An Improved Machine for Forming and Attaching Mouthpieces to Cigarettes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd May, 1898-Accepted, 3rd Sept.,
1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Machine for Forming and Attaching Mouthpieces to
Cigarettes.
I, EDWARD THOMAS POLLARD, of 4 & 5, Gough Square, Fleet Street, London,
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:—
This invention relates to an improved machine for forming and attaching mouth-
pieces to cigarettes, and it has for its object to construct a machine for forming
the mouthpieces from a continuous web of paper or other material and attaching the
same to the cigarette by means of a short strip of paper also cut from a continuous
web of any suitable material and gummed by suitable apparatus provided for
the purpose.
In carrying the invention into effect the cigarettes are placed in a suitable
hopper from which they are fed by a suitable device, operated intermittently
by any suitable means, to four rollers arranged transversely to the hopper and
which rollers are arranged two of them in fixed bearings, and two upon the
ends of levers which are caused at a certain point in the working of the machine
to open to allow the cigarette to fall down until the four rollers are all bearing
thereon. The rollers serve a double purpose in that they straighten the cigarette
should the same have become distorted and at the same time they hold the
cigarette during the operation of attaching the mouthpiece thereto.
To ensure the cigarette always occupying an exactly identical position between
the rollers a stop is provided which may consist of a piece of metal wire of a
diameter corresponding to that of the cigarette which stop is advanced by suit-
able mechanism until it is in the position between the rollers to come into con-
tact with the end of the cigarette.
•
Whilst the straightening operation is being performed the mouthpiece is being
made and this is effected by means of a slotted rod working within a slotted
sleeve, the mouthpiece paper being fed forward by suitable mechanism and led
through guides from which it passes into the slot within the rod aforesaid.
When a sufficient length has been fed forward a knife or shear comes into
action cutting the paper which is then rolled round the rod aforesaid forming
a short barrel with one end of the paper turned inwards across the bore of the
barrel.
When the barrel is completed it is pushed forward until it is in a line with and
When the
in contact with the end of the cigarette to which it is to be attached.
mouthpiece is in position between the four rollers before referred to the paper
for joining the mouthpiece to the cigarette is fed forward and whilst being fed
has gum applied to its two sides and end after which it is cut off by a similar
knife or shear to that employed for severing the mouthpiece paper.
The gummed paper is led forward and passes between the rolls aforesaid upon
the revolution of which it is wrapped round the cigarette and mouthpiece the

page_text: width of the gummed paper being in excess of the length of the said mouthpiece
a sufficient portion extending beyond same to effect a firm junction with the
cigarette.
Upon the completion of the attachment of the mouthpiece the cigarette is
released by the opening of the four rolls and falls down a suitable chute into
a stacking hopper consisting of a suitable case or box having a continuously
moving band at the bottom to carry the cigarettes forward to the front end
thereof.
In order that this invention may be the better understood drawings are appended
in which Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the machine.
Fig. 2 is an end view looking from the right hand of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a plan with part of the cigarette hopper and the stacker removed.
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section following the line of the main shaft of the
machine.
Fig. 5 is an enlarged front elevational view of the bracket carrying the
mechanism for operating the web from which the mouthpiece is formed.
Fig. 6 is a side view of Fig. 5 showing more clearly the form of the bracket.
Fig. 7 is a detailed view of part of the bracket illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6.
Fig. 8 is an enlarged side elevational view of the bracket and the mechanism
carried thereby for feeding gumming and shearing the strip for securing the
mouthpiece to the cigarette.
Fig. 9 is a front view of Fig. 8.
Fig. 10 is a view to a smaller scale showing the rollers between which the
cigarette is retained whilst the mouthpiece is being formed and secured to the
cigarette.
Fig. 11 is a plan of Fig. 10.
Fig. 12 is a detailed view showing more clearly the means employed for inter-
mittently feeding the web from which the mouthpiece is formed.
Fig. 13 is a sectional view of the mechanism for feeding the web employed
for securing the mouthpiece to the cigarette.
Fig. 14 is a sectional view of part of the mechanism for forming the mouth-
piece.
Fig. 15 is an end view of the mouthpiece.
Fig. 16 is a view of the cigarette with mouthpiece in position ready for
attachment.
Fig. 17 is an enlarged front view of the toothed sector for rotating the mouth-
piece former.
Fig. 18 is a view of the device for preventing the displacement of the roller
attached to the sleeve for pushing the completed mouthpiece off the former.
Fig. 19 is a sectional view of the gumming device for the web securing the
mouthpiece to the cigarette.
Fig. 20 is a plan of a guide supporting the web whilst the gum is being applied
thereto.
Fig. 21 is a view showing one of the knives for shearing the web.
Fig. 22 to 25 are views illustrating the various stages of the application of
and attachment to a cigarette of the mouthpiece.
1, is the pedestal to which, at the upper end is attached the base plate 2, and
upon which plate is mounted the various parts constituting the improved machine.
3, is the mainshaft for which bearings 4, 5 are provided at both ends, such
bearings being formed upon the vertical brackets 6, 7. Motion is imparted to
the shaft 3 by means of the fast and loose pulleys 8 and 9, the loose pulley 9
running upon a sleeve 10 forming part of the bracket 7, as shewn in Fig. 4.
At one end of the shaft 3, and inside the bracket 6 is a toothed sector 11, sup-
ported upon the shaft 3 and secured by a bolt or equivalent means, 12, to the
cam 13. See Figs. 4 and 17.
The cam 13 has cut or otherwise formed upon its periphery a race 14, the form
of which is shewn in Figs. 1 and 3.

page_text: The cam 13 is secured to the shaft 3 and has a portion of its periphery cut
away as indicated at 15, Fig. 3.
Engaging with the race 14 is a roller, 16, see Figs. 1 and 4, which roller is
secured to a piece 17 which in its turn is secured to the sleeve 18.
The piece 17 as shewn in Fig. 18, consists of a block, the under side of which
is formed circular, the radius of the circle being that of the outer diameter of
the cam 13, with which it is in contact, the object of such formation being to
prevent any displacement of the block, and with it the roller 16, during the
longitudinal movement thereof. The sleeve 18 aforesaid is supported upon a
spindle 19, for which a bearing 20 is formed upon the upper part of the bracket 6,
and which spindle has secured to it by a pin or equivalent means, 21, a small
pinion 22, which pinion is in gear with and operated by the toothed sector 11.
A collar 23 is secured to the spindle 19 upon the outer end, serving to keep the
spindle in position.
The spindle 19 has cut or otherwise formed therein, a slot or opening, 24, the
length of the slot corresponding to the width of the web from which the mouth-
piece is formed.
Mounted upon the base plate 2 is a vertical bracket 25, shewn to an enlarged
scale in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, and having formed at its upper end, an extending
arm 26, at the end of which is a guide 27, which serves the double purpose of
supporting the sleeve 18, and acting as a guide for the web y indicated by dotted
lines, and for the passage of which, an opening 28 is cut in the side of the
guide 27. The bracket 25 has formed therein a recess or channel 29, upon one
side of which is secured a block of steel or other suitable metal 30, the top of
the block being in the same plane as the line of the web y. The block 30 has
formed at one end on the upper side thereof, a projecting piece 31, to which is
pivotally secured, by a screw 32, a shear blade or knife 33, to the free end of
which is attached by a screw or the like 34 one end of a vertical rod 35. The
arrangement and form of the block 30, and knife 33 is shewn more clearly in
Fig. 21. The distance from the outer edge of the slotted spindle 19 to the
block 30, would correspond with the length of web required to form one mouth-
piece.
The knife 33 is intermittently operated by means of the lever 36 to which is
attached the lower end of the rod 35, and which lever is secured to a spindle 37,
for which bearings are formed in the brackets 38 and 39 secured to the base 2.
See Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6, 8 & 9. The spindle 37 aforesaid has secured to it at its
opposite end to that carrying the lever 36, a second lever 40, the upper end of
which lever carries a roller 41 engaging with the periphery of the cam 42, which
cam 42, is keyed or otherwise secured to the horizontal shaft 3.. The bracket 25
also carries the feeding mechanism for the web y, (supported by the bracket 42ª
secured to the underside of the base 2) and which mechanism consists of an inter-
mittently rotated drum 43, secured to the inner end of a spindle 44, carried
by a bearing formed in the bracket, and which spindle has freely mounted thereon
at its opposite end a disc 45, upon the periphery of which are formed teeth 46,
adapted to engage with corresponding teeth 47, formed upon the upper surface
of the reciprocating rod 48. The teeth 46 extend round the disc 45 approxi-
mately of its circumference as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 12.
Forming part of the disc 45 is an arm or projection 49, which has pivotally
secured to it a pawl 50 engaging with teeth 51 formed upon a disc 52, which
disc is secured in any suitable manner to the spindle 44. The rod 48 aforesaid
is forked at its inner end 53 to permit of the passage there-through of the shaft 3,
which thus acts as a guide for the said rod. Secured to the rod upon the side
thereof is a horizontal roller 54 bearing upon the periphery of the cam 55. To
prevent the vertical displacement of the rod, a roller 56 is provided with flanges 57
between which passes the rod 48, the roller 56 being supported upon a pin 58
carried by the bracket 25, the roller 56 being placed upon the under side of the
rod 48, as shewn more clearly in Fig. 12. It is obvious that on the rotation of

page_text: the cam 55 the rod 48 will be advanced until its extreme forward position is
arrived at, operating the toothed disc 45, which as aforesaid is freely mounted
upon the spindle 44 and which by means of the pawl 50 engaging with the
teeth 51, upon the disc 52, secured to the spindle 44, will rotate the drum 43,
upon which is pressed the web y, a roller 59 being in contact with the upper
surface of the web, which roller is retained in position by the guides 60 and 61
so constructed as to allow of the free vertical play of the roller and secured to
the bracket 25 by screws or equivalent means. A spring may be attached to
the rod 48 to keep the roller 54 always in contact with the cam 55.
When the web has been fed forward, the blade 33 is caused by the mechanism
before described to descend cutting the same and leaving the cut portion free
to be rolled up upon the spindle 19, which rolling is effected by means of the
toothed sector 11 in gear with the pinion 22. When the rolling action is com-
pleted the sleeve 18 is caused by the cam 13 acting upon the roller 16 secured
to the block 17, which block is attached to the outer end of the sleeve 18 to
advance as indicated in dotted lines Fig. 14, when the sleeve will push the then
completed mouthpiece off the spindle 19 between the rollers 62, 63, 64 and 65.
See Fig. 24. The rollers 62, 64 are carried by arms 66 and 67 formed upon the
frame 68, which frame is bolted or otherwise secured to an arm or projection
formed upon the bracket 69 situated upon the opposite side of the shaft 3 as
shown in Fig. 3. The rollers 63 and 65 are secured to the arms 70 and 71,
forming part of the frame 72, which frame is pivotally secured to the lower
members 73, 74 of the frame 68, as indicated at 75, Fig. 10.
The frame 72 has formed at one side thereof a downwardly extending piece 76,
to which is secured a roller 77 in contact with and operated by the cam 78 secured
to the shaft 3.
The periphery of the cam 78 aforesaid is formed as shewn and revolves in the
direction of the arrow, and during the revolution thereof causes the rollers 63
and 65 to assume the positions indicated in dotted lines the rollers first being
caused to separate to allow the cigarette between them to fall into the stacker
then being drawn together when a cigarette is allowed to fall between them and
they close ready for the application of the mouthpiece. The rollers 62, 63, 64
& 65 have secured to their spindles small sheaves 79, 80, 81, 82 indicated in
dotted lines Fig. 10, around which passes a belt 83, a guide pulley 84, also indi-
cated in dotted lines, being provided which is carried by the frame 72 upon
which is formed a suitable projection 85. The rollers 62, 63, 64 and 65 whilst
retaining the cigarette in position for the attachment of the mouthpiece also
serve to straighten the same should it have become distorted from any cause.
The cigarettes are placed in a suitable hopper 86, which may consist of a
wooden box open at the top and having an endless intermittently operated band
or belt 87, passing over pulleys upon which the cigarettes rest, and which band
or belt passes round rollers 88, 89, one of which, 89, has attached to its spindle 90,
a chain wheel 91, to which motion is imparted by means of the chain 92. At
the forward end of the hopper is a cylinder 93, indicated by dotted lines Fig. 2,
which cylinder has formed upon its periphery a number of longitudinal
channels 94, each capable of retaining one cigarette to prevent more than one
being carried forward a revolving roller or brush may be employed, which roller
is placed above the cylinder 93 aforesaid, and is rotated in an opposite direction
to the said cylinder, the rotation being effected by the belt 95, passing around
the sheave 96, secured to the spindle 97 of the brush or roller, and receiving
motion from the sheave 98 which is secured to the spindle of the grooved
cylinder 93. The spindle of the cylinder 93 also carries at its opposite end out-
side the hopper a chain wheel 99 around which passes the chain 92. before men-
tioned. Attached to the inner end of the hopper 86 is a metal plate 100 which
has a chute or opening 101 located over the rollers 62, 63, 64, 65 and down which
the cigarettes fall between the said rollers which are then open separated sufficiently
to permit of this. The bracket 69 before mentioned carries the feeding mechanism

page_text: for the web from which are cut pieces for securing the mouthpiece to the
cigarette. The width of the web, (which is indicated by dotted lines z in Fig. 8,
and the main roll of which web is carried by a bracket 102 secured to the under
side of the base plate 2, see Fig. 2, is slightly in excess of the web from which
the mouth-piece is formed. The feeding mechanism before mentioned consists
of a drum 103, carried upon a horizontal spindle 104, for which, bearing 105
is formed upon the bracket 69, and which drum has in contact with and pressing
upon the web passing thereover, a roller 106 held in position by guides 107
and 108 supported upon the frame 69, and which guides are similar in form to
those 60 61 previously described.
Secured to the opposite end of the spindle 104 is a disc 108 which disc has
formed in it a series of slots 109 with which slots engages a pin 110 upon the end
of an arm 111, which arm forms part of the disc 112 upon the spindle 113 for
which a bearing 114 is provided upon the bracket 69. The disc 112 aforesaid
has a portion of its periphery cut away to permit of the revolution of the slotted
lisc 108, which disc has formed in it between the slots a number of circular
recesses adapted to engage with the periphery of the disc 112 when the pin 110
is free of the slots 109, and thereby prevent any accidental movement on the part
of the drum 103.
Secured to the spindle 113 of the disc 112 is a chain wheel 115, operated by
means of the chain 116 receiving motion from a chain wheel 117 secured to the
main shaft 3. The arrangement of the parts last described is shewn in the
sectional view Fig. 13, and also in Figs. 1, 2, 8, 9. Also carried by the bracket 69
is a gum reservoir 118, within which rotates a gumming device consisting two
discs 119, 120, adapted to apply gum to the side edges of the web and a longi-
tudinal projection 121 adapted to apply the gum to the end of the piece cut from
the web. The gumming device is mounted upon a spindle 122 which spindle is
carried in bearings 123, 124 formed upon the plate 125 secured by suitable
means to the bracket 69. The spindle 122 has at its outer end a pinion 126 in
gear with a second pinion 127 secured to the cam 78 upon the main shaft 3.
See Figs. 4 and 10. A guide 128 is provided for the web which guide consists
of a metal plate shaped as shewn in Fig. 20 with two projecting pieces 130, 131
between which is located the piece 121 of the gummer and upon the outside of
which are situated the pieces 119, 120. The gummer and guide are shewn more
clearly in Fig. 19. To keep the paper in position for the application of the gum,
a roller 132, is provided retained in position by the guides 133 and 134 secured
by bolts or the like to the plate 125.
Mounted upon the spindle 104 is a chain wheel 135 over which passes the
chain 92 and from which wheel the chain receives its motion the wheel is indi-
cated by dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 8 and shown in full in Figs. 1, 3, 9, and 13.
Secured to the bracket 69 is a plate or block 136 similar to that shown in Fig. 21
and having a shear or knife 137 pivotally connected thereto which is operated
by a vertical rod 138 secured to a lever 139 attached to the spindle 140 for which
bearings are provided in the brackets 38 and 39 and which spindle is operated
by a roller attached to the upper end of a lever 141 secured to the spindle and
which roller is in contact with the periphery of a cam 142 secured to the main
shaft 3. A spring 143 is secured at its ends to the levers 40 and 141 and serves
to keep the respective rollers thereon in contact with the peripheries of the
respective cams 42 and 142.
The cigarette hopper 86 is supported by the bracket 69 for which purpose an
extension 144 is formed thereon.
The alignment of the gumming device is such as to allow of the gummed strip,
which is gummed upon the sides and edges as it passes along to the rollers 62
63 64 and 65 between the rollers 62 and 65 where it is brought into contact with
the cigarette and mouthpiece round which it is wrapped by the action of the
rollers which are rotated by means of the belt 83 which passes around the various
sheaves attached to the rollers and which belt is operated by the sheave 144 indi-

page_text: cated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and shown in full in Fig. 3. This latter sheave
is mounted upon the spindle 145 carried by a bearing 146 secured to the bottom
of the stacker 147 supported by the bracket 148 and into which the cigarettes
are discharged after the mouthpiece has been attached thereto and into which
they are allowed to fall upon the separation of the rollers 62 63 64 65 operated
as before described.
The stacker 147 has an endless band 149 passing over the rollers 150 151 one
of which 150 is carried by extensions 152 153 formed upon the frame 68 as shown
in Figs. 2 and 10, a plate 154 being provided to ensure the delivery of the
cigarettes to the band 149. To ensure the cigarette occupying the proper hori-
zontal position between the rollers 62, 63, 64, 65 a spindle 154 is provided which
spindle slides within the sleeve 155 carried by the upper part of the bracket 7
and which sleeve is slotted at 156 to permit of the passage there-through of a
pin 157 secured to the spindle and which pin engages with a slot 158 formed in
the upper end of the cranked lever 159 carried by the downwardly projecting
piece 160 secured to or forming part of the sleeve 155.
The lever 159 is provided at the end of its horizontal member 161 with a
roller 162 in contact with the cam 163 secured to the main shaft 3 and has in
addition a shorter member 164 to which is attached an end of the spring 165
the purpose of which is to keep the roller 162 always bearing upon the periphery
of the cam which during its revolution causes the lever 159 to advance the
spindle 154 which thereon is brought into contact with the end of the cigarette
pushing the cigarette if necessary over so as to be in a position to butt against
the mouthpiece when the same has been formed and keeping it there until the
same has been attached to the cigarette when it is withdrawn and the cigarette
free to fall into the stacker. The endless band within the stacker is actuated by
the chain 92 which passes over the chain wheel 166 secured to the spindle 150
of the roller 152 shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2 and in full in Fig. 1.
Referring to the sheave 144 upon the spindle 145 this is operated by a belt 167
receiving motion from a sheave 168 secured to the cam 163, see Figs. 1, 3, 4,
upon the main shaft 3 see Figs. 1, 2, 3, & 4, and passing around the sheave 169
secured to the spindle 145, the belt being indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2,
and shown in full Fig. 3.
The action of the machine is as follows:-
Motion being imparted to the chain 92 is imparted by means of the chain
wheels 91 and 99 to the endless band 87 within the hopper 86 and to the feed
cylinder 93, the channels 94 of which during its rotation receive the cigarettes
carrying them over and dropping them down the chute 101 to the rollers 62, 63,
64, 65, which rollers at this period have been caused to separate by the cam 78
upon the shaft 3, acting upon the roller 77 secured to the arm 76 forming part
of the frame 72, see Fig. 10. Upon the cigarette falling between the rollers
they are brought together, and the mouthpiece paper or web y is caused to be
fed forward to the rolling mechanism by the drum 43, see Figs. 2, 5, and 6,
which drum receives an intermittent motion from the cam 55 secured to the
main shaft 3, through the rod 53 having a roller 54 in contact with the said cam
and the teeth upon which rod are in gear with and actuate the pinion 45 to which
is attached the pawl 50 actuating the ratchet wheel 52, secured to the spindle of
the drum 43 aforesaid. When a sufficient length of web has been fed forward, the
shear blade 33 is caused by the rod 35 to descend, cutting the length from
the web. The length is then rolled around the mandrel or former 19 and when
completed is pushed therefrom by the sleeve 18 caused to advance by the roller 16
secured thereto, which roller is in the cam race 14 formed upon the periphery
of the cam 13.
The mouthpiece as aforesaid is pushed off the former 19 and passes endwise
between the rollers until it abuts against the end of the cigarette already there.
When the mouthpiece is in position, the mechanism for feeding, gumming
and shearing the gummed paper (which mechanism is shown in Figs. 8 and 9)

page_text: comes into operation and is caused by means of the pin 110 engaging with one
of the slots 109 formed in the plate or disc 112 to partially rotate the feed
drum 103, drawing a length of web Z forward, the web in its passage receiving
gum upon its under side at the edges and end by the gummers 119, 120 and 121
respectively. When a sufficient length of web has been fed, the blade. or
shear 137 is caused to descend severing the length, the forward end of which is
by this time seized by the roller 62 and wrapped by the combined action of the
rollers 62, 63, 64, 65 around the cigarette. The rollers then open and allow the
cigarette to fall down a suitable guide on to the endless band 149 within
the stacker 147, the cycle of operations then being again repeated.
To afford a better grip upon the webs Y and Z the drums 43 and 103 may be
covered with indiarubber, or the like, upon their peripheries.
It is obvious that the mechanism for actuating and gumming the strip for
attaching the mouthpiece to the cigarette could be, with slight modifications,
employed, if desired, for wrapping labels around cigarettes when the same are
made entirely of tobacco, or it could be employed for attaching labels to 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. In a machine for making and attaching mouthpieces to cigarettes, a device
for feeding the web from which the mouthpiece is formed consisting of an inter-
mittently operated drum, over which the web passes and which web is held in
contact with the periphery of the said drum by a suitable weighted roller resting
thereon, the drum being actuated by suitable mechanism, substantially as herein
described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2. In a machine for forming and attaching mouthpieces to cigarettes a device
coacting with that first described as actuating the web whereby the web after a
suitable length has been fed forward is cut and the cut portion rolled around a
suitable spindle or former, such former being provided with a means for holding
the end of the strip during the process of rolling, combined with a device for
removing the mouthpiece from the former when the same has been formed, all
constructed and acting in the manner set forth and as shown by the accompany-
ing drawings.
3. In a machine for forming and attaching mouthpieces to cigarettes a device
for feeding a strip of paper by which the mouthpiece is secured to the cigarette
consisting of a drum to which an intermittent action is imparted by means of a
toothed rack receiving motion from the main shaft of the machine and actuating
by suitable means a ratchet or like wheel secured to the spindle of the drum,
a roller being provided for keeping the web in contact therewith, substantially
as herein described and shown by the accompanying drawings.
4. In a machine for forming and attaching mouthpieces to cigarettes a device
for applying gum to the sides and end of a piece of paper constructed and acting,
substantially in the manner stated and of the form shown by the accompanying
drawings.
5. In a machine for forming and attaching mouthpieces to cigarettes, a device
for straightening and holding the cigarettes whilst the mouthpiece is applied and
consisting of 4 rollers rotated by suitable means and so mounted as to be capable
of separating for the reception of the cigarette and holding same during the
operation and securing the mouthpiece thereto and finally when such operation
is completed of releasing the cigarette so as to permit of the same being secured
in a suitable hopper or stacker, combined with a means for keeping the cigarette
in the desired horizontal position between the said rollers, all acting and con-
structed in the manner set forth and shown by the accompanying drawings.
6. In a machine for forming and attaching mouthpieces to cigarettes the com-
bination with the devices before enumerated of a device for feeding the cigarettes
to the machine consisting of an intermittently actuated cylinder or drum of any

page_text: suitable material having a number of longitudinal peripheral recesses or grooves
in which the cigarettes are received, and a means for preventing more than one
cigarette being fed to the machine at once, arranged, constructed and operated
in the manner set forth and shown by the accompanying drawings.
7. The combination, arrangement and construction of the various devices con-
stituting the improved machine for forming and attaching mouthpieces to
cigarettes, substantially as described and shown by the appended drawings.
Dated this 20th day of May 1898.
J. E. EVANS-JACKSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.