GB2170692A

GB2170692A - Making cigarette rod comprising wrapper, filler and an axial pre-formed rod

Info

Publication number: GB2170692A
Application number: GB08601934A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Anthony Luke
Original assignee: British American Tobacco Co Ltd
Current assignee: British American Tobacco Investments Ltd
Priority date: 1985-02-01
Filing date: 1986-01-27
Publication date: 1986-08-13
Also published as: GB8601934D0; GB2170692B

Abstract

In the making of cigarette rod, which rod comprises an axial element of filler material and a wrapper surrounded by smoking material and an exterior wrapper, a web of the exterior wrapper material, a stream of the smoking material and a preformed rod, providing the axial element, are fed to the garniture of a cigarette rod making machine. The rod providing the axial element is made on a further rod making machine. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to smoking articles This invention relates to smoking articles, smoking article rods of which comprise a longitudinally extending interior zone of a constitution different from that of filler disposed outside the zone.

The patents literature contains numerous referencesto cigarettes and cigars comprising an axial zone of a constitution differentfromthatoftobacco filler material disposed outside the zone. According to French Patent Specification No. 1,322,254 a cigar or cigarette contains a further cigar or cigarette. The contained smoking article extends from the mouth end ofthe containing smoking article over about two-thirdsthe length ofthe latter. At its upstream end the contained smoking article is sealed and remains sealed until, upon approach ofthe coal ofthe containing smoking article, the seal is consumed.

There is disclosed in French Patent Specification No.

998,556 a cigarette an axial zone ofwhich is comprised of lowqualitytobacco and an annularzone ofwhich, surrounding the axial zone, is comprised of high qualitytobacco.

In US Patent Specification No. 3,614,956 there is disclosed a cigarette comprising an axial core of absorbent material, charcoal or alumina for example, surrounded by tobacco. The absorbent material is contained in a tube of ceramic material which is, in turn, wrapped in a sleeve of smoke-impervious paper.

At the mouth end, the tobacco zone is closed to smoke flow.

US PatentSpecification No. 4,219,031 discloses a cigarette comprising a self-supporting axial core of carbonised material surrounded by tobacco.

A cigarette comprising a longitudinally extending fine filament treated with a smoke-modifying agent is disclosed in United Kingdom Patent Specification No.

2 070 409 A.

Cigarettes and cigars comprising axially disposed tubes formed of tobacco leaf are disclosed in United Kingdom Patent Specification No.232,819.

United Kingdom Patent Specification No.1,086,443 presents a disclosure of a cigarette an axial zone of which contains no tobacco ortobacco at a low packing density.

Numerous proposals have been made for methods of making cigarettes comprising an axial zone of a first tobacco and a concentric layer of a second tobacco.

Such methods are disclosed in US Patent Specification No. 1,829,559 and UK Patent Specifications Nos.

1,054,557; 1,305,900; 1,416,020; 1,475,494; 1,541,339; 2 132068Aand2 133966A.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of making smoking article rod an axial zone of which is of a constitution differentfrom that of smoking material disposed outsidethezone, by which method rod of very consistent and weli defined construction can be produced at high production speeds.

The present invention provides a method of making composite smoking article rod, whereinthere are fed simultaneously to the garniture of a rod making machine a web offirstwrapper material, a stream of smoking material and a preformed rod comprising filler material wrapped in second wrapper material, whereby in said garniture said first wrapper material is wrapped about said preformed rod and said smoking material.

The preformed rod is advantageously fed to the garniture ofthe rod making machine directly from the garniture of a further rod making machine, preferably along a substantiallystraightfeed path. Ifthefirst mentioned making machine is of the commonly employed type which comprises to the entry end of the garniture a smoking material conducting chimney upwardly extending to a smoking material conveying suction band,thefeed path ofthe preformed rod suitably extends close to the conveying run ofthe suction band.

Thefirstwrappermaterial andlorthesecond wrapper material may be cigarette paper. Tobacco ieaf or a tobacco based sheet material may be used for one or both of the first and second wrapper materials.

Each ofthe first and second wrapper materials should be combustible and thefirstwrapper material, at least, should be ofan air permeability of five Coresta units or more. The second wrapper material may comprise or be treated with a smoke-modifying agent.

Preferably, the preformed rod is of constant crosssectional size and shape. The shape ofthe crosssection ofthe preformed rod may be circular or non-circular. The peripheral configuration ofthe composite smoking article rod in cross-section is also preferably of constant size and shape. In this case too the shape may be circular or non-circular.

The preformed rod is suitably disposed coaxially of the composite smoking article rod.

The smoking material and/orthe filler material may comprise cuttobacco. Other materials usable for, or in, one or both materials are reconstituted tobaccos and tobacco substitute materials. Suitably, the smoking material extends continuously ofthe composite smoking article rod. Itis alsosuitablethatthefiller extends continuously of the preformed rod.

The pressure drop, measured for example in cm WG, over unit length ofthe preformed rod may be the same as or different from that of the body of smoking material over unit length in the composite rod.

The present invention further provides a smoking article rod making apparatus comprising a first rod making machine, said first machine being operable to enwrap smoking material and a preformed rod in first wrapper material to provide composite smoking article rod, a second rod making machine, said second machine being operable to enwrap filler material in second wrapper material to provide said preformed rod, and feed means permitting the feed of said preformed rod from said second machineto said first machine.

Preferably, a rod making garniture ofthe second rod making machine is colinearwith a rod making garniture ofthefirst rod making machine.

In orderthatthe present invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, reference will now be made, byway of example, to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 shows apparatus operable to make compo sitecigarette rod; and Figure 2 shows a perspective view, partly cut away, of a cigarette rod length made on the apparatus of Figure 1.

The apparatus of Figure 1 comprises a first cigarette rod makingmachine generally designated by reference numeral 1 and a second cigarette rod making machine generally designated by reference numeral 2. The machine 1 is operable to make circular cross-section cigarette rod of an orthodox diameter dimension, 8 mm say, whereas the machine2 is operable to make circular cross-section cigarette rod of a lesserdiameterdimension,3 mm forexampie.

The machine 1 comprises an endless suction band 3 of air pervious material trained about pulleys 4 and 5, oneofwhich pulleys is drivable, in aclockwise direction as viewing Figure 1, by drive means (for the sake of simplicity not shown). There is disposed above the lower run of the band 3 a vacuum box 6. Disposed belowthe band 3 is an upwardly extending chimney 7, bywhich cuttobacco or other particulate smoking material may be conducted to the under face of the lower run ofthe band 3 underthe action of a vacuum applied in the box 6. The tobacco or other smoking material is suppliedto the lowerend ofthechirnney7 by supply means which is of known type and which, forthesake of simplicity, is not shown.

Atthe upper end ofthe chimney 7 andtothe right as viewing Figure 1 the chimney 7 is provided with a small opening, indicated by reference numeral 8,the purpose of which will become clearfrom the descrip tion hereinbelow. Tobacco adhering to the lower run dithesuction band3passesfromthechimney7 through an exit gap indicated by reference numeral 9.

A pair of disc knives, one of which, referenced 10, is shown in Figure 1, are operable to trim surplus smoking material from that adhering to the band 3.

The machine 1 further comprises a rod making garniture 11 through which extends an endless garniture tape 12. Outside ofthe garniture 11 the tape 12 istrained about pulleys 13-16 and a drive puiley 17 which is drivable in an anti-clockwise direction bythe drive means. Mounted atthe garniture is an adhesive applicatorl8which is operable to apply lap seam adhesive to a margin of a continuous web 19 of cigarette paperwhich, in operation ofthe machine 1, is supplied from a reel 20. Extending from the outlet end of the garniture 11 is a guide bed 21 which serves to guide rod issuing from the garniture 11 pasta rod severing knive indicated at 22.

The machine 2 is similarto the machine 1 although it is, as mentioned above, operable to make rod of lesser diameterthan that ofthe rod made by machine 1. A difference between the machines 1 and 2 is that in the latterthere is no opening corresponding to the opening 8 ofthe machine 1. Otherthan forthis difference though, each ofthe above described components ofthe machine 1 is represented by a - corresponding component in the machine 2. Thus the reference numeraisusedforthemachine2in Figure 1 correspond with those used forthe machine 1 except thatforthe machine 2 the reference numerals are suffixed with & prime symbol.

Drive means is operable to provide drive to the machine 2 in synchronism with the drive provided to the machine 1.

A guide bed 23 extends between the outlet end of garniture 11' ofthe machine 2 and the opening 8 at the chimney 7 ofthe machine 1, the bed 23 and the opening 8 constituting feed means.

In operation ofthe apparatus comprising machines 1 and 2, cut tobacco or other partuculatefiller material is provided continuously to chimney7' ofthe machine 2 by supply means which is of known typeand which for the sake ofsimp}jcity is notshown. The filler material passesupthe chimney 7' under action ofa vacuum applied in vacuum box 6'. The filler material is conveyed from the chimney 7' as a stream formed at the lower run of suction band 3' and surplus filler material is trimmed from the stream by a pair of disc knives ofwhich knife 10' is one.The trimmed stream offiller material is transferred onto cigarette paper web 19' atentrytogarniture 1 1 ', the web 19' and the stream offiller material being transported into and through the garniture 11' by garniture tape 12'. Within the garniture 11' the web 19' is wrapped aboutthe filler material in known manner and there issued from the outletend ofthe garniture 11' a small diameter continuous rod 24.

The rod 24is fed continuously, in an unsevered condition, along the guide bed 23to and through the opening 8 atthe chimney7 ofthe machine 1,whereby the rod 24 is fed directlyfromthe machine 2to the machine 1. As may be seen from Figure 1, the feed path ofthe rod 24 extends close beneath the lower run ofthesuction band 3.The linearveiocityofthe band 3 isthesameasthatofthe rod 24.

Particulate smoking material supplied continuously to chimney 7 passesthereup underthe action of a vacuum applied inthevacuum-box6andformsa stream at the lower run of the band 3,the depth of which stream at exit from the chimmey7 is such that the continuous rod 24 is surrounded bythe smoking material of the stream. Even when surplus smoking material has been trimmed from the stream by the pair of disc knives of which 0 is one, the rod 24 extends within the stream. the trimmed steam of smoking material is transferred onto the cigarette paper web 19 at entryto the garniture 11. The web 19,the smoking material and the rod 24 aretransported through the garniture 11 underthe action ofthe garnituretape 12.

Within the garniture 11 the web 19 is wrapped about the smoking material, which smoking material is in turn disposed aboutthe rod 24. There thus issues from the outlet end of the garniture 11 a composite cigarette rod 25 in which the rod 24 is axially disposed.

To facilitate operation ofthe apparatus the garnitures 11 and 11' and the rod feed path therebetween are colinear.

The rod 25 is then severed bythe knife 22to provide unit rod lengths. One such unit rod length is shown in Figure2

Claims

1. Amethod of making composite smoking article rod, wherein therearefed simultaneouslytothe garniture of a rod making machine a web offirst wrapper material, a stream of smoking material and a preformed rod comprising filler material wrapped in second wrapper material, whereby in saidgarniture said firstwrapper material is wrapped about said preformed rod and said smoking material.

2. A method according to Claim 1, wherein said preformed rod is made in a further rod making machine.

3. A method according to Claim 2, wherein said preformed rod is fed to the first mentioned rod making machine from said further cigarette making machine.

4. A method according to Claim 3, wherein said preformed rod is fed in unsevered condition to said first mentioned rod making machine from said further rod masking machine.

5. A method according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein said smoking material comprises cut tobacco.

6. A method according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein said filler material comprises smoking material.

7. A method according to Claim 6, wherein said filler material comprises cut tobacco.

8. A method according to any one ofthe preceding claims, wherein saidfirst wrapper material is a paper material.

9. A method according to any one ofthe preceding claims, wherein said second wrapper material is a paper material.

10. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in said composite smoking article rod passingfrom said garnituresaid preformed rod is disposed coaxially of said composite rod.

11. Smoking article rod making apparatus comprising a first rod making machine, said first machine being operable to enwrap smoking material and a preformed rod in firstwrapper material to provide composite smoking article rod, a second rod making machine, said second machine being operable to enwrap filler material in second wrapper material to provide said preformed rod, and feed means permit tingthefeed of said preformed rodfrom said second machine to saidfirst machine.

12. Apparatus according to Claim 11, in which a rod making garniture of said second machine is colinearwith a rod making garnitureofsaidfirst machine.

13. Composite smoking article rod made by a method in accordance with any one of Claims 1 to 10.

14. Composite smoking article rod made by apparatus according to Claim 11 or 12.

15. A method of making composite smoking article rod substantially as hereinabove described with reference to the drawing hereof.

16. Apparatus for making composite smoking article rod, said apparatus being substantially as hereinabove described with reference to Figure 1 of the drawing hereof.