Improvements in Cigarette Machines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 1st May, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cigarette Machines.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the Firm of G. F. Redfern & Co.
The General Patent Office, No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, in the County of
London, Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a com-
munication to me by The Perfection Cigarette Machine Company, of Richmond,
in the County of Henrico and State of Virginia, United States of America,) and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention consists in the novel features of construction and combination of
parts hereinafter described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,
which illustrate one form in which I have contemplated embodying the invention
and said invention is fully disclosed in the following description and claims.
Referring to the drawings,
Figs. 1, 14 and 18 represent a right side elevation of the entire machine, the
supporting standards being broken away.
Figs. 2, 24 and 2³ represent a top plan view of the entire machine.
Fig. 3 represents a sectional view of the machine on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking
to the right.
Fig. 4 represents a similar sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 looking to
the left.
.>
Fig. 5 represents a vertical section through the tobacco feeding and dressing
mechanism on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 6 represents a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the stem or
continuous cigarette forming devices.
Fig. 7 represents a vertical transverse section on line 7-7 of Fig. 6.
Fig. 8 represents a similar section on line 8-8 of Fig. 6.
Figs. 9, 10 and 11 represent similar transverse sections through the stem
forming devices.
Fig. 12 is a top plan view of the portion of the cigarette forming devices
adjacent to the pasting mechanism.
Fig. 13 is a detail view in elevation of the pasting mechanism.
Figs. 14, 15, 16 and 17 are detail views of portions of the pasting
mechanism.
:
Fig. 18 is a view partly in section of the duplex cutter or knife for severing
the continuous stem into individual cigarettes.
Fig. 19 is an end elevation of the machine frame and cutting mechanism.
Fig. 20 is a detail of the operating mechanism for the cutter.
The cutting mechanism is shown best in Fig. 5. A represents the frame of the
machine and B is the belt for carrying the tobacco to the devices which form the
tobacco rod, which is afterwards wrapped in the continuous paper wrapper to form
the stem or continuous cigarette. C is an endless apron forming part of the feeding
mechanism, upon which the tobacco is evenly spread by hand and gradually fed
into the machine. This carrier is moved at a slow rate of speed, about twenty-four
inches per minute. Adjacent to the delivery end of said carrier is a tooth or
pin roller D which I term a "carrying roller," and which moves but little faster
than the carrier C, or about one and one-half revolutions per minute. The teeth
adjacent to the carrier move upward taking the tobacco from the carrier and
drawing slightly upon it. A smooth surfaced roller c is located adjacent to the

page_text: delivery end of the carrier and to the carrying roller D and has its adjacent
surface moving in the same direction as the carrier and roller. This roller c serves
to move the tobacco on the delivery end of the carrier positively forward and
presses it
upon the pins of the carrying roller.
On the side of the carrying roller D opposite the carrier C, is a pin roller E
which I term a 66
picker." The teeth or pins of this roller pass between those of
the carrying roller. The picker E moves at a high rate of speed, approximately
three hundred revolutions per minute and its teeth comb the tobacco in small
quantities from the roller D and carry it forward and deliver it downwardly upon
a smooth surfaced roller c which presses it into the teeth of a second carrying
roller D¹ of substantially the same size as the roller D and moving at about double
the rapidity of the roller D, or about three revolutions per minute.
On the side of roller D opposite roller c¹, is another picker E' moving at a
higher rate of speed than the first picker; or from four to six hundred and fifty
revolutions per minute. This picker E combs the tobacco from the carrying
roller D' and delivers it downwardly into a hopper F along the bottom of which
moves the carrying belt B upon which the tobacco is laid in an even stream..
Between the rollers c and c', the first carrying roller D and picker E are enclosed
by a stationary shield or double concave G and a movable adjustable shield G¹, the
concave G being located so close to the teeth of the rollers D and E that no
tobacco can escape therefrom. The adjustable concave has its inner surface
diverging from the top of roller E away from the teeth of the same and is adjustable
toward and from the roller to vary the distance between it and said teeth. A
concave G² is also provided beneath the second carrying roller D' which is set close
to the ends of the teeth of said roller. It, will be noted that any tobacco falling
from between the upper series of rollers, will be caught by those of the lower series
and delivered to the hopper. In Fig. 5., the direction of rotation of the various
parts and the relative speed of the carrying rollers and pickers are indicated and
the gearing for driving these parts is indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, said parts being
operated from the main driving shaft A of the machine.
"
The main frame of the machine consists preferably of two side frames a a
arranged parallel to each other a short distance apart, connected by suitable braces
and having planed upper faces, the tobacco feeding mechanism just described being
located at one end of the main frame.
Beneath the hopper F of the feeding and dressing mechanism, I provide a
tobacco guide or channel formed in this instance by a pair of angle plates H
secured to the upper faces of the side frames a a and having parallel vertical walls
as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The belt B forms the bottom of this tobacco guide,or
trough, said belt being carried by a pair of band wheels B B, see Figs. 1 and 14,
said wheels being mounted upon transverse, shafts b, one of which, see Fig. 3, is
provided with a beveled wheel 6 engaging a beveled pinion a¹ on the inain driving
shaft. A which extends longitudinally along one side of the main frame.
Above the forward band wheel B are a pair of horizontal compressing rollers,
or wheels I having peripheral flanges on their upper sides. The vertical shaft i of
each of said wheels extends downwardly through a bearing in the frame of the
machine and is provided with a pinion 2 meshing with a pinion b² on the shaft b of
the band wheel B', see Fig. 3, thus transmitting power to the wheels 'I'I and
causing them to revolve in opposite directions. I represent a pair of
compressing belts, which are formed preferably of leather or rubber each of which
passes around one of the wheels I, thence rearward around an idle pulley 2, see
Fig. 2, thence around an adjustable tension pulley and back to the wheel F.
The adjacent portions of the belts 11 between the tension pulleys and wheels I
converge from rear to front, as clearly shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2 and the
lower edges of these portions of said belts rest upon and move with the belt B,
whereby the stream of tobacco deposited upon the belt B is gradually compressed
laterally until it passes between the wheels I, thus forming a compact continuous
tobacco rod.

page_text: K represents a vertically disposed compressing wheel, the lower portion of which
enters between the belts I I¹ in line with the axes of the compressing wheels I I,
as shown in Fig. 3 and is provided with a peripheral groove for pressing the
tobacco rod down upon the belt B and compressing it vertically. This wheel K is
mounted in a vertically sliding frame K¹ which can be adjusted up and down by
means of a set screw k and the shaft of said wheel is provided with a beveled
pinion which engages a similar pinion on the upper end of one of the shafts i
of the wheels I, thus positively actuating said compressing wheel K.
Forward of the compressing wheels is the trough L which supports the devices
for folding the continuous paper wrapper around the tobacco rol, which I term the
stem forming devices. This trough is supported centrally between the side frames
directly in line with the path of the tobacco rod and is provided with a central
longitudinal groove 1. In the rear portion of the trough this groove tapers
gradually from the rear forward and in said groove is located a semi-cylindrical or
tapering presser plate M of less width than the groove, see Fig. 8. The bottom
of the groove is curved so that a tapering or cone shaped space is formed between
the presser plate M and the bottom of the groove, as shown in this figure. The
presser plate M is adjustably supported at each end by means of set screws m
passing through brackets m' secured to one side of the trough L.
To the rear end of the trough L is secured a bracket N, the upper face of which
extends rearwardly to receive the tobacco rod from the belt B and this bracket is
also provided with a plate n, see Figs. 6 and 7, having its edges n¹ bent up and over
to receive and guide the folding belt and the continuous strip of paper. The
bracket N is also provided with a pair of guide rollers n² and 3, the former of
A belt
which receives the folding belt O and the latter the strip of paper P.
guide o is supported by a bracket o' from the bottom of the trough L adjacent to
the roller n² and a guide p for the paper is adjustably secured to the frame and
supported adjacent to the roller n³, see Figs. 14 and 6.
Forward of the presser plate M, the trough L is provided with a folding tube or
channel L', the bottom of which conforms to the shape of the continuous cigarette
and suitable folding devices are adjustably secured to the trough and depend
into the folding tube for the purpose of folding the continuous paper wrapper
around the tobacco rod and of pressing the pasted portion of the wrapper down
upon the adjacent portion to complete the continuous stem. The trough L is cut
away on one side at 12, see Figs. 2 and 12, to allow the pasting wheel of the
pasting apparatus to come into contact with one edge of the paper wrapper before
the same is folded down upon the stem and thus continuously apply the paste to
the edge of the wrapper.
The pasting apparatus is shown in detail in Figs. 13 to 17 inclusive.
Q is the frame of the pasting mechanism which is swiveled on a vertical post q
and is adjustable vertically thereon by means of a thumb screw ', see Fig. 14.
92 represents a slotted arm which is connected with the swiveled frame Q and lies
upon a portion of the main frame, its slot being engaged by a set screw q³, see
Figs. 2 and 13, by means of which the said frame and pasting mechanism can be
adjusted about its pivot. Q¹ represents the paste receptacle which consists of a
cylinder having a discharge nozzle q* at its lower end and provided with perforated
ears q which engage lugs 98 on the frame Q so that the receptacle can be instantly
removed. Q2, Figs. 14 and 15, represents a plunger for forcing the paste out
through the nozzle q', said plunger being provided with a screw rod q' extending
through a vertical opening in the frame Q. Above the frame Q the screw shaft q
is provided with a ratchet wheel 98 which engages the screw in such a manner that
it will turn therewith but permit the screw to move vertically through the opening
in the ratchet wheel. The frame Q is also provided with a pair of sliding
a semi-circular threaded recess
blocks qq, see Figs. 16 and 17, each having
engaging the screw shaft, so that the revolution of the screw by the ratchet wheel
forces the plunger downward. In order to allow the plunger to be quickly
withdrawn, the sliding blocks are provided with slots q10 engaged by cam pins q¹¹

page_text: on a cam q¹² operated by a hand lever q¹³. By throwing the hand lever to the
left, see Fig. 17, the sliding blocks q' will be separated, thus allowing the screw
shaft to be pulled vertically out of the paste receptacle. The ratchet wheel 98 is
operated by means of a pawl and suitable levers from a cam q" on the driving
shaft A' so as to continuously feed the plunger Q2 downwardly when the machine
is in operation.
Adjacent to the nozzle q¹ of the paste receptacle is a grooved distributing
wheel driven from the main driving shaft and this distributing wheel is engaged
by the pasting wheel q mounted in the swinging frame Q and extending over
the trough and folding tube, as shown in Fig. 13 and in Fig. 9. The shaft of
the paste wheel g¹ is driven by belting from the main driving shaft at a very
high rate of speed and the swinging pasting frame is so adjusted as to bring the
pasting wheel lightly in contact with one edge of the continuous paper wrapper
while it is passing through the folding tube.
The folding belt O passes through the trough L and folding tube L' engaging
the roller n² at the rear end and at the front end the large driving roller O', the
shaft of which is provided with a beveled gear 02 engaging a pinion O³ on the
driving shaft A¹.
P represents the spool of paper which is supported on some convenient portion
of the frame of the machine and provided with a tension device P2, the frame being
also provided with suitable guide rollers, see Fig. 14, for supporting the paper and
leading it to the guide p.
The continuous cigarette or stem when it leaves the folding tube L' is entirely
finished ready to be severed into individual cigarettes. It then passes to the
cutting mechanism which is situated at some little distance from the folding tube
in order to give time for the paste to set, the continuous stem being supported
intermediately by a plate R secured to the main frame.
The cutting apparatus which is duplex in character is shown in detail in Figs. 13,
2B, 18, 19 and 20 and is constructed to sever two cigarettes from the stem at each
operation, one being between the two knives or cutting disks and the other being
beyond the outermost knife.
The cutting apparatus is carried by a bed plate S mounted in suitable guides in
the machine frame and adapted to reciprocate longitudinally of the machine. This
sliding plate is provided on its under side with a friction roller s which engages
a cam groove on a cam s¹, the shaft 3 of which is driven by a suitable train of
gearing from the main driving shaft A¹ as shown in Fig. 19. Upon the sliding
plate S is pivotally mounted the laterally reciprocating cutter frame T carrying
the revolving cutter shaft t upon which are mounted two cutting disks or knives t¹ t
which are adjustable longitudinally of the shaft t independently by means of
clamping nuts 2. The lateral reciprocation of the knives is affected by means of
a cam 3 on the cam shaft which is provided with a cam groove engaging a
friction roller on a laterally moving slide to, said slide being provided on its upper
side with a horizontal bar to engaged by the forked lower ends of a lever t' which
is pivoted at t to the sliding plate S and has its upper end adjustably connected
to the shaft t of the cutters by means of a screw to and adjusting nuts as shown in
Fig. 2. The slide S is also provided with a guiding tube T supported in line
with the path of the continuous stem and having at its inner end a flaring mouth
and a delivery chute T2 is provided adjacent to the outer or delivery end of said
guiding tube. The guiding tube is also provided with a cut away portion in line
with each of the cutting disks or knives to permit the same to pass through the
guiding tube and sever the continuous cigarette. The shaft t of the cutting disks
is driven continuously at very high speed by means of belting from a grooved
pulley T on the driving shaft A'. In order to protect the cutting knives,
I provide a semi-cylindrical casing T for the same which is pivoted at one side to
a supporting bracket so that it can be thrown back to give access to the knives.
During the cutting operation the slide S is moved forward at the same speed as
the continuous cigarette by its cam s¹ so that the cigarettes are severed without

page_text: stopping the forward movement of the stem, thus making a clean cut. As soon as
the cutting operation is completed the cam s moves the slide back into position
to again move forward and sever the next cigarettes from the stem.
In operating the machine, the tobacco is placed upon the feeding apron C and
the machine is started. The tobacco is combed, straightened and uniformly fed
by the feeding mechanism and is deposited in a thin stream upon the belt B by
which it is carried forward between the compressing belts and wheels which form
it into a tobacco rod. The tobacco rod then passes onto the paper and folding belt
and is carried through the trough and folding tube where the paper wrapper
folded around the tobacco rod, pasted and pressed down, thus forming the con-
tinuous cigarette or stem which is severed by the cutting mechanism into individual
cigarettes which are delivered onto the chute T².
is
In order that the tobacco rod shall be properly guided while passing from the
compressing rollers to the folding devices, I provide the fingers U U which are
adjustably secured to the trough L and have elastic portions extending rearwardly
to the compressing belt II. These fingers also prevent the belt from carrying
any adhering particles of tobacco away from the tobacco rod.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a feeding mechanism for cigarette machines, the combination with the
first and second carrying rolls, of the picker interposed between the carrying
rolls, a shield and pressure roller enclosing said devices, a part of said shield or
casing adjacent to said picker being adjustable to and from the same, substantially
as described.
2. In a feeding mechanism for cigarette machines, the tobacco dressing devices
consisting of a carrying roller, a picker therefor, a second carrying roller, a picker
therefor, an endless carrier delivering tobacco to the first carrying roller, a hopper
receiving the tobacco from the second picker and devices extending around the
carrying rollers and pickers from the endless carrier to the hopper, consisting of a
pressure roller, two shields, a second pressure roller adjacent to the second carrying
roller and a concave extending from said second pressure roller to the hopper,
substantially as described.
3. In a feeding mechanism for cigarette machines, the combination with an
endless receiving feed carrier and a toothed carrying roll, the upper faces of both
moving in the same direction, the carrying roll moving at a slightly greater speed
than the feed carrier, of a pressure roller serving to grip the tobacco at the
discharge end of the carrier and to press the tobacco upon the teeth of the
carrying roller, a shield parallel with the travel of the teeth of the said roller
to hold the tobacco upon the same, and a picker moving in the same direction as
the carrying roller and taking the tobacco from the carrying roller, substantially
as described.
4. In a feeding mechanism for cigarette machines, the combination with a
receiving feed carrier, of a toothed carrying roll for taking the tobacco from
the said carrier, a picker taking the tobacco from the said carrying roll, a
second carrying roll taking the tobacco from the said picker and a second picker
taking the tobacco from said second carrying roll, all of said instrumentalities
engaging the same side of the sheet of tobacco in its progress through the mechanism,
substantially as described.
5. In a feeding mechanism for cigarette machines, the combination with an
endless belt receiving carrier, a toothed carrying roller taking the tobacco from
said carrier, a picker for taking the tobacco from the carrying roller, a second
carrying roller receiving the tobacco from the picker, a second picker taking the
tobacco from the said second carrying roller, a pressure roller for each carrying
roller and a hopper, said hopper receiving the tobacco from said second picker, the
said second carrying roller and second picker being located directly beneath the

page_text: first carrying roller and picker and in position to catch the droppings between
the receiving carrier and the first carrying roller and between the first carrying
roller and the first picker, substantially as described.
6. In a feeding mechanism for cigarette machines, the combination with a
receiving feed carrier, of a toothed carrying roller moving in the same direction
and at a slightly greater speed than the receiving carrier, a picker moving in the
same direction as the carrying roller and with great rapidity, a second toothed
carrying roller receiving the tobacco from said picker, said second toothed carrying
roller moving at a slightly greater speed than the first mentioned carrying roller
and a second picker taking the tobacco from the second carrying roller, said second
carrying roller and its picker being located directly beneath the first carrying
roller and picker, substantially as 'described.
7. In a cigarette machine the combination with the tobacco carrying belt, of the
tobacco guide having arched portions overhanging said belt, the horizontal rod
forming wheels, the vertical grooved forming wheel having a peripheral portion
between the plain portions of the faces of said horizontal wheels and pivoted
fingers and adjusting devices for regulating the pressure of said fingers upon the
tobacco, substantially as described.
8. In a cigarette machine the combination with the stem forming trough provided
with a paper guide, and belt guide, and paper and belt guiding rolls at its inner
end, of the forming tube located in said trough having horizontal guides for
engaging the edges of the belt and paper, the stem forming belt and operating
means, substantially as described.
9. In a cigarette machine the combination with the stem forming tube and the
helt having a portion passing through said tube, of a pivotally mounted frame
carrying the pasting mechanism, devices for securing said frame rigidly in operative
position and devices for adjusting said frame and pasting mechanism vertically
whereby said pasting mechanism may be released and swung away from said tube
and belt, substantially as described.
10. In a cigarette machine the combination with the stem forming tube and the
belt having a portion passing through said tube, of a pasting mechanism including
among its members a pasting wheel having a beveled pasting edge, a paste receptacle
above said wheel, and a grooved distributing wheel adapted to receive paste from
the receptacle and distribute it on the beveled edge of the paste wheel substantially
as described.
.
11. In a cigarette machine the combination with the stem forming tube and the
belt having a portion passing through said tube, of a pasting mechanism including
among its members, a pasting wheel having a beveled pasting edge, a paste
receptacle above said wheel having a discharge aperture, a follower in said paste
receptacle, means for moving said follower mechanically to force the paste through
said aperture and a hand operated device for adjusting said follower, substantially
as described.
12. In a cigarette machine the combination with devices for forming a cigarette
stem, of a longitudinally reciprocating cutting mechanism provided with two cutter
blades, one adjustable toward and from the other, means for reciprocating said
mechanism, means for forcing said cutters across the path of the said cigarette
stem, and means for adjusting the reciprocating mechanism to vary the throw of
the knives, substantially as described.
13. In a cigarette machine the combination with the stem forming devices, of a
reciprocating frame, a pair of cutters mounted thereon, one adjustable toward and
from the other, a cam for moving said cutters across the path of said stem and
reciprocating said frame longitudinally of said stem, said cam having tapering
recessed portions at each end engaging parts connected with its operating shaft and
adjusting devices passing through said recessed portions and engaging the said
parts to vary the throw of the cam, substantially as described.
14. In a cigarette machine the combination with the feeding mechanism, of a
hopper converging from top to bottom, the tobacco channel below said hopper, the

page_text: norizontal belt forming the bottom of said channel and the lateral compressing
belt having portions lying upon said horizontal belt and the compressing rollers,.
substantially as described.
15. The cigarette machine herein shown and described.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant..