US3380782A - Tobacco manipulating machines - Google Patents

Tobacco manipulating machines Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3380782A
US3380782A US562756A US56275666A US3380782A US 3380782 A US3380782 A US 3380782A US 562756 A US562756 A US 562756A US 56275666 A US56275666 A US 56275666A US 3380782 A US3380782 A US 3380782A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
tobacco
airflow
air
passage
roller
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US562756A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Labbe Francis Auguste Maurice
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Molins Machine Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Molins Machine Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Molins Machine Co Ltd filed Critical Molins Machine Co Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3380782A publication Critical patent/US3380782A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • 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

  • This invention concerns improvements in tobacco manipulating machines of the kind where cut tobacco, or tobacco in the form of pieces of lamina, is fed from a supply and subsequently becomes airborne in an airflow which conveys it, for example, to a device where it is formed into a tobacco filler.
  • the most notable of such machines are continuous-rod cigarette-making machines.
  • tobacco may be removed from a hopper or other source of supply by a carded roller from which the tobacco is picked and thrown into an airstream in which it is carried airborne to said porous conveyor.
  • tobacco as does not become ainborne comprises, in the main, fragments unsuitable for incorporation into .a cigarette filler and after these have been subjected to passage through further ai-rstrearns to remove as far as possible any light and usable fragments which are still among the unsuitable fragments, the rest is discarded.
  • this winnowin-g process is not necessary the conveyance of the tobacco to the filler forming device, for example, the porous conveyor, may be effected in a different way which forms the subject of this invention.
  • a method of conveying tobacco comprising the steps of causing air to flow in two converging paths merging into a single path, and directing tobacco to the region where the two converging paths merge into the said single path so that the tobacco is entrained by air at that region and is conveyed by the air along said single path.
  • the tobacco may be directed along a path extending between the said two converging paths to the region where the latter merge into a single path and its path may be substantially equi angularly disposed to the said two c nverging paths.
  • a method of conveying tobacco from a 3,386,782 Patented Apr. 39, 1968 source of supply to a place where it is formed into a filler comprising the steps of directing tobacco to the region of confluence of two airstreams so that it becomes airborne between the two airstreams and is substantially confined to the core, as herein defined, of the airflow resulting from the confluence of the two airstreams.
  • tobacco feeding apparatus wherein tobacco is conveyed pneumatically, comprising means to cause air to flow in two converging paths which merge into a single path, and means to direct tobacco (e.g. along a path extending between said converging paths) to the region where the two converging paths merge, whereby the tobacco is entrained by air at that region and is conveyed by air along said single path.
  • Means may be included for varying the flow characteristics of the air in one of the two converging paths relatively to the characteristics of the air in the other path.
  • the apparatus may include a confined passage along which air flows in said single path, and having an inlet to admit air and tobacco, means to draw air into and through the passage, guide means to guide air in the said two converging paths which merge at said inlet, and means to direct tobacco to said inlet to be entrained by air moving into and through the passage.
  • the inlet to said passage may be bifurcated by a member along one surface of which the tobacco is directed.
  • Said member may be a stationary plate or part of a belt conveyor.
  • Vanes may be interposed between said member and one wall of said passage, the vanes being adapted to effect a change in direction to the air flowing therethrough.
  • a tobacco manipulating machine comp-rising a tobacco hopper and a carded roller rotatable in said hopper to remove to bacco therefrom, a picker roller arranged to pick tobacco from the carding of said roller and a plate to receive the picked tobacco with a ribber roller arranged to project the tobacco along said plate, a passage through which the tobacco is conveyed by an airflow, with a porous conveyor at the end of the passage on which the tobacco is formed into a tobacco filler, the entry to said passage being closed-in except for two inlets through which air can enter as two distinct streams which merge at the entry of the passage to form the airflow, the said plate being positioned to lead the projected tobacco between the streams to the point where they merge, said streams and said airflow being caused by suction exerted through the porous conveyor.
  • FIGURE 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of the filler forming portion of a continuous-rod cigarette-making machine of the kind outlined above,
  • FIGURE 2 is a transverse section through a machine of this kind showing one way of applying the invention thereto,
  • FIGURE 3 shows some modifications to the structure shown in FIGURE 2,
  • FIGURE 4 shows an arrangement similar to FIGURE 3 with some additional features and a control device for one airstream
  • FIGURE 5 is a transverse section through a machine of the kind outlined above but shows a way of applying the invention which differs from the showing of FIGURE 2,
  • FIGURE 6 shows an arrangement for feeding tobacco to two airstreams, somewhat similar to that of FIGURE 4, but the tobacco is conveyed downwards by the resulting airflow to form a filler on a porous conveyor at the bottom of the figure,
  • FIGURE 7 shows another arrangement for feeding tobacco. downwards to a porous conveyor
  • FIGURE 8 is a section of part of the apparatus of FIGURE 2 drawn to an enlarged scale
  • FIGURE 9 is a diagram of tobacco and air flows.
  • FIGURE 10 is a diagram giving air velocities in one part of the apparatus.
  • tobacco is fed from a hopper by a carded roller 1, surplus tobacco being removed from the top of the roller 1 by a refuser roller 2.
  • tobacco is picked from the roller 1 by various devices to be described hereinafter and is delivered to the base of a narrow confined passage 3 up which it is carried by an airflow caused by suction through a porous conveyor 4, the tobacco finally adhering to the underside of this conveyor to form a filler.
  • the filler moves along with the conveyor in the direction of the arrow (FIGURE 1) and is trimmed by a trimmer 5 to bring the til er to a desired volume.
  • the carded roller 1 is located in the base of a hopper 6 and, as the roller 1 rotates in the direction of the arrow (FIGURE 2), it picks up tobacco and carries it beneath the refuser roller 2 which removes surplus tobacco so that the teeth of the carding on roller 1 become evenly filled with tobacco.
  • the tobacco passes beneath a toothed comb 7 which controls it while a picker roller 8 removes the tobacco from the carding on the roller 1, the picked tobacco being thereby directed along the curved surface of a concave plate 9 and projected by a ribbed roller 19 towards the entry of the passage 3.
  • this passage 3 At the top of this passage 3 is the porous conveyor 4 and above it is a chamber 1%) which is connected to a fan, not shown, which draws air from the chamber and through the conveyor thus causing an airflow up the pass-age 3.
  • the effect is augmented by a further suction chamber 11 connected to a further fan not shown, which draws air through a grille 12.
  • Underneath the roller 17 is a shroud 13 which catches dust and shorts falling from the roller, these being delivered through a converging passage 14 to a suction pipe or like conveyor 15 which carries the fragments away, an airlock being provided by a rotary valve 16. All the details so far recited are known.
  • a cover plate 17 which is perforated and provided with a perforated slidable shutter 18 whereby the effective area of the perforations for the passage of air may be adjusted.
  • the suction in the chamber causes an airflow up the passage 3 which is due partly to air sucked through the perforations as indicated by the arrows, and this air constitutes one air flow B.
  • the edge of the concave plate 9 is thinned and the thin part just enters the bottom of the passage 3 but is spaced from a wall thereof so that air is also sucked through this space to provide a second airflow A.
  • FIGURE 3 shows a generally similar arrangement, the only difference being that the concave plate, marked 9A, is shorter and the entry to the passage 3 is extended to 3A to shift the region of confluence accordingly.
  • the direction in which the tobacco is thrown is therefore different.
  • the substantially horizontal throw of the tobacco in this particular instance requires a higher velocity of the airflow A in order to keep the tobacco particles in the core of the airflow.
  • FIGURE 4 The arrangement in FIGURE 4 is generally similar to that of FIGURE 3 but three curved vanes 20 are arranged in the path of the first airflow B just near the point of confluence. The purpose of these vanes will be given later in the general description of the functions of all the different structures shown on the drawings.
  • FIGURE 5 the tobacco picked from the carded roller 1 falls on to a conveyor belt 21 which carries it to the point of confluence of the two airflows.
  • roller 21a causes the tobacco carried by the conveyor belt 21 to be directed into the region where the two airflows B and A merge into a single flow up the passage 3.
  • Vancs 20a are shown and perform a similar function to the vanes 20 of FIGURE 4, but this time on airflow B instead of airflow A.
  • the passage 3 is shown in full lines and also in broken lines as the passage 3 may be directed either upwards or downwards.
  • FIGURE 6 it will be seen that the passage 3 has been inverted as compared with FIGURE 2 and the porous conveyor 4 is now at the bottom of the view. As all the parts associated with the passage are identical with those of FIGURE 2 any further description is not necessary except that as the concave plate is of slightly different shape it is marked 9B.
  • FIGURE 7 also shows an inverted passage 3 and the picking and throwing of the tobacco is conducted entirely by the picker roller 8, the plate over which the tobacco is picked having a flat face and it is therefore marked 9C.
  • the perforated cover plate and its perforated shutter are of arcuate form and are marked 17A and 18A respectively.
  • FIGURES 2 and 3 the picking and ribbed rollers, 8 and 19 respectively, are completely enclosed as the plate 17 has a seal, such as a soft pad 22, which closes the gap between the plate 17 and a plate 23 which is part of the normal structure of the machine.
  • a seal such as a soft pad 22
  • air for airflow A can only enter through the space between the end of the concave plate and the end of the passage 3 while air for airflow B can only enter through the perforations in 17 and 18.
  • the tobacco is thrown by roller 19 along a path which is substantially equi-angularly disposed to the paths of the airflows A and B at the region of confluence and is in line with the path of the airflow formed by the merging together of the two airflows.
  • FIGURE 8 is a diagram showing the airflows and tobacco path more clearly in the case where airflow B has this low velocity, The tobacco path is shown by a thick inclined arrow T and the airflow by a thin inclined arrow C and it will be seen that they are in a straight line.
  • air for airflow B is similarly controlled.
  • the air for airflow A comes up a sloping passage 24. This does not affect the airflow A itself but the purpose of passage 24 is to use this airflow for lifting any shorts falling between the concave plate 9A and the drum 1.
  • the middle arrow T represents the path of the thrown tobacco and the side arrows the paths of the two airflows but their velocities are also concerned so that the arrows are marked V and V If M is the mass flow of airflow A and M is the mass flow of airflow B, then the angles 0 and 6;, must be such that M X V XSIH Q ZM X VBXSIH 0 Therefore angles 0,, and need only be equal if the momenta M X V and M X V are equal.
  • FIGURE 5 the space surrounding the picker roller is closed in by the conveyor 21, with a sealing pad at 25 and an upper shield 26 which has an air inlet 27 with a perforated control slide 28 adjustable over perforations in the shield 26.
  • This arrangement controls airflow B while air for airflow A comes in through ducting 29, one wall of which extends ot form a wall of the passage 3, while the other wall fits closely against the conveyor belt 21.
  • FIGURES 6 and 7 are the same as for FIGURE 4 so no further description is necessary.
  • FIGURE 10 will help to explain how the tobacco is entrained in th single airflow along the passage 3, and the intended mean mg of the term core as used in the introdnctlOn to the specification and in the appended claims will be explained with reference to this figure.
  • the airflow along the passage 3 has a velocity V, and although the walls are smooth there is necessarily a change in the velocity distribution across the distance between the wall". of the passage. Near the walls there is a large velocity gradient, dV/dx, while at the middle part of the airflow the velocity is substantially uniform.
  • This part, marked C in the diagram is the core.
  • the best result is obtained when the tobacco particles are spread over, but confined to, the width of the core C.
  • the boundary layers of the airflows are indicated by cross hatching and it is highly desirable that these should not contain any tobacco.
  • shorts carried along the pipe may be delivered on top of the mass of tobacco in the hopper or fed to the partly-formed filler in the manner described in copending application Ser. No. 388,- 212 filed Aug. 7, 1964, in the names of Desmond W. Molins and Francis A. M. Labb.
  • FIGURE 4 shorts falling away from roller 1 at the picking position take the direction indicated by arrows S and can enter the passage 24 through a gap 30 so that they can joint tobacco in the passage 3.
  • FIGURES 6 and 7 can have the same suction pipe device as shown at the bottom of FIGURE 2, and for the general collection of shorts from the lower part of the roller 1 all the other constructions can have similar suction pipe arrangements.
  • the tobacco is directed along a path which is substantially equi-angulariy disposed to the airflows A and B at the region of confluence but it will be seen in FIG- URES 4 and 5 that the tobacco leaving the end of the concave plate 9A, or the conveyor belt 21 respectively, is virtually crossing the general direction of the airflow B in the first case and the general direction of the airflow A in the second case.
  • the curved vanes are therefore provided to direct the respective airflows to produce the desired disposition of the airflows A and B with respect to the tobacco and thus to avoid any interference by the airflows with the moving tobacco.
  • the relative velocities of the airflows A and B are determined by the perforated control slides, or other suitable control means, in order to keep the tobacco particles in the core of the airflow.
  • flow A is faster than flow B while in FIGURE 6, B is faster than A.
  • the airflow which is to form the outer portion of the airflow at the following bend is made to have the higher velocity.
  • Air for the two flows may come either from atmosphere or from fan outlets as may be convenient.
  • the passage 3 is shown sloping to the left.
  • the airborne tobacco has a component of movement in the direction of movement of the conveyor 4. This is not necessary in some designs of the machine and a vertical passage has been used.
  • deflecting means in the form of a honeycomb mesh 31 is provided in one wall of the passage entry to give the fast moving air the necessary component of movement.
  • the mesh 31 is provided by a block having numerous small holes made in it and these are inclined from the vertical in two directions so that air passing through will be directed both towards the left-hand wall of the passage 3 in FIGURE 2 and also towards the left in FIG- URE 1.
  • the block is described in some detail in the copending application Ser. No. 516,536 filed Dec. 27, 1965, in the names of Desmond W. Molins and David T. N. Williamson to which reference may be made.
  • air for the airflow A can be passed through such a block by suitable rearrangement of the parts.
  • the very fast moving air must have a longitudinal component parallel to the tobacco fleece and its direction must be controlled by the honeycomb in both forward and lengthwise directions,
  • a method of conveying tobacco comprising the steps of causing air to flow in two converging paths merging into a single path, and directing tobacco to the region where the two converging paths merge into said single path so that the tobacco is entrained by air at that region and is conveyed by the air along the core of said single path, said core being the central portion of the airflow in said single path where the velocity is substantially uniform.
  • a and B represent the two airflow paths respectively
  • M A and M are the mass flow of air in each of the two airflow paths respectively
  • V and V are the velocities of air in each of the two airflow paths respectively
  • 0 and 0 are the angular relationships between the tobacco path and each of the airflow paths respectively.
  • Tobacco-feeding apparatus wherein tobacco is conveyed pneumatically, comprising means to cause air to flow in two converging paths which merge into a single path, and means to direct tobacco to the region where the two converging paths merge, whereby the tobacco is entrained by air at that region and is conveyed by air along the core of said single path said core being the central portion of the airflow in said single path where the velocity is substantially uniform.
  • Tobacco feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 5, comprising means for varying the flow characteristics of the air in one of the two converging paths relatively to the characteristics of the air in the other path.
  • Tobacco-feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 5, including a confined passage along which air flows in said single path, and having an inlet to admit air and tobacco, means to draw air into and through the passage, guide means to guide air in said two converging paths which merge at said inlet, and means to direct tobacco to said inlet to be entrained by air moving into and through the passage.
  • Tobacco feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said member is a stationary plate.
  • Tobacco feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said member is part of a belt conveyor.
  • Tobacco feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 3, comprising vanes interposed between said member and one wall of said passage, the vanes being adapted to effect a change in direction to the air flowing therethrough.
  • Tobacco feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said means to direct tobacco comprises a third path extending between said converging paths.
  • Tobacco feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein said means to cause air to flow in said two converging paths and said means to direct tobacco along a third path are capable of directing said paths such that the relative positions of the two converging paths of airflow and said path of tobacco are in accordance with the formula:
  • AIAX V XSiII 0 ZM XV XSiH 03 wherein A and B represent the two airflow paths respectively, M and M are the mass flow of air in each of the two airflow paths respectively, V and V are the velocities of air in each of the two airflow paths respec tively and 8 and 0 are the angular relationships between the tobacco path and each of the airflow paths respectively.
  • a tobacco manipulating machine comprising a tobacco hopper and a carded roller rotatable in said hopper to remove tobacco therefrom, a picker roller arranged to pick tobacco from the carding of said roller and a plate to receive the picked tobacco with a ribbed roller arranged to project the tobacco along said plate, a passage through which the tobacco is conveyed by an airflow, with a porous conveyor at the end of the passage on which the tobacco is formed into a tobacco filler, the entry to said passage comprising two inlets through which air can enter as two distinct streams which merge at the entry of the passage to form the airflow, the said plate being positioned to lead the projected tobacco between the streams to the point where they merge, said streams and said airflow being caused by suction exerted through the porous conveyor.

Landscapes

  • Manufacturing Of Cigar And Cigarette Tobacco (AREA)
US562756A 1965-07-09 1966-07-05 Tobacco manipulating machines Expired - Lifetime US3380782A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB29273/65A GB1146288A (en) 1965-07-09 1965-07-09 Improvements in tobacco manipulating machines

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3380782A true US3380782A (en) 1968-04-30

Family

ID=10288931

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US562756A Expired - Lifetime US3380782A (en) 1965-07-09 1966-07-05 Tobacco manipulating machines

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US3380782A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE1532243C2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1146288A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
SE (1) SE327661B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3861599A (en) * 1973-08-10 1975-01-21 U S Fiber Corp Insulation spray apparatus
US10857562B2 (en) 2017-08-19 2020-12-08 Altria Client Services Llc String filter

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3301031A1 (de) * 1982-01-28 1983-07-28 Hauni-Werke Körber & Co KG, 2050 Hamburg Vorrichtung zum bilden eines tabakstranges
IT1393293B1 (it) * 2009-02-26 2012-04-20 Gd Spa Unità di alimentazione di un flusso di particelle di tabacco in una macchina confezionatrice di sigarette.

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US740097A (en) * 1902-01-14 1903-09-29 Grace P Davis Fuel-feeding apparatus.
US3030966A (en) * 1956-12-18 1962-04-24 Decoufle Usines Filler forming mechanism
US3138163A (en) * 1961-07-03 1964-06-23 American Mach & Foundry Cigarette making machine
US3189034A (en) * 1962-03-28 1965-06-15 Molins Machine Co Ltd Method of and apparatus for feeding cut tobacco in a machine for making tobacco products

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR1187094A (fr) * 1957-10-28 1959-09-07 Decoufle Usines Distributeur de machine automatique pour la confection de cigarettes
NL237279A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1958-03-21
FR1323447A (fr) * 1962-05-22 1963-04-05 American Mach & Foundry Séparateur pneumatique pour dispositifs d'amenée de tabac
DE1275931B (de) * 1962-06-11 1968-08-22 Amf Sasib Windsichter fuer Schnittabak in den Beschickungskaesten von Zigarettenherstellungsmaschinen
BE635074A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1962-07-18

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US740097A (en) * 1902-01-14 1903-09-29 Grace P Davis Fuel-feeding apparatus.
US3030966A (en) * 1956-12-18 1962-04-24 Decoufle Usines Filler forming mechanism
US3138163A (en) * 1961-07-03 1964-06-23 American Mach & Foundry Cigarette making machine
US3189034A (en) * 1962-03-28 1965-06-15 Molins Machine Co Ltd Method of and apparatus for feeding cut tobacco in a machine for making tobacco products

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3861599A (en) * 1973-08-10 1975-01-21 U S Fiber Corp Insulation spray apparatus
US10857562B2 (en) 2017-08-19 2020-12-08 Altria Client Services Llc String filter

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE1532243B1 (de) 1974-08-08
GB1146288A (en) 1969-03-26
SE327661B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1970-08-24
DE1532243C2 (de) 1975-03-20

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US3019793A (en) Cigarette-making machines of the continuous rod type
US3092117A (en) Winnowing apparatus for cigarettemaking machines
US3030965A (en) Tobacco manipulating machines
US2703441A (en) Machine for forming composite fiber webs
US3074413A (en) Cigarette making machine
US1755080A (en) Means for spreading cut tobacco in cigarette-making machines
US3189034A (en) Method of and apparatus for feeding cut tobacco in a machine for making tobacco products
US3380782A (en) Tobacco manipulating machines
US3095883A (en) Continuous rod cigarette-making machines
US3088468A (en) Tobacco manipulating machinery
US4610260A (en) Apparatus for forming a tobacco stream
GB1015194A (en) Cigarette making machine
GB1037695A (en) Tobacco feed for automatic cigarette making machines
GB1197667A (en) Tobacco Rod Forming Method and Device.
GB1138616A (en) Improvements relating to a method of and apparatus for processing tobacco
SE8008013L (sv) Maskin for tillverkning av en kontinuerlig cigarettstang
US3732871A (en) Method and apparatus for making cigarettes
JPS60114181A (ja) たばこ連続体を形成するための装置
US3255764A (en) Cigarette maker
US5199446A (en) Cigarette making machine
US3613692A (en) Apparatus for building a continuous tobacco stream
US3291137A (en) Tobacco manipulating machinery
US3716062A (en) Cigarette-making machines of the continuous-rod type
SU217315A1 (ru) УСТРОЙСТВО к СИГАРЕТНЫМ МАШИНАМ ДЛЯ
US3209762A (en) Winnowing apparatus for a continuous rod cigarette-making machine