Patent GB-282451-A (GB)
Title: A process of and apparatus for producing bunched cigars
IPC: A24C1/02
Filed: 1927-12-19
Abstract: 282,451. Schussler Tobacco Machine Co., Inc., (Assignees of Schussler, W. H.). Dec. 20, 1926, [Convention date]. Cigar-making machines.- A machine for making cigars from one or more kinds of tobacco comprises means for feeding tobacco along separate paths and a receptacle for receiving a charge of tobacco, the feeding mechanism and receptacle being moved intermittently relatively to each other so that the receptacle receives tobacco from each path in turn. The machine shown in plan and elevation in Figs. 1 and 2 is adapted for making cigars from two kinds of tobacco, a main filler, and a. " blend " filler. Feeding and cutting and trimming mechanism.-Tobacco from platforms 25 25<a> is placed by an operator on intermittently actuated feed belts 26, 26<a> between adjustable side rails 26<b>. The tobacco is trimmed to the proper lengths by inclined knives 260 pivoted at 261 upon ledger plates 262 slightly above and to the side of each belt; a tail 263 on each knife is pivotally connected to a link 264 pivotally and slidably connected to a cross-rod 265 carried bv levers 266 on a shaft 267 actuated by a, treadle. The ledger plates 262 are angularly adjustable about pivots 274. The tobacco passes under star wheels 37, Fig. 7, formed integral with a sleeve 36 on a shaft 24, which is actuated intermittently, in unison with the feed belts, by means controlled from the blending boxes described below. Between the star wheels axe finger-like extensions 32 of a casing 33, under which the tobacco passes over a shaft 38 and is fed to blending boxes 64, 65 by rakes 39 supported by side arms 41, Figs. 7 and 19. In order to give these a. combined reciprocating and oscillating movement, they are each connected by links 42 to a transverse rod 43, and an oscillating trip 45 is pivoted at a fixed point 44 and rests upon a roller 46 on the arm 41; a roller 47 on the trip is held by a spring 49 in engagement with a cam 48 on a sleeve 53, loose on a shaft 24. and each rod 43 is oscillated by means of a crank-arm actuated by a cam 52 on the sleeve 53. Each charge of tobacco is severed by a pivoted knife 240 actuated by a cam on a shaft 20. The cams 48, 52 produce three oscillations of the rakes 39 for each revolution of the shaft 24, which makes two revolutions to one of the shaft 20, so that the charge in the blending boxes is built up by small increments. The blending boxes 64, 65, Figs 7 and 11, are slidable across the machine on rods 62, 63 in order that each box may receive charges from the two feed belts in succession. The box 64 is provided with ears 66 sliding on the rod 62, and the box 65 is provided with a boss 67 sliding on the rod 63, the ears 66 and boss 67 being connected by steel bands 71, 72 passing over idlers 73, 76 and an actuating drum 74. A pinion 77 on the shaft of the drum 74 is engaged by a toothed sector 78 actuated from a cam 85, Fig. 2, on the shaft 20. The cam 85 is loose on the shaft 20 and is actuated from a pinion 85 on the shaft 20 through two-to-one reduction gearing. In order to move the box 65 out of the path of the box 64 for the transverse movement, an arm 86 on the rod 63 is connected by a link 87 to a lever 88 actuated by a cam 90 on the shaft 20. The tobacco is prevented from falling out of the box during this movement by pins 65<a>, Fig. 11, which are retracted in the lowest position of the box. Charge regulating device. A number of fingers 93, Figs 7 and 17, adapted to project into the receptacle 91 of each blending box to determine the amount of tobacco admitted, are integral with a boss 94 loosely mounted on a transverse rod 95. A U-member 102, also loosely mounted on the rod 95. is coupled to the boss 94 by a pin 100 movable in the slot of an arm 98 fixed on the rod 95. A screw-threaded rod 104 secured to the member 102 carries one or more adjustable weights 105, 106 and a leg 103 on the member 102 carries an adjustable screw 107 for engagement with the tail 108 of a pawl 109 adapted to engage with a ratchet wheel 110. The wheel 110 and a second ratchet wheel 113 are loosely mounted on the sleeve 53, and between them is a pawl-carrying arm 114, the central boss of which is keyed to the sleeve 53. Pivoted to the upper end of the arm 114 is a U-shaped member 116, the limbs of which form a trip 117 and a pawl having a lateral tooth 119. The lower end of the arm 114 is connected by a spring 116<b> to the member 116 and by a stronger spring 116<d> to the wheel 110, serving to hold the pawl tooth 119 in engagement with the wheel 113 by means of a pin 118 on the wheel 110 bearing against the trip 117. The ratchet wheel 113, Fig. 20, and a sprocket wheel 23 by which the shaft 24 is driven from the shaft 20, are keyed to the boss of a spur gear 120 rotatable on the sleeve 53, the gear 120 meshing with a gear 130 on a transverse shaft 131 having a similar gear at the other end for driving corresponding members on a second sleeve 53. With the members 23, 113 rotating and the fingers 93 and the pawl 109 in the position showns in Fig. 17, rotation is not transmitted to the ratchet wheel 110. When the screw 107 releases the pawl 109 from the wheel 113, the. spring 116 will cause the pawl tooth 119 to engage the wheel 110. so that the wheel 110, sleeve 53, and feed rakes 39 are put in operation until the fingers 93 are moved aside by tobacco in the transfer boxes. The adjustment of the weight 105, 106 determines the amount of " blend " or " main filler " tobacco which will move aside the fingers 93. In addition to the movement given to the fingers 93 by the tobacco, a further movement is given by means of a cam on the shaft 20 to remove the fingers out of path of transverse, movement of the blending boxes. The oscillation of the rakeoperating rod 43 by the cam 52 on the sleeve 53 is utilized to give an intermittent rotation to the star wheels 37 and feed belts 26, 26<a> by means of ratchet mechanism. Transfer box. The tobacco is fed from the blending boxes to a transfer box 162 by rakes 140, Fig. 7, carried by arms 141 pivoted upon an arm 143 on a shaft 144, which is connected by an arm 145 and link 146 to a lever actuated by a cam 148 on the shaft 20. The rakes 140 are also given an up-and-down movement, in order to clear the fingers 93 and the blending boxes, by means of a cam 155, Fig. 26, on the shaft 20, and a lever 154 connected by a link 153 to plates 151 pivoted at 150 and carrying rollers 152 on each side of the arms 141. In order that the " blend " filler shall not be drawn entirely out of its blending box, the cam for the right-hand rake 140 lifts the rake after about one-third of its forward stroke, and pins 300, Fig. 11, are carried by a bar 301 on a spring-controlled lever 302 engaged by an arm 305 in order to bring the pins into the forward end of the blending box when the transfer box is moved to its upper position. The transfer box is carried by a casting 163 having arms pivoted at 163<a> and a crank arm 163<b> connected to a lever actuated by a cam on the shaft 20. When the transfer box carries its charge down to the rolling apron 172, the charge is retained by a spring-controlled plate 168 until a trip 169 on the plate strikes the table 171 of the rolling mechanism. Apron rolling and wrapping mechanism. A rolling apron 172, Figs. 7 and 9, passes over a table 171 and a roller 175 and is secured at its ends 173, 174 beneath the table, which is provided with a slot 170. The apron is tensioned bv a roller 186 carried by a bell-crank 185 actuated from a cam 190, Fig. 2. on the main drive shaft 17. The roller 175 is carried by a casting 176 supported upon a shaft 177 having a crank arm 178 actuated from a cam 183 on the shaft 17. A frame 195, pivoted upon the casting 176 and connected to it by a spring 197, carries a flat member 196 upon which a wrapper 200 is placed. The charge of tobacco is deposited upon the apron by the transfer box, which engages the edge of the wrapper and forces the apron into the slot 170. The charge is ejected from the transfer box by a plunger 204 actuated from a cam 212 on the main shaft 17. The plunger and transfer box are then withdrawn, and the filler is rolled bv the movement of the frame 176 and roller 175 and is dropped on a shelf 193 at the forward end of the table 171. Driving-mechanism. The main shaft 17 is driven from a motor 13 through belt gearing 14, worm gearing 15, 16, and a one-revolution clutch 160 actuated by a pedal 161. The clutch 160 is disengaged automatically when the rakes 140 have completed about half their movement through the blending boxes, and the operator places a wrapper in position on the member 196 before depressing the pedal 161 again. The shaft 17 drives the cam shaft 20 and the shaft 24 through sprocket gearing 18, 19, and 21 - - 23.