Patent GB-352082-A (GB)
Title: Machine for automatically fitting filter-holding tubes to cigarettes
IPC: A24C5/47
Filed: 1930-04-05
Abstract: 352,082. Cigarettemaking machines. YEGWART, M., 24, Goulden Road, Withington.Manchester. April 5, 1930, Nos. 10907/30, 16239/30, and 3647/31. [Class 130.] A machine for inserting filter-holding tubes in machine - made cigarettes comprises means for bringing a supply of cigarettes one by one to a tubereceiving position, means for bringing a supply of tubes one by one to an adjacent tube-inserting position, means for preparing the cigarette, before moving into the tube-receiving position, for receiving the tube, and means for transferring a tube from the tube-inserting position into the prepared cigarette, the elements being timed to act in synchronism with each other. The machine may be used for inserting filter-holding tubes such as shown in Fig. 1a or the tubes described in Specification 297,550. [Class 130, Tobacco]. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the periphery of a wheel 1 is provided with grooves 2 each of which receives a cigarette from endless conveyer bands 25 running between guide-plates 25a, the cigarettes being placed by hand on the bands 25. The conveyer is driven from a belt pulley 32 on the shaft 3 of the wheel 1, which is rotated intermittently by means of a ratchet wheel 16 actuated by a pawl 15 pivoted on a radius lever 14 and connected by a link 13 to a crank or eccentric 12 driven from a power shaft through belt and toothed gearing 7 .. 10. In successive positions of a cigarette on the wheel 1, tobacco is removed from the end of the cigarette by a drill-like tool 18, Fig. 6; the remaining tobacco is levelled by a plunger 19; paste is applied to the paper of the cigarette by a pasting ram 21 ; and the filter-holding tube is inserted in the cigarette by a ram 20. The pasting ram 21 may be omitted. The tools 18 .. 21 are reciprocated by means of levers 38, 39, Fig. 4, actuated by a track cam 40 driven from the shaft 9 ; the lever 39 actuates the drill 18 and plunger 20 through a cross-pin 41 and a grooved boss 42. The drill 18 is simultaneously rotated by a belt 24 and pulley 24a. The tobacco removed by the drill is discharged into a shoot 22 and drawn by a fan 23 into a box. The plunger 19 is provided with a needle 19b for piercing the tobacco to ensure a smoke passage, and is connected by a pin and slot to a tapered outer sleeve for entering and holding the cigarette wrapper, a spring 19a returning the plunger into the outer sleeve before the sleeve releases its grip on the paper. The tubular pasting ram 21 is supplied with paste through a hole 21b from a cup 21c, and is provided at its forward end with a ring 21a of paste-holding material. During the operation of the tools 18 .. 21 the cigarette is held on the wheel by a grooved plate 33, Fig. 1. which is lifted between successive operations by a push-rod 34 actuated by the eccentric 12 ; a wire guard 37 then prevents the cigarettes from leaving their grooves. The filter-holding tubes are fitted in holes 44 in a bar 43 sliding in a vertical guide 45 and provided with ratchet teeth for actuation by a pawl 46 on the lever 14 to bring each hole 44 in turn into line with the ram 20. In a modification, the slide 45 for the bars 43 is inclined and is long enough to receive two bars, which are both advanced step by step, to avoid delay in replacing an empty bar by a full one ; and the hinged plate 33 is replaced by a plate slidable vertically in guides. The rotary elements of the machine may be driven directly by electric motors from a main shaft through belt gearing, the cam 40 may act directly upon the drill, plunger, and ram instead of through levers, and the cigarettes may be fed to the wheel 1 from an inclined guide leading into a vertical guide lying over one of the grooves of the wheel. In a further form, the wheel 1 is replaced by an endless chain of metal links travelling over a fixed table, each link being provided with grooves for a number of cigarettes. The chain is moved forward intermittently to bring each link in turn into filling, preparing, &c. positions. In the filling position, the link is filled from a multichambered magazine of cigarettes ; in each of the subsequent positions, all the cigarettes on one link are acted upon simultaneously by a group of drills, plungers, and rams. The filter-holding tubes may be carried in rows of holes in a cylinder which is rotated to bring each row in turn into line with the rams for inserting the tubes into cigarettes on the adjacent chain link ; or a series of sliding bars such as 43, Fig. 3, may be employed.