Patent GB-1351210-A (GB)
Title: Method of and machine for producing rod-like articles of the tobacco manipulating industry
IPC: A24D3/02
Filed: 1971-04-19
Abstract: 1351210 Tobacco-smoke filter manufacture HAUNI-WERKE KORBER & CO KG 19 April 1971 [11 April 1970] 26620/71 Heading A2C [Also in Division G3]  A method of producing rod-like articles of the tobacco manipulating industry, such as filter rods, comprises forming a continuous rod from a main component (e.g., filter tow) treated with at least one additional component (e.g., a chemical softener), cutting the rod into portions of predetermined length, automatically measuring rod portions of the same length from the running production in respect of the quantity of at least one component and forming a signal which corresponds to the measured value and which controls the supply of the quantity of at least one of the components contained in the continuous rod formed. As shown, filter tow 2 is formed into a web 5 by blowers 3, 4 and 7, 8 and a stretching device 9 comprising drum pairs 11 and 12 driven by a main motor 16. The drums 12 are driven at constant speed while drums 11 are driven via a variable gear 21 controlled by a servo motor 22. Applicator device 24 sprays the tow web 5 with softener 26 (e.g. triacetine) by means of a brush drum 28 driven from drum pair 12 via an electromagnetic clutch 33. The softener 26 is supplied to drum 28 by drum 27 driven by a motor 30 controlled by apparatus 34. A main regulating unit 89 controls main motor 16 over line 98, motor 30 by: signals over line 97 to apparatus 34, the clutch 33 over line 95, and the motor 22 by signals over line 94 to comparison member 92. Details of unit 89 and apparatus 34, which include semi-conductor devices, are described with reference to Figures 3 and 4 (not shown) respectively. Tow 5 is conveyed by drum pair 41 to rod-forming device 39 which is fed with wrapper strip 46 via gumming device 47 and is driven by belt 48. Device 57 presses and heats the rod seam. Conventional cutter 58 provides rod portions 60 of predetermined length. Delivery drum 59 holds the portions 60 by suction and delivers them to a conveyor (not shown). Blower nozzles 62, 63 (Figure 2) inside drum 59 are fed by pipes 66, 67 from the pressure side of blower 69 while pipe 71 connects the suction side to drum 59. Control unit 89 actuates magnetic valves 64 and 65 at timed intervals, for example, every half-hour, to blow filter portions out of drum 59 into respective containers 76 or 77 of electronic weighing apparatus 73. Those delivered to container 77 are preceded by stoppage of softener spray by release of clutch 33 over line 95. Container 84 receives rejected filters before and after stopping and starting of spray to ensure that untreated filters do not pass to the conveyor, and that containers 76 and 77 do not receive wrong filters. Delay circuits (151, 154, 129, 136, Figure 3, not shown) and appropriate gates in unit 89 synchronize the appropriate signals with the running production. Signals from weighing apparatus 73 give the difference in weights in containers 76, 77 (i.e. the quantity of softener being applied) and the actual weight in container 77 (i.e. quantity of tow). Nominal values are set by circuits 141 and 143 (Figure 2) and signals from comparator stations 139 and 142 are fed over lines 97 and 94 respectively to comparators 34 and 92 which adjust the speed of drum 27 and the ratio of gearing 21 to provide corrections of spray and tow stretch.