Patent GB-415571-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to method of and apparatus for forming bunch charges for cigar machines
IPC: A24C1/02
Filed: 1933-07-28
Abstract: 415,571. Cigarette-making machines. TRIGGS, W. W., 57, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London.-(International Cigar Machinery Co. ; 5520, 2nd Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.) July 28, 1933, No. 21291. [Class 130.] Long filler bunch charges are formed by placing tobacco leaves in flat overlapping relation to form a thin primary layer, subjecting successive portions of the layer to edgewise pressure to crimp or pleat and compact them into a thicker layer, and separating bunch charges from the thicker layer. As shown in Figs. 2 to 4, the leaves T are placed on a crossfeed belt 24 supported by a feed table 25 and actuated by a roller 26 on a shaft 27 driven intermittently through bevel and spur gearing from a shaft 41 ; a ratchet 42 on the shaft 41 is actuated by a pawl 43 on a loose gear 44 oscillated by a gear sector 45 on a pivoted arm 45 connected by a link 47 to a lever 48 carrying a roller 50 engaging in the track 51 of a cam on the shaft 23. Side belts 53, 54 are driven by rollers 55, 56 geared to the shaft 27. The belt 24 feeds the tobacco step by step to a platform 71, and disturbance of the layer of tobacco is prevented by an endless chain belt 72 resting on the tobacco and travelling in synchronism with the belt 24. The chain belt 72 travels over sprockets 73, 80, a roller 81 and a tension roller 101, the sprocket 73 being driven by a belt 78 from the shaft 27. To enable the forward end of the chain belt to move out over the platform 71 during the feed movement of the belt 24, the sprockets 80 are carried by arms 86, 87 actuated by a cam 90 on a shaft 91 driven through bevel and sprocket gearing from the shaft 23. The chain belt is kept flat upon the tobacco layer by a jointed guide plate 99 resting loosely on the bottom loop of the belt, the joints being such that the plate cannot be folded upwards beyond a substantially horizontal position on the retreat of the belt. The tobacco on the platform 71 is cut by the descent of a corrugated cutter 104 passing through a cutter plate 105 forming a bridge between the feed belt 24 and the platform 71. The tobacco is held during cutting by a die 106 which is mounted on spring-controlled guide rods 115 and acts as a stripper on the return of the cutter. A support 107 for the cutter is adjustably mounted on a slide 108 actuated by a lever 110 having a roller 112 engaging in the track 113 of a cam 114 on the shaft 94. The platform 71 is pivotally mounted by means of lugs 119 on a rod 120 supported by a bracket 121 on the feedway plate 122, and is lowered into a horizontal position, on the operation of the cutter, by means of a link 126 and a lever 125 actuated by a cam 123 on the shaft 23. As the platform reaches its horizontal position, a set of ribbed forwarding fingers 135 move into engagement with the surface of the tobacco layer and slide it, at right angles to its previous direction of travel, on to the feedway plate 122 and between upper and lower charge guides 136, 137. The fingers 135 are carried by members 140, 142 provided with a pair of rollers 144 running on a guide rail 145 mounted on a rod 147, which slides vertically in a sleeve 148 and is actuated from a cam 154 on the shaft 23 through a lever 151 and link 150. The horizontal reciprocation of the fingers 135 is effected by pusher arms 155 pivoted upon the member 140 and actuated by an arm 156 on a shaft 157 having an arm 158 actuated by a cam 160 on the shaft 94. The layer C of tobacco between the guides 136, 137 is then pleated as indicated in Fig. 12 by confining it between a measuring gate 162 and a number of measuring fingers 161 ascending through slots between the guides 136, 137. The fingers 161 are pivoted on a shaft 163 mounted on an arm 164 provided with an adjustable weight 171 and pivoted to a shaft 165, which is supported by a bearing arm 166 loosely mounted on a sleeve 128 and actuated by a cam 170 on the shaft 23. Each finger 161 is provided with a tension spring 173 in order to equalize the pressure on the tobacco. The measuring gate 162 is adjustably mounted on a lug 177 pivoted on a bridge 180. When the layer C has been thus compacted, a charge D, Fig. 14, is separated by vertically ascending and descending piercers 181, 182, which enter the layer as shown and then separate horizontally to tear away the charge D. The lower piercers 181 are mounted on a guide 183, Fig. 7, sliding on rods 184 and actuated by a link 187 connected to a lever 188 loosely mounted on the sleeve 128 and actuated by a cam 191 on the shaft 23. The upper piercers 182 are mounted on a bracket 192 sliding on horizontal rods 193 on heads 194 on vertical shafts 195, which slide in sleeves 196 and are actuated from levers 198 secured to the sleeve 128, one of the levers 198 having an arm 199 actuated by a cam 201 on the shaft 23. When the piercers have engaged the layer C, the gate 162 is withdrawn by means of a cam-actuated lever 204 and link 203 ; and the upper piercers 182 are moved forward on the rods 193, by means of links 208 and levers 209 actuated by a cam 212 on the shaft 23. The charge D is thus pushed into a filler transfer F which carries it into the rolling apron A. The feeding of tobacco to the layer C is controlled by a link 213, Fig. 3, pivoted to the shaft 163 of the measuring fingers 161 and having a slot 214 engaged by a pin on an arm 215 on a shaft 216. A second arm 217, Fig. 2, on the shaft 216 carries a link 218 slotted to engage a lever 220 pivoted on a shaft 221, which also carries a control lever 223 connected through a spring to the lever 220. When little or no tobacco is left in the layer C, the increased forward motion of the arm 164 brings the lever 223 into the path of an arm 226 of the pawl 43 by which the ratchet 42 is driven, causing the drive of the filler feed to be resumed.