Tobacco – Cigar or cigarette making – Molding or forming
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-15
2001-03-20
Silverman, Stanley S. (Department: 1731)
Tobacco
Cigar or cigarette making
Molding or forming
C131S084100, C131S077000, C131S083100, C131S084300, C131S084400, C131S038000, C131S042000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202648
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED CASES
This application claims the priority of German patent application Serial No. 198 01 641.7 filed Jan. 17, 1998. The disclosure of the German patent application, as well as that of each patent mentioned in the specification of the present application, is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to improvements in the methods of and in apparatus for making rods which contain a smokable material, and more particularly to improvements in methods of and in apparatus for making a continuous rod-like smokers' product (such as a cigarette rod) which contains a smokable material (such as comminuted tobacco ribs and/or tobacco leaf laminae) surrounding a flexible insert which may but need not always consist of and/or contain a smokable material.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,987,804 (granted Oct. 26, 1976 to Molins et al. for “MANUFACTURE OF CIGARETTES AND THE LIKE”) discloses a cigarette rod wherein the rod-like filler contains an insert in the form of an empty tube or a tube containing a smokable material. The tube is intended to be concentric with a surrounding sleeve-like body of smokable material which is wrapped into cigarette paper or the like. The material of the insert and/or of its contents may but need not be different from that of the surrounding sleeve.
A drawback of the patented method and apparatus is that the position of the filler or insert relative to the surrounding mass of smokable material cannot always be selected and maintained with a desired degree of accuracy. This can affect the quality and/or the appearance of the ultimate product. Furthermore, the patented apparatus is rather complex and the cost of the product which can be turned out in the patented apparatus and/or in accordance with the patented method is relatively high.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved method of making a continuous rod-like smokers' product wherein the insert is invariably surrounded by and confined in a mass of comminuted tobacco and/or other smokable material in an optimum manner.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method which ensures that the insert is invariably confined in a selected portion of the surrounding smokable material.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method which can be practiced by resorting to a relatively simple, compact and inexpensive apparatus.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a method which renders it possible to produce composite cigarette rods or the like at a rate of speed matching that of makers of cigarette rods without inserts.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a method which renders it possible to reduce the number of rejects.
A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved apparatus for the practice of the above outlined method.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a cigarette rod making machine which can be readily and automatically adjusted to select or correct the position of the insert relative to the surrounding mass of smokable material.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can be set up to ensure that the position of the insert relative to the surrounding smokable material can be automatically adjusted within a desired or selected range.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One feature of the invention resides in the provision of a method of making a continuous rod-like smokers' product which contains a smokable material (such as comminuted tobacco leaves, fragments of reconstituted tobacco and/or fragments of artificial tobacco) surrounding an elongated flexible tubular insert. The improved method comprises the steps of establishing for the insert an elongated path including spaced-apart first and second sections or stations, advancing the insert at the first section toward the second section at a first speed which is within a first range of speeds, advancing the insert at the second section in a direction away from the first section at a second speed which is within a second range of speeds so that, owing to its flexibility, the insert sags between the first and second sections when the first speed exceeds the second speed and the extent of sag of the insert between the first and second sections is adapted to be varied by changing at least one of the first and second speds, at least partially surrounding the insert with a smokable material in a region past the second section of the elongated path, monitoring the extent of sag of the insert between the first and second sections and generating signals having characteristics denoting the extent of monitored sag, and regulating at least one of the advancing steps as a function of the characteristics of the signals.
One of the ranges of speeds (for example, the second range) can be zero.
The insert can be empty or it can contain a smokable material.
The method can be carried out in such a way that the extent of sag of the insert between the first and second sections of the elongated path is variable between preselected upper and lower threshold values, and the regulating step of such method can include regulating the at least one advancing step (e.g., the step of advancing the insert at the first section of its path) to maintain the extent of sag between the two threshold values. Furthermore, the regulating step can be initiated (started) when the extent of sag reaches one of the two threshold values. Such regulating step can include increasing the first speed when the extent of sag reaches the lower threshold value or reducing the first speed when the extent of sag reaches the upper threshold value.
Alternatively, the regulating step can include changing the first speed when the extent of sag of the insert between the first and second sections of the elongated path reaches the one threshold value, and thereupon changing at least one of the first and second speeds to maintain the extent of sag between the two threshold values.
Still further, the regulating step can include stepwise changing the at least one advancing step when the extent of sag of the insert reaches the one threshold value until the extent of the sag assumes a value (e.g., a preselected value) between the upper and lower threshold values. The step of changing the at least one advancing step in a stepwise fashion can be carried out with a predetermined delay after the extent of sag reaches the one threshold value.
The surrounding step can include accumulating a layer of smokable material on a foraminous conveyor (e.g., at the underside of the at least substantially horizontal lower reach of the endless air-permeable belt conveyor beneath the perforated bottom wall of a suction chamber), and transporting the layer of smokable material downstream of the second section at a predetermined offset relative to the elongated path of the insert between the first and second sections of such path. The surrounding step can further include admitting into the elongated path additional smokable material which overlies the insert and the layer being transported by the foraminous conveyor downstream of the second section as seen in the direction of advancement of the insert beyond the second section. The admitting step can include showering additional smokable material onto the insert and onto the layer being transported by the foraminous conveyor. Such method can further comprise the step(s) of trimming or equalizing the layer on the foraminous conveyor and/or the additional smokable material at or beyond the second section of the elongated path. Still further, such method can comprise the step of deforming successive increments of the insert downstream of the second section through an angle which is a function of the aforementioned offset. The deforming step can include subjecting the insert to the action of a rotary deforming member (such as an idler roller or a driven roller) downstream of the second section.
The method can further comprise the step of confining the insert and the surrounding smokable ma
Herburg Andreas
Rathjen Andreas
Schumacher Peter
Halpern Mark
Hauni Maschinenbau AG
Kinberg Robert
Silverman Stanley S.
Spencer George
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