IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CIGARS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, of the Firm of Harris
and Mills, of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CIGARS." A communication from abroad,
by John Thomas Hennaman and Alexander Ellis Brown, both of Baltimore, in
the State of Maryland, in the United States of America.
Scaled the 28th March 1876, and dated the 25th January 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard
Mills at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th January 1876,
BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and Mills, of 23,'
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CIGARS.".
A communication to me from abroad by John Thomas Hennaman and Alexander
Ellis Brown, both of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, in the United States_
of America.
This Invention relates to machinery for moulding cigar fillers or bunches, or for
applying the wrapper thereto.
The machine is constructed with a belt or apron fastened adjustably at one or
both ends to a bed or table, either flat or curved, and passed around a roller on a
carriage travelling over the bed or table in such a manner as to form a bight in the
belt or apron within which the tobacco is rolled and pressed in proper shape.
To form cigars in tapering or elliptical shape the apron is provided at one or both
edges with bevilled straps, which cause the cavity of the bight to converge at one
or both ends, as required. The table is formed at one or both edges with longi-
tudinal rabbets or recesses to receive the bevilled straps attached to the belt or
apron, so that the upper surface of the latter may be flat, or nearly so. Transverse
cavities are provided near each end of the bed or table, within which the bight of
the belt or apron may rest loosely, to permit the introduction of the tobacco at one
end and the removal of the filler bunch or finished cigar at the other.
The carriage works from either end of the bed or table carrying the bight of the
belt or apron after it. 'The machine is thus adapted for applying wrappers cut from.
either side of the leaf, or for wrapping right hand or left hand cigars; the wrapper
being laid on the face of the belt or apron in front of the roller carriage in proper.
oblique position, to be applied to one end of the cigar and wrapped around it com-
pletely to the other end, in the manner usually practiced in wrapping cigars by hand.
The bed or table is preferably constructed with an elastic or yielding surface.
1

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th June 1876.
BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and Mills, of 23,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CIGARS."
A communication to me from abroad, by John Thomas Hennaman and Alexander
Ellis Brown, both of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, in the United States of
America.
This Invention relates to machinery for moulding cigar fillers or bunches or for
applying the wrapper thereto and finishing the head or point.
The machine is constructed with a belt or apron fastened adjustably at one or
both ends to a bed or table, either flat or curved, and passed around a roller on a
carriage travelling over the bed or table in such a manner as to form a bight in the
belt or apron within which the tobacco is rolled and pressed in proper shape.
To form cigars in tapering or elliptical shape the apron is provided at one or
both edges with bevelled straps, which cause the cavity of the bight to converge at
one or both ends, as required. The bed or table is formed at one or both edges
with longitudinal rabbets or recesses to receive the bevelled straps attached to the
belt or apron, so that the upper surface of the latter may be flat, or nearly so.
Transverse cavities are provided near each end of the bed or table, within which
the bight of the belt or apron may rest loosely to permit the introduction of tho
tobacco at one end and the removal of the filler bunch or finished cigar at the other..
The carriage works from either end of the bed or table carrying the bight of tho
belt or apron after it. The machine is thus adapted for applying binders or
wrappers cut from either side of the leaf, or for wrapping right hand or left hand
cigars, the binder or wrapper being laid on the face of the belt or apron in front
of the roller carriage in proper oblique position to be applied to one end of the
cigar and wrapped around it completely to the other end in the manner usually
practiced in wrapping cigars by hand.
A
The bed or table is preferably constructed with an elastic or yielding surface.
plate projecting laterally from the central part of the platform serves as a gauge for
the point or end of the wrapper, and as a support for gumming or pasting the
same.
The carriage slides upon a guide or guides of any proper construction which
either suspend it from above the table or support it from one or both sides thereof,
so as to offer no obstruction in finishing the end or head of the cigar. This is done
by the fingers of the operator as the cigar is carried beyond the gauge plate and
twisted by the action of the roller and apron. For forming filler bunches an apron
with little or no elasticity is employed. For wrapping and finishing cigars an
elastic apron is employed.
And in order that the said Invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings, more fully
to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machine in its preferred form.
Figure 2 is a plan view of a machine partly in section on the line 2-2, Figure 3
having a modified form of carriage. Figuro 3 is a longitudinal section of the
same on the line 3, 3, Figure 2. Figure 4 is a transverse section of the same on the
line 4, 4, Figure 3.
Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating a modification in the form of the plat-
form or table.
Figure 6 is a side elevation illustrating another modification in the form of the
machine. Figure 7 is a perspective view illu-trating another modification, showing
an elevated guide bar for the roller and its appendages.

page_text: ;
A represents a platform or table, which may have the straight form iustrated m
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7, or the curved form illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. The
construction of the machine as made with a straight table or platform will first be
described, and the mode of applying the Invention to a curved table will afterwards
be explained. Referring to Figure 1, F is a sliding carriage provided with guides
adapted to work in grooves G¹ in each side of the frame or base of the platform or
table, and is constructed with standards f, rising on each side of the said platform
B is a roller journalled in the projecting arms f1 of the standards so as to permit
the projection of the point of the cigar without obstruction; H is the top or handle
rigidly fastened to the standards f by a through bolt E and nut e; C represents a
belt secured adjustably at each end of the platform by means of a screw nut or
other suitable fastening D, passing through a slot or perforation d in the attaching
plates C' of the belt. The belt or apron C is carried around the roller B so as to.
form a bight c, within which the cigar S is carried in the process of wrapping.
By loosening or tightening this apron the bight formed at the rear of the roller
while in operation, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, is made larger or smaller in
capacity to adapt it to the size of the cigar or tightness desired for the filler.
For the purpose of shaping and binding bunches of tobacco to form cigar fillers
an apron of cloth or other material is employed, having little or no elasticity. For
the final wrapping and finishing of cigars an apron of rubber or other elastic
material is employed. In order to adapt the belt or apron to the desired convex, or
tapering, or other irregular form of the cigar, and cause it to apply the wrapper
smoothly thereto while working over a straight or parallel sided roller, bevelled
bands C, Figures 2, 3, and 4, are applied to one or both edges of the belt or apron,
so as to give to its working surface the necessary irregular concave or tapering
shape. To accommodate these bevelled straps, which are applied to reinforce or
thicken the belt or apron at one or both edges the platform or table A is rabbetted
or recessed, as shown at a, permitting the apron to lie in a flat position on the said
table or platform. The central portion of the belt or apron between the bevelled
edge straps rests on an elastic bed or cushion I, which is stretched from end to end
of the table, as shown, in order to prevent rigid or excessive pressure on the cigar.
The machine is adapted for wrapping either right or left hand cigars, the end of
the wrapper which is to form the band resting on a gauge plate J, which projects
laterally from the platform or table at its mid-length. This gauge plate is made of,
any preferred length and either straight or curved; K, K' represent cavities in the
table or platform, which permit the introduction of the cigar bunches to be wrapped
and the release and removal of the finished cigars.
In cigar machines constructed with flat belts and concaye rollers it is difficult to.
form oval shaped cigars in the throat or bight of the belt and at the same time
have the belt work smoothly. By combining with a straight or parallel sided roller
a bevelled belt cigars can be rolled of oval or taper shape in the throat or bight of
the belt, and at the same time keep the belt in its place during the operation,
whether on a straight platform, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7, or on a
curved platform, as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6.
The reinforcing or thickening of the edges of the apron is highly advantageous;
in increasing the strength and durability of the apron in use.
It will be apparent
that in using an apron of uniform thickness from side to side, stretched over an
irregular or convex surface, the central portion of the apron will be stretched much
more than the sides, and as the apron is flat below the table and curved trans-
versely when stretched over such irregular or convex surface, the tension of its,
parts is constantly changing, the result of which is a rapid cracking of the edges
and a distortion of the entire web of the apron.
By the re-enforcing above described of the edges of the apron, and the recessing
or rabbetting of the platform or table to correspond therewith, all parts of the width
of the apron are at all time subjected to uniform tension and all transverse flexure
avoided.
In carrying out the Invention instead of applying separate thickening or re-en-

page_text: forcing bands to the sides of the apron the apron may be made in one piece of
gum or other material, with the sides thickened as required. Another form of
carriage F as shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4, works on guides G on the frame or base
of the platform or table, and is constructed with a single standard rising on one
side only of the platform (and without a projecting arm), so as to permit the
projecting point of the cigar to extend over the other side without obstruction.
The roller B is journalled at one end in the standard f, directly under the handle
HI, and at the other end in a hanger or lug fl projecting downward from the
handle or top H. In using the curved form of table or platform, illustrated in
Figures 5 and 6, the roller is carried by a pair of arms pivotted at the centre of the
curved table or platform, the peculiar features and improvements to which the
Invention relates being unchanged.
In the modification shown in Figure 7 the carriage F is dispensed with and the
roller and its appendages are suspended from a guide bar O. In cach case the
roller and its attachments are so applied as to offer no obstruction to the 'fingers of
the operator in manipulating the point of the cigar. The machine can be made
wholly of metal if desired.
The operation is as follows:-The carriage being drawn to one or the other
extremity of the machine, accordingly as it is desired to apply a right or left hand
wrapper, the said wrapper is laid obliquely on the apron, with the extremity which
is to form the cigar point resting on the transverse plate J and the extremity
which is to form the first or lighting end of the cigar over one or the other of the
cavities K, K'. The bunch or filler is then placed in position on the apron and
pressed underneath the roller, carrying with it a bight of the apron, which draws
the end of the wrapper around the end of the cigar. The carriage being thus urged
forward, the wrapper is carried in customary manner around the cigar filler until
the point is reached, the point being finished by the action of the thumb and fingers
as the wrapped cigar is carried beyond the lateral plate J. On reaching the cavity
K or K, at the other end from which it started, the cigar is discharged in a finished
state. The clastic bed or cushion I produces a smooth finish, permitting the filler
bunch to sink into it and effectually rolling out all wrinkles which would otherwise
remain in the operation of wrapping and finishing the cigars.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the mode in which
the same is carried into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim is—
First. The roller B suspended or supported above the table, in manner sub-
stantially as herein described, so as to permit such projection of the cigar point as
will enable its manipulation by the operative, while being rolled by the machine in
the manner explained.
Second. A belt or apron arranged to form a bight on either side of the roller, in
combination with a table of any suitable form having two pocket cavities, sub-
stantially as described, for working in both directions.
Third. A gauge plato at or near the centre of the table to assist in gauging and
gumming or pasting the wrapper points, substantially as described.
Fourth. The adjustable belt or apron arranged in connection with a travelling
roller to form cigars of any required size.
Fifth. The combination of a platform or table of either straight or curved form,
constructed with recesses or rabbets a in combination with the belt or apron C,
having enlargements C at its edges, substantially as set forth.
Sixth. The combination of the elastic bed or cushion I, platform or table A, roller B,
and belt or apron C, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
B. J. B. MILLS. (L.S.)