Patent ID: 6478031
Filing Date: 2002-11-12
Classification: A24C,Y10T

Abstract:
A ledger for supporting a cigarette rod during cutting in a cigarette making machine, said ledger comprising a rod-supporting part which is pivotally mounted on two linear motion devices,wherein each linear motion device comprises a fixed gear, a first orbiting gear which is arranged to orbit about an axis of the fixed gear, and a pair of connected coaxial gears, which also orbit about the axis of the fixed gear and which mesh respectively with the fixed gear and first orbiting gear such that an effective gear ratio between the fixed gear and the first orbiting gear via said coaxial gears is 2:1, the rod supporting part being pivotally connected to the first orbiting gear, or to a crank connected thereto, of each linear motion device, said first orbiting gear and said pair of connected coaxial gears in each linear motion device forming part of a removable assembly providing a different cigarette rod length configuration, in which each removable assembly includes a pair of plates arranged to support shafts carrying said first orbiting gear and said coaxial gears of the assembly in relative positions appropriate for the corresponding cigarette rod length.