DE19518179A1 - Automatic cigarette=making machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The tobacco is delivered onto two suction belts (610,612), so as to form two streams of the same width, which are then combined. A layer in particle form and of material different from the tobacco in the two streams (618) is then delivered (622) between the latter or onto one of them immediately before they are combined. The layer is narrower than the streams, which protrude beyond it on each side, thus forming it into a core which they enclose. Their edges can be folded round it, and it can be delivered between lateral guides holding it in a central position.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and a Machine for making cigarettes and deals with a number of improvements, modifications of the machine concept according to US 5,199,446, in which a cigarette filling current is formed by tobacco converging against two bands is shivered to two tobacco substreams form that to produce a single cigarette filling currents are united.

In this context, reference is made to the US 5,141,003 and GB 2 269 975 A.

One aspect of the present invention relates to a method and a machine for making cigarettes with one Core of tobacco or other particulate material is different from the tobacco that makes up the rest of the ziga rescue filling stream forms and surrounds the core.

Another aspect of this invention is concerned with one Method and machine for making cigarettes with denser end sections.

The invention and advantageous refinements of the invention tion are defined in the claims.

Exemplary embodiments of Zi Garette making machines where different aspects te of the present invention are realized, he closer purifies. Show it:  

Figure 1 is a plan view of a cigarette manufacturing machine for making cigarettes with you tere end portions.

Fig. 2 shows a modification of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a schematic plan view of a machine for producing core centered cigarettes.

Fig. 4 along the line AA in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section along the line BB in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a schematic plan view of another Zi garette manufacturing machine;

Fig. 7 shows a modification of part of the machine shown in Fig 6 ge on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 8 is a schematic plan view of another cigarette manufacturing machine.

Fig. 1 shows a machine with converging suction belts 510 and 512, to the tobacco in a substantially horizontal direction from a shower channel 514 is shuddered. Partial tobacco streams (not shown) build up on belts 510 and 512 and are merged, while the belts move in parallel lanes from a merging area 516 . The merged cigarette filling stream formed in this way is wrapped in a paper wrapping, in a standard format.

Tobacco, which is shivered approximately in the center of the channel 514 , is used to form tobacco piles 518 on a belt 520 for making compressed cigarettes. For this purpose, a channel is provided between a stationary wall 522 and a parallel run of the belt 520 , tobacco being partially drawn into this channel by the action of a charging opening 524 in a bottom wall of the channel 514 . Vacuum is applied through the belt 520 to hold the tobacco piles 518 on the belt until they can be dispensed to the belt 510 . The amount of tobacco that is drawn into the channel to produce the sealed cigarette ends can be controlled by controlling the amount of vacuum applied to opening 524 and / or the amount of vacuum applied by belt 520 .

Rollers 526 and 528 rotate in the indicated directions, so that tobacco, which would otherwise be held on the edges of the adjacent fixed walls 530 and 532 , is instead directed as shown.

The band 520 is made of woven nylon so that it is breathable throughout its length. However, within the nylon band there is an air-impermeable carrier band with equally spaced openings which form the areas at which tobacco for the compressed cigarette-saving ends is collected on the nylon band. The carrier tape is tensioned by a roller 534 and rewinds around a roller 536 , while the nylon tape continues and reverts around a roller 538 . The nylon tape can also comprise a separate tensioning device and can be driven separately from the carrier tape.

FIG. 2 shows another construction which differs in that tobacco for the compressed cigarettes is directly shivered onto a belt 540 which runs around rollers 542 and 544 . As in FIG. 1, tobacco piles 546 are formed on belt 540 and delivered to the substream carried by belt 510 before the substreams carried by belts 510 and 512 are combined to form the finished cigarette fill stream. A role like the role 526 or 528 in Fig. 1 can be seen at the junction of the two fixed walls 548 and 550 before. The band 540 is inclined at an angle α with respect to the tobacco shower, which can be enlarged if necessary.

The band 540 can be made of non-porous material that has perforated areas for receiving tobacco sections for the compacted ends. As mentioned in connection with FIG. 1, two bands can also be provided instead, of which the inner band is not porous, but has openings at regular intervals, while the outer band may consist of woven nylon.

Figure 3 shows a machine used to make "core centered" cigarettes. As before, it has converging suction belts 610 and 612 , to which tobacco is shaken, in this case through two separate channels 614 and 616 , which are formed by parallel upper and lower walls and by side walls 614 a, 614 b and 616 a, respectively. 616 b be formed. This tobacco forms a broad, flat tobacco layer on each of the belts 610 and 612 . FIG. 4 shows the tobacco ply 618 which is formed on the belt 612 and held on the belt by vacuum which is applied through the belt by a vacuum chamber 620 . A similar arrangement is provided for the belt 610 .

The wide layers formed on the tapes 610 and 612 can be trimmed by trimmers 611 and 613 which are installed in spaces formed by the walls 614 b and 616 b and additional walls 614 c and 616 c. Instead, the thickness of the broad layers of tobacco can be controlled or evened out by other means, for example as described in GB Patent Application No. 9,422,581.

Between the shower channels 614 and 616 there is a shower channel 622 through which additional particulate material (tobacco and / or other material) is showered against both banks of the 610 and 612 . In the areas where this additional particulate material arrives on the belt 612 , the shower channel is reduced in width, namely by rails 624 and 626 (see FIG. 5) with inner surfaces 624 a and 626 a, which are the width of a layer 628 define the additional particulate material that forms in a central area of the tobacco layer 618 . The same applies to the other half of the machine in the area of the belt 610 .

Each tobacco layer 618 thus arrives at a merging point between the rollers 610a and 612a , bearing a centrally positioned layer of the additional particulate material. The two layers of this material are brought together and combined to form a core surrounded by tobacco in the finished cigarette filling stream. Excess particulate matter can be removed from a spiked wheel 630 that rotates about a horizontal axis and is protected from shivered particulate matter by a V-shaped cover 631 .

As the rollers 610 a and 612 move to further rollers 610 b and 612 b (which have a concave circumferential cross section), the cross section of the tapes becomes increasingly concave, so that the side edge portions of the layers 618 are wrapped around the sides of the core and the Cigarette filling stream is formed into a stream of circular cross-section. After the belts have passed the rollers 610 b and 612 b, they again increasingly have a flat cross-section while they are approaching further rollers 610 c and 612 c and they remain level when they move from the latter rollers to further rollers Move 610 d and 612 d.

The cigarette filling stream formed in this way can be in a conventional format device are worn in the it is wrapped in a continuous paper web around one to form continuous cigarette rod, which is then in individual lengths of cigarettes are cut.  

Instead, the entire core layer can be formed on one of the tapes 610 or 612 .

As a further possibility, the additional particulate material can be shuddered onto a separate suction belt that lies between the converging belts 610 and 612 (e.g., like the belt 520 in FIG. 1) to form a narrow layer of additional particulate material that is then on one of the streams of tobacco is placed on belt 610 or 612 before the streams of tobacco arrive in union region 630 . A further possibility is to shudder, the additional particulate material on two converging tapes, the above or are disposed beneath the belts 610 and 612 to form a current flowing between the tobacco layers in the region of the rollers 610 a, 612 a of a suction wheel or through a guide tube.

The additional particulate material can be, for example from relatively long fibers of a low quality tobacco or other material, which helps that Ta bak falls out of the ends of the finished cigarettes. Instead or in addition, the particulate mate rial stems and other heavier tobacco particles (or consist of them), which by wind sightings from the to Producing the tobacco layers used tobacco was obtained or tobacco with any desired additional substance to change one or more properties of the finished Cigarettes.

Figure 6 shows a machine which is similar in that tobacco suction tapes 810 , 812 are shivered through horizontal shower channels 814 , 816 . The tobacco layers thus formed on the tapes can be trimmed by trimmers 811 , 813 before being brought together as they move along guide members 838 , 840 for the two tapes.

This embodiment differs from that of FIG. 3 in principle in that the additional partchenför shaped material is showered through a horizontal channel 822 which extends to additional converging suction belts 842 , 844 to two separate partial streams of particulate material on the two belts to form, which are united ver as the tapes move in parallel paths beyond a merge point 846 . The complete core stream thus formed then passes through a nozzle 848 and enters the gap between the tobacco layers formed on the belts 810 , 812 . As in the embodiment of FIG. 9, the flow of core material in this gap is supported by an axial air flow which is induced by air which is sucked in by vacuum lines 834 , 836 through the belts 810 , 812 .

The construction of the machine shown in Fig. 6 is preferably like that in Fig. 7. This figure shows tobacco layers 810 a and 812 a, which were formed on the belts 810 , 812 and between which the core stream is "injected" when move the belts 810 , 812 beyond the guide rollers 810 b, 812 b.

The nozzle 848 , through which the core material is passed before entering the gap between the tobacco layers, is in the form of a tube, the outer surface of which converge at both ends, so that they end up as a relatively sharp edge. The bands of the 842 , 844 , which carry the combined stream of core material, are guided by correspondingly shaped guide parts (not shown) so that they diverge at 842 a, 844 a, while facing guide rollers 842 b, 844 b Approach sides of tubular nozzle 848 .

The central bore in the nozzle 848 has a square or rectangular cross section.

Another possibility is that a layer of particulate core material is formed on a suction belt and then (possibly after a trimming process) is fed onto one of the tobacco substreams. Instead, two partial streams of core material can be formed by showering particulate material, for example, on two diverging suction belts, the two core streams each being deposited on the tobacco partial streams (preferably after they have been trimmed) before they are brought together to form a complete "core-centered" cigarette filling stream. In comparison to Fig. 6, the latter possibility would actually mean that core material through the channel 822 on two short diverging bands instead of the converging bands 842 , 844 is shivered ge, so that each core stream on its corresponding tobacco stream before the union point can be placed; the cross section of each main band immediately before the merge point can therefore be as in Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 shows a machine which is similar to that in Fig. 6, as indicated by the use of the same reference numerals. Additional reference numerals 814 a, 814 b, 822 a, 822 b, 816 a and 816 b denote the side walls of the shower channels 814 , 822 and 816 .

Fig. 8 differs in that to form the core current instead of the converging additional tapes 842 , 844 divergent additional suction tapes 850 and 852 are provided, which form partial streams of particulate material that was showered through the channel 822 . Each of the partial flows is arranged on the corresponding tobacco partial flow, which is carried by the suction belt 810 or else by the suction belt 812 . Additional trimmers 854 and 856 may be provided to trim the core substreams; however, these trimmers or trimmers 811 , 813 can also be omitted.

Another difference of this embodiment is that the suction belts 810 , 812 approach each other while moving on a soft curve defined by fixed guides 858 and 860 . These guides are perforated or porous so that air can be drawn through them from the vacuum lines 834 , 836 to hold the partial flows on the belts 810 , 812 before they are brought together where the belts are on straight parallel guide parts 838 and 840 move. In this exemplary embodiment, negative pressure is not applied through the belts in the region of the guide parts 838 , 840 , since there should be no significant axial air flow there which could disrupt the core currents when they move around the guide parts 858 , 860 . In order to avoid such an axial air flow or at least to keep it as small as possible, one or more openings in the upper and / or lower wall of the machine above or below (and in the middle between) the stationary guide parts 858 , 850 are provided so that air drawn through the belts 810 , 812 in the region of the guide parts 858 , 860 flows substantially vertically through the suction belts.

It should be noted that the additional band 850 for core material is longer than the band 852 , so that the core partial streams have a slightly different thickness. Instead, the bands 850 , 852 can be designed differently so that the same core partial flows are formed on them.

As already mentioned, the trimmers 811 , 813 can also be omitted. In this case, the sidewalls 822 a, 822 b would be omitted, and the belts 850 , 852 would be made longer and could be rearranged (ie moved apart) to receive all of the particulate material shivered through the channel 822 .

Fig. 9 shows another form of a machine for the manufacture of "core-centered" cigarettes. The tobacco is showered on converging vacuum belts 710 and 712 through horizontal shower channels 714 and 716 to form identical tobacco layers on belts 710 , 712 , e.g. B. is shown in Fig. 3. As before, the layers of tobacco can also be trimmed by trimmers 711 and 713 before the layers are brought together around a core of additional particulate material.

In this embodiment, a stream of core material is showered through a shower channel 722 , which is formed by an upper and a lower wall and converging side walls 722 a and 722 b. The particulate material shivered through channel 722 thus converges to form a core stream at the downstream ends of walls 722 a, 722 b, and this core stream enters a gap between the tobacco layers carried by ribbons 710 , 712 .

The tobacco arriving on the belts 710 , 712 is held on the belts by vacuum which is applied through the belts by vacuum lines 730 and 732 . Under pressure, lines 734 , 736 continue to be applied to the tapes from further negative pressure, while the tapes move on slightly converging tracks and then on parallel tracks along the guide walls 738 , 740 . These are perforated so that air can be sucked through them from the lines 734 , 736 , as indicated by the airflow arrows. The air sucked through the tapes in this area induces an axial air flow, which sucks additional particulate material through the channel 722 into the gap between the tobacco layers on the tapes 710 , 712 .

The guide walls 738 , 740 can have a concave cross section or become increasingly concave in order to fold the Seitenrandab sections of the tobacco layers around the core, as was described with reference to FIG. 3. The "core-centered" cigarette filling stream formed in this way can, as in the previous embodiment, be carried by a further suction belt (not shown) in a conventional format device so that the filling stream can be enclosed in a continuous paper wrapper.

Claims (19)

1. A method of manufacturing cigarettes in which Tobacco on two suction belts is shaken to two tobacco To form partial streams of the same width, which then to Her position of a cigarette filling stream are combined, wel for the production of a continuous cigarette strangs is used, in which method a continuous nuclear or essentially continuous location a particle different from the tobacco of the partial flows shaped material on at least one of the partial streams ge forms or is fed to this or such a layer is introduced between the partial streams while or immediately before they are merged, this location or layers narrower than each of the sub-streams and relative to these are arranged centrally so that each of the part flow laterally over the side edges of the layer or layers extends beyond, so the layer or layers of tobacco form the surrounding core in the finished cigarette filling stream. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the Seitenab cuts the tobacco substreams around the sides of the core-forming Location folded while the sub-streams and location be brought together before they are used to produce the cont Nuclear cigarette rod in the continuous wrapper be included. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized records that the location or a portion of the location thereby is formed that the particulate core material shuddered one of the tobacco substreams between guides that will limit the showered core material to the Position essentially in the middle of the partial flow and with a to form a smaller width.   4. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the or each layer is formed by core material on one is shuddered by several separate sponsors. 5. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized shows that the layer is formed by particles shaped core material through a channel with converging Walls shuddering, the core material into a gap between the tobacco streams. 6. The method according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 5, characterized in that the core in the finished Cigarette-forming particulate material in a gap between the tobacco substreams at least partially through the Effect of an air stream being drawn by negative pressure is induced, which in through the suction belts an area is created in which the partial flows on in substantially parallel trajectories are promoted as they are spaced to form the gap. 7. cigarette making machine with a shower device ( 614 , 618 ; 714 , 716 ; 814 , 816 ), the tobacco on two suction belts ( 610 , 612 ; 710 , 712 ; 810 , 812 ) showered on the respective belts tobacco partial flows ( 618 ) of equal width, which are then combined to form a cigarette filling stream, and with a strand-forming device which envelops the cigarette filling stream in a continuous envelope to form a continuous cigarette strand, and a device ( 622 ; 722 ; 822 , 842 , 844 ; 850 , 852 ) which forms or feeds a layer of core-forming particulate material ( 628 ) on at least one of the sub-streams or between the sub-streams, during or immediately before they are combined, the layer being narrower than and relative to each of the sub-streams this is arranged centrally so that the core-forming material is surrounded by tobacco in the finished cigarette rod. 8. Cigarette manufacturing machine according to claim 7, characterized in that the means for forming the layer of core-forming particulate material has a show ereinrichtung ( 622 ; 722 ; 822 , 842 , 844 ; 850 , 852 ) for showering the particulate material. 9. Cigarette manufacturing machine according to claim 8, characterized in that the showered core material forms a layer ( 628 ) directly on at least one of the tobacco partial flows ( 618 ). 10. A cigarette manufacturing machine according to claim 8, characterized in that the showered core material forms on at least one additional suction conveyor ( 842 , 844 ; 850 , 852 ). 11. Cigarette making machine according to claim 10, characterized in that the shuddered core material layers on two converging suction conveyors ( 842 , 844 ) forms which layers are combined before they are conveyed into a gap ( 846 ) between the tobacco partial flows. 12. A cigarette manufacturing machine according to claim 10, characterized in that the showered core material La forms on two divergent suction conveyors ( 850 , 852 ), each layer of which is conveyed onto one of the tobacco substreams. 13. Cigarette making machine according to claim 8, characterized in that the showered core material between converging stationary walls ( 722 A, 722 B) is carried out to form a stream of particulate Ma material which is introduced directly into a gap between the tobacco substreams. 14. Cigarette making machine according to claim 13, characterized in that the particulate material is at least partially drawn into the gap between the tobacco partial flows by the action of an air flow induced by negative pressure which through the suction belt ( 710 , 712 ) into an area is created in which the partial flows are conveyed on substantially parallel tracks while they are spaced apart to form the gap. 15. A method of making cigarettes in which Tobacco on two suction belts is shaken to two tobacco To form partial streams of the same width, which then form a cigarette filling stream are combined, which for Formation of a continuous cigarette rod used with which method a continuous or inter middle layer of tobacco or other particulate Material on at least one of the partial flows thereby ge is that the particulate material to a Additional suction tape shuddered and then part of the situation chen-shaped material to the tobacco substream is provided on one of the former suction belts is. 16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in net that the additional suction tape is designed so that it the particulate material only attracts in places that the End sections of the finished cigarettes correspond. 17. cigarette manufacturing machine with a shower device ( 514 ; 714 , 716 ; 814 , 816 ), the tobacco on two suction belts ( 510 , 512 ; 710 , 712 ; 810 , 812 ) showered to streams of tobacco of equal width on the corresponding tapes form, which are then combined to form a cigarette filling stream, and with a strand forming device, which wraps the cigarette filling stream in a continuous wrapping to form a continuous cigarette strand, and with a device ( 722 ; 822 ), which has a continuous or intermittent layer from tobacco or other particulate material at least one of the part streams feeds in that the particulate material shivers on an additional suction belt ( 520 ; 540 ; 842 , 844 ; 850 , 852 ) and then the layer of particulate material on the tobacco partial stream, the is transmitted to one of the first mentioned Saugbän provided. 18. Cigarette making machine according to claim 17, characterized in that the additional suction belt ( 520 ; 540 ) is designed such that it only attracts the particulate material at locations which correspond to the end sections of the finished cigarette. 19. A cigarette manufacturing machine according to claim 18, characterized in that the additional suction belt consists of a first belt ( 520 ) and a second belt, of which the first belt is uniformly air-permeable at various points along its length and of which the second belt is along and runs adjacent to the first band in the area where showered particulate material is received and is perforated at longitudinally spaced locations where the particulate material is to be attracted.