US1962955A - Stem cutting mechanism for tobacco stemming machines - Google Patents

Description

June 12, 1934. c. w. GOOCH, JR

STEM CUTTING MECHANISM FOR TOBACCO STEMMING MACHINES Filed Dec. 19, 1931 INVENTOR. Czai omve W GOacZI T/F. BY

A TTORNEYS.

Patented June 12, 1934 UNITED STATES STEM CUTTING MECHANISM FOR TOBACCO STEMIHING MACHINES Claiborne W. Gooch, Jr., Lynchburg, Va., assignor to United Cigarette Machine Company, Inc., Lynchburg, Va., a corporation of Virginia,

Application December 19, 1931, Serial No. 582,150

20 Claims.

The present invention relates to a stem cutting mechanism for a tobacco stemming machine and refers particularly to that type of machine in which the stems are pulled through the stemming means progressively and on an angle from one end of the stemming mechanism. A stemming machine of this type is disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 1,301,193.

The object of the present invention is to provide means independent of the stemming means whereby each stem will be treated individually according to its thickness or size and so that all stems will not be cut or broken off at a definite length, as is now common practice, but will continue to be withdrawn from the membrane of the leaf until that part of the stem remaining in the leaf is of such a size as is not objectionable for the purpose for which the tobacco is being prepared.

The invention is illustrated on the accompanying drawing, in which like reference characters indicate corresponding parts and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view partly in section of the tobacco stemming machine,

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional View of the machine taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a side view of a portion of the guide with the finger portions in section,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the guide in modi- 30 fied form,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a further modified guide member, and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the shoe portion of Fig. 1 on a somewhat larger scale.

The stemming rolls 1, journalled in frame 2, are provided with blades 3 and rotate at the same speed in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 2. The blades 3, which project substantially radially from rolls 1, have notches 4 along their outer 40 edges which are so arranged that an uninterrupted helical groove is formed around the rolls 1 and the notches in one set of blades cooperate with the notches in the other set. Thus a stem of tobacco 22, caught and held by its butt end in one of the grippers 5, is moved between the rolls in a direction parallel to the axes of the rolls, while at the same time the grippers 5 also have an upward movement as they pass through the successive positions a, b, 0, etc., Fig. l. The semicircular notches 4 of the several blades hold the stems in a vertical position and strip the leafy part therefrom as the grippers 5 move along their upward path.

In a conventional machine of this type the sev- 55 ering of the stems is accomplished by arresting their lateral movement by means of an adjustable stop. When the stems reach this stop, which may be set at any point in the path of the stems, their lateral travel ceases and they escape from the notches 4 of the blades 5. The straight part of blades 3 between the notches 4 is thus brought sharply into contact with and snaps oil the stems. It is evident that with such a stop all stems are broken oif or cut at the same length from the grippers 5.

The present invention provides means for arresting the stems at a succession of points along their lateral path, the point of stopping any stem being controlled directly by its size, that is its thickness and therefore its length. A large stem will proceed further before it is stopped to be broken than a small one, this selective action being entirely automatic. I

Supported by the framework of the machine .2 is a member 6 having a face adjacent the plane of travel of the stems. A belt 7 runs in a groove in the face of member 6 and around two pulleys 8 and 9 on shafts l0 and 11 respectively. Shaft 10 is jounialled in member 6 and is driven by means of gears 12 and 13 and shaft 14 which is connected to the main drive of the machine. The belt 7 travels at a rate equal to the lateral or horizontal component of the stem travel and in the same direction. A rod 15 is fastened at each end to a suitable support on the framework 2 and 86 on this rod are pivoted a number of feelers 16 each of which is provided with a shoe portion 17, Figs. 1 and 6, and. a finger portion 18. Spring 19 attached to bar 23 normally holds the shoe 17 in contact with belt 7, but as the stems progress 90 along their path they glide under the shoes 17 of the successive feelers 16 causing them to swing away from the stem path more or less according to the stem thickness passing under the shoe.

Attached to the lower part of the member 6 is a notched guid'e bar 20. The outer edge of this guide is positioned to slightly displace the stems from the vertical and cause them to press against it. The guide 20 is provided with notches :21, Fig. 2, and these notches may be of any suitable shape having an opening of suitable size to permit the stem of the tobacco leaf to be caught therein when the diameter of the said stem is below any selected or predetermined standard. It is evident that as the stems slide along the edge of guide 20 they will not enter the notches until a suitably small sized section of thestem is presented to one of the notches. This will happen earlier or later in the process of stemming according to the size of the leaf of tobacco and consequently the size of the stem. Once caught in a notch the stem cannot continue its lateral movement and is subsequently broken off as the stem of the leaf is brought sharply against the straight part of the blades 3 between the notches 4, as ex plained in the foregoing. When the cutting of the stem is mentioned as in the claims it is to be understood that this term includes any snapping,

breaking, or other severing action of the stem of the leaf.

In'order to make the above action more positive the feelers 16 may be used, one feeler cooperating with each notch 4 of the stemming rolls 1. Fig. 3 shows how the finger portion 18 of feelers 16 acts to guide or push a stem into one of the notches 21 whenever that part of the stem which glides under shoe 17 of feeler 16 is not large enough to hold the finger portion 18 out of the stem path. When the feelers 16 are used in cooperation with the notches 21 it will not be necessary for the edge of the guide plate 20 to project into the pathway of the stems as is the case when the guide is used alone;

In Fig. 4 the guide plate has been replaced by a guideZOa which has no notches therein and thefinger is modified to include a notch as finger 18a. In this construction the selection of the stem to be caught is caused entirely by the size of that part of the stem passing under the shoe 1'7.

' If thisis large the notch in 18a will be held out of the stem path, if small it will be held in the stem path and will catch the stem causing it to be broken. The guide 20a in this case serves only i to keep the stems in a certain path.

. small stems for breaking.

Various parts of the mechanism may be made adjustable so as to set the machine to select stems according to the different sizes required for various purposes. For example the guide bar 20 may be made either readily detachable for easy replacement by a similar bar having notches of a diiferentsize or it may be made so that the notches themselves are adjustable. Also the action of the feelers 16 may be varied either by mounting the rod 15 adjustable relative to the belt [and member 6 or the latter may be adjustable relative to the feelers 16. It is, however, to be noted that the guide or grading member or plurality of fingers is not a part of or built into the stemming means or rolls but is entirely independent therefrom.

For adaptation to a type of stemming machine in which the stemming means itself will not break off the stems promptly when their lateral movement arrested, the edges of the notches or the fingers may be made sharp so as to actually sever the stemslwhen they are selected by the above mechanism.

I claim as my invention:- I

1. A tobacco stemming machine comprising a plurality of stemming rolls; a plurality of grippers for gripping the butt ends of the stems and being adaptedto pull the tobacco leaves through the stemming rolls; and means adjacent the rolls for causing the stemming rolls to cut the stems being adapted to pull the tobacco leaves through the stemming rolls; and a guide bar adjacent the rolls for causing the stemming rolls to cut the stems of the leaves dependent upon the size of the individual stems.

3. A tobacco stemming machine comprising a plurality of stemming rolls; a plurality of grippers for gripping the butt ends of the stems and being adapted to pull the tobacco leaves through the stemming rolls; and a guide bar adjacent the rolls having a plurality of notches therein for causing the stems of the leaves to be cut by the rolls when the size of the individual stem is such that it enters a notch thereof.

4. A tobacco stemming machine comprising a frame; a plurality of stemming rolls journalled in said frame and each having a helical groove for the stems of the tobacco leaves; a plurality of grippers for gripping the tobacco leaves and pulling them laterally through the stemming rolls; and a guide member having means therein for causing the stems of the tobacco leaves to move out of the helical groove to thereby cause the severing of the stems by the rolls dependent upon the size of the individual stems.

5. A tobacco stemming machine comprising a frame; a plurality of stemming rolls journalled in said frame and each having a helical groove for the stems of the tobacco leaves; a plurality of grippers for gripping the tobacco leaves and pulling them laterally through the stemming rolls; and a guide bar havinga plurality of notches therein for causing the stems of the tobacco leaves to move out of the helical groove to thereby cause the severing of the stems by I the rolls when the stems move into one of the notches dependent upon the size of the individual stems.'

'6. A tobacco stemming machine comprising a frame; a plurality of stemming rolls journalled in said frame and each'having a helical groove for the stems of the tobacco leaves; a plurality of grippers for gripping thetobacco leaves and vpulling them laterally through the stemming rolls; a guide bar having a plurality of notches therein for causing the stems of the tobacco 7 leaves to move out of the helical groove to thereby cause the severing of the stems by the rolls when the stems move into one of the notches dependent upon the size of the individual stems; and a feeler for each notch of the guide bar in order to aid the movement of the stems into a notch when the size of the stem permits its entry.

'7. A tobacco stemming machine comprising a frame; a plurality of stemming rolls journalled in said frame and each having a helical groove for the stems of the tobacco leaves; a plurality of grippers for gripping the tobacco leaves and pulling them laterally through the stemming rolls; a guide bar having a plurality of notches therein for causing the stems of the tobacco leaves to move out of the helical groove to thereby cause the severing of the stems by the rolls when the stems move into one of the notches dependent upon the size of the individual stems; a belt arranged in the frame; and a feeler for each'notch of the guide bar and cooperating with the belt in order to aid the movement of the stems into a notch when the size of the stem permits its entry, said feeler contacting with the stem at the point of contact with the belt. 8. A tobacco stemming machine comprising a frame; a plurality of stemming rolls journalled its in said frame and each having a helical groove for the stems of the tobacco leaves; a plurality of grippers for gripping the tobacco leaves to be pulled laterally through the stemming rolls; a guide bar having a plurality of notches therein for causing the stems of the tobacco leaves to move out of the helical groove to thereby cause the severing of the stems by the rolls when the stems move into one of the notches dependent upon the size of the individual stems; a belt arranged on pulleys journalled in said frame and adapted to pass adjacent the stems of the leaves; and a spring-controlled feeler for each notch of the guide bar and cooperating with the belt in order to aid the movement of the stems, said feeler contacting with the stems at the point of contact with the belt.

9. A tobacco stemming machine comprising a plurality of stemming rolls; a plurality of grippers for gripping the butt ends of the stems and adapted to pull the tobacco leaves laterally through the rolls; a guide plate for the stems; and a plurality of feelers each having a notch therein whereby when the size of the stem passing by the guide plate and the successive feelers becomes a specific size the stem will be retained in the notch thereby causing the stem to be severed by the stemming rolls.

10. A tobacco stemming machine comprising a plurality of stemming rolls, a plurality of grippers for gripping the butt ends of the stems and adapted to pull the tobacco leaves laterally through the rolls; and a plurality of feelers each having a shoe portion adapted to contact with the stems and a notched portion whereby when the size of the stem passing under the shoe becomes a specific size the stem will be retained in the notch causing the stem to be severed by the stemming rolls.

11. In a tobacco stemming machine, means for cutting the stems of the tobacco leaves; and a guide bar independent of the stemming means of the machine for causing the cutting action dependent upon the size of the individual stems.

12. In a tobacco stemming machine, means for cutting the stems of the tobacco leaves; a guide bar having notches therein for causing the cutting action when the size of the individual stem is such that it enters a notch of the bar; and a feeler for each notch of the guide bar to aid the movement of the stems into a notch when the size of the stem permits its entry.

13. In a tobacco stemming machine having stemming means, a guide bar for the tobacco stems independent of the stemming means having means for cutting the stems and means for causing the cutting action dependent upon the size of the individual stems.

14. In a tobacco stemming machine having stemming means, a guide bar for the tobacco stems independent of the stemming means, having means for cutting the stems, the cutting action being dependent upon the size of the individual stems.

15. In a tobacco stemming machine having stemming means, means for pulling the leaves through the machine; and means independent of the stemming means for cutting the tobacco stems and for causing the cutting action dependent upon the size of the individual stems.

16. In a tobacco stemming machine having stemming means, means for pulling the leaves through the machine; and a plurality of fingers for cutting the tobacco stems dependent upon the size of the individual stems.

17. A guide member for the tobacco stems in tobacco stemming machines having a plurality of notches for cutting the tobacco stems dependent upon the size of the individual stems, the guide member being independent of the stemming means of the machine.

18. A guide for the tobacco stems in tobacco stemming machines comprising a bar having a plurality of notches therein for cutting the tobacco stems when the stem enters one of the notches dependent upon the size of the individual stems, the bar being independent of the stemming means of the machines.

19. A guide for the tobacco stems in tobacco stemming machines comprising a plurality of fingers each having a notch therein for cutting the tobacco stems when the stem enters one of the notches dependent upon the size of the individual stems, the bar being independent of the stemming means of the machines.

20. A device for causing the cutting of the stems of tobacco leaves in tobacco stemming machines having stemming means, comprising a grading member for'the stems of the leaves, independent of the stemming means, and having means to cut the stems when the desired size of stem has coacted with said member.

CLAIBORNE W. GOOCH, JR.

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