Improvements in Cigar-bunching Machines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 31st July, 1890-Accepted, 13th Sept., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cigar-bunching Machines.
I, JAMES CONNELL, of 9 Queens Road, in the Town and County of the Town of
Nottingham, Designer and Draughtsman, 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, reference being had
to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say:―
My improvements in cigar-bunching machines relate :
1. To the formation of a novel and peculiar fold or bag produced in the bight of the
apron at a definite stage in the bunching operation, in order to roll up the filler-
tobacco before it enters the wrapper leaf, and means for forming and operating such
fold or bag.
2. To means for acting upon the apron and forming and ensuring the proper bight
therein at the required moment; and for forming an adjustable gauge to determine
the length of the fillers to be delivered into the bight of the apron.
3. To the employment, arrangement, and operation of an endless chain, or system,
of revolving scoops or buckets, for taking the required quantity of tobacco from a
feed-hopper and delivering it into the bight of the apron, together with means or
mechanism for regulating the proper moments at which the charged scoops or
buckets shall be brought to the apron, and withdrawn therefrom when empty.
4. To the mode of mounting the working roller, whereby the same may be driven
in a straight line, or at an angle, for the purpose of producing either a straight or a
tapering bunch.
5. To the use of a feed-hopper provided with means for removing excess tobacco
from the scoops or buckets; all of which will be hereinafter fully described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
This machine is designed to be driven either by power or by hand; and, unlike other
machines of its class, renders any manipulation of the tobacco by hand unnecessary;
that is to say, from the moment the tobacco is placed in the hopper the operative has
no need to touch the same until it is desired to remove the bunches to the operative
whose duty it is to put on the outermost leaf or wrapper, all-that is required being to
place the first or bunch wrapper on the working table of the machine. Thus, by means
of my machine, a greater output is effected in a given time, and with better results
than heretofore.
'In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 is a front view of the machine, the receptacle for the bunch wrappers being
removed therefrom for sake of clearness.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the same,
Fig. 3 is a side view, seen from the left,
Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line a-, of Fig. 2, and seen from the right,
Figs. 5, 6 and 7 represent the working table, reciprocating frame, working roller,
nd apron, in their different positions during the making of the bunch.
Fig. 8 is a detail shewing the working of the lever system which actuates the
ndless chain carrying the scoops or buckets.
The machine consists of a suitable framework a, carrying, as usual, a platform or
vorking table & provided with an opening or recess c, and an apron d working on such
latform or table. The roller e for rolling the bunch in the apron, is, in my machine,
he only working roller employed. f is the driving shaft (journalled in the frame of
he machine) on which the pinion g, the fast and loose pulleys h, i, and the hand
wheelj, are mounted, so that the machine can be driven either by power, or by hand.
is the main shaft journalled in the frame of the machine, on which the spur-wheel l,
he star cam wheel m, the clutch pieces n. n¹. the sprocket-wheels o. 0¹. and the

page_text: cams p, p, p, are mounted. This shaft receives its motion from the driving shaft f
by means of the pinion g, gearing with the spur wheel 1. The star cam wheel m
actuates the lever mechanism q, q, q; Fig. 8; which operates the endless chain »
carrying the scoops or buckets,s. The clutch pieces n, n¹, engage, at certain moments,
with clutch teeth on the outer faces of the sprocket wheels o, o', and turn these for
a certain distance, otherwise these sprocket wheels are mounted loose on the shaft k.
When it is desired to disengage the clutch teeth t of the wheels o, o¹, from the clutch
pieces n, n¹, bevilled projections u, u', also on the outer face of the wheels o, o¹, come
into contact with bevilled projections, ', fastened to the framework a, and thus force
the wheels o, o, inwards, and disengage the clutch teeth t from the clutch pieces n, n';
the wheels o, o, being forced against the clutch pieces by the spiral springs w, w¹, placed
around the main shaft k. The cams p. p, p², are keyed fast on the main shaft k.
The camp serves to operate the lever y, the friction roller z of which bears against
the said cam.
This lever y, which is under the influence of the spring c¹, com-
municates the necessary vertical reciprocating movement to the bar or plate a', to
the upper part of which is fastened the rear end of the apron d; this movement is
communicated to the bar or plate a', by the lever b' pivotted to the lever y, and fastened
to the bar or plate a. The cam p¹ serves to operate the lever d', the friction roller e¹
of which bears against the said cain; this lever d' communicates the necessary vertical
reciprocating movement to another bar or plate f¹, which carries, at each end, an upright
rod g each provided with a pin h¹, which engages with the forked ends of both of the
three-arined levers of the sliding frame of the working table b, as hereinafter more fully
described. The lever d' is under the influence of the spiral spring i, and is connected
with the bar or plate f¹ by means of the rod f³. The front ends of the levers y and,
are pivotted to the vertical bar fixed to the frame a. The camp actuates the
levers k¹, k², which impart the necessary oscillating movement to the levers 1, 1, which
carry the endless chain and buckets and are pivotted on the shaft m', which turns the
said chain. The levers k¹, ², are pivotted to the framework a at n², and connected with
one of the levers by the rod o'; said levers are under the influence of the spiral
spring p³.
The working table b is provided at each side with a slide 3 in which moves the
reciprocating frames to which are pivotted one arm of each of the three armed
levers s. These pivotted arms are forked and engage, when the sliding frame is at
the rearward end of the table, with the pins of the rods g' fixed to the bar or plate f'.
The second arms carry the working roller e, and to the third arms are pivotted hooks (¹
to which are secured the chains which pass over the sprocket pinions to the
sprocket wheels o, o', and are fastened thereto. These sprocket wheels, by means of
the said chains, draw the sliding frames with the working roller forward over the
working table at the desired moment.
In a normal position of the different parts, the working roller e passes over the
working table in a straight line; i.e. parallel to the front edge of the said table, and
in this direction produces straight bunches. When it is desired to produce tapering
bunches the apron d is fastened shorter on one side than on the other to the bar or
plate a¹. In consequence of this, the roller e will pass over the working table at an
angle to the front edge of the said table, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. This
position of the working roller is possible in consequence of the two sliding frames r³,
which carry the roller e, acting independently of each other in the slides or grooves q³
on the sides of the working table.
ware two arms pivotted to the working table and provided with a cross piece w³,
on which are mounted two wings or blades a¹, x, by means of set screws passing
through are shaped slots w* in lugs on these wings or blades, so that by these means
the distance between the front ends of the wings can be adjusted at will to determine
the length of the filler to be used.
The arms w² are connected with the oscillating levers / by means of a rod y¹ pivotted
to one of the arms and passing through a friction sleeve, fixed to one of the
levers, so that the wings forming the gauge are actuated by the movement of the
levers

page_text: The front end of the apron d is fastened at a² to the front of the table b, and passes
over this table, and over the roller e, to the slotted reciprocating plate a¹ to which the
rear end of said apron is suitably fastened.
62 is the feed hopper, from which an inclined shoot cª, extends forward into the
trough d in which revolves the lower end of the chain carrying the scoops or buckets.
e is a wheel formed with four recesses and mounted on the spindle in the feed
hopper; these recesses receive the filling tobacco from the feed-hopper and carry it
forward to, and deliver it into, the buckets or scoops s which convey it to the bight
of the apron. The spindle, with its wheel e², is caused to revolve by means of an
endless cord g², passing over a grooved pulley h² mounted on said spindle, and over
another grooved pulley mounted on the spindle m². This wheele can be changed for
another having larger or smaller recesses, so that the quantity of tobacco delivered from
the feed hopper to the buckets may be regulated according to the size of the bunch it is
desired to produce. In front, this feed hopper is provided with a slide or shutter
which is raised when it is desired to deliver tobacco from the feed hopper to the
buckets, but lowered when it is desired to run the machine without delivering any
filling tobacco. To the inclined shoot 2 is fixed a flap or piece of leather, or other
suitable material, k3, against which the buckets strike in their upward movement, so
that any surplus tobacco at the top of the buckets may be removed therefrom and fall
back into the trough d³, from which it is taken up by the next empty bucket in its
upward travel.
?'
The endless chain consists of sixteen plates (or other multiple of four) hinged
together, to which (in this case) are fastened the four buckets or scoops s; that is to
say, one bucket or scoop to every fourth plate. The chain passes over two blocks
of square section, one mounted on the spindle m¹, the other on the spindle m², and is
driven by the levers 9, 7, 93, Fig. 8. The friction roller ² of these levers bears
against the star cam-wheel m, which, having four teeth or cams, imparts to the said
levers four oscillating motions during one revolution of the main shaft k. At the end
of the lever is a pawl o², which engages with the ratchet teeth of a disc p* mounted
on the spindle m¹, and this disc having only four teeth, the endless chain is moved
for the space of four plates during each revolution of the main shaft k; that is to say,
during each revolution of the shaft k, a fresh filled bucket is brought over the bight
of the apron.
Behind the disc p is mounted on the same spindle another disc 2, having. four
notches corresponding with the ratchet teeth of the disc p', in which notches engages
a tooth fixed to, or forming part of, a spring y² suitably secured to the frame of the
machine, for the purpose of preventing the disc pt being turned more than a quarter
of a revolution at a time.
is a sliding bar to which is fixed a forks for the purpose of shifting the driving
belt on or off the fast or loose pulleys h, i. This bar, which is under the influence
of a spiral spring ³, is moved by means of a chain t² passing over a grooved pulley w³
to the treadle T which can be depressed by the foot of the operative.
The working is as follows:
Supposing the machine to be in the position represented in Fig. 4; that is to say,
with the uppermost bracket or scoops of the endless chain standing over the bight of
the apron d, and after having delivered the filling tobacco into the said bight. Also
that the arms w with the gauge wings a have, in this position been moved downward
so that the wings have pressed the apron down into the recess cof-the working table
to form the necessary bight therein. Now, during the partial revolution of the main
shaft k, the camp (Fig. 3) will turn and allow the spiral spring p³ to draw the
levers 1, 3, into the position indicated in dotted lines, so as to bring the levers l', l,
with the chain and buckets, into a nearly vertical position, as shown in Fig. 5. This
movement of the levers will cause the wings a¹ to move upwards out of the bight of the
apron and sufficiently high for the working roller e to pass under the said wings. The.
cam p' will then raise the levers d¹, and by means of this the rod f³, fixed to the bar
or plate f', will raise the latter so that the pins h', engaging in the forks of the three
armed levers s', will lift these forks and cause said levers to turn about their pivot.

page_text: This motion of the levers s brings the roller e from its position behind the bight of
the apron to the front of the same, as shewn in Fig. 5, thereby forming the apron into
a fold or bag in the recess c of the working table, as indicated in dotted lines in said
figure. The lever y will now depress the lever 6', and, at the same time, the bar or
plate a', to which the end of the apron is fastened, thus tightening said apron and
causing the filling tobacco contained therein to be drawn up close to the roller e. At
this moment the clutch teeth t of the sprocket wheels o, o', which hitherto had remained
stationary, will engage with the corresponding recesses in the revolving clutch
pieces n, n', which will now cause the said sprocket wheels to revolve with them. This
movement of the sprocket wheels will cause the chains u², u², fixed thereto, to wind on
the said sprocket wheels, and these chains passing over the sprocket pinions 2, 2 to
the hooks will cause the sliding frame to move forward, the working roller passing
over the working table in the direction and manner shown in Fig. 6, the filler being
rolled during this movement in the fold or bag of the apron behind the roller. During
this forward movement of the roller, the bunch-wrapper, which had previously been
placed by the operative on the apron in front of the roller e, will be caught and taken
up by the fold of the apron containing the. rolled filler and will be wrapped around this
filler during the further forward movement of the roller e for the purpose of forming
the bunch. When the roller has reached its foremost position it will extend somewhat
over the front edge of the working table (Fig. 7) and the ready and finished bunch a³
will be delivered out of its fold or bag in the apron into a spring-holder y², of usual
construction, fixed to the front end of the table (Fig. 7). From this holder the bunch
is either passed on to another operative for the purpose of placing the outermost leaf
around it, or it is placed into a mould, as usual. The bevilled projection u of the
sprocket wheels o, o, have, by this time, reached the bevilled projections u, u¹, fixed
to the framework and under their influence the said sprocket wheels are thrown out of
gear from the clutch pieces n, n¹. As soon as the sprocket wheels are free to revolve
the sliding frame with the three armed levers s¹, and the roller e, is returned into the
position, shown in Fig. 5, by means of the weights W, connected with the said slide
frame, by cords or chains a³, a³, passing over grooved pulleys 22, 2, mounted on the
sides of the working table b. The lever d now lowers the arm f³, and with this the bar
or plate f¹, thus causing the three armed levers s¹ to turn upon their centres and return
the roller e into the position shown in Fig. 4, that is, behind the recess e of the working
table. The lever y has, meanwhile, raised the arm &, and with it the bar or plate a
to which is fixed the rear end of the apron. The levers ',, with the chain and its
buckets, now move forward together with the wings, which pass down and form
the bight in the apron (Fig. 4) and the machine is ready to begin the same operation
again.
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 cigar-bunching machine, the formation of the novel and peculiar fold or bag
produced in the bight of the apron for operating to roll up the filler-tobacco prior to
its entering the wrapper leaf, substantially as described and shown in the accom-
panying drawings.
2. In a cigar-bunching machine, the means for causing the apron
to
assume the
above claimed peculiar fold or bag, consisting of the reciprocating bar or plate a', to
which the rear end of the apron is fixed, and by which said apron is stretched, the
sliding frame and the three armed levers s pivotted to said sliding frame and carrying
the working roller e, together with the camp, and lever b, for operating the same,
substantially as described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
3. In a cigar-bunching machine, the means for acting upon the apron and forming
and ensuring the proper bight therein at the required moment, consisting of the two
wings fixed to a cross bar w² carried by the arms ', and the oscillating levers 1,
together with the cam p2, and levers 1, 2, for operating the same, substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 4. In a cigar-bunching machine, the means for actuating the working roller either
in a straight line, or at an angle, for the purpose of producing either a straight bunch,
or a tapering one, consisting of the apron d, the rearward end of which is fixed to the
bar or plate a', and the sides of said apron being either of equal length, or one side
being somewhat shorter than the other, the sliding frames acting independently of
each other in the sides of the working table, the chains u', u', sprocket wheels o, o', and
clutch pieces n, n', keyed fast to the main shaft k, substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
5. In a cigar-bunching machine, the arrangement of adjustable gauge for deter-
mining the length of the fillers, wherein the two wings, carried by the cross bar w²,
have slotted lugs w³, and set-screws, for the purpose of regulating the distance between
the said wings, together with the arms w¹, rod y', and friction sleeve connecting the
arms w, to the lever 1, substantially as described and shown with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
6. In a cigar-bunching machine, the means for taking the required quantity of
tobacco from a feed hopper and delivering it into the bight of the apron, consisting of
an endless chain carrying buckets or scoops s, and revolving upon blocks journailed
between oscillating levers 1, 1, together with levers q, q', 72, the last mentioned of
which is provided with a pawl o², engaging with a ratchet wheel p mounted on the
spindle m around which revolves the chain of buckets or scoops, substantially as
hereinbefore described and shown with reference to the accompanying drawings.
7. In a cigar-bunching machine, the means or mechanism for regulating the proper
moments at which the buckets or scoops shall be brought to the apron, and withdrawn
therefrom when empty, consisting of the levers k¹², operated by the cam p² on the
main shaft, the lever 2 being connected to the oscillating lever by the arm o¹, and
the spiral spring p3 for acting upon the levers and throwing back the chain of buckets
or scoops, substantially as herein described and shown with reference to the accom-
panying drawings.
8. In a cigar-bunching machine, the means for removing excess tobacco from the
buckets or scoops, consisting of a flap or piece of fabric ³, fixed to the inclined shoot c²,
in such a manner that when the buckets strike against said fabric it removes any
surplus therefrom and throws it back into the hopper, substantially as described and
shown with reference to the accompanying drawings.
9. The improved cigar-bunching machine having its parts constructed, arranged,
and operating substantially as herein described and as illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.