US2747580A - Filler feed mechanism - Google Patents

Filler feed mechanism Download PDF

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US2747580A
US2747580A US291888A US29188852A US2747580A US 2747580 A US2747580 A US 2747580A US 291888 A US291888 A US 291888A US 29188852 A US29188852 A US 29188852A US 2747580 A US2747580 A US 2747580A
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bunch
charge
tobacco
length
conveyor belt
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US291888A
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Joseph A Neumair
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International Cigar Machinery Co
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International Cigar Machinery Co
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    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24CMACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
    • A24C1/00Elements of cigar manufacture
    • A24C1/02Tobacco-feeding devices with or without means for dividing the tobacco into measured quantities

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  • This invention relates to long filler cigar machines, and particularly the feeding of long filler tobacco and the formation of long filler cigar bunches.
  • One of the principal objects is to form an improved filler bunch charge of long filler tobacco suitable for rolling into a Spanish bunch.
  • it has been necessary in forming such bunch charges to make a horizontal cut parallel with the laminae of the bunch charge. Since, from the nature of tobacco leaf, these laminae are not perfectly even and in a single plane, the line of cut tends to mutilate the several laminae through which it passes.
  • Still another object of the invention is to shingle successive charge lengths upon the preceding charge length in a predetermined overlap. Since the charge lengths are cut on corrugated cutters, it is advantageous to locate this overlap so that the corrugation of the one charge length coincides with the corrugation of the prior charge length.
  • Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the filler feed mechanism illustrating the formation of a shingled horizontal tobacco column
  • Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, taken on line 22 of Fig. 1;
  • Fig. 3 is a plan view of the automatic charge measuring and control mechanism
  • Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the bunch length charge transfer mechanism taken on line'4-4 of Fig. 1;
  • Fig. 5 is a partial sectional side elevation of the bunch length charge retaining mechanism
  • Fig. 6 is a plan view illustrating the forming and aligning of the horizontal bunch length charge column.
  • Fig. 7 is a side elevation partly in section illustrating the feed control mechanism.
  • Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic sectional side elevation of a portion of the horizontal bunch charge column illustrating the whole leaf width sections in a bunch charge.
  • Tobacco T is fed forward onto transfer platform 10 the distance of a bunch length, whereupon the corrugated cutter 6 is, by means not shown, moved downwardly to cooperate with the stationary and complementary cutter 7, to sever a charge length.
  • the charge length L is stripped from the cutter 7 by the fingers 12 which drop into clamping position as cam piece 66 disengages the stud 82 on the lever 81.
  • Lever 81 is secured to shaft 83 to which are secured the fingers 12.
  • Cam piece 66 is operated by means not shown in conjunction with the operation of the cutter 6. This may be done in the manner disclosed at Fig. 6 of the copending application of Neumair and Clausen, S. N. 147,178.
  • Shaft 16 rotatably mounted in the frame of the cigar machine (not shown) has rigidly attached thereto a cam lever 18 carrying at its free end a cam roller 20 which bears on the cam 21 secured to rotating shaft 15. Also secured to the shaft 16 is the lever 22 to whose free end is pinned a supporting link 24 by means of pin 25. Cam lever 18 and lever 22 through shaft 16 operate as a bell crank lever. Tension spring 23 keeps the cam roller 20 in contact with the surface of the cam 21.
  • Link 24 by means of pin 27 loosely engages a slot 26 of vertical support 28 to whose upper end is rigidly secured platform 10.
  • a link 30 runs from the bottom of the support 28 to a pin 31 on the free end of a link 32 pivoted at its other end to a stud 34.
  • the links 24 and 30 cross each other and are commonly pivoted at their point of intersection to one end of link 36 by the pin 35.
  • the other end of link 36 is attached to the free end of cam lever 38 pivotally secured to stud 40.
  • Cam lever 38 has a cam roller 42 which is held in contact with cam 44' by the tension spring 46. This parallel linkage maintains the platform 10 in a horizontal position while permitting both vertical and horizontal movement thereof.
  • the shingled horizontal columns of tobacco is fed forward on a belt 50 supported on a plurality of idler rollers 52 and driven by drive pulley54.
  • the upper or active run of the belt is further supported by the table 56.
  • the belt feeds forward the shingled tobacco compacted beneath the lower horizontal run of the belt 58 whose drive pulley 6t! is connected to the drive pulley 54 through hub gears 62 and 64.
  • the idler pulley 67 of the compressor'fbelt -58' is supported on one end of a lever 68 pivoted on fulcrum shaft 79.
  • the other end of lever 68 supports the link 72 to which is attached wedge-shaped member 74.
  • the fingers or finger plate 196 are secured to .a member 252 pivotally secured on an arm 254 loosely mounted on'a shaft 256 held in the frame of the'machine.
  • the opposite end of this arm 254 carries a cam roller 258 engaging a cam track 260 of a cam 262.
  • This arm 254 raises and lowers the fingers 196 into and out of operative position in the slot 188, in the same manner as the arm 254 of the aforementioned Neumair and Clausen application.
  • lever 242 is secured on shaft 224. Also secured to shaft 224, is counterweight lever 238 with its adjustable counterweight 240.
  • latch 214 Loosely mounted on shaft 224 is the latch 214. This latch is held by spring 216 against a pin 218 mounted on a lug 220 secured to a sleeve 222. The sleeve 222 moves with the lever 238 by means of its attachment thereto by the pin230 mounted on a lug 228 also secured to the sleeve 222.
  • This arm 246 carries a cam roller'2 66 engaging 'a'carn surface 264.
  • cam surface 264 overtakes cam roller 266 and moves the fingers 196 further forward so that it clears the tobacco during its descent with the arm 254.
  • Cam surface 264 then gently returns the fingers 196 to their starting point in time for thenext cycle.
  • the link 250 is composed of two parts 249 and 251, which overlap each other a distance established by the wedge-shaped member 74.
  • the operation of this structure depends on the thickness of the tobacco beneath the compression belt 58.
  • the pulley 67 is raised during the passage of such lengths along belt 59.
  • the descending link 72 is lowered, causing the wedge member 74 to increase the overlap of the members 249 and 251, thereby shortening the length of the tacts finger 196 sooner, and sooner raises weight 240' by the above described linkage 256, 242 and shaft 224. 7
  • latch 214 releases pawl 208 sooner and the'clutch 180 disengages shaft 15 and pulley 54' is no longer driven by the mesne linkage already described.
  • the length fed is less.
  • finger 196 is contacted later in the cycle and the feed is correspondingly longer.
  • a cam 73 is mounted on one end of a shaft 76 to the other end of which is secured a gear 84.
  • the gear 84 meshes with gear which rotates with the shaft 55 of pulley 54. This cam rotates approximately once for each increment of the belt 50.
  • a cam follower 86 is mounted in an arm 48 pivoted on a stud 77. The free end of arm 48 is provided with a slot 9f; which engages the pin 91 connecting arms 36 38. As arm 38 and its other connecting links are urged forward un- V der the influence of spring 46, cam follower 86 contacts cam 78 and the forward motion of platform ii) is arrested. Thus, the position of the cam .73 determines the prior feed stroke of the pulley 54.
  • the tobacco T composed of a thin stream of tobacco leaves
  • Bunch length charges are fed to the platform 10 and severed by corrugated cutter 6.
  • the finger rods 12 descend to grip the bunch length L on the platform 10.
  • Platform 1% then is lowered and advanced to dotted line position shown in V Fig. 1. This position varies according to rotation of the cam 78 which, by the linkages associated therewith, defines the length of the prior feed stroke of the belt 59.
  • the claw 88 supported on vertical shaft 92, is then lowered by the shaft 92 through the action of cam lever 94 and cam 96. This claw 88 holds the-tobacco during the withdrawal of platform 10-.
  • clamp plate 272 When tobacco is compacted against the finger plate 196, clamp plate 272 in cooperation with claw 322 (more fully described in the above mentioned Neumair and Clausen specification) rips off a measured hunch charge of a predetermined weight and density. Because of the overlapping of the various bunch lengths the final bunch charge will contain some laminae extending substantially throughout the entire Width of the bunch charge. That is, by overlapping, the laminae are not longitudinally wrinkled or corrugated during the sidewise compaction. Since the width of a leaf may be as wide or wider than a bunch charge, it is inevitable and inherent in my method that some leaves will provide a lamina substantially of bunch charge width in each bunch as note the bunch charge width to the right of plate 272 in Figs. 1 and 5.
  • each lamina is slightly angled from the horizontal by the shingling.
  • Fig. 1 compare the position of the leaves in tobacco T with the leaves in stream S. It will also be more uniform in density because the shingling of the charge lengths permits a smoother and better compaction.
  • Figs. 6 and 8 illustrate the structure and conformation of the horizontal bunch charge column S.
  • Fig. 8 particularly shows how leaf portions will be positioned in the final charge W.
  • the tobacco charge length L is composed of whole leaf width portions due to its severance from the leading end of the tobacco T on the belt 2 and also due to the width of the stream T.
  • any severance of the stream S thereby formed on belt 50 requires that there be some whole leaf widths present.
  • certain of the whole leaf Widths will extend throughout the width of the final bunch charge (leaf 1' for example). This becomes more apparent by reference to Fig.
  • the final bunch charge has two very favorable characteristics (1) it contains whole leaf widths l and (2) some of its whole leaf portions 1 will extend the full width of the final bunch charge.
  • a yieldable horizontal member positioned above said horizontal column of tobacco, a yieldable finger positioned transversely to said column to oppose the forward motion thereof at a predetermined point, means operatively connected to said yielding finger to arrest the movement of said feed means upon a yielding movement of said finger, said means including a link positioning said yielding finger, said link having at least tWo overlapping parts whereby its effective length may be increased and decreased, and a device moved by said yieldable horizontal member and operative to increase or decrease the effective length of said link whereby to vary the position of the point of opposition of said finger.
  • a cross feed conveyor having a width greater than the width of a long filler tobacco leaf used therefor, a corrugated knife at the forward end of said cross feed conveyor to sever bunch length charges from the forward end of a tobacco stream advanced by said conveyor, 2.
  • a secondary conveyor adapted to have a variable intermittent tobacco compacting movement, means to move said platform relative to said secondary conveyor to convey a bunch length charge to a predetermined position over said secondary conveyor and in overlapping relationship to the h prior bunch length charge conveyed by said means, said means also being adapted to retract said platform, and gripping means to retain said tobacco in said overlapping relationship at said secondary conveyor when said platform is retracted to permit said tobacco bunch lengths to be deposited in overlapping relationship thereon to form a horizontal column of overlapping tobacco bunch charges having some laminae of whole leaf Width portions.
  • a conveyor belt adapted to receive such bunch length charges to form a stream thereon, a member suspended above said conveyor belt to form a narrow channel therewith, yieldable measuring fingers at the end of the upper run of said belt adapted to yield under a predetermined pressure and to rrest the advance of said belt, a transfer adapted to place a bunch charge length sidewise on said belt, a rotary cam operated in response to the movement of said belt and having a cam surface formed of gradually varying radii corresponding to the advance of said belt, a cam follower engaging said surface, and positioning mechanism operatively connected to said transfer controlled by said cam follower to place tobacco bunch length charges in predetermined position on said conveyor belt in accordance with the amount of advance from said conveyor belt.
  • bunch charge forming means comprising a conveyor belt for conveying a stream of thin previously formed charge bunch lengths, a yieldable member mounted above and parallel to said conveyor belt to form a narrow channel therewith, yieldable measuring fingers at the end of the upper run of said belt against which said bunch charges are compacted sidewise to form a thin uniform sheet having the width of a cigar bunch length, a lever operatively secured to said yieldable member to rock when said member yields, a variable lengthed positioning member operatively connected to said fingers, and means operated by said rocking lever to vary the effective length of said positioning member whereby it will vary the position of said yieldable fingers in accordance with the thickness of said thin stream.
  • a long filler cigar machine having a cross feed conveyor belt to deliver a thin stream of Whole tobacco leaves, cutting means to sever the leading end of said stream into bunch length charges, a secondary conveyor belt, tobacco confining means over said secondary belt, a yieldable transverse member positioned at the end of said secondary conveyor belt, drive means to intermittently advance said secondary conveyor belt to feed and compact tobacco bunch length charges deposited thereon against said yieldable transverse member, said transverse member being adapted to yield upon a predetermined pressure, intermediate means to intermittently stop the drive means when said transverse member yields, and means to receive and to transfer one by one said bunch length charges severed from the leading end of said stream to said secondary conveyor belt during the intermittent stops to form thereon a thin stream of tobacco bunch length charges, said transfer means being operatively constructed and arranged to locate said bunch length charges in uniform edgewise overlapping or shingled relationship on said conveyor belt.
  • a cross feed conveyor adapted to transport a thin stream of longitudinally positioned tobacco leaf, means to sever predetermined charge bunch lengths from the forward end of the stream, a secondary conveyor belt, transfer means .to transfer each charge bunch length to said secondary conveyor belt, said transfer means having at least one motion parallel to andin the same.
  • a cross feed conveyor adapted to transport a thin stream of longitudinally positioned tobacco leaf, means to sever predetermined charge bunch lengths from the forward end of the stream, a
  • trans fer means having at least one motion parallel to and in the same direction as said conveyor belt, a yieldable transverse member to arrest the advance of material on said conveyor belt whereby said material will be compacted by the motion of said conveyor belt, means to arrest the motion of said conveyor belt when the compaction of said material exerts a predetermined pressure on said transverse member, and mechanism to arrest the forward longitudinal motion of said transfer means proportionately to' the 7 forward end of the primary conveyor belt to transfer said lengths on said secondary conveyor belt, a mechanism to move said platform to a position over said secondary conveyor belt for transfer of said lengths thereto, means operatively connected with said secondary conveyor belt to arrest the motion of said platform at a predetermined position over said secondary conveyor belt for transfer of said lengths thereto, said latter means being responsive to the variable distance of intermittent advance of the prior intermittent advance of said secondary conveyor belt whereby tobacco bunch length "sections deposited from said platform will be located in shingled
  • veyor adapted'to receive a thin stream of longitudinally positioned tobacco leaves, a cutter positioned to sever cigar bunch lengths from the forward end of said stream, a
  • secondary conveyor belt a longitudinal member, positioned above said secondary conveyor belt to form a channel therewith, means to intermittently drive said secondary conveyor belt to. compact sidewise in said channel charge bunch lengths deposited on said secondary conveyor belt, mechanism operative to move said platform to the secondary conveyor belt to deposit charge bunch lengths thereon, and means to measure the intermittent advance of said secondary conveyor belt, said measur ing means being adapted to limit the movement of said mechanism whereby a charge bunch lengthmay be deposited in predetermined overlapping relationship to. a prior bunch charge length advanced on said conveyor belt.
  • a yieldable horizon tal member positioned above said conveyor belt forming a channel therewith, a yieldable member positioned transversely across said channel to intercept said tobacco, means to arrest the movement of said conveyor belt, mechanism connected to said yielding transverse member .to activate said arresting means upon movement of'said yielding transverse member, said mechanism including a link positioning said yieldable transverse member at a predetermined point along said channel, said link comprising at least two parts whereby its effective length may be increased and decreased, and a member moved by said horizontal channel-forming member and operative to selectively increase or decrease the efiective length of said linkas said yieldable horizontal member responds to the depth of the horizontal column of tobacco in said channel.
  • bunch length charges being further characterized in that they are of varying width in proportion to' theirmeasured.
  • the method of forming cigar bunch charges having some laminae of whole leaf width portions comprising, forming a thin stream of Whole tobacco leaves placed longitudinally in said stream, severing sections of bunch charge length in said stream to form lengths having'corrugations at the ends, placing said sections side by side in shingled relationship to form a second stream with said corrugations of adjacent lengths in register with each other, compacting said shingled sections to a' predetermined density and severing bunch charge Widths to form bunch charges from the forward end of said' shingled 15.
  • the method of forming cigar bunch charges having some laminae of whole leaf width portions comprising, forming a thin stream of whole tobacco leaves placed longitudinally in said stream, severing corrugated sections of bunch charge length in said stream, placing said sections side by side in shingled relationship, the corrugations of one charge length coinciding with the corrugations of the prior charge length With which it is placed in shingled relationship to form a second stream, compacting said shingled sections to a predetermined density, and severing bunch charges from the forward end of said shingled compacted stream.

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Description

May 29, 1956 J. A. NEUMAIR FILLER FEED MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 5, 1952 NR N @kwlk a,
INVENTOR JOSEPH A. NEUMAIR ATTORNEY May 29, 1956 J. A. NEUMAIR FILLER FEED MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 5, 1952 m A a R w mm m s B (Q Q 7 Q T u Q R 5 V w NQE L y 1956 J. A. NEUMAIR 2,747,580
FILLER FEED MECHANISM Filed June 5, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG.4
f6 3a 2a 30 20 3/7 INVENTOR I JOSEPH A. NEUMAII;
ATTORNEY May 29, 1956 J. A. NEUMAIR FILLER FEED MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 5, 1952 INVENTOR JOSEPH A. NEUMAIR ATTORN EY May 29, 1956 J. A. NEUMAIR FILLER FEED MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 5, 1952 INVENTOR JOSEPH A. NEU MAI R BY 2/ Z ATTORNEY United States Fatent C) FILLER FEED MECHANISM Joseph A. Neumair, Hollis, N. Y., assignor to International Cigar Machinery (20., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 5, 1952, Serial No. 291,888
15 Claims. (Cl. 13121) This invention relates to long filler cigar machines, and particularly the feeding of long filler tobacco and the formation of long filler cigar bunches.
One of the principal objects is to form an improved filler bunch charge of long filler tobacco suitable for rolling into a Spanish bunch. Heretofore, it has been necessary in forming such bunch charges to make a horizontal cut parallel with the laminae of the bunch charge. Since, from the nature of tobacco leaf, these laminae are not perfectly even and in a single plane, the line of cut tends to mutilate the several laminae through which it passes. One method of overcoming this objection, as disclosed in the copending application of Neumair and Clausen, S. N. 147,178, filed March 2, 1950, is to form a bunch charge by severing charge lengths at the forward end of a thin stream of tobacco and compacting these charges sidewise to form a second thin stream (of bunch length width) and then severing charge bunch widths from the forward end of this second stream. This method has proved of great advantage.
It is, however, an object of this invention to improve the method of sidewise compaction by positioning thin charge bunch lengths side by side in overlapping or shingled relation. This shingling facilitates the compaction and produces a better interlacing of the laminae of each charge length to form a more continuous and homogenous stream. In streams formed from sidewise compaction of charge lengths, the laminae frequently fail to interlace. This produces bunch charges known as splits and is composed of two longitudinal sections each representing a portion of an original charge length. Cigars formed from such bunch charges have a tendency to burn unevenly, since the split forms with the binder and wrapper a veritable flue along the side of the cigar.
Still another object of the invention is to shingle successive charge lengths upon the preceding charge length in a predetermined overlap. Since the charge lengths are cut on corrugated cutters, it is advantageous to locate this overlap so that the corrugation of the one charge length coincides with the corrugation of the prior charge length.
It is a further object of my invention to design a mechanical apparatus that will accomplish my method in a satisfactory manner that will not only form a thin stream of charge lengths but will form it in a shingled fashion with controlled overlap.
It is a further object of my invention to provide a means of varying the predetermined width of a charge bunch automatically in accordance with its thickness. Thus, if a charge bunch of greater than average thickness is formed in the sidewise compaction stream, the width of said bunch will be compensatingly slightly less than average and, conversely, if a thinner than average bunch is formed, the final width severed will be slightly greater than average.
My invention is designed to incorporate all the advantages of the aforementioned co-pending application plus the above-mentioned improvements. Other objects r ce will be apparent from an understanding of the following specifications.
In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the filler feed mechanism illustrating the formation of a shingled horizontal tobacco column;
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, taken on line 22 of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the automatic charge measuring and control mechanism;
Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the bunch length charge transfer mechanism taken on line'4-4 of Fig. 1;
Fig. 5 is a partial sectional side elevation of the bunch length charge retaining mechanism;
Fig. 6 is a plan view illustrating the forming and aligning of the horizontal bunch length charge column; and
Fig. 7 is a side elevation partly in section illustrating the feed control mechanism.
Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic sectional side elevation of a portion of the horizontal bunch charge column illustrating the whole leaf width sections in a bunch charge.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 4, whole leaves of long filler tobacco T are fed on a wide cross-feed belt 2. It should be pointed out that this cross-feed differs from conventional cross-feeds commonly employed today in cigar machines in that it has no vertical side channel belts but only the bottom belt 2. This is because the channel is constructed wider than the width of the tobacco leaves employed. This permits placing the leaves on the belt to form a thin stream, thick in the center and tapered toward the edges. The sides of the channel may be formed by stationary members 4 as illustrated in Fig. 1.
Tobacco T is fed forward onto transfer platform 10 the distance of a bunch length, whereupon the corrugated cutter 6 is, by means not shown, moved downwardly to cooperate with the stationary and complementary cutter 7, to sever a charge length. The charge length L is stripped from the cutter 7 by the fingers 12 which drop into clamping position as cam piece 66 disengages the stud 82 on the lever 81. Lever 81 is secured to shaft 83 to which are secured the fingers 12. Cam piece 66 is operated by means not shown in conjunction with the operation of the cutter 6. This may be done in the manner disclosed at Fig. 6 of the copending application of Neumair and Clausen, S. N. 147,178.
The operation and mounting of the platform is as follows: I
Shaft 16 rotatably mounted in the frame of the cigar machine (not shown) has rigidly attached thereto a cam lever 18 carrying at its free end a cam roller 20 which bears on the cam 21 secured to rotating shaft 15. Also secured to the shaft 16 is the lever 22 to whose free end is pinned a supporting link 24 by means of pin 25. Cam lever 18 and lever 22 through shaft 16 operate as a bell crank lever. Tension spring 23 keeps the cam roller 20 in contact with the surface of the cam 21.
Link 24 by means of pin 27 loosely engages a slot 26 of vertical support 28 to whose upper end is rigidly secured platform 10. To maintain the support 28 in the vertical position, a link 30 runs from the bottom of the support 28 to a pin 31 on the free end of a link 32 pivoted at its other end to a stud 34. The links 24 and 30 cross each other and are commonly pivoted at their point of intersection to one end of link 36 by the pin 35. The other end of link 36 is attached to the free end of cam lever 38 pivotally secured to stud 40. Cam lever 38 has a cam roller 42 which is held in contact with cam 44' by the tension spring 46. This parallel linkage maintains the platform 10 in a horizontal position while permitting both vertical and horizontal movement thereof.
Horizontal movement of the platform 10 is initiated tioned Neumair and Clausen application.
by movement of the lever 38 as the spring 46 causes it to execute the motion defined by the cam'44. As the lever 38 moves to the right the platform 1% will likewise move to the right due to the toggle action of the links 24 and 30 on the vertical support 28. As the pin 35 moves between the pins 31 and 25, pin 27 rides freely in slot 26. a
Vertical motion of the platform results from the motion of lever 18. Cam roller 26 in lever 18 is held in contact with the cam 21 under the tension of the spring 23. As the lever 18 swings counter-clockwise the shaft 16 and lever 22 likewise are rotated counterclockwise. This counter-clockwise motion is transmitted to the links 36 and 32 as may be clearly seen in Fig. 1. The pins 25, 35 and 31 accordingly move in a downward are and with them the vertical support 28 and the connecting links 24 and 39.
The shingled horizontal columns of tobacco is fed forward on a belt 50 supported on a plurality of idler rollers 52 and driven by drive pulley54. The upper or active run of the belt is further supported by the table 56. The belt feeds forward the shingled tobacco compacted beneath the lower horizontal run of the belt 58 whose drive pulley 6t! is connected to the drive pulley 54 through hub gears 62 and 64. The idler pulley 67 of the compressor'fbelt -58'is supported on one end of a lever 68 pivoted on fulcrum shaft 79. The other end of lever 68 supports the link 72 to which is attached wedge-shaped member 74. As tobacco is fed forward on the belt 50 it is compacted beneath the belt 58 in the channel 57 formed between belt 58 and belt 50 and against the fingers 196 whose structure'and operation 7 is the same as the finger plate 196 of the above-men- As the tobacco attains a predetermined compaction pressure against this finger the motion of the drive pulley 54 is arrested by means illustrated in Fig. 7.
Referring to Fig. 7, the fingers or finger plate 196 are secured to .a member 252 pivotally secured on an arm 254 loosely mounted on'a shaft 256 held in the frame of the'machine. The opposite end of this arm 254 carries a cam roller 258 engaging a cam track 260 of a cam 262. This arm 254 raises and lowers the fingers 196 into and out of operative position in the slot 188, in the same manner as the arm 254 of the aforementioned Neumair and Clausen application.
Also pivotally attached to the member 252 is one end of the arm 250 composed of two sections 249 and The other end of the-arm 250 is pivoted to the free end of lever 242. Lever 242 is secured on shaft 224. Also secured to shaft 224, is counterweight lever 238 with its adjustable counterweight 240.
As the belt 50 moves the tobacco forward and it is compacted against the finger 196, the finger yields raising the weight 238 through the above described linkage 250, 242 and the shaft 224 is rocked clockwise.
Loosely mounted on shaft 224 is the latch 214. This latch is held by spring 216 against a pin 218 mounted on a lug 220 secured to a sleeve 222. The sleeve 222 moves with the lever 238 by means of its attachment thereto by the pin230 mounted on a lug 228 also secured to the sleeve 222.
'The clockwise movement, therefore, of shaft 224 moves latch214 out of engagement with a pawl 208 which then under the influence of spring 209 engages ratchet wheel 210. This causes a clutch 18!) to disengage shaft '15 from gear 211 driving gear 53. Gear 53 is secured to shaft 55 whereby pulley 54 (also secured to shaft 55) is driven. The feed stroke of belt 56 is thereby terminated.
The next feed stroke is begun when the high spot of a cam 1-98 on shaft 15 contacts a cam roller 200 on an arm 292 to which is secured a pin 206 which contacts the free end of pawl 208. Thisraises the pawl 4 I out of engagement with ratchet 21f), thereby i e-engaging clutch 180.
An arm 246 pivoted on stud 248 engages section 249 of arm 250 by means of a pin 93 and a slot 95. This arm 246 carries a cam roller'2 66 engaging 'a'carn surface 264. As thefingers 196 are urged forward by the tobacco, arm 246 moves forward, riding away from the cam surface 264. After the latch 214 is tripped free of the pawl 208, cam surface 264 overtakes cam roller 266 and moves the fingers 196 further forward so that it clears the tobacco during its descent with the arm 254. Cam surface 264 then gently returns the fingers 196 to their starting point in time for thenext cycle.
The link 250 is composed of two parts 249 and 251, which overlap each other a distance established by the wedge-shaped member 74. The operation of this structure depends on the thickness of the tobacco beneath the compression belt 58. In the event that overly thick charge lengths are fed to platform 10, the pulley 67 is raised during the passage of such lengths along belt 59. The descending link 72 is lowered, causing the wedge member 74 to increase the overlap of the members 249 and 251, thereby shortening the length of the tacts finger 196 sooner, and sooner raises weight 240' by the above described linkage 256, 242 and shaft 224. 7
By raising weight 240 slightly earlier in the cycle, latch 214 releases pawl 208 sooner and the'clutch 180 disengages shaft 15 and pulley 54' is no longer driven by the mesne linkage already described. Thus the length fed is less. In the event of an overly thin charge length there is a relatively contrary action to lengthen the feed stroke of pulley 54. That is, finger 196 is contacted later in the cycle and the feed is correspondingly longer.
A cam 73 is mounted on one end of a shaft 76 to the other end of which is secured a gear 84. The gear 84 meshes with gear which rotates with the shaft 55 of pulley 54. This cam rotates approximately once for each increment of the belt 50. A cam follower 86 is mounted in an arm 48 pivoted on a stud 77. The free end of arm 48 is provided with a slot 9f; which engages the pin 91 connecting arms 36 38. As arm 38 and its other connecting links are urged forward un- V der the influence of spring 46, cam follower 86 contacts cam 78 and the forward motion of platform ii) is arrested. Thus, the position of the cam .73 determines the prior feed stroke of the pulley 54.
M ode of operation In operation, the tobacco T, composed of a thin stream of tobacco leaves, is placed on the belt 2. Bunch length charges are fed to the platform 10 and severed by corrugated cutter 6. The finger rods 12 descend to grip the bunch length L on the platform 10. Platform 1% then is lowered and advanced to dotted line position shown in V Fig. 1. This position varies according to rotation of the cam 78 which, by the linkages associated therewith, defines the length of the prior feed stroke of the belt 59. The claw 88, supported on vertical shaft 92, is then lowered by the shaft 92 through the action of cam lever 94 and cam 96. This claw 88 holds the-tobacco during the withdrawal of platform 10-.
Because of the controlled horizontal advanceiof the platform 10 relative to the feedbelt 50 the corrugations of the tobacco charge length L will register with the corrugations of the prior charge length LP when deposited thereon in overlapping fashion to form shingled stream S.
When tobacco is compacted against the finger plate 196, clamp plate 272 in cooperation with claw 322 (more fully described in the above mentioned Neumair and Clausen specification) rips off a measured hunch charge of a predetermined weight and density. Because of the overlapping of the various bunch lengths the final bunch charge will contain some laminae extending substantially throughout the entire Width of the bunch charge. That is, by overlapping, the laminae are not longitudinally wrinkled or corrugated during the sidewise compaction. Since the width of a leaf may be as wide or wider than a bunch charge, it is inevitable and inherent in my method that some leaves will provide a lamina substantially of bunch charge width in each bunch as note the bunch charge width to the right of plate 272 in Figs. 1 and 5. In viewing the illustration, it should be borne in mind that each lamina is slightly angled from the horizontal by the shingling. In Fig. 1 compare the position of the leaves in tobacco T with the leaves in stream S. It will also be more uniform in density because the shingling of the charge lengths permits a smoother and better compaction.
Figs. 6 and 8 illustrate the structure and conformation of the horizontal bunch charge column S. Fig. 8 particularly shows how leaf portions will be positioned in the final charge W. It is obvious that the tobacco charge length L is composed of whole leaf width portions due to its severance from the leading end of the tobacco T on the belt 2 and also due to the width of the stream T. When the tobacco charge length L is overlapped as at V on the prior charge length LP, any severance of the stream S thereby formed on belt 50 requires that there be some whole leaf widths present. It further follows that certain of the whole leaf Widths will extend throughout the width of the final bunch charge (leaf 1' for example). This becomes more apparent by reference to Fig. 6 where it may be seen that some whole leaf width portions are wider than one-half the width of charge length L. For, as may be seen in Figs. 5, 6 and 8, the overlap is approximately one-half the width of charge length L. Consequently, the final bunch charge has two very favorable characteristics (1) it contains whole leaf widths l and (2) some of its whole leaf portions 1 will extend the full width of the final bunch charge.
I claim:
1. In a machine for compacting a horizontal column of tobacco and having positive feed means to move said tobacco forward, a yieldable horizontal member positioned above said horizontal column of tobacco, a yieldable finger positioned transversely to said column to oppose the forward motion thereof at a predetermined point, means operatively connected to said yielding finger to arrest the movement of said feed means upon a yielding movement of said finger, said means including a link positioning said yielding finger, said link having at least tWo overlapping parts whereby its effective length may be increased and decreased, and a device moved by said yieldable horizontal member and operative to increase or decrease the effective length of said link whereby to vary the position of the point of opposition of said finger.
2. In a long filler cigar machine, a cross feed conveyor having a width greater than the width of a long filler tobacco leaf used therefor, a corrugated knife at the forward end of said cross feed conveyor to sever bunch length charges from the forward end of a tobacco stream advanced by said conveyor, 2. platform positioned to receive one by one said severed bunch lengths, a secondary conveyor adapted to have a variable intermittent tobacco compacting movement, means to move said platform relative to said secondary conveyor to convey a bunch length charge to a predetermined position over said secondary conveyor and in overlapping relationship to the h prior bunch length charge conveyed by said means, said means also being adapted to retract said platform, and gripping means to retain said tobacco in said overlapping relationship at said secondary conveyor when said platform is retracted to permit said tobacco bunch lengths to be deposited in overlapping relationship thereon to form a horizontal column of overlapping tobacco bunch charges having some laminae of whole leaf Width portions.
3. In a long filler cigar machine having a cross feed conveyor and means for severing bunch length charges from the forward end of said conveyor, a conveyor belt adapted to receive such bunch length charges to form a stream thereon, a member suspended above said conveyor belt to form a narrow channel therewith, yieldable measuring fingers at the end of the upper run of said belt adapted to yield under a predetermined pressure and to rrest the advance of said belt, a transfer adapted to place a bunch charge length sidewise on said belt, a rotary cam operated in response to the movement of said belt and having a cam surface formed of gradually varying radii corresponding to the advance of said belt, a cam follower engaging said surface, and positioning mechanism operatively connected to said transfer controlled by said cam follower to place tobacco bunch length charges in predetermined position on said conveyor belt in accordance with the amount of advance from said conveyor belt.
4. In a long filler cigar machine, bunch charge forming means comprising a conveyor belt for conveying a stream of thin previously formed charge bunch lengths, a yieldable member mounted above and parallel to said conveyor belt to form a narrow channel therewith, yieldable measuring fingers at the end of the upper run of said belt against which said bunch charges are compacted sidewise to form a thin uniform sheet having the width of a cigar bunch length, a lever operatively secured to said yieldable member to rock when said member yields, a variable lengthed positioning member operatively connected to said fingers, and means operated by said rocking lever to vary the effective length of said positioning member whereby it will vary the position of said yieldable fingers in accordance with the thickness of said thin stream.
5. In a long filler cigar machine having a cross feed conveyor belt to deliver a thin stream of Whole tobacco leaves, cutting means to sever the leading end of said stream into bunch length charges, a secondary conveyor belt, tobacco confining means over said secondary belt, a yieldable transverse member positioned at the end of said secondary conveyor belt, drive means to intermittently advance said secondary conveyor belt to feed and compact tobacco bunch length charges deposited thereon against said yieldable transverse member, said transverse member being adapted to yield upon a predetermined pressure, intermediate means to intermittently stop the drive means when said transverse member yields, and means to receive and to transfer one by one said bunch length charges severed from the leading end of said stream to said secondary conveyor belt during the intermittent stops to form thereon a thin stream of tobacco bunch length charges, said transfer means being operatively constructed and arranged to locate said bunch length charges in uniform edgewise overlapping or shingled relationship on said conveyor belt.
6. In a long filler cigar machine having a primary cross feed conveyor belt and a secondary conveyor belt for compacting sidewise bunch length charges deposited thereon, a member longitudinally positioned above said secondary conveyor belt to form therewith a channel, a transverse member to stay the flow of material advanced on said conveyor belt through said channel whereby said material will be compacted to fill said channel, means to arrest the movement of said secondary conveyor belt when said material has reached a predetermined compaction pressure, other means to measure the advance of saidconveyor belt prior to its arrest, transfer means adapted to receive bunch length charges severed from the advancing end of said primary cross feed conveyor, and mechanism to advance said transfer means to deposit said bunch length charges on said secondary conveyor belt, said mechanism being controlled by said measuring means of said secondary belt whereby the transfer means will position charge bunch lengths in predetermined shingled relation to the prior charge bunch length positioned on said belt and advanced therewith.
7. In a long filler cigar machine, a cross feed conveyor adapted to transport a thin stream of longitudinally positioned tobacco leaf, means to sever predetermined charge bunch lengths from the forward end of the stream, a secondary conveyor belt, transfer means .to transfer each charge bunch length to said secondary conveyor belt, said transfer means having at least one motion parallel to andin the same. direction as said conveyor belt, a longitudinal member supported above the said conveyor belt to form a channel therewith, a yieldable transverse member to arrest the advance .of material through said channel whereby said material will be compacted within said channel by the motion'of said conveyor belt, means to arrest the motion of said conveyor belt when the compaction of said material exerts a predetermined pressure on said transverse member, and mechanism to arrest the forward longitudinal motion of said transfer means proportionately to the amount of advance of said secondary conveyor belt and to position said transfer means to transfer each subsequent bunch charge length in a predetermined shingled relationship to the preceding charge bunch length transferred to said secondary conveyor belt.
8. In a long filler cigar machine, a cross feed conveyor adapted to transport a thin stream of longitudinally positioned tobacco leaf, means to sever predetermined charge bunch lengths from the forward end of the stream, a
secondary conveyor belt, tobacco' confining means over said secondary belt, transfer means to transfer each charge bunchlength to said secondary conveyor belt, said trans fer means having at least one motion parallel to and in the same direction as said conveyor belt, a yieldable transverse member to arrest the advance of material on said conveyor belt whereby said material will be compacted by the motion of said conveyor belt, means to arrest the motion of said conveyor belt when the compaction of said material exerts a predetermined pressure on said transverse member, and mechanism to arrest the forward longitudinal motion of said transfer means proportionately to' the 7 forward end of the primary conveyor belt to transfer said lengths on said secondary conveyor belt, a mechanism to move said platform to a position over said secondary conveyor belt for transfer of said lengths thereto, means operatively connected with said secondary conveyor belt to arrest the motion of said platform at a predetermined position over said secondary conveyor belt for transfer of said lengths thereto, said latter means being responsive to the variable distance of intermittent advance of the prior intermittent advance of said secondary conveyor belt whereby tobacco bunch length "sections deposited from said platform will be located in shingled position to priorbunch lengths con: ve yed to said secondary conveyor belt.
10. In a long filler cigar machine, a cross feed concompacted stream.
veyor adapted'to receive a thin stream of longitudinally positioned tobacco leaves, a cutter positioned to sever cigar bunch lengths from the forward end of said stream, a
platform positioned to receive said cigar bunch lengths, a
secondary conveyor belt, a longitudinal member, positioned above said secondary conveyor belt to form a channel therewith, means to intermittently drive said secondary conveyor belt to. compact sidewise in said channel charge bunch lengths deposited on said secondary conveyor belt, mechanism operative to move said platform to the secondary conveyor belt to deposit charge bunch lengths thereon, and means to measure the intermittent advance of said secondary conveyor belt, said measur ing means being adapted to limit the movement of said mechanism whereby a charge bunch lengthmay be deposited in predetermined overlapping relationship to. a prior bunch charge length advanced on said conveyor belt.
ll. In a machine for compacting ahorizontal column of tobacco and having a driven horizontal conveyor belt to support and compact said tobacco, a yieldable horizon: tal member positioned above said conveyor belt forming a channel therewith, a yieldable member positioned transversely across said channel to intercept said tobacco, means to arrest the movement of said conveyor belt, mechanism connected to said yielding transverse member .to activate said arresting means upon movement of'said yielding transverse member, said mechanism including a link positioning said yieldable transverse member at a predetermined point along said channel, said link comprising at least two parts whereby its effective length may be increased and decreased, and a member moved by said horizontal channel-forming member and operative to selectively increase or decrease the efiective length of said linkas said yieldable horizontal member responds to the depth of the horizontal column of tobacco in said channel. 7
, 12. The method of forming a bunch charge comprising feeding a thinstream of whole tobacco leaves, cutting' thin bunch length charges from the forward end of said stream, placing each of said charges in uniform overlapping edgewise relation upon the bunch length charge immediately preceding, compacting said bunch lengths edgewise to form a shingled sheet of predetermined volume and density and transversely severing from said sheet a bunch charge whereby said charge may have some laminae of whole leaf widths.
13. The method of forming a bunch charge comprising,
bunch length charges being further characterized in that they are of varying width in proportion to' theirmeasured.
depth. 7
14. The method of forming cigar bunch charges having some laminae of whole leaf width portions comprising, forming a thin stream of Whole tobacco leaves placed longitudinally in said stream, severing sections of bunch charge length in said stream to form lengths having'corrugations at the ends, placing said sections side by side in shingled relationship to form a second stream with said corrugations of adjacent lengths in register with each other, compacting said shingled sections to a' predetermined density and severing bunch charge Widths to form bunch charges from the forward end of said' shingled 15. The method of forming cigar bunch charges having some laminae of whole leaf width portions comprising, forming a thin stream of whole tobacco leaves placed longitudinally in said stream, severing corrugated sections of bunch charge length in said stream, placing said sections side by side in shingled relationship, the corrugations of one charge length coinciding with the corrugations of the prior charge length With which it is placed in shingled relationship to form a second stream, compacting said shingled sections to a predetermined density, and severing bunch charges from the forward end of said shingled compacted stream.
Prescott Feb. 9, 1909 Hammerstein June 8, 1915 10 Heyman May 5, 1925 Heyman Nov. 17, 1925 Bronander Dec. 24, 1929 Bronander June 24, 1930 Rundell June 27, 1933 Lindblad Oct. 23, 1934 Wahlstrorn Mar. 31, 1942 Durning May 24, 1949 Rundell Oct. 16, 1951 Peterson Sept. 23, 1952 Rundell Jan. 20, 1953
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US3244182A (en) * 1964-08-24 1966-04-05 American Mach & Foundry Tobacco feed to cigarette machine
US3769990A (en) * 1971-02-08 1973-11-06 Imp Tobacco Group Ltd Apparatus for treating a fleece of fibrous material

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US3244182A (en) * 1964-08-24 1966-04-05 American Mach & Foundry Tobacco feed to cigarette machine
US3769990A (en) * 1971-02-08 1973-11-06 Imp Tobacco Group Ltd Apparatus for treating a fleece of fibrous material

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