Cigarette making machine

The machine which is of lightweight, compact and economical construction has an elongate base having formed on its upper surface at one end a tobacco receiving and compacting chamber and a cover having a tobacco compactor mounted on its lower surface pivotally mounted on the base and movable from open tobacco insertion position to closed tobacco compacting position where the tobacco compactor forms a cylindrical chamber in the recess. One end of the recess is closed by a removable plate carrying an injection nipple and tobacco formed in the cylindrical chamber is transferred by a reciprocally movable injection spoon through the nipple and into a preformed cigarette tube positioned on the nipple. The nipple and injection spoon are easily removable from the machine for cleaning or replacement.

The present invention relates to a small, compact, lightweight and 
economically manufactured cigarette making machine, and particularly to a 
cigarette making machine of the injection type wherein a supply of tobacco 
is compacted into cylindrical form and injected into a preformed cigarette 
tube positioned on the machine. 
The machine of this invention has an elongate base having formed on its 
upper surface at one end a tobacco receiving and compacting recess, and a 
cover for the recess having on its lower surface a tobacco compactor 
pivotally connected to the base and movable between open tobacco receiving 
and closed tobacco compacting positions. When the tobacco compactor is 
lowered into the recess, an elongate cylindrical chamber is defined for 
the forming of a supply of tobacco of similar shape therein. The cover 
slidably carries releasable locking means used to secure the cover in 
closed compacting position with respect to the base. A circular opening is 
formed in an end wall of the tobacco recess and in axial alignment with 
the cylindrical chamber, and a hollow nipple of circular cross-section 
having an outer diameter to snugly receive an open end of a cigarette tube 
therearound projects axially outwardly from around the opening. The front 
wall of the cover bears against the nipple when the cover is in closed 
position to hold a cigarette tube thereon during insertion of a supply of 
tobacco therein. An injection handle is slidably and removably mounted on 
the upper surface of the base at its other end and to which is secured a 
tobacco injection spoon having a concave upper surface and which is 
reciprocably movable, upon movement of the injection handle from a 
position forming a bottom in the tobacco recess to a position projecting 
through and extending outwardly from the said circular opening and nipple 
and into a cigarette tube positioned thereon. 
The primary object of the invention is to provide a cigarette making 
machine which is economical in manufacture and which uses only a small 
number of moving parts which avoids the complexities and disadvantages of 
prior machines of this general type. A further feature of the invention is 
the ease of and simplicity of disassembly of working component parts for 
cleaning and replacement. 
THE PRIOR ART 
Machines of the type wherein a supply of tobacco is compacted into 
cylindrical form by the pivoted lowering of a cover to compact the tobacco 
followed by the injection of the compacted tobacco into a pre-formed 
cigarette tube positioned on a nipple which is in axial alignment with the 
tobacco forming cavity are known. In this regard, reference is made to 
Canadian Patent No. 909,105, issued Sept. 5, 1972, in the name of 
GizehWerk GmbH., which provides apparatus for the injection of a compacted 
supply of tobacco into a preformed cigarette tube positioned in axial 
alignment with the tobacco chamber. In the arrangement of this patent the 
cigarette tube is held on the nozzle by a rather complicated spring-loaded 
assembly which is subject to wear during usage and is susceptible to 
malfunction due to the formation of tobacco gum which is unavoidable and 
disassembly of this spring-loaded assembly for cleaning is not possible 
with the assembly of this patent. With the apparatus of this patent, 
moreover, the cleaning of the various movable parts which contact and 
transfer the tobacco and which inevitably accummulate tobacco gum is most 
difficult and as these moving components are the one most subject to wear, 
the inability to be able to conveniently replace defective parts results 
in an assembly which has a limited useful life. 
On the other hand, appilcant's injection spoon assembly and nipple 
arrangement which require the most frequent cleaning and possible 
replacement are mounted on the machine for easy removal and replacement 
and which enable the user of the present machine to quickly and easily 
clean or replace parts as required in a manner not before possible with 
known machines. 
A further difficulty with machines of the type disclosed in Canadian Patent 
No. 909,105 and similar machines is that only soft and hotter-smoking 
cigarettes having insufficient tobacco can be satisfactorily made. If in 
the use of the machine according to this patent, a user attempts to add 
excess tobacco to obtain a firmer cooler-smoking cigarette then injection 
becomes very difficult and the extra force involved often results in a 
breakage of the machine particularly in the area where the cover is 
pivotally connected to the base. 
This difficulty is avoided by the present invention primarily through the 
use of a slide wedge-lock arrangement to secure the cover to the base 
which enables firmer cooler-smoking cigarettes to be made while still 
providing for ease of injection without machine damage. 
The present inventive concept will now be more specifically described with 
reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numberals 
refer to like parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS 
The present machine comprises an elongate base 2 having formed on its upper 
surface at one end a tobacco receiving and compacting recess 4 (see FIG. 
2). A cover 6 having on its lower surface a tobacco compactor 8 is 
pivotally secured as at 10 to the base 2 with the cover being pivotable 
between an open tobacco receiving position as shown in FIG. 2 to a closed 
tobacco compacting position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. 
Locking means in the form of locking bridge 12 is carried by the cover 6 
and is slidable therealong from the cover open position shown in FIG. 2 to 
the cover locking and tobacco compacting position at the forward end of 
the machine as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. In the assembly shown, the locking 
bridge 6 is of inverted generally channel shape which straddles the cover 
and the downwardly extending sides (not numbered) are provided with 
inwardly directed ribs 14 which are positioned below side edges 16 
provided along opposed sides of the cover and which relationship holds the 
locking bridge on the cover while enabling sliding movement therealong. 
The inner side surfaces of the locking bridge 12 are also provided with a 
second set of inwardly directed ribs 18 which when the cover is in closed 
position and the locking bridge is moved from the rearward position shown 
in FIG. 2 to the forward locking position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, 
engage beneath tapered outwardly extending flanges 20 provided on each 
side of the base to securely tighten the cover with respect to the base. 
To facilitate this locking movement of the cover, the locking bridge may, 
if desired, by provided with a raised rib projection 22 as shown in FIGS. 
1 and 4. 
The tobacco receiving and compacting recess is shown generally at 4 in FIG. 
2, and this recess is shown in section in FIG. 6. In the showing in FIG. 6 
the cover 6 is in the open tobacco receiving position but for simplicity 
the cover is not specifically shown. 
As clearly shown in FIG. 6, the tobacco recess 4 has a lower semi-circular 
surface 24 with upwardly extending sides 26 which flare outwardly and 
upwardly into concavely curved surfaces 28 which assist in the proper 
positioning of the tobacco within the recess and before the cover is 
closed and locked. 
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, the lower surface of the cover 6 is provided 
with an elongate tobacco compactor 8 having a concavely curved lower 
surface 30 extending throughout its length which when the cover is closed 
forms with the semi-circular lower surface 24 of the recess a cylindrical 
cavity 32 within which the tobacco is molded into cylindrical form and 
ready for injection into the open end of a preformed cigarette tube which 
may be of the plain end or filter tip variety. 
The forward end of the tobacco recess 4 is closed by plate 34 having a 
circular opening 36 (see FIG. 5) surrounded by an outwardly extending 
hollow cigarette tube supporting nipple 38 and through which opening and 
nipple a cylindrical wad of tobacco is injected into a preformed cigarette 
tube position on the nipple as will be discussed below. As shown in FIG. 
2, the nipple may be stepped or provided with a shoulder 40 extending 
therearound against which the end of a cigarette tube abuts when the tube 
is mounted on the nozzle. This step or shoulder facilitates precise 
positioning of the cigarette tube on the nipple. 
In preferred construction, the plate 34 carrying the nipple 38 is removably 
mounted on the base to facilitate cleaning and replacement should this be 
necessary and conveniently enables the selection of a nipple 38 of proper 
size depending upon the diameter of the preformed cigarette tube being 
used. In this regard, cigarette tubes in use in Europe are slightly 
smaller in diameter than the tubes in use in North America. Conveniently, 
and to provide for easy removal and replacement of the plate 34 the sides 
of the base need simply be provided with slots 42 (see FIG. 2) to receive 
the side edges (not numbered) of the plate. 
The lower edge of the front wall 44 of the cover 6 is provided with a 
concavely shaped recess 46 which when the cover is closed and locked, 
bears against the nipple 38 and this securely holds a cigarette tube 48 
positioned on the nipple (see FIG. 4) during injection of the tobacco wad 
into the tube. 
The upper rear surface 50 of the base is provided with a longitudinally 
extending semi-circular groove 52 to slideably receive the lower portion 
of a tobacco injection spoon 54 which for full understanding is 
illustrated in FIG. 8 in perspective view in assembly with an injection 
handle 56. 
The groove 52 extends into the tobacco recess 4 and forms the lower surface 
24 of the recess as will be understood from FIGS. 6 and 7 and provides 
guiding support for the injection spoon during its reciprocal sliding 
movement. 
The injection handle 56 is formed with downwardly depending side walls (not 
numbered) which have inwardly directed ribs 58 which engage beneath 
outwardly extending flanges 60 provided along the sides of the base and 
which interengagement holds the injection handle on the base while at the 
same time permitting reciprocal movement of the injection handle and the 
injection spoon from the rearward position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to a 
forward tobacco injecting position as shown in FIG. 4. 
As will be seen from FIG. 4, the groove 52 extends through the rearward end 
62 of the base and is provided with a resilient upwardly biased stop 64 to 
limit rearward movement of the injection handle with respect to the base 
and prevent inadvertent sliding movement of the injection handle off of 
the base. As indicated however, the stop is of a resilient nature and with 
additional force, it is possible to override the stop and remove the 
injection handle and spoon completely from the base to facilitate cleaning 
or replacement of the spoon and cleaning of the injection chamber to 
remove tobacco "gum" from the assembly which is occasioned primarily by 
the use of fresh or high moisture tobacco. The removal and replacement of 
the injector handle and injection spoon is very simply and quickly 
accomplished and permits the user to keep the machine in clean condition 
for maximum cigarette forming performance. 
The injection spoon 54 extends forwardly from the injection handle 56 
through a circular opening 66 formed in wall 68 defining the rearward end 
of the tobacco recess (see FIG. 2) and as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the 
forward portion 70 of the spoon which has a concave upper surface 72 as 
shown in FIG. 8 provides the lower surface of the cylindrical chamber 32 
and it is partially against this concave surface 72 of the spoon that the 
tobacco is formed into cylindrical shape ready for injection into a 
cigarette tube. 
Forward movement of the injection handle from the rearward position shown 
in FIGS. 1 and 2 to the advancing forward position shown in FIG. 4 results 
in a corresponding movement of the forward end 70 of the injection spoon 
through the nipple 38 as shown in FIG. 4 and into a cigarette tube 48 
positioned on the nozzle. 
The shoulder 74 provided on the spoon between its forward concave portion 
70 and its rearward cylindrical portion 76 bears against the compacted 
tobacco during forward movement of the spoon to transfer the tobacco from 
the cylindrical chamber into the cigarette tube. This pushing movement of 
the shoulder on the tobacco ensures that the tobacco is inserted into the 
tube to a position in contact with the interior surface of the filter plug 
of the cigarette tube and guards against the formation of any empty spots 
within the finished cigarette which is a problem which does occur in some 
known cigarette makers. 
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 8, at least the end of the tobacco compacting spoon 
may be serrated as at 78 to further assist in the transfer of the tobacco 
from the cylindrical chamber forwardly into the cigarette tube. 
When one wishes to prepare a cigarette, the injection handle 56 is moved 
rearwardly on the base to the position a shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and with 
the locking bridge 12 in the position shown in FIG. 2, the cover 6 is 
opened to the position also shown in FIG. 2. A cigarette tube 48 is then 
mounted on the injection nozzle 38 as shown in FIG. 4 and a supply of 
tobacco sufficient for one cigarette is positioned in the tobacco recess 4 
and between the sides 26 and this is facilitated by the concavely curved 
surfaces 28 and also through the use of a suitable tamper 80 such as shown 
in FIG. 3 and which as shown, may have a lower surface 82 of concave shape 
to assist in forming the tobacco into cylindrical shape in the cylindrical 
chamber prior to the lowering of the tobacco compactor 8. The cover is 
then closed and the locking bridge 12 moved forwardly to the position 
shown in FIG. 4 to securely lock the cover on the base. This closing 
movement of the cover lowers the tobacco compactor 8 into compression 
contact with the tobacco forming the tobacco into a generally cylindrical 
shape. With the locking of the cover on the base the recessed edge 46 on 
the front wall of the cover bears against the cigarette tube 48 positioned 
on the nipple 38 and securely holds the tube thereon. The user then simply 
slides the injector handle forwardly from the position shown in FIGS. 1 
and 2 to the advancing position shown in FIG. 4 which results in forward 
movement of the injection spoon 54 which carries the tobacco into the 
cigarette tube positioned on the nipple. When this injection is complete, 
the injection handle is then simply moved rearwardly to the position shown 
in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the locking bridge also moves rearwardly to the 
position shown in FIG. 2 and the cover lifted to enable removal of the 
completed cigarette from the nipple. The lower surface 82 of the tamper 80 
may alternatively simply be flat. 
As indicated earlier, the flanges 20 provided on the base are tapered or 
slightly wedge-shaped with the result that during forward movement of the 
locking bridge the tobacco in the cylindrical chamber is compressed to an 
increasingly precise degree to provide for proper compaction while at the 
same time permitting sufficient looseness in the tobacco to enable the 
tobacco to be injected into the tube with comfortable injection pressure. 
The present sliding locking bridge arrangement prevents an overloading of 
tobacco in the recess for with excess tobacco the bridge will not easily 
slide forwardly to close the cover to its fully closed position, and the 
user is then aware that some tobacco should be removed. This avoids 
wastage and facilitates the injection of properly packed cigarettes. 
FIG. 9 illustrates an alternative stop arrangement for guarding against 
inadvertent sliding removal of the injection handle 56 and associated 
injection spoon 54 from the base 2 while providing simple means enabling 
removal when desired for cleaning and/or replacement as discussed earlier. 
As shown in FIG. 9, and adjacent the rearward end 62, the base 2 is 
provided with a slot 84 to slideably and removably receive a stop plate 86 
and which of course when it is positioned on the base will prevent further 
rearward sliding movement of spoon 54 and handle 56 within groove 50. 
To remove the spoon 54 and injection handle 56 assembly from the base, the 
stop plate 86 which is removably slideably positioned in slot 84 need 
simply be removed. The plate 84 will then of course be replaced when the 
spoon/injection handle assembly is re-positioned on the base. 
In preferred construction, many if not all of the components of the present 
machine may be molded from suitable plastic material, although manufacture 
of the machine using other materials or combinations of materials is 
within the scope of the present invention. If desired, the injection 
nipple and the injection spoon may be of metal construction.