IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ROLL TOBACCO, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Thomas Lendrum, of Belfast, in the County
of Antrim, in Ireland, Tobacco Manufacture, for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF ROLL TOBACCO, AND IN APPARATUS
THEREFOR."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Thomas
Lendrum at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th
November 1880.
ALEXANDER THOMAS LENDRUM, of Belfast, in the County of Antrim, in
Ireland, Tobacco Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ROLL
TOBACCO, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
The object of my Invention is to dispense with the use of cords for confining the
rolls while the tobacco is being compressed in the course of its manufacture.
For the purpose of enclosing the rolls and preserving the division or separation'
of the outer wreaths, I substitute for the cords now commonly employed a coil of
split cane or half round metal or steel or other elastic material, which I wind round
the green roll spirally, so as to be capable of compression along with the roll when
subjected to the action of the press.
Having thus prepared the roll I introduce it into a metal cylinder or chamber of
sufficient diameter to contain it, but deep enough to overtop it a little, and into the
rim thus left over the roll I introduce a plunger furnished with screw bolts which
pass through a flange or snugs upon the outside of the cylinder or chamber, and
which are provided with nuts to be used for preserving the pressure of the plunger
when the cylinder or chamber has been withdrawn from the press; or I may
introduce the roll prepared as already described into a cylinder or chamber of less
depth, and having an internal flange on the lower edge, and substitute for the
plunger a similar cylinder or chamber constructed so as to form a cap or cover for
the cylinder or chamber containing the roll, both of which cylinders or chambers
may be furnished with flange snugs and screw bolts and nuts or other ordinary'
mechanical appliances for preserving the pressure, as before mentioned.
The cylinder or chamber may be made in vertical sections, hinged or jointed, or
bolted or keyed together, to admit of adjustment in case of any variation in the
size of the rolls.
Instead of a coil or spiral such as I have above described I may employ a series
of parallel jointed rings or hoops of similar material to enclose the roll.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Thomas Lendrum in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th May 1881.
ALEXANDER THOMAS LENDRUM, of Belfast, in the County of Antrim, in
Ireland, Tobacco Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ROLL
TOBACCO, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
My Invention has reference to the preparation of the rolls for submission to
pressure in the progress of the manufacture of tobacco for smoking and chewing.
For the purpose of enclosing the rolls and preserving the division or separation
of the outer wreaths or layers, I substitute for the cords now commonly employed a
coil of split cane or of half round metal or steel or other elastic material, which I
wind round the green roll spirally, keeping the convex side of the material next to
the roll, and leaving interstices between the ribs or rings of the coil, so that it may
be capable of compression along with the roll when subjected to the action of the
press.
Or instead of a coil or spiral, such as I have above described, I may enclose the
roll with a series of separate horizontal rings or hoops of similar material, jointed
or joined together in parallel lines, and each having one end overlapping but free
from the other end, so as to accommodate itself to and receive and enclose a smaller
or larger roll, as may be required at any time. These rings or loops can be
conveniently jointed or joined in the manner described, and with interstices
between them, as above mentioned, by the use of a double sheet of cloth, india
rubber, or other pliable material enclosing them at intervals, and sewed or otherwise
fastened together between each ring or hoop.
Although the above means may be employed for holding the rolls, in some cases
I find it more advantageous to use a thin annular sheet or thin annular sheets of
iron or other suitable material, overlapping at the ends in order to be adjustable
for various sizes of rolls, and corrugated or fluted, so as to have somewhat the
effect of the cords, split cane, or other half round material, and to preserve the
division or separation of the outer wreaths or layers of the roll. The annular
sheet or sheets just referred to may be perforated or slotted to permit the escape
of steam or juice, and where two or more of such sheets are employed to enclose a
roll of tobacco the uppermost and undermost sheets may be furnished with internal
flanges or tongues at the outer edge thereof respectively in order to retain the
enclosed roll in position.
The roll being enclosed by the coil, rings, hoops, or annular sheet above described
is then introduced into a metal cylinder or chamber before being placed in the
press. I employ several forms or kinds of cylinder or chamber, which I shall now
proceed to describe. In one case the cylinder or chamber is almost of ordinary
construction, and only of sufficient diameter to contain the roll, but is deep enough
to overtop it a little, and into the rim or space thus left above the roll the plunger
is introduced. This cylinder or chamber is however furnished on the outside with
a flange or snugs, through which screw bolts attached to the plunger by means of a
similar flange or snugs pass, and, being provided with nuts, are used for preserving
the pressure of the plunger after the cylinder or chamber has been withdrawn from
the press.
In another case the cylinder or chamber is of less depth than the roll to be
pressed, and is provided with an internal flange on the lower edge, and for the
plunger I substitute a similar cylinder or chamber, inverted and constructed so as
to form a cap or cover for the cylinder or chamber containing the roll, both of
which cylinders or chambers may be furnished with flanges or snugs and screw
bolts having nuts, or with any other ordinary mechanical appliance for preserving
the pressure, as before mentioned.
The cylinder or chamber last described may also be made in vertical sections

page_text: hinged, or jointed, or bolted, or keyed together, to admit of its adjustment in case
of any variation in the sizes of the different rolls to be placed in it from time to
time.
I also employ another form of cylinder or chamber which I consider simpler than
those I have heretofore described, and which I. find may be used with special
advantage. It consists of two or more separate strong annular plates or bands of
plane iron, steel, brass, or metal, each having one end overlapping the other end,
and furnished with an external lip, snug, or angle-iron at or near to the overlapping
extremity. A corresponding snug or angle-iron is provided at a suitable distance
from the other end of each plate or sheet, and a screw bolt and nut passing through
the corresponding snugs or angle-irons is used for drawing and retaining the
cylinder or chamber closely round the coils or spirals, rings, boops, or annular
corrugated or fluted sheets herein before mentioned. The annular plates or bands
forming the cylinder or chamber last described are in some cases furnished with
thin linings, one broader and the other or each of the others narrower than itself,
so that one plate or band may fit into the other or others like a socket, and this
compound cylinder or chamber is furnished with internal flanges or tongues at the
undermost and uppermost edges, in order to retain the enclosed roll in position.
Where only two of the corrugated or fluted sheets are employed for holding the
roll it is not necessary to use more than one of the strong plane plates or bands
lastly above described as a cylinder or chamber.
For either of the cylinders or chambers firstly and secondly above described, and
also for the plunger and the cap or cover above described, I sometimes substitute
others constructed of an elastic or expanding annular plate, or of elastic or
expanding annular plates, having overlapped ends and lips, snugs, or angle-irons
similar to the annular plates or bands mentioned in the last preceding paragraph,
in order to be capable of adjustment to variously sized rolls, but in other respects
resembling and used in the same manner as the cylinders or chambers, plunger,
cap, or cover so herein before described, as above mentioned.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention; and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I would have it to be understood that I do not claim the
exclusive use of coils or spirals, rings, or hoops, or appliances such as are referred to
in my Provisional Specification, No. 369, A.D. 1880, but I claim,―
1st. The use of cylinders or chambers with plungers or caps or covers attachable
thereto, constructed in the manner and for the purposes substantially as herein-
before described.
2ndly. The use of cylinders or chambers and of plungers, caps, or covers formed
of annular expanding and adjustable plates or bands constructed in the manner and
for the purposes substantially as herein before described.
3rdly. The use of the combination of coils, rings, hoops, or sheets such as are
herein mentioned, for holding the rolls, together with external casings or cylinders,
such as are herein referred to, substantially as berein described. And
4thly. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the compound
apparatus hereinbefore mentioned, constructed and applied substantially in the
manner and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
In. witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Thomas Lendrum, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty fifth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
ALEX. THOS. LENDRUM. (L.S.)