyor, the said means to move air through the passage, and the said guide means, being arranged respectively to impart to the air stream a speed greater than the speed of the conveyor and a direction such that tobacco particles impelled by the air stream toward the conveyor reach the latter while traveling toward it at a speed greater than the speed of the conveyor and with a component of movement in the direction
  • Apparatus as claimed in claim 25 wherein the said means to move air through the passage, and the said guide means, are arranged to impart to the air stream a speed and a direction such that the said tobacco particles reach the conveyor While traveling toward it with a component of movement substantially equal in speed to the forward speed of the conveyor.
  • means for forming a continuous wrapped cigarette rod comprising means to feed lengthwise a continuous cigarette paper web which is to form the wrapper of the Wrapper cigarette rod, conveyor means having an air pervious conveyor surface and arranged to forward toward and onto the paper web, and in the same general direction of movement as that of the paper web, a tobacco filler containing all the tobacco which is to be wrapped in the paper web, and suction means associated with the conveyor means to create an airfiow beneath the filler to support the filler above the paper web, while the filler and paper web are moving in the same general direction, and immediately before the filler engages the paper web.
  • a continuous rod cigarette making machine having means to form an endwise moving stream of tobacco, said machine'comprising compressor means to compress and density the stream transversely of its direction of movement to cigarette rod size and shape, said compressor means including compressor devices arranged to engage the endwise moving stream and compress and shape it to the cross-sectional size and shape and density of a continuous cigarette rod, and also including a perforated conveyor which forwards the stream toward said compressor devices, and suction means associated with and operative through the said perforatedconveyor to cooperate with the said compressor devices to apply to the stream a suctional pressure sufiicient to provide in the tobacco stream a density at least equal to half of that in the final cigarette rod, the remaining compression required being efiected by the said compressor devices.
  • apparatus for feeding cut tobacco for the formation of a tobacco filler comprising-tobacco feeding means to impel tobacco forwardly, guide means to guide the impelled particles, said tobacco feeding means and guide means cooperating to cause the tobacco to be projected, substantially in-theform of separated particles and in a given direction along a first path in which the particles move as a stream freely in space, means to change the direction of the tobacco particles from said first path by causing them to move through a generally arcuate path upwardly into a second path, said last named means consisting solely of means to direct air in converging directions substantially radially inwardly of said arcuate path and against the tobacco particles, so as to apply to the particles external force of such value in relation to the momentum of the particles as to cause the particles to move freely in space through said generally arcuate path into said second path, opposed walls defining a passage along which the said second path extends, means to direct air through the said passage to impel the tobacco particles along said second path, and means located adjacent the
  • a method of making a continuous cigarette rod the steps which comprise forming a tobacco filler, feeding the filler in a predetermined path toward and through a rod forming zone, mechanically compressing and shaping the filler in said zone to the density and cross-sectional size and shape required in the continuous rod, establishing an air pressure differential at opposite sides of said filler while it is in said pre-determined path and during feeding thereof toward said rod forming zone to cause airflow through the filler, thereby to effect substantial lateral compression of the filler, and delivering the filler to said zone in a compressed condition as a result of said pressure differential and without permitting substantial expansion of the compressed filler.
  • a method of forming a filler on a conveyor and conveying it forwardly for delivery to a cigarette paper web comprises the steps of projecting tobacco particles forwardly and causing air to flow toward the conveyor and across the path of the projected tobacco particles at a velocity sufficiently in excess of the forward speed at which the tobacco particles are moving to cause the air to increase the velocity of the tobacco particles and thereby tend to separate them, and to convey them thus toward and impinge them against the conveyor to form a filler, feeding the said filler lengthwise toward said paper web, and compressing the filler to the density required in the final cigarette rod, the compression of the filler being effected in two steps, first by subjecting it to suctional pressure, and second, while preventing any substantial expansion of the filler after it has been suctionally compressed, by subjecting it to mechanical pressure to complete its compression.
  • a continuous rod cigarette-making machine having tobacco dispensing means to dispense cut tobacco for the formation of a tobacco filler, and cigarette rod forming means including means to enclose the filler in a wrapper, the tobacco dispensing means including projecting means to project tobacco forwardly in substantially the form of separated particles, the said machine further including opposed walls defining a passage, the said passage having an inlet to admit into the passage tobacco projected by said projecting means, an air pervious con veyor located adjacent an end of the passage remote from said inlet to support a tobacco filler for endwise movement, air impelling means, including means to draw air through the conveyor, to direct air into and along the said passage and to cause the air to flow along the said passage as a continuous stream flowing directly toward the said conveyor and so directed as to entrain tobacco particles which have been projected by said projecting means and impel them along the passage toward the said conveyor to form the said endwise moving filler, said air impelling means including air guiding means to guide toward and into the passage the air which enters the passage,
  • Apparatus as claimed in claim 32 comprising means outside the said passage and adjacent the said inlet to apply to the particles a generally centripetal force such as to change their direction of movement by constraining them to move in a substantially arcuate path into said passage while at least maintaining their speed.
  • Apparatus as claimed in claim 33, wherein the said means to apply force to the tobacco particles comprises means to direct air against the particles in such directions and at such velocities in relation to the velocity and direction of the impelled tobacco as to cause the particles to move through said generally arcuate path.
  • the said tobacco feeding means is arranged to impart such a velocity to the tobacco that relatively heavy particles, such as pieces of tobacco stem, have sufiieient momentum to resist substantial change in their direction of movement by the said generally centripetal force exerted by air flowing across their path and thereby tend to move in directions such that they are segregated from tobacco which is constrained to move into said passage.
  • means for forming a continuous wrapped cigarette rod comprising means to feed lengthwise a continuous paper web which is to form the wrapper of the wrapped cigarette rod, an air pervious conveyor to carry on its underside an unwrapped tobacco filler toward and over the paper web for transfer to the latter, and suction means to apply suction to the filler through the conveyor, the said conveyor and suction means extending partially over the paper web and also extending rearwardly beyond the paper web considered in the direction of movement of the latter.
  • Apparatus as claimed in claim 36 comprising a compressor member extending over the paper web immediately beyond the said conveyor to engage the filler when the latter has left the conveyor and is on the paper web.

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US3232297A (en) * 1961-05-12 1966-02-01 American Mach & Foundry Pneumatic separator in tobacco feed
US3209762A (en) * 1962-02-22 1965-10-05 Molins Organisation Ltd Winnowing apparatus for a continuous rod cigarette-making machine
US3255764A (en) * 1962-03-12 1966-06-14 American Mach & Foundry Cigarette maker
US3364934A (en) * 1965-02-24 1968-01-23 Molins Machine Co Ltd Manufacture of filter-tip cigarettes
US3613692A (en) * 1965-06-02 1971-10-19 Hauni Werke Koerber & Co Kg Apparatus for building a continuous tobacco stream
US3750678A (en) * 1969-06-24 1973-08-07 Molins Machine Co Ltd Cigarette making machines
US3810475A (en) * 1970-08-21 1974-05-14 Molins Ltd Cigarette making machines
US3850177A (en) * 1970-10-20 1974-11-26 Molins Ltd Cigarette making machines
US3779252A (en) * 1971-03-25 1973-12-18 Rothmans Of Pall Mall Tobacco stream manufacture
US3813996A (en) * 1971-04-15 1974-06-04 F Labbe Continuous filter rod making machines
US3851652A (en) * 1971-07-28 1974-12-03 Mollins Ltd Cigarette making machines
US3871386A (en) * 1971-07-28 1975-03-18 Molins Ltd Cigarette making machines
US3915176A (en) * 1972-07-05 1975-10-28 Hauni Werke Koerber & Co Kg Apparatus for wrapping filler rods of tobacco or the like
US4122859A (en) * 1973-03-13 1978-10-31 Molins Limited Cigarette-making machines
US3915177A (en) * 1973-08-22 1975-10-28 Rothmans Of Pall Mall Tobacco manipulating machines
US4031903A (en) * 1974-09-05 1977-06-28 Rothmans Of Pall Mall Canada Limited Winnowing of tobacco
US4875495A (en) * 1987-08-14 1989-10-24 Philip Morris Incorporated Separation of light particles from heavy particles in a stream of particulate matter
US5141003A (en) * 1990-05-02 1992-08-25 John Dawson Cigarette making machine
US5345950A (en) * 1990-07-25 1994-09-13 Lorillard Tobacco Company Apparatus for applying starch paste to tobacco articles
EP0803205A1 (fr) * 1996-04-26 1997-10-29 Japan Tobacco Inc. Dispositif de moulage compression du tabac pour une machine à fabriquer les cigarettes
US20160001791A1 (en) * 2014-07-03 2016-01-07 Nabtesco Corporation Air compression device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE1207253B (de) 1965-12-16
CH356068A (fr) 1961-07-31
CH364445A (fr) 1962-09-15
CH362025A (fr) 1962-05-15
CH364724A (fr) 1962-09-30
BE572389A (fr)
FR1229066A (fr) 1960-09-02

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