Improvements in Cigar Bunch Wrapping Machines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 26th Oct., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cigar Bunch Wrapping Machines.
I JOHN ERNST SCHMALZ of 440 E. 72nd Street in the City County and State of
New York United States of America Machinist do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to he particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
This invention relates to certain improvements in cigar bunch wrapping machines
of that class in which the bunch is placed into a bunch holder or mould and the
wrapper rolled around the same by movable endless aprons or belts and the tip finished
while the bunch is in the wrapping machine and the invention consists of the com-
bination with oscillating bunch holders having guide rollers and laterally adjustable
tension rollers of two independent endless aprons passing over said rollers driving
rollers on said aprons and spring tension rollers applied to the same.
The invention consists secondly in the combination with oscillating bunch holders
having guide rollers and endless aprons guided on the same and on suitable driving
rollers of a tip forming block having a cavity open at the outer end and a longitu-
dinally reciprocating and spring actunted rotary tip finishing thimble extending into
the cavity of the tip forming block said thimble being arranged in line with the rotary
and spring actuated mandrel arranged at the opposite end of said bunch holders.
The invention consists further of certain details of construction and combination of
paris as will be fully described hereinafter and finally pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a side elevation of iny improved
cigar bunch wrapping machine in which a part of the tip forming block is broken
away to show the tip finishing thimble.
Figures 2 and 3 are vertical transverse sections through the bunch former
respectively on line and y y Figure 1 said Figures being drawn on a larger
scale.
Figures 4 and 5 are respectively a detail vertical longitudinal section and a top view
of one of the spring tension rollers of the wrapping aprons.
Figure 6 is a plan of the machine.
Figure 6 is a detail view of a mandrel with a conical head and pointed end for
bunches with tapered butts.
Figure 7 is a detail vertical longitudinal section of the tip finishing thimble.
Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11 are respectively detail top views and vertical longitudinal
sections of the different tip forming blocks used in my wrapping machine.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Referring to the drawings A represents the supporting frame of my improved cigar
bunch wrapping machine B the table of the same and CC the bunch holders which
are operated by treadles and suitable spring actuated connecting rods so as to be oscil-
lated and moved towards or away from each other. The bunch holders C C are
pivoted to guide blocks CC supported on downwardly extending hanger plates D D
which are attached to the table B by means of lateral flanges and fastening screws.
The hanger plates D D are provided with bearings for the driving rollers d'd of two
endless aprons F F while at the upper part of the holders are arranged guide rollers d'
and laterally adjustable tension rollers which latter are guided in slots in the frame
of the bunch holders. Below the adjustable tension rollers d are arranged spring tension
rollers E the shanks of which are guided in sockets e attached to brackets e¹ the
shanks of said rollers being acted upon by spiral springs e located in said sockets e as
shown in Figure 4. The spring tension rollers E press on the outer parts of the
endless aprons I said aprons being stretched around the guide rollers & adjustable
tension rollers and driving rollers d d. Two independent endless aprons are used
for placing the wrapper around the bunch said aprons being arranged symmetrically

page_text: to the vertical longitudinal centre plane of the machine as shown clearly in Figures 2
and 3 and stretched by auxiliary rollers d³ which are located intermediately between
the aprons Fone near the driving rollers d d and the other near the guide rollers d'.
The spring tension rollers E have the function of keeping up the uniform tension
of the aprons and taking up the slack produced by the lengthening of the aprons
when in use for some time so as not to require the frequent readjustment or re-
sewing of the aprons. The aprons F are guided on the rollers by means of
collars so as to be retained in the required position.
At one end of the bunch holders CC.and axially in line with the longitudinal axis
of the same is arranged a rotary spring balanced mandrel G which is guided in a
bracket arm and in bearings of one of the guide blocks C. The mandrel G receives
a positively rotating motion presses by its inner end lightly on the butt of the bunch
and rotates with the same while the wrapper is put on.
The mandrel is longitudinally adjustable for different lengths of bunches and serves
mainly to hold the bunch in its proper position in the bunch holder. When bunches
with tapered butts are to be wrapped the mandrel G is provided with a conically
tapering head m having a tapering pin which enters the butt and holds it in position
on the mandrel while putting on the wrapper. At the opposite side of the bunch
holders Cand in line with the longitudinal axis of the same and of the mandrel is
arranged a tip forming block H the cavity of which is enlarged at the outer end so
as to permit the introduction of a tip finishing thimble I which is likewise arranged
in line with the axis of the bunch holders mandrel and tip forming block.
Rotary motion is imparted to the driving rollers of the wrapping aprons the mandrel
and the tip finishing thimble by treadles T at the lower part of the supporting frame
which treadles are connected by a pitman & with intermediate shifts S that transmit
by suitable belt and pulley transmissions and clutch devices S' motion to a shaft. $2
and to the driving rollers of the endless aprons and from the same by additional belt
and pulley transmissions to the shafts of the mandrel Gand thimble I respectively. In
place of a treadle motion the rotary parts referred to may be operated by power
applied directly to the transmitting shafts of the machine.
An automatically operated device for supplying paste to the delivery opening of the
tip forming block H is operated in connection with the oscillating bunch holders and
the required quantity of paste for pasting the end of the wrapper to the tip of the
bunch by the compression of an air bulb which serves to eject the paste from a
paste reservoir supported below the table in the manner well known in bunch wrapping
inachines of this class..
The tip finishing thimble I is screwed to the threaded end of a tubular shaft which
turns in bearings of the standard B' on the table B. An adjustable collar on said
tubular shaft regulates the tension of a spiral spring which is located in a socket
of the driving pulley by which rotary motion. is imparted to the tubular shaft i.
The spring presses the thimble 1 on the tip of the wrapped bunch while the same
is rotated so as to smoothly finish the tip. Greater speed of rotation is imparted to
the thimble than to the bunch so that the tip is polished at the same time.
The action of the thimble on the tip of the cigar is accelerated by heating the
thimble which is accomplished by supplying steam into the cavity arranged around
the same the steam being conducted through a centre tube which passes through
the tubular shaft i into the cavity arranged round the thimble. A fixed supply pipe i
is connected with a suitable steam generator L that is supported on a suitable bracket
below the table B and heated by an alcohol or other lamp. The shaft i of the thimble,
is connected by a stuffing box with the fixed supply pipe said shaft i being rotated'
in said stuffing box so as to prevent the steam from escaping from the supply tube i.
The water of condensation is conducted through the tubular shaft to a downwardly
extending drain pipe which drain pipe communicates with the fixed supply tube 2
near the stuffing box said supply tube being provided with a fixed partition
through which the centre tube passes so as to conduct the water of condensation to
the drain pipe and from the same to a suitable drip collector. The tip finishing
thimble I may be moved out of the cavity h of the tip forming block when it is not

page_text: desired to use the same in finishing the tip. It is locked in position outside of the tip
forming block H by means of a hook which is pivoted to the top of the standard Bi
said hook engaging a pin on a screw collar located in the threaded end of
the tubular shaft as shown in Figures 1 and 7. When it is desired to finish the
tip immediately after the wrapper has been placed around the bunch the thimble I
is moved into the open end of the tip forming block H as shown in Figures 1
and which has the effect of finishing and polishing the tip of the cigar imme-
diately after the wrapper has been placed around the bunch by the aprons of the
bunch holders. When it is not desired to finish and polish the tip of the cigar
while it is in the wrapping machine the tip finishing thimble I is withdrawn and
locked and in place of the tip forming block shown in Figures 89, 10 and LL
inserted into the guide block at that tip end of the wrapping machine.
The paste supply orifices are arranged sideways of the cavity of the tip
forming block H the edges of which are rounded off as shown clearly in detail in
Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11 so as not to injure the wrapper when the same is rolled
around the tip of the bunch. The tip is formed by placing the forefinger on the tip
forming block and bringing the paste over on the wrapper the finger pressing then
on the tip and laying the wrapper around the tip while the bunch is rotated. When
the rotary tip finishing thimble is operated in connection with the tip forming block
the cigar is not required to be removed from the bunch wrapping machine to a
separate tip finishing machine but can be finished directly while in the wrapping
machine whereby the cigars can be finished in a quicker manner and at a considerable
saving of time and labour.
The use of two aprons the tension of which is properly adjusted has the advan-
tage of rolling the wrapper uniformly around the bunch without tearing the same
and of wrapping the bunch in a quick and uniform manner. The driving rollers d d
are operated by a pinion on the shaft S which pinion meshes with gear wheels
on the driving rollers as shown clearly in Figure 2. By the employment of the
two wrapping aprons the strain on the wrapper while it is rolled around the bunch
is considerably decreased as the independent aprons hug the bunch and wrapper
and exert a uniform pressure on the wrapper at both sides so that the same is less
liable to be torn or injured than by the use of one endless apron which is con-
ducted over both bunch holders of the machine and in which sometimes unequal
strains are produced on the wrapper at opposite sides of the apron whereby the
wrapper is liable to be damaged and the appearance of the cigars injured.
The work perforined on my machine is more uniform and of higher finish owing
mainly to the employment of two independent properly-adjusted and spring tensioned
aprons and owing to the use of the tip finishing thimble in connection with the tip
forming block.
By using aprons of greater width my machine can also be used for making bunches
in imitation of band made bunches producing thereby cigars having a close
resemblance to hand made cigars.
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. The combination with oscillating bunch holders having guide rollers and
laterally adjustable tension rollers of two independent endless aprons passing over
said rollers and between said bunch holders and driving rollers for said aprons
substantially as set forth and shown in the drawings annexed.
2. The combination with oscillating bunch holders having guide rollers and laterally
adjustable tension rollers of two independent endless aprons passing over said rollers
and between said bunch holders driving rollers for said aprons a tip forming block
at one end of the bunch holders and a spring actuated mandrel at the otlier end
of the bunch holders substantially as set forth and represented in the drawings
annexed.

page_text: 3. The combination with oscillating bunch, holders having guide rollers and
laterally adjustable tension rollers of two independent endless aprons passing over
said rollers driving rollers for said. aprons, and spring tension rollers applied to the
same substantially as set forth and represented in the drawings annexed.
4. The combination with oscillating bunch holders having guide rollers and
adjustable tension rollers of two independent endiess aprons passing over said rollers
driving: rollers for said apron spring tension rollers pressing on said aprons and
intermediato stretching rollers. between said aprons substantially as set forth and
represented in the drawings annexed.
5. The combination with oscillating bunch holders having guide rollers and
endless aprons guided on the same and suitable driving rollers of a tip forming
block having a cavity open at the onter end and a longitudinally reciprocating and
spring actuated rotary tip finishing thimble extending into the cavity of the tip
forming block substantially as set forth and represented in the drawings annexed.
6. The combination with oscillating bunch holders having guide rollers endless
aprons guided on the same and suitable driving rollers of a rotary spring actuated
mandrel arranged at one end of said holders a tip forming block having a longi-
tudinally open cavity at the other end of the holders and a rotary tip finishing
thimble located in the open end of the tip forming block and in line with the same
end of the mandrel substantially as set forth and represented in the drawings
annexed.
7. The combination with oscillating bunch holders having guide rollers and endless
aprons guided on the same and suitable driving rollers of a rotary spring actuated
mandrel at one end of said holders a tip forming block at the other end of the
holders said block having a cavity open at the outer end a rotary and spring actuated
tip finishing thimble adapted to operate in said cavity and means for locking said
thimble in position so as to clear thin cavity of the tip forming block substantially as
set forth and represented in the drawings annexed.
8. The improved arrangement and combination of machinery for manufacturing
cigars acting substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore described
and represented in the drawings hereto annexed.
Dated this 17th day of September 1889
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
4, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, Loudon, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
4, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, Loudon, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.