An Improved Method of Packeting Tea, Tobacco, and like Substances, and Apparatus therefor..
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Oct., 1896-Accepted, 16th Jan., 1897.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
An Improved Method of Packeting Tea, Tobacco, and like Substances,
and Apparatus therefor..
I, JOHN SKINNER of 12 Swallowfield Road,, Old Charlton, Kent, Instrument
Maker, 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 consists of a machine whereby tea, tobacco, and like substances
are automatically made up into packets or parcels ready for distribution and
sale...
The machine consists of a hollow, and preferably circular: stand. or: pedestal
which encloses the driving gear and part of the machinery. Above this stand is
mounted on a central shaft, an intermittently rotated. table or platform which runs
upon ball bearings, and which has four periods of rest, during which periods, work is
performed in. connection with each one, of the four packets. which are being
simultaneously made up..
2)
Projecting up from the surface of the revolving table are four: metallic packing
boxes which serve as holders for the packets while theware being prepared.. Each
box takes therefore in turn four positions, and: is: stationary, for a short period at
each position. During one entire revolution of the table, the work performed upon
each packet is as follows:-
In the 1st position.: A funnel is inserted by hand into the. packing box.;, the
funnel being previously wrapped in foil or paper:
. In the 2nd position:-Tea.or. tobacco is placed in the funnels.
In the 3rd position:-The material is rammed: down to the proper size and. the
funnel withdrawn..
In the 4th and last position:The finished packet is ejected from the machine.
During the quarter of a revolution from the 3rd to the 4th position, the open: end
of the wrapper is. turned down or folded: over: by means off four turnover flaps
hinged at the top of each side of the packing box.
.
:
I will now describe tlie machine in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings-in which:-
Fig. shows a generali front elevation of the machine: The striker ban being
omitted for the sake: of clearness.
Fig. 2 shows an enlarged side elevation of the machine as: seem from: the left hand
side of Fig. 1.
!
Fig: is a central sectional elevation, as seen from the back of the machine, and
shows the actuating mechanism.. One packing box with packet is shown in section,
in the 4th or ejecting position:..
Fig. 4 shows a general plan viem
Fig. 5 shows a plan view of the stand on pedestal' with the table removed. and
showe the ball bearings g" on which the table rotates, and also shows the: means: for
operating the turnover flaps of the packing boxes..
Fig. 5 shows a projected elevation of one, of the: inclined planes: or: jumpers,
which operate the turnover Haps. As shown these jumpers resemble the:section of
a buttress screw thread...
Fig. 6 shows an enlarged plan view of the gear for imparting the necessary
intermittent motion to the revolving table:
I

page_text: Fig. 7 shows an elevation of Fig. 6.
The right hand toothed wheel is in section to show details of mounting same
upon the hollow shaft f. In this figure are also shown details of the method of
connecting the striker bar shaft k, (which runs up through the hollow shaft f) to
the crank armj, and the means for operating said crank arm.
Fig. 8 shows a general cross section of one packing box in the 2nd position.
The packing box proper which is the inside box, is shown in outside elevation;
the connecting rods which operate the turnover flaps by means of the jumpers, are
also shown.
Fig. 9 shows a sectional side elevation, of Fig. 8. The dotted oblique line and
hinged flap at bottom of the packing box proper, indicate the means whereby the
Aap is closed after same has been opened to allow of the finished packet being
ejected at the 4th position.
It will be understood that this flap closing action takes place during the return
quarter revolution from the 4th to the 1st position, when all the operations
recommence.
The turnover flaps are omitted, but connecting rods are shown..
'
Fig. 10 shows a plan view of Fig. 8 and exhibits the arrangement of the four
connecting rods and their attachments to the turnover flaps.
In these three latter figures, for the sake of clearness, the path of travel is
supposed to be straight, whereas it is really circular.
Fig. 11 shows a plan view of the cam which imparts to the crank arm j, and
from thence to the striker bar shaft k, the requisite to and fro motion hereinafter
described. The crank arm j is shown in dotted lines, and the larger dotted circles
indicates the spur wheel which drives the cam.
Fig. 12 shows a side elevation of the levers m³, o³, operated by cams m, o, which
impart an up and down motion to the rods n, p which operate the main ram and
funnel extractor at the 3rd position.
The rods n, p, and links connecting same to the levers m³, o' are shown only by a
dotted centre fine. The cams m, o, are indicated in a similar manuer by the centre
line of the channels which engage with the pins m³, o, on the lever.
a is a hollow foundation stand or pedestal, preferably circular in outline, and
closed at its upper end to support the mechanism herein described.
b is the main driving shaft of the machine, mounted in suitable bearings in and
passing through the sides of the stand or pedestal a; the ends of the shaft being
left projecting as shown. This shaft 6 is driven by pulley and belt gearing, through
the medium of pinion b, and spur wheel 63, or their equivalent.
c, c', are a pair of bevel wheels which drive from shaft b, a vertical shaft d
mounted in bearings d, d. e is a spur wheel secured upon shaft d, which is
provided with teeth for about a quarter of its circumference, which teeth engage
periodically with those on spur wheel e and which has its full complement of
teeth. is a circular plate placed above, and projecting beyond the teeth of
wheel e and which makes frictional contact with a similar plate of the same size
on wheel e¹.
This latter is recessed to receive the projecting curve of plate. This serves
to steady. the intermittent motion of. the gear. The wheel e', as shown in Fig. 7;
is keyed to the lower end of hollow shaft f, and the revolution of this shaft rotates
the platform g, by means of the projecting flange of f¹ on shaft f, and bolts f
which secures the shaft f, to platform g as shown in Fig. 3; this platform g
...revolves.upon balls g', g', retained in place by the ball race g, and grid g³, a plan
view of this latter being shown. in Fig. 5.
Referring now to Figs. 1, 7, 11, the method of operating the striker bar is as
follows:-
:
h is a toothed pinion on shaft d which gears with spur wheel h¹ mounted upon
an intermediate shaft hand same revolves in the bearing has shown in Fig. 3.
Further, upon this shaft his secured a cam h (a plan of which is seen in
Fig. 11), the curved channel of which engages a pin i (Figs. 3 and 7),, depending

page_text: from the end of a short crank arm j, keyed to the lower end of the striker bar-
shaft k, which passes up through the hollow shaft f. At the top end of shaft is
secured another crank arm k¹ which I call the striker bar, the to-and-fro motion of
which, sends the funnels, when they are withdrawn from the packing box at the:
3rd position, by means hereinafter described, down the curved guide-way and
round on to a bench (not shown) at the front of the machine, ready for insertion
again into the packing box at the 1st position. The funnels are sent down
alternately to the right and left. No supports for the guide-ways are shown..
Any preferred means may be used.
I will now describe in detail the method of operating the main ram for pressing
down the material to its proper size in the packing box.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 12.
m (Figs. 3 and 12) is a cam secured upon shaft b, the curved channel of which
engages a pin ml projecting from a long lever m³ fulcrummed on m³ (Figs. 2 and 12).
The further end of this lever m² is connected by link m to the lower end of a long
sliding reciprocating rod n (preferably of square section), moving up and down in
suitable guides.
Near the upper end of rod n is secured in any suitable way a projecting arm n!
the outer end of which carries the ram n². This ram will therefore be drawn up.
and down at a certain prearranged speed, so that a fresh packet will be in the
3rd position at every down stroke.
The method of withdrawing the funnel from the packet, after being rammed as
above described, is very similar.
o Figs. 3 and 12, is a cam on shaft b, the channel of which engages a pin o!
projecting from lever o fulcrummed at m³. The outer end of this lever is
connected by a link of to the lower end of a reciprocating rod p, moving up and
down in suitable guides.
This rod p, carries an arm pl which projects over and embraces on two sides
only by clips p, the upper flanged edges p, of the funnel p, as shown in Fig. 2,
and a hole is left in arm p above the funnel to allow of the up-and-down
movement of the ram 2.
The movements of this gear are as follows:-
p¹,
The packing box carrying the projecting funnel moves from the 2nd to the
3rd position. The upper edges of the funnel slides into the clips p which
are in position ready to receive it, the rod n and consequently the ram n move
down, rams down the contents of the packet, the rod p and arm p₁ is then moved
up drawing up also the funnel p' (as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1). After this
the rod n and ram n³, then move upwards out of the way, and the striker bar k¹
moves round, guides the funnel p' out of the funnel clips p2, into and down the
guide way round to the front of the machine.
I will now describe the packing boxes in detail.
Referring to Figs. 8, 9, and 1.
'
9 is a square or rectangular outer casing to the packing box q', both made of
metal.
The packing box ql is flanged to rest upon, and is recessed into, the revolving
platform q; r, r, are four connecting rods, passing down through platform g and
provided with rollers at the foot to run upon the closed top a¹ of the stand or
pedestal a. The rods are arranged around ql preferably as shown in Fig. 10.
3, s, are four turnover flaps each hinged to one of the four sides at the top of q'.
These flaps are each connected by a link s, and a pin s, to one of the connecting
rods r.
Therefore when the packing box is moving from the 3rd to the 4th and
last position, and the rollers on the connecting rods r, r come into contact consecu-
tively with the jumpers t, t, (Figs. 5 and 54) each rod r in its turn will be raised
and will close the turnover flaps connected therewith, thus folding over the top of
the paper wrapper.
As each rod clears the jumper, it will drop and again open the flaps s.
are bosses to act as guides to connecting rods r.

page_text: t' is a hinged flap to the bottom of each packing box, which is kept closed
during the revolution of the platform g, by the ridge or rib t projecting up from
and round a¹.
This rib is continuous with the exception of a break at the 4th or ejecting,
position.
At this break the hinged flap t¹ will fall, so that the finished packet may be
ejected. For a short distance past this break, the ridge t' is sloped up from the
surface of a to its proper height, and thus closes the flap again before the
1st position is reached.
This is shown in dotted lines Fig. 9.
The means for ejecting the finished packet are as follows:-
Referring to Figs. 2 and 3.
u is a cam at one end of the main shaft b, the curved path of which engages a
pin u at the lower end of a rod 2. A short distance up, this rod is secured to the
centre of a crosshead v, and to the outer ends of this crosshead are secured, one at
each end, the lower ends of two rods v¹ which slide up and down in guides as
shown.
.
These rods are again secured near their top into another crosshead, and from
this projects an arm 3, which carries the ejecting ram v. The hinged flip t' being
open, the ram in its downward stroke will push the packet out into a drawer or
shoot w, as shown in Fig. 3, from which it is again ejected as follows:-
Fig. 3 is a cam, the curved path of which engages a pin el projecting from a
connecting rod.y. yl is a broadened head to y and this head will therefore in the
forward movement of y, eject the finished packet from the shoot w.
I reserve to myself the right to employ any number of packing boxes or rams as
found expedient. The stand or pedestal, and revolving platform, may be of any
preferred outline, a circular form being shown in this case.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is-
1. In a machine for packeting tea, tobacco and the like, the formation of a
hollow, and preferably circular stand or pedestal, enclosing special gearing as
herein described, for intermittently rotating a platform, superposed upon said
pedestal, same revolving upon ball bearings as herein described and set forth.
2. In a machine for packeting tea, tobacco and the like, the employment of a
partially toothed wheel e, gearing intermittently with a spur wheel el having the
full number of teeth, and also of a circular plate e upon wheel e, making frictional
contact with another plate & upon wheel e', recessed to receive the projecting curve
of plate e, to steady said intermittent motion; said motion being employed to give
to the platform g the periodical quarter revolutions for moving round a series of
packing boxes arranged upon said platform, as herein described and set forth.
3. In a machine for packeting tea, tobacco and the like, the arrangement of a ram
for pressing down the contents of the packing box to their proper size in the
3rd position, said ram being operated from an arm secured to a vertical sliding
rod n moved up and down from below, from the outer end of a lever, said lever
operated by a pin, projecting therefrom, engaging with the curved path of a cam
fixed on the main driving shaft of the machine, as herein described and
set forth.
4. In a machine for packeting tea, tobacco and the like, the arrangement of
means whereby the funnel p' is withdrawn from the packing box in the 3rd position,
moved up
consisting of a funnel clip.pl projecting from a vertical sliding rod P
and down from below, from the outer end of a lever, said lever operated by a pin
projecting therefrom, engaging with the curved path of a cam fixed on the main
driving shaft of the machine, as herein. described and set forth. "
5. In combination with the matter claimed in the preceding claim, the formation
of guide ways, down which the fuunels are guided, (after being withdrawn from

page_text: the packing box at the 3rd position) by means of an oscillating striker bar ki, said
oscillating motion being derived from the action of the special gearing, as herein
described and set forth.
6. In a machine for packeting tea, tobacco and the like, the arrangement of a
series of metallic packing boxes mounted upon a revolving platform, each packing
box, in its turn taking four positions, work being performed in connection with
each packing box at each position, as herein described and set forth.
7. A packing box constructed with an outer casing said box being provided
with an arrangement of four connecting rods provided at their lower ends with
rollers, said rollers engaging consecutively with four jumpers or inclined planes at
the proper time, to operate for the purpose specified four turnover flaps hinged at
the top of each side of the packing box, said connecting rods being attached to the
turnover flaps by pins and links as herein described and set forth.
8. An ejecting mechanism, for ejecting the finished packet from the machine,
consisting of a ram and reciprocating rod with broadened head worked from a
revolving cam, said head working to and fro in a drawer or shoot, as herein
described and set forth.
9. In a machine for packeting tea, tobacco and the like, the combination of a
main shaft, driven as described, driving the various cams, shafts, spur wheels,
levers and rods for effecting the various operations described in the preceding
claims, and causing the different parts of the machine to work harmoniously
together, at accurate periods of time as herein described and set forth.
Deted this 22nd day of October 1906
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97 Newgate Street, London, Patent Agent.