Improvements in Cigarette-making Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 18th June, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cigarette-making Machines.
I, JOHN ORIN EATON, of 212, Globe Street, in the City of Fall River, County of
Bristol, and State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Machinist, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained, in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to cigarette machines of the class in which continuous
cigarettes are made by applying a long or continuous wrapper-strip to a con-
tinuous filler, commonly termed a tobacco rod, and folding the opposite edges of
the wrapper into engagement with each other and uniting them by crimping so as
to form a complete seam without the use of paste or other adhesive substance.
In this invention the wrapper-seam of the cigarette is folded and crimped from
the outside, that is to say, all the mechanism which folds and crimps the seam is
applied on the outside of the wrapper, and no mechanism or tool whatever is
applied within or to the inside of the wrapper or tube containing the filler. In the
employment of ordinary continuous cigarette machines in which the cigarette is
crimped from both sides, that is, by applying mechanism to the outside of the
seam and within the wrapper, the filler often becomes clogged by the inside
crimper and mandrel, and the paper constituting the seam is very liable to become
cut. These and other objectionable features are done away with by my improved
machine, in which a welt seam is produced providing an excellent lock whereby
the wrapper is united at its edges very securely without the aid of paste, the
crimpers being enabled to be made larger and give greater pressure on account of
their external position.
The nature of the invention is fully described in detail below, and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure is a plan view of my new and improved cigarette machine.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 3, Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a similar section taken on line 4, Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a similar section taken on line 5, Figure 2.
Figures 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are enlarged transverse sections in detail illustrating
In all these figures except
successive steps in the process of making the seam.
Figure 8, the tobacco rod and wrapper are shown in section and in position.
Figure 11 is an enlarged detail in perspective illustrating the portion of the
shaper shown in section in Figure 9.
Figure 12 is an enlarged cross section in detail illustrating the process of-
crimping the seam.
Figure is an enlarged section in detail taken longitudinally through a por-
tion of the tobacco rod and wrapper illustrating the crimping process.
Figure 14 is an enlarged sectional elevation in detail taken on line 14, Figure 2.
Figure 1 is a sectional detail taken on line 15, Figure 14.
Figure 16 is an elevation of the inner end of the shaper C.

page_text: Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts:
A represents a horizontal bed, preferably of metal, supported in and by a suit-
able base a which sets upon a table a¹. Formed in the upper surface of this bed A
is a horizontal groove A¹ semicircular in shape and one half the thickness and
circumference of the cigarette which is to be formed therein. This groove extends
from one end to the other of the bed and is flared at its entrance as shown at A",
Fig. 1. is the driving shaft supported horizontally in the brackets or hangers ali
(Fig. 2), and 1 is a counter-shaft fast upon which is the gear engaged by the
gear on the main shaft b (Figs. 2 and 5). Fast on the driving shaft b are the
four bevel gears d, d', d", di which engage respectively the bevel teeth e, el, ell,
el integral with the gear wheels f, f¹, f", fill.
a
The gear wheel is, fast on the vertical shaft which extends up
through the base at the left end of the machine, which is the
end at which the wrapper and tobacco rod enter. On the upper end
of the shaft g is a bevel gear g¹, (Fig. 1) which engages a bevel gear on the
horizontal shaft B' supported by a suitable bracket or standard B bolted to the
surface of the base a. This shaft B drives a disk-wheel B whose periphery is
concave in cross section, and which is not thicker than the diameter of the groove
or trough A, Figs 1 and 2. A horizontal guide or shaper C broad at its rear
end and narrowing toward its front end, is sustained by the support C¹ secured to
the surface of the base a and the bracket C which is secured to and extends
rearwardly from the front end of the bed A. This guide-trough or shaper has its
upper edge folded inward as shown, and receives the continuous strip indicated
by broken lines b in Figures 1 and 2, from which the wrapper is to be formed.
This strip is guided into the machine to be folded and crimped as hereinafter
described by the shaper C, and the tobacco rod is guided by the disk wheel B
which is formed with an 'annular groove for the purpose of resting on the upper
edge of said rod as it is fed into the machine. The shaper
is set at such a
height as to guide the strip into the groove or trough A¹ in the bed, which sets
above the surface of the base a, as shown in the different figures.
The gear wheel f¹ is fast on a vertical shaft D which extends up through the
base, and said gear wheel engages a similar gear wheel D" fast on the vertical
shaft D which also extends up through the base. Rigidly secured to the upper
ends of these shafts are the disk wheels E and F. These wheels are set horizon-
tally so as to lie close upon the bed A and the under portions of their peripheries
are grooved at E and F, each groove describing an arc of a circle and the two
completing the circle, one half of which is described by the groove or trough A¹
in the bed. See Fig. 3. The portion E of the periphery of the wheel E is plain,
and the opposite portion F" of the periphery of the wheel F is also plain, but
this latter wheel is thicker than the wheel E and its periphery is formed with a
horizontal annular extension or lip F which overlaps the upper surface of the
wheel E. When the strip h is fed into the machine and reaches the flared end A"
(Fig. 1) of the trough, the edge y is higher than the other edge y and, as the
strip is fed between the wheels E and F, the effect of the flange or lip F is to fold
the edge y horizontally over and across the edge y' into the position indicated in
Figure 6.
"
Mounted upon a support H" just beyond the disk wheels E, F is a vertically set
wheel H adapted to rotate freely on said support and having its periphery beveled
as shown at H¹. The face of this wheel (which is about one half the thickness of
the tobacco rod) is substantially over the longitudinal center of the trough A',
and a guide plate I is secured to the bed opposite this wheel and in such a position
that the groove I' on its inner edge (Fig. 7) continues the curve described by the
trough Ai
As the strip proceeds from between the wheels E, F to the wheel H
and guide I, the effect is to turn the edge y of the wrapper which in Figure 6 was
horizontal, down to the angle indicated in Figure 7. Next beyond the disk wheel H
and support H" is a plate J secured to the bed, such plate being provided with
a guiding lip J (see Figures 8, 9 and 11), the end of which next the approaching

page_text: strip is beveled off diagonally at J" so as to cut off the corner next the approaching
strip. As the edge of the lip J₁ faces the inner edge of the plate I, the effect of
this diagonal bevel is to draw or guide the partially folded edge of the wrapper
from the position indicated in Figure 7 to the position indicated in Figure 9, or in
other words, to fold said edge y entirely around and closely against the narrower
edge y¹.
The plates I and J are curved or pointed forward at their inner ends so as to
guide the strip between the two horizontal wheels K and L mounted respectively
on the vertical shafts N and N¹, the latter being provided with the gear wheel Nu
which is engaged by the gear wheel f". The lower portions of the peripheries of
these disk wheels K, L are grooved at K'L' to fit the cigarette rod, and said wheels
lie closely upon or over the bed A in the same manner as the wheels E, F. Above
the groove L' in the wheel L its periphery is provided with an annular notch or
substantially rectangular groove L"; and the wheel K is provided with a peri-
pheral annular tongue K which extends into the groove L", all as shown in
Figure 4. As the strip or wrapper is fed from the plates I and J between the
wheels K and L, the tongue K engages the wrapper just below the edge of the
flap y, while the sharp projection L which constitutes the lower wall of the
groove L extends into the wrapper from the opposite side and doubles it under the
part engaged by the tongue K", the upper wall L of the groove folding the two
flaps over upon the tongue K", all as indicated in Figure 10. This leaves the
uncrimped seam about evenly arranged on the opposite side of the center of the
cigarette, or on opposite sides of the point at which the wrapper is folded or
formed into a seam.
The next step is to crimp the seam. A. bevel gear wheel 7 (Figures 2 and 5)
driven by the counter shaft 61 engages the bevel gear on the inclined shaft I'
extending up at an angle through the base a. See Figure 5. A bevel gear P
on said shaft engages a bevel gear Pill on an oppositely inclined shaft P¹. Fixed on
the upper ends of said shafts P, P¹ are the inclined disk wheels R and S the lower
corners of whose peripheries are provided with curved grooves R₁ and S₁ to
accommodate the tobacco rod and wrapper, while the upper corners are beveled off
at R S to form a horizontal surface which is suitably serrated for crimping
purposes. Figures 1, 2 and 5. The bed A is beveled off to allow these wheels to
meet over the trough A¹. T, U are disk wheels set at opposite inclines and pro-
vided with beveled serrated peripheries T', U¹ adapted to press upon the upper
surface of the seam, as illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13, when the wrapper containing
the rod of tobacco is forced from the position indicated in Figure 10 between the
pair of wheels R, S and the pair of wheels T, U. Thus the seam is crimped on the
upper and under sides and the entire crimping mechanism is outside the wrapper
and applied to the outside of the seam. The wheels T, U are supported on studs m¹
extending from arms m which are integral with and extend from the faces of
the gear wheels n, being secured to the faces of the disks n¹ by bolts n which
extend through curved slots in said disks. See Figures 1, 2, 5, 14 and 15.
Arms q extend up from the disks n' over worms q operated by hand wheels q¹.
From and integral with the disks n¹ extend the arms which are pivotally sup
ported at by uprights extending up from the base a. These uprights are
adapted by dovetail grooves and screws to slide transversely toward and from
each other on slides a (Figure 1.) By means of the dovetail grooves the
uprights, and hence the wheels T and U, may be adjusted laterally, and by
means of the worm gears q, n and the adjustable disks n³, the relative angles of
said wheels T, U may be adjusted and changed. In order that the pressure of the
crimping wheels T, U upon the lower crimping wheels R, S may be regulated,
springs V have their upper ends secured by suitable set screws V.in the rear ends
of the arms t, and horizontal screws V in the uprights regulate the tension of
said springs and hence the pressure of the upper crimping wheels upon the lower.
After the continuous cigarette has passed from between the pairs of wheels R, S
and T, U it is guided and drawn out of the machine by the grooved disk wheel W

page_text: on the stud W1 (Fig. 1) mounted on the standards W₁ (Fig. 2). This stud is
driven by a bevel gear W which is engaged by the bevel gear X fast on the
upper end of a vertical shaft whose lower end has fast upon it the gear wheel fil.
A gear wheel X is rigid with the grooved disk wheel W, and engages a gear
wheel X (Figure 2) mounted on a stud X. Rigid with this gear wheel X" and
exactly under the grooved wheel W is a similar grooved wheel engaging the under
side of the wrapper.
Thus the tobacco rod and wrapper are carried through the machine and a welt
seam formed and crimped by the pairs of disk wheels E and F, K and L, T and U
and R and S, the latter being fully adjustable, and conducted out of the machine
with the seam completed by the grooved wheel W and a similar one beneath it,
all through the medium of the different connections between said wheels and the
driving shaft b.
In practice, the crimping wheels should be so adjusted that the inside edges
will mesh deeper than the outside edges, in order to full in the extra amount of
paper at that edge. The paper in taken into the machine from a suitable reel, and
the continuous cigarette after leaving the machine passes to the cutting device.
Of course all the parts coming in contact with the paper travel at the same rate
of speed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In a continuous cigarette machine in which the strip or wrapper-tube is fed
into the machine with its edges upturned and one higher than the other, the
combination of the following mechanisms; mechanism arranged to turn the
broader edge or flap of the wrapper-tube horizontally over and across the upturned
narrower edge or Hap; mechanism for folding said broader edge or flap down
around and against the narrower edge or flap; mechanism for folding the two
flaps thus formed down into a seam on opposite sides of the center or opening into
the wrapper proper; and crimping mechanism entirely outside of the wrapper-
tube arranged to unite the several thicknesses or plies of paper which compose the
seam thereby produced.
2. In a continuous cigarette machine, a bed provided with a trough or groove A¹
for the reception of the tobacco rod and strip; the horizontally arranged disk
wheels E and F having the under edges of their peripheries formed with curved
grooves continuing and completing the circle of which said trough describes an
arc, said disk wheel F being provided with the peripheral lip F arranged to over-
lap the edge of the disk wheel E and thereby fold one edge or flap of the wrapper-
tube horizontally over and across the opposite edge or flap; and mechanisms for
feeding the tobacco rod and strip between said wheels and for rotating the latter,
substantially as described.
3. In a continuous cigarette machine, a bed provided with a trough or groove A¹
for the reception of the tobacco rod and strip; the horizontally arranged disk
wheels E and F having the under edges of their peripheries formed with
curved grooves continuing and completing the circle of which said trough
describes an arc, said disk wheel F being provided with the peripheral lip Fl
arranged to overlap the edge of the disk wheel E; the vertically arranged disk
wheel H provided with the beveled periphery H¹; the guide-plate I formed with the
groove I¹ and mechanism for feeding the tobacco rod and strip between said disk
wheels E, F and between the beveled disk wheel H and guide I, whereby one edge
or flap of the wrapper-tube is folded over the opposite edge or flap and down at an
acute angle therewith, substantially as set forth.
4. In a continuous cigarette machine, a bed provided with a trough or groove A¹
for the reception of the tobacco rod and strip; mechanism arranged and

page_text: adapted to operate therewith to turn the strip into tubular form and to fold one
edge or flap of the wrapper-tube over the outer edge or flap and down at an acute
angle therewith; the shaping block J secured to the bed in advance of said
mechanism and provided with the inner vertical edge J1 arranged centrally over
the tobacco rod, said edge being formed with the beveled surface J¹ facing the
advancing strip or wrapper; the guide plate I set opposite the shaping block J and
having an inner vertical edge; and mechanism for feeding the tobacco rod and
strip along said trough or groove, whereby one edge or flap of the wrapper-tube
is folded over and down against the outer surfaec of the opposite edge or flap,
substantially as described.
5. In a continuous cigarette machine, a bed provided with a trough or groove A¹
for the reception of the tobacco rod and strip; mechanism arranged and
adapted to operate therewith to turn the strip into tubular form and to fold one
of the edges or flaps of the wrapper-tube over and against the outer surface of
the opposite edge or flap: the horizontally arranged disk wheels K and L provided
with the curved grooves K' and L' on the under edge of their peripheries, said
wheel K being formed with the peripheral tongue K, and said wheel L being
formed with the peripheral groove L" the under wall of which extends approxi-
mately to a sharp edge L, said tongue K being adapted to extend into said
groove L"; mechanism for feeding the tobacco rod and strip along said trough ;
and mechanism for imparting rotation to said disk wheels, whereby the welt seam
above described is produced and formed to extend on opposite sides of the entrance
to the body of the wrapper-tube, substantially as set forth.
6. In a continuous cigarette machine, a bed provided with a trough or groove A¹
for the reception and passage of the tobacco rod and strip; mechanism adapted
to operate therewith to turn the strip into tubular form and to form a seam which
extends on opposite sides of the center or entrance to the body of the wrapper-
tube; the oppositely inclined disk wheels R, S formed on their under edges with
the peripheral grooves R¹S' and on their upper edges with the beveled crimping
surfaces RS; the oppositely inclined disk wheels T, U formed with the
peripheral crimping edges T'U and arranged to press upon the upper side of the
seam while the crimping edges of the wheels R, S press up against the under side
of the seam between said seam and the body of the wrapper; mechanism for im-
parting rotation to the four said disk wheels; and mechanism for feeding the
tobacco rod and tube with the seam formed thereon along said trough, sub-
stantially as described.
7. In a continuous cigarette machine, the adjustable crimping mechanism,
comprising the bed A provided with the trough A; the oppositely inclined lower
wheels n,
disk wheels R, S; the oppositely inclined upper disk wheels T, U; the gear
provided with the integral arms m supporting studs upon which the upper disk
wheels revolve; the disks n' adjustably secured to said gear wheels by means of
bolts and curved slots 11; arms extending from said disks n¹ and pivotally
supported by standards adapted to be moved laterally on the base of the
machine; worms 9 supported by said disks n¹ and engaging said gear wheels n,
and adjustable springs adapted to regulate the tension of the upper pair of
crimping disks upon the lower pair, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 12th day of Darch 1000.
JOHN ORIN EATON.
Haseltine Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.