Manufa
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 30th June, 1898-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1898
A communication from OTTO BERGSTRAESSER, of I Zollnerstrasse 11, Dresden, A
in the Empire of Germany, Cigarette Manufacturer.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex.
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
In the manufacture of cigarettes by hand a considerable quantity of short
tobacco is produced by the necessary cutting off at both ends of the cigarettes.
This represents a complete loss in the higher class of cigarettes whilst in the
lower class it is filled in together with the long tobacco. In pushing the tobacco
roll produced in a hinged tube, into the paper tube by means of a ram rod the
tobacco fibres are often iniured, the tobacco is compressed in an irregular manner
(more at the rear end of the roll where the ram rod engages with it, than at the
front end), and the fibres are distorted and broken.
In the manufacture of cigarettes on the well known machines (Bonsack, Ellio')
there is it is true no short fibrous tobacco produced by cutting off the ends of the
cigarettes but these machines can work only with such short tobacco, long
fibrous tobacco cannot be used on them.
The cigarette making machine according to this invention is free from both
the above faults. It can use long fibrous tobacco and does not injure its fibres in
the working at the same time there is no short fibrous waste produced. The
cigarettes made by it loose and airy burn well and are smoked very easily.
This is effected by the tobacco rope being pushed with its suitably cut end into
a finished paper tube by means of intermittently driven bands consequently
solely by the adhesion between the bands and the rope-up to its very end. Then
the tobacco rope is cut close behind the paper so that the tobacco only is cut and
the finished cigarette is separated from the tobacco rope the cut end of which
forms the new front end for the next cigarette.
This machine is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1
is a plan, Fig. 2 a central longitudinal vertical section, Fig. 3 an end view look-
ing from the right hand side of the machine according to Figs. and 2.
The other figures are detail views. Fig. 4 being a ratchet gear for the inter-
mittent driving of the bands. Figs. 5 and 6 show means for fixing the paper
tube in working position, which means will be hereinafter more fully described.
Fig. 7 shows in section a part of the revolving head supporting the paper tube
the means for fixing the revolving head and for bringing up the next paper
tube to be filled being also visible. Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal section.
Fig. 9 a plan of the front end of the band guide where the tobacco takes its final
shape. Fig. 10 is an end view of Figs. 8 and 9. Fig. 11 is a cross section
through the mouth piece of the band-guide the descending band being repre-
sented in elevation, and Figs. 12 13 and 14 are respectively a plan, a vertical

page_text: section and an elevation of the revolving head together with an auxiliary device
for holding the cigarette hereinafter fully described.
The band guide for feeding and shaping the tobacco rope and for introducing
it into the paper tube consists of three endless bands, the bottom band a and two
lateral bands b. The first band moves in a vertical plane, the two others in hori-
zontal planes over pulleys or discs all the three bands travelling in a central
longitudinal groove of the machine formed by the concave bottom A and the
laterals walls B. The bottom hand a comes from an adjustable pulley 1 into the
groove and at once begins to assume arched shape in accordance with the shape of
the bottom A. At the front end of the groove this band guided downwards
through a mouth piece C hereinafter to be described, and over a guide roller 2
(Figs. 2 and 8) it then passes over pulleys 3 and 4 and returns to the pulley 1.
The two lateral bands 6 travel over pulleys 5 and rollers 6 in such manner as to
fit the lateral walls B of the groove from which they are guided out laterally
behind the mouth piece C (Figs. 1, 2 and 9). The rollers 6 are adjustable in
order to enable the tension of the bands to be regulated.
The three bands are intermittently driven in the direction indicated by the
arrow Fig. 1 in order to feed a portion of the tobacco rope of a length correspond-
ing to that of the cigarette. This movement is transmitted from a shaft D
which is driven from the main driving shaft E by means of a pair of toothed
wheels c. A crank disc d on the shaft D drives by means of a connecting rod 7
an arm & carrying the pawl 9 (Figs. 1 3 4). The arm 8 oscillates about the
spindle F. the pawl-intermittently engaging with a ratchet wheel secured to
this spindle. To the spindle F is also secured the driving pulley 3 operating
the bottom band a (Fig. 2). With said pulley 3 co-operates the
adjustable counter-roller 4. The spindle F also drives by means of bevel
wheels 10 (Fig. 1) vertical spindles with pulleys 5 for driving the lateral bands.
Tobacco is placed by the attendant into the groove suitably distributed. It
must be pointed out that there must be arranged above the machine a table not
shown in the drawing consisting of two plates divided in the centre by a slot
giving access to the groove.
C.
At the front end of the groove there is arranged the mouth-piece which
completes the shaping of the tobacco rope and enables it to enter the paper tube;
it also holds the paper tube fast while the rope is being introduced into it. The
mouth piece consists of a cylindrically perforated hollow body c and a cap c¹ (see
chiefly Figs. 8-11) put on from the front. The body c may be in one piece
with the body of the groove. A pulley G co-operates with the mouth piece for
the purpose of shaping the tobacco rope. It is provided with a groove and fits
the rear end of the mouth piece The pulley G rotates in the direction of the
arrow (Fig. 8) and compresses the tobacco rope fed by the three bands abb so
that said rope enters the mouth piece with a completely circular cross-section.
A sheet metal tongue g adapted to suit the cross section of G covers the groove
from the place where the lateral bands come cut and holds down the tobacco
coming in so that it may be properly seized by the pulley G. The puller Gis
secured to the shaft which is driven from the shaft F by means of two toothed
wheels (Figs. 1 & 3). The movements of the bands and of the pulley are
therefore simultaneous and intermittent.
The cap is provided with a very short tubular branch 11 which cooperates
with a device which will be now described to hold fast the paper tube after it has
been placed with its rear end on the branch 11 in the manner to be hereinafter
described. The paper tube and the tubular branch are enclosed by the
branches 12 of the tongs visible in Fig. 3 but still better in Figs. 5 and 6. The
tongs are closed by a wedge 13 when the rod 14 carrying said wedge is caused to
advance by the cam 15 on the shaft D (Fig. 1), or held in the advanced position
as soon as the wedge is withdrawn the tongs are opened by the action of two
anrings 16 which engage with the rear ends of the arm of the tongs. One of
these springs acts by compression and the other by tension.

page_text: To bring empty paper tubes to support them during the introduction of the
tobacco rope and to remove the finished cigarettes there is provided in the
machines constructed as illustrated a head H revolving freely about the hori
zontal spindle h and provided at its periphery with a number of longitudinal
groove-like cells. At the back end of the revolving head nearest to the band
guide there is a flange H¹ provided with cylindrical holes corresponding to the
cells. To H there is secured a ratchet wheel (Figs. 2 and 3) with which
engages at the bottom a pawl (Fig. 3) supported and moved by means of a
slide J rectilinearly guided transversely of the frame-plate. A roller 17 at the
front end of J engages with an oblique slot 18 in the head of a rod 19 (Fig. 1)
which is moved in the longitudinal direction of the frame plate by the cam 20
on the shaft D. The slot 18 transforms the longitudinal movement of the rod 1
into transverse movement of the slide J and the pawl i. A second pawl a pre-
vents the revolving head from rotating backwards said rotating head being from
time to time caused to rotate forward to the extent of one cell. The exact setting
and fixing of the revolving head in each of its positions is effected by a pin K
(Figs. 1-3 & 7) which penetrates with its conical end into holes in the head H
provided there for the purpose. A double armed lever K¹ pivoted about a pin 21
and having three branches formed in its upper arm enables the pin K to pass
when a projection of the cam groove is made in a pulley mounted on the shaft L
which is driven from the shaft D by means of the already mentioned toothed
wheel e and another toothed wheel 24 of the same size on the shaft L.
The head H rotates in the direction of the arrow at the bottom of Fig. 3. The
paper tubes to be filled are introduced one by one in the cells of the ascending
part of the revolving head either by hand or by any mechanical device which
need not be further considered here. The course of one paper tube will now be
followed. The cell containing it comes first within reach of an advancing device
shown separately in Fig. 7. It consists of a mandrel M with blunt tapering point
which when the revolving head is at rest is pushed through the corresponding
hole in H enters the back end of the paper tube and forces it to assume a round
shape in order to enable said tube to be pushed over the tubular branch 11. M is
supported by a rod 25 (Figs. 1 and 2) which is caused to advance by a cam 26
on the shaft D. The point at which the cam engages is provided with a friction
roller 26. The required abutment for the advancing device M is formed by the
counter-holder M¹ (Figs. 1 and 7) connected by a rod 27 with one branch of the
lever K (Fig. 3). The lever K₁ pushes the paper tube by means of the counter
holder up against the flange H₁ whereupon the driver M advances.
The paper tube in question prepared by the driver M arrives at the next
partial rotation of the head H, in front of the mouth piece C and its branch 11.
When the head stops a slide N (Fig. 2) also carried by the lever K₁ by means
of a rod 28 advances and pushes the paper tube through the hole in H and on
to the branch 11. At the next moment the wedge 13 advances and the
tongs 12-12 are closed the end of the paper-tube being thus clamped to the
branch 11. The slide N returns immediately afterwards.
The bands and the pulley G now begin to move, the tobacco rope is caused to
advance is pushed into the paper tube until it reaches the front end of said tube.
At this moment however the paper tube must advance a little together with the
tobarco rope, so that the back end of said tube which was meanwhile released
by the tongs, may leave the branch 11 and the cut separating the finished
cigarette from the rope may be effected immediately behind the paper tube and
therefore only through the tobacco. This additional advance is effected by the
bands or the disc G it is limited by a stop or finger vertically adjustable in a slot
in the frame P guided by a pin 29 in the frame P and always pulled downwards
by a spring 30 (Fig. 2). During the advance of the rod 28 à bar o with the
finger has been raised by the wedges 31 coming under the finger out of
the path of the alvancing slide. During the return of the rod 28, however the
finger descends into the cell. It leaves so much clearance to the cigarette

page_text: advancing after the tongs 12-12 have been opened that the back end of the
paper tube leaves the branch 11 and moves so far that there is room for the
cutter between the tube and the branch. In this position the finger holds fast
the cigarette, the bands now standing still.
At this moment a cutter Q (Figs. 1-3) swings down between the branch 11
and the flange H¹ close behind the back-end of the paper tube and severs the
cigarette from the rope by a clean cut, at the same time cutting into proper shape
what is now the front end of the rope. The cutter is supported by a lever q
pivotted at 33 (Figures 1 & 3). This lever is actuated by means of a cam
groove 34 in a disc on the shaft D and by means of a lever 35 pivotted about 35"
and a guide-rod 36. Another partial rotation of the head brings the finished
cigarette to the descending part where it advances step by step until it finally
arrives within reach of the ejector R. This (together with the wedge 13 described
for closing the tongs 12-12) has the form of a round pin and is secured to the
rod 14. During a period of rest of the head, the ejector R enters through Hin
order to release the back end of the cigarette from the flange H. During further
rotation of the revolving head the cigarette then falls out at once from its cell
and rolls along an inclined plane not shown in the drawings towards a place
where they are collected.
As regards the finger O, it must be also pointed out that it is adapted to turn
on the rod o about the pin 37 (Figure 2) under the influence of the spring 38,
in order to enable it to give way in the direction of rotation during the rotation
of the head to the cell-edges.
The tobacco rope coming out from the mouthpiece C or its branch 11 has of
course the tendency to expand. In the construction of the machine herein before
described this tendency is counteracted and the paper tube supported from out-
side at its back end, .e. the end at which the tobacco enters by the holes in the
flange H¹ of the revolving head. In some cases, however, this expansion is so
strong that the paper tube is pressed by its inner pressure hard against the walls
of the hole which sometimes interferes with the subsequent advance of the paper
tube together with the tobacco-rope. If very soft paper be used for the tubes,
they may even break. I will therefore now describe a device by means of which
this drawback is obviated in a sure manner. This is effected by replacing the
unalterable hole in the flange H¹ as far as it has to support the paper tube, by
a hinged mould. This mould acts in the same way as the hole, but is opened
by turning the two halves about the hinge-joint before the advance of the filled
paper tube with the tobacco rope begins.
Figure 12 is a plan of the revolving head with this auxiliary device, Figure 13
is a central vertical cross-section through the mouthpiece and, revolving head,
Figure 14 an elevation of said head with the auxiliary device seen from the
inner end next to the mouth piece, on a larger scale than the rest of the figures.
The said hinged mould is constituted by a pair of tongs S, the double armed
legs of which are pivoted at 39, 39 to an angle-bracket s secured to the inner end
of the fixed spindle h of the revolving head. It will be seen from Figure 13
that S is arranged between the mouthpiece C and the revolving head H, the
flange H of which is here narrower than is the construction previously described.
The holes in H' are larger than before. The semi-circular notches of the legs
of the tongs form, when closed, a cylindrical opening or mould, the diameter of
which corresponds to that of the paper tube and which is situated in the path of
the tobacco-rope coming out from the branch 11. On the other side of the centre
of rotation 39 the legs are provided with notched projections 40 40 between
which there comes a pointed pin S₁ for the purpose of closing the mouth of the
tongs. S¹ is a rigidly connected with the already described fixing pin K by a
transverse part 41, therefore when the lever K' oscillates, it advances together
with the pin K. A spring 42 connecting the back ends of the legs of the tongs
opens these latter as soon as Si goes back. The tongs which open before the
finished cigarette is cut off enable the end of the cigarette projecting from H¹

page_text: to come out laterally of their mouth in the direction indicated by the arrow
(Figure 14) as shown by the dotted position of the tongs.
This arrangement has also the economical advantage of not necessitating the
replacing of the revolving head for manufacturing cigarettes of different
5 thickness. Only the mouthpiece C and the pulley G and the tongs S must be
exchanged or, if the mould be formed by separate jaws mounted on the tong,
only these jaws must be exchanged.
The tong S may be also connected with the tongs 12-12 for holding the end
of the paper tube fast on the branch 11.
Having regard to what is defined as the substance of this invention in the
introductory part and in the first claim it will be easily understood that the
revolving head may be replaced by some other suitable part for feeding and sup-
porting paper tubes and removing the finished cigarettes, for instance by a slide
block provided with a cell or groove for receiving the paper tube, which in one
position receives the paper tube or enables the finished cigarette to be removed
and in a second position stands opposite the band-guide. The cell or groove
could also be arranged on a pivoting arm. Finally a cell, of course provided
with required auxiliary devices, could be arranged fixed in front of the band-
guide. The paper tubes would then have to be placed one by one in this place
and the finished cigarettes removed one by one.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A cigarette making machine characterised by a groove A B with inter-
mittently driven bands abb a mouth piece C at the end of the groove with a
device for holding fast the finished paper-tube and a cutting-off device Q in
front of the mouth of the mouthpiece, the action being that the tobacco rope
formed by the groove and the mouthpiece and cut before being introduced into
the paper-tube is caused to move by the bands by friction and thus introduced
through the mouth piece into the finished paper-tube whereupon the cigarette
produced is severed by a cut which at the same time again shapes the end of the
rope.
2. Cigarette making machine according to Claim 1 characterised by an intermit-
tently rotated revolving head H with longitudinal cells on its circumference and with
a flange H provided with holes corresponding to cells; a driver M. with a conical
point and a counter-holder M co-operating with it a slide N moving in the
imaginary continuation of the mouth-piece, a tubular branch 11 on the mouth-
piece and tongs 12-12 surrounding the branch 11; and an ejector R; the
action being that during the intermittent rotation of the revolving head the
paper tube advanced by the driver M co-operating with the counter-holder M¹
is brought in front of the mouthpiece C, that then during the time that the head
stands still, the paper tube is pushed by the slide N on to the branch and clamped
fast by the tongs during the introduction of the tobacco-rope, then again
released, whereupon after the finished cigarette has been severed, the revolving
head which now continues to rotate takes it further until it is forced out from the
flange H¹ by an ejector R and dropped.
3. Cigarette making machine according to Claims 1 and 2 characterised further
by a finger which during the return of the rod 28 carrying the slide N, is
lowered by the wedges 31 into the cell of the head situated at the moment
opposite the mouthpiece, in order to afford a stop to the front end of the cigarette
when this latter together with the tobacco-rope moves forward in the last stage
of the movement of the bands and after the tongs 12 have been opened for the
purpose of enabling the cutting to be effected behind the paper tube therefore
only through the tobacco rope.
4. In a cigarette making machine of the kind described a pair of tongs S the
mouth of which forms an opening mould for supporting from outside the back

page_text: end of the paper tube during the introduction of tobacco and is arranged between
the tubular branch 11 of the mouth piece C and the flange H¹ of the revolving
head.