Method for feeding tobacco in a machine for manufacturing tobacco products

Abstract

In a cigarette maker, shredded tobacco passes through a feed and transport section toward a unit by which divided particles of the tobacco are gathered into at least one stream providing the filler for cigarettes. By positioning one or more sensors either along the feed and transport section or at a point upstream, relative to the feed direction of the tobacco, it becomes possible to identify the type of tobacco being handled at any given moment, so that when production schedules include a changeover from one brand to another, supervisors can be certain that the right type of tobacco has been selected, and ensure that different types of tobacco will not mingle.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
   
   
       14 . A method of feeding tobacco in a machine for manufacturing tobacco products as in claim  13 , including the steps of:
 shutting down the machine to suspend production of a first brand of tobacco product made from a first type of tobacco;   replacing the first type of tobacco with a second type of tobacco from which to manufacture a second brand of tobacco product;   activating sensing means in order to identify the type of tobacco being handled by the machine before initiating production of the second brand of tobacco product.   
   
   
       15 . A method as in  claim 14 , including the further steps of closing off the header chamber to prevent the second type of tobacco from flowing into the carding unit, feeding a predetermined quantity of the second type of tobacco into the header chamber by way of the inlet duct, and activating sensing means deployed upstream of the carding unit for an interval of time sufficient to identify the type of the new tobacco. 
   
   
       16 . A method as in  claim 14 , including the step of emptying the machine of the first type of tobacco, wherein the step of activating the sensing means consists in activating at least one sensor placed downstream of the carding unit for an interval of time sufficient to verify that there is no trace of the first type of tobacco in the machine before initiating production of the second brand of tobacco product.