US593385A - Cigarette-making machine - Google Patents

Description

(No Mdel.) 1o sheets-'sheet 1. J. H. VENNERS. CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE.

Patented Nov. 9, 1897.

10 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J.'H. VENNERS. CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE.

Arm/MEX fr QQ ns cu, mom-mmc.. wAsmNG'mN D c (No Model.) 1o vsheet-slwm; s.

J. H. VENNERS. CIGARETTE MAKING MAGHINE.

No. 593,385. Patented Nov. 9, 1897.

v10 Sheets-Sheet 4. J. H. VENNERS.

CIGARETTE MAKINGMAGHINE.

Patented Nov. 9, 1897.

Vl B (No Model.)

(NovModel.) 'lo-sneetS-'sneet 5.

J. H. VENNEES.

CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE.

Patented Nov. 9, 1897.

WITNESSES:

`nfu: norms mins ca, vnoTo-Umo.. wmsmmon. D4 c.

(No Model.) J H VENNERS 10 Sheets-Sheet 6.

CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE.

No. 593,385. Patented Nov. 9,1897.

#Irfan/vifs.

10 Sheets-Sheet 7.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov SwN.

mHvrll J. H. VBNNERS.

CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE.

WITNESSES:

mt kann: frm PLM wnnmmomn c.

(No Model.)

CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE.

Patented Nov. 9, 1897.

.ou .IhHHUllllH INVENT? ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.) p 10 Sheets-Sheet 10. J. E. VENNERS. CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE.

No. 593,385. Patented Nov. 9, 1897.

A A.. m Il Nw V fIW/ xm A. W

I @at @I I I E: I

l Ml ATTORNEY.

Tye nofws rrrnsvcq. wma-mwa.. wAsumcmu. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

Y JAMES H. VENNERS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

CIGARETTE-MAKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 593,385, dated November 9, 1897. Application inea nach 5,1896. sentira. 581,968. (No man.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, Janes H. VENNERs, a citizen of -the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cigarette-Making Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in continuouscigarette-making machines; and it consists in the novel features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In accordance with my invention the cigarette is formed in a continuous rod, which at the discharge end of the machine is severed into sections of appropriate length, which sections constitute the iinished cigarettes. To attain this end, the filler-tobacco is-fed by hand as smoothly as may be in a loose state upon an endless carrier-apron, 'and the layer of tobacco thus formed is carried by said apron and an upper auxiliary endless apron in a somewhat compacted state to a pickerroller which acts upon the protruding end of the layer of tobacco to disintegrate the same and deliver the thus loosened tobacco to an endless belt, by which it is delivered to the fillerrodforming mechanism. From the filler-forming mechanism the tobacco continuously emerges in the form of a cylindrical rod which is fed upon the paper ribbon forming the wrapper, and thereupon the tobacco rod and its wrapper are fed into the cigaretteforming mechanism, where the wrapper is given form and its edges pasted together around the tobacco rod, the whole being then fed in the form of a continuous cigarette to the cutting mechanism, which severs the continuous rod as it is fed onward into sections of appropriate length, which are ejected one after another from the machine as completed cigarettes.

The mechanism whereby the successive operations above outlined are performed constitutes the subject-n'iatter of this application and will be readily understood from the following detailed description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top or plan view of a machine constructed in accordance with and einbodying the invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail top view of a `portion of the machine, the same being partly in section. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 4 is a sectional View of the cigarette receiving and discharging tube, the same being taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is an end View of same. Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevation of the front portion of the machine. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail plan View of the cigarette filler-forming rollers shown in side elevation in Fig. 6. Fig. Sis an enlarged side elevation of the rear portion of the machine and is a continuation of the portion of the machine shown in Fig. 6, said Figs. 6 and S forming a complete enlarged side elevation of the machine.' Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail side view, partly in section, of the wrapper-receiving tube. Fig. 10 is a front end view of the machine. Fig. 11 is a detail end View, partly in section, of the belt-brushing mechanism. Fig. 12 is a rear end view of the machine. Figs. 13 and 14 are enlarged front and end views, respectively, of the means for raising the knife-carrier forming a part of the cigarette# cutting mechanism. Fig. 15 is an enlarged detail top view of the continuouscigarette Wrapping and pasting mechanism. Fig. 16 is a continuation of Fig. 15 and shows in a top vienT the tube through'which the formed continuous cigarette is carried on its way to the cutting mechanism. Figs. 17, 1S, 19, and 2O are detail sections taken on the lines 17 17, 18 18, 19 19, and 20 20, respectively, of Fig. l5 and show the form of the tube at the points at which the sections are taken and the successive forms the wrapper of the cigarette assumes while being folded around the rod of filler-tobacco. Fig. 2l is an enlarged detail side view looking in the direction of the arrow at the right-hand end of Fig. 16 and shows the mechanism for feeding the continuous cigarette to the cutting mechanism. Fig. 22 is an enlarged detail rear end View of of same. Fig. 23 is an enlarged vertical section through the machine on the line 23 23 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 24 is an enlarged detail top View of the Wrapper-pasting mechanism. Fig. 25 isa vertical section of same on the line 25 25 of Fig. 2 Fig. 26 is a vertical elevation of IOO same, partly broken away and partly in section, on the line 26 26 of Fig. 25. Fig. 27 is -a top view of a clutch applied to the various operative parts of the machine to independently control the movement of said parts at will, and Fig. 28 is a section of same on the dotted line 28 28 of Fig. 2

In the drawings the numeral 30 designates the supporting bed or table of the machine, and 3l the legs therefor.

The numeral 32 denotes the main drivingshaft, which carries at its rear end the usual driving-pulleys 33 and at its front end the worm 34.

At the front end of the machine upon the table 30 is located the tobacco-feed trough 35, having at its outer end the roller 36, supported upon a spindle or shaft 37, which upon its rearwardly-projecting end carries the pulley 38 and gear-wheel 39. (See Fig. l.) At the inner end of the feed-trough are the vertical sides 40 and 41, which are connected by and support the housing 42 to inclose the mechanism located at the inner end of the said feed-trough. Adjacent to the inner end of the trough 35 there is mounted in the sides 4l a spindle or shaft 43, carrying the roller 44, upon which and the roller 36 is supported the endless feed belt or apron 45, occupying the length of the trough 35'and adapted to receive and carry inward the layer of fillertobacco. A belt-tightener 46 is provided beneath the trough 35 to regulate the tension of the endless belt orapron 45. Between the sides 40 and 41 is mounted upon the shaft or spindle 47 thevroller 48, and upon the rearwardly-projecting end of this spindle 47 is provided the gear-wheel 49. The sides 40 and 4l are provided with vertical mortises 50 and 50', within which are arranged the adjustable bearings 5l and 52, which are respectively provided with set-screws 53 and 54, whereby be regulated at will.

said bearings and the roller 55, carried thereby, may be raised or lowered at will. The rollers 48 and 55,carry the upper or auxiliary endless feed-belt 56. (Clearly shown in Fig. 23.)

Directly to the left of the mortises and 50' in the sides 40 and 4l are provided two additional vertical mortises 57 and 58, within which are arranged the adjustable bearings 59 and 60, having set-screws 6l and 62, respectively. The bearings 59 and 60 support the spindle 63, carrying thereon aroller 64, whereby by means of said set-screws 6l and 62 the tension of the endless belt o'r apron 56 may Directly below the roller and to the right of the roller 44 is mounted the roller 65, carried upon the spindle 66, and upon the rearwardly-projecting end of said spindle 66 is secured a pulley 67. Below the spindle or shaft 47 and gear-wheel 49 thereon is a stud 68, having thereon a gear-wheel 69, meshing with the said gear-wheel 49, and a pulley 70, which is connected to the gearwheel 69. A belt 7l passes over the pulleys 7 O and 67.

At the inner end of the trough 35 is mounted upon a shaft or spindle 73 the picker-roller 72, which is supported directly in front of the rollers 55 and 65, and upon the projecting end of the shaft 0r spindle 73 is the pulley 74, over which passes a belt 75 from the pulley 76, keyed on the main driving-shaft 32 for the purpose of imparting motion to the picker-roller 72.

Upon the side 41, between the gear-wheel 49 and the mortise 58, is a stud 77, upon which is mounted a gear-wheel 78 in engagement with the gear-wheel 49, and upon said stud 7 7, beside the gear-wheel 78 and keyed thereto, is a pulley 79, over which passes a belt 80 from the pulley 38, carried upon the shaft 37. Supported in bearings directly below the roller 36 is the shaft 8l, having thereon a cogwheel 82 in gear with the cog-wheel 39 on the end of the roller-shaft 37, and near the middie of the shaft 8l is a beveled gear-wheel 82.

83 is a shaft supported in bearings on the frame of the machine below andv lengthwise with the trough 35 and having upon its outer end a beveled gear-wheel 84 in gear with the beveled gear-wheel 82', and at the inner end of said shaft 83 is acog-wheel 85 in gear with the worm wheel 34 on the main drivingshaft 32.

86 denotes a clutch mechanism arranged upon the shaft 37, whereby the feeding meehanism may be thrown into and out of operation, and it will be hereinafterfullydescribed.

Beneath the inner end of the trough 35 is supported in' suitable bearings the shaft 87, carrying a rotary brush 88, which serves to keep the upper side of the apron 45 free and clean, and at the outer end of said shaft 87 is a pulley 89, which is operated by a belt 90, passing over the same, and a pulley 91 on the main driving-shaft 32.

From what has been explained above itwill be understood that when the shaft 32 is rotated motion therefrom is communicated by the worm-gear 34 85 through the shaft 83 to the beveled gearing 82 84 and thence to the cog- wheels 82 and 39 and rotate the shaft 37, carrying the roller 36, thereby causing the belt or apron 45 to travel through the trough 35. Simultaneously therewith the belt 80, which passes over the pulley 38 on the shaft 37 and the pulley 79 on the shaft or spindle 77 will cause the cog-wheel 78 to be rotated, and as the same is in gear with the cog-wheel 49 on the shaft or spindle 47 it will cause the roller 48 to rotate and the apron 56, passing over said rollers 48 and 55, to travel in the direction indicated in Fig. 23. By means of the cog-wheel 69 on the shaft 68, which is in gear with the cog-wheel 49 on the shaft 47, the pulley 70 will be rotated and motion communicated 'to the roller 66 through the belt 7l, which passes over the pulley 67 on the roller-shaft 65 and the pulley 70 on the shaft 68. The tobacco, which is as evenly as may be by hand spread within the trough 35, is in a loose state carried inward bythe aprons 45 loo IIO

and 56, being nally somewhat compacted by and discharged between the rollers 55 and 65, where its protruding edge as fed inward is acted upon and disintegrated by the pickerroller 72, which is rotated in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 23, with its spindle or shaft 73, by means of the belt 75, passing over the pulley 7 6 on the driving-shaft 32 and the pulley 74 upon the said shaft or spindle 73. As the tobacco is acted upon by the picker-.roller 72 it descends over the inclined chute 92 to an endless belt 93, by means of which it is then conveyed to the filler-forming mechanism.

At the front side of the machine, a short distance in rear of the side 41, are supported in bearings upon the table 30 the shafts 94, 95, and 96, the shafts 94 and 95 having on their outer ends the smooth rollers 97 and 98, respectively, and the shaft 96 having upon its outer end the grooved roller 99. Upon about the middle of the shafts 94 95 96 are the gear-wheels 100 101 102, and upon the shafts 103 and 104, which are intermediate the shafts 94, 95, and 96, are the wheels 105 106, which are in gear with the wheels 100 101 102, and upon the shaft 104, about midway Of the distance between the cog-wheel 106 and the outer end of said sh aft,is a sprocket-wheel107. Supported in bearings upon the frame of the machine below the table 30 and directly beneath the shafts 94, 95, and 9G are the shafts 108 109 110, carrying upon their outer ends the three grooved rollers 111 112 113, which diminish in diameter in the order named. NVithin these grooved rollers work the smooth rollers 97 and 98 and the groovedv roller 99.A

Upon said shafts 108 109 110, directly beneath the gear-wheels 100 101 102, are vthe gearwheels 114 115 116, and upon the shaft 109, beside the gear-wheel 115, is a sprocket-wheel 117. Intermediate the shafts 108 109 110 and supported in suitable bearings are the shafts 118 119, having thereon the gear- wheels 120 and 121, gearing with the said wheels 1114 115 116. Supported below the frame of the machine in bearings is the shaft 122, having thereon at one end a pulley 123 and near its middle a sprocket-wheel124,receiving a chain 125, passing over the same and the sprocketwheel 107 on the shaft 104. Also fixed upon said shaft is a sprocket-wheel 126, over which and the sprocket-wheel 117 on the shaft 109 passes the chain 127, and also fixed upon said shaft 122 is a beveled gear-wheel 128, which gears with the beveled gear-wheel 183 on the end of the counter-shaft 182. Below theside 40 is mounted in the bearings 129 a short shaft 130, carrying a fixed pulley 131' and also the beveled friction-wheel 132, provided with a hollow hub 133 to receive a spring 134, disposed upon the shaft 130, between the end of the hub 133 and the bearing 129, to hold the friction-wheel sp1-in g-pressed against the beveled friction-wheel 135, supported upon the spindle 13G in the bearing 137.

138 denotes a rotary brush fixed upon the forward end of the said spindle 136 and operated by the friction-gearing aforesaid to maintain the inner surface of the belt 93 free and clean. At a little to one side of the grooved roller 113 .is a small roller 139, and

livery by the inclined chute 92 to the fillerforming mechanism, and said belt passes over the pulley 131, the grooved rollers 111 112 113, and roller 139, to and over the driving-pulley 123, and also over the belt-tightener 140.

To the under side of the frame is bolted a depending support 141', carrying at its lower extremity a pivoted arm 142, provided at its lower end with a brush 143 and at its upper end a weight 144, whereby the brush is held pressed against the outer surface ofthe belt 93 to remove all tobacco which may have adhered thereto.

From what has been described it will be seen that when the machine is in operation the endless belt 93 will be continuously carried through the filler-forming rollers, the upper series 97 98 ofnwhich are rotated by means of the sprocket- wheels 107 and 124 through the chain 125 and intermediate gearings, and the lower series of which are rotated toward the upper series by the sprocketwheels 117 and 126 by means of the chainy 127 and intermediate gearing. The loose tobacco will as soon as it leaves the chute 92 be carried to the forming-rollers 97 111 upon the belt 93, which before entering between said rollers begins to curl, as indicated in Fig. 6. Between these rollers 97 111 the tobacco will first be lightly compressed and then fed between the following rollers 98 112, where it will be further compressed, and finally pass between the grooved rollers 99 113, which cause the tobacco to be formed into a cylindrical rod. Thereupon the cylindrical rod of tobacco is fed forward upon the apron 93 over the roller 139 to the further forming and wrapping mechanism.

At the front side of the machine is the trough 145, which is supported by the adjustable bearings 146 and 147 upon a platform 148, bolted to the frame of the machine. This trough 145 is open at its front end adjacent to the roller 139and its longitudinal edges are turned over to form guides for the paper, which is received in said trough 145 over the roller 149. From about the point indicated by the section-line 1717 in Fig. 15 the trough begins to merge into a tube, and when the point indicated by the section-line 2O 20 is reached one of the longitudinal edges of said trough 145 will have overlapped the other and form a tube, as shown bythe sectional view, Fig. 20. Upon the outer sides of the trough 145, near its open end, are two upwardly projecting clips 150 151, provided with horizontal slits, and near the middle of IOO IIO

said trough is secured a bail 152, provided at its top with a recess.

153 denotes a removableconcave cover provided at one end with atransverse portion forming the projecting lugs 154, which are adapted to tit into the clips 150 151, and situated on the upper side of said cover, near the rear end thereof, is a stud 155, which is adapted to t into the recess in the bail 152 and serves to hold said cover 153 in position over a part of the trough 145.

156 and 157 indicate two vertical guides secured to the trough 145 at its front or entering end directly above the roller 149, which guides serve to direct the rod of tobacco from the belt 93 into the trough 145.

At the top of the cylindrical portion of the trough or tube 145 is a folding-lip 158, and a little in rear of said folding-lip 158 is a recess 159. It is to be observed that the rear longitudinal edge of the trough 145 is substantially vertical from its end to the folding-lip 158 and thereby forms a longitudinal opening in the upper side of said trough.

At the front side of the machine is a cylindrical paste-receptacle 160, which is supported by the brackets 161 and 162, bolted to the frame of the machine. Vithin the cylindrical receptacle 160 is provided the piston 163, having a threaded stem 164, which projects below the bottom of the receptacle, and 165 denotes a geanwheel which is supported beneath the base of the receptacle in a recess formed in the bracket 162 and serves to elevate or lower the piston 163 within its receptacle When the same is rotated upon the stem 164. Integral with the top of the cylinder is a bifurcated scraper 165', and in the receptacle directly between the two members of the scraper 165 is an aperture 166, out of which the paste will be forced as the piston 163 is elevated within its receptacle. Adjacent to said receptacle 160 is a vertical sleeve 167, which is held attached to said receptacle by a connecting-section 168 and carries therein the shaft 169, having at its upper end a pasting-wheel 17 0, which works within the bifurcated scraper 165' and serves to convey the paste which is forced out of the aperture 166 to the edge of the cigarette-wrapper projecting out of the trough 145, and at the lower end of the shaft 169 is a pulley 171, over which passes a belt 172 from the pulley 173 on the main driving-shaft 32.

174 is a short shaft mounted in bearings in the bracket 162 and having at its forward end a worm-wheel 175 in gear with the cog-wheel 165 on the rod 1.64 of the piston working within the receptacle 160, and at the rear end of said shaft 174 is a pulley 176, on which a belt 177 passes from a pulley 178 ou the shaft 179. Upon one end of said shaft 179 is a pulley 187, and at the other end of said shaft is a beveled gear-wheel 180, which meshes with a beveled pinion 181 on the counter-shaft 182, which is supported in suitable bearings and carries at one end a beveled pinion 183 in gear with the beveled gear-wheel 128 on the shaft 122. Upon the shaft 182 is a gear-wheel 184 in mesh with a similar wheel 185 -on the main driving-shaft 32, and at the extremity of the counter-shaft 182 is a beveled gear-wheel 186. Secured to the under side of the frame below the paste-receptacle 160 is a depending support 188, carrying at its lower extremity a usual reel of cigarette-paper 189, which forms the wrappers for the cigarettes. The paper 190 passes from said reel over the roller 149 into the trough 145 with the rod of filler-tobacco, as shown. l

Arranged in line with the trough 145 is the tube 191, which is secured in position upon the platform 192, and 193 is the belt which passes through the tube 191 and over the rollers 194 and 195, supported in bearings upon the said platform 192. The belt 193 also passes over the driving-pulley 187 and over the roller 196 of the belt-tightener, which is supported in a carriage 197, working in ways on the under side of the platform 192 and provided with a set-screw 198, whereby the said belt-tightener may be adj usted.

Supported in bearings at the rear end of the platform 192 and slightly above the roller 195 is the shaft or spindle 199, having at one end the gear-wheel 200, near its middle the feedroller 201, and at its other end the pulley 202, over which passes the belt 203 from the pulley 187 on the shaft 179. Supported in-the same bearing with the shaft or spindle 199 and directly beneath the same is the shaft or spindle 205, having near its middle the feed-v roller 206 and at its end the gear-wheel 207 in engagement with the gear-wheel 200 on the shaft or spindle 199.

Pivotally supported upon one of the legs 3l is an arm 208, having secured upon one end a weight 209 and at its other end a brush 210, which is held pressed against the belt 193 on the pulley and thereby serves to keep said belt clean.

211 designates a clutch whereby the mechanism operated by the shaft 179 may be thrown into and out of operation.

The operation of the wrapping mechanism is as follows: The filler-rod is first received from the filler-forming mechanism between the guides 156 and 157, where it passes over the roller 149 to the ribbon of paper 190. Thereupon the said filler-rod and paper move together into and through the trough 145, where the wrapper is folded upon the filler- IIO rod. When the longitudinal edge of the` togeth er with the filler-rod,through the trough 145 until the folding-lip 158 is reached, where the gummed edge of the Wrapper is then de-v flected and caused to overlap the opposite edge thereof. Thereafter the gummed edge passes into the cylindrical portion of the trough 145, through the recess 159 in the top thereof, and is irmly pressed upon the opposite edge of the wrapper, thereby enveloping the filler and completing the continuous cigarette, Which is then carried through the tube 191 within the belt 193, and thence between the feed-rollers 201 206 to the cutting mechanism presentlyT to be described. The belt 193 may pass through the tube 191 without regard to the combined trough and tube 145 or through both said tubes 191 and 145, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 8. The filler-rod and wrapper are conveyed to the wrapping and pasting mechanisms and the continuous cigaratte to the cutting mechanism by means of the belt 193 and the pulley 187 uponthe shaft 179, which receives its motion through intermediate gearing from the main driving-shaft 32. The paste contained within the cylinder 160 is forced out of the same through the aperture 166 in the top thereof by means of the piston 163, which is raised by means of the gear-wheel 165, carried upon the threaded piston-rod 164 and rotated by the worm-wheel 175 on the shaft 174, which shaft is actuated by the pulley 176 and the belt 177, passing over said pulley 176, and the pulley178 on the shaft 179,Which shaft, as before stated, receives its .power through intermediate gearing from the main drivingshaft 32. The pasting-wheel170 and the shaft 169, to whichthe pasting-Wheel is fixed, are rotated by means of the pulley 171 at the end of said shaft 169 and the belt 172, which passes over said pulley 171 and the pulley 173 on the main driving-shaft 32.

At the rear end of the machine, in front of the driving-pulley 33 on the main shaft 32, is mounted a bracket 212, having bolted upon its forward end the upright 213, and bolted to the frame of the machine is a projecting support 214, which, in connection with said upright 213,supports the two rods 215 and 216.

217 denotes a carriage whose lower bifurcated ends areprovided with sleeves 218 219, through which the rods 215 216 extend and serve to support and guide the carriage 217, and at the top of said carriage is carried a tube consisting of two sections 220 221, of which the section 220 forms an integral part of the carriage 217, as shown in Fig. 4. The receiving end of said tube-section 220 is provided with an enlarged mouth, and upon its opposite end is secured by a set-screw 223 a bushing 222, to the top of which is secured by means of screws the support 224, having in its depending portion a circular aperture Within which is clamped by means of a screw 225 the tube-section 221.

Between the two sleeves 218 219 of the carriage 217 and secured thereto is a vertical guide 226, within which works the stem of the circular-knife carrier 227, the upper portion of which is bifurcated and the bifurcated portions provided with journal-bearings 228, within which is supported the shaft 229, carrying a pulley 230 and the circular knife 231, said shaft being rotated by means of a belt 229', which passes over the pulley 230 on said shaft, and a large pulley 230', carried upon the end of the main driving-shaft 32. At the lower end of the stem of the carrier 227 is a roller 232, supported in a yielding bearing and adapted to travel upon the inclined support 233, which is adjustably supported in the bearing 234, secured to the bracket 212, and 235 denotes a spring of which one end is secured to the bearing 228 of the carrier 227 and its other end secured to the guide 22 The portion of the carrier 227 facing the nmain frame of the machine is provided with an arm 236, having secured upon its inner surface, near its projecting end, a stud 237. Upon the upper surface of the bracket 212 are secured the bearings 238 239, Within the former of which is supported the spindle 240, having at its outer end a pinion-Wheel 241 and at its other end a cam-Wheel 242, into the cam-groove of which the stud 237 of the arm 236 extends and which serves to reciprocate the carriage 2-17 and elevate or lower the circular knife 231, and Within the bearing 239 is mounted a spindle 243, having upon its outer end a gear-wheel 244, in gear with the pinion-Wheel 241 and a large cog-Wheel 245, carried upon the spindle 246, supported in the bearing 247, and at the rear end of said belt 229', passing over the pulleys 230 and 230 on the main driving-shaft, and that the carriage 217 is being reciprocated upon the rods 215 216 by the cam-Wheel 242, and the circular knife intermittently raised Within the guide 226 by reason of the reciprocating movement imparted to the carriage 217 by the cam-Wheel 242, and that vertical movement is imparted to the circular-knife carrier 227 by means of the roller at the lower extremity of said carrier, which travels upon the inclined support 233, and by means of the spring 235, secured to said guide 226, and the bearing 228 of the carrier 227. The operation of this cutting mechanism is so timed that as soon as the continuous cigarette has passed from the feedrollers 201 206 through the tube-section 220 and into the section 221 to the proper extent the carriage 217 will be advanced by means of the cam-wheel 242 and the circular-knife car- IIO rier 227 elevated by means ofthe inclined support 233, and while being so elevated it will also be brought close to the end of the tube-section 220 by means of the indentation in the groove of the cam-Wheel 242 and sever the portion of the continuons cigarette which projects into t-he tube-section 221. The severed section, which constitutes the finished cigarette, will then be ejected from the tubesection 221 by action of the carriage 217 as it returns to its initial position preparatory to cutting the next cigarette-section. After each cigarette-section has been severed .the carriage 217 is returned to its initial position by means of the cam-wheel 242, and the circular-knife carrier 227 is also returned to its initial position by said cam-wheel 242 and its spring 235.

The clutch mechanism referred to by the numerals 36, 211, and 249 is most clearly, shown by the enlarged detail Views, Figs. 27 and 28. In said figures 250 designates the main portion of' the shaft and 251 the end thereof, which is made smaller in diameter than the main portion, and consequently a shoulder 252 is formed at the place of juncture of the main portion 250 and the en d port-ion 251 of said shaft. The entire end 251 and the portion 250 of the shaft adjacent to the end 251 are made hollow and provided with a longitudinal recess 253, onel1alf of which recess is formed in the end 251 and the remaining half formed in the portion 250. Nithin the hollow portion of the said shaft is a solid stem 254, provided near its inner end with a spline 255, which is about half the length of the longitudinal recess 253, into which said spline extends, and at the outer end of said stem 254 is fixed a knob 256.

257 designates the pulley which is fixed upon the small end of the shaft against the shoulder of the main portion 250 by means of the washer 253 and nut 259, the inner face of the hub of said pulley 25S being notched to receive the spline 255.

The effect of pulling out the stem 254 by means of the knob 256 is to cause the spline 255 to engage with the drivin g-pulley, and by forcing the stem 254 inward the spline 255 will bereleased from its engagement with the pulley and caused to enter that portion of the recess 253 formed in the main portion 250, and thereby permit the pulley to run idle.

The various parts of the machine having thus been described and their several functions indicated, a brief further explanation of the operation will be given.

The tobacco, as already described, is first placed in a loose even layer upon the endless apron 45 in the trough 35, then carried Jforwardupon said apron and under the apron 56v(being there slightly compressed) to the rollers 55 65 and by them further compressed, the projecting end of the inwardly-moving layer being then acted upon by the pickerroller 72. The loose or separated tobacco drops'downwardly over the inclined chute 92 to the belt 93 and is conveyed thereby first between the pair of filler-forming rollers 97 111 and pressed into a rod-like form, thence between the pair of rollers 93 112, where the filler-rod is further compressed, and finally between the grooved rollers 99 113, where the The eyguides 156 157,0vera roller 149,into the trough A part of the wrapping-tube 145, and upon the strip of paper 190, which forms the wrapper.

This strip of paper is also passed over the roller 149 and, together with the filler-rod, is carried through the trough 145 to the pasting* wheel170, where the inner side of the projecting longitudinal edge of the wrapper is gummed. Vhen the said projecting edge of the wrapper Wipes against the folding-lip 15S, located at the top of the cylindrical portion of the trough 145, the said edge of the wrapper will be deflected and caused to overlap the opposite edge of the paper as it enters the recess 159 in said trough and be firmly pressed upon said opposite edge to inclose the filler and thereby form Y the continuous cigarette. From the rear end ot' the wrappingtube 145 the continuous cigarette is next passed over aroller 194 upon abelt 193, whereby it is carried through the finishing-tube 191 to the feed-rollers 201 206, and then by means of said feed-rollers the continuous cigarette is fed through the tube-section220 and into the section 221, where it will be separated IOO into sections of appropriate lengths by the i intermittent action of the circular knife 231, supported upon the carriage 217 and operated by means of the cam-wheel 242, which camwheel is actuated through intermediate gearin gfrom the main shaft 32. The severedvcigarettesections form the completed articles of manufacture.

It will be observed upon reference to Fig. 23 that the forward roller 55 of the upper feed -belt 56 is directly over the roller 66, which is directly in line with the roller 43, and also in close proximity tothe teeth of the picker-roller 72. It is of advantage to have the teeth of the picker-roller 72 come as close to the roller G6 as possible. The body of filler-tobacco fed inward between the belts 45 and 56 terminates directly between the rollers 55 and 66, and said roller 455 is vertically adjustable, as shown, in order that the requisite pressure maybe maintained upon the inner end of the body of filler-tobacco.

The pickenroller 72 is enabled to remove so much of the edge of the body of filler-tobacco as is released between the rollers 55 and 66, and in operation, under the conditions and with the con struction and arrangement shown and expressed, the filler-tobacco is'thoroughly shredded and disintegrated by means of the one picker-roller 72 and by it directly prepared for the cigarettes. In accordance with the machine made the subject hereof there is no intermediate mechanism between the roller k7 2 and the feeding-belt 93, which takes IIO the tobacco directly after the same leaves the picker-roller. The picker-roller 72 revolves toward the roller GG, as indicated by the arrow, and thus the shredded and disintegrated filler-tobacco passes directly downward toward the belt 93. One of the objects accomplished by the construction of feed mechanism shown and described is that thereby the fibers of the tobacco are preserved in longer shreds or forms than has heretofore seemed possible in any cigarette-machine known to me.

It has been explained above that the belt 93 takes the tobacco falling from the feed mechanism, and this belt is rendered troughshaped on its passage between the lower rollers 111, 112, and 113 and the upper rollers 97, 93and 99, which rollers prepare the tobacco and impart to the rod thereof the proper form, size, and consistency for the wrapping mechanism. It will be seen upon reference to Fig. 7 that the rollers 111, 112, and 113 are grooved and inline with one another and that the rollers 97, 98, and 99 enter said grooves and vary in thickness, the roller 97 having a smooth edge and being thicker than. the roller 9S, which also has a smooth edge, while the roller 99 has a grooved edge and is thicker than the roller 98. The roller 97 fiattens and compresses the filler-tobacco carried between the rollers in the trough-shaped belt 93 and completes the iirst step in the operation of forming the filler-rod, which when complete should be circular in cross-section. The roller 9S being narrower at its edge than the roller 97 presses directly upon the longitudinal central portion of the tobacco carried inward from the rollers 97 and 111 and thereby causes the opposite longitudinal edges of the then compressed mass of tobacco to turn upward against the opposite surfaces of said roller 9S and from the facing vertical surfaces of that portion of the belt 93 within the groove of the roller 112. The roller 9S completes the second step in the operation of forming-the filler-rod, and after it has acted upon the tobacco the latter passes between the rollers 99 and 113, and in view of the fact that said roller 99 is wider at its edge than the roller 98 it will embrace within its grooved periphery the upturned edges formed in the mass of tobacco by the narrow roller 9S and compress said edges toward the center of the rod of tobacco and complete the formation of the same preparatory to said rod entering the wrapping-tube. The rollers 97, 98, and 99 of the construction described and succeeding one another comprise an important part of my invention and give particularly satisfactory results.

As above described, after the rod of fillertobacco leaves the belt 93 it is subjected to the wrappin g and finishing operations in the tubes 145 and 191. The utility of the tube 145 will be well understood, and in a general sense the said tube is of well-known general form and construction. I have, however, es

pecially adapted the said tube for convenient use in the machine made the subject of this application, and it is believed to be new in respect of some of its details which are pointed out in the claims. The finishing or sealing tube 191 is entirely independent of the wrappin g-tube 145 and is elongated in length. The tube 191 receives the completely-finished cigarette rod from the tube 145 and maintains the saine under pressure a sufficient length of time and during suiiicient travel of the cigarette to enable the cutting of the latter into appropriate lengths by means of high-speed cutting machanism. I have on my machine, employing the said independent elongated tube 191, been enabled to make and cut t'wo hundred and thirty thousand cigarettes per day. The pasting mechanism is advantageous in its arrangement and construction, and, as will be observed from the drawings, the outlet for the paste is at the upper end of the pasting-cylinder 160 and that the pasting-wheel 170 is directly between said outlet and the vertical exposed edge of the paper within the tube 145, as shown in Fig. 26. paste is delivered directly from the cylinder to the paper by the one wheel 179, and all further intermediate mechanism between the outlet end of the cylinder and the edge of the paper is dispensed with.

W'ithout limiting my invention to details of construction, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a continuous-cigarette-makingmachine, the means for feeding the filler-tobacco, combined with the endless belt receiving such tobacco from the said feeding means, the series of alined rollers grooved on their peripheries and over which the said belt travels and is rendered trough-shaped, the pressure-roller having a flat edge and arranged to act upon the width of said tobacco within said belt for the purpose of pressing and iiattening the same, the adjacent pressure-roller having a flat edge less in width than the iirst-mentioned pressure-roller. for pressing upon the longitudinal center of the said tobacco while within the said belt and after the same leaves said wider pressure-roller, the grooved. pressureroller of greater width at its edge than said narrow pressure-roller to act upon the width of-said tobacco within said belt after the same leaves said narrow pressure-roller, means for receiving and wrapping the rod of tobacco after it leaves said grooved rollers, belt and pressure-rollers, and means for severing the wrapped rod of tobacco into appropriate lengths, said pressure-rollers being in alinement with one another and arranged to act in succession upon the tobacco; substantially as set forth.

2. In a continuouscigarette-making machine,the filler-tobaccoreceiving trough, and the endless feeder-apron arranged to travel over the bottom of the said trough and being of iiexible material, combined with the end- Hence the IOO IIO

less belt of flexible material supported above the inner end of said feeder-apron and adapted for contact with the upper surface of the layer of tobacco after the latter has been spread upon the said feeder-apron, the rollers at the inner and outer ends of said upper endless belt to support the same, the independent roller directly in front of the said feeder-apron and directly below the inner roller of the said upper endless belt, the picker-roller arranged in close relation to said independent roller, the chute directly below said picker-roller, and means for conveying the tobacco to the filler-forming mechanism; substantially as set forth.

3. In a cigarette-making machine,the fillertobacco-receiving trough, and the endless feeder-apron, arranged to travel over the bottom of said trough, combined with the endless belt of flexible material supported above the inner portion of said feeder-apron and adapted for contact with the upper surface of the layer of tobacco after the latter has been spread upon the said `feeder-apron and carried inward thereby, the independent roller GG directly in front of the said feeder-apron and directly below the front roller of the said endless belt, the picker-roller 72 arranged in close relation to said independent roller 66, gearing for. turning said picker-roller downward toward said roller 66, the chute directly below said picker-roller, the endless belt at the lower end of said chuteand means for forming, Wrapping and severing the filler-rod of tobacco; substantially as set forth.

4. In a continuous-oigarette-making machine, means for feeding the filler-tobacco, and the belt receiving and feeding onward the tobacco from the said feeding means and being trough-shaped along its upper portion, means for maintaining said trough-shaped form in the belt, the comparatively wide pressu re-roller for flattening and compressing the width of the filler-tobacco, in said belt, the succeeding narrow-edged pressure-roller for acting on the longitudinal center of the mass of tobacco fed on said belt and turning the longitudinal edges of said mass upward and inward toward each other, and the succeeding grooved pressure-roller of greater width than said narrow-edged pressure-roller for acting upon said tobacco in said belt and pressing the inwardly and upwardly turned edges of same inward and downward to complete the formation of the filler-rod preparatory to its being subjected to the wrapping and cutting mechanism; substantially as Set forth.

5. In a continuous-cigarette-making ma.- chine, the means for feeding the ller-tobacco, means for forming said tobacco into the continuous fillerrod,and the wrapping-tube havin g the trou gh-shaped inlet, the guides for the paper on opposite sides of said inlet, the removable cover-section having at one end the stud 155 and at its other end the lugs 154, the recessed bail on the trough to engage said stud, the slotted clips 150, 151, on the trough to engage said lugs, the longitudinal opening

Images