US3252465A - Method of manufacturing cigars with reinforced heads - Google Patents

Description

24, 1966 T KAUFMANN 3,252,465

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING CIGARS WITH REINFORCED HEADS Original Filed July 17, 1958 16 ""IIIIIIH DIRECTION OF ROLLING INVENTOR. THEODORE KAUFMANN T15 2 BY AGENT 3,252,465 METHDD OF MANUFACTURING CIGARS WlTI-I REINFORCED HEADS Theodore Kaufmann, Brookville, N.Y., assignor to General Cigar Co., Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Original application July 17, 1958, Ser. No. 749,210, new Patent No. 3,067,753, dated Dec. 11, 1962. Divided and this application Aug. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 218,891 4 Claims. (Cl. 1331-20) This application is a division of copending application Serial No. 749,210, file-d July 17, 1958, now US. Patent No. 3,067,753, granted December 11, 1962.

This invent-ion relates to a method of manufacturing a cigar having an improved reinforced head.

As is well known in the art, cigars manufactured according to modern techniques are composed of short or long cut filler tobacco, rolled in an inner binder to form a bunch which in turn is rolled in an external wrapper to form the finished cigar. While both the binder and wrapper have long been out directly from leaf tobacco, the newer practice is to use as the binder tobacco in sheet form prepared from finely divided tobacco and an adhesive or film-forming agent.

A long standing problem of cigar manufacturers is the United States Patent frequent disintegration of the head of the cigar while it is being smoked due to the damage caused to the wrapper and binder as a result of excessive chewing and other manipulation of the cigar head in the smokers mouth. The taste, feel and sight of a disintegrated or partially disintegrated head of a cigar lead to an unfavorable attitude by many people toward cigar smoking. Thus, this problem reduces cigar sales.

Various proposals have been made for minimizing or eliminating the problem of head disintegration in the smoking of cigars. For example, one proposal involves the use of a mouthpiece composed of a foreign material at the head of the cigar either exposed or covered by the wrapper. There are several disadvantages connected with this scheme. From the smokers point of view, the foreign material of the mouthpiece which usually extends through most of the cross-section of the cigar acts to absorb many of the aromatic components of the cigar smoke thereby detracting from the smoking quality of the cigar. In addition, the cigar tends to break between the inner border of the mouthpiece and the rest of the cigar while it is being smoked due to the tension exerted against the wrapper and binder as the cigar is being manipulated in the smokers mouth. A disadvantage in the use of a mouthpiece from the manufacturers point of View is connected with the fact that thecigar hunch is prepared by helically rolling a binder around a certain amount of filler tobacco .and the existing complex machines for making cigars cannot be operated to include a mouthpiece within the bunch. It would also be difiicult to change the current mass production technique of rolling a wrapper around the bunch to come out with a cigar in which the bunch and mouthpiece are separately enclosed within the wrapper.

Another common proposal for preventing the disintegration of the head of a cigar While it is being smoked is to Wrap or coat the outside of the cigar head with protective material, e.g., cellulose nitrate or acetate, regenerated cellulose, paper, cork, etc. While such an external shield may be effective in preventing disintegration of the cigar 'head in a smokers mouth, the feel and taste (including lack of taste) of a material other than tobacco are offensive to many cigar smokers. Moreover, the application of ice the wrapper is rolled on the bunch from above by means of a wrapper transfer arm which has a complicated motion and accomplishes the step of rolling the broad portion of the wrapper on the body of the bunch by means of one type of helix and the flag portion of the wrapper on the head of the bunch with a tighter helix, i.e., a helix having a smaller and decreasing pitch. Since the external protective material cannot be applied with the wrapper in the existing cigar-making machines, it would be necessary to apply the protective material by a separate procedure which would obviously increase the cost of cigar manufacture.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple and effective method of reinforcing the head of a cigar which is filled with filler tobacco and has a tobacco wrap-- per on its outside as in conventional cigars, so that no aromatic components of the smoke are filtered out and the mouth of the smoker comes in contact with tobacco rather'than any foreign material.

This object is achieved with commonly available cigarmaking machines by rolling the filler tobacco in a binder laid on the surface of a rolling apron of such a machine together with an insert strip of a reinforcing sheet, most of one face of the strip being in contact with a face of the binder. While the binder is placed on the rolling apron in the usual position So that it may be helically rolled around the filler tobacco to form the bunch, the insert strip, which in most cases is rectangular, is placed below the binder on the rolling apron so that it lies across the head end of the binder with the larger dimension of the strip extending substantially parallel to the direction of rolling. The larger dimension of the insert strip is at least 0.5 inch longer than the circumference of the bunch so that the ends of the strip overlap one another at least 0.5 inch. When the filler tobacco is rolled in the hinder, the insert strip is simultaneously Wound spirally, in a plane transverse to the cigar axis, (not helically along the length of the bunch) at the head end of the resultant bunch. Since the reinforcing strip is longer than the circumference of the bunchand this strip is rolled around the filler tobacco while the major portion of one face of the strip is in contact with a face of the binder, at least a minor portion of the other face of the strip is in contact with the other face of the binder. In other words, one end of the, insert strip is interleaved with the rolled up binder and, therefore, the strip is held in place in the bunch by the binder.

The insert strip of the finished cigar will be inside the wrapper so that the cigar has the usual appearance and only tobacco comes into contact with a smokers mouth. In addition, as is obvious from the construction of a cigar made according to this invention, the path of the smoke from the lighted tuck end, through the cigar to the smokers mouth, is substantially the same as in a conventional cigar so that while the head of the cigar is strengthened considerably against disintegration, there is still no filtering out of any of the aromatic components of the smoke.

In view of the fact that the insert strip is Wound around the filler tobacco integrally with the binder in preparing the bunch which is then further enclosed in the wrapper, it is obvious that the reinforced head of a cigar manufactured according to this invention is strong and secure. When the insert strip is placed on the rolling apron under the binder, it is advisable to use a dab of innocuous adhesive on the face of the strip which is to be contiguous with the binder and at the end of the strip which will be the inner end of the spiralled strip in the bunch. This is done not for the purpose of keeping the insert strip in place in the finished cigar or even in the bunch but to ensure that the end of the strip which is rolled up first will follow the binder during the rolling operation. In addi- 9 tion, when the insert strip is below the binder on the rolling apron, a dab of paste is also applied to the upper face and at the opposite end of the strip to hold down the outer end of the spiralled strip in the bunch.

In addition to the inherent advantages in the finished cigar, the reinforcement of a cigar head according to this invention may be carried out much more easily than other methods of reinforcement. This can be best appreciated when the conventional means of mass producing cigars is considered. In preparing the bunch, the binder is placed horizontally on the rolling apron and is held flush against the apron by a partial vacuum applied through small openings or perforations in the apron from a chamber beneath it. The binder is cut in a shape adapted to be formed into a tubular element by a relatively simple rolling action executed by the rolling apron. To obtain the advantages of this invention, it is merely necessary that the insert strip be placed on the rolling apron below the binder with its larger dimension substantially parallel to the direction of roll and near the head end of the binder so that when the tiller tobacco is dispensed and the bunch rolled the insert strip will be integrally rolled with the binder. This is easily carried out in the mass production of cigars by means of an applicator mechanism which cuts an insert strip of the desired size from a roll of the reinforcing sheet and places it in the desired position on the rolling apron relative to the binder before the hunch is rolled. This is considerably simpler than manufacturing cigars with separate mouthpieces which involves an entirely distinct operation, or applying reinforcing strip either with or after the rolling of the wrapper. It would be diflicult to apply a reinforcing strip with the wrapper in view of the fact that the wrapper is rolled on the bunch from above by means of a complicated motion of the wrapper transfer arm which provides for the broad part of the wrapper to be wound around the bunch in one type of helix and the flag portion of the wrapper to be wound around the head of the bunch with a tighter helix, i.e., one having a smaller and even diminishing pitch.

The insert strip may be cut from any of various types of reinforcing sheets suitable for the desired purpose, e.g., tobacco sheets, paper, cork, regenerated cellulose, plastic films, etc. While the insert strip is of a width that it rarely covers more than 1.5 inches of cigar length at its head, smokers occasionally smoke cigars down to very short stumps with the result that the burning zone of the cigar reaches the insert strip. For this reason, it is preferred to use a strip of a strong tobacco sheet which on burning will not yield an obnoxious smoke odor and taste. Such a tobacco sheet may be made in accordance with the teachings of U.S. Patent 2,797,689, granted July 2, 1957, to W. G. Frankenburg.

The reinforced head of this invention may be applied to any type of cigar which has the three basic parts of filler, binder and wrapper. However, it is particularly advantageous when the binder is cut from a tobacco sheet prepared from finely divided tobacco and a water-soluble adhesive, e.g., methyl cellulose as disclosed in U.S. Patent 2,592,553, granted April 15, 1952, to W. G. Frankenburg and P. W. Garbo.

The selection of the reinforcing sheet is based on such factors as thickness, flexibility and strength both when dry and when moistened by chewing in the smokers mouth. Suitable reinforcing sheets are generally not more than 0.005 inch, preferably not more than 0.003 inch, in thickness; the flexibility of such sheets should be sufficient to permit the insert strip to be readily spiralled at the head end of the bunch without causing objectionable bulging or distortion of that end of the bunch. Also, the insert strip should have enough flexibility that a smoker who chews the head of a cigar while smoking will not notice any unusual hardness in the reinforced head.

To further define the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, FIGURE 1 of which shows the positions of the binder and insert strip on the rolling apron with the insert strip placed under the binder, and FIGURE 2 of which shows the rolling of the wrapper around the cigar bunch with the reinforced head.

FIGURE 1 shows the portion of rolling apron 10 of a cigar-making machine which has a multiplicity of perforations 11 for holding down in a smooth condition binder 12 laid thereon. Insert strip 13 is deposited on apron 10 before binder 12. Strip 13 may be cut from a roll of a reinforcing sheet and placed on apron 10 by a dispensing mechanism of the type shown in pending U.S. application Serial No. 303,210, now U.S. Patent 3,060,775, granted October 30, 1962, while binder 12 may be cut from a roll of a tobacco sheet and laid on apron 10 over strip 13 by p a dispensing mechanism of the type shown in U.S. Patent 2,846,010, granted August 5, 1958. The direction of rolling followed by apron 10 in executing the rolling of the cigar bunch is indicated by arrow 14. It will be noted that the longer dimension of strip 13 is essentially parallel to the direction of rolling. After a charge of filler tobacco has been rolled up in binder 12 to form the bunch, the bunch goes to a crimper which shapes the ends of the bunch and cuts off the marginal portions of binder 12 at the bunch ends. Dotted lines 15 and 16 indicate the lines along which the marginal portions of binder 12 are cut off at the crimper. It will be noted that strip 13 is generally positioned on apron 10 so that outer longer edge 17 thereof is a small fraction of an inch, say to A; inch, inwardly away from crimper cutting line 15 of binder 12. By so positioning strip 13 relative to crimper cutting line 15 of binder 12, there is no possibility of disturbing the spiralled strip 13 in the cigar bunch while the ends are being trimmed in the crimper. T 0 ensure that leading end 18 of strip 13 will follow binder 12 while it is being rolled up by apron 10, it is advisable to place a dab of paste or adhesive 19 between binder 12 and end 18 of strip 13. Similarly, it is advisable to apply a line of paste 20 along the trailing end 21 of strip 13 so that end 21 is sealed to the completed bunch and unravelling of strip 13 before the wrapper is wound around the bunch is prevented.

FIGURE 2 shows binder 12 and strip 13 after being rolled to form the cigar bunch. The spiralled strip 13 with its trailing end 21 sealed by paste line 20 is positioned at the head of the bunch adjacent crimper cutting line 15 of binder 12. Viewed from the right end of the bunch in FIGURE 2, wrapper 22 is shown being rolled around the bunch by the counterclockwise rotation of the bunch, this rotation being indicated by the arrow at the left end of FIGURE 2.

Various sizes and shapes of binder and insert strips are possible. The ends of the spiralled insert strip should be overlapped at least 0.5 inch but there is little or no justification for using such a length of strip that when spiralled in the bunch there will be two or more full layers of the reinforcing sheet in the cigar head.

What is claimed is:

1. In the method of manufacturing cigars wherein a binder is placed on the rolling apron of a cigar-making machine and rolled around a mass of filler tobacco to form a bunch around which a wrapper is then rolled, the improvement which comprises placing a narrow strip of a reinforcing sheet in a predetermined position on said rolling apron with said binder laid over said strip, and rolling by the operation of said rolling apron the so placed strip simultaneously with said binder around said mass of filler tobacco to form said bunch, said predetermined position being such that said strip is placed with its outer longer edge essentially parallel to the direction of rolling and with a clearance of a small fraction of an inch inwardly away from the crimper cutting line of said binder whereby said strip is spiralled at the head end only of said bunch by the simultaneous rolling of said strip and said binder and is. not disturbed while the ends of said unch are b ing ttrimmed in the crimper.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein dabs of adhesive are applied on the ends of said strip on the face over which said binder is laid.

3. The method of manufacturing an improved cigar which comprises placing a narrow strip of a reinforcing sheet in a predetermined position on the rolling apron of a cigar-making machine, laying a binder over said strip so that the end portion of said strip away from the start of rolling projects beyond said binder, said predetermined position being such that said strip is placed with its outer longer edge essentially parallel to the direction of rolling and with a clearance of a small fraction of an inch inwardly away from the crimper cutting line of said binder, rolling said binder and said strip simultaneously around a mass of filler tobacco by the operation of said rolling apron thereby forming a bunch with said strip spiralled at the head end only of said bunch, said strip spiralled at the head end being not disturbed while the ends of said bunch are being trimmed in the crimper, and rolling a wrapper around said bunch to yield said improved cigar. 20

4. The method of claim 3 wherein dabs of adhesive are applied on said end portion and the opposite end portion of said strip on the face over which said binder is laid.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 867,825 10/1907 Moesinger 13136 1,645,012 10/1927 Kitchel et a1. 13136 X 1,969,834 8/1934 Berriman -1 13l11 2,178,820 11/1939 Todoroif 131-15 2,914,071 11/1959 Straus 13111 FOREIGN PATENTS 742,561 12/ 1943 Germany. 514,664 11/ 1939 Great Britain.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

ABRAHAM G. STONE, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN THE METHOD OF MANUFACTURING CIGARS WHEREIN A BINDER IS PLACED ON THE ROLLING APRON OF A CIGAR-MAKING MACHINE AND ROLLED AROUND A MASS OF FILLER TOBACCO TO FORM A BUNCH AROUND WHICH A WRAPPER IS THEN ROLLED, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISED PLACING A NARROW STRIP OF A REINFORCING SHEET IN A PREDETERMINED POSITION ON SAID ROLLING APRON WITH SAID BINDER LAID OVER SAID STRIP, AND ROLLING BY THE OPERATION OF SAID ROLLING APRON THE SO PLACED STRIP SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH SIAD BINDER AROUND SAID MASS OF FILTER TOBACCO TO FORM SAID BUNCH, SAID PREDETERMINED POSITION BEING SUCH THAT STRIP IS PLACED WITH IT OUTER LONGER EDGE ESSENTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE DIRECTION OF ROLLING AND WITH A CLEARANCE OF A SMALL FRACTION OF AN INCH INWARDLY AWAY FROM THE CRIMPER CUTTING LINE OF SAID BINDER WHEREBY SAID STRIP IS SPIRALLED AT THE HEAD END ONLY OF SAID BUNCH BY THE SIMULTANEOUS ROLLING OF SAID STRIP AND SAID BINDER AND IS NOT DISTRUBED WHILE THE ENDS OF SAID BUNCH ARE BEING TRIMMED IN THE CRIMPER.

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