Improvements in and Machinery and Appliances for Parcelling Tobacco.
Year: 1888

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Machinery and Appliances for Parcelling
Tobacco.
I GEORGE WILCOX, of 171 Upper Brook Street, Manchester do hereby declare
the nature of my said 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 first to improvements upon the mechanism for parcelling
tobacco for which I applied for Letters Patent No. 1211 and dated 26th January 1888
and secondly to a novel mode of securing the ends and other parts of the improved
packet together without the use of gum, sealing-wax or other adhesive material and
which improvements are equally applicable to securing the ends of the packets or
parcels of tobacco when put up or made in the ordinary manner. In performing this
part of my invention I propose to secure the ends of the packet by piercing the several
thicknesses of the paper or other covering forming such ends with a suitable
instrument to receive a stud or other like fastener hereinafter described which
is capable of being inserted into the pierced hole and which when once so inserted is
not liable to come out again accidentally or at least without the use of considerable
force and thus constitutes a novel and effectual mode of fastening such ends together
and for dispensing with the use of adhesive. material as aforesaid.
In Fig. 13 of the accompanying drawing I illustrate a prospective view of my
improved packet and in Figs. 14 and 15 an inside sectional view and partial side
sectional view respectively of the same packet shewing the ends of the packet secured
together by a stud in accordance with this part of my invention and also shewing the
flaps of the packet secured by a similar fastening a¹.
My improved arrangement of mechanism for parcelling tobacco is illustrated on the
accompanying drawings. Fig. 1. representing a side view of the complete machine
and Fig. 2 being a partial front view and Fig. 3. a plan of the same. Figs. 4. to 12.
illustrate parts of the same mechanism in different positions. Fig. 13 representing a
front view of the hopper-block in its lowest position and also shewing the piercing
mechanism hereinafter described.
I employ the same arrangement of-mechanism as detailed in my former specification
for doubling up the paper (which has been previously stamped or ent to the required
shape to form the necessary flaps to the packet) to the desired width to form the
.

page_text: packet this operation being illustrated in its several stages in the detailed views
Figs. 4, 5, and 6, and forming no part of my present invention but I operate the
hopper-block a and plunger by separate and distinct treddles as seen clearly in
Fig. 1 and marker respectively a and b¹. As illustrated in the drawing I have
dispensed with the side and bottom folders as the turning in and folding over the ends
of the packet against the outside enda of the hopper block a is effected by the fingers
of the operator as hereinafter described.
Beneath the segmental folders cc and upon opposite extremities of a common
axle d¹ as seen more clearly in Fig. 13 is affixed an arm d carrying a boss d in which
is mounted a spring-piercer e, the front of which is formed as a dagger point for
readily piercing the ends of the packet whilst the opposite end of the piercer spindle
is furnished with a flattened head e¹ to facilitate the pushing inwards of the piercer.
The hopper-block a is perforated and slotted at the bottom (at each end) to allow the
piercer e to enter a certain depth to make the desired size of hole and to allow the
hopper to retire after the stud or other fastener is placed in the packet.
The action of this machine (as indicated in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 as aforesaid) is similar
to that described in my former specification viz. up to the time of the plunger
descending into the hopper a as seen in sectional view Fig. 6. The operator then
turns or strokes up with the fingers the lower parts fof each end of the over-hanging
part of the paper as indicated in Fig. 7. the front flap is then turned inwards
against the hopper a as indicated in Fig. 8 and afterwards the back flap his folded
inwards against the front flap y as indicated in Fig. 9. thus completing the folding in
of the ends of the packet.
It may be here observed that the side and bottom folders employed in my former
machine may be used for this purpose the bottom folder being so modified as to do the
work of the fingers of the operator in turning up the bottom and would in this case
precede the action of the side folders.
'
The next operation is to draw forward the arm d² opposite to the centre of the slots
in the hopper when the operator by means of the projecting heads e simultaneously
pushes in the, piercers c, the points of which pass through the wrapper and slots of the
hopper and upon being released again the said piercers immediately spring back to
their original position. These piercer arms d² are then returned out of the way to
their first position and the operator inserts in each of the pierced holes the smaller
head of a stud of metal, bone, vegetable-ivory, or other suitable material as illustrated
in Fig. 16. The application of this stud to the packet and marked a is clearly shown
in Figs. 13-15-or a sheet metal fastener with a prong turned at right angles-as
seen in side and rear view Fig. 17,-may be employed or a fastener either of sheet
metal with a volute or spiral prong as illustrated by front and side view Fig. 18-or
a spiral of wire as seen in Fig. 19-may be inserted and screwed into the pierced
hole. By continuing upwards the slot in the hopper two piercers may be employed for
piercing the packets and two studs used in securing the ends and instead of slotting
the hopper a hole may be made in the ends of the packet by a screw like or other
punch which would punch out the required portion of the wrapper-the stud or other
fastener being inserted after the retiring of the hopper or the fastening may be
deferred until the packet is removed from the machine.
In this manner I effectually secure the ends of the packet together as it is found in
practice that the pressure of the contents of the packet is sufficient to retain the
fastener in position when once inserted in the pierced hole-It will be obvious that this
method of securing the parts of a packet of tobacco together by piercing and inserting
a stud or other like fastener as aforesaid may he performed by piercing and applying
the fastener to my improved packet after leaving the machine and that similarly the
same improved method of fastening is applicable to securing the ends of the packets
or parcels of tobacco when put up or made in the ordinary manner.
Assuming now that the tobacco has been inserted and that the plunger has pressed
it into the desired shape the next operation is to retire both hopper and plunger, the
hopper treddle a¹ being first raised and when clear of the tobacco as indicated in
Fig. 10 the other treddle 6³, may then withdraw the plunger b.

page_text: The subsequent operations of pressing forward the front segmental folder c-as
indicated in Fig. 11-and then of drawing over the back segmental folder c as indicated
in Fig. 12 are the same as in my former machine and form no part of my present
invention except that after the back or outside flap is drawn over it is passed over or
buttoned on to the stud .' (see also Figs. 12. 13. and 14.) there disposed to receive it
and which stud in this case has been applied to the stamped or cut paper previous to
its being introduced into the machine.
It will be apparent that this my improved mechanism is equally applicable for
packing tobacco in paper or other material of the ordinary rectangular form.
I wish it to be understood that I do not in my improved method of securing the
ends and other parts of a tobacco packet together hereinbefore described confine
myself to the precise forms of fasteners described and illustrated on the accompanying
drawing as it will be obvious that they may be considerably varied without departing
from my invention.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
-M
1st. The improved combination and arrangement of mechanism for parcelling
tobacco substantially as herein before described and illustrated on the accompanying
drawing.
2nd. In a tobacco parcelling machine the employment of piercer mounted and
operating substantially as hereinbefore described.
3rd. In the parcelling of tobacco the improved method of and appliances for
securing the ends of the packets together and where the use of adhesive material is
dispensed with substantially as and for the purpose herein before described.
4th. In the parcelling of tobacco the use and application of studs or other suitable
fastener for securing the ends of the parcel together substantially as herein before
described.
Dated this 10th day at Danambar 1800