Improvements in Machines for Packing up Cigarettes, Cigars, and the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Jan., 1891-Accepted, 7th Mar., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Packing up Cigarettes, Cigars,
and the like.
I, RICHARD DE MULINFELDT LAWSON, of 70, Besson Street, New Cross,
Surrey, Gentleman, 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:-
My invention relates to improvements in machines for packing up cigarettes
cigars and the like and has for its object to form scaled packets containing a
suitable number of cigarettes. In carrying my invention into practice I provide a
lower rectangular frame rested upon six feet and supporting in suitable bearings
the driving shaft and the axle of the toothed drum actuating the whole of the
mechanism. The driving shaft carries on one side a fly wheel which is set in
motion by a treadle arranged at the front end of the machine.
This fly wheel could however be replaced by a pulley set in motion by a belt
driven by any suitable motor such as a gas engine for instance which could further
be arranged to actuate a series of such machines by means of a countershaft and a
corresponding number of pulleys and belts.
A small toothed wheel mounted upon the driving shaft in close proximity to the
Hy wheel gears with a large toothed wheel mounted on the axis of the drum and
thus imparts a motion to the latter which is furnished on its outer periphery with a
number of teeth actuating successively a series of levers or connecting rods guided
at the front end of the machine to a cross metal bar bolted to the uprights of a front
vertical frame and at the other end to corresponding adjustable cranks mounted on
one of the four axes of the machine.
This front vertical frame is fixed to the rectangular frame aforesaid and carries
one end of a longitudinal table supported at its other end by a cross bar resting
upon the upwardly prolonged hind legs of the last mentioned frame. This table
has a cross piece or extension at each side about midway between the said hind
legs and the said front vertical frame.
The latter frame is not erected quite in front of the machine being a little way
back to allow of a receptacle for cut out packing papers being arranged upon
suitable supports carried by the rectangular frame before mentioned. This
receptacle has the form of a hollow box furnished with a lid in front and fitted
underneath the front end of the table which is furnished with an opening through
which the packing papers are fed to the top thereof under the action of a plate
corresponding in shape with that of the packing papers and of the box. This plate
is actuated by a central screw rod carrying a mitre wheel below the box which
gears with a similar wheel mounted on a transverse axis supported by the
rectangular frame and actuated by an excentric mounted on the axis of the drum.
The packing papers are fed by hand upon a travelling band moving over a drum
suspended underneath the table and within guides in a central slot formed in the
front part of the said table and extending as far as the cross pieces or extensions
thereof.
At the rear end of the table is fixed a feeding trough surmounted by a detacheable
and oscillating hopper through which the cigarettes are dropped in compartments
formed by movable metal partitions arranged in the trough aforesaid and which are
shifted according to the size of cigarettes which are required to be made into
packets. These cigarettes drop in suitable numbers and in superposed rows upon
the central part of the table along which they are pushed by a horizontal feeding
bar actuated by a driving band passing over a drum mounted below the table upon
one of the axes aforesaid

page_text: Three of these four axes are fixed at each end to a longitudinal steel bar bolted
to the hind legs of the machine, while the central axis is carried by two vertica!
steel bars, bolted at their lower ends to the rectangular frame aforesaid and fixed
at their upper ends to the underside of the cross pieces or extensions of the table.
It is upon these cross extensions and the corresponding part of the table that the
cigarettes fed in the manner described are pushed upon the packing paper previously
fed by its driving band, and formed into packets, which are discharged through an
opening formed in the table in front of the hopper aforesaid and fall through a
shoot into a suitable receptacle underneath the same. The parts or pieces which
take a direct action in the formation of a packet, are in successive order, a flap,
one pair of longitudinal folders, two pairs of transverse folders, two adjustable top
folders and a presser to keep the cigarettes in position, while they are being
wrapped or packed in the paper fed therefor in the manner above described. There
are besides a paste roller arranged under a paste tray or sieve, and fixed to a
weighted carriage moving upon rails, screwed on one side of the cross extensions of
the table, and a calendering or pressure roller secured in a similar manner to
another weighted carriage moving upon rails similarly fixed upon the cross extension
of the table facing that upon which the paste roller carriage moves. The packet
is formed upon the rectangular upper surface of a central upright, fixed to the
central cross bar of the rectangular frame aforesaid, and furnished on each side
with four narrow plates capable of sliding up and down under the action of two
adjustable cams mounted on the central axis on each side and in close proximity to
the central upright above mentioned.
The folders aforesaid as well as the and the roller carriages are actuated by
endless bands, catguts or chains passing over the periphery of dises mounted on one
of the axes aforesaid, and by the cranks and levers operated with the aid of con-
necting rods by the large toothed drum aforesaid.
The hopper is shaken by means of a lever and a connecting rod fixed to au
eccentric mounted on an axis carrying likewise a small pinion gearing with a
toothed wheel mounted on the driving shaft of the machine.
In the four sheets of accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, Fig. 2 a plan and Fig. 3 a longitudinal section of my
improved machine.
Fig. 4 is a plan of the latter with the table removed.
Fig. 5 is a central cross section at an enlarged scale of a portion of the said
machine.
Figs. 6 to 21 represent various details, hereinafter fully referred to.
A is the rectangular frame resting upon six feet as shown and carrying the
table B with its cross extensions B° 13', the driving shaft C upon which the fly
wheel C is mounted, and the axis F1 supporting the toothed wheel F and the
drum G. The two longitudinal steel bars A' A' are bolted at one end to the
frame A. and terminate at the other with two vertical uprights A2 A2 thus forming
two pieces. The uprights A² A² support the cross extensions, B B of the
table A, and they are furnished with rectangular extensions, A³ A³ carrying the two
superposed axes a a' while the longitudinal parts A'A' carry three axes ijm respec-
tively. The upper axis a is composed of two parts arranged in a line one with the
other and fixed at their inner end to the central upright A', upon the upper
surface B, of which the cigarette packet is formed, these two parts supporting two
adjustable cams Q Q, which operate the four vertical guides à a'.a³ and a Figs. 3,
5 and 8 sliding along the four sides of the upright A', and which are adjusted
according to the depth of the packet required, that is to say so as so lift these guides
more or less. The cams QQ are formed of two parts ssss one of which s is
keyed on the axis a and the other s' is pivoted to the former parts and is provided
with a nut through which a screw passes as well as through a corresponding nut of
the same parts (Figs. 3 and 4). The lower axis a¹ (Fig. 5) is also composed of two
parts arranged in a line one with the other and fixed at their inner ends to the
central upright A'. The part shown on the left hand side of the drawings carries

page_text: The other end of
small grooved pulley O, upon which is secured one end of a strap o passing
uccessively over the small pulley and the pulley o³, in order to be fastened
o a circular buckle of mounted on the axis ox, upon which pivots a carriage o³,
formed of a frame o guided on a central wheel o° suspended on an axis
fixed thereto and rotating within an opening formed in the latter frame over an
nclined guide o which is fixed centrally upon the cross extension 1° of the table B,
the axis o* being fixed at each end to sliding pieces y y (Fig. 2) moving upon the
guides e e screwed on each side of the extension B. The carriage o' is provided
in front with paste roller o which is smeared with paste by turning against the
underside of a sieve forming the bottom of a tray T containing the paste furnished
with side flanges. This tray is secured in position by elastics passing over these
Hanges and over corresponding upper flanges of the guides e e.
the strap o passes as shown in Fig. 7 which is a sectional view on line of Fig. 5
over the pulley and is fastened to another buckle of similar to the buckle
aforesaid and mounted on the same axis as the latter. A branch strap bis fixed at
one end to one side of the strap o' its free end passing over another pulley 0° in
order to be fastened to a third buckle of likewise carried by the axis ox (Fig. 2).
The part of the axis d' shown on the right hand side of the drawings carries likewise
a pulley O upon which a strap also passes and operates in exactly the same manner
as above described with reference to the left hand, side part, the only difference
being that the carriage actuated in this case is provided with a calendering or
pressure roller o instead of a paste roller. The axis i carries a large disc I to
A pusher or
which is fixed an endless band I passing over two small rollers ³ ³
feeder is secured to the upper surface of this band 1 by a screw, passing
through the same, and the band, and fixed to a plate arranged below the latter, and
located in its normal position in a groove or recess of the roller. The disc I is
provided with a weight which assists in connection with the two levers 1 and 2
(Fig. 4) hereinafter referred to in bringing it back to its normal position, after the
cigarettes have been fed to the upright A. The pusher is grooved on its upper
surface as shown in Fig. 2 to permit of its free passage through the feeding trough 13,
the two or three removable partition plates (Fig. 18) of which enter the said
grooves, and divide the trough 13 into three or four compartments according as it is
required to form a packet containing three or four contiguous cigarettes in a
horizontal row, a fresh pusher or feeder furnished with a number of grooves
The front part
corresponding to that of the plates being provided in each case.
of the trough 13 is furnished on both sides with openings, in which are inserted sinall
frames secured thereto by suitable fasteners and having for their object to reduce
the size of the openings, according to the depth of the superposed rows of cigarettes
being fed to the upright A', which depth depends upon the diameter of the latter.
The trough (Fig. 1) is surmounted by a hopper U fitting loosely therein and
oscillated when the machine is in motion by means of a rod u fixed to one of its
sides and connected to a link u* which is articulated to a rod u'. The latter is
attached to an excentric ² which is mounted on the axis u' carrying also a pinion u³
in gear with a toothed wheel u mounted on the driving shaft C. The axis carries
two pulleys JJ upon which are fixed the straps J¹³ passing over the pulleys ji j*,
and the end of which are connected together by means of buckles K (Figs. 1 and 2)
mounted on the transverse axis K. This axis K' slides in slotted guides L L by
means of suitable blocks k³, and carries the two longitudinal flexible folders j³ j
fixed thereon at their rear ends, and furnished with rectangular notched forward
ends (Fig. 3). These longitudinal folders are curved as shown in Fig. 11 to pass
on each side of the pusher or feeder 12. The axis m carries two pulleys M M¹ fixed
thereto (Figs. 3 and 4) and over each of which passes a strap m¹ whose free ends
may be buckled together at any convenient point. Each strap passes from one side
of the pulley M or M' over a guide roller to a sliding bracket or carrier m' to which
it is secured and whence it proceeds over another guide roller n² to another sliding
bracket m² to which it is likewise attached. From this last bracket the strap passes
over a guide roller n' in order to return to the opposite side of the pulley M or M¹

page_text: from that at which it started as shown in Fig. 3. The guide rollers n n' n are
carried by brackets n³n connected together by a guide rod nº passing through lugs
formed on the sliding brackets m² m³. These lugs guide the latter in their horizontal
motion. The sliding brackets m² m² serve to guide the vertical frame of the two
upper folders nm and are cach provided with a pin m° (Fig. 6) entering a
recess m formed in a guide m" which is fixed to the underside of the table B. Four
of these guides m³, are provided one for each sliding bracket. The recess m receives
a movable strip of metal m³ pivotted at m to permit of the pin m passing over it
during the forward motion of the bracket and underneath the same during the
receding motion of the latter, thus imparting a vertical as well as a horizontal motion
to the folder. Each folder carries a plate m" (Fig. 1) which can be adjusted by
screws m to any convenient height according to the depth of the cigarette
packet. PP, P P are two pairs of transverse folders (Figs. 1, 2, and 5) being
increly strips of metal sliding in guides pp', fixed on the top of the table as
shewn. Each pair of transverse folders is furnished with two lower extensions p² p²
or på passing through slots formed in the table and articulated below the same to
two levers pp mounted upon a small axis which is carried at its two extremities
by two brackets p° °, tightly screwed to the extensions B¹ B' of the table B.
The axis carries a small crank p coupled to a connecting rod which is
articulated to a lever p³ carried on a centre 7,10 fixed to the table. The transverse
folders are actuated by the toothed drum G with the aid of two levers in the manner
hereinafter set forth.
When the cigarette packet is formed and pasted out it is raised from the top of
the upright A by an ejector arm 2 (Fig. 3) previous to its being discharged through
an opening formed in the table B and leading to a shoot S' which conveys the
packet to a receptacle S carried below the table B. This opening is controlled by
a small trap door or flap S (Fig. 3) operated by a rods connected to a crank s
which is mounted on an axis upon which the said flap is pivoted. The lower end
of the rod s is connected to a lever mounted on an axis s which is supported by
the upright A' and carries another lever connected to a horizontal lever actuated
by the toothed drum G in the manner hereunder more fully explained. This flap
likewise serves to hold the end 1 of the paper wrapper when the latter has reached
the upright A. The axis s carries likewise a counterweight having for its
object to bring the flap s back into its closed and normal position. The ejector
armis pivoted to a pin fixed to the upright A4 and passing through a slot A³
formed in the latter and in which the arm moves being operated by an arm r
fixed at one end to the pin and connected at the other to a rod R operated by the
crank arm (Fig. 5) mounted upon an axis to which is connected an arm
actuated with the aid of a lever by the toothed drun G. The axis also carries
a counterweight 16 which has for its object to bring the ejector aim back into its
normal position after it has raised the packet and caused it to drop in the opening
above mentioned.
Referring to Fig. 8 t is a plate sliding behind the guard a for the purpose of
stopping the cigarettes fed by the pusher when they have reached a suitable posi-
tion on the top of the upright A', this plate being operated by a rod T¹ connected
thereto and to a rod t (Fig. 3) which is joined to a lever 2 fulcrumed on an axis t³
to which is also connected an arm projecting sufficiently far to come into gear
with one of the teeth of the drum G.
The plate and connections fall back by gravity into their normal position after
they have thus been actuated by the drum G. The rod T is guided in a groove or
recess to formed in the side of the upright A*.
む
The presser V (Figs. 1, 2, and 14) is connected to uprights * * passing cach
through a slotted guide provided with friction rollers these uprights being
connected at their lower ends to one end of a lever v pivoted underneath the table B.
The other arm of this lever is connected to one end of a rod 2 the other end of
which is secured to an arm (Figs. 15 and 16) pivoted to a bracket attached to
the framework A and formed with a notched eccentric into which enters a tooth v

page_text: formed on the lower end of a vertical slide. The upright B is likewise
articulated to a lever pivotted to the bracket t. As one of the teeth on the
drum G strikes against the end of the lever, the other end of the latter lifts the
upright thus releasing the tooth from the notch of the eccentric part of
the arın 3, and allowing the arm to turn on its axis and the presser V to fall by
gravity on the cigarettes fed by the pusher [2 and to hold them while the wrapper
is being folded up on the sides. When this is done and before the wrapper is
finally folded and pasted on the top of the cigarettes, the presser V is raised to
its former position in consequence of another tooth on the drum G coming in
contact with the arm, and depressing it for the purpose of operating the lever
while the upright locks this arm in position with the aid of the tooth ". When
the packets are intended to contain a greater number of cigarettes than usual and
likewise the greatest allowable number, the same must be made higher as their
width and length are limited by the sectional size of the upright A and by the
operation of the guides a a² a³ and a'. In this case another presser V is used and
moves through the slotted guides provided with frictional rollers c³ this presser
being constructed in a similar manner to the presser V with this difference that the
operating levers of the former are actuated by cams 10 mounted on the shaft i
of the disc (Figs. 20 and 21) are screws for adjusting the drop of the
presser V
The arrangement of this additional presser V₁ is not shown in the drawings in
connection with the other parts of the machine but separately only in Fig. 14.
The paper wrappers used to form the cigarette packets have a cruciform shape
as shewn in Fig. 19 and are cut beforehand by any suitable tool, and piled up upon
a plate W (Fig. 3) fixed on the top of a screw rod wel, the lower end of which works
in a nut or collar formed in the boss of a bevil wheel w gearing with another
similar wheel which is keyed upon a shaft w (Fig. 1) carrying likewise a toothed
wheel w between the teeth of which enters a pawl w. The wheel is operated
by a rod w forming part of an excentric which is mounted on the shaft F and
can be adjusted to suit the feed of paper. The paper pile is enclosed with the
plate w and a portion of the rod win a receptacle W of similar shape provided
with a door Wand arranged in front of the table B furnished with an opening
through which the paper pile ascends automatically with the aid of the last
described mechanism for the purpose of bringing the uppermost paper sheet of the
pile flush with the upper surface of the table.
In front of the opening in the table moves within guides (Fig. 2) of brass or
other suitable metal screwed on both sides of the central longitudinal slot formed in
the table Band of the opening in the latter, an endless travelling band N³ (Fig. 3)
which carries the wrappers in Indian file to the upper surface ẞ of the upright A,
this band passing over two rollers N N suspended within corresponding slots
formed in the table B, and over guide rollers N and a drum N by means of which
the said band is actuated by four successive teeth N of the drum G.
The drum G is furnished with a number of teeth (Fig. 3) arranged in such a position
on its periphery as to successively actuate with the aid of the projections G³, a series
of levers G (Figs. 3 and 4) operating either in pairs or singly the various parts of
the machine above described. G2 is a plate fixed across the machine and provided
with slots in which enter and are supported the forward ends of the levers G'. As
an example of the operation of one of the single levers G, we may describe that
upon the trap S in which case the rear end of the corresponding lever is connected
to the arms so that as the corresponding tooth of the drum G₁ strikes against the
projection of this lever and pushes it forward, the rod s is raised and the trap S
opened, and as the tooth releases such projection, the trap is closed by the weight &
as hereinbefore described. The pairs of levers G' operate on the various axes ij m
by means of the adjustable double cranks Y shown separately in Figs. 12 and 13.
These cranks Y consist of a piece furnished with two slots within which the
blocks or nuts Y' travel. In each block or nut moves a milled headed screw 1³

page_text: enabling the distance of the block from the centre of the axis Y to be regulated.
The levers G are connected to the sliding blocks by nuts as shown.
My improved cigarette packing machine operates as follows:-The wrappers
having been filed on the plate w in the receptacle W and raised so that the upper-
most sheet should be flush with the upper surface of the table, by disengaging the
rod ' from the toothed wheels and turning the latter with the handle (Fig. 1)
and the tray T having been filled with paste the operative sits in front of the
machine and operates the treadle D' with his feet, while he places at the same time
the wrappers in position on the endless band N³ between the successive rests or
holders n (Fig. 3). As the treadle is being operated, the teeth of the drum G
actuate successively the various parts of the machine causing first the foremost
wrapper to reach the block A. and to be simultaneously held thereon by the trap S
when the presser V drops upon the said wrapper. The longitudinal folders,
now advance on each side of the said presser and over the greatest length of the
wrapper when the guides a¹ a² a³ are raised simultaneously folding up the sides 1ª
and 1, and the end along the dotted lines 3, 4, 5, 6, 7-8 (Fig. 19) whereupon
the pusher brings, while the presser V is raised, the cigarettes in superposed rows
within the partly folded wrapper. The said presser V dropping now again upon
the top of the cigarettes, the longitudinal folders are subsequently withdrawn
and the transverse folders P P move forward and fold the ends 2 inside, as shown
in Fig. 11, the thick black lines representing the folded up paper when the
guides a¹ and a are raised and straighten and fold up the ends 1, 1* respectively.
The presser is then raised again and the top adjustable folders fold down the
outer now upper edges of the ends 1 and 1× along the dotted lines 9, 10 & 11-12
Fig. 19.
When paste roller o advances sinearing its periphery with paste against
the underside of the tray T and applies such paste to the outer surface of the
side 1 (Fig. 5) while folding the same down on line 7-13, and to the inner surface
of the side 1" the shield o preventing an over smearing of paste, at the same time
the calendering roller os presses down the closing side 1" to be folded on line 8-14
over the side 1 passing twice over the same. The packet is now completed and
sealed, and as the guides a¹, a², a³, a, are lowered and the trap S opened, the
jector tilts the packet which drops into the shoot S and the receptacle S2.
Another wrapper is now fed on to the block and a fresh series of operations
recommence in order to make another packet.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
1 claim is :-
(1) The improved machine for packing up cigarettes, cigars, and the like con-
structed arranged and operating substantially as herein described and shewn in the
accompanying drawings, and for the purpose set forth.
(2) In machines for packing up cigarettes cigars and the like the mechanism for
transmitting a vertical as well as a horizontal motion to the adjustable folders m* m³
consisting of the sliding brackets m² m³ in combination with the guides m each
formed with a recess m into which enters a pin me, a pivotted strip m", an endless
band m' guide rollers nn', pullies M. M' and guide rod constructed arranged
and operating substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 29th day of January 1891.
RAYNER & CASSELL,
37, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.