US3225774A - Cigar pressing machine - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 28, 1965 F. PIETRUSKA 3,225,774

CIGAR PRESSING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 15, 1963 F I G 2 3 3 L J .l L J L.

INVENTOR FRIEDRICH Pl ETRU SKA BWZZL ATTORNEY Dec. 28, 1965 F. PIETRUSKA 3,225,774

CIGAR PRESSING MACHINE Filed April 15, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet z INVENTOR FRIEDRICH PIETRUSKA ATTO R N EY Dec. 28, 1965 F. PIETRUSKA CIGAR PRESSING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 15, 1965 INVENTOR FR l EDRI CH Pl ETRUSKA BY a ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,225,774 CIGAR PRESSHNG MACEHNE Friedrich Pietruska, Hemmerlestrasse 2, Memmingen, Germany Filed Apr. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 273,178 5 Claims. (Cl. 13180) The invention concerns a pressing machine for the single pressing of tobacco smoking articles or similar items, to be effected by steps, for the purpose of shaping the approximately circular cross section into a rectangular or square cross section, using pressure plates with parallel pressing surfaces.

It is known that smoking articles such as cigars, cigarillos or similar articles are arranged in frames or on boards and between boards and bars, respectively, and then pressed. In this manner, for example, 20 to 30 smoking articles are placed singly between the Wooden bars and through tightening of the bars by means of screws, sideways, and by stacking several of these frames in a screw press, the articles are pressed. In another known molding press the articles lie in the grooves of correspondingly formed molding boards. Numerous molding boards are stacked one on another and are pressed vertically by means of jack screws. This method of single pressing requires a large quantity of wooden frames with intermediary boards, or molding boards, screw presses and arranging tables and other accessories, and, above all, a great amount of space and many workers.

Furthermore, pressing machines are known in which the cigars or similar articles are placed in the appropriate recesses of a mold and the cigars are pressed together through the mechanical activation of a press cover. The pressure, if applied for a sufficiently long period of time, will also achieve the desired forming, however the output of this pressing machine is very limited. In addition, there occurs only the pressing against two surfaces, opposite one another, while the other two surfaces remain unpressed.

In order to reduce the necessary expenditure of material, space and labor required for single pressing, it is known that an entire group of tobacco articles, cigars or similar items are being pressed with sharp edges. But the character and composition of the individual articles are not the same, so that in cases of such a group or neighbor pressing, respectively, the softer articles are crushed and receive a smaller size. There is also the disadvantage that the individual articles influence one another regarding their shapes. This results in a deterioration of the outside appearance and it is also difiicult to exchange the damaged articles while packaging them, since a certain number of articles shall then no longer have the exact width of the packaging box and shall no longer fit into it.

In an older method of operation it has already been suggested to press the rolled strands angularly by having them pass in a continuous axial movement between numerous press rollers applied to the surfaces to be pressed, or by pressing them between pressure plates which move together with the articles, in continuous motion.

It is the object of the invention to create a machine which, in addition to effecting a saving in the previously necessary manual work, would contain, in particular, the advantage that the pressed articles will have an exactly uniform shape. The invention starts out with a pressing machine of the type mentioned hereinabove and is characterized thereby in that the pressing machine consists of two pressing devices which are applied to the articles to be pressed in a consecutive manner, whereby the article will, in each of these devices, be subject to the action of the pressure plates; and also characterized thereby in 3,225,774 Patented Dec. 28, 1965 that the pressure plates of the first device form two opposurfaces of the article and the pressure plates of the second device form the two other surfaces of the article.

By subdividing the pressing operation into two steps of the process, it is possible to achieve a smooth operating procedure and thus also a large quantitative output of the machine. On the other hand, however, a simple construction and design are obtained by the characteristics of the invention, which is of great advantage to the trouble-free manufacturing process.

The machine according to the invention can be utilized for the pressing of smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigars or cigarillos. Thus, if in the preceding and following paragraphs only cigars are mentioned, it must not be understood as limiting the possibilities of application of the invention to any similar shapeable article. In a favored type model of the invention the first pressing device consists of at least one pair of pressure plates placed vertically and having flat pressing surfaces, and in whose pressing slit horizontally placed supporting boards, carrying the articles and being guided by chains or similar device and which are movable downwards, and whereby the pressure plates are effecting, by means of a drive, oscillating pressure movements against each other. It is advantageous if the distance between the supporting boards is greater than the thickness of the articles and that they can continue to move during the upstroke of the press.

When pressing the smoking articles, care must be taken that the articles do not suffer any damage and also, in particular, that no glossy spots or similar occur. Such errors may occur when the pressing machine drags the articles along a baseplate. In the case of this invention, this cannot happen. By having the pressure plates of the first pressure device arranged vertically, and since the supporting boards of the revolving chain or similar device are spaced a sufficient distance, the articles are being held between the plates during the pressing operation, while they fall down onto the supporting board which have advanced in the meantime, in the time between two pressure strokes. Then another pressure stroke begins, etc. It is of particular advantage that the supporting boards can be moved continuously, thus ensuring an even and continuous supply of new, round articles. The even feed, on the other hand, protects the articles that are delivered and increases the output.

According to a further characteristic of the invention, a conveyor device is arranged for the articles at the end of the pair of pressure plates of the first pressure device and attached to the second pressure device.

This conveyor device of the second pressure device consists preferably of a large number of carrying (supporting) boards, guided by chain bands or similar device and which run through the pairs of pressure plates of the second pressure device, whereby each supporting board has a front and a rear surface facing the corresponding surfaces of the neighboring supporting boards so that a slit is opened between two neighboring (adjacent) supporting boards, which slit may be of even width or slightly narrower than the width of the finished articles, in such a manner that the articles are held in said slit through a clamping action and thus are being carried by the supporting boards.

The invention provides further that the height of the supporting boards should be no more than the measurement of the shortest distance between the pressure plates, and that the pressure surfaces of the pressure plates are fiat. The conveyor device is being driven step by step.

The second pressure device must, essentially, aifect a considerably higher number of pressure movements than the first pressure device. Due to the other two surfaces of the smoking articles having been shaped already, the

shaping eifort of the second pressure device is much greater. For this reason, the second pressure device and thus, also, the conveyor device or the rotary band, respectively, of the second pressure device must also be considerably larger than the units of the first pressure device. If, for example, a chain is being used for the transportation device of the second pressure device, then this chain consists of a great number of single members and after the pressing machine has been in use for a longer period of time, it must be assumed that the chain will expand somewhat. In the case of this invention, this occurrence does not present any difficulties, as the invention does not require that each supporting board or each slit between the supporting boards correspond exactly to a certain position of the pressure plate. The expansion applicable to each slit between the supporting boards is so small, however, that the clamping action is not changed to any appreciable extent.

The invention furthermore provides that each plate of a pair of pressure plates shall move toward the other pressure plate in the course of the pressing operation. This results in the articles always occupying the center position between the pressure plates, whereby it is prevented that a sliding along the pressure plates occurs when the conveyor device is moving forward and also preventing the falling down onto the corresponding supporting board of the first pressure device.

In order to provide for as simple a drive as possible for the pairs of pressure plates, the invention calls for a joint shaft or a pair of shafts for each pair of pressure plates which are opposed by hearing plates 16a and 16b mounted on eccentric bearings on the shaft or on the pair of shafts for each plate.

At the transfer point from the first pressure device to the conveyor device of the second pressure device a depressor is arranged with the task of pressing down, between the carrying boards, the smoking articles falling onto the conveyor device.

Finally, it was found that the shaping of the smoking articles in the course of the pressing operation could be considerably facilitated through heating of the pressure plates. This heating could be done electrically, for example. The heated pressure plates heat the tobacco and the heated tobacco shows less resistance to shaping than the cold tobacco. In addition, the risk of damage to the smoking articles is diminished. For these reasons, the invention provides that the pressure plates of the first pressure device and that part of the pressure plates of the second pressure device, which acts first on the smoking articles, be heated and that the other part of the pressure plates of the second pressure device be cooled. Through this cooling, which can be done by means of a fan, the smoking articles are sufliciently cooled at the end of the pressing machine, so that they retain their form.

In the drawing a model design of the pressing machine according to the invention is shown.

FIG. 1 shows a side view of the pressing machine according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a top plan view of the above;

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged section through the first pressure device on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows an enlarged section through the second pressure device on line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a section corresponding to the section illustrated in FIG. 4, but in a different operating position; and

FIG. 6 to FIG. 9 show a schematic illustration of the operation.

The two pressure devices 2 and 3 are mounted on the joint frame 1. Pressure device 2, the individual parts of which can be seen in FIG. 3, consists of a pair of pressure plates 4 and 5, arranged vertically and enclosing between them a pressing slit 6. The supporting boards 7 pass through this pressure slit 6 from the top downward, said boards being connected at their ends and being guided then beneath it.

by chains 8, bands or similar devices. driven by the rollers 9 and 9'.

The roller 10 is a tension roller. The supporting boards 7 pick up the smoking articles 12 from a table 11 or a similar device (FIG. 1) and carry them in the direction of the arrow 13. Guides 14 and 15 direct the smoking articles into the slit 6 of the pressure plates 4 and 5.

These pressure plates are driven by an eccentric drive which is not described further, through the shafts 16, so thatthey are effecting pressure movements in the direction of arrow 17, The plate 5 is supported by bearing brackets 16a whose eccentric bearings are degrees out of phase with the eccentric bearings supporting bearing brackets 16b carrying plate 4. As soon as the smoking articles get into the operating area of pressure plates 4, 5, these pressure plates will first press them from their original, approximately circular, form into an oblong, oval form. During the pressing process, the pressure plates, which have been heated by means not shown, are holding the smoking article, while the chain 8 with the supporting boards 7 continues to move forward uniformly. After each pressure stroke the pressure plates 4, 5, release the smoking article which then falls onto the supporting board Since because of the first pressure stroke a sufficient Shaping of the smoking articles into the oblong, oval shape has been achieved, there is no danger that they will cant in the course of the falling movement. If necessary, it is possible to arrange the pressure slit 6 from the outset conically narrower.

In the pressure device 2, the article 12 is first shaped from the circular shape indicated in FIG. 6 to the shape as shown in FIG. 7.

The chain 8 with the supporting boards 7 passes through the slit 33 coming from channel 19, whereby the chain 8 is guided by the pair of rollers 9, so that the path is clear for the downfalling articles 12.

From the lower end 18 of the pressure plates 5, 6, the article falls through the channel 19 onto the conveyor device 20. This conveyor device consists primarily of the carrying boards 21, whose ends 22 (FIGS. 4 and 5) are connected in chain form, or which are carried by a chain, whereby rollers 23 are provided at the ends 22 or at the chain, respectively, with which the carrying boards 21 glide along a rail 24. The chains or similar devices pass over the rollers 25 and 26 (FIG. 1) at the front and rear ends of the pressure device 3. One of the rollers is in the form of a tension roller. The conveyor device direction is indicated by arrows 27.

Each carrying board 21 has, essentially, a rectangular or a U-shaped section, with a front surface 28 and a rear surface 29. Between two carrying boards 21 there remains a slit having a width which approximately corresponds to the width of the finished article. The width must be chosen in such a manner that the shaping process carried through by the first pair of pressure plates 30, 31 shall result in a light clamping of the articles in the slit, so that the articles shall no longer glide on the pressure plates. That is, the article is held by the boards 21 as they advance during the cyclical withdrawal of the pressure plates.

Since the required width of the articles for the clamping action between the carrying boards 21 shall not yet be present upon their leaving the pair of pressure plates 4, 5, the articles 12 are being supported by narrow bars 32 in the zone between the lower end of the channel 19 and the beginning of the first pair of pressure plates 30, 31 of the pressure device 3.

The conveyor device 20 is driven by a pawl and ratchet mechanism 34, step by step. The mechanism 34 is con nected with a gear unit 36 by means of the connecting rod 35. The gear unit also drives the pressure plates of the pressure devices 2 and 3, and the chain 8 by means of chains, not illustrated. The driving motor is common to all parts and is designated by 37. The transmission elements of the gear unit 36 have been omitted.

The chains are The same working rhythm, in which the essentric shafts 16 and thereby also the pair of pressure plates 4, 5 and the conveyor device 20 are driven, is the one in which also move each pair 38 of pressure plates and 31 of the pressure device 3. Here, the drive is done by means of eccentric shafts 39 and 40, whereby one pair each of eccentric shafts 39, 40 are provided for each pair of pressure plates 38. Eccentrics 41 and 42, placed staggered and at an angle of 180 to one another, are arranged on the eccentric shafts 39, 40; through side bars 43 and 44 the lower pressure plates 31 and the upper pressure plates 30 are attached to the eccentrics 41 and 42, in such a manner that the pairs of pressure plates will effect a vertical pressure movement when the eccentric shaft 39, 40 turns. The conveyor device 20 shall remain motionless during the pressure stroke (FIG. 4), while the advance occurs when the pressure (FIG. 5) is released.

While one single pair of pressure plates was sufficient for the pressure device 2, a multiple number of pairs of pressure plates 38 is required for the pressure device 3. The pairs of pressure plates 38 of the pressure device 3, which, in the course of the operation, may be deemed to be neighbored by the pressure device 2, are also electrically heated by means of conductor E, the same as the pairs of pressure plates of the pressure device 2, while the last two or three pairs of pressure plates of the pressure device 3 are being cooled by means of a current of air or similar device.

The finished articles, which are already cooled, are discharged from the last end of the pair of pressure plates 38. The release from the clamping-hold between the carrying boards 21 is eased through the arching during the turning over of the pair of rollers 26. In FIG. 8, the holding of the article 12 in the pressure device 3 is illustrated schematically, while FIG. 9 shows the final section of the article 12.

To facilitate the introduction of the articles 12 into the carrying boards 21 at the transfer point from pressure device 2 to pressure device 3, a holding-down device 45 is provided. This device can swing over the pivot joint 46 and intervenes into the channel 19. The holding-down device is driven by a rammer 47, by means of a cam 48 on the first eccentric shaft 39. The return spring 49 presses the roller 50 against the cam 48, so that the holding-down device 45 will take the broken-line position 51, whenever the article falls downward out of the pair of pressure plates 4, 5.

It is advantageous to arrange the Width of the machine in such a manner that, if the output is to be increased, two articles may pass through the machine simultaneously, one adjacent to the other.

The finished articles are then cut in half or cut, respectively, in the known manner, and packaged.

What is claimed is:

1. A pressing machine for pressing substantially cylindrical elongated smoking articles, said machine comprising a pair of opposed spaced plates, eccentric means for actuating at least one of said plates to oscillate toward and away from the other of said plates to produce a cycle of alternating pressure and nonpressure on smoking articles positioned therebetween, first means effecting movement of said smoking articles forwardly, with their longitudinal axes in parallel alignment and spaced substantially one from another, between said pair of plates during the nonpressure portion of the cycle only, and second means effecting movement of said first means continuously during both the pressure portion and nonpressure portion of the cycle.

2. A pressing machine for pressing a substantially cylindrical elongated smoking article between opposed pressing surfaces, and further characterized in that the pressing machine comprises first and second pressure devices arranged to act successively, and substantially at right angles one to the other, upon the smoking ar ticle to be pressed, at a firt pressing station and at a second pressing station, spaced substantially from said first pressing station, respectively, and in which each said pressure device comprises a pair of opposed spaced plates, eccentric means for actuating at least one of each of said pair toward and away from the other of said pair, to produce cycles of alternating pressure and nonpressure on said smoking article positioned therebetween, first means effecting movement of said article forwardly between said first pair of plates at said first station during said nonpressure cycle only, and second means effecting movement of said first means continuously during both the pressure and nonpressure cycles at said first station only.

3. A pressing machine comprising at least one pair of vertically arranged opposed spaced pressure plates having a vertical slit therebetween, eccentric means for actuating at least one of said plates cyclically toward and away from the other of said plates during a pressure cycle and a nonpressure cycle, respectively, spaced support means for smoking articles, said support means spaced a predetermined distance one from another and mounted for movement downwardly through said slit, said support means moving less than said predetermined distance during each cycle of said plates, the relative cross sectional size of said smokable articles, the spacing of said support means, and the size of said slit being such that said smoking articles remain stationary during said pressure cycle of said plates and drop downwardly less than said predetermined distance during said nonpressure cycle.

4. A device substantially as set forth in claim 3 and further characterized in that each plate of said pair of pressure plates is mounted for coordinated movement toward each other during the pressure cycle.

5. A device substantially as set forth in claim 3 and further characterized in that it has eccentric hearings on a rotating shaft, and said pressure plates of said pair of pressure plates are mounted upon said hearings on said rotating shaft, the bearing supporting one plate having its eccentricity 180 degrees out of phase to the bearing supporting the other of said plates.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 57,800 9/1866 Watson 131--111 244,455 7/ 1881 Hammerstein 13187 X 1,376,275 4/ 1921 Henry --215 X 1,817,319 8/1931 Muller 131-109 1,838,132 12/1931 Beutel et a1. 13125 X 2,113,514 4/ 1938 Molins 131109 2,269,116 1/ 1942 Lehmann 131109 3,014,520 12/1961 Myers 100-222 X 3,057,361 10/1962 Respess 13179 3,138,164 6/1964 Respess 13180 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,218,972 12/ 1959 France.

862,114 1/ 1953 Germany. 1,083,735 6/ 1960 Germany.

25,298 of 1906 Great Britain. 354,126 8/1931 Great Britain. 372,789 5/1932 Great Britain. 554,017 6/ 1943 Great Britain. 755,315 8/1956 Great Britain.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A PRESSING MACHINE FOR PRESSING SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL ELONGATED SMOKING ARTICLES, SAID MACHINE COMPRISING A PAIR OF OPPOSED SPACED PLATES, ECCENTRIC MEANS FOR ACTUATING AT LEAST ONE OF SAID PLATES TO OSCILLATE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE OTHER OF SAID PLATES TO PRODUCE A CYCLE OF ALTERNATING PRESSURE AND NONPRESSURE ON SMOKING ARTICLES POSITIONED THEREBETWEEN, FIRST MEANS EFFECTING MOVEMENT OF SAID SMOKING ARTICLES FORWARDLY, WITH THEIR LONGITUDINAL AXES IN PARALLEL ALIGNMENT AND SPACED SUBSTANTIALLY ONE FROM ANOTHER, BETWEEN SAID PAIR OF PLATES DURING THE NONPRESSURE PORTION OF THE CYCLE ONLY, AND SECOND MEANS EFFECTING MOVEMENT OF SAID FIRST MEANS CONTINUOUSLY DURING BOTH THE PRESSURE PORTION AND NONPRESSURE PORTION OF THE CYCLE.

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