Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6250310
-
Patent Number
6,250,310
-
Date Filed
Thursday, July 15, 199924 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, June 26, 200123 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Silverman; Stanley S.
- Walls; Dionne A.
Agents
- Marshall, O'Toole, Gerstein, Murray & Borun
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 131 844
- 131 842
- 131 841
- 131 108
- 131 843
- 083 100
- 083 122
- 083 931
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A cigarette manufacturing machine having a shaving device for shaving at least one bead of tobacco, wherein two superimposed, mutually contacting disks with respective serrated outer edges are rotated about a common axis at different peripheral speeds to shave the bead of tobacco fed against the disks.
Description
The present invention relates to a cigarette manufacturing machine.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
On cigarette manufacturing machines, a continuous bead of tobacco is fed, normally by means of a suction conveyor belt, onto a forming beam, at the input of which, the tobacco bead is fed onto a continuous paper strip which is gradually folded transversely about the bead along the forming beam to form a continuous cigarette rod.
To maintain a constant amount of tobacco along the bead, the machine is equipped with a shaving device, which interferes with the bead as this is fed towards the forming beam, so as to obtain a substantially constant bead section.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,874 describes a shaving device comprising two parallel, counter-rotating disks with respective peripheral portions tangent to each other at a point along the path of the tobacco bead.
The counter-rotating disks have sharp edges for detaching the surplus tobacco from the bead, which surplus is then removed by a cutting device and fed to the input of a tobacco collecting device.
Though highly efficient, the above shaving device has a relatively bulky structure, both crosswise to the tobacco bead, on account of the two side by side counter-rotating disks, and parallel to the tobacco bead, on account of the cutter for removing the surplus tobacco detached by the two counter-rotating disks.
The above shaving device also has a fairly complex, and therefore high-cost, structure on account of the surplus tobacco cutter.
One solution to the above drawback is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,660,178, which describes a shaving device having two superimposed blades oscillating with respect to each other in a direction crosswise to the traveling direction of the tobacco bead.
Each blade has a serrated edge contacting the tobacco bead, and which cooperates with the serrated edge of the other blade to cut the surplus tobacco.
Though relatively compact, the reciprocating movement of the above shaving device results in severe vibration—especially at the high operating speeds of modern manufacturing machines—which in turn reduces the working life of the device itself.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cigarette manufacturing machine designed to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks, and which at the same time is cheap and easy to produce.
According to the present invention, there is provided a cigarette manufacturing machine comprising supply means for feeding at least one bead of tobacco along a given path; and at least one shaving device located along said path to shave said bead, and which in turn comprises two shaving disks, each parallel to said path and mounted to rotate about a respective axis crosswise to said path; characterized in that said two shaving disks comprise respective serrated outer edges having a superimposed portion interfering with said bead along said path; said shaving device also comprising actuating means for imparting to said two shaving disks a relative speed with respect to each other.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A number of non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1
shows a side view of a detail of the cigarette manufacturing machine according to the present invention;
FIG. 2
shows a larger-scale section of a detail in
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3
shows a larger-scale view of a detail in
FIG. 2
;
FIG. 4
shows a larger-scale plan view of a further detail in
FIG. 2
;
FIG. 5
shows a section of the
FIG. 2
detail according to a different embodiment;
FIGS. 6 and 7
show views in perspective of two different embodiments of the
FIG. 1
machine;
FIG. 8
shows a view in perspective of a further application of the
FIG. 1
machine;
FIG. 9
shows a larger-scale plan view, with parts removed for clarity, of a further embodiment of a detail of the
FIG. 1
machine.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Letter A in
FIG. 1
indicates a cigarette manufacturing machine comprising a shaving device
1
for shaving a bead
2
of tobacco
3
fed along a path P by a supply device
4
comprising a suction conveyor belt
5
traveling along a supporting beam
6
extending along path P.
In the example embodiment shown, bead
2
is located, for the sake of simplicity, on top of belt
5
, and supporting beam
6
is located beneath belt
5
, whereas, in actual fact, bead
2
is located beneath belt
5
, and beam
6
is a suction supporting beam located over belt
5
.
As shown more clearly in
FIG. 2
, shaving device
1
comprises a tubular body
7
supporting two disks
8
and
9
(a bottom and top disk respectively), which are substantially the same shape and size and are mounted coaxially with each other to rotate independently of each other about a common axis
10
crosswise to path P.
Disks
8
and
9
are mounted one over and substantially contacting the other, so as to slide with respect to each other and rotate about axis
10
at different speeds and/or in different directions.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, disks
8
and
9
are positioned parallel to path P, and have respective serrated outer edges
11
and
12
, which are superimposed and substantially contact each other along a portion Z corresponding to the whole extension of the edges.
Edges
11
and
12
interfere with bead
2
along path P, and comprise respective successions of teeth
13
and
14
.
As shown more clearly in
FIGS. 3 and 4
, serrated edges
11
and
12
are superimposed, so that, as disks
8
and
9
rotate about axis
10
at different speeds, teeth
13
and
14
intersect one another to “scissor” cut the fibers of tobacco
3
fed onto edges
11
and
12
by supply device
4
.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, shaving device
1
also comprises a known suction device
15
for removing the tobacco
3
shaved by disks
8
and
9
; and a known compacting device
16
located along path P, immediately upstream from disks
8
and
9
in the traveling direction of bead
2
of tobacco
3
, to form in bead
2
an orderly succession of higher-density portions located at successive cutting lines of bead
2
to compact tobacco
3
in known manner at the tips of the cigarettes (not shown).
Compacting device
16
comprises a substantially cylindrical body
17
, which is powered to rotate, in time with the forward travel of bead
2
, about an axis
18
crosswise and close to path P, and has a projection
19
for cyclically compressing a portion of tobacco
3
in bead
2
.
As shown in
FIG. 2
, tubular body
7
has a cylindrical inner hole
20
coaxial with axis
10
and fitted inside, by means of a pair of thrust bearings
21
, with a hollow shaft
22
, which is angularly integral with disk
8
and terminates with a bevel gear
23
perpendicular to axis
10
and meshing with a bevel gear
24
having an axis
25
perpendicular to axis
10
.
Hollow shaft
22
has a cylindrical inner hole
26
coaxial with axis
10
and fitted inside, by means of a pair of thrust bearings
27
, with a shaft
28
, which is angularly integral with disk
9
and terminates with a bevel gear
29
crosswise to axis
10
and meshing with a bevel gear
30
having an axis
31
perpendicular to axis
10
and parallel to axis
25
.
Gears
23
and
29
are identical, and are located parallel to each other and offset axially along axis
10
.
Similarly, gears
24
and
30
are also identical, and are located parallel to each other and angularly integral with respective shafts
32
and
33
, which are parallel to each other and fitted in rotary manner, by means of respective pairs of bearings
34
, to a tubular appendix
35
projecting transversely from body
7
.
Shaft
32
of gear
24
is angularly integral with a shaft
36
of a known motor
37
fitted to appendix
35
by means of a flange
38
; and shafts
36
and
33
are made angularly integral by a belt connecting device
39
comprising a toothed pulley
40
fitted to shaft
36
, a toothed pulley
41
fitted to shaft
33
, and a toothed belt
42
extending about pulleys
40
and
41
.
Pulleys
40
and
41
have different diameters so as to rotate shaft
33
in the same direction as but at a different angular speed from that of shaft
32
.
These different angular speeds are transmitted by the two bevel gear connections
23
-
24
and
29
-
30
to shafts
22
and
28
, and therefore to disks
8
and
9
, which are rotated about axis
10
in the same direction but at different angular speeds.
In the
FIG. 5
embodiment, shaft
36
of motor
37
is connected by shaft
32
solely to gear
24
, which meshes simultaneously with gears
23
and
29
, which are coaxial and oppositely conical, so that, when shaft
36
is rotated by motor
37
, shafts
22
and
28
, and therefore disks
8
and
9
, rotate in opposite directions at the same angular speed.
In a different embodiment not shown, motor
37
rotates disks
8
and
9
about axis
10
in opposite directions and at different angular speeds.
In a further embodiment not shown, one disk
8
,
9
is fixed and only the other disk
9
,
8
rotates about axis
10
.
Operation of shaving device
1
is clearly deducible from the foregoing description with no further explanation required.
FIGS. 6 and 7
show a dual manufacturing machine B for simultaneously producing two beads
2
of tobacco
3
.
In this case, supply device
4
comprises two belts
5
for feeding two beads
2
of tobacco
3
along respective parallel paths P.
In a first embodiment shown in
FIG. 6
, a single shaving device
1
is located with axis
10
extending between and crosswise to beams
6
to simultaneously shave both beads
2
.
In an alternative embodiment shown in
FIG. 7
, machine B comprises two shaving devices
1
, each associated with a respective belt
5
for shaving a respective bead
2
.
Devices
1
are located with respective axes
10
aligned with each other in a direction perpendicular to paths P of tobacco beads
2
.
Though more expensive, this solution is normally preferred by enabling the shaving height of each bead
2
to be varied independently.
In a further embodiment shown in
FIG. 8
, machine B comprises two pairs
43
of shaving devices
1
. Each pair
43
is associated with a respective belt
5
to shave a respective bead
2
, and the two shaving devices
1
(indicated
1
a
and
1
b
in
FIG. 8
) are arranged in series along path P of respective bead
2
.
Device
16
for compacting respective tobacco bead
2
is located between the two shaving devices
1
in the same pair
43
.
In actual use, and for each pair
43
, shaving device
1
a
, located upstream in the traveling direction of bead
2
, performs a first shaving operation to level off tobacco
3
in bead
2
, which is then compacted as described above by respective compacting device
16
, and shaved by shaving device
1
b
downstream in the traveling direction of bead
2
.
Shaving devices
1
a
in the two pairs
43
are located with respective axes
10
aligned in a direction perpendicular to paths P of tobacco beads
2
; and, likewise, shaving devices
1
b
in the two pairs
43
are also located with respective axes
10
aligned in a direction perpendicular to paths P of tobacco beads
2
.
In the
FIG. 8
embodiment, the first shaving operation of each bead
2
provides for highly uniform compaction of bead
2
, thus reducing the tip-filling defects of the cigarettes (not shown) produced on machine B.
By virtue of the compact design of shaving devices
1
, the above embodiment may be used on existing manufacturing machines with no particular alterations required (in particular, no increase in the size of the shaving region).
In a further embodiment not shown, the two shaving devices
1
a
for preshaving beads
2
may be replaced by a single shaving device
1
, as shown in
FIG. 6
, for shaving both beads
2
.
As shown in
FIG. 9
, shaving device
1
comprises two disks
8
and
9
(a bottom and top disk respectively) of different sizes and mounted to rotate independently about respective axes
10
a
and
10
b
, which are parallel to each other and perpendicular to path P of bead
2
of tobacco
3
.
Disks
8
and
9
are mounted one over and substantially contacting the other, so as to slide with respect to each other and rotate about respective axes
10
a
and
10
b
at different speeds and/or in different directions.
As shown in
FIG. 9
, disks
8
and
9
are positioned parallel to path P, and have respective serrated outer edges
11
and
12
, which are substantially tangent to each other at a superimposed portion Z along path P to interfere with bead
2
, and comprise respective successions of teeth (not shown in FIG.
9
).
Serrated edges
11
and
12
are so superimposed that, as disks
8
and
9
rotate at different speeds about respective axes
10
a
and
10
b
, the teeth of edges
11
and
12
intersect at superimposed portion Z to “scissor” cut the fibers of tobacco
3
fed onto portion Z.
Claims
- 1. A cigarette manufacturing machine comprising supply means for feeding at least one bead of tobacco along a given path; and at least one shaving device located along said path to shave said bead, and which in turn comprises two shaving disks, each parallel to said path and mounted to rotate about a respective axis crosswise to said path; wherein said two shaving disks comprise respective serrated outer edges having a superimposed portion interfering with said bead along said path, and comprising respective succession of teeth; said shaving device also comprising actuating means for imparting to said two shaving disks a relative speed with respect to each other to “scissor” cut the bead.
- 2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said two shaving disks are mounted coaxial with each other to rotate about a single axis crosswise to said path.
- 3. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said supply means comprise two parallel conveyors, each for feeding a respective said bead along a respective said path; the machine comprising two shaving devices, each connected to a respective said conveyor to shave a respective said bead.
- 4. A machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein the respective axes of said two shaving devices are aligned with each other in a direction perpendicular to said paths.
- 5. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said supply means comprise two parallel conveyors, each for feeding a respective said bead along a respective said path; said shaving device being located between said two conveyors to shave both said beads.
- 6. A machine as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least one pair of shaving devices, which are arranged in series along said path to shave said bead of tobacco.
- 7. A machine as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a compacting device located along said path, immediately upstream from said two shaving disks in a traveling direction of the bead of tobacco.
- 8. A machine as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a suction device for removing the shaved tobacco.
- 9. A cigarette manufacturing machine comprising supply means for feeding at least one bead of tobacco along a given path; and at least one shaving device located along said path to shave said bead, and which in turn comprises two shaving disks, each parallel to said path and mounted to rotate about a respective axis crosswise to said path; wherein said two shaving disks comprise respective serrated outer edges having a superimposed portion interfering with said bead along said path; said shaving device also comprising actuating means for imparting to said two shaving disks a relative speed with respect to each other; said two shaving disks being mounted coaxial with each other to rotate about a single axis crosswise to said path.
- 10. A machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least a first of said two shaving disks is mounted for rotation about said axis; said actuating means being connected to at least said first shaving disk to rotate the first shaving disk about said axis.
- 11. A machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of said two shaving disks is mounted for rotation about said axis; said actuating means being connected to both said two shaving disks to rotate each said shaving disk about said axis.
- 12. A machine as claimed in claim 11, wherein said actuating means are connected to said two shaving disks to rotate said two shaving disks about said axis in the same rotation direction and at different angular speeds.
- 13. A cigarette manufacturing machine comprising supply means for feeding at least one bead of tobacco along a given path; and at least one shaving device located along said path to shave said bead, and which in turn comprises two shaving disks, each parallel to said path and mounted to rotate about a respective axis crosswise to said path; wherein said two shaving disks comprise respective serrated outer edges having a superimposed portion interfering with said bead along said path; said shaving device also comprising actuating means for imparting to said two shaving disks a relative speed with respect to each other; said supply means comprise two parallel conveyors, each for feeding a respective said bead along a respective said path; said shaving device being located between said two conveyors to shave both said beads.
- 14. A cigarette manufacturing machine comprising supply means for feeding at least one bead of tobacco along a given path; and at least one shaving device located along said path to shave said bead, and which in turn comprises two shaving disks, each parallel to said path and mounted to rotate about a respective axis crosswise to said path; wherein said two shaving disks comprise respective serrated outer edges having a superimposed portion interfering with said bead along said path, and comprising respective succession of teeth; said shaving device also comprising actuating means for imparting to said two shaving disks a relative speed with respect to each other to “scissor” cut the bead; said shaving disks being mounted one over and substantially contacting the other; the edge of one disk being contained within the edge of the other disk.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
BO98A0449 |
Jul 1998 |
IT |
|
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Name |
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Nov 1953 |
|
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Heitmann |
Jul 1994 |
|
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