Patent GB-478573-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to filler feeding mechanism for cigar making machines
IPC: A24C1/02
Filed: 1936-07-17
Abstract: 478,573. Cigar-making machines. INTERNATIONAL CIGAR MACHINERY CO. July 17, 1936, No. 19839. Convention date, April 29. [Class 130] In a cigar - making machine, mechanism is provided for forming a continuous layer of tobacco leaves and delivering the layer to a filler feeding device. One or two layers of stemmed leaves are placed lengthways in pockets formed by L-shaped members 51, Figs. 1 and 3, carried by chains 36, 37 which are advanced towards a platform 58 by a pawl-andratchet mechanism 48, 49. As each member 51 passes about sprockets 34, 35, the tobacco leaves are removed from the pocket and deposited on the platform by rearwardly extending fingers 60 on the platform entering slots 59 in the vertical walls of the member. After the deposition of the leaves from one pocket the platform 58 is advanced, by levers 72, 71, 68, 64 actuated by a cam 62, towards a cross-feed channel A formed by side walls 96, 97 and a belt 109, the platform stopping shortly before it reaches the wall 96. A stripper 61, which is provided with downwardly extending fingers registering with the fingers 60, and with rollers 88, 89 running in grooves 90 in arms 91 pivoted on a shaft 33, is advanced with the platform by levers 86, 85, 83, 82, 81 actuated by the cam 62 and stops above the wall 97. When the platform 58 is moved back the stripper remains stationary to remove the leaves from the platform and deposit them on the crossfeed channel A. During the return movement of the stripper the stripper is raised out of the path of the leaves which are being delivered on to the platform by the next pocket by raising the arms 91 by levers 102, 103, 104, 106, 107 actuated by a cam on the shaft 40 from their normal positions, which are determined by screws 98. To prevent the tobacco on the platform curling, guide bars carried by a bracket connecting the arms 91 rest on the leaves. The belt 109 is intermittently advanced an adjustable fraction of the length of a trough, so that the tobacco leaves are deposited in the channel in overlapping relation and produce a layer of substantially cigar-bunch thickness. To assist in the feeding of the layer along the channel, a pressure plate 110, Fig. 8, carried by guide rods 118 slidably mounted on a reciprocating carriage 120 is moved into engagement with the loaves by a cam 111. The plate moves forwardly with the belt 109 and is returned to its initial position while the belt is stationary. The carriage 120 is provided with rollers 133, 136 engaging rails 132, 134 along which it is reciprocated by a rack and pinion 127, 126. The forward end of the stream is advanced by the belt 109 and pressure plate 110 on to a vertically movable platform 145 having corrugated ends and the plate remains in engagement with the tobacco while a cigar bunch length is cut by a corrugated knife 143, Fig. 12, which coacts with a correspondingly corrugated edge on a stationary ledger plate. The knife is carried by a lug 149 on a slide 150, which is reciprocated by a cam 159, and during cutting the tobacco is held against the platform 145 by clamping fingers 146 on arms 180 operated by a cam 180. The platform is carried on the end of a rod 170, Fig. 14, which is moved up and down by a cam 165a and after a bunch length has been severed the platform is lowered until its corrugated edge fits within a correspondingly corrugated portion of a table 165. The severed charge is forced by a slotted pusher 214, Fig. 16, which is advanced by a spring 215 after a lever 212 has been released by a cam 210, from the platform between adjustable guides 201, 202, Fig. 19, spaced an adjustable distance apart, into contact with a slotted finger 220, Fig. 16, carried by an arm 221. When the tobacco pushed against the linger 220 has been compacted to a density sufficient to overcome the leverage of weights 241 on an arm 240, the finger is pushed backwards until an adjustable lug 242 engages a screw 243, simultaneously further displacement of the pusher 214 is prevented as tails 236 on pawls 237 drop into a notch 244 in a trip member 235 carried by the arm 221 and release the pawls 237 to allow one of them to engage a ratchet 245 on the lever 212. While the tobacco is confined between the pusher 214 and the finger 220 a bunch charge is severed by a thin knife 255 having a bevelled cutting edge. The knife co-operates with a vertically adjustable ledger plate 278, Figs. 18 and 22, against which it is guided by spring - pressed rollers 282 pressing against tongues 284 on the knife. The knife is formed in two sections secured to a clamping bar 273 on a frame 256 pivotally suspended on studs 257 carried by a bracket 259 which is reciprocated by a cam. After the knife 255 has severed a bunch charge, the finger 220 is lowered by a cam 227, Fig. 16, and as the pusher 214 is withdrawn by the cam 210, a cam piece 246 on the arm 212 engages a roller 330 carried by the pawls 237 and releases the trip member 235. To prevent the pusher carrying back tobacco dust accumulating on the guide 202, the pusher arm 200 is raised by a cam 331 which by means of a lever 333 moves a roller 334 through a slot 335 in the table 165 into engagement with a plate 200a carried by the pusher arm 200, As the knife descends, a number of reaper arms 340, Fig. 19, pronged at their front and rear ends, are lowered into engagement with the cut charge. The arms 340 are carried by a bar 341 provided with rollers 355, 356 which are reciprocated along tracks 357 by a cam 351 ; during their forward movement the rear prongs advance the charge along a guide 280 beneath guide strips 209 to a position adjacent a transfer device 400, while the forward prongs insert the previously advanced charge into the transfer device which delivers it on to a rolling apron. The knife 143 severs slightly more tobacco than is necessary for a bunch charge and when a quantity of tobacco slightly in excess of two bunches has accumulated between the pusher 214 and the finger 220, the feed of the filler tobacco is interrupted. Normally the forward movement of the pusher will be sufficient for a screw 311 on the arm 212 to engage an arm 309 and move it so that a roller 313 releases a latch 304 which holds a pawl 301 out of engagement with a nose 300 on a rocker arm 298. As the rocker arm is oscillated by a cam-actuated lever 292, the pawl 301 oscillates a gear segment 302 which through a gear segment 305 actuates the pawl- and-ratchet mechanism 48, 49 driving the chains 36, 37 and through pawls 307 actuates the ratchet wheel driving the feed belt 109. Towards the end of the forward stroke of the arm 298 a cam piece 315 disengages the pawl 301 and the segment 302 is returned to its normal position by a pin 298a. When an oversupply of tobacco accumulates between the pusher 214 and the finger 220, the arm 212 is stopped before the screw 311 engages the arm 309, and as the latch 304 is not disengaged the pawl 301 is held out of engagement and the feed movement of the chains 36, 37 and the belt 109 is temporarily interrupted. Specifications 478,617 and 478,618 are referred to.