Improvements in Cigar-rolling Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 4th June, 1891-Accepted. 18th July, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cigar-rolling Machines.
1, WILHELM BERGEMANN, of 38, Alexanderstrasse, Berlin, in the Empire of
Germany, Merchant, 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 a cigar-rolling machine, which works upon the tobacco
required for the production of the cigar in a thoroughly simple way, without
requiring the assistance of any other machine.
The cigar-rolling machines hitherto in use possess the considerable disadvantages
that they can only work upon tobacco which has been specially cut, and that in each
stage of the process they require special movements. These defects are overcome
by the present invention, inasmuch as the machine, by suitable rolling mechanism,.
produces the cigar out of any sort of raw tobacco, the amount of raw tobacco
necessary for making a cigar being supplied automatically.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a view, partly in longitudinal section
and partly in side elevation, of a machine constructed in accordance with the present
invention. Fig. 2 is a corresponding plan, and Fig. 3 a corresponding back
elevation. Figs. 4 to 7 are enlarged detail views.
A. is the frame supporting the slab 13, on which the mechanism is arranged. The
latter is worked by the pinion C and spur-wheel D, which are actuated from the
treadle H through the connecting rod H', crank H2 and shaft H³. A receptacle a
on the slab B contains a space shut off by a lid in which the slide d works. The
lid is moved by the rod c. The rod e works a number of cutters placed in front
of the slide d. The rod factuates a shutter which closes the space covered by the
lid b. Besides these there are on the plate B, which serves to guide the slide d,
and on the other side of the receptacle a, two rods provided with slots and toothed
on their upper surfaces, which serve as a guide for the roller i, to which is attached
the rolling cloth. The cams t, ranged along the shaft c, set in motion the various
parts of the machine. The shaft c is rotated either from the treadle H or by means
of a handle G attached to the fly-wheel G.
The weighing apparatus, arranged above the receptacle a, serves to supply the
proper quantity of tobacco necessary for each cigar. It consists of a balance-
beam F, turning on the bearing a fastened to the vertical supports, on the front end
of which beam is a box 9 for the reception of the tobacco.
After the necessary quantity of tobacco has been deposited in the receptacle a,
the lid is shut and, at the same time, the slide d is set in notion. This pushes the
tobacco forward and presses it against the shutter f, after which, while the slide d
remains stationary, the cutters e are set in motion and cut up the roll; the object
being to prevent the roll from bursting. Next the catchers g (Fig. 4) come into
operation and seize the tobacco, which, after the raising of the shutter, is forced
forward by a further movement of the slide d. The movement of the catchers is
effected by the holder, which slides on the piece W pivoted at
The catchers g
are now drawn downward and turned about the point by means of cams and levers;
the latter being attached to the point of the piece W. The roller i can now pull
forward the rolling cloth, which is drawn in through the bars k; the tobacco being
thus brought into the space at the end of the machine.
The supply of tobacco necessary for each repetition of the process is effected in
the following way:-When the box 9 attached to the balance-beam is in the upper
position, the rod 12 (Fig. 7) connected to the beam F is brought in a line with the
upper rod 8, whereby the lower arm is moved towards the left by the motion
conveyed from the shaft H' to the pulley o on the axle p by means of the cam 10

page_text: and of the upper rod 8 furnished with an anti-friction roller 9 and of the rod 12
jointed to the lever 6. By this means, the connecting rod 5 and the lower end of
the lever 4 are also moved toward the left, while the upper end of the latter, as
well as the rod 3 and the fork 1 are moved to the right.
S
The balance-beam rests either above or below according to the load on it against
the cross-bar m and the pieces 7 attached to it at right angles. A box E (Fig. 5)
contains the tobacco to be operated upon, and is held up by the horizontal frame
which has in its front end a bearing for the reception of an axle p² p³. On this
axle are situated the catchers bent in the form of hooks, which pass through
openings in the box E, and bring the tobacco through the funnel E' (Fig. 7) into
the box on the balance-beam. The two parts p2 and 3 of the axle to which the
catchers are attached are connected by the clutch J J in such a way that, when
the part is thrown into gear, the grooved wheel O, keyed on the axle, is set in
motion. A. fork 1 engaging in a groove in the movable half J of the coupling. J
and which turns about a point 2 in the front of the box E and receives its motion
from the lever 6 through the connecting rod 3, the lever 4 and the rod 5, causes
the locking and unlocking of the coupling, and accordingly determines the motion
of the part of the axle p³ ³.
So
:
The way in which the machine works is as follows :-The part of the coupling
engages with the corresponding part J, and thus sets the catchers in motion.
soon as the latter have brought into the boxy through the funnel E a quantity of
tobacco determined by the position of the sliding weight of the beam F, the box
sinks, until it arrives, with its rod 12, in front of the cam 10 keyed to the axle
the lower end of the lever 6 is then pushed to the right and, at the same time, the
coupling J is disengaged. The catchers then remain stationary until the machine
by means of a cam (Fig. 3) empties the box 7, whereupon the lever 6 by the
motion of the cam 10 and the rod 12 again returns to the left and the coupling J
is thrown into action; the operation of the machine being then repeated.
The prong-shaped attachment 7 shewn in Fig. 7 serves the purpose of preventing
the balance-beam F from being forced out of the bearing n.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 claim :—
1. A machine for rolling cigars constructed or operating substantially as described
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. A cigar-rolling machine comprising a table B, a lid b, a slide d, a rolling
cloth, a rolleri, cutters e, which pierce through the tobacco when pressed together
between the slide and a shutter in order to render the roll pervious to air, and
lastly the shutter, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
3. In a cigar-rolling machine, the employment of the catchers g for the purpose
of conveying the quantity of tobacco necessary for the production of the roll to the
rolling cloth h, and a weighing apparatus which automatically supplies the quantity
of tobacco necessary for the production of the roll, and comprising a balance-
beam F carrying the rod 12, which, according to the loading, stands before either
the lower or the upper rod 8, whereby the latter is in a position, when the lever 6
is forced in by motion transmitted through the connecting rod 5, the lever 4, the
rod 3 and the fork 1, to the coupling J J', to cause either an insertion or a
withdrawal of the catchers, substantially as described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 4th day of June 1901
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Associate Agent.