Patent GB-237360-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in cigar machines
IPC: A24C3/00
Filed: 1924-02-25
Abstract: 237,360. Marks, E. C. R., (International Cigar Machinery Co.). Feb. 25, 1924. Cigar-making machines. The cigar-making machine shown in Fig. 1 comprises a bunch forming mechanism A, a moulding device B in which the bunches are subjected to moderate pressure insufficient to close the draught passages or to give the tobacco a permanent set, a wrapping mechanism C and transferring devices D and E, carrying the bunches from the bunching mechanism A to the moulding device B, and the moulded bunches and finished cigars to and from the wrapping mechanism C respectively. The moulding device B comprises a step-by-step rotating drum 3, Figs. 3 and 4, round the periphery of which are mounted half-moulds 1 which coact with corresponding half-moulds 2 mounted to swing about pivots 4 on the periphery of the drum immediately below the half-moulds 1. The drum 3 rotates above a fixed cam-plate 7, on which bear rollers 6 attached to the pivoted half-moulds. This camplate controls the movements of the half-moulds 2 in such a manner that they are swung down as at K to receive or to deliver bunches and so that the moulds are closed as at L to shape the bunches while the drum 3 is rotating between the bunch receiving and delivery positions. To ensure the opening of the moulds as they approach the bunch delivery position, and to lock them in the open position, a guard plate 7e, Fig. 4, is provided, which extends only over that part of the periphery of the cam-plate 7 corresponding to the operations referred to, and which forms, with the portion 7b of a continuous cam-surface, a camgroove in which the rollers 6 engage. The shaft 9, on which is keyed the drum 3, is given a step-by-step rotation from a lever 18, Fig. 4, actuated by a roller 19 from a cam-groove 20 formed in a wheel 21. The lever 18 drives the shaft 9 through a universal joint 17 and a ratchet device shown in detail in Fig. 11. The ratchet device comprises a two-armed lever 14, pivoted at 14a to an arm 13 freely rotatable around the shaft 9, one arm of which lever carries a roller 15 adapted to enter notches 12<a> in a wheel 12 keyed to the shaft 9. The roller 15 is held in engagement with one of the notches 12<a> by a spring 14<b>. The other arm of the lever 14 is directly actuated through a rod 16 and universal joint 17 by the lever 18. Movement' of the upper end of the lever 18, carrying with it the universal joint 17, from right to left as shown in Figs. 4 and 11, rotates the drum 3 one step. The drum is prevented from rotating backwards by a spring actuated pawl 23, which carries a lug 25 adapted to enter one of the notches 12a. In the position shown, which is that of the parts immediately before the wheel 12 is rotated, this pawl is held out of engagement with the wheel 12 by a roller 26 mounted immediately above the roller 15 on the two-armed lever 14. When the rod 16 has completed its working stroke from right to left, the pawl 23 is released and engages the wheel to lock it. The pawl remains in engagement with the wheel until, after the back stroke of the rod 16, the roller 15 engages the next notch 12a preparatory to a repetition of the whole process, and the position shown is again reached. The drum 3 may be electrically heated by a coil in the interior thereof, the coil being either fixed to the frame of the machine or rotating with the drum, and fed with current by slip rings and brushes. The device for transporting the bunches from the bunching mechanism A to the moulding device B comprises a carriage 32, Figs. 3 and 5, mounted on wheels 32<a> which engage a pair of rails 33. The bunch is placed by the attendant in charge of the bunching mechanism between shaped jaws 35, 36, which are closed together as the carriage traverses towards the discharging position by screwed rods 37 on which are mounted the upper pair of wheels 32<a>. To ensure rotation of these wheels a rack 39 and pinion 38 rigidly attached to the wheels are provided. The carriage 32 is traversed by an arm 40 actuated by a camgroove 42 in a wheel 32, which also actuates in a similar manner the ejector device 45 througb the rod 47 and lever 46. The ejector device pushes the bunch out of the jaws 35, 36 into a half-mould 2 which is stationarv beneath the said jaws to receive the bunch. Means for trimming the bunch either during its ejection from the jaws 35, 36, or during the traverse of the carriage 32 are provided, the means comprising knives either mounted on the ejector 45, or adapted to be actuated bv the inward movement above desscribed of the jaw 36. Instead of placing the bunches between the jaws 35. 36 by hand, they may be delivered to the carriage 32 from the rolling table of the bunching machine, which is of the chianti belt type, by a pair of spring clips, mounted on an arm which rotates about a horizontal axis. The bunch is rolled into these, clips by the chianti belt, is centred therein by end pieces actuated to approach one another when the bunch is in the clips and is finally delivered to the carriage 32 by rotation of the arm above, referred to. The clips arrive over the carriage 32 inverted, and are separated by engagement with a tapered portion of the carriage to permit the bunch to fall into the space between the jaws 35, 36. The wrapping mechanism C, Fig. 1, consists of a wrapper cutter 28, 29 and wrapping rolls 27. The transporting device E is of the kind described in Specification 17619/05 and comprises an arm 56 with two sets of holding devices, one for unwrapped moulded bunches, the other for finished cigars. Starting from the position shown in Fig. 1, at which a moulded bunch is picked up, the arm 56 moves first to a position over the tray F to discharge a finished cigar, then in an anti-clockwise direction to pick up a wrapped cigar from the wrapping rolls 27 and to discharge the bunch previously picked up, and finally to a position intermediate between the bunch receiving and discharging positions for trimming and final finishing of the wrapped cigar. The arm 56 is actuated from a camway 66 in a drum 65 bv the segmental gearing shown. The receiving tray F is mounted on an oscillating shaft 62. The moulded bunches are lifted, from the half-moulds 2 ready to be picked up by the arm 56 by a set of pins 67, Fig. 4, passing through openings in the half-moulds, and actuated by a cam-groove 74 in the far side of the wheel 21 as seen in Fig. 4, through an arm 72, and rods 69. The various parts of the machine are driven from a shaft 75, Fig. 1, connected through a clutch 76 with the driven pulley 77 when both pedals 86, 87 are depressed, by the bunching and wrapping mechanism attendants respectively. The cam-shaft 31 and rolls 27 of the wrapping mechanism are driven through worm gears 78, 79. The wheel 21 actuating the drum 3 and the ejecting pins 37, and the drum 65 actuating the transferring arm 56, are mounted on a shaft 22, which, together with the shaft 44 carrying the drum 43 actuating the transferring mechanism D, is driven from a worm wheel 82 on the shaft 75. The bunching mechanism A may be independently driven and controlled, or driven from the shaft 75. Specifications 22820/13 and 224,076 also are referred to.