GB2168590A

GB2168590A - Manufacture of a rod of smokeable material

Info

Publication number: GB2168590A
Application number: GB08531457A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John David Hooper; Steven Edward Potts; Christopher Ralph Bale; Raymond Allen Bryany
Original assignee: Imperial Group PLC
Current assignee: Imperial Group PLC
Priority date: 1984-12-21
Filing date: 1985-12-20
Publication date: 1986-06-25
Also published as: GB8432415D0; GB2168590B; GB8531457D0

Abstract

An apparatus for making a longitudinally profiled layer of tobacco on a moving conveyor band comprises means for depositing a layer of tobacco (16) on the band (10) and a piston (70) or air jet directed transversely of the band arranged to periodically remove a portion of the layer in a direction transversely of the band or to prevent the deposition of a portion of the layer. In an alternative apparatus deposition of tobacco on the band is periodically prevented by the inflation of a member (82) made of a flexible resilient material which when inflated expands against the surface of the band. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to the manufacture of a rod of smokeable material.

This invention relates to the manufacture of a rod of smokeable material, such as is used in cigarettes, and is concerned with the production of a rod of smokeable material consisting of more than one type of smoking material in which the types of smoking material in the rod are demarcated.

"Types of smoking material" include those exhibiting different natures or compositions and may, for instance, comprise various kinds of tobacco, tobacco products such as reconstituted tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. The term "tobacco substitute" will be understood to include not only smoking materials such as cellulose or cellulosic derivatives of non-tobacco origin, but inert fillers such as alumina.

The present invention is particularly concerned with the provision of a longitudinally profiled layer of a first type of smoking material on an air pervious conveyor bank, such as is in common use in the art. A second layer comprising a second type of smoking material is preferably provided on top of the profiled layer so as to provide a composite rod of smokeable material consisting of two demarcated smoking materials whose relative proportions vary in a predetermined manner along the longitudinal axis of the composite rod. The structure and properties of such a composite rod are described in British patent application number 2124471 A.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for making a longitudinally profiled layer of smoking material on a moving conveyor band, the apparatus comprising means for depositing a layer of smoking material on the band, and means directed transversely of the band arranged to periodically remove a portion of the layer in a direction transversely of the band or to prevent the deposition of a portion of the layer.

The removing means may be a reciprocating piston.

Alternatively, the removing means may be a jet of air and suction means to remove smoking material from the band.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for making a longitudinally profiled layer of smoking material on a moving conveyor band, the apparatus comprising means for depositing a layer of smoking material on the band, and an inflatable member made of a flexible resilient material arranged when inflated to expand the member against the surface of the band so as to inhibit deposition of smoking material thereon, and means to periodically inflate and deflate the member.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic and non-scale drawings in which, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an arrangement of a conveyor band with removing means according to the first aspect; Figure 2 is a section along the longitudinal axis of the band of the arrangement of Fig. 1, together with a vacuum box; Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of an arrangement of a conveyor band together with means according to the second aspect for removing a layer of smoking material from the band; and, Figure 4 is a transverse section in the vertical plane of a second embodiment of the first aspect of the invention.

Referring to the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2 there is shown a horizontal air-pervious conveyor band 10, and a vacuum box 14 (shown in Fig. 2 only) on the upper side of the band 10 so that air may be drawn upwards through the band.

In operation of the band 10 and vacuum box 14, a layer of tobacco 16(shown in Fig. 2 only) is deposited on the underside of the band 10 from an upwardly directed chimney (not shown) as described and illustrated in British patent application 2124471 A. The tobacco 16 is held on the underside of the band 10 by the vacuum applied through the band.

Below the plane of the band 10 is provided a piston 70 operated by a power source 72 and arranged to reciprocate in a controlled manner in the horizontal plane transversely of the band so as to push off the band any smoking material that may be held by vacuum on the band at that point, or to impede the deposition of smoking material at that point on the band. Hence, the piston 70, by virtue of its controlled reciprocation, prevents deposition of tobacco on longitudinally spaced zones of the band.

Referring to the embodiment of Fig. 3 there is shown a horizontal air-pervious conveyor band 10, and a vacuum box 14 arranged as in the first embodiment and operating in the same manner.

Below the plane of the band 10 is provided a chamber 80 extending horizontally across the band. The upper face of the chamber 80, that is, the one parallel to the band 10, is provided by a resilient flexible diaphragm 82.

There is provided a pump 84 connected to the chamber 80 to inflate or deflate the diaphragm 82 as desired. When inflated, the diaphragm 82 is pressed against the underside of the band 10 thereby preventing deposition of tobacco (or other smoking material) on the band. Whem the diaphragm is deflated it is possible to deposite tobacco on the band.

Hence, controlled operation of the pump 84 can provide deposition of tobacco on longitudinally spaced zones of the band.

In the further embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 4 there is shown an upwardly directed chimney 19, being the chimney referred to in connection with Figs. 1 and 2, defined by parallel vertical guide plates 21,23.

The band 10 extends across the top of the chimney 19 and extends longitudinally in a direction normal to the plane of Fig. 4. A horizontally directed aperture 25 is provided through guide plate 21 immediately below the plane of the band 10 and directed across the chimney 19 towards guide plate 23. A further aperture 27 is provided through guide plate 23 immediately opposite aperture 25.

In operation a pulsed jet of air is directed into aperture 25 in the direction of arrow 8 and blows any tobacco 16 that may be on the band 10 out through aperture 27 as a discrete slug 28. This process may be assisted by a suction device (not illustrated) applied to aperture 27. Thus, longitudinally spaced zones of the band 10 will be provided that are devoid of tobacco.

It is seen that the embodiments of the invention provide a layer of tobacco 16 on the band 10 that is regularly profiled in the longitudinal direction of the band, such profile perhaps being provided by zones of the band that are devoid of tobacco. A further layer of tobacco may then be laid on top of the first layer 16 that has already been profiled so as to provide a composite layer consisting of two demarcated layers of tobacco which are then formed into a continuous rod and finally made into cigarettes, as described in British patent application 2124471 A.

Claims

1. An apparatus for making a longitudinally profiled layer of smoking material on a moving conveyor band, the apparatus comprising means for depositing a layer of smoking material on the band, and means directed transversely of the band arranged to periodically remove a portion of the layer in a direction transversely of the band or to prevent the deposition of a portion of the layer.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the removing means is a reciprocating piston.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the removing means is a jet of air and suction means to remove smoking material from the band.

4. An apparatus for making a longitudinally profiled layer of smoking material on a moving conveyor band, the apparatus comprising means for depositing a layer of smoking material on the band, and an inflatable member made of a flexibel resilient material arranged when inflated to expand the member against the surface of the band so as to inhibit deposition of smoking material thereon, and means to periodically inflate and deflate the member.

5. An apparatus for making a longitudinally profiled layer of smoking material on a moving conveyor band, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, or Fig. 3, or Fig. 4, of the accompanying drawings.