US2292420A - Charge former for cigar machines - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 11, 1942.v H. H. WHEELER 2,292,420`

CHARGE FORMER FOR CIGR MACHINES Filed June 3, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY Aug. l1, 1942. H. H. WHEELER" CHARGE FORMER FOR CIGAR MACHINES Filed June 3, 1939 2 sheets-sheet 2 ATTORN EY Patented Aug. 11, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT AOFFICE CHARGE FORMER FOR CIGAR MACHINES Henry H. Wheeler, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to International Cigar Machinery Company, a corporation of New Jersey 'Y Application June 3, 1939, Serial No. 277,160l

18 Claims.

This invention relates to charge formers for cigar machine filler feeds, its main object being to'provide a novel apparatus and method for bunch charge forming, the particular apparatus selected to exemplify the invention constituting an improvement of the device disclosed in Patent No. 1,791,558, issued February 10, 1931, to V. G.

Hanson. v

In the device referred to, the ller tobacco is fed in a layer of the proper width equal to the length of the bunch to be made, by an intermittently driven belt against the lingers of a weighttensioned charge-retaining plate which blocks the advancing tobacco layer until the density of the accumulated mass is suflicient to permit the exerted pressure to overcome the weight of the retaining plate, whereupon the thus properly condensed filler advances into the charge forming chamber. When advanced to the proper distance for one bunch charge, a trip arrangement is actuated which stops the feed belt and a cam operated knife severs the charge in the forming chamber from the fed layer. As the charge is cut, the measuring fingers are pulled downward by a cam operated rod, permitting a row of reaper Vfingers to remove the severed charge. The latter is then inserted by a row of pusher ngers into a charge transfer which deposits the same upon the rolling table of the machine whereon a rolling apron actuated by a rolling pin rolls it within a binder to form a cigar bunch.

While in the device shown in the above mentioned vHanson patent the measuring chamber is of rectangular cross-section which necessitates the re-shaping of the charge on the rolling table and thereby places undue stresses on the rolling apron, in the present invention the charge-former parts are so shaped as to provide a measuring chamber of circular cross-section. The stream of tobacco advanced by the feed belt is much thininner surface of the forming chamber may be provided with one or more positively driven curling rollers which propel the advancing feed layer as it enters into the measuring space. This form- 'ingA chamber may be so constructed, asshown in the modified embodiment of the invention to also serve as a transfer for the charge to the rolling apron.

, In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this invention and in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of the improved charge former; A

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, online 2--2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 yis a plan View thereof equipped with a cross feed;

Figs. 3 4 and 5 are enlarged sectionalside elevations ofthe improved charge former at different stages of cutting and transferring the'bunch charge; l y

Fig. 6 is a sectionalside elevation showing a modification of the improved chargeformer; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional end elevation on lineA 1-1 of Fig. 6.

Referring to Figs.` l and 2, the intermittently driven f eed belt I0, which runs over pulleys Il, I2, I3 and I4,j advances the bunch-length wide, thin layer of ller tobacco T under the leveling star wheels I5 and guide ngers I6, whence the feed rollers I1 pass it on to the platform I8 and into the measuring chamber. The latter is formed by the arcuate ends of the ngers of the movable charge retaining plate I9 coacting with the concave Aunder faces of the stationary guide bars 20 and movable forwardly in slots therein. The retaining plate I9 is attached to an arm 22 swinging on stationary studs 23. The upper end of the arm 2I ,is connected by a rod 24 with an arm 25 on oneV end of a fulcrum shaft 23, the other end of said shaft carrying a Weight arm 21 which is equipped with removable weightsto vary the rresistance of the plate to the tobacco fed into vthe measuring chamber.

As the measuring chamber fills up, the thin tobacco layer '1 curls upfinto a cylindrical spiral, as

shown in Fig. 3, the under faces of the bars i6 being ,setA somewhat higher than the thickness of the tobacco stream to permit the same to curl up whilegradually Ypushing the plate I9 forward and raising the weight arm 21 in doing so. When the Vcharge T' has been compacted to the proper density, an adjusting screw 29 bearing against a nose on vweight arm 21 and carried byv arm 30 trips a lever 3|, thereby causing the latter todisengagevpawl 32 from ratchet 33 and thus stop the feed belt I0, and more fully described in Patent No. 1,791,558, above mentioned.

During the dwell of the feed belt, a cam operated knife 34 cuts the bunch charge T', whereupon a rod 35vpivoted to swinging frame 22 and actuated by a cam lever 36pul1s the retaining plate l9 downward, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, thus clearing the Way for the reaper ngers 3'! which have come down from their dotted rest position to their operating position 3l during the cutting process, to push the severed charge T forward.

Having advanced the charge T a given distance, Fig. 4, the fingers 3i stop at 5l, move up into the dotted position 31' and back into rest position 31, from which they again descend into operating position 3l as the next charge is being cut. In this position of the charge the reaper fingers 33 at the forward ends of the reaper finger 31 engage with the bunch charge T', as shown in Fig. 5, and, upon the advance of the fingers after the cutting of the next charge, push the charge T into the pocket 39 of a charge transfer 48, such as described in U. S. Patent 1,838,192 granted December 29, 1931 to R. E. Rundell. This transfer descends into position 40 while its pocket 39 rotates to aV position -wherein its plunger 4I ejects the charge into a pocket of the rolling apron 42, this pocket being formed by the descent of the transfer 48, The rolling pin 43, when passing over the rolling table 44, after the return of the transfer 48, will then produce a cigar bunch by rolling the cylindrical charge T into a binder previously deposited upon the apron 42. During its entire travel from charge-cutting position to pocket 39, the charge T is firmly held between the platform I8 and the guide bars .20, and the walls of the pocket 39 are made to fit snugly about the charge. The latter, therefore, retains its cylindrical shape, re-

lieving the rolling apron of the extra strain of shaping the bunch.

In the modification shown in Figs. 6 and '7, the guide bars I8, platform 25, reaper fingers 3l, 38 and transfer 49 of Figs. 1 to 5 are omitted, the

feed belt lil advancing the filler tobacco layer T into a swingably supported forming chamber 45 which delivers the formed charge directly on to the rolling apron 42.

This forming chamber consists of a partly open cylindrical chamber 45 connected by arms 45 to a hub 41 which is mounted on a shaft V4S swingable in bearings of the bunch machine. The lower portion 49 of chamber 45 is pivoted to the upper portion on pins 55 which form the `trunnions of a roller 5l extending between the arms 46. The pivoted part V49 of the forming chamber at each side has a rearward extension `52 which carries a'compression spring 53 bearing against one of the arms 46, these springs holding noses 54 of the extension 52 against stop pins 55 carried by the upper portion of forming chamber 45,1thus holding the part 49-in its operativeposition.

When in the receiving position, shown infull lines in Fig. 6, the concave ends of the upper and lower portions of the chamber 45 rest against the stationary rollers 55 and 5T turning in bearing lugs on support blocks 58 Vand 59, the rear face of the lower block 59 being shaped to form-part of the cylindrical receiving surface between the rollers 55 and 57. The rollers 5l, 53 and 5l are so mounted as to project a small distance inte the forming chamber. The rollers 55 and 57 are driven from the main shaft of the machine by a chain 5l running over a sprocket 52 on `a shaft 63 concentric with the receiving position of the forming chamber 45 and carrying a gear 64 meshing with gears' `and 55 on the trunnions of rollers 55 and 51, respectively. The hub 4l, on `ascrew arm 51, carries a weight 53 adjustably fastened thereon by thumb nuts te, this weight taking the place of .the balance weight 2l, 28 of Fig. 1. To the hub 4'1 are attached cam pieces 'i8 on the projecting noses of which rest the side arms 'il of a frame carrying the knife 72, the knife frame being pivoted on a shaft 'I3 which has a lever 'I4 connected by the rod 24 t0 arm 25 on shaft 26 of the feed control. The knife frame is held against the cam pieces I0 by springs l5 attached to the arms 1l. 'Ihe pivot shaft 48 of the forming chamber has a crank arm 16 which is connected by a rod 35 to the cam lever 36.

The stream of filler tobacco T is carried by the feed belt l0 under a compression belt 'I7 running over rollers I8 and 19, the belt 11 being driven in synchronism with the feed belt by a chain 83 from Ya sprocket 8| on drive pulley Il of the feed belt, the chain 38 driving a gear 82 meshing with a gear 83 on the shaft of roller 19. The compressed layer, in entering the forming chamber, is rolled up into a cylindrical charge by the action of the rollers 56, 5I and 51. When the chamber is filled to the proper density, as predetermined by adjusting the balance weight 68, the cam pieces 'I6 trip the knife frame 1|, the latter dropping on to the arcuate portions of the cam pieces 18, thereby, through .rod .24, stopping the feed belt i8 and, through springs 15, causing the knife 'I2 to cut the charge in chamber 45, the blocks 58 and 59 being suitably cut out to permit the passage of the knife. Thereupon `the cam lever 36, through rod 35 and arm 'l5 on shaft '48, swings the chamber 45 into the delivery position'45, shown in dotted lines, the cam-actuated lever 36 being so timed Vas to allow abundant time for the lling of chamber 45 and for cutting the charge. While in transit the lower portion 49 of the forming chamber engages the rollingapron'42 and forms the rolling pocket 42. In the delivery position, the extensions '52' of the hinged portion v-49 `engage With stop pins 84 attached to the frame of the machine, thereb-y compressing the springs 53' and opening the chamber 45', so that the charge T is released and deposited on the rolling apron 42. The latter is thenslowly paid out by its take-in roller 85, which is controlled by an endless chain 86 actuated by a cam lever 81, thereby gently lowering the'charge T, so that upon the return stroke of lever 36 the path is clear for the upward motion of the forming chamber. The charge, which has `retainedits cylindrical shape during its descent on the rolling apron, is then rolled into a cigar bunch A*bythe rolling pin'43, as before.

Before the cam 'lever 35 has completed its down stroke which restores chamber "45 into receiving position, the action of the Vfeed control temporarily raises the knife frame 1I sottrat, on arriving in receiving position, the'cams T9 will pass into trip engagement with the knife frame, ready to stop the feed and to lactuate the knife upon the completion of the next charge. When the cam pieces 'I0 trip the knife frame the rod 24 is urged in the direction of thearrow (Fig.6) thereby swinging the arm -25 in a direction which causes its'nose to press the stop screw downwardly and thereby swing the arm sufficiently to .permit Ythe spring-pressed trip lever 3l to disengage the pawl 32 from the ratchet 33. Thus the driving of the drum through the planetary gearing (not shown) is terminated, as "described in Patent 1,791,553 referred to above, until reinstated in ze manner described in said patent, whereby the trip lever is disengagedfrom the-pawl, vthe knife frame being raised to inoperative position by vmechemisrn (not shown) andthe trip lever -34 being retained in its' ineffective position bythe arm 30.

It is advantageous to feed athin stream of filler tobacco to the measuring chamber or charge transfer for curling therein. A suitable construction for this purpose is illustrated in Fig. 8 wherein a cross-feed advances a widethin stream of ller tobacco from which bunch lengths are severed and transferred sidewise to a ller feed IUI having a construction similar to that shown in Figs. 1.-4 hereof. Hence a filler stream having a thickness preferably of one half or less of the desired thickness of bunch charge may be fe'd into the measuring chamber. The cross feed may have the construction shown in the Vrpatent to W. B. Bronander, No. 1,740,571, except that a thin stream of tobacco instead of one of bunchcharge thickness is fed on the cross-feed and the width of the stream thereon is su'icient to ,supply sufficient filler for a bunch charge in each bunch length severed therefrom, although a, cross feed .having a construction similar to that disclosed in the Lindblad Patent No. 1,977,994, October 23, 1934, may be employed to form bunch lengths and deliver them to the ller feed IUI.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a yielding member, of devices for advancing a continuous shallow stream of filler tobacco against said member and curling it upon itself to form a roll of filler tobacco and compact the same to a predetermined density, and means for separating from said stream of tobacco the roll of tobacco so formed and compacted against said yielding member.

2. The combination with a yielding member, of devices for advancing a continuous shallow stream of ller tobacco against said member and curling it upon itself to form a roll of filler tobacco and compact the same to a predetermined density and displace said member a predetermined distance, and means for separating from said stream of tobacco the roll of tobacco so formed and compacted against said yielding member, said yielding member having an arcuate end against which the stream of tobacco is advanced, and said devices including guide bars having concave inner faces coacting with said arcuate end to curl up the streamof tobacco into a roll as it displaces said member.

3. The combination with a yielding member, of devices for advancing a continuous shallow stream of ller tobacco against said member and curling it upon itself to form a roll of filler tobacco and compact the same to a predetermined density, and means for separating from said stream of tobacco the roll of tobacco so formed and compacted against said yielding member, said member being provided with a semi-cylindrical pocket, and said devices including driven rolls coacting to feed the stream of tobacco into said pocket and curl the same into a roll therein and engaging said roll of tobacco.

4. The combination with a yielding member, of devices for advancing a continuous shallow stream of filler tobacco against said member and curling it upon itself to form a roll of filler tobacco and compact the same to a predetermined density and displacesaid member a predetermined distance, means for separating from said stream of tobacco the roll of tobacco so formed and compacted against said yielding member, and means for incapacitating said devices when said member has been displaced through said predetermined distance.

5. The combination with a yielding member, of

devices for advancing' a continuous `shallow stream of filler tobacco against saidV member and curling it upon itself toV form a roll of filler tobacco and compact the same to a predetermined density, andv means for separating from said stream of tobacco the roll of tobacco so formed and compacted against said yielding member, a charge transfer adapted to receive the severed charge roll of tobacco and firmly hold vthe same, carry it to binder-applying position,

and reapers for inserting the severed charge into said transfer. v

6. The combination with a yielding member, of devices for advancing a continuous shallow stream of filler tobacco against said member and curling it upon itself to form a roll of filler tobacco and compact the same to a predetermined density, and means for separating from said stream of tobaccothe roll of tobacco so formed and compacted against said yieldingv member, said member being provided with aV pocket adapted to receive the charge of tobacco, and mechanism for moving sai-d member into a position wherein the charge is deposited to be rolled withinabinder.

7.7The combination with mechanism for forwarding a layer of ller tobacco approximately equal in width to the length of a cigar bunch, of a severing device, a, yieldably mounted measuring device spaced beyond said severing device in the direction of movement of said layer, means coacting with said measuring device to halt the operation of the forwarding means when said device is displaced a predetermined distance from said severing device by said layer, and means for curling said layer on itself prior to severing.

8. In a cigar bunch making machine, the combination with means for forwarding a layer of tobacco containing substantially more than sufcient tobacco for a single bunch charge, of means for curling the forward portion of said layer to form a generally cylindrical bunch charge, and mechanism for severing the curled portion from the remainder of the layer to separate the charge.

9. The combination with .a filler transfer adapted to admit a stream of filler tobacco and curl the same upon itself to form a roll of filler tobacco, means for feeding a continuous stream of tobacco into said transfer, a device for separating the roll so formed in the filler transfer from said stream of tobacco, said transfer being constructed to constrict said roll, and mechanism for moving said transfer to deposit said roll in binder-applying position.

10. The combination with a measuring chamber, of means for feeding a stream of tobacco into said chamber, and a member having a curved portion extending into said chamber into position to oppose said stream of tobacco and cause it to curl upon itself to form a roll.

11. The combination with a measuring chamber, of means for feeding a stream of tobacco into said chamber, a member having a curved portion extending into saidchamber into position to oppose said stream of tobacco and cause it to curl upon itself to form a roll, mechanism for withdrawing said member from the measuring chamber following the formation of said roll, and devices for severing said roll from said stream and removing it from said chamber.

12. The combination with means for feeding a Y continuous stream of tobacco, of a measuring of tobacco, said chamber being provided with concave surfaces acting to curl the stream of tobacco into cylindrical form.

13. The combination with means for feeding a continuous stream of tobacco, of a measuring chamber adapted to admit said stream of tobacco and cause it to curl upon itself to form a roll of tobacco, said chamber being provided with driven rollers coacting to engage and curl the stream of tobacco within said chamber and said means comprising a set of opposed members arranged to engage said stream `at a position anterior to said chamber and coacting to forward the stream into said chamber and into engagement with said rollers.

14. The combination With Va yieldingly mounted measuring chamber adapted to admit an advancing stream of tobacco and be bodily displaced thereby, of mechanism for feeding a continuous layer of tobacco into said chamber and adapted to be incapacitated by said chamber when the latter has been displaced a predetermined distance by the pressure of said layer.

15. The method comprising advancing a stream of tobacco, curling the forward end of the stream upon itself to form a roll of tobacco, and separating the roll so formed from said stream.

16. VThe method of forming bunch charges and delivering them to a bunch rolling apron which comprises advancing a stream of tobacco, curling the forward end of the stream upon itself Ato form a roll of tobacco, separating the roll so formed from the stream, and simultaneously holding said roll against uncurling and transferring the same to the bunch rolling apron.

1'7. In a cigar machine, the combination with a member having a pocket adapted to admit a layer of tobacco and engage the forward end of said layer and thereby curl said end upon said layer, of means disposed at a position anterior to said pocket to engage a layer of tobacco at a region anterior to said pocket and operating to feed the layer of tobacco into said pocket whereby said layer will be coiled upon itself within the pocket.

18. In a cigar machine, the combination with a b-inder applying mechanism, of means for forming a bunch charge of long iiller tobacco rolled upon itself, and a member adapted to engage the exterior of the rolled bunch charge to constrict the same, and transfer it to said mechanism for application of a binder thereto.

HENRY H. WHEELER.

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