Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Cutting Twist Tobacco.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Oct., 1898-Accepted, 3rd Dec., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Cutting Twist
Tobacco.
I, WILLIAM HODKINSON, of Roebuck Inn, Botany, Chorley, in the County of
Lancaster, Innkeeper, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to provide a handy appliance as a substitute for
an ordinary pocket knife for cutting twist tobacco.
My invention will be readily understood from the following description on
reference to the accompanying drawing.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, Fig. 2 a transverse section, and Fig. 3 a front view of
a machine for cutting twist tobacco made according to this invention.
Figs. 4, 5, and 6 illustrate by similar views a modification of the said apparatus.
The apparatus is preferably constructed as follows:-
Upon a convenient stand or frame a (as seen at Figs. 1, 2 and 3) I mount a
rotating shaft or boss b upon which is cut a screw thread, and near (preferably
beneath) this screw b is a guiding trough or plate c held in place by a spring c¹ to
press the tobacco twist d see dotted lines Fig. 1, against the screw b which can be
rotated when required by a handle b¹ mounted on a shaft 62 and gearing by the
wheel 63 with the wheel b which is on the axle 65 of the screw b.
On the shaft 62 is also mounted a cutting blade e (or more than one such blade
may be used if the screw thread of 6 is made correspondingly quicker). By altering
63 b' the " cnt may be varied.
the gear
"
I prefer to use a left hand screw b because a right hand screw has a tendency to
untwist the tobacco, in some cases. The handle and cutter may be mounted on the
axle 5 but in that case the cut can not be varied and the motion of the handle
would be left handed.
I also prefer to make the screw b slightly less in diameter at the end next the
entrance of the twist to what it is at the exit end, to facilitate the entry of the
twist between it and the plate or trough c.
By turning the handle b¹ the twist d is fed forward by the screw and projects
(see dotted lines Fig. 1) through the front of the machine, and its end is chopped
off by the knife or cutter e (or by one of a series of such knives).
The chopped tobacco can fall into a receptacle fitted in the space ax at the front
of the machine.
Or instead of a rotary cutting device and screw feed, I may use a pair of feed
rollers ff (see Figs. 4, 5 and 6) one or both of which are roughened or made with
teeth and both so grooved as to form a space through which the twist can pass
(see Fig. 5). ƒ* is a spring holding the roller f¹ to its work.
A handle g being arranged to work a crank, g³, connected by a link 92 to a
cutter h sliding in front of the frame, or a cutter block i fixed thereto, through
a hole in which the end of the twist d projects as shewn dotted at Fig. 4. Suitable
grooves a² being provided to guide the sides of the cutter h (see Fig. 6).

page_text: 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. Apparatus for cutting twist tobacco constructed and operating substantially
as described with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
2. Apparatus for cutting twist tobacco constructed and operating substantially as
described with reference to Figs. 4, 5 and 6.
Dated this 20th day of October 1898.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
Agents for the Applicant, 4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester.