Improvements in Machinery for the Manufacture of Cigarettes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 21st Nov., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for the Manufacture of Cigarettes.
I, ANATOLE EDOUARD DECOUFLÉ, of 2 Boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris, in the
Republic of France, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my
said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had
to the accompanying six sheets of drawings and to the letters and figures marked
thereon, that is to say :-
My invention relates more especially to certain modifications and improvements
in the principal parts of the machine for manufacturing cigarettes with paper tubes
the longitudinal edges of which are not pasted or gummed together, but are folded
and interlocked, for which machinery. Patents were granted to William Henry
Beck as communications from me, dated and numbered respectively
31st December 1885 No. 16068, and 19th July 1886 No. 9368.
In my abovementioned cigarette machine, the paper intended to form the tubes
of the cigarettes is rolled up in considerable quantity on a bobbin, then brought by
intermittently acting feed gear in predetermined lengths into the parts which form
and close the tubes longitudinally.
Between the bobbin containing the paper and the tube-former is placed the
marking stamp and its inking arrangement for printing a trade mark, seal, vignette,
or other required indication on each tube. In the tube maker there is placed in
front of the folder a shaper which is quite free and loose and which has the
important function of giving to the tube exactly the proper external diameter, so
that by varying the internal dimensions of the shaper, the diameter of the non-
pasted tube may be varied at pleasure. Certain special arrangements also allow of
changing the feed roller so as to modify, as may be required, the feeding forward
of the paper and thereby to produce longer or shorter tubes.
Following the above described mechanism for making an endless non-pasted tube
of given diameter, and printing it with a stamp or vignette of any kind, there is
placed the mechanism for cutting this endless tube into uniform lengths equal to
the length the cigarette is intended to be. These lengths thus cut off are the tubes
for the cigarettes; they fall on to the inclined transporting apparatus which conveys
them, one after another, to the mechanism by which they are filled with tobacco.
The transporting apparatus is placed in a plane at right angles to that which
the endless paper follows until its transformation into a tube.
In cigarette
machines the conveyance of the paper tubes, from the place where they are formed
to that where they are filled with tobacco, is effected in two different and very
distinctive ways.
In the old machines using pasted or gummed paper tubes, the conveyance of the
tubes is effected by means of a barrel or a kind of wheel furnished with conveying
recesses or tubes and which turns intermittently, as each cigarette is made, to an
angular distance exactly equal to that of two consecutive conveying recesses or
tubes one from the other. This arrangement requires great accuracy of construction
and causes great and unavoidable inconvenience consequently it is becoming less
and less used.
In my previous machine, in which non-pasted tubes are employed, the conveyance
of the tubes, made on a fixed spindle and expelled therefrom by special means, is
effected by the combination of two parallel inclined rods each provided with two
rows of pins placed in planes perpendicular to one another and at equal distances
apart. These rods have imparted to them alternating partial rotary motion,
thereby lowering the pins of one row on each rod and raising those of the other row
on each rod in such manner that at each of these partial revolutions of the rods the
D11

page_text: paper tube, which has been projected on to their upper ends and stopped by the
first pins on each rod, rolls down from these to the next and so on to the last pair
of pins which are close to the lower ends of the said rods. When the paper tube
has arrived at this point, it is pushed on to and held on the filling funnel to receive
the plug of tobacco simultaneously formed by the tobacco dividing and compressing
mechanism.
I have found that atmospheric changes affect the action of this conveying
mechanism, because the tubes are at times liable to adhere to the pins on the rods
and to certain other parts so firmly as to neutralise the action of their weight,
which alone ought to be sufficient to insure their descent. To obviate this defect,
I have, in some cases, added to the conveying mechanism one or more cords having
a continuous movement like a driving belt; and as these cords move exactly in the
plane of the rods, they act on the paper tubes and force them to descend on
the rods.
In practice, these cords do not act quite efficiently, because they form in the
under sides of the tubes, while the latter are at rest, a slight concavity which
neutralises the forwarding effect of the cords when the rods make their partial
rotary movements; besides this, the continuous action of the cords tends to increase
the adhesion of the tubes to the pins on the rods.
In order to obviate this defect, I substitute, for the above described conveying
mechanism, a novel conveyor which is applicable to machines using pasted paper
tubes as well as to those using non-pasted paper tubes.
This conveyor consists, firstly, of a kind of fixed inclined ladder the sides of
which are furnished with a series of notches similar to and equi-distant from one
another for receiving the paper tubes as made; the last of these notches stands
exactly opposite to the ramming device which forces the plug of tobacco into the
paper tube, and, secondly, of devices for taking and raising at once all the tubes
deposited in the above mentioned receiving ladder, by means of a similar notched
ladder which is first moved upwards, then forwards, then downwards, and finally
backwards to resume its normal position. By this means the paper tubes no longer
roll down; but are raised out of the notches of the receiver and are then conveyed
to the next notches in order so that they cannot remain behind by reason of the
adhesion of the paper tube to the surface of the receiver. This result is important,
because it avoids the loss of manufactured tubes, the depreciation of the tobacco
contained in the plugs, not directly and usefully employed, and by so much
increases the output of the machine.
The tubes thus conveyed, one by one, to the filling devices are placed and held
on to a special funnel through which is forced the tobacco, previously cut off and
compressed by the feeding, dividing and compressing mechanism. In this
mechanism the dividing of the tobacco is effected in such manner that the tobacco
may be employed in the dry state or damped to any required degree without
affecting the output of the machine; this important result is brought about by a
special arrangement and method of guiding the presser which holds the tobacco,
detaches it from the compressor and seizes hold of it without raising a particle.
Figure 1 of the drawings is a front elevation of a machine constructed with my
improvements applied thereto.
Figure 2 is a corresponding plan.
Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 1-2 of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 3-4 of Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a plan corresponding to Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a sectional elevation, to a scale of half full size, of the part of the
machine for the manufacture of the non-pasted tubes.
Figures 7 and 8 are separate views of the tube-forming spindle, the former in
partial sectional elevation and the latter in plan.
Figure 9 shows the interlocking folder of the edges of the paper.
Figure 10 is a sectional elevation, taken on the line 5-6 of Figure 6, of the
paper feeding mechanism.

page_text: Figure 11 is a section, taken on the line 7-8 of Figure 6, showing the tube
interlocked at its edges, as shown separately in Figure 12.
Figure 13 is a section, taken on the line 9-10 of Figure 6, showing the tube in
course of formation, its edges being bent down as shown separately in Figure 14.
Figure 15 is a section, taken at line 11-12 of Figure 6, showing the tube in
course of formation as shown separately in Figure 16.
Figure 17 shows a completed tube cut off to length.
Figure 18 shows the operating parts of the pincers which hold the paper tube on
the funnel while being filled with tobacco.
Figure 19 is a horizontal section showing the detail of the false funnel and of the
funnel on which the pincers hold the paper tube whilst it is being filled with
tobacco.
Figure 20 is a plan of the tobacco feeding apparatus to an enlarged scale.
Figure 21 is a vertical section taken on the line 13-14 of Figure 20.
Figure 22 is a front elevation of the presser and tobacco divider, being a
projection of Figure 21.
Figure 23 is a detail view of the mechanism for feeding forward the tobacco.
Figure 24 shows separately the scissors which cut off the tubes as they are
made.
Figure 25 is a side view of one of the bearings supporting the axis of the roller
for feeding forward the paper.
Figure 26 is a side elevation, being a projection of Figure 25.
Figure 27 shows in elevation and plan one of the lower bearings of the axis of
the feed roller for the paper.
Figure 28 shows, in front and side elevation, the movable piece for fixing the
cap of the bearings shown in Figures 25 and 26.
The general arrangement of the machine is as follows:-
a is a table supported by the standard a' and prolonged to the right by the
lengthening piece 1°. This table and lengthening piece carry the parts composing
the machine.
The driving shaft o, which carries the pullies o' o' and the flywheel o³, drives, by
means of a pinion of, in the same direction and at the same speed, the equal spur
wheels keyed respectively on the shafts band k. The cam shaft 6 is placed
above the table and turns in bearings ; the following cams are fixed on. it :-
the filling cam c which drives the ramming spindle c' by means of the lever ; the
cam which communicates rectilinear alternate movements to the movable part of
the compressing mould for compressing the tobacco; the cam e for operating the
pincers which hold the tube while being filled; the cam f for operating the
conveyor or transporter of empty tubes; the cam g for feeding the paper-this
cam is made in one piece with the cam h for operating the device for pushing
the empty tube on to the filling funnel and with the cam i operating the cutting-off
scissors; and finally, the cam for operating the printing stamp.
The shaft is placed below the table in bearings ; it carries the cam
operating the part which places the finished cigarettes in the box; the cam m of
the tobacco dividing and compressing carriage, and the cam m¹ for feeding and
equalizing the tobacco previously spread out and prepared by the operative. On
the shaft k is also keyed the spur wheel n which transmits motion to the endless
aprons that feed and distribute the tobacco.
On the prolongation p° of the table a is arranged the apparatus for manu-
facturing the non-pasted paper tubes, which operation is effected by the rotation of
the feed roller vas hereinafter explained.
MANUFACTURE OF THE PAPER TUBES.
At the end of the prolongation 1,0 is placed a support p³ which is forked at its
upper end and carries the axis of the loose pulley on which is placed the bobbin
11ament on the

page_text: end of a tightening spring fixed to the end of a rigid arm p'; from the roller p³
the paper goes to another guide roller 1, from which it passes directly over the
printing stamp j'. A brake p² with a pressure screw enables a suitable resistance
to the unrolling of the paper to be produced. The paper, on leaving the guide
.roller, passes through an opening in the support of the counterpart of the
stamp; thence it passes to the heel of the long cylindrical spindle r. This spindle
is suspended by the attachment y' in a kind of frame 9 carried on a support Q fixed
on the table po; a screw 2 holds it securely and with more or less pressure against
the feed roller v. The upper side of the spindler for a great part of its length
after issuing from the frame 7 is hollowed out into a groove ! in which the acting
surface of a presser bears by the action of its spring support s¹ the pressure of
which may be adjusted at pleasure. The groove ends at the folder t which is let
into the spindle and consists of a piece of hard close and fine-grained metal; this
piece is perforated throughout its length with a hole open at the top and
progressively decreasing in size until it becomes as small as possible. Finally, as
shown, the spindle carries in a slot formed therein, immediately in front of the
folder t, the small roller 2 free to revolve on its spindle, and immediately behind
the said folder is threaded freely on to the spindle the shaper or former u.
This
latter device determines with rigorous exactitude the external diameter of the non-
pasted paper tube.
2'
Immediately over the roller is mounted the feed roller the axis of which
rests in the special bearings of two plummer blocks 2 v2 (see Figures 25 and 28).
The bearings are fixed to the plummer blocks by bolts passing through long slots
which allow of raising or lowering these bearings to suit the diameter of the feed
roller v.
In order to raise and lower equally the caps of the plummer blocks,
these caps are pivotted and hooked to nose pieces of which can be fixed adjustably
on the plummer blocks.
This simple and practical arrangement facilitates the change of the feed roller v
whereby the feed can be altered so as to produce longer or shorter tubes. The
paper passes through the tube-former and is drawn forward by the rotation of the
feeding roller which presses on the loose roller 2. The rotation of the roller v is
intermittent and is effected by a pinion acted on by the rack which is moved
up and down vertically by a lever operated by the cam y; the pinion al transforms
these up and down movements, by ratchet and pawl gear, into an intermittent
rotation in one direction of the roller v. The amplitude of these rotations of the
roller correspond either to the total length that the cigarette tube is intended to
have, or preferably to half that length.
It will now be understood that when the paper arrives at the heel of the spindler,
it has already received a certain concavity of form which transforms it more or less
into a complete cylinder in the frame y, see Figure 16. Then the edges of the
paper are brought together from the outside inwards by the pressure of the presser s.
The tube then assumes the diameter of the shaper u and afterwards the edges
engaging in the folder t are locked one in the other. On leaving the folder t the
tube is closed but the opposing pressure of the rollers and 2 (one or both of
which may be milled on the edge or not as may be preferred) completes the closing
down of the folds. The non-pasted tube is thus completed.
By altering the diameter of the loose shaper u, the diameter of the tube may be
varied.
Figures 1, 2 and 6 show that the heel of the spindler is some distance from the
guide roller p. The reason for this is that the paper receives the impression of
printing or other stamp j¹ placed in the support. The stamp j' is raised and
lowered by the cam ; placed at the end of the shaft b. When the stamp descends
an inker, placed at the end of a supporting rod j, comes forward and inks the
said stamp and then retires to allow the ascent of this stamp. The rod ³ is moved
horizontally to and fro by the action of the tube pusher ³, hereafter mentioned,
which is itself actuated by the cam h.

page_text: CUTTING OFF THE TUBES.
In correlation with the feeding forward of the paper and manufacture of the non-
pasted tubes as above described, the scissors placed just at the end of the
spindler, operate to cut off the tubes to proper length as they are made. The
branches of these scissors are opened by the alternating rotations of a cam and
are closed by the action of a spring it. The cam i, on the shaft b, causes the cam i
to make a half turn by means of a lever, the connecting rod i and a crank arm.
The blades of the scissors (see Figure 24) are easily removed and replaced for
the purposes of sharpening or renewal and finally two tenons or teeth assure the
proper action of the blades in the same manner as the ordinary hand scissors.
CONVEYANCE OF THE TUBES TO THE APPLIANCES FOR FILLING WITH
TOBACCO.
When the scissors have cut off a tube, the latter falls on to the inclined
ladder the sides of which are provided with equal and equidistant notches
(see Figure 4A). This ladder, which constitutes the tube receiver, is fixed in a
support F bolted to the table. The first or highest pair of notches receive the
paper tube that the scissors have just cut off; the last or lowest pair of notches are
situated just opposite the tobacco ramming spindle.
Between the sides f1f2, the distance apart of which may be varied according to
circumstances, is placed the moveable ladder (see Figure 4B) the sides of
which are notched at distances apart exactly equal to the distance apart of the
notches of the receiver. This moveable ladder or conveyor is fitted to slide, by a
dovetail f, in a support F1 which is itself fitted by a dovetail into the support F
of the receiver. The slide 3 moves in planes parallel to that of the receiver f¹ƒ
by sliding in the support F' by the action of a cam, a lever f the friction roller f
of which runs in the groove of the cam, and a connecting rod f which connects
the lever to the said slide f. On the other hand, the support F1 rises and falls
vertically in the support F by the action of the lever the front end of which is
furnished with a friction roller 10 running in the groove of a cam f" and the rear
end of which is connected to the slide carrier F by means of the connecting rod f1.
An angle iron f¹³ fixed to the support F, or to some other part of the machine acts
as a stop to prevent the tubes from being displaced on that side of the receiver.
ACTION OF THE MACHINE.
It will now be understood that, assuming that a tube T has just been cut off and
has fallen into the first pair of notches of the receiver f/2, at that moment the
conveyor is raised vertically by the ascension of the support F, it collects, so
to speak, the tube T and raises it out of the notches of the receiver. The cam f
acts on the lever f, causing the slide to move forwards a distance equal to that
between two adjacent notches. The conveyor then stops and descends with its
support F. This descent places the tube T in the second pair of notches of the
receiver. The conveyor then returns to its first position, ready to commence a
series of fresh movements. But in the next series of movements, it raises not only
the tube it acted on before but also the fresh tube that has been cut off, moves
them forward and places them in the next lower pair of notches of the receiver and
so on as the tubes are made and filled.
The completed or filled cigarette is itself removed from the lowest pair of notches
of the receiver by the conveyor and is left on the rounded ends of the sides ¹ƒ^2
whence it falls by gravity into the channel or way y and when it arrives at the end
of the said channel or way it is stored in the usual way.
PINCHING AND HOLDING THE TUBES ON TO THE FILLING FUNNEL.
Supposing that a tube has been brought opposite to the filling funnel W', the
pusher his moved from right to left by means of the cam.h and the lever ; this
movement of the pusher or slide pushes one end of the tube into the large

page_text: opening or a false funnel W which precedes the tunnel Wand guides the end of
the tube on to the latter with certainty. When the tube is thus threaded on to the
funnel W, which forms a continuation of the mould for the plug of tobacco, the
branches of the pincers are separated by the action of the cam e and of
the lever e, then these branches, turning on their pivots at ee respectively, close
and pinch firmly the end of the tube on to the funnel W', and the filling or ramming
of the tobacco into the tube then takes place. is the spring for closing the
branches of the pincer (see Figure 18).
DIVISION OR SEPARATION AND COMPRESSION OF THE TOBACCO.
n"
The division or separation and compression of the quantity of tobacco necessary
for the filling of a cigarette is effected as follows:-The shaft k transmits motion
by means of the toothed wheel n and a pitch chain to an endless apron n which
brings forward the tobacco spread and arranged by the operative at N to the
roller ', then under a plate of glass V which regulates the thickness of the layer
or sheet of tobacco. From the endless apron the tobacco passes between the
two endless straps or aprons ³ ³ placed one above the other; the upper apron
may be stretched more or less by means of the roller and tension screws. The
glass V may be raised or lowered according to the nature and hygroscopic state of
the tobacco. The aprons n³ ³ receive movement from a cam on the shaft k, a
lever n', a connecting rod n³ and a pawl which acts in the teeth of a ratchet
wheel secured on the end of the feed roller of the lower apron n³. The
pawl ³ may be disengaged from the teeth of its ratchet wheel when it is required
to stop or suspend the distribution of the tobacco.
At the end of the apron n³ is a blade m² which works vertically and in its descent
cuts off the required quantity from the cake or sheet of tobacco of uniform thickness
and density which is delivered at the outlet from the said aprons n² n³. It then
moves forward, pushing before it the quantity of tobacco so separated. To the
blade m² is applied a presser m³ urged downwards by a spring m bearing upon the
blade m². This latter forms part of a carriage m held by two levers me which are
moved by the cam m in such a manner that the said carriage performs the following
movements namely After the blade » has taken or separated the necessary portion
of tobacco at the outlet of the aprons n³ ³ the carriage advances horizontally into
the position shown in Figures 21 and 22. Conveying the tobacco so separated into
the mould d¹³, then the carriage rises. After this upward movement, the carriage
returns backwards to the point of departure and descends to take a fresh portion
of tobacco. The mould comprises a fixed plate 2 and a counterplate which
latter is moveable to and from the plate d according as it is required to press the
tobacco, or to receive it from the divider or separator m². As will be seen, the faces
of the plates d¹ d² which come together, are each hollowed out to a half circle to
form, when placed together, a complete cylindrical hollow which then corresponds
exactly with the hole in which the ramming spindle c' slides.
When the divider or separator m², in sliding on the plate &, has brought the
tobacco between d'and d, the presser m³ descends on to the tobacco to hold it in
the bottom of the mould, and to give it a light preliminary compression before the
compression produced by the movable plate d' which then advances towards the
plate . During this advance a cover d³ prevents the escape of any part of
the tobacco.
In order to effect automatically the raising and lowering of the presser m³, it is
provided with two rollers m' which roll, during the horizontal movement from back
to front of the carriage m³, on the lateral ways ma formed on the upper sides of the
cheeks of the frame, which cheeks limit on each side the width of the layer of
tobacco after it leaves the apron n° until it reaches the compressor d'.
The compressor d' is moved to and fro by the cam d. The tobacco, compressed
into a plug between the parts d' d², is forced by the spindle c' moved by the cam c,
into the funnel W₁ and from there into the paper tube which the pincers eehold
firmly on the funnel W' as already explained.

page_text: FILLING THE TUBES.
The cam e imparts alternating and intermittent rectilinear movements to the
spindle by means of the lever c² whereby the said spindle is introduced into and
withdrawn from the mould. Thus is effected the ramming of the plug of tobacco,
formed in the compressor dd, into the paper tube pinched or held on the
funnel W by the pincers e² e³. When the ramining is completed, the spindle c' is
stopped to allow the pincers e e³ to open, then it continues its forward motion for
about a centimetre further in order to push the cigarette off the funnel W, and
finally it returns to the point of departure. The completed cigarette falls on to
the rods ff, whence it falls into the channel y which conducts it to the device l¹
for placing it in the box 12.
STORING THE CIGARETTES.
=
The cigarettes on leaving the channel y fall in front of a sliding piece which
has an alternating rectilinear movement "imparted to it from the cam l. This
movement pushes the cigarettes one by one into the box from which they are
taken and packed in the usual way.
Each revolution of the cam shafts and produces a complete cigarette, as
during that time the following operations are effected, namely the feeding forward
of the paper, the manufacture therefrom without paste, and the cutting-off of a
tube, the conveyance of a previously made similar tube to the tobacco filling
mechanism the division or separation and compression of the required quantity of
tobacco and the ramming thereof into the paper tube presented to and pinched or
held on the filling funnel.
All the parts are arranged in relation to each other so as to secure their
consecutive and continuous action, but each part remains independent so that it can
be adjusted, inspected, and even stopped, without dismounting the others.
As the length of the tubes can be varied, the pusher h² is arranged so that its
length can be correspondingly varied without altering its stroke; for this purpose
the head is fixed in the slide by a screw so that it can be adjusted to suit the length
of the cigarette that is being made.
Similar letters of reference relate to like parts in all the figures of the drawings.
For the sake of clearness, some of the parts and arrangements described in the
Specifications of the above-mentioned Patents Nos. 16068 and 9368 are herein
again described; but I desire to have it understood that I make no claim in this
present Specification to any of the parts, combinations or arrangements claimed in
the Specifications of the said prior Patents, except as modified in the manner defined
in the following claiming clauses.
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 :-
First In a cigarette-making machine the mechanism for conveying the paper
tubes to the mechanism for filling them with tobacco and expelling them after being
filled, which consists of two fixed bars furnished with equidistant notches and
forming a tube receiver and of a movable conveyor or transporter furnished with
notches spaced to correspond with the notches in the receiver, such conveyor or
transporter having upward, forward, downward and backward movements imparted
to it, whereby the empty paper tubes are conveyed from notch to notch of the
receiver and the completed cigarette thrown out substantially as hereinbefore
described, and illustrated in the drawings.
Second-The combination of the conveying or transporting mechanism forming
the subject of the first claiming clause hereof with the mechanism for making the
tubes substantially as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in the drawings.
Third The arrangements whereby paper feed rollers v, of various diameter, may

page_text: be employed for the purpose of varying at pleasure the length of the non-pasted
tubes as hereinbefore described, and illustrated especially in Figures 25, 26, 27,
and 28 of the drawings.
Fourth In combination with the tube-forming spindle r, the loose shaper u for
the purpose of regulating the diameter of the non-pasted tube as hereinbefore
described, and illustrated in Figures 2 and 6 of the drawings.
Fifth The machine for making cigarettes with non-pasted paper tubes, which
consists of mechanism for making and cutting off the non-pasted paper tubes, the
tube conveying or transporting mechanism, forming the subject of the first claiming
clause hereof, mechanism for dividing or separating and compressing the tobacco,
for forcing the same into the tube and finally mechanism for storing the completed
cigarettes, all constructed, combined and operating as herein before described,
and illustrated in the drawings.
Doted this 20th 1.
1
1001
A. E. DECOUFLÉ.
Per W. H. Beck,
115, Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent.