IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR MANUFACTURING CIGARS to be as follows:
Year: 1884

page_text: I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR MANUFACTURING CIGARS
to be as follows:-
"
This invention relates to machines for manufacturing cigars; and comprises the.
improvements hereinafter described.
In carrying the said invention into practice I provide a suitable plate or bed of
wood or metal, upon which are fixed brackets or standards carrying a driving
shaft. Upon this shaft is mounted a wheel which is provided with teeth upon a
portion of its circumference equal to one-third of the circumference of a second
wheel provided with teeth with which it can engage. The said second wheel
is mounted upon a shaft parallel with the driving shaft, so that every revolution of
the latter shaft produces one third of a revolution of the second wheel.
At the centre of the second wheel is, secured, by means of a rod which passes
through it, a triangular prism of copper or other suitable metal, to which the cigar-
mould hereinafter described is connected.
The said prism and the cigar-mould participate in the rotary motion of the said.
wheel.
The mould is formed of three parts or shells, preferably of steel; which parts
open out in the plane of the second wheel-so as to expose their interiors. The
said sections when closed together form a cavity which corresponds to the form of
a cigar.
To the butt end of each shell is connected a rod which is jointed to one of the
three apices of the prism.
Upon the inside of one of the edges of each shell is a projection of very thin
metal which serves to prevent the shell, on falling back, from griping the tobacco
leaf which may be upon the edge during the operation. Each shell is provided on
the outside with a cylindrical covering of very thin metal and so arranged that
when the three portions are joined, the mould presents on the outside over the
greater portion of its length, the form of a perfect cylinder.
From the extremity of the cylindrical covering, or from the rod towards the
butt-end of the mould, a hook projects. As regards the interior form' of the mould,
it,varies with the form of the cigar to be made.
When one mould is to be changed and replaced by another, it is merely necessary
to remove the wheel carrying the same and to substitute for it a similar one
carrying the mould to be used.

page_text: The driving shaft is cranked at one point and actuates a connecting rod jointed
to a rod or bar which moves vertically in guides. The end of this rod is provided
with a horizontal hook having an eye. During the ascending motion of the said
bar the book on the vertically moving bar strikes the elongated hook of the rod of
a shell, and raises the same, thereby opening the mould. In the descending
motion the eyelet in the hook presses upon the rod and lowers the shell which
closes the mould.
The mould is placed upon a bed made in two parts which are connected with
each other by means of a hinge at the top of a bracket and form a space into
which the mould fits. A support carries four vertical spiral springs which keep
the two parts of the bed pressed together and consequently the two lower shells of
the mould closed. Under the action of two rods jointed to two levers which are
actuated by a slightly eccentric wheel, these springs are slightly compressed and
the two parts of the bed opened sufficiently to allow the rotation of the mould.
The rotary motion of the mould takes place through the medium of the said
toothed wheels in the following manner, that is to say-As soon as the teeth of.
the wheel on the driving shaft have discontinued to engage with the second
toothed wheel the said wheel remains stationary during the remainder of the
revolution of the driving shaft, the mould also being at rest. As the rotary
motion of the driving shaft proceeds the vertically moving rod is raised in the
guide by the combined action of the crank, and the connecting. rod; the eyelet
acting upon the hook of the shell which is uppermost and lifting the same.
A portion of the tobacco necessary for the manufacture of the cigar is then placed
in the cavity formed by the two fixed shells The motion of the driving shaft
continuing the vertically moving rod descends and lowers the shell which assumes
its former position At this moment the toothed. portion of the driving wheel
again engages with the second wheel and moves it through a third of a revolution,
when the series of operations just described is repeated.
Each time a shell is lifted, a quantity of tobacco is introduced into the mould;
the bunch, and then the outside cover being put on in the same manner:..
Upon the driving shaft opposite to the middle. of the mould is fixed the said
excentric wheel. The slight excentricity of this wheel causes it to act on the
mould-opening levers, the highest portion of the excentric strikes the lever, and
the bed opens so as to allow the mould to perform its motion freely; as soon,
however, as the wheel releases the lever, the bed closes again under the action of
the springs.
.I
At the end of the driving shaft is a crank which has attached to it one end of a
_connecting rod at the other extremity of which is fixed the axis of a metallic
roller, preferably of copper, which moves to and fro upon the bed. In one
direction it passes below the. raised shell and presses upon the tobacco enclosed in
the mould but in the other direction it passes over the lowered shell:
The machine, which I have described, and the details of which I may modify
without departing from the nature of my invention, presents the advantage of
ensuring in the manufacture of the cigar a uniformity which it is impossible to
attain by hand. Moreover, with the cigar manufactured with this machine the
filling can be composed of tobaccos of any size (long; short, or even scraps) used
either alone or mixed in suitable proportions. Besides, the regularity of the form
is perfect, and the manufacture is accompanied by a saving as regards the bunches
and outside cover. By the arrangement of several machines in close proximity,
and working simultaneously under the control of a single workman the cost of the
manual labour is considerably reduced.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
"
İ, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR MANUFACTURING CIGARS
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 machines for manufacturing cigars, and comprises the
improvements hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is a top view or plan of a machine constructed according to this
invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a sectional view to the left of the line A B Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a sectional view to the right of the line C D Figure 1.
Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 are views of the most essential parts of the machine
detached.
M, N is a table or stand of wood or metal upon which are fixed standards E
supporting a driving shaft F. On the said shaft is fixed the wheel S, which is
toothed upon a portion of its periphery equal to one third of the circumference of a
wheel R with which it engages. The said wheel R is fixed on the shaft V parallel
with the driving shaft F, in such a manner as to perform one third of a revolution
to each complete revolution of the said shaft F carrying the wheel S.
To the centre of the wheel R is secured, by a rod passing, through it, a triangular
prism x y z of brass or other suitable metal, to which is connected the cigar-mould.
The said mould is composed of three parts or shells, preferably of steel. In
figure 6 the said mould is shewn open, on a plane with the wheel R, thus exposing
the inside of the shells, while figure 7 is a section of one shell upon the line C D¹
Figure 6 Figure 8 is a section of the closed mould on the line A¹ B¹ Figure 5.
These sectional views illustrate the construction of the three shells; which, by
their combination, form a cavity corresponding to the shape and size of the cigar to
be made.
On one edge f of each shell is an inwardly projecting rim of very thin metal,
which serves to prevent any piece of tobacco, which might be on the edge of a shell
during the process, from being cut or tangled by the shell during the lowering of
The shells are made in such a way as to form a perfect cylinder over
the greater part of their outer surface when closed together.
the same.
To the tail end of each of the shells is connected a rod t, each rod being jointed
to one of the three apices of the prism x, y, z fixed to the wheel R. From each of
the rods t projects a hook b.
The driving shaft F is cranked at G, which crank operates a connecting rod H
jointed to a rod I moving vertically in guides J J. The end of the rod I is
provided with a horizontal extension a baving an eyelet formed therein. During
the ascending motion of the vertical rod I the extension à strikes the hook b of

page_text: the uppermost shell, which it raises, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 2, the
hook 6 passing through the eyelet. In the descending motion the extension a
strikes the rod t which it presses, thus closing the mould.
The mould is supported upon a bed formed of two parts L, L' connected by a
joint cat the top of a standard k. A frame O carries four vertical spiral
springs PP, which keep the said parts of the bed pressed closely together, thus
acting on the two parts of the mould resting between them. Under the action of
the rods Q, Q, jointed to two levers T, T¹ operated by a slightly eccentric wheel U
fixed to the driving shaft F, these springs are slightly compressed at the proper
moment, whereby the two parts of the bed are sufficiently opened to allow the free
rotation of the mould.
At the end F of the driving shaft is a crank W connected by a rod X to the
axis Y of a metal roller Z preferably brass. This roller rests upon the bed L L'
and during the revolution of the driving shaft it passes from one side of the bed
under the shell which is raised and over the tobacco in the mould to the opposite
side of the said bed L, L, far enough to be quite clear of the space to be occupied
by the lowered'shell.
:
When the said shell is lowered the said roller following the rotation of the mould
passes over it to resume its former position.
The rotation of the mould commences at the moment when the shell which was
raised is lowered, the toothed portion of the wheel S on the driving shaft F then
engaging with the toothed wheel R and moving it through one third of a
revolution, thus bringing the next shell into the proper position to be raised. The
opening of the bed L L takes place simultaneously with. this rotary movement the
eccentric part of the wheel U striking the lever T₁ as before described, which latter
operates the lever T.
:
During the remainder of the revolution of the driving shaft F the eccentric part
of the wheel U clears the levers T¹ whereby the four springs P P are released and
the two parts of the bed L L are pressed against the portion of the mould between
them, the rotation of the mould ceasing as soon as the wheel R has been cleared by.
the teeth of the wheel S on the driving shaft.
The shaft F' now raises the rod I in guides J, J, by reason of the combined action
of the crank G and of the connecting rod Has herein before explained, the
extension a acting upon the hook b and lifting the uppermost shell. A part of
the tobacco necessary to make up a cigar is next introduced into the cavity formed
by the two fixed shells and the roller, Z passes as before described from one side of
the bed L L to the other. The revolution of the driving shaft continuing, the
rod I descends and lowers the shell which, assumes its former position; at this
moment the excentric part of the wheel U operates the levers TT and the teeth
of the wheel S engage with the wheel R causing the rotation of the mould;. at the
same time the roller Z is moved back to its former position passing over the
closed shells. The series of operations hereinbefore described is performed by one
revolution of the driving shaft F.
'
Every time, a shell is raised a fresh quantity of tobacco is inserted and when the
"filler" is complete the "binder" is automatically wrapped around it, by the
operation of the roller and shells, after merely setting one end of the leaf properly
on the tobacco under the raised shell. The "wrapper" also is applied in the same
manner.
The machine herein before described the details of which may be modified
without departing from the nature of the said Invention possesses the following
advantages viz
4.
First The process of manufacturing cigars therein is the same as that followed
by workmen in making by hand, but the cigars manufactured by this machine
have an uniformity which cannot be attained by hand.
Second-Leaves of any size and even clippings or scraps of tobacco can be
successfully used for "fillers" either separately, or combined in such proportions as
may be deemed suitable,

page_text: Third The draught of the cigar is perfect, the pressure whereby it is shaped
being gentle, and all the component parts of the filler being held perfectly straight
from end to end, of the cigar during the whole process.
Fourth-The binder and also the wrapper may be much. smaller than those
required for hand made cigars whereby cigars may be made more economically
than heretofore.
Lastly-It permits a great saving in labor, as, owing to the small proportions
of the machine and to its automatic capacities, a set of these machines can be
arranged to work simultaneously under the control of a single operator.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is
First A cigar mould composed of three parts or shells, varying in internal form
to suit any size or shape of cigar, and connected with jointed rods enabling it to be
opened and closed automatically.
Second-The mechanism for imparting to the mould a rotary motion alternately
with the ascending and descending motions for raising and lowering each successive
shell.
Third The mechanism whereby the bed supporting the mould is alternately
opened to allow the mould to rotate, and closed with sufficient pressure to give its
shape to the tobacco placed in the said mould.
Fourth-The movable roller and the mechanism by which it is alternately
moved over the tobacco under the raised shell and back over the mould to its
starting point.
Fifth The combination and arrangement of the parts substantially as herein-
before described: