US3880171A - Production of smoking articles - Google Patents

Production of smoking articles Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3880171A
US3880171A US311649A US31164972A US3880171A US 3880171 A US3880171 A US 3880171A US 311649 A US311649 A US 311649A US 31164972 A US31164972 A US 31164972A US 3880171 A US3880171 A US 3880171A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
tobacco
layer
improvement
smoking
trimming
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US311649A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Donald B Naylor
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Brown and Williamson Holdings Inc
Original Assignee
Brown and Williamson Tobacco Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Brown and Williamson Tobacco Corp filed Critical Brown and Williamson Tobacco Corp
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3880171A publication Critical patent/US3880171A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
    • A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
    • A24C5/14—Machines of the continuous-rod type
    • A24C5/18—Forming the rod
    • A24C5/1814—Forming the rod containing parts of different densities, e.g. dense ends
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
    • A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
    • A24C5/14—Machines of the continuous-rod type
    • A24C5/18—Forming the rod
    • A24C5/1821—Forming the rod containing different tobacco mixtures, e.g. composite rods

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT A conventional stratified" cigarette making machine provided with a tobacco feeding system to supply a smoking material of a selected type to the underside of an endless suction conveying band by means of which a generally uniform layer of said material is carried past trimming knives that cut the layer into a predetermined double wedged profile that is then carried by the band to a second tobacco feeder on the machine that supplies the remainder of the smoking material. that is different from the first to provide a composite layer of material from which the cigarette is produced.
  • the trimming knives comprise specially profiled cutting edges that produce the required profile.
  • FIG. 6 FIG.7 FIG. 8
  • SHEET u or 4 PRODUCTION OF SMOKING ARTICLES This invention concerns the production of smoking articles such as cigarettes. It is applicable. in particular. to the production of so-called stratified" cigarettes composed of a type described in LES. Pat. No. 3.759.367.
  • a cigarette described in that patent comprises shredded natural tobacco and/or substitute tobacco. and a portion. of a different shredded natural tobacco. the two portions adjoining each other at a surface inclined in relation to the axis of the cigarette.
  • such a cigarette is produced on a cigarette making machine which is provided with an additional feed system and having shaping means together with means for pneumatic conveying of the smoking material during shaping. and also means for removing surplus material.
  • these means may be added to a conven tional cigarette making machine such as a molins type mark 8.
  • an additional hopper holding smoking material represents one of the two portions of which the cigarette is to be composed.
  • the additional hopper is positioned in line with the conventional hopper system in such a way that the smoking material. such as natural. reconstituted or substitute tobacco may be carried away from the chimney of both feed sections on a single. extended nylon suction band.
  • This nylon suction band is about 6000 mm in length. The normal length of such a band is about 3285 mm.
  • the smoking material fed from each hopper and conveyed on the nylon suction band is controlled by two ecreteur-shorts return units. one for each feed system. A standard ecreteur unit or trimming disc unit controls the weight of the cigarette as in normal practice.
  • FIG. I is a side elevation showing the additional feed system connected to a known cigarette making machine.
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the suction band showing the relative locations of the feed systems and trimming discs,
  • FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the two trimming disc assemblies and their associated parts.
  • FIG. 4 is a side view of a trimming disc from the additional or first feed system.
  • FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section of a cigarette produced in accordance with the invention.
  • FIGS. 6 to 8 are sections respectively on the lines Vl- -Vl; VII-VII and VIII--VIII of FIG. 5,
  • FIG. 9 is a longitudinal section of a modified composite smoking mixture stream.
  • FIG. I is a partial longitudinal section through a smoking mixture supply chimney by means of which the mixture is fed to the suction band.
  • the cigarette making machine comprises a known type of machine having a feed system A to which is connected an additional feed system B.
  • Each feed system provides a different type of smoking mixture and it will be assumed that the system of machine A supplies natural tobacco and the system B supplies a synthetic smoking mixture or a mixture of natural and substitute tobacco.
  • the two parts of the machine A and B are connected by a casing l which together with casing part 2 and 3 define a suction housing for a suction band 4 which extends above both feed systems and carries the smoking mixture from which the cigarette is finally made.
  • the band 4 extends above feed systems A and B and the lower flight of the band travels in the indicated direction carrying the stream of smoking mix ture by vacuum on its lower surface.
  • the band picks up a stream of smoking mixture in the form of a layer 5 which is carried past a set of trimming disc knives 6 rotating about their axes 7 on each side ofthe layer 5.
  • the disc knives 6 cut the stream 5 laterally to the double-wedge shapes or configurations shown at 8 and after being cut the layer 5 passes a blow-off unit 9 which operates in a timed sequence to blow a narrow gap or separation between each double-wedge.
  • the gap is. for example. 5 mm wide in the direction of travel.
  • the discs 6 are provided with a cleaner disc I0 and a surplus material removed by the cleaner l0 and the blow-off unit 9 is collected in a tray II. If desired this material can be re-cycledv
  • the cleaner disc I0 consists of a central disclike body 12 having a plurality of flexible blades 13 made. for example. of nylon (FIG. 3).
  • the band 4 carries the double-wedge shaped portions of the layer 5 over the feed system A from which the remainder of the smoking mixture is supplied. in this case. natural tobacco.
  • the tobacco fills the gaps in the layer 5 and builds up a full depth layer that is planed to correct depth by a set of plain trimming cutter discs 14 rotating about the axes IS.
  • a cleaning brush 16 is provided for the discs 14 and surplus material is collected in a tray [7 (FIG. 3).
  • FIG. 3 shows. the complete layer of smoking mixture is rectangular in section and for the sake of clarity the composition of the cigarette rods are illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 9 to be described below.
  • FIG. 4 shows one trimming cutter disc of the feed system B in side elevation. each disc being mounted on a fixed height yoke (not shown) by means of which the height of the material is controlled.
  • Each disc 6 consists of a central body 18 which is substantially disc-shaped. and this body has a peripheral rim extending radially.
  • the body 18 comprises a disc-like top with a side wall 19 extending at right angles thereto. Extending radially from the side wall is a flange which comprises four portions 20 inclined at an angle to the axis 7 about which the disc rotates and two portions 21 which are perpendicular to the axis of the disc.
  • the portions 2I provide unshaped regions of the layer of smoking material 5 while the inclined portions 20 are so arranged that they cut the layer into the double-wedge portions before the layer is carried past the synchronously operating blowoff unit 9.
  • the layer of double-wedge shaped portions separated by the narrow gaps produced by the blow-off unit 9 passes over the feed system A which feeds the second type of smoking mixture upwardly in to the shaped layer and both fills the gap and builds up the layer to the desired depth which is determined by the trimming cutting discs 14.
  • the discs are provided with cleaning means in the form of a flapper-type brush consisting of a metal center disc into which are fitted flexible strips of nylon. Surplus material or shorts return are removed by means of a ⁇ ibrating tray of large capacity which can handle returns of 50 percent and over and can be rccycled if desired.
  • the geometry of the cigarette depends on the shape or geometry of the ecreteur discs.
  • FIGS. 5 to 8 show. the trimming cutter discs 6 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 produce the wedge-shaped portion 22 shown in H65. 5. 7 and 8. and it will be realised that the tapered portions 22 are produced by the disc 6 in oppositely inclined pairs. end to end.
  • the cigarette shown in FIGS. 5 to 8 is made from one such portion and it can be seen from these figures how each end of the cigarette has at least some of the second smoking mixture 23.
  • the mouthpiece end of the cigarette comprises a filter 24 which adjoins a cigarette rod which is largely composed of the first smoking material fed from the feed system B but with a small portion of the second material. while the other end is entirely of the second type of material.
  • FIG. 9 is a longitudinal section ofthe completed layer in which the profile of the portions of the first type of material is varied by the use of a modified trimming cutter disc which by suitably shaping the inclined portions 20 gives each portion 22 the required shape.
  • the cigarettes are produced in pairs so that the cigarettes are presented in correct manner on both sides of a catcher band and/or a filter tip assembler.
  • the cigarettes are made so that about the first 5 mm are composed entirely of one type of smoking material.
  • the cut end will as a result be composed of only one type of smoking material.
  • the other end it is arranged such that there is always a small amount of tobacco present to avoid contamination of the additional feed hopper B with material from the conventional system A being obtained by means of dimensions and geometry of the two discs.
  • FIG. 10 illustrates. in longitudinal section, a form of feed chimney which is adapted to supply the first type of smoking material to the band 4 at the feed system B.
  • This part of the cigarette making machine is largely conventional and feeds the smoking material from a picker roller into the air stream which is drawn up the chimney 25 to the underside of the band 4.
  • Suction is applied through the housing 2 to draw the fibrous smoking mixture up to the band 4 as shown by the broken arrows. Further suction is also applied to the material in the chambers 26 and 27 to improve the transfer of material and the density of the stream before it reaches the band.
  • the lower end of the chimney 25 is provided with a block 28 which has a plurality ofjet air inlets 29 through which air is drawn into the lower part of the channel.
  • the use of the block 28 having the air jets 29 aids entrainment of the smoking material into the upward air flow and by employing this particular construction the conventional winnowing or grading effect is avoided.
  • the air blow-off unit 9 is operated by means of a valve synchronised with the disc to blow off the small amount of material in the valleys of the profile. thus leaving the gap referred to above.
  • the valve for the blow-off unit 9 may. for example. be a high-speed solenoid valve actuated by cams or microswitches. or it (ill may be a mechanical valve driven directly by the machine.
  • the shaped material is then conveyed on the band 4 above the chimney of the feed system A in the cigarette making machine.
  • the smoking material e.g.. tobacco. is drawn up this chimney and deposited on the material already on the band 4.
  • the rate of feed is such as to give sufficient tobacco to fill in the gaps in the layer and leave sufficient to overfeed to give reasonable cigarette weights.
  • the layer formed by the composite feed of smoking material is then trimmed by the discs 14 in the normal manner and deposited on cigarette paper. wrapped and cut into individual cigarettes. the latter step being synchronised with the trimming cutter discs 14 on the feed system A. This is achieved preferably by running this system from the main drive shaft.
  • a. means for conveying tobacco said means defining a tobacco receiving surface
  • bv means for supplying a first tobacco to said tobacco receiving surface for forming a generally uniform layer thereon.
  • At least one trimming knife for trimming said tobacco to a generally double wedge configuration. having a central apex and generally feathering out in opposite directions therefrom.
  • said knife operatively associated with said surface and being rotatable about an axis generally normal to the plane of said surface.
  • said knife being comprised of cutting edge portions disposed in arcuate segments about said axis in alternately declining and inclining relation relative to the plane of said tobacco receiving surface.
  • e. means for supplying a second tobacco to said layer for replacing at least in part. the trimmed away tobacco.
  • a cleaning means is provided adjacent said trimming knife for cleaning trimmed tobacco from said cutting edge portions.
  • said cleaning means comprising a central disc having radially extending flexible blades.
  • the means for removing tobacco to provide a separation between configurations is comprised of a pneumatically operated blow-off means disposed between the first and second supply means and operated in a syn chronized sequence to form gaps in the layer of smok- 6 chimne arranged to feed said smoking tobacco material vertically upwardly to the underside of said tobacco receiving surface as it is moved over the upper end portion of said chimney. and the lower end portion of said chimney being provided with means forming a plurality of passages through which air may enter the same.

Landscapes

  • Manufacturing Of Cigar And Cigarette Tobacco (AREA)
US311649A 1971-12-09 1972-12-04 Production of smoking articles Expired - Lifetime US3880171A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB5724671A GB1382266A (en) 1971-12-09 1971-12-09 Production of smoking articles

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3880171A true US3880171A (en) 1975-04-29

Family

ID=10478727

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US311649A Expired - Lifetime US3880171A (en) 1971-12-09 1972-12-04 Production of smoking articles

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US3880171A (it)
DE (1) DE2259814C2 (it)
GB (1) GB1382266A (it)
IT (1) IT971668B (it)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4210159A (en) * 1977-07-25 1980-07-01 Cir - S.P.A. - Divisione Sasib Tobacco trimming device
US4516585A (en) * 1982-09-02 1985-05-14 R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Method and apparatus for producing a multiple-blend cigarette
US4567902A (en) * 1983-08-11 1986-02-04 Philip Morris Incorporated Tobacco trimmer device
US4630618A (en) * 1982-08-05 1986-12-23 Imperial Group Plc Apparatus and method for forming a rod of smokeable material
US4730628A (en) * 1986-07-21 1988-03-15 R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Cigarette rods having segmented sections
EP0225771A3 (en) * 1985-12-04 1989-05-24 Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc. Linear layered cigarette
US4896681A (en) * 1987-08-11 1990-01-30 Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc. Tobacco blend formation
US20060254607A1 (en) * 2005-03-21 2006-11-16 Philip Morris Usa Inc. Smoking article comprising a segmented rod of smokable material
WO2019150102A1 (en) * 2018-01-30 2019-08-08 British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited Apparatus for manufacturing a rod of aerosolisable material and method of manufacturing a rod of aerosolisable material

Families Citing this family (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2445856A1 (de) * 1974-09-26 1976-04-08 Hauni Werke Koerber & Co Kg Verfahren und vorrichtung zum bilden eines tabakstranges aus zwei tabaksorten
US4416295A (en) * 1980-10-17 1983-11-22 Union Camp Corporation Smoking-material rods and a method of making such rods
GB8432415D0 (en) * 1984-12-21 1985-02-06 Imp Group Plc Manufacture of rod of smokeable material
GB2198027A (en) * 1984-12-21 1988-06-08 Imp Tobacco Co Ltd Manufacture of a profiled rod of smokeable material
GB8432410D0 (en) * 1984-12-21 1985-02-06 Imp Group Plc Forming rod of smokeable material
GB8500875D0 (en) * 1985-01-14 1985-02-20 Imp Group Plc Rod of smokeable material
DE3603749C2 (de) * 1985-02-09 1997-08-28 Molins Plc Zigarettenherstellungsmaschine
DE3508498A1 (de) * 1985-03-09 1986-09-11 Hauni-Werke Körber & Co KG, 2050 Hamburg Verfahren und vorrichtung zum herstellen eines faserstranges der tabakverarbeitenden industrie
IT1202201B (it) * 1985-11-19 1989-02-02 Gd Spa Metodo per produrre sigarette contenenti almeno due miscele di tabacco differenti
IT201700036027A1 (it) * 2017-04-03 2018-10-03 Gd Spa Unità e metodo per la realizzazione di almeno un cordone semilavorato continuo di tabacco

Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1721117A (en) * 1925-03-24 1929-07-16 Hopkins Nevil Monroe Cigarette-manufacturing machinery
US1829559A (en) * 1927-09-13 1931-10-27 British American Tobacco Co Cigarette and method of making same
US2162443A (en) * 1931-08-04 1939-06-13 Muller J C & Co Method of regulating the tobacco rod in cigarette-making machines
US3032041A (en) * 1957-01-10 1962-05-01 Decoufle Usines Tobacco-manipulating machines
US3088467A (en) * 1956-12-18 1963-05-07 Decoufle Usines Method of forming a continuous tobacco filler
US3477442A (en) * 1964-11-23 1969-11-11 American Mach & Foundry High speed cigar bunch machine
US3732871A (en) * 1969-05-02 1973-05-15 Molins Machine Co Ltd Method and apparatus for making cigarettes
US3736941A (en) * 1969-04-02 1973-06-05 Molins Machine Co Ltd Cigarettes and the like
US3759267A (en) * 1971-05-18 1973-09-18 Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp Smoking articles

Patent Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1721117A (en) * 1925-03-24 1929-07-16 Hopkins Nevil Monroe Cigarette-manufacturing machinery
US1829559A (en) * 1927-09-13 1931-10-27 British American Tobacco Co Cigarette and method of making same
US2162443A (en) * 1931-08-04 1939-06-13 Muller J C & Co Method of regulating the tobacco rod in cigarette-making machines
US3088467A (en) * 1956-12-18 1963-05-07 Decoufle Usines Method of forming a continuous tobacco filler
US3032041A (en) * 1957-01-10 1962-05-01 Decoufle Usines Tobacco-manipulating machines
US3477442A (en) * 1964-11-23 1969-11-11 American Mach & Foundry High speed cigar bunch machine
US3736941A (en) * 1969-04-02 1973-06-05 Molins Machine Co Ltd Cigarettes and the like
US3732871A (en) * 1969-05-02 1973-05-15 Molins Machine Co Ltd Method and apparatus for making cigarettes
US3759267A (en) * 1971-05-18 1973-09-18 Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp Smoking articles

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4210159A (en) * 1977-07-25 1980-07-01 Cir - S.P.A. - Divisione Sasib Tobacco trimming device
US4630618A (en) * 1982-08-05 1986-12-23 Imperial Group Plc Apparatus and method for forming a rod of smokeable material
US4516585A (en) * 1982-09-02 1985-05-14 R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Method and apparatus for producing a multiple-blend cigarette
US4567902A (en) * 1983-08-11 1986-02-04 Philip Morris Incorporated Tobacco trimmer device
EP0225771A3 (en) * 1985-12-04 1989-05-24 Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc. Linear layered cigarette
US4730628A (en) * 1986-07-21 1988-03-15 R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Cigarette rods having segmented sections
US4896681A (en) * 1987-08-11 1990-01-30 Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc. Tobacco blend formation
US20060254607A1 (en) * 2005-03-21 2006-11-16 Philip Morris Usa Inc. Smoking article comprising a segmented rod of smokable material
WO2019150102A1 (en) * 2018-01-30 2019-08-08 British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited Apparatus for manufacturing a rod of aerosolisable material and method of manufacturing a rod of aerosolisable material

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2259814C2 (de) 1986-04-10
GB1382266A (en) 1975-01-29
DE2259814A1 (de) 1973-06-14
IT971668B (it) 1974-05-10

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US3880171A (en) Production of smoking articles
US3987804A (en) Manufacture of cigarettes and the like
US6360751B1 (en) Asymmetrical trimmer disk apparatus
US4185644A (en) Distributor for cigarette makers or the like
CA1207207A (en) Method and apparatus for producing a composite tobacco filler
US3030966A (en) Filler forming mechanism
US4485826A (en) Apparatus for making fillers for rod-shaped smokers' products having dense ends
US4893640A (en) Multiple-rod cigarette making machine
US3589373A (en) Cigarette making machine
US3189034A (en) Method of and apparatus for feeding cut tobacco in a machine for making tobacco products
US4516585A (en) Method and apparatus for producing a multiple-blend cigarette
US5526826A (en) Apparatus for removing surplus from a tobacco stream
US4055192A (en) Recovery of reusable tobacco particles in machines for the production of plain and filter tipped smokers products
US4003385A (en) Method and machine for making cigarettes or the like
US4605013A (en) Method and apparatus for forming discrete batches of tobacco particles
GB2157940A (en) Dual-rod cigarette manufacturing machine
GB1138616A (en) Improvements relating to a method of and apparatus for processing tobacco
US4793364A (en) Cigarette manufacture
US3854486A (en) Cigarette making machines
US3058475A (en) Cigarette making machine
US4567902A (en) Tobacco trimmer device
JP2840302B2 (ja) 紙巻タバコ製造機並びに紙巻タバコを製造する方法
US4729386A (en) Apparatus for making cigarettes with dense ends
GB2172187A (en) Making a composite stream of fibrous material
US4703764A (en) Method and apparatus for making rod-like fillers from several types of fibrous material