US3292637A - Mechanism for wrapping cigar fillers - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 20, 1966 w. PALLACH 3,292,637

MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING CIGAR FILLERS Filed 001;. 20, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet l h-A i 21 13a 76a 63 F/gJ 50 23d 50b 20 22a 22 90 Inventor A/fl f H 1' Pa Tm-1 Dec. 20, 1966 w. PALLACH 3,292,637

MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING CIGAR FILLERS Filed Oct. 20, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 20, 1966 w. PALLACH 3,292,637

MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING CIGAR FILLERS Filed Oct. 20, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor.-

Dec. 20, 1966 w. PALLACH 3,292,637

MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING CIGAR FILLERS Filed Oct. 20, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor:

United States Patent 3,292,637 MECHANTSM FOR WRAPPING CIGAR FILLERS Walter Pallach, Hamburg-Bergedorf, Germany, assignor to Hauni-Werke Korber & C0. K.G., Hamburg-Bergedorf, Germany Filed Oct. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 405,094 [Ilaims priority, application Germany, Nov. 9, 1963, H 50,792 6 Claims. (Cl. 131-56) The present invention relates to cigar machines in general, and more particularly to an improved mechanism which is utilized for wrapping raw cigar fillers or bunches. Still more particularly, the invention relates to an improved mechanism including a rolling mold wherein cigar fillers or bunches of unit length or multiple unit length may be wrapped in leaves of tobacco or similar wrapper material.

It is known to provide a Wrapping mechanism for cigar fillers with a pair of upper wrapping rolls and a pair of lower wrapping rolls which define between themselves a filler-receiving nest wherein the filler rotates by contact with the rolls to thereby convolute a wrapper around its periphery and to be transformed into a finished cigar. At the start of a wrapping operation, one end portion of the wrapper is inserted between the filler and one of the upper rolls so that the Wrapper is clamped and is automatically convoluted around the filler. As a rule, the upper Wrapping rolls are driven in response to engagement with the filler, and the wrapping mechanism comprises suitable drive means for rotating the lower wrapping rolls. In other words, in order to rotate the upper rolls, one must drive the lower rolls and one must also insert a filler into the rolling mold because the filler serves as a means for transmitting motion to the upper rolls. A serious drawback of such wrapping mechanisms is that the upper rolls will not always rotate at the same peripheral speed as the lower rolls whereby the Wrapper is likely to be misaligned, overly stretched or otherwise deformed so that the ultimate product is a cigar of inferior quality as regards its appearance and sales appeal.

It was already proposed to drive all four wrapping rolls at one or both ends of the rolling mold so that each upper roll will invariably rotate at a predetermined speed. However, such drive means are likely to interfere with the wrapping operation, particularly with the wrapping of leaves at the ends of a filler. If the filler is provided with one or two profiled end portions, such end portions must be Wrapped with utmost precision and a cigar machine normally comprises special sockets which insure that the trailing end of each Wrapper is properly applied around the profiled end portions of the filler. A positive drive for the upper rolls which is adjacent to the one or the other end of the rolling mold would interfere with such application of wrappers to the end portions of fillers. Also, and if the drive comprises spur gears or bevel gears, particles of tobacco are likely to penetrate between the meshing teeth to affect the operation of the drive or to necessitate frequent dismantling for the purpose of cleaning. The situation is aggravated when the filler is of double unit length and is provided With a profiled portion at each of its ends. In a wrapping mechanism for fillers with two profiled end portions, the sockets and other instrumentalities for applying wrappers to the profiled end portions occupy so much space that there is little, if any, room for the provision of gears which would rotate the upper rolls.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide an improved Wrapping mechanism for raw cigar fillers and to construct the rolling mold of the wrapping mechanism in such a way that its ends are not obstructed by the drives which are utilized to rotate 3,292,637 Patented Dec. 20, 1966 A further object of the invention is to assemble the drive for the upper wrapping rolls in such a way that its component parts are readily accessible for the purpose of inspection, repair and/or replacement, and that such components are automatically held in optimum position to drive the upper rolls at a predetermined speed.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a rolling mold of the above outlined characteristics which is particularly suited for the application of dual wrappers to cigar fillers of double unit length.

A concomitant object of the instant invention is to provide a novel method of driving the wrapping rolls in a rolling mold for raw cigar fillers.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a drive for the upper and lower wrapping rolls of a rolling mold and to assemble the components of the drive in such a way that each such component may be kept out of alignment with the end portions of cigar fillers.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a drive of the just outlined characteristics wherein the upper rolls need not be driven through the intermediary of the filler and wherein the upper rolls may be driven by very simple, comparatively inexpensive and readily insertable or removable elements. i

A further object of the invention is to provide a drive of the above outlined characteristics which is capable of rotating the upper and lower wrapping rolls at the same peripheral speed regardless of the exact diameter of an upper or lower roll.

Briefly stated, one feature of my invention resides in the provision of a mechanism for applying wrappers or leaves to cigar fillers, preferably for applying pairs of mirror symmetrical wrappers to cigar fillers of double unit length. The mechanism comprises a rolling mold include ing fixed support means, a pair of parallel lower wrapping rolls which are journalled in the-support means, a pair of carrier means each of which is mounted for rotation about the axis of one of the lower rolls, an upper Wrapping roll journalled in each of the carrier means so as to be parallel with the lower rolls, means for rocking the carrier means between two angularly spaced positions in one of which the upper rolls are nearer to each other and 'define with the lower rolls a filler-receiving nest and in the other of which the upper rolls are more distant from each other to permit insertion or removal of a filler from the mold, first drive means for rotating the lower rolls in the same direction and at the same peripheral speed, and second drive means for rotating the'upper rolls in the same direction and at the same peripheral speed as the lower rolls. In accordance with my invention, the second drive means comprises at least one friction wheel rotatably supported by each of the carrier means and each such friction wheel is maintained in simultaneous frictional engagement with the corresponding upper and lower rolls so that the upper rolls are driven in response to rotation of the lower rolls. 7

In accordance with another important feature of my invention, the friction wheels are preferably mounted on spring-biased holders of variable length which are pivotally secured to the respective carrier means so that, on

shortening of the corresponding holder, each friction Wheel may be moved away from the associated rolls and is then pivotable with reference to the corresponding carrier means to be moved in an optimum position for inspection, cleaning or replacement. The upper and lower rolls are preferably located in the space between the friction wheels.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved wrapping mechanism itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of a specific embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a wrapping mechanism which embodies my invention,.certain parts of the mechanism being shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a smaller-scale top plan view of the wrapping mechanism with the leaf transferring and leaf stretching devices omitted for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 3 is a transverse vertical section as seen in the direction of arrows from the line A-B of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section as seen in the direction of arrows from the line IV-IV of FIG. 2 and shows one of the friction wheels and its holder in two different angula-r positions;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the wrapping mechanism and illustrates one of the leaf transferring and one of the leaf stretching devices with a portion of the leaf transferring device broken away; and

FIGS. 6 to 11 illustrate diagrammatically various stages in the treatment of a cigar filler of double unit length.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, there is shown a'portion of a cigar machine, and more particularly a mechanism for wrapping pairs of specially configurated mirror symmetrical leaves or wrappers D around cigar fillers or bunches Z of double unit length or around cigar fillers of unit length. The wrapping mechanism comprises a rolling mold composed of support means including a base member 1 and two upstanding bearing brackets 2, 3 secured to'the base member. The brackets 2, 3 support two parallel rotary shafts 4, 4a forming part of a pair of lower Wrapping or convoluting rolls 5, 6. Each lower roll further comprises a series of coaxial sleeves 7, 7a, 7a, 8, 8a, 9 and 9a which are non-rotatably secured to the respective shaft 4 or 4a. The sleeve 7 is located centrally of the corresponding shaft 4 or 4a and is flanked by sleeves 7a, 7a.

The sleeves 7a, 7a are flanked by sleeves 8a, 9a, and the sleeves 8a, 9a are flanked by sleeves 8, 9.

The drive means for the lower rolls 5, 6 comprises a driver gear 10 which is mounted in the bearing bracket 2 and meshes with two pinions 11, 12 which are coaxially secured to the shafts 4a and 4. These shafts are journalled in the brackets 2, 3 and will rotate in the same direction and at the same speed as soon as the gear 10 is driven by the main drive (not shown) of the cigar machine. The bracket 2 protects the gear 10 and pinions 11, 12 against contamination by tobacco particles or other foreign matter. I V

The rolling mold of the wrapping mechanism shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 further comprises a pair of upper wrapping or convoluting rolls 20, 21 which are parallel with the lower rolls 5, 6 and normally define therewith a fillerreceiving nest N. In FIGS. 1 to 4, the nest N accommodates a cigar filler Z.

The means for supporting and driving the upper rolls 20, 21 comprises two mirror symmetrical pairs of rotary carriers 13 and 14. The carriers 13 are rotatable about the axis of the shaft 4a, and the carriers 14 may rotate about the axis of the shaft 4. As best shown in FIG. 1, the left-hand carrier 13 is mounted on the shaft 4a between one of the sleeves 7a and the sleeve 8a, and the right-hand carrier 13 is mounted on the shaft 4a between the other sleeve 7a and the sleeve 9a. The carriers 14 are mounted insimilar fashion to rotate between the sleeves 7a, 8a and 7a, 9a on the shaft 4. The free ends of the carriers 13, 14 are respectively provided with clamping eyes 15a, 15 which engage end portions of horizontal shafts 16a, 16. The shafts 16, 16a are parallel with the shafts 4, 4a and are rigidly fixed to outwardly extending levers 17, these levers being articulately conupper rolls 20, 21 are more distant from each other so as i to allow for insertion or ejection of a cigar filler Z or a cigar Z from the rolling mold.

The shafts 19, 19a of the upper rolls 21, 20 are journalled in the carriers 13, 14 at a level above the lower shafts 4, 4a, and each upper roll further comprises a series of elongated sleeves which are non-rotatably fixed to the corresponding shafts 19, 19a. The shafts 19, 19a are free to rotate in the corresponding pairs of carriers. The

sleeves on the shaft 19a include a centrally located sleeve 22 and two outer sleeves 23, 24. The sleeves on the shaft 19 include a centrally located sleeve 22a and two outer sleeves 23a, 24a.

The upper rolls 20, 21 are driven by four pairs of friction wheels which are supported by the carriers 13, 14 and are respectively driven by the lower rolls 6 and 5. Each carrier 13 supports a holder 58, 59, and these holders respectively comprise clamping members 62, 63 which engage the shaft 16a, i.e., the holders'58, 59 are rotatable about the shaft 16a. The carriers 14 respectively support two holders 60, 61 having clamping members 65, 64 which engage the shaft 16. The holder 58 comprises an outer. tubular. portion 58b (see particularly FIG. 4), an inner tubular portion 58a which is telescoped into the outer tubular portion 58b, a shaft 500 whose central portion is journalled in the free end of the inner portion 58:: and

whose end portions extend beyond the inner portion 58a, and a resilient element in the formof a prestressed helical l spring 54 which -is inserted into the tubular portions 580, 58b and tends to move the inner portion 58:: toward the nest N. The end portions of the shaft 50c support two I coaxial friction wheels 50a, 50b which bear against the.

sleeve 23a of the upper roll 20 as well as against the sleeves 8, 8a of the lower roll 6. Thus, when the lower roll 6 is driven by the pinion 11, the upper 101120 is driven by the friction wheels 50a, 50b to rotate in the same direction and at the same peripheral speed as the roll 6. The holder 59 is of the same construction as the holder 58 and comprises a shaft 510 whose end portions carry two coaxial friction wheels 51a, 51b engaging the sleeve 24a of the upper roll 20 and the sleeves 9a, f the lower roll 6. Thus, the friction wheels 50a, 50b and 51a, 51b respectively drive the opposite ends of the upper roll 20.

The third holder 60 comprises a shaft 53c whose end.

coaxial friction wheels 52a, 52b which engage the sleeve 24 of the upper roll 21 and the sleeves-9a, 9 of the lower roll 5. It will be noted that the rolls 5, 6, 20 and 21 are located in the space between the friction wheels 50a, 50b,

51a, 51b and 52a, 52b, 53a, 53b, and that the axes of the friction wheels are parallel with the axes of the shafts 4, 4a, 19, 19a.

When the operator desires to gain access to friction rolls 50a, 50b, he pushes the inner portion 58a of the holder 58 against the bias of'the spring 54 so that the holder 58 is shortened and may be pivoted about the axis of the shaft 16a to the broken-line position 58 of FIG. 4. In such position of the holder 58, the friction wheels 50a, 50b are readily accessible to the operator for the purpose of inspection, cleaning or replacement by fresh friction wheels. It is to be noted that the length of the holder 58 may be reduced sufliciently to enable the friction wheels 50a, 50b to bypass at least the upper roll 20; however,

and if desired, the length of the holder 58 may be reduced to such an extent that the friction wheels 50a, 50b will bypass the roll and/or 6.

It is clear that each of the holders 59, 60, 61 also comprises two telescopically connected tubular portions (corresponding to the portions 58a, 58b) and a helical spring (corresponding to the spring 54) so that the length of each holder may be reduced at the will of the operator in order to move the corresponding pair of friction wheels out of engagement with the associated upper and lower rolls.

It will be noted that all of the rolls 5, 6, 20*, 21 are driven in the same direction and at the same peripheral speed. The diameters of the pinions 11, 12 are identical, the diameters of :all friction wheels are identical, the diameters of both lower rolls are identical, and the diameters of both upper rolls are also identical. This is of advantage in the event that one of these parts must be replaced by a fresh part.

The cigar filler Z is of double unit length and is provided with profiled (rounded or conical) end portions, see FIG. 1. Once the filler Z is wrapped in a pair of mirror symmetrical leaves D, it is subdivided into :a pair of cigars each of which comprises a single profiled end portion. As shown in FIG. 1, the profiled end portions of the filler Z are received in stationary thimbling sockets 25, 26 which are respectively provided on the brackets 2 and 3. The configuration of the sockets 25, 26 may be similar to that of the head mold disclosed in my U.S. Patent No. 3,116,- 740. When a filler Z is properly received in the nest N between the pairs of rolls 5, 6 and 20, 21, its end portions project into the sockets 25, 26. Thus, the wrapping action of rolls 5, 6, 20, 21 is not effective at the profiled end portions of the filler, and the sockets 25, 26 serve the purpose of insuring that the trailing ends of the wrappers D are properly convoluted around the respective end portions.

The wrapping mechanism of my invention further comprises an ejector device including a series of vertical or nearly vertical lifting members 28, 29, 30, 31 having stems which extend between the lower rolls 5, 6 and bifurcated upper end portions whose prongs 33-, 34 maybe retracted into registering gaps 32 between the sleeves of the lower rolls. For example, and as shown in FIG. 3, the prongs of the lifting members 30 may be withdrawn into the gaps 32 between the sleeves 7, 7a of the lower rolls 5, 6. The lifting members 2831 are reciprocab'le by a horizontal bar 27 which is operated in synchronism with the cigar machine to lift the prongs 33, 34 of all members 28-31 when the upper rolls 20, 21 are moved to the position of FIG. 6 so that a freshly wrapped cigar Z may be expelled from the rolling mold. The bar 27 is reciprocabvle by a lever 35 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, and this lever is reciprocated by a suitable transmission of the cigar machine.

FIGS. 3 and 5 show plate-like stretching devices 36 which serve to subject the wrappers D to requisite tension at the time the rolls 5, 6, 20, 21 rotate to convolute the wrappers around a filler Z in the nest N. The stretching devices 36 cooperate with a pair of leaf transforming arms 37 one of which is shown in FIG. 5. The arms 37 comprise suction heads 37a which serve to pick up wrappers or leaves D from a pair of trimming stations (not shown) and to transfer such leaves to the rolling mold. The manner in which a pair of suction heads 37a may transfer wrappers to the wrapping station is disclosed in the copending application Serial No. 113,312 of Pallach and Thiele, filed May 29, 1961, and now abandoned.

Referring to FIG. 5, each suction head 37a accommodates a pivotable deflector 38 which may be retracted into a recess 39 at the underside of the respective suction head. The deflector 38 is rpivotable about a horizontal pin 40 which is parallel with the rolls 5, 6, 20, 21 when the corresponding arm 37 is moved to the position of FIG. 5 and is ready to apply one end portion of the wrapper D to the central portion of the filler Z. The deflector 38 is rigid with an upwardly extending tripping lever 41 which carries a pin 42 received in an open slot 45 provided in the lower leg 44 of a bell crank lever 43. This lever 43 is rockably supported by a pin 460 received in a lug 46 on the corresponding suction head 37a, and its other leg 47 is located in the path of a reciprocable actuating rod 48 which is operated in synchronism with the cigar machine to expel the deflector 38 from the recess 39 against the bias of a return spring 49 which acts on the leg 44 and tends to maintain the deflector in the recess 39. If the rod 48 is caused to move upwardly, as viewed in FIG. 5, the lever 43 will be rocked in a counterclockwise direction and the deflector 38 will be expelled from the recess 39 to flex the corresponding end portion of the wrapper D around the central portion of the filler Z in the nest N.

The operation of the wrapping mechanism will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 11.

The main drive of the cigar machine rotates the gear 10 which drives the pinions 11, 12 so that the lower rollers 5, 6 are rotated at a predetermined speed and in the same direction, i.e., in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 6. The friction wheels are in engagement with the corresponding lower and upper rolls so that the roll 5 drives the roll 21 and the roll 6 drives the roll 20 whereby the rolls 20, 21 rotate in the same direction as the rolls 5, 6.

Prior to the start of a wrapping operation, the transmission of the cigar machine pulls the rocking levers 18 downwardly so that the carriers 13, 14 rotate about the axes of the shafts 4a, 4 and move the upper rolls 20, 21 away from each other (see FIG. 6). The transfer arms 37 are moved away from the rolling mold so that the nest N is exposed and the previously wrapped filler, form ing a cigar Z is ready to be expelled from the rolling mold. Such expulsion is effected by the lifting members 28-31 which are moved upwardly in response to upward movement of the lever 35 whereby the cigar Z is lifted to the position shown in FIG. 6 and may be engaged by suitable gripping members (not shown) of the type disclosed in the aforementioned copending application Serial No. 113,312. The gripping members transfer the cigar Z onto a take-off conveyor which will advance the cigars to a further processing station, for example, to a station where the cigars are halved to yield pairs of cigars each having a-profiled mouthpiece at one of its ends. During such expulsion of a cigar Z the upper rolls 2!), 21 continue to rotate because the carriers 13, 14 which support the upper rolls and the friction wheels are rockable about the axes of the respective lower rolls, i.e., each friction wheel remains in simultaneous frictional engagement with the corresponding upper and lower rolls.

Before the lifting members 2831 descend, the gripping members deposit a raw cigar filler Z into the pronged end portions of such lifting members so that, while descending to the positions shown in FIG. 9, 10 or 11, the lifting members will gently lower the raw filler into the rolling mold and onto the lower rolls 5, 6. However, before the lifting members descend, the transfer arms 37 will deliver a pair of wrappers D and the rods 48 will move upwardly (see FIG. 5) to trip the deflectors 38 whereby the deflectors fold the adjoining end portions of the wrappers D around the median portion of the lifted filler Z. This step is shown in FIG. 7. The upper rolls 20, 21 are still located at a greater than normal distance from each other, i.e., the rolling mold is open. As shown in FIG. 8, the rocking levers 18 are then caused to move upwardly in order to rock the carriers 13, 14 whereby the rolls 20, 21 move toward each other and the roll 20 engages the deflected end portions of the wrappers D, see FIG. 8. In such position of the upper rolls, the bars 48 may be retracted downwardly, as viewed in FIG. 5, because the wrappers D are now held between the filler Z and the upper roll 20 and are automatically convoluted around the filler because the rolls 5, 6, 20 and 21 rotate in a counterclockwise direction. The lifting members 28-31 are retracted downwardly (see FIG. 9) so that the filler Z comes to rest on the peripheries of the lower rolls 5, 6. The stretching devices 36 cooperate with the suction heads 37a to maintain the wrappers D under tension (see FIGS. 10 and 11) while the wrappers are being convoluted around the filler Z in a fully automatic way. The means for pressing the stretching devices 36 against the undersides of the respective heads 37a are not illustrated in the'drawings. During wrapping, the heads move in directions indicated by the arrows 37b, see FIGS. 10 and 11.

Once the wrapping operation is completed, i.e., once the trailing ends of the wrappers D are fully convoluted around the profiled end portions which are accommodated in the sockets 25, 26, the rocking levers 18 are moved downwardly to open the rolling mold by moving the upper rolls 20, 21 away from each other and back to the positions shown in FIG. 6. The lever 35 then lifts the members28-31 through the intermediary of the bar 27 and'the freshly wrapped cigar Z of double unit length is ready to be removed from the mold. The same operation is then repeated with a fresh filler Z.

.Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features which fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of this invention, and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A mechanism for applying wrappers to cigar fillers, comprising a rolling mold including fixed support means, a pair of parallel lower rolls journalled in said support means, a pair of carrier means each mounted for rotation about the axis of one of said lower rolls, an upper roll journalled in each of said carrier means, said upper rolls being parallel with said lower rolls, means for rocking said carrier means between two angularly spaced positions in one of which said upper rolls are nearer to each other to define with said lower rolls a filler-receiving nest and in the other of which said upper rolls are more distant from each other. to permit insertion or removal of a filler from said mold; first drive means for rotating said lower rolls in the same direction and at the same peripheral speed; and second drive means for rotat ing said upper rolls in the same direction and at the same peripheral speed as said lower rolls, said second drive means comprising at least one holder provided on each of said carrier means and comprising a first portion secured to the corresponding carrier means and a second portion, at least one friction wheel rotatably mounted on the second portion of each holder, and resilient means wherein the first portion of each .holder is pivotably secured to the corresponding carrier means so that, on movement of said second portions in a direction away from said nest to disengage the friction wheels from the corresponding rolls, said holders may be pivoted with reference to the carrier means to facilitate access to said friction wheels.

3. A mechanism as set forth in claim 2, wherein said first and second portions of each holder consist of tubes which are telescoped in each other and said resilient means comprises helical springs provided in said tubes to bias the tubes away from each other.

4. A mechanism as set forth in claim 2, wherein said second portion of each holder is movable against the bias of the corresponding resilient means through a dis tance which sufiices to allow for pivotal movement of the respective friction wheel past at least one of the corresponding rolls.

- 5. A mechanism as set forth in claim 2, wherein said second drive means further comprises a shaft having a median portion supported by the second portion of each holder. in parallelism with said rolls and two end portions extending beyond, the respective second end portion, there being one friction wheel mounted on each end portion of each of said shafts.

6. A mechanism as set forth in claim 2, wherein said first drive means comprises a gear rotatably mounted in said support means and a pair of pinions meshing with said gear, each of said pinions being coaxially secured to one of said lower rolls.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 752,733 2/1904 Wartmann 131-56 X 1,134,246 4/1915 Tyberg.

1,915,277 6/1933 Halstead 131-29 2,006,113 6/1935 Rober 13156 FOREIGN PATENTS 98,756 8/ 1898 Germany. 602,577 9/1934 Germany.

OTHER REFERENCES VEB, German App. No. 1,119,744, Pub. 12/14/61, Class 131-56. 7 I

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

H. P. DEELEY, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A MECHANISM FOR APPLYING WRAPPERS TO CIGAR FILLERS, COMPRISING A ROLLING MOLD INCLUDING FIXED SUPPORT MEANS, A PAIR OF PARALLEL LOWER ROLLS JOURNALLED IN SAID SUPPORT MEANS, A PAIR OF CARRIER MEANS EACH MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT THE AXIS OF ONE OF SAID LOWER ROLLS, AN UPPER ROLL JOURNALLED IN EACH OF SAID CARRIER MEANS, SAID UPPER ROLLS BEING PARALLEL WITH SAID LOWER ROLLS, MEANS FOR ROCKING SAID CARRIER MEANS BETWEEN TWO ANGULARLY SPACED POSITIONS IN ONE OF WHICH SAID UPPER ROLLS ARE NEARER TO EACH OTHER TO DEFINE WITH SAID LOWER ROLLS A FILLER-RECEIVING NEST AND IN THE OTHER OF WHICH SAID UPPER ROLLS ARE MORE DISTANT FROM EACH OTHER TO PERMIT INSERTION OR REMOVAL OF A FILTER FROM SAID MOLD; FIRST DRIVE MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID LOWER ROLLS IN THE SAME DIRECTION AND AT THE SAME PERIPHERAL SPEED; AND SECOND DRIVE MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID UPPER ROLLS IN THE SAME DIRECTION AND AT THE SAME

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