of MANUFACTURING CIGARETTES."
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Percival Everitt of Queen Victoria Street in the City
IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR
of London, Engineer, for an invention of
MANUFACTURING CIGARETTES."
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Percival Everitt at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th April 1882.
PERCIVAL EVERITT of Queen Victoria Street in the City of London, Engineer,
"IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING CIGARETTES
"
The object of this invention is to provide a simple and efficient arrangement of
mechanism, for manufacturing cigarettes, suitable for use not merely by large
manufacturers, but also by retailers of tobacco.
To this end in place of moulds and dies as heretofore employed the tobacco is
fed through a semicircular trough by means of an endless band (furnished if
thought desirable with projecting pins) to the first pair of a series of grooved
compressing rollers. The tobacco as it is forced into the grip of this first pair
of rollers, is condensed into say a cylindrical form, it then passes to a second pair
of grooved rollers the grooves of which are of smaller gauge, and so on through a
third, fourth, or it may be fifth pair of grooved rollers, in passing between which
the tobacco will be more and more closely compressed. On issuing from between
the last of the series of rollers the tobacco is received onto a narrow web of paper
led up from a supply bobbin. This paper is drawn through a tapering open tube
and as it carries with it the compressed tobacco now in a cylindrical form the
taper tube will lap the paper around the tobacco, leaving however one edge of the
paper to stand up through the longitudinal opening in the taper tube. Near its
contracted end this tube is provided with a projection which forms a backing or
support to the raised edge of the paper, and at this point a gumming wheel is
provided which rolling over the paper as it passes the backing piece imparts
a line of gum to the inner face of the paper. The extension of the tube beyond
Price 181

page_text: this projection is reduced to a semicircular trough to allow of a grooved roller
being mounted above it, for the purpose of lapping over the gummed portion of
the paper, and pressing it into contact with that portion which has been laid close
to the compressed tobacco. To ensure the travel of the tobacco with its wrapper
through the taper tube a clip is provided for seizing upon it as it emerges from
the tube, and drawing it forward out of the machine. This clip may be actuated
by an endless chain, and when a certain length is drawn out, that length may be
cut of automatically by the descent of a cutter-Or, if desired, the chain may be
provided with a series of clips, and the cutter may be adapted to cut off lengths
equal to the length of a cigarette in rapid succession.
The chain for feeding the
tobacco, and the rollers for compressing it must be so speeded as to prevent any
choking of the machine and the attention of the operator may then be concen-
trated on the proper supply of the feeding trough with the material to be
compressed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Percival Everitt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th October 1882.
PERCIVAL EVERITT of Queen Victoria Street in the City of London Engineer
"IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING CIGARETTES."
The object of this Invention is to provide a simple and efficient arrangement
of mechanism for manufacturing cigarettes suitable for use not merely by large
manufacturers but also by retailers of tobacco.
To this end in place of moulds and dies as heretofore employed for bringing the
tobacco to shape in a compressed state the tobacco, is fed by means of an endless
band to the first pair of a series of grooved compressing rollers.
The tobacco as it is forced into the grip of this first pair of rollers is condensed
into say a cylindrical form: it then passes to a second pair of grooved rollers the
grooves of which are of reduced gauge and so on throughout the series of com-
pressing rollers which deliver it onto a narrow web of paper led up from a supply
bobbin. This paper is led into and drawn a tapering tube or "former" open from
end to end and as it carries with it the compressed tobacco now in a cylindrical
form the taper tube will lap the paper around the tobacco leaving however one
edge of the paper to stand out through the longitudinal opening in the taper tube.
Near the contracted end of the tube or <
former" a gumming wheel is provided
which, rolling in contact with the inner face of the overlapping edge of the paper
as it passes forward, imparts a line of gum thereto The gunmed edge is then
pressed down by passing the compressed tobacco enclosed in the paper wrapper
into the nip of a pair of grooved rollers situated immediately in front of the
open tube.
To ensure the travel of the tobacco with its wrapper through the taper tube
a series of clips is provided for seizing upon it and drawing it forward out
of the machine. These clips are carried by a travelling band and caused in
succession to grip the now formed cigarette as it leaves the rollers and release
it preparatory to its being cut off into lengths either by hand or by an automatic
cutter.
In Sheet I of the accompanying drawings Fig: 1 shews my improved machine
in side elevation, and Fig: 2 is a plan view of the same.
In Sheet II Fig: 3 shews in side elevation, partly in section on an enlarged
scale, the middle part of the machine, and Fig 4 is a plan view of the same.
In Sheet III Figures 5 show sections of the taper tube or envelope former.
which laps the paper around the compressed tobacco the sections being taken in
the lines 1, 1, 2, 2, and 3, 3 of Fig: 3 looking towards the right hand. Fig: 6 is a
cross section taken in the. line 4 4 of Fig: 4 and showing in side elevation the
arrangement of gumming apparatus employed;-Fig: 7 is a cross section taken at
the line 5, 5 of Fig: 1. and showing the construction of the clip and the means
for actuating it. Fig: 8 is an end elevation of the machine shewing an arrange-
ment of apparatus for severing the formed cigarette into lengths and discharging
the same into a receiving box, the receiving box and the table which guides the
severed cigarettes thereto being represented in section.
Referring now to Sheet I, A is the feeding table in which a groove is made from
end to end thereof, to receive the previously prepared tobacco which is to be
converted into cigarettes. This groove is fitted with a feeding band B which
passes around band pulleys B' mounted in brackets at opposite ends of the table A
C is a bed plate set in line with the feeding table A but on a somewhat lower.

page_text: level the object of which will be presently understood. Bolted to this bed plate
are two, cast metal frames C. fitted with bearings to receive the axles of a series
of pairs of compressing rollers D, D', D², D³, D³, D³, D. These rollers are formed
with semicircular grooves the grooves of the first pair D being somewhat larger
than those of the second pair D1, the grooves of the second pair being somewhat
larger than those of the third pair D2, the grooves of the third pair being somewhat
larger than those of the fourth pair D³, and the grooves of the remaining rollers
being of corresponding diameter to those of the fourth pair. This arrangement
which is clearly illustrated in the partial sectional elevation, Fig 3 ensures the
tobacco which is presented to the compressing rollers by the travelling band B
being gradually compressed until it has passed the fourth pair of rollers when the
compression which it has received will be maintained by the remaining rollers
until it is delivered to the web of covering paper. The grooves of the first four
pairs of compressing rollers may be lined with india-rubber if thought desirable as
illustrated at Fig: 3, to prevent the tobacco from slipping in the bite of the rollers,
but this provision is not essential. By sinking the bed plate C below the level of
the feeding table A the bite of the rollers D D¹ & will be brought on a level with
the groove in the feeding table, and the rollers being set in line therewith the
tobacco will be delivered in a continuous stream to the bite of the compressing
rollers. The tobacco when filled into the groove of the feeding table is pressed
down by the attendant to give it some degree of cohesion, and to facilitate the
feeding forward of the tobacco the band B is provided with cross strips or ribs b
set equidistant from each other as shewn best in Figures 3 and 4: In a line with
the series of compressing rollers a tubular "former" E which is intended to lap
the paper around the compressed tobacco is situated it being carried by a bracket
on the bed plate C. This envelope former, which is shewn in longitudinal section
at Fig 3 and in transverse sections at Figures 5 is made taper and with an over-
lapping lip which provides a a longitudinal opening in the former" from end to
end thereof. The proportions of this tubular "former" it will be understood are
such as to facilitate the entrance of the strip of paper which is to constitute the
cigarette envelope and to ensure a free passage for both the compressed tobacco
and its envelope to the gumming apparatus At the same time this "former"
required to lap the paper around the compressed tobacco and to present the over-
lapping edge of the paper to the gumming apparatus as the paper travels through
the machine: The front end of the tubular "former" is bent downwards that it'
may offer no obstruction to the passage of the strip of paper through the "former
This paper is drawn from a reel or bobbin F mounted in brackets below the bed
plate C, and is passed up through a slot formed in the bed plate for that purpose.
The paper is then led over a guide bar G which is carried by and adjustable frame
so arranged as to hold the guide bar on the "skew," and thus give the paper a
tendency to take the right course through the "former." The adoption of this
contrivance is important, as without its use it is difficult to ensure the paper taking
an equal tension or strain at its opposite edges and without the equalizing of this
strain over the breadth of the paper the tearing of the paper would occur, and
defective work would be produced. As the paper passes with the overlying rod
of compressed tobacco into the tubular "former "the paper will be caused to lap
around the rod, its edges being bent upwards and over as the paper and tobacco
are drawn forward through the "former," thereby completely enveloping the tobacco
in a continuous paper wrapper.
18
"
In some cases I may find it desirable to introduce between the "former" E and
the last of the compressing rollers a series of guide rollers, as shewn by dots in
Fig 3 which rollers will serve to prevent the compressed rod from rising by its
own elasticity and thereby causing the production of bad work. These rollers
should like the compressing rollers be driven, the gearing for which is indicated
in Fig: 3.
The forward motion of the enclosed tobacco is obtained as has been already
stated from travelling clips the construction of which will be presently described.

page_text: By referring to the sectional views Figures 5, which are drawn to a larger scale
than Fig: 3 it will be seen how the lapping of the paper around the compressed
rod of tobacco is carried on. When the lap is completed the upper and overlying
edge of the paper comes into contact with a gumming wheel H carried by a vertical
spindle which is free to rotate on centres carried by a bracket H'.'bolted to the
bed plate C.-This wheel H (sec the sectional view Fig: 6) is chamfered on its
upper face and running in contact with this chamfered portion is a second wheel H²
on a vertical spindle mounted on centres carried by the bracket H'. This wheel
overlaps the wheel H and is chamfered to correspond therewith, its object being
to impart a liquid cement or gum to the gumming wheel H. The liquid gum or
cement it receives from a wheel H³ carried by a horizontal spindle mounted on
centres on the bracket H. This wheel H³ which underlies the wheel H³ runs in
a gum pot attached to the bracket H¹. The gum pot is made adjustable to enable
it to be raised as the gum is used, and thereby keep the wheel H³. in contact with
the supply of gum. Rotary motion is imparted to the three gumming wheels in
the manner to be hereinafter described. I, I, is a pair of grooved pressing rollers
mounted on studs projecting from the side of the bracket H'. and between these
rollers the covered rod of tobacco passes to permit of the gummed edge being
pressed down into its place. This completes the formation of the cigarette and it
now only remains to cut it into lengths which may be done by hand, or more
conveniently by the arrangement of automatic machinery hereafter described.
K (Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4) is the cutting table, on which is mounted an endless
metal band L for carrying a series of clips by which a traverse motion is imparted
to the covered cigarette. This band passes over a pair of pulleys L'. L'. mounted
in brackets K. attached to the table K.-A third pulley L below the table serves
to put the requisite tension on the band, and prevent it from slipping, it being
aided by pins on the pulleys L' which enter a line of pin holes formed in the metal
band L. Slots are cut in the table to allow of the pulleys L' projecting upwards
and guiding the band from and to the tension pulley. The clips (see the sectional
view Fig: 7) consist each of a pair of jaws 1, 1, hinged to a plate which is rivetted
to the band L. The parts of these jaws which are in line with the cigarette are
hollowed out slightly and coated with soft leather or equivalent material. The
plates travel along guides made for them on the table K.-These guides are
formed of strips of angle iron k which are blocked up to provide a space for the
ends of the plates to slide in and are held firmly down on the table K.
The vertical portions of the strips act as elongated cams to hold the jaws of the
clips in action. -For this purpose the hinged pieces are each provided with a
bowle which bears against the strips k under the pressure of a U-shaped spring
rivetted to the plate land to facilitate the traverse of the clips the rear ends of
these strips or those nearest the rollers I are bent outwards so as to widen the
space between them at the part where the clips enter on their horizontal traverse.
It will now be understood that so soon as a covered portion of tobacco is
advanced into the space between the strips k which at the starting of the machine
must be done by hand, the clips as they rise into position will seize the cigarette
and draw it forward until they reach the end of the guides k when they will
severally drop out of action, a following clip having meanwhile taken hold of the
cigarette and travelled forward with it. In this way a continuous length of
cigarette is formed the feeding of the tobacco being kept up by the attendant and
the action of the several parts of the mechanism above described being maintained
by means of gearing as will be hereafter described.
The next operation is to sever the continuous length of cigarette into lengths
which may be done by hand as above mentioned if thought desirable. When
however great rapidity of manufacture is desired I may apply to my improved
machine any well known or approved device for severing the covered rod of
tobacco automatically.
Referring now to Fig: 8 Sheet III it will be seen that there is mounted on the
forward end of the cutting table a steel cutting plate M which is provided with a

page_text: hole m for the passage through it of the cigarette, and is furnished with an inclined
slot m' for the purpose to be presently explained. N is the cutting blade furnished
with two guide pins n which enter the inclined slot m¹ and travelling along it as
the blade is drawn forward will cause it to impart a draw cut to the cigarette.
This cutting blade is connected by a pin to a slotted arm O which is keyed to a
longitudinal shaft O' mounted in bearings on the under side of the cutting
table K-02 is a hand lever (see Figs. 1 & 2) keyed to the shaft 01, and by its
means the cutting blade is advanced to make its cut and thrown back to its
quiescent position. To facilitate this return of the cutting blade a spring may be
employed as at Os connecting the lever O with a fixed point.-The pins n of the
cutting blade pass through slides m² fitted in the inclined slot m' and they are
screwed at their ends to receive nuts n' which serve to retain upon the pins,
coiled springs n². By the pressure of these nuts upon the coiled springs the
cutting blade N is kept in contact with the cutting plate M the adjustment of the
nuts serving to adjust the amount of contact pressure. When a gauged length of
cigarette is presented to the cutter, the attendant, by depressing the handle O
causes the severance of that length which then lies upon a narrow table. P, ready
to be discharged from the machine.-This table is hinged at one side to a receiving
box Qand provision is made for tipping the table P after each severance of the
cigarette, so that the severed portion may be discharged into the receiving box Q,
situate at the side of the machine-To a bracket piece on the underside of the
tipping table near where the arm O is situate, a small tipping bell crank lever is
attached. This crank lever has its fulcrum near the free edge of the tipping table,
and it stands in the path of a pin o which projects from the side of the slotted
arm O. When therefore this arm is rocked to draw forward the cutting blade, the
pin o will trip the pendent arm of the crank lever and pass to the other side
thereof. On the return however of the arm to its starting position to carry back
the cutting blade to the position shewn in fig: 8, the pin o will strike the tail
of the crank lever and acting as a cam will force the table P to rise on its
hinges, as shewn by dots at fig: 8, and thereby tip the severed cigarette into the
receiving box.
When adapting an automatic cutting apparatus to. my improved machine,
I prefer to fit each clip with a pair of shearing blades or cutting edges and to
operate these cutters by vertical extensions of the guides which close the jaws
of the clips: This arrangement is illustrated in Sheet IV where fig: 9 is a partial
plan view of the cutting end of the machine, fig: 10 is a longitudinal central
section of the same and fig: 11 is a partial cross section taken in the line. 6; 6.
of fig: 9.
The clips are composed of a pair of jaws l hinged to a horizontal plate l¹ as in
the preceding arrangement, and these jaws are slotted vertically at the middle of
their length to allow of a pair of shearing blades or cutters m m working freely
through them for the purpose of severing the cigarette at the part gripped by the
jaws. These cutters are carried by a pair of levers m' m' which are recessed into
the back of the jaws, and have the hinge pin of the clip for their fulcrum. The
levers extend upwards above the clip and are provided with bowles m² for the.
purpose of meeting extensions * of the guides which acting as cams will press
the levers together, and thus cause their cutters to sheer off a length of cigarette.--
When by the travel of the clip band these levers have passed over, the extension
pieces of the guides, they are thrust apart by means of a U-shaped spring m³
inserted between them, and the cutters are thereby withdrawn from contact with
the cigarette :
I will now explain the means whereby motion is imparted to the several parts
of the machine which serve to feed in the tobacco, compress it to a rod, coat it with.
paper, gum the paper, close the joint of the covering, and draw forward the formed
cigarette:
R is a transverse shaft underlying the bed plate C and carried in bearings fitted
in the bed plate casting. This shaft is rotated by means of a crank handle R', and

page_text: transmits motion to the several parts of the mechanism which perform the
operations just indicated. Mounted loosely on this shaft is a spur wheel R² which
gears with an intermediate wheel R³ and through it drives a pinion R* on the axle
of the lower roller of the foremost pair D of compressing rollers. This roller is
geared with its upper roller by pinions 1 and 2 of equal pitch and on the axle of
the lower roller is a pinion 3. This pinion drives a pinion 4 on the axle of the top
roller of the next adjacent pair Do On the axle of this same roller is a second
pinion for driving the lower roller The pinion 4 gears also with a pinion 5 on the
axle of the next lower roller of the pair D, and these rollers are alike geared
together. The next pair of rollers D³ tracing the course rearwards is driven by
the pinion 5, taking into a pinion 6 on the axle of the top roller, these rollers
being geared together as in the other examples. In this way all the rollers of
the series are driven, a pinion on the lower roller axle gearing with a pinion
on the upper roller axle of the next adjacent pair, and vice versa throughout
the series.
Coming now to the first pair of compressing rollers D, a pinion on the axle of
the upper roller of this pair gears with a spur wheel B2 on the axle of the foremost.
of the band pulleys B'-Thus rotary motion for travelling the feeding band is
derived from the shaft R, and transmitted through the gearing of the compressing
rollers. I have said that the spur wheel R2 is loose on the shaft R.-This is to
facilitate the disengagement of one part of the mechanism from the other, and
thus permit of one part being driven while the other remains stationary.—To
provide for the rotation of the compressing rollers when the wheel R² is thrown
out of action, a winch handle d is fitted to the axle of the lower roller De-In the
side of the wheel R2 a ring of holes is formed to receive the pins of a clutch R5
which is keyed to the shaft R.-When therefore these clutch pins engage with the
holes in the side of the wheel, it will be locked to its shaft R, but when that shaft
is shifted end wise in its bearings, the spur wheel will be disengaged and the rotation
of the shaft will therefore not affect it or the gearing with which it is connected.-
To prevent this spur wheel moving laterally when its shaft is moved longitudinally,
an annular groove is cut in the boss of the wheel, and a fixed pin projecting froin
a bracket piece screwed to the underside of the bed plate, enters this annular
groove, and thus prevents the lateral shifting of the wheel. Fitted to a feather on
the shaft R is a bevil wheel R. which is held in position in a similar manner to
the spur wheel R². This bevil wheel gears into a bevil wheel R7 keyed to a
longitudinal shaft Rs which turns in bearings provided for it at the underside of
the bed plate C and of the cutting table K. Keyed to the forward end of this
shaft is a bevil pinion R which gears into a bevel-wheel R10 on the axle of the
forward band pulley L' of the clip band L. By driving this band through the
forward pulley, the clips are moved forward between their guides by a direct
horizontal pull, and at the same time taking a firm hold of the covered tobacco,
they will draw it forward between the rollers II which rotate by friction of contact
with the travelling envelope, and thereby secure its gummed edge as already
explained. The motion for driving the gumming apparatus is taken from the axle
of the upper compressing roller D on which two band pulleys, 7, 8, are keyed, a
gut band from the pulley 7 passing over a pulley 7* on the spindle of the gumming
wheel H and also over a pulley 7** on the spindle of the gum transmitting
wheel H-From the pulley 8, a crossed gut band passes to a pulley S* on the
spindle of the wheel H³ which rotates in the gum pot, and as it rotates.lays gum
on the underside of the wheel H which gum is then transferred to the chamfered
portion of the wheel H ready to be imparted to the paper envelope as its raised or
lapping edge is drawn over the wheel E. To prevent the undue supply of gum, a
scraper is provided which regulates the amount carried up by the wheel H³.
To maintain the fluidity of the gum, it may be convenient to fit the gum pot in
a kettle, and to maintain the heat of the water in the kettle by a gas jet. This
arrangement is shewn at Figures 3 and 6. Underlying the series of compressing
rollers D is au inclined plate for receiving any fine particles of tobacco that may

page_text: drop during the passage of the tobacco through the series of compressing rollers.
This plate inclines towards the front edge of the bed plate C, and, thus serves to
collect the tobacco as it falls and deliver it into a receptacle below.
Having now set forth the nature of my invention of "Improved machinery for
manufacturing cigarettes," and explained the manner of carrying the same into
effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent,
I claim,
First. In a cigarette machine in which an open taper tube, is used for lapping a
web of paper around the tobacco, a series of compressing rollers for converting
the loose tobacco into a rod and delivering it to the paper by which it, is to be
covered:
Secondly. In a cigarette machine in which a tubular "former" is used for
wrapping a web of paper around the tobacco, a series of travelling clips mounted
on an endless band for gripping the formed cigarette and imparting a travelling
motion thereto.
Thirdly. The combination of parts above described with reference to the drawings
and constituting my improved cigarette machine, which consists of a grooved
feeding table furnished with a travelling band, a series of grooved compressing
rollers in line therewith, an open tubular "former" for receiving from a bobbin a
web of paper at a regulated tension, and wrapping it around the compressed tobacco,
a gumming apparatus and rollers for pressing down the cemented edge of the paper
wrapper, and a travelling band of clips for drawing forward the formed cigarette
ready for severance into lengths as desired.
In witness whereof I the said Percival Everitt have hereunto set my hand
and seal the second day of October in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
PERCIVAL EVERITT. (L.S.)