Improvements in Cigar-bunching Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Nov., 1896-Accepted, 23rd Jan., 1897
COMI HULE KI
Communicated from abroad by DAVID WOOD, of 408 Putnam Avenue,
Brooklyn, New York, United States of America.]
Improvements in Cigar-bunching Machines.
I, JOHN THOMAS KNOWLES, Trade. Marks Agent, of the Firm of D. Young
& Co., of 11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., 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 improvements in cigar-bunching machines, which
improvements have for their object simplicity in construction and action, durability
and economy: Another object of the invention is to regulate the variable tension
of the bunching apron so that it will not wrinkle or gather upon the rolling table
in front of the roller, for the reason that when so wrinkled the apron will not
perform to a satisfactory degree, the function for which it is intended.
This inveution is illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my invention showing rolling table support partly in
section.
Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine.
Fig. 3 is n sectional view taken on the line - Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a plan view of my invention, the parts being in position indicated in
Fig. 3, and
Fig. 5 is a side view of a detailed portion of the invention.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several figures.
A is a bench or table of any desirable pattern. Mounted over an opening in
said table is a frame-work or base B upon which the moving parts find their
support, as hereinafter described. Projecting upwardly from said base B is a
standard D. In the upper portion of this standard there is provided a concavity
or depression E. Projecting from one side of this concavity or depression and
supported preferably by the said standard D, is a rolling table F. G is a tension-
frame pivotally mounted in the lower part of the base B on suitable journal
bearings H H. I is an adjustable roller revolubly mounted at the upper end of
the tension-frame G. J is a jam-nut by which the said roller I is tightened or
loosened so that the same may be permitted to, rol! freely or held stationary as
desired. K is an arm projecting from one of the journals H of the tension-frame G.
This arm K is by preference provided with a counter-weight L for the purpose
hereinafter described. M is a shaping-frame pivotally mounted in the lower part
of the base B on suitable journal bearings N N. N¹ is an arm projecting from
said journal bearings, and by preference carrying a counter-weight N' for the
purpose hereinafter described. Toward the upper end of the shaping-frame,
bunching-rollers OO of any desired pattern are carried. P is an apron, one end
of which is by preference fixedly secured to the forward under edge of the rolling-
table F, while the other end is supported and carried by the adjusting roller I.
The normal position of the shaping-frame is indicated in Fig. 1,. in which position
it is shown, as resting against a stop Q on the frame-work or base B. The normal
position of the tension-frame is shown in the same figure in which it is seen to rest
against the opposite side of the said stop Q. The said shaping and tension fraines

page_text: seek the normal position by the action of the counter-weights N' and L respectively,
and when in this position the bunching-rollers OO repose on the side of the
concavity or depression opposite the rolling-table, leaving the said concavity or
depression E open so that a bight of the apron may be pushed thereinto. R is a
crank arm secured to and projecting from the journal H of the tension-frame G.
S is a cam secured to and projecting from the journal N. The journals H and N
are substantially parallel, and the cam S is adapted to move in the path of the
crank-arm R so that when the shaping-frame is moved so as to carry the bunching-
rollers OO over the rolling-table F the said cam S will contact with the crank-
arm R causing the tension-frame G to swing back into the position indicated in
Fig. 3, the cam and crank-arm when the parts are in that position, being indicated
in Fig. 5, causing the bunching apron P to tighten to the proper degree. In
operation a charge T of tobacco is first placed on the bight in the apron which
rests in the concavity E. A binder U is placed upon the rolling-table so that its
forward edge by preference projects nearly to the edge of the concavity E. The
shaping-frame is then moved, the bight in the apron is closed by the bunching-
roller, the tension-frame is thrown back by the fixed and positive action of the
cam S against the crank-arm R, and the charge T is carried over the rolling-
table F taking up the binder as it advances. At the forward end of the rolling-
table the pocket or bight in the apron P is opened and the finished cigar bunch
is discharged into a suitable receptacle. A handle V or the ordinary foot-
treadle W may be provided as a medium by which the shaping-frame may be
moved.
It will be observed that the essential features of my invention consists in the
novel means herein described to provide a fixed and positive tension to the apron
at the proper instant. Applicant is aware that heretofore it has been common to
make use of a spring whereby the tension-frame is retracted, but in all such
instances the normal position of the tension-frame is away from the rolling-table,
causing a constant tension of the apron, which is overcome by the intervention of
separate mechanical means at intermittent periods. Furthermore, the tendency of
the spring is not as positive as the action of the cam, which cannot yield. In
machines of this character where the resistance offered to the bunching-roller by
the apron varies, it is desirable that a positive means be afforded whereby a uniform
movement may be given to the tension-frame. Furthermore, in operation, when
the cigar bunch is discharged from the machine, the parts resume their normal
position automatically, thereby affording sufficient time for the operator to take
the cigar bunch out of the receptacle and place it in the separate mold commonly
employed. In utilizing this invention there is no tendency for the apron to
wrinkle or gather up in front of the bunching-roller as it is advanced over the
rolling-table, for the reason that the tension-frame cannot yield to permit the slack
which must necessarily be present to permit the apron to so wrinkle or gather up.
To accommodate the machine to various sizes of bunches, the adjusting roller
which carries one end of the bunching apron P may be loosened and set so as to
give the proper slack thereto. If desirable also, bunching-rollers of varying
shapes and sizes may be substituted. It is obvious that the cam S and the crank-
arm R may be readily modified as desired, and a roller might be added to the end
of the crank-arm to reduce the amount of frictional contact between the parts if
found expedient, without departing from the spirit of my invention. If desirable,
springs could be substituted in place of the counter-weights above described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion 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.-
1. In a cigar-bunching machine, a rolling-table and a concavity in the rear
thereof, a pivotally supported tension-frame adjacent to said concavity, a bunching
apron one end of which is secured to the said tension frame, the opposite end
being secured toward the forward edge of the rolling-table, and means as

page_text: described to afford a positive rearward movement of said tension-frame as the
bunch is being rolled.
2. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination, with a rolling table having
a concavity in rear thereof, of a pivotally supported tension frame normally held
in rear of and adjacent the said concavity, a bunching apron secured at one end to
the upper portion of the tension frame and at its other end to the forward end of
the rolling table and a pivotally supported shaping frame also normally in rear of
said concavity but in front of the tension frame, and means carried by the
shaping frame for positively engaging the tension frame and moving it in the
direction opposite to the direction of the shaping frame; substantially as
described.
3. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination of a rolling table, a concavity
in the rear thereof, a bunching apron, a pivotally supported tension frame
supporting one end of said apron, means for normally causing the tension frame to
swing towards the rear of the rolling table, and a crank arm secured to the journal
of the tension frame, with a pivotally supported shaping frame carrying a bunching
roller, a cam secured to the journal of said shaping frame and adapted to operate
the tension frame through the medium of the crank arm, substantially as and for
the purpose specified.
4. A cigar-bunching machine consisting of a pivotally mounted tension frame
adjustably carrying the rear end of a bunching apron, a crank arın projecting from
the journal bearing of said tension frame, in combination with said rolling table
and bunching apron, and a pivotally supported shaping frame carrying a bunching
roller towards its upper end, and carrying a cam upon its journal bearing adapted
to engage with the crank arm on the tension frame to cause the upper end of said
tension frame to move rearward away from the concavity in the rear end of the
rolling table, for the purpose of affording tension to the said bunching apron
during the entire process of rolling the bunch and with the counterweight
located on an arm projecting from the tension frame journal bearing and operated
as described.
5. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination of a pivotally supported
tension frame, a rolling table having a concavity as described, a bunching apron,
and means to cause the said tension frame to normally swing towards the concavity
in the rear of said rolling table, a stop Q, with a pivotally supported shaping
frame and means to cause the same to normally swing towards the rear of the
rolling table where it is checked by said stop Q, a bunching roller carried by the
shaping frame, and with means as described, including a cam and crank arm, for
causing positive and co-operative action between said tension frame and shaping
frame so that as said shaping frame is moved towards the front of the rolling table
the tension frame will be moved in the opposite direction.
6. In a cigar-bunching machine, a pivotally supported tension frame G, an
arm K projecting from said frame G, counter-weight L, crank arm R adjustably
carried by said arm K projecting from said tension frame bearing, and an
adjusting-roller I supported by said tension frame, in combination with a pivotally
supported shaping-frame M; a bunching roller O carried thereby, arm N¹ projecting
from said shaping-frame axle and carrying a counter-weight N', with a cam S, a
stop Q on said frame-work for checking the frames. G and M, and a concavity E
in the upper end of said frame-work, and with a rolling-table and apron P, one
end of which apron is secured to the forward end of said rolling table, the other
end being secured to the said adjusting roller I, substantially as described.
Dated this 23rd day of November 1896.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.