US3160161A

US3160161A - Apparatus and method for recovering tobacco from cigarettes

Info

Publication number: US3160161A
Application number: US43530A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sandman Thomas Charles
Original assignee: Imp Tobacco Co Ltd
Current assignee: Imperial Tobacco Company of Great Britain and Ireland Ltd
Priority date: 1959-07-27
Filing date: 1960-07-18
Publication date: 1964-12-08
Anticipated expiration: 1981-12-08

Description

Dec. 8, 1964 T. c. SANDMAN APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RECOVERING TOBACCO FROM CIGARETTES Filed July 18, 1960 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 lllllll llnlllllllll mm wm mw mP INVENTOR W ATTORNEYS.

77/0/7/45 (xx/ems SA/m/WW.

Dec. 8, 1964 Filed July 18, 1960 T. c. SANDMAN 3,160,161 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RECOVERING TOBACCO FROM CIGARETTES 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 T/VO/M 5 [WA/PZfS SAND 7AA IN VENTOR.

y d W Mm- ATTORNEYS,

Dec. 1964 T. c. SANDMAN 3,160,161

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR JRECOVERING TOBACCO FROM CIGARETTES Filed July 18. 1960 6 Sheets-'S-he'e'i I;

AZVAM ATTORNEYJ.

ANDMAN 3,160,161

T. C. S APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RECOVERING TOBACCO FROM CIGARETTES 6 Sheets-Shge't 4 Dec. 8, 1964 Filed July 18, 1960 I l I l Dec. 8, 1964 T. c. SANDMAN 3,

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RECOVERING TOBACCO FROM CIGARETTES Filed July 18, 1960 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 m OE l v O:

INVENTOR m/la ATTORNEYS.

IIIIII ll OOF H E GOP NO? Dec. 8, 1964 T. c. SANDMAN APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RECOVERING TOBACCO FROM CIGARETTES 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July 18. 1960 FIG. 4

Dela/7A 5 (WW1 [s SAM/0 M/m IN VE N TOR ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,160,161 APPARATUS AND METHOD FGR RECQVERENG TOBAQCQ FRGM CIGARETTES Thomas Qharles Sandman, London, England, assignor to The Imperial Tobacco Company (of Great Britain & Ireland) Limited, Bedminster, England Filed July 18, 1960, Ser. No. 43,530 Claims priority, application Great Britain July 27, 1959 24 Claims. (Cl. 131-96) This invention relates to apparatus and a method suitable for use by cigarette manufacturers and, more particularly to an apparatus for and a method of recovering tobacco from imperfect cigarettes for future use. In this connection it should be mentioned that in the manufacture of cigarettes by machines it is customary to test the cigarettes for weight, dimensions, shape, seam joints, and sometimes for clearness of printing thereon, and cigarettes not complying with predetermined conditions are set aside and the tobacco recovered therefrom. The present invention concerns an improved method and apparatus to achieve this.

According to the present invention, there is provided a method of treating imperfect cigarettes to loosen the tobacco from the paper, the method comprising applying to the cigarettes a movement of translation and during this movement rotating them about their axes whilst exposing them to moisture to weaken their seams, and then opening the weakened seams to loosen the tobacco, which is subsequently separated from the papers.

Further in accordance with the present invention a method of recovering from imperfect cigarettes tobacco for subsequent use comprising moving them translatively in such a manner as to feed them as a stream of cigarettes and in so doing rotating them about their axes to bring the full length and circumference of each cigarette into contact with a moistened surface to render the seams thereof sufliciently weak to yield readily to opening, continuing the movement of translation of the train of moistened cigarettes, and in so doing subjecting them to a seam opening pressure to loosen the tobacco from the paper and then separating the tobacco from the paper.

Desirably the said rotation of the individual cigarettes is accomplished by a rolling action between opposed surfaces, at least one of which is maintained permanently moistened, and one of which is subjected to a movement relative to the other, which is complementary to produce rotation of the cigarettes about their respective axes, whilst maintaining and/or restoring the axes of the deformed cigarettes to normal.

Further it is preferred, in order to ensure absorption of moisture by the cigarettes adequate to ensure a ready yield to opening of the seams thereof at the seam opening operation to introduce a time lag during which the papers become completely impregnated with moisture between the exposure of the cigarettes to moisture and the seam opening operation.

Desirably the cigarettes are translated up to and through the seam opening operation with the axes of the cigarettes substantially parallel with their direction of movement from a supply source.

Further, in accordance with the present invention apparatus for recovering tobacco from imperfect cigarettes comprises means to moisten the cigarettes, means to impart axial rotation to the cigarettes during their moistening, means to open the moistened cigarettes along their seams, conveyor means to translate the moistened cigarettes to said latter means from rotation imparting means, means receiving the opened seam cigarettes and subjecting the paper and tobacco to an impact action to loosen the paper from the tobacco and means receiving the loosened ICC.

paper and tobacco and adapted to separate the tobacco from the paper. I

Still further, in accordance with the present invention apparatus for recovering tobacco from imperfect cigarettes comprises a chute to receive the imperfect cigarettes, and moistening and rolling means, said chute being adapted to deliver the cigarettes endwise on to said moistening and rolling means, a first conveyor transferring the moistened cigarettes to means which subjects the moistened cigarettes to an initial rupturing action to open the laps or seams of the cigarettes, lacerating means receiving the initially ruptured cigarettes to loosen the tobacco from the paper, a second conveyor receiving from said lacerating means the tobacco and paper, said second conveyor being reticulated and being of the vibratory type which, by reason of its fore and aft agitation, displaces the paper towards its other end and sifts the tobacco and the paper, so that the tobacco passes through the conveyor, means to collect the sifted tobacco, a suction generating device to aspirate the loose paper from the second conveyor, a cyclone and a third conveyor also vibratory and reticulated receiving the paper and particles of tobacco freed therefrom from said suction generating device via said cyclone to separate such balance of tobacco from the paper, and suction means for removing the paper from said third conveyor.

Desirably, the said moistening and rolling means takes the form of an endless belt having one track by which the cigarettes are carried towards the seam opening stage, a liquid container from which said belt picks up moisture for transfer to the cigarettes, and means spaced above said track to apply light pressure to the cigarettes and having for each cigarette a movement in a direction which imparts rotation to the cigarette.

Cigarettes provided with filter tips, when operated upon for recovering the tobacco therefrom as aforesaid have their tips removed quite clearly by means of the present invention so that any tobacco clinging to the tips is removed by the time the separated papers and tips reach the stage where they are collected for scrap.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, and readily carried into effect drawings are appended hereto illustrating an embodiment thereof, and in which:

FIGURES 1A and 1B when combined end to end comprise a front elevation view of the apparatus arranged as a single machine.

FIGURES 2A and 2B are plan views of FIGURES 1A and 1B.

FIGURE 3 is a broken sectional view to a larger scale taken on the line IIIIII of FIGURE 2A and showing details of a first conveyor with associated guides for maintaining the cigarettes in parallel lines and a device for rejecting cigarettes which are out of parallel endwise relationship with such conveyor or are so deformed as not to flow endwise smoothly.

FIGURE 4 is a detail elevation view looking at the rear of the machine, i.e. in the direction of the arrow in FIGURE 2B, of a set of rollers functioning to open up the laps or seams of the previously moistened cigarettes.

Referring to the drawings it will be seen that the apparatus for carrying out the method of separating the paper or Wrapping and the tobacco of imperfect cigarettes is constructed with its conveyors as a compact machine in which the main frame has a bed 1 with channel uprights 2 carrying at their upper ends longitudinal beams 3 supporting the means for preparing the cigarettes for subsequent separation of their paper and tobacco, the separated papers and cigarettes being delivered on to conveying and screening means disposed at a lower level and within the full length of the machine frame.

The cigarettes to be treated may be loaded into a hop per from which extends at an inclination upwards a conroller 6 serving as a belt tensioning pulley and journalled at its ends in bearing blocks 10 receiving belt tension adiusting screws 11. The other rollers are supported in aearings in side plates 12 of the machine frame. The belt travels in the direction of the arrows shown in FIGURE 1A and disposed in light contact with its upper rack are a plurality of longitudinal equi-distantly spaced ixed guide rails 13 spaced apart to accommodate between any adjacent pair a single line of cigarettes resting on the :onveyor whereby the cigarettes are carried forward in parallel lines relative to the guide rails and also relative :o a rejector blade 14 hereinafter described and which is actuated to flick back bent cigarettes until ultimately they, n an intact or broken apart condition, adapt themselves laying endwise between the rails 13.

Coplanar with the upper track of the belt 5 is the upper :rack of a further conveyor belt 15 adapted to serve as a :ontinuity of the belt 5 and which for the purpose of the present invention in conjunction with the conveyor belt 5 may be regarded as part of a first conveyor. At one and of its upper track the belt 15 is passed over a roller [6 close to the roller 9 and at the other end of its upper rack over a roller 17 (see FIGURE 1B). This belt 15 ;upplies water to the cigarettes to moisten their wrappings, ind during the contact of the cigarettes with the belt 15 :hey are subjected to a rolling action about their axes :ombined with a light squeezing action to ensure firm :ontact of the cigarettes with the belt 15. This corn )ined rolling and squeezing action may be obtained by an ipper endless belt 18 passed over rollers 19 and 20 (see FIGURE 2A) the axles of which are journalled in bear- ,ngs in a pair of beams 21 and 22 relative to which are ixed sleeves 23 mated slidably on four vertical posts 24 laving larger diameter lower ends 24a fixed to two chan- 1el bars 25 secured to one or more transverse bearer :hannels 26, coiled compression springs 27 (see FIG- URE 1A) being interposed between the parts 24a of aid posts and the sleeves 23. The posts 24 at their upper :nds are fixed to the ends of a pair of side angle bars 23 rpanned by a relatively fixed cross bar 28a thus forming 1 wide H frame as shown in FIGURE 20. JOSS on the cross bar 28a is threaded a jack screw 29 be lower end of which abuts against a bar 30 bolted at .ts ends to a pair of angle bars 31.spanning the beams 21 and 22, these bars 31 carryingthe aforesaid sleeve 23. 3y this means an adjustable and somewhat spring cushoned pressure of the belt 13 against the cigarettes on the ipper track of the conveyor belt 15 is obtained.

By reference to FIGURE 2A of the drawings it will be :een that the frame 21, 22 and belt 18 are supported at an tcute angle relative to the direction of travel of the conreyor belt 15 which biases the presser belt 18 relative o the belt 15 and as the lower track of the belt 18 travels :orward from the roller 19 to the roller 20 at a speed :qual to the rate of travel of the belt 15 it will be appreziated that the movement of the belt against the cigarettes vill not only convey them lengthwise and forward on he conveyor belt 15 and apply slight pressure to them )ut will impart rotation to the cigarettes about their axes. I-Ienee at this stage the cigarettes have been delivered in ine on to the part of the first conveyor constituted by )elts5 and 15, moistened and rolled, and the next stage s to open the laps or seams of the moistened cigarettes.

The moistening of the cigarettes is done by carrying he belt 15 over a roller 32 (see FIGURE 1A) disposed n a tank 33 maintained charged from a levelcontrolling .ank 34 to a predetermined level with water, the level 21 the water making only a small chord with the lower Through a part of the roller 32. A jockey roller 35 ensures close contact of the belt 15 with the doctor roller 32. On its return path from the roller 17 the belt 15 negotiates roller 36 and a belt tensioning roller 37 supported in bearings in the upper ends of two yoke arms 38 fixed at their lower ends to a transverse shaft 39 to which is fixed a weighted lever 40 to obtain the desired uniform tension in the belt 15.

The lap opening means indicated generally by the reference letter L in FIGURE 13 and which is more clearly shown in FIGURE 4, comprises an upper set of transverse rollers 45), 41 and 42 and a

lower set

43, 44 and 45 between which the moistened cigarettes are drawn and which are served with the endwise travelling cigarettes by a conveyor belt 46 passing over

belt rollers

47 and 48 defining the ends of its upper track and over a belt tensioning roller 49 and roller 50. As with the belt 15, the roller 49 is loaded against the belt by a counter weighted arm 51.

The

rollers

40, 41 and 42 have their axles journalled in

bearing blocks

52, 53 and 54 with channelled vertical edges slidable on vertical bars 55 and side plates 56 at one end. The

rollers

49, 41 and 42 carry sprocket wheels 57 which are negotiated by an endless chain 58 carried over a pair of sprocket wheels 59 with journal hearings in a bar 60 fixed across the side plates 56, and also over sprocket wheels 61a (on shaft of roller 48), 61b and the chain 58 is tensioned by a spring loaded jockey sprocket wheel 61c. The required pressure against the cigarettes between these

rollers

40, 41, 42 and 43, 44, 45 is regulated by two sets of set screws 62 threaded through bosses depending from bars 63 spanning angle brackets 64 bolted to the plates 56 these setscrews having depending spigots 62a engaged in the

bearing blocks

52, 53 and 54, coiled compression springs 65 being interposed between these blocks and brackets 66 bolted to the plates 56 to maintain proper contact of the blocks with the spigots 62a. The

lower rollers

43, 44 and 45 are driven positively from a pinion 4811 on one end of the shaft of roller 48 which meshes with a pinion 112 driving a pinion 43a of roller 43 and also an idler 113 driving a pinion 45a on roller 45 and pinion 44a on roller 44 via a pinion 114.- Desirably the rollers 44-45 are each engaged by a scraper blade 111 to remove particles clinging thereto, but for the purpose of clarity of the drawings only one of these scraper blades is shown.

By the moistened cigarettes travelling between the upper and lower set of rollers the seams of their papers or wrappings will be opened, and as they pass from between the last pair of rollers (42, 45) they drop within a hopper or housing 67 against a rotating lacerating device such as e.g. a shaft 68 (see FIGURE 1B) carrying a plurality of radiating beater blades 69 extending nearly the full width of the hopper 67. The shaft 68 is driven from a motor 74 'Desirably the train of

gear wheels

48a, 43a, 44a, 45a, 112, 113, 114 provides a slight difierential between the surface speeds of the upper and lower sets of

rollers

40, 41, 42 and 43, 44, 45 respectively as this assists in the opening of the seams of the papers.

The base of the hopper 67 opens just above the receiving end of a reciprocating screen in the form of a trough 71 with a reticulated screening panel 72 disposed above its base on to which falls tobacco freed from the opened up cigarettes, the base discharging into a receptacle 73. The well known means for reciprocating the trough 71 is indicated diagrammatically at 71a in FIGURE 1A. The loosened fragments of paper are removed from the screen by being induced into the mouth of a suction conduit 74 of a fan 75 the outlet conduit 76 of which serves a cyclone 77 (see FIGURES 2A and 2B) which discharges the loose papers together with any tobacco remaining therewith and mostly freed by the cyclone on to a further reciprocating screen '78 which functions in the same manner as the screen 72 to separate the balance of the tobacco from the paper and to deliver the freed tobacco into a receptacle 72a below the end of the screen remote from the cyclone. The paper is removed from the screen via a suction conduit 79 and fan 8@ to a collector 81 which also may comprise a cyclone discharging the paper into a container.

The drive to the various belts and chains may be derived from a single motor 82 and desirably chains and sprocket wheels are employed. Thus the motor shaft (see FIGURE 2A) has a double sprocket wheel 83 driving via a double link chain 84 a double sprocket wheel 85 on one end of the shaft 86 of roller 8. The other end of shaft 86 drives via a gear train or sprocket and chain transmission 87 a gear or sprocket wheel 88 of an input shaft 89 (see FIGURE 3) operating the rejector blade 14 and also via a train of gear wheels 90 or chain and sprocket, a shaft 91 driving via a universal joint 92, a shaft 93 journalled in a support 94 and carrying a sprocket wheel 95 driving via a chain 96 and sprocket wheel 97 the roller 19 which drives the biased belt 18 disposed above the moistened conveyor belt 15. On the shaft of roller 36 is fitted a sprocket wheel 98 which via a chain 99 drives a sprocket wheel on the shaft of roller 50 for driving the endless belt 46 which serves the lap or seam opening rollers of the stage L.

Referring more particularly to FIGURE 3 the input shaft 89 of the rejector bar 14 at its inner end carries a cam lltlt) offset from a shaft 101 to which the cam 190 imparts oscillation by tracking a crank pin 102 on the shaft 101, and secured to this shaft is a leaf spring 1% extending along the shaft 101 and by a semi-circular upper part 103a secured by studs 104 to the shaft. The lower part of this leaf spring is secured by screws 105 to the bar 14. The earn 1% is profiled axially as at 196 to ride over the radiused end 161a of the shaft 101 which is loaded axially against the cam by a coiled compression spring 167 interposed between a collar 108 fixed on the shaft 101 and a boss 109 fixed to a side plate 12 of the machine and accommodating a bearing bush for the shaft 161 which latter consequently has oscillation and also axial reciprocation imparted to it. The lower edge of the rejector bar 14 is formed with a plurality of teeth 110 so dimensioned that the interstices each form an arch across the guide rails 13 when the bar 14 is in a plane normal to the plane of the upper track of the conveyor belt 5. As the bar 14 swings fore and aft of this plane during a portion of its angle of swing in either direction the shaft 161 will be displaced axially so that the teeth 11% will generate a path of movement which for eaclf tooth is a segment of a helix. This will result in the tips of the teeth missing straight cigarettes C lined up between the guide rails 13 but any not properly lined up, e.g. bent, when coming beneath the bar 14 will be flicked to one side until ultimately they will be discharged over one edge of the conveyor belt 5 or will, by the impact of the bar 14 and their lateral abutment against the guide rails 14, acquire a sufficiently straight condition or be broken into say two straight parts as to adapt themselves to mating easily between the guide rails 13. The ends of the guide rails 13 are secured to cross bars 13a (see FIGURE 1A).

Desirably a very slight increase of rate of travel of the belt 46 relatively to the belt 15 is provided to overcome the tendency of the cigarettes trailing those on the belt 46 to build up or displace each other and this may be obtained by the number of the all equi-distan-tly spaced teeth on thesprocket wheel of roller 50 being one or two less than those on the sprocket wheel 98. Thus the whole of the conveying means by which the cigarettes are transferred to the initial rupturing or seam opening stage may be regarded as the co-operating uniform rate of

travel conveyors

5 and 15 and the relatively slightly faster co-operating conveyor 46, the biased belt 18 being regarded as an adjunct to such conveying means as its chief function is to apply slight rolling pressure to the cigarettes during their moisture receiving stage.

It will be apparent that it is immaterial for the cigarettes to be tipped or not tipped because with tipped cigarettes the tobacco only extends up to the filter medium contained within the relatively short ring of cork or other non-permeable material.

Thus, when tipped cigarettes are in a moistened condition as they pass between the rollers 40-45, the paper beyond the tips will be opened and upon coming into contact with the lacerating or beating device 69, as with ordinary cigarettes, the predominating portion of tobacco will be loosened from the paper or paper and filter, the whole then falling on to the screen '72, thus leaving the tips and paper on top of the screen for picking up by the suction generated by the fan 75 and thereupon delivered on to the second screen 78, by which time any shreds of tobacco retained by the paper and the tips would be in a condition for easy removal by the screen 78.

In operation, the cigarettes are moved translatively as a stream of cigarettes so that they are delivered in parallel relationship with the guide rods 13, so that they pass into contact with the rejector blade 14 which functions to bring into alignment with the guide rods any misaligned cigarettes and, also, to restore to a straight condition slightly bent cigarettes or even break into pieces cigarettes which are conspicuously deformed.

Arising from the operation of the rejector blade 14 there will sometimes remain between it and the chute 4 cigarettes which have not responded to the treatment of the blade, and these can be removed easily, but normally there are only a few of such cigarettes.

The cigarettes are now carried on to the moistening belt 15, beneath the biased belt 15 which, as aforesaid, imparts rotation to the cigarettes about their axes whilst in contact with the belt 15 so as to ensure complete moistening of the full length of the seam. The moistened cigarettes are conveyed by the belt 46 and delivered therefrom between the rollers 40-45. It will be appreciated that the length of the belt 46 provides a time lag that ensures absorption of moisture by the cigarettes. The

rollers

40, 45 are set to apply the pressure required to open the seams so that now the cigarettes, with the tobacco predominantly loosened therefrom, will fall on to the lacerating or beating device 68 and thereupon pass to the extracting screen 72 which will function to remove the predominating portion of the tobacco which will be delivered into the receptacle 73, leaving the paper and, also, filter tip on top of the screen to be picked up by the suction generation by the fan 75, which delivers the paper with filter tips, if any are present, on to the second screen 78 which will remove the relatively minor proportion of tobacco remaining on the paper and filter tip ends, the paper and filter tips then being transferred to the cyclone 81.

Instead of, or in addition to, the lacerating or beating device 69, a suitable draught creating device may be employed, e.g. a fan F driven from a motor not shown, to subject the opened cigarettes to a strong current of air, the direction of this current being so controlled that it will discharge the tobacco and paper on to the screen 72,

either directly or through the medium of an intermediate conveyor or chute.

I claim:

1. A method of recovering tobacco from imperfect cigarettes comprising applying to the cigarettes a movement of translation longitudinally of their axes and during this lengthwise movement rotating them about their axes whilst exposing them to moisture for their complete circumference to Weaken their seams, and then opening the weakened seams progressively from one end to the other end of each cigarette to loosen the tobacco, which is subsequently separated from the papers.

2. A method of recovering tobacco from imperfect cigarettes, comprising applying to the cigarettes a movement of translation longitudinally of their axes while exposing them to moisture to weaken their seams and then )pening the weakened seams progressively from one end the other end of each cigarette to loosen the tobacco.

3. A method of recovering tobacco from imperfect :igarettes, comprising moving them translatively in such 1 manner as to feed them lengthwise in the direction of hair axes as a stream of lengthwise moving cigarettes, aringing each cigarette into contact with a moistened suriace to render the seams thereof sufliciently weak to yield 'eadily to opening, continuing the movement of translaion of the stream of moistened cigarettes lengthwise of heir axes, and in so doing subjecting them to a seam )pening pressure progressively along the full length of :ach cigarette to loosen the tobacco from the paper and hen separating the tobacco from the paper. 7

4. A method of recovering tobacco from imperfect :igarettes, comprising moving them translatively in such 1 manner as to feed them lengthwise in the direction of heir axes as a stream of lengthwise moving cigarettes, 1nd in so doing rotating them about their axes to bring he full length and circumference of each cigarette into :ontact with a moistened surface to render the seams hereof sufficiently weak to yield readily to opening, coninuing the movement of translation of the stream of noistened cigarettes lengthwise of their axes, and in so loing subjecting them to a seam opening pressure progressively along the full length of each cigarette to loosen he tobacco from the paper and then separating the to- Jacco from the paper.

5. A method of recovering tobacco from imperfect :igarettes according to claim 4, wherein the said rotation If the individual cigarettes is accomplished by a rolling .ction between opposed surfaces of upper and lower' paced apart continuously moving members, the lower member maintaining the axes of the cigarettes in their engthwise direction of travel and the upper member :eing biased relative to the lower 'member to produce otation of the cigarettes about their respective axes, at east one of said surfaces being maintained permanently moistened.

6. A method of'recovering tobacco from imperfect igarettes according to claim 3, in which the separation f the tobacco from the paper is obtained by subjecting 1e cigarettes, after their seam opening, to a lacerating ction to loosen the tobacco from the paper, and then gitating the lacerated cigarettes during screening thereof 3 effect a separation of a predominating portion of the obacco from the paper or wrapping.

7. A method of recovering tobacco from imperfect igarettes according to claim 3, in which the separation f the tobacco from the paper is obtained by subjecting he cigarettes, after their seam opening, to an air current 3 loosen the tobacco from the paper followed by agitat- 1g the loosened tobacco and paper during screening iereof to effect a separation of a predominating portion f the tobacco from the paper or wrapping.

8. A method of recovering tobacco from imperfectigarettes according to claim -3, including the step of spirating the paper remaining from said separation and elivering the paper to a further agitating and separating peration to separate the balance of the tobacco from the aper.

9. Apparatus for recovering tobacco from imperfect igarettes, comprising means to moisten the cigarettes, leans to impart axial endwise displacement to the ciga- :ttes during their moistening, means to open the moiszned cigarettes progressively lengthwise along their :ams, conveyor means to translate the moistened ciga- :ttes axially to the opening means, means receiving the pened seam cigarettes and subjecting the paper and rbacco to an impact action to loosen the paper from the ibacco, and means for receiving the loosened paper and ubacco and for separating the tobacco from the paper.

10. Apparatus for recovering tobacco from imperfect garettes, comprising a conveyor, means to deliver the cigarettes axially on to said conveyor,-and to convey them axially as a streamalong the machine, means to moisten the cigarettes, means to open the moistened cigarettes progressively from one end of each cigarette to the other along their seams, conveyor means to translate the cigarettes from said conveyor to said opening means, means for receiving the opened seam cigarettes and subjecting the paper and tobacco to an impact action to loosen the paper from the tobacco, a reticulated conveyor on to which the loosened paper and tobacco are fed from said last mentioned means and screened, and a collector beneath said reticulated conveyor for the tobacco separated from the paper.

11. Apparatus for recovering tobacco from imperfect cigarettes, comprising a conveyor, means to deliver the cigarettes axially on to said conveyor, and to convey them axially as a stream along the machine, means adapted to impart axial rotation to and simultaneously convey moisture to the axially conveyed cigarettes, means to open the moistened cigarettes progressively from one end of each cigarette to the other along their seams, conveyor means to translate the cigarettes from said conveyor to said opening means, means receiving the opened seam cigarettes and subjecting the paper and tobacco to an impact action to loosen the paper from the tobacco, a reticulated conveyor on to which the loosened paper and tobacco are fed from said last mentioned means and screened, and a collector beneath said conveyor for the tobacco separated from the paper.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said means adapted to impart axial rotation to the cigarettes comprises means controlling the delivery of moisture to the cigarettes while imparting to the cigarettes an axially directed movement of translation.

13. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said means for imparting axial rotation to the cigarettes includes a moisture transfer member engaged by the cigarettes during their rotation and axial conveyance.

14. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a lacerating device is provided to effect said impact action.

15. Apparatus according to claim 10, including forced draught creating means to subject the loosened paper and tobacco to an air current impact action.

16. Apparatus according to claim 10, including aspirator means, said aspirator means functioning to induce the paper from the reticulated conveyor and to deliver it to a further reticulated conveyor via means functioning to free particles of tobacco from the paper, a collector for the tobacco beneath the said further reticulated conveyor, and means to collect the paper from said further reticulated conveyor.

17. Apparatus for recovering tobacco from imperfect cigarettes, comprising a chute to receive the imperfect cigarettes, moistening and rolling means, means conveying the cigarettes axially to said moistening and rolling means from said chute, means which subjects the moistened cigarettes to an initial rupturing action to open the laps or seams of the cigarettes progressively along the length of each cigarette, a first conveyor, said first conveyor feeding the cigarettes axially to said latter means on to which the cigarettes are fed axially from said moistening and rolling means, lacerating means to receive the initially ruptured cigarettes to loosen the tobacco from the paper, a second conveyor receiving from said lacerating means the tobacco and paper at one end thereof, said second conveyor being reticulated and being of the vibratory type which, by reason of its fore and aft agitation, displaces the paper towards its other end and sifts the tobacco and the paper so that some of the tobacco passesthrough the second conveyor, means to collect the sifted tobacco, a suction generating device to aspirate the loose paper and the remainder of the tobacco from the second conveyor, a cyclone and a third conveyor also vibratory and reticulated receiving the paper and particles of tobacco freed therefrom from said suction gen- Mgr erating device via said cyclone to separate such balance of tobacco from the paper, and suction means for removing the paper from said third conveyor.

18. Apparatus for recovering tobacco from imperfect cigarettes, comprising means to moisten the cigarettes, means to feed the cigarettes axially to said moistening means, means to impart axial rotation to the cigarettes and to convey them axially during their moistening, means to open the moistened cigarettes along the seams and receiving and delivering the cigarettes axially, conveyor means to translate the moistened cigarettes axially to said latter means from said rotation imparting means, means receiving the opened seam cigarettes and subjecting the paper and tobacco to an impact action to loosen the paper from the tobacco, means for receiving the loosened paper and tobacco and for separating the tobacco from the paper, said cigarette moistening and rotating means comprising an endless belt having one track by which the cigarettes are carried towards the seam opening means, a moisture dispenser from which said belt picks up moisture for transfer to the cigarettes, and means spaced above said track to apply light pressure to the cigarettes and having for each cigarette a movement in a direction which imparts rotation to the cigarette.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said means spaced above said track comprises parallel with the plane of said track the lower track of a driven endless belt travelling in a direction to assist the cigarettes along said first track but biased so that its true direction of travel is at an angle to the true direction of travel of said first track so as to rotate the cigarettes, and means to adjust the pressure of said biased conveyor against the cigarettes.

20. In apparatus for recovering tobacco from imperfect cigarettes in combination: means adapted to convey moisture to the cigarettes, a conveyor to convey the cigarettes axially to said means, means to open the moistened cigarettes progressively along their seams, conveyor means to translate the cigarettes axially from said first means to said second means, means receiving the opened seam cigarettes and subjecting the paper and tobacco to an impact action to loosen the paper from the tobacco, a reticulated conveyor on to which the loosened paper and tobacco are fed from said last mentioned means and screened, and a collector beneath said conveyor for the tobacco separated from the paper.

21. Apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising, in advance of said cigarette moistening means, a belt having an upper track and a plurality of parallel guides disposed close to the upper track of the belt for receiving the imperfect cigarettes to be treated and between which guides the cigarettes are maintained lengthwise relative to the direction of travel of the upper track of the belt.

22. Apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising, in advance of said cigarette moistening means, a belt having an upper track, a plurality of parallel guides disposed close to the upper track of the belt for receiving the imperfect cigarettes to be treated and between which guides the cigarettes are maintained lengthwise relative to the direction of travel of the upper track of said latter belt, a cigarette displacing and re-aligning bar disposed transversely of said guides and shaped along one edge to engage deformed cigarettes, and means imparting transverse and longitudinal movement to said bar such that deformed cigarettes are rejected from the guides or realigned therein.

23. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said bar has a plurality of teeth along one edge close to and spaced in conformity with the spacing of said guides.

24. In apparatus for recovering tobacco from imperfect cigarettes in combination: means adapted to convey moisture to the cigarettes, a conveyor to convey the cigarettes to said means, means to open the moistened cigarettes along their seams comprising an upper set of rollers and a lower set of rollers between which the cigarettes are traversed axially to subject them to a seam opening pressure, conveyor means to translate the cigarettes axially from said first means to said second means, means for receiving the opened seam cigarettes and subjecting the paper and tobacco to an impact action to loosen the paper from the tobacco, a reticulated conveyor on to which the loosened paper and tobacco are fed from said last mentioned means and screened, a collector beneath said conveyor for the tobacco separated from the paper, and conveyor means adapted to accelerate the rate of travel of the cigarettes to said seam opening rollers and located between the cigarettes moistening means and the said seam opening means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 271,387 Wilcox Jan. 30, 1883 533,098 Strouse Jan. 29, 1895 553,583 Hartigan Jan. 28, 1896 587,858 Rankin Aug. 10, 1897 635,076 Perkins Oct. 17, 1899 2,002,142 Gibson May 21, 1935 2,010,486 Herrmann Aug. 6, 1935 2,701,569 Fellmann Feb. 8, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 183,694 Germany Mar. 26, 1907 451,168 Germany Oct. 17, 1927 894,226 Germany Oct. 22, 1953 5,010 Great Britain of 1876 381,154 Great Britain Sept. 23, 1932

Claims

2. A METHOD OF RECOVERING TOBACCO FROM IMPERFECT CIGARETTES, COMPRISING APPLYING TO THE CIGARETTES A MOVEMENT OF TRANSLATION LONGITUDINALLY OF THEIR AXES WHILE EXPOSING THEM TO MOISTURE TO WEAKEN THEIR SEAMS AND THEN