AN. IMPROVED MODE OF MANUFACTURING CIGARS
Year: 1847

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
PHILLIPS PARKER, of No. 48, Lime Street, in the City of London, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS, in consequence of a communication made to me by a certain
Foreigner residing abroad, I am in possession of an Invention of "AN.
IMPROVED MODE OF MANUFACTURING CIGARS;" and, whereas Her most Excellent.
Majesty Queen Victoria,. by Her. Letters. Patent under the Great Seal of
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twenty-ninth day of July, in the eleventh year of Her reign,.
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, grant unto me, the said William
Phillips Parker, my exors, admors,. and, assigns, Her especial licence, full.
power, sole privilege and authority, that. I, the said William Phillips Parker,
my exors, admors, and assigns, and every of them, by myself and themselves, or.
by my or their deputy or deputies, servants or agents, and such others as. I, the
said William Phillips Parker, my exors, admors, and assigns, should at any time.
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times hereafter, during
the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, and also within the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney,
Sark, and Man, and Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, the

page_text: said Invention; in which Letters Patent is contained a proviso requiring
that I, the said William Phillips Parker, shall particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be
inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within two calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited
Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will
more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Phillips Parker, do hereby declare that the nature of the said
Invention consists in bringing into shape what is called the filling of segars,
and covering them with an ordinary or improved wrapper by machinery, by
which the process of manufacturing cigars is facilitated, and greater perfection
attained in forming the segars, while fine-cut or other tobacco can be used for
what is called the fillers without waste; and in further compliance with the
said proviso, I, the said William Phillips Parker, do hereby describe the
manner in which the said Invention is to be performed by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawing annexed, and to the
figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
Figure 1 is a top plan of the machine. Figure 2, an end elevation.
Figure 3 is a vertical section through the line (X, X,) of Figure 1. Figure 4
is a vertical section through the line (Y, Y,) of the Figure 1. Similar letters
are used to indicate like parts in all the Figures. The machinery is con-
structed in the following manner:-On a table or frame (a, a,) of suitable
form, two large horizontal pullies (b, b,) are supported on the upper end of
vertical shafts, which have their bearings in the frame below, one being placed
at each end of the said frame. Two bands (c and c²) are put upon these
pullies (b, b,) one over the other; they are separated at the front side of the
table by two small rollers (d, d.) placed at a small distance from the pullies on
studs affixed to the frame. The outer belt (c) passes round outside these
rollers, and is thus separated from the inner one (c, 1,) which is extended
straight from one pulley to the other, a sufficient space being thus formed
between the two bands to receive the filling of which the segars are to be
made. On the outside of each band there is a straight piece (e, e,) of wood or
metal, that is attached to the table, and extends the whole length of this
space, and are for the purpose of support to the bands; another band (f),
is made to run on a level with the lower
thus forming a sort of trough, into which the
band is supported by two small pullies (g, g,)
edge of the former ones,
filling is put. This latter
attached to the table, and

page_text: over which it passes, and thence it runs round a large pulley (h) on a
horizontal shaft, being geared to one of the pullies (6) by toothed gear, shown
best at (i), Figure 2; by this means the fillers can be put in and carried
forward as the pullies turn. Near the end of the table, opposite to the
gearing just above named, there is a frame (k, k,) erected, in which an
oblong piece of wood (1), the length of the segar to be made, slides up and
down between the belts (c, c,) and beyond the lower belt (f), where a hole is
cut through the table for the purpose of allowing the filler to descend into the
apparatus, where it is to be covered. The filler is cut off by a V-shaped
tool (m) to the right length for the segar before it is borne down (the
angular cut helping to form the taper at the ends). The cutter slides in the
same frame as the follower (7). They are moved by the rotation of the shaft
(n), supported in the frame above, having arms projecting therefrom, which
are connected with the slides by pitmans. The cutter is made to precede the
follower in its downward motion, and does not descend so far.
A belt or
apron (o) is attached to the permanent frame by one end, just behind the
follower (1). It is thence carried forward, and is attached at its other end to
a roller (p), around which it is wound with one or two turns) fixed on a
portion of the frame that projects forward at this point, as is clearly shewn in
the plan, Figure 1. This part of the apparatus is the most important
improvement in the machine. The middle of the belt or apron is made of
any suitable smooth pliable substance, as shown at (a, 2,) Figure 5, and the
two edges (b, 2,) are composed of an elastic medium, such as india-rubber or
other similar article, which is stretched straight when fastened to the counter-
piece, and can contract, as herein-after described. To keep the belt or aproa
wound on to the roller (p) with sufficient tension there is a pulley (2) on the
shaft of the roller, to which a cord is fastened, that passes over another roller
to (y, 1,) and thence to a weight (7, 2¹,) sufficiently heavy for the required
tension. Another cord passes around the pulleys the reverse way, and thence
to a treddle (r) below, so that when the treddle is borne down the apron is
slacked up. This treddle is connected by a rod (r, i,) with an arm on the
shaft (n), above named, which moves the cutter and follower. There is a
siiding table (s) under the apron that extends from the roller (p) to the hole
through the table above, so that when the follower is pressed down, and the
apron is slacked up by the descent of the treddle, so that the filler is forced
down into the bight of the slacked apron below the edge of the sliding table
(s), where it is held till the table moves back into the position shown in
Figure 3, the end passing under the roller (t¹) placed in front of another
slide (t), to which it is attached, leaving space enough between said roller and

page_text: the end of the slide (t) for the reception of the filler in the bight of the apron,
which is clearly represented in said Figure 3. The follower is then raised,
and the slide (t) drawn forward, rolling the filler round in the bight of the
apron as it is drawn along. The wrapper is placed upon the apron in the
proper position, and is thus wound around the filler; the elastic ed ge
of the apron contracting, finishes the ends, and when the roller passes over the
end of the table the segar is released. The movement of these slides is
affected by attaching a strap (t¹) to the rear end of the upper slide (t), and
passes forward over a roller affixed to the under side of the table, and thence
back over another roller, and down to a treddle (2) below, by which it is
worked. By forcing down the treddle, it is obvious the various motions above
described will be made. The upper slide has a bar (w) attached to its rear
end, that extends out towards the shafts of the pulley (b), on which there is a
crown ratchet wheel (v). This bar has a fulcrum at (w¹) attached to the
frame, and on the short arm a pawl is affixed, that plays into the teeth of the
ratchet wheel (v). By this arrangement it is obvious that as the slide is
drawn forward. the pulleys (6, 1) are turned a sufficient distance to carry
forward the filling under the follower to a proper length for a segar; this
length is regulated by making the pawl adjustable. The operation of this
machine is as follows:-The filling is put into the space between the belts (c, c,)
and drawn forward under the follower to the proper length of a segar. The
treddle (r) is then borne down by the foot of the operator, which cuts off the
filler by means of the cutter (m). It is then pressed down by the follower
into the bight of the apron, as before described. The other treddle is then
made to descend, which gives motion to the two slides, in the manner already
specified, and the filler is rolled forward in the bight of the apron on the
table (S), a wrapper being placed on the apron in front, which, by the action of
the apron, is drawn into the bight, and wound round the filler. The whole is
then continued on to the end of the table, where the bight is relieved, and the
segar thrown out.
It is obvious that, if the segar is to be of any other form
than cylindrical, the form of the roller (t) and the table (S) should be made to
correspond with its outlines. A roller of this description is shown in the
Diagram (A). The knife that cuts off the filler may also be of any angle, or
straight, to suit the work to be done. It is obvious that the apron can be
drawn through the stationary recess, instead of holding its end permanent and
moving the slides. Other modes of feeding in the feeder can be employed,
some of which have been essayed; but the manner herein-before particularly
described is deemed the best.
It now only remains for me to state what is the improved wrapper which I

page_text: have alluded to in the first part of this Specification. It is simply a kind of
tobacco paper, made in an ordinary paper mill, of tobacco and the usual fibrous
matter used for paper, the proportions being six parts of tobacco to one of the
fibrous matter, formed into pulp, in the ordinary way, and made into paper
by the usual processes.
Having thus fully described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which it is to be performed, I hereby declare that what I claim as my
Invention is,
First, the employment of a flexible apron, substantially in the manner
described, for rolling the fillers of segars into form, and covering them with the
wrapper, as herein set forth.
Secondly, the forming of the edges of said belt of elastic material for shaping
the taper at the end of segars.
Thirdly, the employment of the roller and weight with the apron for
maintaining the tension of the apron, and determining the pressure of the
segar.
Fourthly, I claim, in combination with the above, the moveable trough,
formed of a series of bolts, for receiving the filling and carrying it forward, as
above specified, and the cutter and follower for cutting off the segar, and
carrying it into the bight of the apron, as herein described. And,
Lastly, I claim the use of a wrapper made of what I call tobacco paper, as
herein-before described.
And such my Invention being, to the best of my knowledge and belief,
entirely new, and never before used within that part of Her said Majesty's
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, Her Dominion
of Wales, nor Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, nor within Her Islands of
Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, nor in any of Her said Majesty's
Colonies and Plantations abroad, I do hereby declare this to be my Specifica-
tion of the same, and that I do verily believe this my said Specification doth
comply in all respects, fully and without reserve or disguise, with the proviso
in the said herein-before in part recited Letters Patent contained; wherefore
I hereby claim to maintain exclusive right and privilege to the said
Invention.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth
day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and forty-seven.
W PHILLIPS (L.S.) PARKER.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Thirtieth day of August, in the
year of our Lord 1847, the aforesaid William Phillips Parker came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Speci-
fication aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified,
in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Thirtieth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-seven.