IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CIGARETTES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, RAPHALL BARKOF, of 13 Size Lane, in the City of London, in the County
of Middlesex, Manufacturer of Cigarettes, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for "IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF CIGARETTES," 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 my invention is the introduction of an improvement into the
manufacture of cigarettes, and refers more particularly to the insertion and fixing
a cap or disc of perforated material in, or at, the mouth-piece end of the cigarette
tube. The purpose of this cap or disc is to prevent the tobacco from getting into
the mouth while the cigarette is being smoked.
Many attempts have been made to manufacture cigarette tubes with discs of
perforated material, such as muslin, but the difficulty of fixing them properly,
without using a cement which would impart a flavour to the tobacco, has prevented
success crowning such attempts. Various substances have been used as cements for
bolding the discs in their place, but have failed for some reason or other, principally
because of their contracting in drying. Such contraction naturally weakens the
cement as such, and while the cigarette tube is being filled the cement gives way,
and the disc drops out. Starch, for instance, has been tried. It certainly fastens
the disc at first, but, as it dries, it granulates, the consequence being that it is no
longer a cement, and gives way at once before even the slight strain to which it is
subjected during the act of filling the cigarette.
In carrying out my invention, I use a tube of suitable material and length and
a ram-rod fitting the same. The internal diameter of this tube is equal to the
diameter of the cigarette tube. A paper funnel is drawn upon the end of the metal
tube, and the cigarette tube is next drawn upon the smaller (and outer) end of the
funnel, the mouth piece end of the cigarette tube having been previously coated
internally with isinglass.
I have found that isinglass is the best cement for fixing the discs in the ends of
the cigarette tubes, as well as for cementing the tubes. It is easily applied, effective
as a cement, and does not impart any objectionable flavour to the tobacco. In fact
its use with some brands of tobacco improves their flavour.
The disc of tulle or similar and equivalent material, of a diameter greater than
the bore of the tube, is then put in the mouth (such mouth piece being of a
diameter suitable to receive the disc, and hold it concentrically with the bore of the

page_text: tube), and pushed to the end of the cigarette tube with the ram-rod, where it is fixed
permanently by the isinglass before mentioned. The cigarette tube is then taken
off and filled in any convenient way.
I use tulle in preference to muslin inasmuch as the latter holds the nicotine, and
therefore renders one half of the cigarette almost unsmokeable by reason of the
bitter taste of the nicotine.
In order that my invention and the means by which the same may be put into
successful operation may be thoroughly understood, I will proceed to describe it
in detail, referring to the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as part of
this specification and read therewith, and in which corresponding parts are marked
by the same reference letter.
Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of my improved apparatus for inserting
the discs. Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of a finished cigarette, and Figure 3 a
plan of a disc, on a larger scale.
A is a tube of metal or other suitable material, and A¹ its mouthpiece. B is the
ram-rod of hard material and hollow or solid; in Figure 1 it is shown hollow. C is
the taper paper tube or funnel drawn over the end, A³, of the tube. The taper of
this funnel prevents its being drawn on to the tube A for more than about half its
length. D is the cigarette tube drawn over the small (and outer) end of the
funnel C, the interior of the mouth piece end having been previously coated for a
sufficient distance with an aqueous solution of isinglass of a suitable consistency.
D' is the ordinary side joint of the tube also made with isinglass. E is the disc of
tulle, corresponding in diameter with the mouth piece, A¹, in which it lies before
the ram-rod is brought to bear upon it. The excess aren, E¹, of the disc over that
of the tube A is therefore folded back over the end of the ram rod, and is, during
its travel along the tube A, compelled to assume a cylindrical outline by the time
it reaches the cemented surface of the mouth-piece end of the cigarette tube.
The drawing represents the process of manufacture at that point when the ram
rod has fixed the disc, and is about to be withdrawn. In practice, I find it
advisable to give the ram-rod a slight turn before drawing it out.
This has the
effect of disengaging it from the disc, and preventing the latter from being
disturbed, as it might be if the ram-rod were pulled out immediately the disc had
been pushed into position. The cigarette tube D is taken off the funnel and is
filled in any convenient way.
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. The use in the manufacture of cigarettes of a tube A with mouth A', ram
rod B and funnel C, in combination with the use of isinglass for closing the
cigarette tube, and cementing therein a disc E, as described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
2. The use in the manufacture of cigarettes of a disc E, made of tulle or similar
equivalent material, to be inserted in the cigarette tube D by means of a tube A
with mouth piece A¹, ram rod B, and funnel C, and there fixed with isinglass, as
described with reference to the accompanying drawings:
1
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.