US3526232A - Rod cutter - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor George Dearsley Williamsburg, Virginia [21] Appl. No. 827,284 [22] Filed May 23,1969

Continuation of Ser. No. 582,561, Sept. 28,

[45] Patented Sept. 1, 1970 [73] Assignee American Machine & Foundry Company a corporation of New Jersey [54] ROD CUTTER 9 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 131/21, 131/65, 146/101, 83/370 [51] 1nt.Cl A24c 5/25, A240 5/31 [50] Field ofSearch 131/21B, 21, 60, 63, 64, 65; 83/370, 548, 418; 146/101 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 583,002 5/1897 Satterwhite 131/65 1,790,342 1/1931 Di lanni 131/65 1,851,334 3/1932 Stein et a1. 131/65 1,972,442 9/1934 Grupe 131/65 2,319,611 5/1943 Leathers 13l/65X Primary Examiner-Joseph S. Reich Att0mey George W. Price and Murray Schaffer ABSTRACT: A cigarette making machine rod cutter for severing defective lengths of rod comprising a rotating member having a plurality ofknives fixed to its periphery, said member being mounted to rotate about an axis parallel to the rod formed in the machine and arranged to be rotated in angular steps or increments by a pivotable lever having a handle at one end, as well as a hook for engaging one end ofa bolt used to mount each ofthe knives, and a latch adjacent to the handle for engaging a blunt portion of a succeeding knife thereby limiting the stroke of the lever to a single cut for each stroke. A sensing device is placed adjacent to the rod to provide a signal which is used to operate a solenoid having a plunger for pivoting the opposite end of the lever for cutting the rod in a similar fashion.

Patented Sept. 1, 1970 FIG.2

ROD CUTTER This is a continuation application Ser. No. 582, 56l filed September 28, I966, and now abandoned.

The present invention relates to a rod cutter and particularly to a cigarette-maker rod cutter.

A conventional cigarette maker is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,230,958 and generally comprises a rod forming mechanism extending along a horizontal axis by which cut tobacco particles are formed into a filler, wrapped with paper into a continuous rod and then severed into uniform lengths by a cut-off device. The cut-off device generally comprises a tubular portion constituting a ledger and a rotatable knife coacting therewith whereby the continuous rod is severed as it moves therethrough.

One problem with conventional cigarette makers is that the rod, entering the high speed cut-off, can easily jam the device if it is poorly wrapped, causing the shut-down of the machine and requiring the manual removal of the rod by the operator who must then reset and restart the machine.

An object of this invention is to provide a selectively operable independent rod cutter between the rod former and high speed cut-off device, whereby the rod may be severed and manually removed before entry into the high speed cut-off. A further object of the invention is to provide the device with means by which it may be manually operated or automatically operated on sensing ofa faulty section of rod.

It is another object of the invention to provide a cigarette maker in which faulty or unwanted rod may be severed and removed, thereby reducing the possibility ofjamming.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a rod cutter comprising a rotor with an axis of rotation, a stator rotatably supporting said rotor, a plurality of knives mounted on said rotor and peripherally spaced about said axis at substantially equal angles for cutting a rod disposed substantially parallel to said axis and a step-drive means mounted on said stator and engaging said knives one at a time for advancing said rotor in substantially equal angular steps, the whole being located with respect to the path of the cigarette rod so that, on actuation, lengths of defective rod may be removed.

It will be understood that while the preferred form of the invention is to provide a rod cutter for use on cigarette making machines, the same may be employed on filter tip, rod-forming machines which are essentially the same in structure and operation.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. I is an elevational view partially in section and illustrating an electrical schematic in part, ofa rod cutter embodying features of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1, a small portion thereof being broken away.

Referring to FIG. I, the embodiment of the present invention is shown in connection with a cigarette maker I0, schematically and partially shown, which includes a machine base 12, a rod former 13 mounted on base 12 for making a continuously travelling cigarette rod 14 and a highspeed cut-off device 15 for cutting rod 14 into equal length pieces. Base I2, rod former I3 and rod 14 are substantially parallel with the longitudinal rod axis 17 of rod I4, and the rod former 13 includes a conventional heater I9 and paster 21.

According to the present invention, a rod cutter I6 is mounted on the base 12 between the former I3 and cut-off I5 adjacent the travelling rod so as to be operable in a manner to be described. Thus should the faulty or damaged section of rod be observed. the cutter 16 may be operated to selectively sever and permit manual or automatic removal of that section prior to its entry into the cut-off l5, and later allowing only good sections of rod therethrough.

Rod cutter 16 comprises a wheel-like rotor 18 with an axis of rotation 20 and a fixed stator member 22, consisting of a solid member that is essentially rectangular in cross-section and having recesses and the like to receive shafts, machine screws or the like, and as seen in FIG. 1 a substantially L- shaped extension on the upper surface for mounting a pivotable lever 84 in a manner to be described. The rotor I8 is provided with a plurality of knives 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36 and 38, which are positioned around and project outward beyond the periphery to cooperate with a ratchet or step type drive means 40. A cutting block 42 is mounted on stator member 22 for cooperation with each of the individual knives 24 through 38. The rod cutter I6 is located so that its rotor axis 20 is disposed substantially parallel to rod axis 17 and its knives extend radially beyond the path of travel of the rod 14.

The rotor 18 is provided with a hub 44 which is rotatably supported on shaft 58 which is secured rigidly to stator 22. The rotor 18 rotates about axis 20 and carries a peripheral rim 46 on which are supported knives 24 through 38. The peripheral rim 46 of the rotor 18 is provided with a substantially cylindrical shoulder 50 which faces in a radially outward direction, and a substantially flat inner wall 52 which faces in an axial direction. The rim 46 of rotor 18 has a radially outer edge surface 54 which has a substantially cylindrical shape.

A member for supporting the various components relative to each other and having any convenient size, shape, form and preferably as described above is here referred to as a stator member 22 and has a support wall 56 which is fixed securely to base 12 by bolts, welding or the like. A shaft 58 is fixed to wall 56 and extends outwardly to form the journal bearing for the rotor hub 44. Wall 56 has a vertical end face 60 having-a recess 62 to accommodate certain operating apparata described later.

Knives 24 through 38 are radially spaced about the periphery of the rotor rim 46 and are separated by substantially equal angles 64. Each knife is substantially identical in construction and assembly and is provided with a substantially straight cutting edge 66 which is tilted or swept backwards in elevation, forming a sweepback angle 68 relative to a radial line through the rotation axis 20 and normal to surface 54. Each knife also has a substantially straight base edge 70 adapted to bear against cylindrical shoulder 50, the two coacting to permit proper resetting of the knives after sharpening. With this construction, each of knives 24 through 38 provides a shearing action on the rod 14 as the rotor 18 is caused to rotate in the direction of arrow A (FIG. 2). Each knife is con- 2. The lower leg 76 has a substantially flat end face 78 and asubstantially flat upper face 80 which intersect along a cutting edge 82. Upper face 80 is disposed in a plane, which is substantially parallel to rotor axis 20 while the end face 78 is tilted away from edge 82 and from the plane of movement of the knives 28 through 38. The cutting edge 82 is located adjacent.

the plane of movement of the knives 2438 so as to cooperate with them, to provide a scissor-type cutting action on rod 14.

The rotor 18 is actuated by drive means 40 which comprises an elongated lever arm 84 and an elongated depending pawl 86. In FIG. 2, lever 84 is shown in full lines in its upper position, and is also shown schematically by dotted lines in its lower alternate position. Lever 84 is pivotally connected to stator member 22 adjacent its lower end 88 and is provided at its upper end 90 with a hand-type punch plate 92 or handle by which it may be manually depressed. The lever 84 is mounted so as to be movable in a plane generally parallel to the plane in which rotor 18 is moved and is slightly offset from the rotor 18 so as to be adjacent to one side face thereof as shown in FIG. 1. The lever 84 is provided with a downwardly directed latch member 94 adapted to hook onto the bolts 72 successively, each time that the lever is depressed. Briefly, the depression of the lever 84 causes rotor 18 to rotate by means of the pawl 86 while the latch 94 prevents excessive rotation.

The pawl 86 is pivotally connected to the lever 84 at its upper end 96 and is adapted to swing in substantially the same plane as the lever 84. The lower end ofthe pawl 86 is provided with hook 98 having a contour adapted to engage with the contour of the bolt 72 axially extending from the rotor 18. The pawl 86 is of sufficient length to engage with one of the bolts 72 in the upper right hand quadrant of rotor 18 (as seen in H0. 2) when the lever 84 is in its uppermost position. When the lever 84 is depressed, the pawl 86 causes the rotor 18 to turn in the direction of arrow A through an angle sufficient to cause at least one of the knives 24-38 to pass the cutting edge 82 on the ledger block 42. The pawl 86 is provided with a spring 97 connecting it rearwardly with the lever 84 so that it is normally biased with the hook end 98 always against one of the bolts 72. After the rotor 18 is turned and the rod severed, continued movement of the lever 84 causes engagement of the latch 94 with one of the other extending bolts 72, thus stopping the continued rotation.

In use, should the lever 84 be manually depressed, the pawl 86 engaging one of the bolts 72 forces the rotor 18 to rotate in step-like fashion in the direction of arrow A until the latch 94 engages with another of the bolts 72. As the rotor 18 rotates one of the knives 2438, it passes the block 42 and coacts with the cutting edge 82 to sever the rod 14. The knives are arranged so that they clear the path of rod 14 after severance, permitting the rod 14 to continue to move toward the cut-off device 15. Since the rotor 18 is moved only on the downward movement of the lever 84 and pawl 86, it is in fact moved only once with each actuation and only in the direction of arrow A, thus providing a stepwise or indexing drive means. After operation, the upward movement of the lever 84 and pawl 86 is accomplished by spring 93 which holds lever 84 against stop 95 in the ready position from which the cycle of events described above may be repeated. The upward movement of the lever 84 and pawl 86 or the holding of these elements in the downward position has no effect on the movement of the rotor 18. Consequently, should a faulty section of rod 17 be observed, the operator can depress and then immediately release the lever 84 and sever the rod. The operator can operate the device repeatedly as many times as he selects, enabling him, by successive cuts, to remove successive sections from the continuously moving rod. During this process, of course, the rod is prevented manually, as is the current custom, from entering into the tubular ledger portion of the cut-off15. It is to be noted that each knife, after being used to sever the rod, comes to rest at a position that is beyond the rod and, therefore, does not interfere with the normal advance of the cigarette rod.

The device is also provided with means for automatically sensing a faulty rod and for automatically actuating the cutting device of the present invention. The drive means 40 also includes an automatic actuator 100, which is housed in the recess 62 of stator 22 previously described. A sensor 102 is mounted on cutting block 42 to determine the state ofthe rod 14 as it passes by. Actuator 100 is a conventional solenoid having a thrust-type piston rod 104 which reciprocates therein and engages the lower end 88 of lever 84 to thereby pivot the lever against spring 93 on any upward thrust. Sensor 102 is preferably a conventional emitter-receiver type of sensor, providing a signal upon sensing a defective length of rod 14, such as when the outer diameter of rod 14 exceeds a prescribed limit or when the paper is torn. The sensor 102 is connected to close a normally open switch to couple a power supply 106 to an actuator 100 through a pair of leads 108 and 110 so that upon sensing a defective portion of rod 14a signal is transmitted to the actuator 100 causing piston 104 to move the rear end 88 oflever 84 upwardly. The operation of the rod cutter is thereafter the same as if manually operated, i.e., the

lever 84 is depressed and the rotor 18 rotated. The solenoid actuator is actuated when the sensor 102 senses a dcl'ec tive length of rod 14 to initiate a cut or severance of the rod.

However, if desired, the sensor 102 can be made to emit successive signals upon sensing a defective length of rod to cause successive severing of the rod.

in summary, this invention provides for a cigarette maker, a hand-operable and/or automatically operable rod cutter for severing and permitting the removal of defective rod lengths travelling through said maker.

I claim:

1. A rod cutter for severing a longitudinally travelling tobacco rod comprising, a fixed stator member, a rotor having an axis of rotation and rotatably supported by said stator with the axis of rotation substantially parallel to the travelling rod, a plurality of knives mounted on the periphery of said rotor and spaced about said axis at substantially equal angles and adapted to extend into the path of travel of said rod, a steptype drive means mounted on said stator for advancing said rotor in substantially equal angular steps, thereby causing said knives to engage and sever said rod.

2. The rod cutter according to claim 1 in which said step drive means includes manually operable means therefor.

3. The rod cutter according to claim 1 including means for sensing a defective condition of said travelling rod and for providing a signal denoting such condition and means for automatically actuating said step drive means to sever said rod in response to said signal.

4. A rod cutter as claimed in claim 1 in which said rotor is wheel-like and is provided with a hub for rotatably mounting the same on said stator and a rim portion about which said knives are spaced, said knives being mounted to said rotor so that said mounting engages with said step drive to effect movement of said rotor angularly by the distance between successive knives.

5. A rod cutter as claimed in claim 4 in which the rotor is provided with a circular shoulder and each of said knives comprises a substantially flat plate pivotally connected to said rim and having at least one edge forming a cutting edge and a second edge forming a bearing edge for hearing against said shoulder.

6. A rod cutter as claimed in claim land including a cutting block mounted on said stator having a substantially straight cutting edge disposed in a plane substantially at right angles to said axis, and in which said knives have respective cutting edges substantially disposed in said plane coacting with said block for providing a scissor-type slicing action on said rod.

7. A rod cutter as claimed in claim 4 in which the mounting for said knives includes a laterally extending member and in which said step drive means includes an elongated lever arm having one end pivotally connected to said stator, an elongated pawl having one end pivotally connected to the other end of said lever arm and having an opposite end adapted to engage one of said lateral extensions in succession for limited angular displacement of the rotor, and said lever arm having a latch portion adapted to engage another of said extensions in succession for arresting said rotor after each said angular displacement.

8. A rod cutter as claimed in claim 7 in which said drive means includes a solenoid having a piston adapted to move with respect thereto, said piston engaging with said lever arm, a sensor disposed adjacent to said rod on the upstream side of said rotor to sense the condition of said rod, and means for connecting said sensor to said solenoid to actuate said piston on sensing of a defective length of rod whereby said piston actuates said step drive means to effect said severing of said rod.

9. The rod cutter as claimed in claim 7 including a handle mounted to the other end of said lever arm for manually actuating said step drive means.

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