Apparatus Adapted for Use in Outting and Weighing "Plug”. Tobacco.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 28th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 28th Dec., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus Adapted for Use in Outting and Weighing "Plug”.
Tobacco.
I, HENRY ROBERT FIELD, of 6, St. Agnes' Place, Kennington Park, in the
County of Surrey, Tobacconist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for cutting what is known as "plug" tobacco;
that is to say, leaf tobacco which has been compressed and cut into strips approxi-
mately rectangular in cross section; the apparatus being designed in such a manner
as to admit of several such strips or plugs, permissibly composed of tobacco of
different kinds or qualities, being simultaneously converted into fine-cut or coarse-
cut tobacco suitable for smokers' use; means being moreover provided for
automatically weighing the cut product as it is yielded from the machine.
Apparatus adapted for cutting and weighing "plug" tobacco according to my
improved method comprises a cylinder in the surface of which are formed a number
of longitudinal grooves or channels of a size and shape corresponding with the form
of the tobacco plugs "to be cut. The cylinder is provided with a crank handle,
whereby it may be rotated, and is enclosed within a casing. Opposite one extremity
of the cylinder is mounted a knife, the edge of which is by preference arranged
obliquely to the circular path of the "plug" end, which is presented in the face of
the cylinder and protrudes slightly beyond the extremity thereof. Each groove or
channel is provided with a feed-carrier capable of being actuated to a greater or
less degree at each revolution of the cylinder, each "plug" being by these means
gradually advanced a distance which is regulated according to the degree of
fineness of cut desired. As the feed of each "plug" is separately adjustable, some
of the plugs with which the cylinder is charged may, in the preparation of smoking
mixtures, be cut finer than others. Or, where a particular kind of tobacco is
required to the exclusion of other kinds with which the machine may be charged,
the feed of the "plugs" for the time being not required may be reduced to zero.
Beneath the knife is arranged a receptacle which forms part of a balance so that
upon the required quantity of tobacco having been cut the fact is indicated by the
movement of the balance.
ليوم
1
"
Apparatus Adapted for Use in Outting and Weighing Plug"
Tobacco.
I, HENRY ROBERT FIELD, of 6, St. Agnes' Place, Kennington Park, in the
County of Surrey, Tobacconist, 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 apparatus for cutting what is known as "plug "tobacco :

page_text: "
or
that is to say, leaf tobacco which has been compressed or formed into strips, bars
"plugs" approximately rectangular in. cross section; the apparatus being
designed in such a manner as to admit of several such strips or plugs, permissibly
composed of tobacco of different kindé-or qualitios, being simultaneously converted
into fine-cutor coarse-ent tobacco suitable for smokers' use; ineans-being, moreover
provided for automatically weighing the cut product as it is yielded from the
machine.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 reprosents in side elevation & cutting, and weighing machine constructed
according to my invention and adapted for use with "plug" tobacco.
Fig. 2 is a view of the delivery end of the machine, and
Fig. 3.a view of the opposite-end-showing the feed mechanism.
Fig. 4 is another end. view showing the apertures through which the "plug" is
delivered so as to become exposed to the cutter.
Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 5-5, Fig, 1,. looking. towards the
delivery end.
Fig. 6. is a detail view showing the levers pertaining to the feed mechanism
as also the catch or holt employed for retaining. said levers in operative
position..
Fig. 6 is a detached view of the catch or bolt.
Fig. 7 is a broken longitudinal section and Fig. 8 a fragmentary and view
illustrating the means for feeding the "plug" and for maintaining the same in
position in the channels formed in the cylinder for its reception.
Fig. 9, 94, 98 and 9 are details of parts of the feed carrier.
Figs 10 and 11 are respectively a.view partly in elevation and partly in section,.
and a face view of the outter showing the means for holding the latter and for
preserving its cutting edge.
Figs. 12.and.12 are details of the adjustable or sliding bracket for holding, the
knife-spindle.
Apparatus for cutting, and weighing "plug" tobacco arranged according to my
improved. method, comprises a cylinder A, in the surface of which are formed a
number of longitudinal grooves or channels a, a, a, etc. of a size and shape corre-
sponding with the form of the tobacco "plugs" to be cut. In the present desigu
twelve such grooves or channels are provided. The cylinder is arranged or
enclosed within a casing. B. It is closed at one end by a plate C, provided with a
short. spindle a which is carried in a bearing 6; the said spindle being furnished.
with a flywheel and handle or other suitable means for imparting rotative motion
to the cylinder. The other end of the cylinder is mounted on a V-point b¹ which
enters a recess. in the centre of the end-plate C₁. In the plate. C₁ are formed a
number of rectangular apertures c¹, c, c, etc., each in aligument witli one of the
grooves or channels a', a², a³, etc. A circular plate D, secured to the casing B,
covers the end-plate C³ of the cylinder. To the plate D'is attached a bracket E
in which is secured a knife or cutter F, loosely mounted on a spindle d, upon which
it rotates; said cutter. being. held in position in the arme of the bracket E by
means of the sliding jaw or bolt el: To ensure the cutter being maintained with a
sufficiently keen edge, a pencil of hone stone; tannite or the like, f, is arranged in a
case f¹, secured to the arm e, and kept in contact with the bevelled edge of the
cutter under pressure of a spring is a screw-threaded cap, enclosing the
spring, whereby the adjustment of the whetstone as wear takes place may be
effected. If desired, instead of a circular cutter,, as shown in the drawings, a
straight or curved knife may be used, the edge thereof being arranged obliquely to
the circular path of the "plug" end; as the latter is presented slightly protruding
beyond the extremity of one or more of the apertures a¹‚.c³, o³, etc.
".
D is a shield and guide-shute pivotally mounted on a boss.d² on the covering.
plate D, aud serving to direct the cut. tobacco to the tray g of the weighing.
apparatus G:
Each groove or channel at a³
età. is provided with a feed-block' H‍oanable

page_text: of being actuated to a greater or less degree at each revolution of the cylinder A.
Each feed-block is provided with a projecting part or boss through which passes
the feed-screw h¹; the latter being furnished at its outer extremity with cams
or tappets. At 2; near the inner extremity of the screw ', the thread is cut
away, with a view to rendering the feed-screw inoperative upon the feel-block H¹
arriving at that point. In the feed-block H' a plate 4 preferably of hardened
steel is arranged to slide vertically, the lower edge thereof being screw-threaded
and engaging in the upper surface of the feed-screw . A screw-threaded stud k
carrying an eccentric is inserted through the hole of the plate h³ and screwed
into the carrier H. When it is desired to release the plate froin engagement
with the screw 4, the stud k carrying the eccentrio is turned half a revolution,
the plate being thereby lifted.
The star-wheels 2, which are fast on the feed-screw ¹, aro operated, during
the revolution of the cylinder A; by means of levers 1, 1, 13, 14. These levers
are each furnished with a projection K, K, K, K, which, when the lever is raised
into working position, comes into contact with one of the star-wheels and causes its
partial rotation as also the feed-screw to which it pertains. The. levers I, I³, etc.,
are pivoted at to a bracket L carried by the casing B; tho opposite extremities
of the said levers passing through slots in the plate M. m is a locking bolt formed
with teeth m² which, when the bolt is pushed over against the resistance of the
spring m, retains the lever or levers which has or have been raised. In order to
retain the bolt min its locking position, an electro-magnet N is arranged:in close
proximity to an armature m³ carried by the bolt m; so that, on the latter being
pushed over, it may be. immediately seized and held in that position by the
attractive force of the electro-magnet. Each lever is provided with a second
projection K*, K**, K***, K****, preferably formed by bending the sliding
portion n of the lever, the fore-end n³ forming a bold-fast for raising or lowering
the lever, aud for bringing the second projection into working position for
augmenting the feed of the "plug" by imparting a further turning movement to
the star-wheel with which it comes into contact. The second projection is brought
into operation by pulling the sliding portion a forward by means of the fore-end n'.
By these means each "plug" is gradually advanced a distance which may be
regulated according to the fineness of cut desired.
"
Beneath the knife or cutter F is arranged a receptacle g which forms part of a
balance.G. To the receptacle y', upon which the weight, corresponding with the
amount of cut tobacco it is desired to weigh, is placed, are attached two pendent
rods g, which dip into oups 9, 9 containing mercury. The wire X from a
battery or other source of electrical energy is connected with one of the mercury
cups 9, while another wire X. connects the other mercury cup with the electro-
magnet N; the wire X completing the circuit back to the battery. Upon sufficient
tobacco being supplied to the tray to overbalance the weight placed in the tray gl
the rods are lifted out of the mercury contained in the cups g, the electric circuit
is interrupted and the feed-actuating lever or levers (maintained raised in
consequence of the bolt m being held by the electro-magnèt N) is or are released.
The feed of the " plugs" to the cutter is consequently arrested and no more
tobacco is: cut, although the rotation of the cylinder may not be immediately
stopped.
ix.
In order that the operations of cutting and weighing with the aid of my improved
apparatus may be clearly understood, I will. proceed to describe the mode of
working I adopt where, a mixture of dark, medium and light tobacco is required.
The order in which the "pluga" are usually placed in the grooves or channels is as
follows:-In the groove a' is placed a "plug" of dark quality.; in the groove a² a
"plug" of light quality, and in the groove a a "plug" of medium quality, the
same order being repeated with the remaining three sets of three grooves.
The lever 1 is arranged for effecting the feed of the dark plugs. Consequently this
lever is in alignment with the path of the tappets pertaining to the feed inuchanisin
in connection with the grooves a, a, a' and a. The lever 1' is similarly arranged
!
.
•
.

page_text: 60 as to operate the tappets pertaining to the feed mechanism of the
grooves a³, a, as and a", whereby the "plugs" of light quality are subjected to
the operation of the cutter. The lever brings into operation the
tappets a, a, a' and a", whereby a out tobacco of medium. quality is yielded.
The lever I is arranged so as to operate an extra tappet on some of the feed-
screws for example a', a', a whereby a mixture composed of cuttings.from. the
three qualities of "plugs" is obtained. By raising any two or three of the levers
so that different tappets are operated the proportions of the ingredients constituting
the mixture may be varied.
Having arranged the rods 9 in position in the mercury cups 9³, by placing the
necessary weight in the receptacle g¹, and having raised the lever I¹ and locked the
sume by means of the bolt m, which latter is in turn held locked by the electro-
magnet N, the cylinder A is rotated in the direction of the arrow O (Fig. 3),
whereupon the tappets,,,, in following their circular path, strike
in turn against the projection K, aud receive a partial revolution; this motion
being transmitted to the feed-scrow A¹ and effecting a slight forward movement of
the block H¹ on said screw, the "plug" being thereby fed forward to a corre-
sponding extent. When the feed-block arrives at the unthreaded part of the
feed-screw and becomes inoperative, the plate is raised by the means hereinbefore
described and the feed-block is drawn back to its original position at the opposite
end of the groove or channel.
If a coarse-cut tobacco be required, the second projection K is brought inte
operation; same giving another partial revolution to the tappets ¹, 24, 2, 20,
whereby a greater length of the plug is caused to protrude through the apertures o³,
eto., the amount of tobacco cut at each revolution being correspondingly increased.
If desired, a third projection may be arranged on the lever so that a still coarser
cut may be obtained.
It will be apparent that as the feed of each "plug" is separately adjustable,
some of the plugs with which the cylinder is charged may, in the preparation of
smoking mixtures, be cut finer than others. Or, where a particular kind of tobacco
is required to the exclusion of other kinds with which the machine may be charged,
the feed of the "plugs" for the time being not required is suspended.
The "plugs" are retained in the grooves of the cylinder by means of a rod or
bar o, one end of which is reduced and enters a hole formed in the cylinder A
for its reception, the other end being carried in a support P. This support may
consist of a piece of coiled wire, the ends p p being sprung.into holes near the end
of the groove (a). Various other means may however be employed for preventing
the escape of the plugs from their channels.
In some cases, it may be advantageous to provide mechanical means for imparting
to the knife or cutter a positive rotative movement. This may be accomplished
by spur gearing a spar wheel on the cylinder gearing with a spur wheel attached
to the knife. When employing such an arrangement, a guard is employed for
shielding the spur wheels and preventing the cut tobacco clogging the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim :-
1. The improved apparatus for cutting and weighing "plug" tobacco, constructed
or operating substantially as herein described.
2. The improved apparatus for cutting "plug" tobacco and automatically
weighing the same, constructed substantially as herein described, and comprising a
cylinder having longitudinal grooves for the reception of the "plugs," feeding
mechanism for advancing each plug a-distance corresponding with the coarseness or
fineness of the "cut," a outter having its edge arranged in the circular path of
the "plug" and a balance so conuected with the feed-mechanism that, on the
required quantity of tobacco reaching the tray of the balance, the feed of the
plug" to the cutter ceases..
66
3. In apparatus of the kind referred to in the preceding claiming clauses, the

page_text: employment of feed-mechanism arranged or operating substantially as described
with reference to the accompanying drawings, whereby, at each revolution of the
machine, the "plug" is advanced a predetermined distance, according to the degree
of fineness of out desired.
4. In apparatus of the kind hereinbefore referred to, the means, substantially as
herein described, for varying or arresting the feed of each "plug," thus permitting
the production of mixtures of different compositions.
Dated this 26th day of November 1895.
For the Annlinant
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Chartered Patent Agent..