WO1996014761A1

WO1996014761A1 - Method and apparatus for wrapping a rod of smoking material

Info

Publication number: WO1996014761A1
Application number: PCT/GB1995/002667
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Patrick Parker; David John Bates; Andrew Jonathan Bray; Jonathan Charles Laughton; Adrian Roy Stewart-Cox
Original assignee: Rothmans International Services Limited
Priority date: 1994-11-15
Filing date: 1995-11-14
Publication date: 1996-05-23
Also published as: DE69510364D1; ATE181212T1; DE69510364T2; GB9422998D0; GR3031091T3; EP0790782B1; ES2135100T3; DK0790782T3; EP0790782A1

Abstract

The effect of spiral-wrapping of a tobacco rod is obtained by providing a wrap material (1) having edge portions (3) which are angled to an edge (4) which is to be arranged axially of the tobacco rod when the material is wrapped cylindrically around the tobacco. Discontinuities (5) between inclined edge portions (3) are preferred positions for the severing of rods wrapped with the material, into cigarette lengths. Methods and apparatus are disclosed for wrapping or overwrapping with this material to form the tobacco rod.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING A ROD

OF SMOKING MATERIAL

The present invention relates to a method and

apparatus for manufacturing a rod of tobacco or other

smoking material enclosed by a wrap (hereinafter "tobacco

rod") . It is especially concerned with tobacco rods

having a spiral-effect outer wrap and a method and

apparatus for producing these.

Cigarettes are commonly wrapped in paper by

placing a line of tobacco along a paper strip, in parallel

alignment with the edges of the strip, enclosing the

smoking material in the paper strip by bringing its edges

together and sealing them together to form a rod having a

longitudinal seam in its paper. Cigar-style products are

commonly provided with a spiral wrap of tobacco leaves or

reconstituted tobacco material. The machinery required to

spiral wrap a tobacco rod is more complex than that used

for parallel wrapping because either the rod, or the outer

wrap material must be rotated relative to the axis of the

rod to achieve the spiral .

One known method of providing a spiral wrap to a

cigar style product is to roll a double length tobacco rod onto a chevron-shaped piece of outer wrap material to give

a double length spirally wrapped tobacco rod with a left

hand and a right hand spiral. This is then cut in half to

give two cigars.

A second known method to produce a spiral outer

wrap rotates smoking material rods, pre-wrapped in a

binder or inner wrap, about their longitudinal axis

between two endless belts running in opposite directions.

The rod is set at an angle to the belts so that as it

spins, it also moves forward along its axis. A web of

outer wrap material is fed, parallel to the belts, to wrap

around the rod as it advances. The spirally wrapped rod

is then cut to the required length.

Another known method of spirally wrapping a

smoking material rod involves passing the rod through the

middle of a bobbin of outer wrap material, at an angle to

the axis of the bobbin, and rotating the bobbin around the

rod. The rod is spirally wrapped by outer wrap material

taken from the bobbin. A problem with this method is that

control is complicated by the changing inertia and speed

of the bobbin as the wrap material unwinds from it .

An object of the present invention is to achieve

a non-parallel wrap effect in a simpler and more efficient way .

According to a first aspect, the present

invention provides a method of wrapping a rod of smoking

material to give a non-parallel wrapped effect, which

includes

wrapping the rod in a parallel wrap binder,

guiding at least one extension, integral with or attached to the binder and having at least one edge at an

angle to the axis of the rod to overlie the binder on the

surface of the rod, so that the inclined edge gives a non-

parallel line,

securing said at least one extension to conform

to the binder on the rod,

and separating the wrapped rod into discrete

lengths.

In preferred embodiments, a plurality of

extensions each have at least one inclined edge, there being a discontinuity between inclined edges of adjacent extensions. In such embodiments, the wrapped rod may be

divided into discrete lengths at the discontinuities.

When the inclined edge is straight, a spiral wrap effect

is obtained.

Since the guiding is essentially a wiping motion it can be done by static parts (by virtue of the axial

motion of the rod through the machine) ,- even if a rotating

wiper is provided to cause the extension to conform it

does not have to contain or feed sheet material.

When the extensions are non-integral, they may

be attached to the binder before, during or after the

formation of the parallel wrap.

In one such method, discrete lengths of outer

wrap material are severed from a web of outer wrap

material and affixed to a binder pre-wrapping a rod of

smoking material, to form the extensions which project

from the rod at an angle to its longitudinal axis. The

projecting sheets are then guided around the rod to

provide the wrap effect.

In a second aspect, the present invention

provides an apparatus for wrapping a rod of smoking

material comprising means for wrapping the rod in a

parallel-wrap binder and means for guiding around the rod

at least one extension of wrap material projecting from

the parallel wrapped rod and having at least one edge

inclined at an angle to its longitudinal axis.

In one embodiment, the means for guiding

comprise a paddle rotatable about the rod to guide the projecting sheets of outer wrap material around the rod.

As the guide means rotate around the axis of the rod, the rod moves forward along its longitudinal axis. In this

manner, the projecting extensions of outer wrap material

may be guided into a spiral formation around the rod.

In an alternative embodiment, the means for

guiding comprise a plough turner having a trough or tube

through which a tobacco rod may be passed, the trough or

tube having a spiral wall, edge or slot to guide the at

least one edge of a projecting extension around the rod as

the rod advances.

The apparatus according to the invention may be

provided by adapting known cigarette or cigar wrapping

machinery, or may be provided as a separate machine at the

end or in the middle of a conventional cigar or cigarette

manufacturing machine.

Glue may be applied to the projecting sheets of outer wrap material before or during guiding to form the

spiral effect wrap. In a third aspect, the present invention

provides a web of wrap material for wrapping a rod of

smoking material comprising a parallel wrap binder and at least one extension from a parallel binder forming portion thereof, the extension having at least one inclined edge.

Where there are a plurality of extensions, there

may be discontinuities between the inclined edges of

adjacent extensions.

The extensions may be integral with the binder,

or affixed thereto.

Embodiments of the invention will now be

described in more detail, by way of example only, with

reference to the following drawings in which:-

Fig. 1 shows a portion of a web of wrap material

suitable for use in the present invention, having integral

binder portion and angled projections;

Fig. 2 shows a second form of wrap material

suitable for use in the present invention in which

projections are formed by separate strips pre-glued onto a

binder portion;

Fig. 3 shows a further form of wrap suitable for

use in the present invention in which separate angled

strips of outer wrap material are affixed to a binder

portion pre-wrapped around a tobacco rod;

Fig. 4 shows a portion of a conventional machine

for wrapping a tobacco rod, adapted according to the

invention; Fig. 5 shows the machine of Fig. 1 from the

side;

Fig. 6 is a cross-section taken along line III-

III of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a cross-section taken along line IV-IV

of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a cross-section taken along line V-V

of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a cross-section taken along line VI-VI

of Fig. 2;

Fig. 10 is a cross-section taken along line VII-

VII of Fig. 2;

Fig. 11 is a cross-section taken along line

VIII-VIII of Fig. 2;

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of a plough turner,

suitable for use in apparatus according to the invention;

Fig. 13 is an end view of the plough turner of

Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a cross-section of the plough turner

of Fig. 12 taken along line XIV-XIV;

Fig. 15 is a cross-section of the plough turner

of Fig. 12 taken along line XV-XV;

Fig. 16 is a cross-section of the plough turner of Fig. 12 taken along line XVI-XVI;

Fig. 17 is a cross-section of the plough turner

of Fig. 12 taken along line XVII-XVII; and

Fig. 18 is an isometric drawing of spiral

wrapping apparatus according to the invention situated in

the middle of a conventional cigarette manufacturing

machine.

In the subject invention, a spiral-effect outer

wrap may be provided for a pre-formed tobacco (or other

smoking material) rod which already has a wrap of binder

material, or a rod may be formed and wrapped in one

process. In both cases, a conventional cigarette wrapping

machine can be adapted to provide the spiral wrap. Figs.

1 and 2 show two forms of wrap which may be used when the

rod is formed and wrapped in one action. A sheet material

used for cigarette wrapping is in the form of a web 1,1'

having a binder region 2,24 having a free edge 4 and a

parallel notional edge 6, thus being equivalent to a

conventional parallel-sided web of cigarette wrap paper

and forming a parallel wrap about the smoking material.

However, extending therefrom are extensions 8 (which in

Fig. 2 are provided by separate sheets 26 attached to the

binder region 24) having an inclined straight edge 3, angled away from the parallel binder edges 4,6. Between

successive extensions 8 are saw-toothed discontinuities 5,

where one inclined edge 3 stops and the next begins. When

the extensions 8 are guided around the rod, the inclined

edges 3 form a spiral effect which stops at the

discontinuity 5. The rod may then be divided into

lengths, preferably at the discontinuities, each length,

having an inner parallel wrap provided by the binder

region 2,24 and an outer, spiral effect wrap provided by

the extensions 8. The length and angle of the edge 3 may

be such as to provide one, or more than one, helical turn

in the length of each finished separated rod.

When the webs 1 of wrap material are used in a

combined rod forming and wrapping process, tobacco or

other smoking material 7 is deposited (see Fig. 5) on the

binder portion 2,24 of the wrap material 1 of Fig. 1 or

Fig. 2, which is supported and transported from a reel of

wrap material (not shown) by a garniture tape 10 supported

on two rollers 11. The wrap material is guided through a

guide trough 12 of mainly semi-cylindrical cross-section

formed in a support body 14, and the tobacco 7 is

compressed within the trough 12 by a concave pressure

finger 16 (Figs. 4-7) to form the tobacco rod 17. As the wrap material 1 and compressed tobacco 7 pass along the

trough 12, guiding wall elements 18,20 gradually raise the

longitudinal edges of the wrap material (Figs. 6-8) to

enclose the tobacco, as in a conventional cigarette making

machine. Glue is applied by a nozzle 23 (Fig. 9) along

the parallel glue line 6 of the binder portion 2,24 of the

wrap material 1 adjacent the projections 8 and guide means

22 hold the extensions 8 away from the tobacco rod 17.

The guide walls 18,20,30 fold the binding portion 2,24 of

the longitudinal wrap 1 to enclose the tobacco rod 17, the

free edge 4 of the wrap material 1 being secured with the

glue applied adjacent 6 the extensions 8. The glue is set

by application of a heat bar 32 (Fig. 11) .

At this stage, in a conventional cigarette

manufacturing machine, the tobacco rods would be cut into

lengths suitable for the cigarette or cigar product. They

would then be transported to tipping and packaging

machines as applicable. However, in the methods of the

invention, this is preceded by the need to guide the

projecting outer wrap sheets around the formed tobacco

rod.

After the binder glue has set, the extensions 8

are guided around the formed rod 17 and secured there with glue which can be applied either just before the guidance

or at an earlier stage.

Preferably, non-moving parts of the apparatus

guide the extensions 8 as the tobacco rod 17, enclosed by

the binding portion 2,24 of the wrap 1, moves

longitudinally through the wrapping apparatus supported by

the garniture tape 4. One way in which this can be

achieved is by plough turning. In this process the

tobacco rod 17 moves along a guide channel 40 of a plough

turner (Figs. 12-17) one wall 42 of which defines a spiral

and which guides the extensions 8 spirally around the rod

17. Glue may be applied to the extensions 8 as the rod 17

moves along the plough turning guide channel 40 or before

the rod 17 enters the plough turner.

Alternative methods of guiding the extensions

around the rod include using garniture tapes or external

winders. One example of an external winder is indicated

by reference numeral 100 in Fig. 18. This consists of a

blade 102 having a portion parallel to the tobacco rod 17

and a portion angled away therefrom, the blade 102 being

rotationally mounted upon a drive unit 104 through which

the tobacco rod 17 passes. Rotation of the blade 102

about the tobacco rod 17 causes the projecting sheets 8 of outer wrap material to be wrapped around the rod, as the

rod 17 passes through the drive unit 104.

Fig. 18 illustrates apparatus for carrying out

the method in which separate strips 28 of outer wrap

material are attached to a pre-made rod 17 as shown in

Fig. 3 and then wound around the rod. The pre-made rod is

enclosed in a binder or inner wrap before the strips of

outer wrap material are attached. This may be done in a

conventional cigarette making machine.

As the wrapped tobacco rod 17 exits guide trough

12 of a conventional cigarette making machine, it passes

under a suction drum 110 which carries pre-cut sheets, or

"flags" 28 of outer wrap material. The flags 28 are

removed from the suction drum 110 by garniture tape 112

which passes around the drum and under inverted guide

trough 113. This so-called inverted garniture tape

transfers the flags from the drum to the moving tobacco

rod.

The flags are cut from a web of outer wrap

material 115 drawn by drive units 116 from a bobbin 114.

Glue is applied to the web 115 by gluing rollers 118 and

the web 115 is fed towards the suction drum 110 at an

angle to its axis, passing beneath cutting roller 120, mounted parallel to the suction drum 110, which cuts

rhomboid flags from the web 115. Rotary clamp 122 presses

each severed flag 28 onto the garniture tape and suction

drum 110. Suction from within the drum 110 acts through

perforations in the drum's circumferential surface to hold

the flags 28 in place. As the flags 28 come into contact

with the tobacco rod 17 beneath the suction drum 110, they

are attached by the previously applied glue to the rod 17

to form extensions of the binder. The flags 28 are held

in place and curved around the rod as the inverted

garniture tape passes through the guide trough 113, so

that they project generally downward from the rod 17 as

they approach the external winder 100, the action of which

is described above.

The spirally wrapped tobacco rod passes to

cutting drum 124 and is cut at the discontinuities 5'

between the extensions, into the correct lengths 125 for

the desired cigarette or cigar product. Each length 125

has a spiral effect outer wrap provided by the inclined

straight edge 3 of a single projecting flag 8. The

lengths 125 are then passed through a series of rollers

126,128 to an end trimming roller 130 and blade 131 which

may be as found in a conventional cigarette manufacturing machine. The trimmed lengths may then pass to tipping or packaging machinery, as required.

Further winding means such as the plough turner described above may be fitted between the inverted

garniture 112,113 and the external winder 100.

The edges 3 need not be straight, so that wrapping effects other than spiral, e.g. a wavy edge, could be obtained if desired.

Claims

1. A web of wrap material for wrapping a rod of

smoking material comprising a parallel wrap binder and at

least one extension from a parallel binder forming portion

thereof, the extension having at least one inclined edge.

2. A web according to claim 1 which has a plurality

of extensions, with a discontinuity at that edge between

adjacent extensions.

3. A web according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein

the extensions are integral with the parallel wrap binder.

4. A method of wrapping a rod of smoking material

to give a non-parallel wrapped effect, which includes

wrapping the rod in a parallel wrap binder, guiding at least one extension, integral with or

attached to the binder and having at least one edge at an

angle to the axis of the rod to overlie the binder on the surface of the rod, so that the inclined edge gives a non-

parallel line, securing said at least one extension to conform

to the binder on the rod, and separating the wrapped rod into discrete lengths .

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein a

plurality of extensions each have at least one inclined

edge, there being a discontinuity between inclined edges

of adjacent extensions, and the method includes severing

the wrapped rod into discrete lengths at the

discontinuities.

6. A method according to claim 4 or claim 5 wherein

the extensions are integral with the parallel-wrap binder.

7. A method according to claim 4 or claim 5 wherein

the extensions are non-integral with the parallel-wrap

binder and wherein discrete lengths of outer wrap material

are severed from a web of outer wrap material and affixed

to a binder pre-wrapping a rod of smoking material, to

form the extensions which project from the rod at an angle

to its longitudinal axis, the projecting extensions then

being guided round the rod to provide the spiral-wrap

effect.

8. An apparatus for wrapping a rod of smoking

material comprising means for wrapping the rod in a

parallel-wrap binder and means for guiding around the rod

at least one extension of wrap material projecting from

the parallel wrapped rod and having at least one edge inclined at an angle to its longitudinal axis.

9. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the means for guiding comprise a paddle rotatable about the rod to

guide the projecting sheets of outer wrap material around

the rod.

10. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the means

for guiding comprise a plough turner having a trough or

tube through which a tobacco rod may be passed, the trough

or tube having a spiral wall, edge or slot to guide the at

least one edge of a projecting extension around the rod as

the rod advances.