US3191473A - Apparatus for cutting a leaf of predetermined shape out of a tobacco leaf - Google Patents

Description

June 1965 H. J. MAAS ETAL 3,

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING A LEAF OF PREDETERMINED SHAPE OUT OF A TOBACCO LEAF Filed March 2, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS BY fiMwM ATTORNEYS H. J. MAAS ETAL 3,191,473 APPARATUS FOR CUTTING A LEAF OF PREDE'IERMINED SHAPE OUT OF A TOBACCO LEAF Filed March 2, 1964 2 Sh eets-Sheet 2- June 29, I965 PIC-3.6

INVENTORS L E a A P AL A M A I G u mm RT NR E A M BY v- ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3 Claims. to]. 83-98) The invention relates to an apparatus for cutting a leaf of predetermined shape out of a tobacco leaf, comprising a cutting die provided with a band-shaped knife bent in said shape and having an upstanding cutting edge, rollers adapted to be moved over the cutting edge of said knife and to press the leaf to be cut out onto said cutting edge, guiding cams associated with said knife for said rollers and a closable pneumatic device to remove by means of an air blast the leaf parts left on the cutting disc after the cutting process.

Before a next leaf can be laid onto the cutting die the cuttings of the previous leaf must be removed. To that end the cutting die of aknown machine is moved under the mouth of a suction tube which sucks the leaf cuttings away. This known machine is involved and it has appeared, that when stationary cutting dies are used the suction device which must be made movable requires much room, is complicated and decreases the speed of the machine.

The invention has the object to accelerate and to simplify the removement of the leaf parts left on the cutting die so that the cutting apparatus can be operated with a greater speed. This is obtained in that the pneumatic device consists of a stationary blow-pipe directed to the upper surface of the cutting die and adapted to be connected to a conduit for the supply of compressed air and of blow-passages directed upwards and discharging in the immediate vicinity of or in the guiding surfaces of said cams, said blow-passages being also adapted to be connected to said compressed air conduit. The upwards directed blow-passages serve to blow the rest portions of the leaf pressed by the rollers on the guiding cams and sticking thereon free from said cams so that they can be blown laterally away by the stationary blow-pipe.

In order to collect the leaf parts blown from the cutting die it is advantageous to use a device which is provided with a screen positioned in the air blast of the blow-pipe beyond the cutting die and above a discharge opening, at least a part of said screen being formed as a lattice. The lattice-shaped part of said screen may consist of a number of vertical rods. The lattice-shaped screen prevents that the blast of air is reflected by the collecting device whereby the leaf parts blown away would be returned to the cutting apparatus or to other places in the machine.

The invention will be elucidated with the aid of the accompanying drawing which illustrates by way of example some embodiments of the invention diagrammatically. In the drawing is:

FIG. 1 a plan view of a portion of a cigar wrapping machine provided with a cutting die, rollers cooperating therewith and a movable leaf holder and also provided with a blowing device and a collecting device according to the invention for the leaf parts left on the die.

FIG. 2 an elevational view of a portion of the apparatus according to FIG. 1, in which the leaf holder has another position, and seen in the direction of the arrow p and as a section taken on the line 11-11 in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 on another scale a plan view of a cutting die 3,191,473 Patented June 29, 1965 provided with guiding cams, rollers cooperating with said die and a blowing device,

FIG. 4 on an enlarged scale a plan view of a portion of the cutting die shown in FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 a sectional view taken on the line V-V in FIG. 4 and FIG. 6 a front view of a portion of the cutting die shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, after the hood thereof has been removed.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing 1 is the rolling table of a cigar wrapping machine, 2 is a cutting die of usual form for cutting a leaf of predetermined shape out of a tobacco leaf, 3 is a set of rollers mounted in a frame and adapted to be moved over the cutting edge of the knife, 4 is a blow-pipe, 5 is a leaf holder carried by a conveyor arm 7 mountedfor swinging about an axis 6, said leaf holder being adapted to be swung to and fro between the cutting die 2. and the rolling table 1, 8 is a vertical collecting screen, 9 is a lattice-shaped portion of said collecting screen consisting of vertical smooth rods and 10 is an opening made in the table of the machine and used for the discharge of the rest portions of the leaf.

A piece of tobacco leaf is laid onto the cutting die by the operator of the machine, whereafter the rollers 3 are i moved over the cutting edge of the knife of the cutting die, so that a leaf of the required shape is cut out of said piece of tobacco leaf. Thereupon the leaf holder 5 is swung over the cutting die and the cut out leaf is taken up and is brought to the rolling table 1 by the leaf holder 5. As soon as the leaf holder 5 has left the cutting die 2 a blast of compressed air is automatically produced by the blow-pipe 4 and a strong current of air is blown over the cutting die. The leaf portions left on the cutting die after the cutting-out operation are thereby blown away and thrown against the rods of the lattice-shaped part 9 of the screen 8. After the blow-pipe 4 has been closed again, said leaf parts fall along the lattice rods 9 into the discharge opening 10, under which a trough or a bag is mounted (not shown). A valve 11 is provided in the conduit connected to the blow-pipe 4 and is opened a short time by the driving mechanism of the machine just after the cut-out leaf has been taken away by the leaf holder. However, the operator is able to keep said valve closed, for instance by means of a pedal. This is necessary, when the leaf portion left on the cutting die 2 is sufliciently large to furnish a second leaf of the required shape. In that case the rest portion of the tobacco leaf may not be blown away and the blow-pipe may not be set into operation.

In FIGS. 4-7 the cutting die and its accessories are. indicated more clearly. This cutting die is provided with a hood 13, within which the bandshaped knife 14 having an upstanding cutting edge is positioned. The rollers 15 are adapted to be reciprocated over the cutting edge of the knife 14. These rollers press the tobacco leaf laid on the cutting die onto the knife 14, so that a leaf of the desired shape is cut out. On the spots, where the rollers come upon the knife 14 or leave said knife, guiding cams 16 are associated with the knife band. Provided in the hood 13 and in the table-shaped member 17 contained within the knife 14 are suction apertures 18, by which a tobacco leaf laid onto the cutting die is held by suction during the cutting process.

If a tobacco leaf is laid onto the cutting die and the rollers 15 are thereafter moved over the cutting edge of the knife 14 so that a leaf of the required shape is cut out, it may occur that the tobacco leaf is pressed strongly onto the guiding cams 16 so that it is flattened and it stays stuck on said cams. In that case some of the leaf parts left after the cutting operation on the cutting die 3 can only be swept away by hand. In order to prevent this, upwards directed blow passages are provided in the vicinity of said guiding cams. Thereby the rest portions of the leaf sticking to said cams are blown both upwards and in horizontal direction. To blow the leaf parts sticking to the guiding cams upwards an upwards directed U-shaped blowing nozzle 20 straddles each cam 16. These nozzles are also connected to the conduit 21 for the supply of compressed air to the blow-pipe 19. As soon as the cut-out leaf has been removed from the cutting die a blast of compressed air is supplied to the blow-pipe 19 and the nozzles 20, so that the leaf parts left on the cutting die are blown upwards on the spots of the guiding earns 16 and thereupon blown away in horizontal direction. Also in this case a separately operable valve is provided in the common compressed air conduit.

Due to the pneumatic removement of the rest portions of the leaf from the cutting die, it is possible to free the die earlier and to cover it with the next piece of tobacco leaf sooner. Therefore, the operators work is easier and faster since his hands are free earlier to seize the next piece of tobacco leaf. Thereby the capacity of the wrapping machine can be increased and the machine may be operated by less skilled personnel.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for cutting a leaf of predetermined shape out of a tobacco leaf, comprising a cutting die, a band-shaped knife bentin said shape and having an upstanding cutting edge, said knife forming part of said die, rollers adapted to be moved over the cutting edge of said knife and to press the leaf to be cut out onto said cutting edge, guiding cams associated with said knife for guiding the rollers, a stationary blow-pipe directed to the upper surface of the cutting die, blow-passages directed upwards and discharging in the immediate vicinity of the guiding surfaces of said cams and a controllable valve, through which said blow-pipe and said blow-passages are connected to a compressed air conduit, said blow-pipe and said blow-passages forming part of, apneumatic device to blow away the leaf parts left on said cutting die after a leaf has been cut out and taken away from said die.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a discharge opening for the discharge of the leaf parts blown away from the cutting die by said blow-pipe and a screen positioned above said discharge opening and in the current of air produced by said blow-pipe, at least a portion of said screen being formed as a lattice, said discharge opening and said screen forming part of a device for collecting the leaf parts blown away from the cutting die.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which the lattice shaped part of the screen consists of a number of vertical rods.

No references cited.

ANDREW R. JUHAszPrimm- Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. AN APPARATUS FOR CUTTING A LEAF OF PREDETERMINED SHAPE OUT OF A TOBACCO LEAF, COMPRISING A CUTTING DIE, A BAND-SHAPED KNIFE BENT IN SAID SHAPE AND HAVING AN UPSTANDING CUTTING EDGE, SAID KNIFE FORMING PART OF SAID DIE, ROLLERS ADAPTED TO BE MOVED OVER THE CUTTING EDGE OF SAID KNIFE AND TO PRESS THE LEAF TO BE CUT OUT ONTO SAID CUTTING EDGE, GUIDING CAMS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID KNIFE FOR GUIDING THE ROLLERS, A STATIONARY BELOW-PIPE DIRECTED TO THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE CUTTING DIE, BLOW-PASSAGE DIRECTED

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