Tobacco – Cigar or cigarette making – Wrapping devices
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-02
2004-08-03
Walls, Dionne A. (Department: 1731)
Tobacco
Cigar or cigarette making
Wrapping devices
C131S084100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06769435
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an outfeed unit in a cigarette maker.
Machines for making cigarettes comprise a unit serving to shape and advance a continuous ribbon of tobacco filler drawn from a tobacco feeder device, and a unit serving to feed a continuous strip of paper which is directed onto and along a forming beam and wrapped progressively around the ribbon of tobacco filler to form a continuous cigarette rod. On reaching an outfeed unit of the machine, the cigarette rod is advanced along a predetermined feed path at a predetermined speed, passing through a succession of quality control devices and into a cutting station where it is divided into cigarette sticks of predetermined length by a rotary cutter device.
Conventionally, when the machine is started and stopped, and in certain circumstances during normal operation, the need may arise to activate a cut-off device located between the beam and the quality control devices, in order to separate a portion of the cigarette rod and divert it from the feed path toward a reject station.
The cut-off device in question is interlocked to the aforementioned quality control devices and will be activated in the event of the selfsame devices detecting properties or defects in the cigarette rod such as render it unsuitable for the production of single cigarettes.
Following the operation of the cut-off device, the length of cigarette rod remaining between the selfsame cut-off device and the rotary cutter must be removed manually so that normal operation of the machine can be resumed. The task of removing this fragment of cigarette rod is a complex one, since besides opening up the casing of the machine it may also be necessary to disturb the quality control devices, dismantling them in part and occasioning lengthy periods of inactivity as a result.
The object of the present invention is to provide an outfeed unit for a cigarette maker such as will be unaffected by the aforementioned drawbacks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The stated object is duly realized according to the present invention in a cigarette maker outfeed unit comprising a feed path along which at least one cigarette rod is advanced in a predetermined direction, extending between the outfeed end of a beam on which the cigarette rod is formed and a cutter device by which the continuous cigarette rod is divided into discrete sticks constituting single cigarettes, also a cut-off device positioned in close proximity to the forming beam and capable of movement between a position of disengagement from the feed path, and a position of interference with the selfsame path in which the rod is cut and diverted from the path, characterized in that it comprises removal means by which a portion of the continuous cigarette rod separated through the action of the cut-off device is distanced from a final stretch of the feed path extending between the cut-off device and the cutter device.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4188957 (1980-02-01), Legardinier
patent: 4406293 (1983-09-01), Maldina
patent: 2626080 (1976-12-01), None
Boldrini Fulvio
Dall'Osso Davide
Sartoni Massimo
Davidson Berquist Klima & Jackson LLP
G. D S.p.A.
Walls Dionne A.
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