Method and applicator for applying glue to a travelling stream of tipping paper

The applicator roll is provided with two recesses to apply uniform layers of glue to a travelling stream of tipping paper. In addition, the applicator roll has a series of spaced apart grooves in each recess so as to apply additional stripes of glue onto the tipping paper near the edges. The additional stripes of glue provide for a more secure bonding of the tipping paper to the tobacco column of the filter cigarette construction.

This invention relates to an applicator for applying glue to a travelling 
stream of tipping paper. More particularly, this invention relates to an 
applicator for and method of applying glue to tipping paper for securing a 
filter to a tobacco column for a cigarette as well as to an improved 
filter cigarette construction. 
As is known, filters of the fibrous-entrainment type or cavity type are 
generally abutted against a tobacco column and secured in place by a 
wrapping of tipping paper in order to form a filter cigarette. To this 
end, the tipping paper is usually provided with a glue or adhesive over 
the entire surface or only at certain sections depending on the type of 
filter, for example as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,720, in order to 
secure the filter and tobacco column together. 
Generally, the tipping paper overlaps the tobacco column in order to 
provide a bonding area for securing the tipping paper to the tobacco 
column. If there is an insufficient area of bond between the tobacco 
column and tipping paper, the tobacco column may break away from the 
filter thus destroying the intended use of the filter cigarette. Thus, in 
order to insure fixation to the tobacco column, it has sometimes been 
necessary to use a wide strip of tipping paper to furnish a suitable 
overlap of the tipping paper on the tobacco column. This not only requires 
additional amounts of tipping paper but also wider widths in the equipment 
used to apply the glue to the paper. 
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a secure fixation 
of a tobacco column to a filter. 
It is another object of the invention to reduce the amount of tipping paper 
required for bonding a tobacco column and filter together. 
It is another object of the invention to provide an applicator of simple 
construction for applying glue in excess at predetermined points of a 
stream of tipping paper for use in forming a filter cigarette. 
Briefly, the invention provides an applicator for and a method of applying 
glue to a travelling stream of tipping paper as well as to an improved 
filter cigarette construction. 
The applicator includes a glue pot which contains a reservoir of glue, a 
transfer roll which is rotatably mounted over the glue pot and has a 
circumferential surface projecting into the pot to receive glue thereon 
and an applicator roll which is rotatably mounted on and over the transfer 
roll to receive a layer of glue therefrom. The applicator roll also has at 
least one row of circumferentially spaced apart elongated grooves therein 
which are sized and shaped to receive a stripe of glue therein. 
The applicator cooperates with a means for conveying a stream of tipping 
paper through a predetermined path so as to apply glue to an underside of 
the travelling stream of tipping paper. In this regard, the glue is 
applied in a substantially uniform layer across the width of the tipping 
paper with a superimposed additional stripe of glue coincident with the 
groove in the applicator roll. 
When in use in a filter cigarette making machine, the applicator also 
cooperates with a means for positioning a series of filters in alignment 
with the conveyed stream of tipping paper with each filter disposed 
transversely of the conveyed stream; a means for positioning a series of 
tobacco columns in alignment with the conveyed stream of tipping paper 
with each tobacco column disposed coaxially of a respective filter and 
transversely over a respective glue stripe; and a means for severing the 
conveyed tipping paper stream transversely between each respective pair of 
glue stripes to form a tipping paper strip. This latter means cooperates 
with a further means for wrapping each strip circumferentially about an 
aligned tobacco column and filter in order to secure the tobacco column 
and filter together. 
The method includes the step of providing a strip of tipping paper with a 
layer of glue on one surface and an additional stripe of glue near one 
edge of the surface. The method also includes the steps of disposing a 
filter on a surface of the tipping paper transversely of the stripe of 
glue, disposing a tobacco column coaxially of the filter and transversely 
over the glue stripe and wrapping the strip circumferentially about the 
filter and tobacco column to secure the filter and tobacco column 
together. 
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more 
apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with 
the accompanying drawings wherein:

Referring to FIG. 1, the machine 10 for making a filter cigarette contains 
various components of conventional structure which will not be further 
described below. As indicated, the machine 10 includes a tipping paper 
roll 11 which is suitably mounted on a rotatable shaft 12 to feed a stream 
of tipping paper 13 to a means 14 for conveying the stream of tipping 
paper 13 through a predetermined path. As indicated, the conveying means 
14 includes guide and drive rolls 15 for conveying the tipping paper 13 
through the machine 10 as well as a vacuum break 15 and straightener 16'. 
A suitable tensioning assembly 17 is also provided to maintain a uniform 
tension in the tipping paper stream. 
As shown in FIG. 1, an applicator 18 is disposed below the travelling 
stream of tipping paper 13 at one point in the path of the paper 13 for 
applying glue to the paper 13. 
Referring to FIG. 2, the applicator 18 includes a glue pot 19 which 
contains a reservoir of glue 20, a transfer roll 21 which is rotatably 
mounted over the glue pot 19 and which has a smooth circumferential 
surface projecting into the pot to receive glue thereon and an applicator 
roll 22 which is rotatably mounted on and over the transfer roll 21 to 
receive a layer of glue therefrom. As shown, the applicator roll 22 has a 
raised ring 23 at each end and a raised circumferential rib 24 at a 
central point so as to form a pair of recesses 25 for receiving a uniform 
layer of glue therein (see FIG. 4). Further, the applicator roll 22 has a 
row of circumferentially spaced apart elongated grooves 26 in each recess 
25. Each of these grooves 26 is sized and shaped to receive a stripe of 
glue 27 therein (see FIG. 4). For example, each groove has a depth of 
0.025 inches and a width at the widest part of 0.025 inches. As shown in 
FIGS. 2 and 3, the rims 23 and central rib 24 contact the surface of the 
transfer roll 21 and are of the same outer diameter. 
As shown in FIG. 3, each row of grooves 26 is spaced inwardly of a rim 23, 
for example at a distance of 3.5 millimeters from the center-line of the 
groove 26 to the inside rim wall. 
Referring to FIG. 1, the applicator 18 is also provided with a suitable 
feed means 27 for feeding a supply of glue to the glue pot 19 as well as a 
sensor 28 for sensing the level of glue 20 within the pot 19 so as to 
institute a feed of fresh glue to the pot 19 to maintain a substantially 
constant level therein. As also shown in FIG. 3, the transfer roll 21 is 
rotatably mounted via a shaft 29 on the pot 19. This shaft 29 is driven 
from the drive of the machine 10 in known synchronized manner with the 
remaining machine components. The applicator roll 22 is likewise carried 
by a shaft 30 which is driven off the transfer roll shaft 29 via a pair of 
meshing gears 30, 31. 
Referring to FIG. 1, the machine 10 also has a means (not shown) for 
positioning a series of filter plugs 32 (see FIG. 5) in alignment with the 
conveyed stream of tipping paper 13, for example on an alignment drum 33, 
with each filter plug 32 disposed transversely of the conveyed stream 13 
as shown in FIG. 1. To this end, each filter plug 32 (which is sized to 
provide two filters) is disposed centrally between the two rows of glue 
stripes 27. In addition, a means (not shown) is provided for positioning a 
series of tobacco columns 32 in alignment with the conveyed stream of 
tipping paper 13 on the alignment drum 33 with each tobacco column 34 
disposed coaxially of a respective filter plug 32 and transversely over a 
respective glue stripe 27 as shown in FIG. 5. 
In addition, the machine 10 is provided with a means such as a cutter 35 
adjacent the aligning drum 33, for severing the conveyed tipping paper 
stream 13 transversely between each respective pair of glue stripes 27 in 
order to form a tipping paper strip 36. As shown in FIG. 5, the cutter 35 
forms a sequence of cuts 37 in the tipping paper stream 13 to form the 
individual strips 36 of tipping paper. 
Further, a means (not shown) is provided for wrapping each tipping paper 
strip 36 circumferentially about the aligned tobacco columns 34 and filter 
plug 32 in order to secure the tobacco columns 34 and filter plug 32 
together. As shown in FIG. 9, when the tipping paper strip 36 is wrapped 
about the filter plug 32 and tobacco columns 34, the tipping paper strip 
36 is overlapped on itself to form a flap 38. This flap 38 contains a 
layer of glue on the inside surface; however, the stripes of glue 27 do 
not extend into this flap 38. Instead, the stripes of glue 27 terminate 
short of the flap 38. 
As shown in FIG. 3, the grooves 26 are spaced apart in each row at a 
distance of, for example about 3 millimeters. This provides for the 
overlap when wrapping the subsequent tipping paper strip 36 about a filter 
plug 32 and the tobacco columns 34 for joining purposes. 
Referring to FIG. 4, when glue 20 is transferred from the smooth transfer 
roll 21 to the applicator roll 22 and thence to the stream of tipping 
paper 13, the glue completely fills the recesses 25 defined by the rims 23 
and raised rib 24 as well as the grooves 27. This glue is transferred onto 
the underside of the tipping paper 13 as the paper moves from the 
applicator roll 22. 
In operation, the stream of tipping paper 13 is dispensed from the tipping 
paper roll 11 and leads over and through the various guide rolls 15, a 
vacuum break 16, and straightener 16 as well as the applicator roll 22 of 
the applicator 18. At this time, the underside of the tipping paper stream 
13 picks up two layers of glue of substantially uniform thickness from the 
two recesses 25 of the applicator roll 22. In addition, an additional 
stripe of glue 27 is transferred within each layer of glue from the groove 
26 in each recess 25. The tipping paper 13 then proceeds to the aligning 
drum 33 whereat a series of filter plugs 32 and tobacco columns 34 are 
aligned with the glue containing surface of the tipping paper 13. As shown 
in FIG. 5, the filter plugs 32 are located within the rows of glue stripes 
27 while the tobacco columns 34 are disposed transversely over each 
respective stripe 27. Subsequently, the tipping paper 13 is severed 
between each respective pair of glue stripes 27 to form the individual 
strips 36 of tipping paper. Thereafter, these strips 36 are individually 
wrapped about a filter plug 32 and a pair of coaxially aligned tobacco 
columns 34 to secure the filter plug 32 to the two tobacco columns 34 as a 
unit. Subsequently, each of these units is then severed intermediately of 
the filter plug 32 by suitable means in order to form two filter cigarette 
constructions 39. 
As shown in FIG. 8, each resultant filter cigarette construction 39 has a 
strip of tipping paper 40 circumferentially disposed about a tobacco 
column 34 and a filter 41 with the strip 40 having a layer of glue 42 
thereon bonding the strip 40 to the tobacco column 34 and filter 41 as 
well as a circumferential stripe of glue 27 bonding the strip 40 to the 
tobacco column 34. As indicated above, the stripe of glue 27 is located 
about 2.5 millimeters inwardly of the edge of the tipping paper 40 over 
the tobacco column 34. 
Referring to FIG. 4, the width of the applicator roll 22 from the inside 
surfaces of the rims 23 is equal to the width of the tipping paper 13 plus 
two millimeters. Further, the spacing between the two rows of grooves 27 
is equal to the width of the tipping paper 13 minus five millimeters. 
Also, the raised rib 24 and rims 23 extend upwardly from the surface of 
the roll 22 a distance of 0.0014 inches. It is to be noted that the 
circumferential rib 24 on the applicator roll 22 prevents glue from being 
disposed centrally along the travelling stream of tipping paper 13. Thus, 
when the filter plugs 32 (FIG. 5) are severed intermediately thereof, 
there is no glue between the tipping paper strip 40 and the filter 41 at 
the free end of the filter cigarette construction (FIG. 8). 
The invention thus provides an applicator and method of applying suitable 
auxiliary means to a travelling stream of tipping paper so as to insure a 
firm fixation of a filter to a tobacco column in a filter cigarette 
construction. 
The invention further permits the use of narrower widths of tipping paper 
and corresponding narrower widths of applicator rolls for applying glue 
onto the tipping paper.