Cigarette maker

Abstract

A cigarette maker is equipped with an infeed hopper, a pneumatic feed duct carrying a flow of shredded tobacco to the hopper, a carding unit, a descending channel, and an ascending channel by which the tobacco is directed up and onto aspirating conveyor belt. A separator device installed upstream of the infeed hopper and designed to remove foreign matter from the flow of shredded tobacco is packaged as a module, coupled into the feed duct, comprising a first section isolated from pneumatic pressure in the duct, and a second section in which pneumatic pressure is reinstated; tobacco advancing through the first section is thinned on a conveyor belt and loosened on a vibrating tray in such a way as to disentangle the constituent particles and stems and redistribute the flow as a layer of relatively limited thickness, thereby favoring separation of the foreign matter.

1 ) A cigarette making machine comprising an infeed hopper, a pneumatic feed duct carrying a flow of shredded tobacco to the hopper, a carding unit by which the tobacco is taken up from the hopper and released as a flow of separated particles to be directed first through a descending channel then through an ascending channel, toward an aspirating outfeed conveyor belt placed at the top end of the ascending channel; also, a separator device for the removal of foreign matter from the flow of shredded tobacco, comprising means by which to form and feed a carpet of tobacco, descending conveyor means into which tobacco is directed by the forming and feeding means in free fall, an outfeed duct interposed between the outlet of the descending conveyor means and an inlet connecting with the hopper, and means by which to generate a stream of air directed along the outfeed duct.  
   
   
       2 ) A machine as in  claim 1 , wherein means by which to form and feed a carpet of tobacco comprise a vibrating tray.  
   
   
       3 ) A machine as in  claim 2 , wherein means by which to form and feed a carpet of tobacco comprise a conveyor belt.  
   
   
       4 ) A machine as in  claim 1 , wherein means by which to form and feed a carpet of tobacco comprise a conveyor belt, also a vibrating tray interposed between the conveyor belt and the descending conveyor means.  
   
   
       5 ) A machine as in  claim 1 , wherein descending conveyor means comprise an inclined plane.  
   
   
       6 ) A machine as in  claim 1 , wherein descending conveyor means comprise a substantially vertical duct.  
   
   
       7 ) A machine as in  claim 1 , wherein descending conveyor means comprise a duct with walls of zigzag profile.  
   
   
       8 ) A machine as in  claim 5 , wherein a bottom end of the descending conveyor means communicates with a duct through which to reject foreign matter.  
   
   
       9 ) A machine as in  claim 1 , wherein the descending conveyor means and the outfeed duct are connected by a section coinciding with a vent forming part of the means by which to generate a stream of air.  
   
   
       10 ) A machine as in  claim 9 , wherein the outfeed duct is an ascending channel and the connecting section is a bend.  
   
   
       11 ) A machine as in  claim 1 , wherein the separator device consists in a unit or module installable along the feed duct conveying the shredded tobacco.  
   
   
       12 ) A machine as in  claim 1 , wherein the separator device comprises a first feed section advancing the shredded tobacco, along which pneumatic pressure generated through the feed duct is deactivated, and a second feed section along which the selfsame pneumatic pressure is reinstated.  
   
   
       13 ) A machine as in  claim 12 , wherein the first section of the separator device is composed of the means of forming and feeding a carpet of tobacco, and the descending conveyor means.  
   
   
       14 ) A machine as in  claim 12 , wherein the second section is provided by the outfeed duct.  
   
   
       15 ) A machine as in  claim 4 , wherein descending conveyor means comprise an inclined plane.  
   
   
       16 ) A machine as in  claim 4 , wherein descending conveyor means comprise a substantially vertical duct.  
   
   
       17 ) A machine as in  claim 4 , wherein descending conveyor means comprise a duct with walls of zigzag profile.  
   
   
       18 ) A machine as in  claim 15 , wherein a bottom end of the descending conveyor means communicates with a duct through which to reject foreign matter.  
   
   
       19 ) A machine as in  claim 16 , wherein a bottom end of the descending conveyor means communicates with a duct through which to reject foreign matter.  
   
   
       20 ) A machine as in  claim 17 , wherein a bottom end of the descending conveyor means communicates with a duct through which to reject foreign matter.