Improvement in the Method of and in Apparatus for Making Fillers for Cigars.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 28th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 16th May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in the Method of and in Apparatus for Making Fillers
for Cigars.
I, MAX VAN GÜLPEN, of Mülheim on the Rhine, Kingdom of Prussia, Cigar
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the manufacture of cigars having fillers made from long
strips of tobacco-leaves, and its object is to facilitate the production of fillers of
this kind which possess the proper degree of compactness, and which do not
expand during the operation of enveloping them in the binder.
For this purpose I put the strips of tobacco into molds having the form of the
cigars to be manufactured, and I subject the same therein to pressure. From the said
molds the fillers are directly conveyed into the bight of the apron of a bunching-
machine in which they are to be provided with the binder.
The molds which I employ by preference consist of a lower part forming a tray
or trough for the reception of the tobacco, and an upper part constituting a die
whereby the tobacco is compressed. The tray is divided lengthwise into two
halves hinged at their top edges to a frame or carrier provided-with-springs-
adapted to keep the tray-halves close together, but also allowing them to yield to
any pressure applied from the inside, and to swing away from each other.
Previous to the filling of a mold the two halves of the tray are locked together
by suitable means, the tobacco is thereupon introduced into the tray and com-
pressed, the tray is unlocked again and brought over the bight of the aforesaid
apron, and the filler is conveyed from the tray into the bight by a plunger acting
from above on the filler and pushing the same downward through the slit produced
by the mold-halves yielding to the pressure of the plunger.
These operations may be carried out with the assistance of a machine con-
structed as follows. Above the bunching machine and lengthwise thereto are
arranged horizontal guide-bars on which a series of trays may be placed side by
side, and above the said guide-bars is mounted in vertical guides a plate carrying a
number of dies forming the upper mold-parts. Parallel to the guide-bars is
journalled a shaft having cam-like tappets adapted to act from opposite sides on
the tray-halves and to clutch them together or to release them, according as the
shaft is turned one way or the other. Opposite to the forward end of the guide-
bars is arranged a vertically-movable frame, capable of receiving one of the trays
at a time and of conveying it downward to the bight of the apron.
mounted the aforesaid plunger.
In this frame is
After a number of trays have been placed on the said guide-bars, they are
locked and filled and then pushed forward into register with the dies, which are
thereupon.pressed down and raised again. After the trays have been unlocked
again they are advanced one by one to the vertically movable frame, conveyed
downward by means of the same until they are close to the bight of the apron,
and finally the plunger is actuated for depositing the filler into the said bight.
Dated the Second day of June 1890.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in the Method of and in Apparatus for Making Fillers
for Cigars.
I, MAX VAN GULPEN, of Mülheim on the Rhine, Kingdom of Prussia, Cigar
Manufacturer, 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:-
My invention relates to the manufacture of cigar-fillers, especially of such as
are made from long strips of tobacco-leaves, and its object is to facilitate the pro-
duction of fillers of this kind which possess the proper degree of compactness, and
which do not expand during the operation of enveloping them in the binder.
For this purpose I put the strips of tobacco into molds having the form of the
cigars to be manufactured, and I subject the same therein to pressure. From the
said molds the fillers are directly conveyed into the bight of the apron of a
bunching-machine in which they are to be provided with the binder.
The molds which I employ consist of a lower part forming a tray or trough for
the reception of the tobacco, and an upper part constituting a die whereby the
tobacco is compressed. The tray is divided lengthwise into two halves, hinged at
their top edges to a frame or carrier, provided with springs adapted to keep the
tray-halves in closing position, but which allow them to spread apart if pressure is
applied from the inside.
Previous to the filling of a mold the two halves of the tray are locked together
by suitable means, the tobacco is thereupon introduced into the tray and com-
pressed, the tray is unlocked again and brought over the bight of the aforesaid
apron, and the filler is conveyed from the tray into the bight by a plunger acting
from above on the filler and pushing the same downward through the slit produced
by the mold-halves yielding to the pressure of the filler.
A machine and molds for carrying out these operations is represented in the
annexed drawings.
Fig, is a sectional elevation of the machine.
Figs. 2 and 3 show respectively in longitudinal section and in plan certain parts
comprised in Fig. 1, drawn to a larger scale.
Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line 1-2, Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the machine taken on the broken
line 3-4, Fig. 1.
Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a part of the mechanism being in Fig. 1 in the
line 5.
Figs. 7 to 11 show one of the filler-molds and its carrier, Fig. 7 being a longi-
tudinal sectional view, Figs. 8 and 9 two transverse sections, Fig. 10 a plan of the
carrier and Fig. 11 a plan of the mold.
Fig. 12 is a sectional plan of the machine, a portion of the top plate of the
frame being broken away to show the parts below.
Fig. 13 is a sectional view on line 6-7, Fig. 12, and Fig. 14 a sectional view on
line 8-9, Fig. 12, the latter figure thus comprising a side-view of the parts repre-
sented in Fig. 13.
Figs. 15 and 16 are like views as Figs. 13 and 14, but with the movable parts
in different positions.
Figs. 17 and 18 are sections corresponding to lines 10-11 and 12-13, Fig. 12.
Figs. 19 and 20, finally, show a part of the mechanism Fig. 17 in detail.
The main instrument in the making of the fillers is the mold and its carrier,
Figs. 7 to 11. The mold a is composed of two parts shaped inside according to
the form of a cigar, and hinged at the top to the carrier-frame b, so as to be capable
of closing together as in Fig. 8, and of spreading apart as in Fig. 9. By means
of two springs fixed to the frame b, the mold-parts are pressed towards each
other, and when the mold is closed thereby, the parts are locked together by the

page_text: locking-pieces b³, constituted by plates arranged to slide freely in vertical grooves
cut into the frame b. Each of the pieces 62 is provided at the top with an inwardly-
projecting ledge having at its under side a notch 63, corresponding to the pro-
jections a' at either end of the mold-halves, and the parts are so arranged that,
when the mold is closed by the springs b', and the locking-pieces are free to drop,
the notches 63 will engage with both pairs of projections a¹ and keep the mold
Whenever
closed (see Fig. 8) in spite of any pressure on the inside of the same.
the mold is to open, the locking-pieces are pushed upward so as to disengage from
the projections a' by the means to be described hereafter.
Fig. 1 shows a series of these molds in their position on the table or top-plate f
of the machine, some of them being drawn in section, others in outside view. Each
mold is placed on the table between the guiding ledges f, it is filled by hand
with tobacco taken from the supply-box d and is thereupon pushed forward
against the molds in front of it. The molds are thereby brought one after the
other in reach of the working parts of the machine, which perform the following
operations.
First. The series of molds beginning with those that are beneath the box d, is
pushed stepwise forward, so that the molds are brought in register with the counter-
mold-parts or dies and that the second one is brought upon the plate e.
Second. In the intervals of rest of the molds, the dies e descend to compress the
tobacco in the molds and rise again. Third. During the same period the plate e
descends together with the mold which it carries and brings the latter close to the
bight of the apron of a cigar-bunching machine attached to the filler-making machine,
the filler is then pressed upon by a plunger, the mold-parts being thereby unlocked.
and caused to open and the filler being deposited in the bight of the apron; the
plate e and the mold thereupon ascend again, while the plunger rises relatively to
plate e. Fourth. The empty molds are pushed lengthwise one after the other to
the side of the machine being to the right of the operator. Fifth. The molds are
conveyed back towards the operator.
دل
MECHANISM FOR ADVANCING THE MOLDS.
Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4. The instrumentality whereby the molds are advanced consists
in a driver g, integral with an arm g' hinged to a slide g², which is movable in guides
on the underside of the table f. The said slide is operated through the rod g³ by
the crank of a shaft h, which is connected by the spur-wheels 2 and n' (both of
the same diameter) to the main shaft n. The throw of the crank is such that
the stroke of the driver is equal to about one and one half times the width of the
mold-carriers, and the parts are so arranged that, when the driver is at the end of
The fore portion of
its forward stroke, the molds are in register with the dies c.
the arm forms a cross-head, which is conducted by guides 9 having each two
superposed guiding-grooves, as shown to best advantage by Fig. 4, the said grooves
being separated from each other by the ledges g, which are shorter than the under-
When the cross-head of
most ledges g. To the latter are fixed the springs g.
arm is engaged in the upper guiding-grooves, the driver projects into one of the
mold-frames, and slide 2 operates to push the arm g' forward, the driver
consequence advancing the series of molds. As soon as arm g' arrives at the end
of its forward stroke, its cross-head passes away over the end of the guiding-
ledges y, so that the arm, losing its support by those ledges, drops down on the
ledges go, while driver g disengages from the mold-carriers, as represented in Fig. 2.
During the receding motion of arm g' thereupon ensuing, the cross-head of arm g'
passes along the lower groove, and engages with the springs g', which it bends
down; but at the moment the cross-head clears the rear end of the ledges y, the
springs g' throw the arm again into its uppermost position, and cause the driver g
to engage with the mold-carrier which is now above it. Upon renewed motion
forward the driver first advances a short distance without acting and then, on
touching against the inner wall of the carrier, again operates to advance the series
in

page_text: '
of molds another step. In order that the driver may act only on the inner carrier-wall
which is in advance of it, the wall to be placed at the rear has a recess 6 Figs. 8, 9,
for the driver to pass into, in case it should happen to meet this wall on rising,
while the other wall is bevelled outside to prevent the driver, which is also bevelled
to strike against the wall from below.
MECHANISM FOR OPERATING THE DIES C.
Figs. 1, 5 and 12.
The said dies are cast together with a plate secured to
another plate, cl, having guiding rods sliding in sleeves on plate, and whereby
the plate is so conducted as be movable up and down without coming out of
parallelism with the series of molds below. The plate is connected by two link-
barse to a horizontal rod c guided by a radius-bar and which carries two rollers c²,
the said rollers being acted upon by two tappets keyed to the main driving-
shaft n.
The plate c¹ is thus raised once during every rotation of the shaft n, and
is thereupon allowed to descend, so that the dies e are caused to act by the weight
of the plate and the dies on the tobacco contained in the molds.
MECHANISM FOR LOWERING A MOLD AND PRESSING OUT THE FILLER.
Figs. 1, 5, 6, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. The aforesaid plate e fits in a slot cut into the
table, and on its upper surface two little ridges e° are formed (see also
Figs. 7, 8, 9), which are adapted to register with the key-pieces 62 of the mold
carriers. Normally these ridges are flush with the ways on which the carriers
slide. The plate e is fixed to two vertical rods e' sliding in the sleeves e integral
with the machine-frame, the rods having at their lower end rollers which are acted
upon by the levers e³ swinging on the stationary axle e. The levers are drawn
upward by springs e and depressed by cams e", keyed to shaft and operating on
rollers at the upper end of the rods e', the lower ends whereof are pivoted to the
levers. The rods e are guided by radius-rods e. To the plate e are fixed two
standards e, having slots in which is movable a plate carrying the plunger i, the
sad plate, being guided by the standards and by rods passing through holes in
plate e. The plate is operated to move relatively to the plate e by means of two
levers j, pivoted at j' to the table and carrying each two rollers j³, the rollers,
bearing from below against the pieces fixed to plate 2, while the rollers j³ run on
the arms being integral with plate e. The plates e and ¹ are connected together
by the springs, and to the standards are pivoted the catches, having hori-
zontal tails, in the paths whereof are arranged stationary disengaging-pins.
>
When the parts are in their position of rest, as in Figs. 1, 13, 14, the plate e is
on a level with the table, plate it is at the top of its course and is retained by the
catches the plunger i being in consequence clear of the molds. The carrier of
the mold being at the time on plate e, rests with its key-pieces 3 on the ridges e, as
shown by Figs. 7 and 8, provided always the friction between the key-pieces and
the mold-parts be sufficient to keep the mold and the carrier supported. If this
should not be the case the carrier drops until it rests on plate e, the mold-parts,
however, remaining closed, or nearly so, by the pressure of the springs . Soon
after a mold has been pushed on to the plate e, the cams e operate to depress the
leverse plate e in consequence descends by the action of gravity together with
the parts connected thereto and fetches the mold which it carries, close to the bight
of the apron k.
When the combined parts are near the end of their downward
course, the tails of the catches strike on the pins, the catches being thereby-
tilted to release the plate ', which is then drawn down, together with plunger i, by
the springs, the lever j being at the time in the position Fig. 16, in which it does
not hinder the downward motion of the plate it. By this motion the plunger is
thrust against the filler in the mold below, and supposing the mold to be still locked
by the key-pieces, the plunger by its pressure on the fille pushes the mold down
relatively to the key-pieces supported by the ridges e aud unlocks the mold. The

page_text: plunger then, by its further pressure on the filler, throws the mold-parts open, as
shown in Fig. 9, and conveys the filler through the aperture between the mold-
parts and an orifice in plate e into the bight of the apron k. Immediately after this
the cams et allow the springs e to raise the plate e again together with the empty
mold. During this upward motion the arms e¹0, acting through rollers ³ on the
levers, cause the rollers to ascend to a greater height than the rollers 13, and to
push plate and plunger i upward relatively to plate e, so that finally plate
re-engaged by the catches 15.
MECHANISM FOR PUSHING THE EMPTY MOLDS SIDEWARD.
is
Figs. 5, 12, 18, 19, 20. Between the slot in the table f, serving for the reception
of plate e, and a guiding-ledge 3, space is left for one mold-carrier. This space
and its prolongation to the right (relatively to the position of the operator) forms
the path of a slide 1, which is so actuated that, after the mold emptied last, has
been pushed forward and into the path of the slide by the following filled mold,
the said slide will convey the empty mold lengthwise towards the right hand side
of the machine. The slide projects with a rib through a slit in table f, and to
this rib are attached one end of a steel ribbon 12 for drawing the slide forward and
a spring for retracting it. The ribbon is fixed at its other end to the periphery
of a pulley, keyed to a shaft 1, which is connected to the main shaft n by the
bevel pinion on shaft and the bevel wheel 17 on shaft n, the wheel having a
segment of rim only, so that shaft is rotated during but a part of the rotation of
shaft n.
In order to prevent an excessive straining of the ribbon 12 if the segmental
wheel should not release the pinion at the moment the mold which is being
shifted, touches against the lateral rim of the top-plate f, the pulley is placed
loose on the boss 18, and it is connected thereto by a spring 1, Fig. 19, which yields
as soon as any strain is brought to bear on the ribbon from the said cause.
the segmental wheel disengaging from the pinion 1, the slide is retracted by
the spring 3, the pulley being arrested in the proper position by a projection μio
formed thereon and which strikes at 11 against a stop faced with india rubber.
MECHANISM FOR CONVEYING THE MOLDS BACKWARD.
Upon
Figs. 5, 12, 17, 18. Rearward of the place which the empty mold occupies after
having been shifted sideward, a way for the molds to be conveyed backward, is
formed on the table by the rim and the ledge, the width of his way corre-
sponding to the length of the mold-carriers. Along the said way the molds are
pushed stepwise by the slide m having an upright edge which is normally in a line
with the rim f³, a portion of this rim being cut away for the location of the said
edge, and the table having a slot for the slide to move in. The slide is drawn
forward by means of a tappet m' on shaft n, acting on the lever m², which is con-
nected to the slide by the rod m³, and it is retracted by the spring m, the tappet m¹
being so arranged that the slide m is drawn forward immediately after a mold has
been brought into its path by the slide 1, and is caused to recede previous to the
arrival of the following mold.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1. The method of making fillers for cigars, which consists in putting strips of
tobacco into a mold having the form of a cigar, pressing the tobacco so as to con-
dense the same to a compact filler, and conveying the filler thus produced from the
mold directly into the bight of the apron of a bunching-machine, substantially as
described.
2. For making fillers for cigars according to the method specified in the first
claim, the combination of a filler-mold divided lengthwise in two parts, a carrier to

page_text: which the mold-parts are hinged at the top, springs acting on the mold-parts so as
to keep them in closing position, means for locking the said parts together, a counter-
mold piece whereby the filler is compressed, and a plunger operating to press the
filler through between the mold-parts after these have been unlocked, substantially
as specified.
3. In a machine to be used for making fillers for cigars by means of molds com-
posed of two parts hinged to a carrier and kept in closing position by springs, and
which machine is to co-operate with a bunching-machine, the combination of a table
having guiding-ways for the molds, means for locking and unlocking the mold-parts;
mechanism for pushing the molds forward stepwise; counter-mold-pieces or dies
operating to compress the-fillers; a vertically-movable frame whereby the molds
are conveyed one by one downward to the bight of the apron of the bunching-
machine a plunger guided in said frame and operating to press the filler through
between the parts of the mold and to deposit it in the said bight, substantially as
described.
Dated the Twenty-fifth day of February 1891
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.