Improvements in Cigar-bunching Machines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Nov., 1890-Accepted, 10th Jan., 189f
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cigar-bunching Machines.
I, JAMES CONNELL, of 9 Queens Road, in the Town and County of the Town of
Nottingham, Designer and Draughtsman, 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, reference being had to
the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say :-
This invention relates to improvements in the cigar-bunching machine described in
my Specification No. 11982 of 1890, and it has for its object to provi le an automatic
feeding and cutting-off device, whereby the exact quantity of tobacco, required for the
bunch, is fed therefrom directly into the bight of the working apron, thereby enabling
me to dispense with the use of the endless chain of scoops or buckets, and the trough,
and to arrange and fix the feed hopper above the rear end of the working table instead
of at the back of the machine, and behind such working table.
The invention further relates to an improved arrangement of the blades for forming
the bight in the apron, and for acting as a gauge to regulate the length of the hunches
to be rolled.
In the accompanying drawings only such parts of the machine are represented as
are necessary to explain my improvements, the remaining parts being fully shown and
described in my above mentioned former Specification.
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation, as seen from the right, of the upper part of the
machine, showing the feeding and cutting-off device and the mechanism for operating
the same.
Fig. 2 is a similar view, but seen from the left, and showing the mechanism for
operating the blades for forming the bight in the apron, and for actuating the
stirring device, hereinafter fully referred to.
Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the upper part of the machine.
Fig. 4 is a plan of the feed hopper showing the stirring device.
Fig. 5 is a detached view, in elevation, of the inner rotary cylinder forming part of
the feeding or cutting-off device.
Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of the feeding and cutting-off device.
Figs. 7 and 8 are cross sections on Fig. 6, showing the inner rotary cylinder in
different positions within the stationary cylinder.
In carrying out my improvements, I fix in the lower part of the feed hopper b², a
hollow and stationary cylinder b' formed with two longitudinal openings b³, 64, one
being at or near the top, and the other at or near the bottom. Within the stationary
cylinder I arrange a second box or cylinder c¹, free to rotate upon two trunnions c²,
one of which projects through one side of the feed hopper. This inner cylinder or
box has only one longitudinal opening e³, and is destined to receive the necessary
quantity of tobacco for the bunch from the feed hopper b² and to deliver it down an
inclined shoot f, into the bight of the working apron d.
A rotary reciprocating motion is imparted to the inner cylinder or box during each
revolution of the machine, and consequently the longitudinal opening will once
during each such reciprocating movement coincide with the upper longitudinal
opening 63 in the stationary cylinder b¹ for the purpose of receiving the tobacco from
the feed bopper, and once with the longitudinal opening 64, in the stationary cylinder,
for the purpose of delivering this tobacco into the bight of the working apron.
For the purpose of cutting off any excess or surplus tobacco when the inner or
rotary cylinder is full, each of the cylinders is provided with a knife edge and e³,
respectively, arranged preferably somewhat slanting, as shown in Fig. 5, and working
over or against each other during the reciprocating motion of the inner cylinder.
1 Dion 877.

page_text: In order to further regulate the quantity of tobacco for forming the fillers, the
inner or rotary cylinder may be provided with an interchangeable lining or
scoop which may be exchanged for one having either a smaller or a greater
capacity.
On the prolonged trunnion is mounted a disc g provided on its face with
projecting pins or studs g' with which engage corresponding notches formed in the
lever h. Motion is transmitted to this disc, and consequently to the inner or rotary
cylinder c, by means of the lever which receives its motion from the lever h¹
(provided with friction roller 12), and cam i mounted on the working shaft k. A
spiral spring tends to keep the lever h, with its notches *, in contact or engage-
ment with the pins or studs g³ on the disc g. The friction roller *, on the lever ', is
held in contact with the canii by the spiral spring.
To facilitate the filling of the inner or rotary cylinder c' and to prevent the lower
end of the feed hopper becoming choked with tobacco, I provide a suitable stirrer
arranged above the feeding and cutting-off device, and consisting of a spindle / baving
radial blades. The spindle projects through the sides of the feed hopper and on
one of its ends is mounted a wheel or disc formed with ratchet teeth, with which
engages a spring pawl on the arm and turning loose on the spindle 7. This
stirrer receives its motion from a cam 18 on the working shaft, through the levers 1º, 2º,
the latter being controlled by a spring m and carrying a friction roller bearing
against the said can. It will thus be seen that during each revolution of the machine,
the pawl will be drawn down once and lifted again, thereby actuating the stirring
device for a quarter of a revolution during each whole revolution of the machine.
On the tobacco falling from the feeding and cutting-off device down the inclined
shoot, into the bight of the apron d, it descends between the two vertical blades ¹,
mounted on a horizontal rod or spindle n, and which are, according to my present
improvements, so arranged as to work with a vertical reciprocating movement instead
of with a rotary reciprocating movement, as formerly. These blades, which are
capable of adjustment towards or from each other, serve to determine the length of
the bunch to be rolled, as mentioned in my prior Specification. They also serve to
form the proper bight in the apron after the working roller e has receded to the rear
end of the working table b. For this purpose the ends of the rod n project through
two vertical slots n¹ formed one in each of the two cheeks or sides n² which support
the feed hopper above the rear end of the working table. Motion is imparted to these
vertical blades from the cam n³ (carried by the working shaft) and levers n³, n³, nº
this latter being slotted at n* to receive one end of the rod or spindle n. The lever n³
is provided with a friction roller and is controlled by a spring o which keeps the
friction roller n against the cam n. The rising and falling of the blades takes place
once during each revolution of the machine at the moment when the working roller e
has retired to the extreme rear end of the working table b, and when the blades r
descend into the cavity c formed in the working table they take with them the apron
and thus form therein the required bight. The cam n will then lift this arrangement
of rods and levers and therewith the blades a¹, which will ascend high enough for the
working roller to pass under them and move forward for the purpose of rolling the
bunch in the apron, as described in my above mentioned Specification.
The working is as follows:-
The machine having been set in motion, the opening in the rotary cylinder c¹ of
the feeding and cutting-off device will once during each revolution of the working
shaft coincide with the upper opening of the stationary cylinder 6', as represented in
Fig. 7, for the purpose of receiving the requisite quantity of tobacco from the feed
hopper. During this time the working roller e is moving forward over the working
table for the purpose of rolling into a bunch the tobacco previously delivered into the
bight of the apron. The blades a are meanwhile standing in their raised position to
allow the roller e to pass beneath them. As soon as the bunch is rolled and delivered
in front of the working table, the working roller will retire to the rear end of the
table and will come under the feed hopper, and so soon as the roller e has arrived in
this position the blades a¹ will descend and form the bight in the apron. At this

page_text: moment the inner or rotary cylinder c¹ will have turned until its opening coincides
with the lower opening of the stationary cylinder b', as represented in Fig. 8, and
the tobacco will then fall through these openings and between the blades down the
inclined shoot into the bight of the apron. These blades will then rise and the rotary
cylinder will return to its former position; the working roller will now move forward
and passing under the blades will roll the tobacco, just delivered, into a bunch. The
machine is now ready to repeat the same cycle of operations at each successive
revolution of its working shaft.
I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the exact arrangement
of mechanism for operating the feeding and cutting-off device, nor that for
operating the blades, as it is obvious that I may employ any suitable means
therefor.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a cigar-bunching machine, the means for taking the required quantity of
tobacco from a feed hopper and delivering it into the bight of the apron, consisting
of a stationary cylinder containing a movable cylinder (with or without an inter-
changeable lining or scoop) to which a reciprocating movement is imparted by
suitable mechanism, the reciprocating movement of the rotary cylinder being such
that its longitudinal opening will once during such movement coincide with the
opening in the top of the stationary cylinder, for the purpose of receiving the
required quantity of tobacco, and once with the opening in the bottom of the stationary
cylinder for the purpose of delivering the tobacco into the bight of the apron, the
openings in both cylinders being provided with knife edges for the purpose of cutting
off surplus tobacco, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown with reference
to the accompanying drawings.
2. In a cigar-bunching machine, the arrangement of the blades for forming and
ensuring the proper bight in the apron, and for acting as a gauge to regulate the
length of the fillers to be rolled, whereby such blades are caused to work with a
vertical reciprocating motion, instead of a rotary reciprocating motion, as formerly,
together with means for operating them, substantially as described and shown.
3. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting the improved
cigar-bunching machine, substantially as described and shewn with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
Doted this 22nd day of November 1890.
Company
Doted this 22nd day of November 1890.
ERNEST DE PASS,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 6, Victoria Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicant.